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k. v./ /MS:- ^^..^v^'' ':iN¥^\ %^.^^ /Sl^\ ^<..,xv^ .'ilf^'; V./ 



/y . . 
20th Century History 



OF 



Butler and Butler County, Pa. 



AND 



Representative Citizens 



Edited and Compiled by 

JAMES A, McKEE 

Butler. Pa. 



History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples' 



Published by 
RICHMOND-ARNOLD PUBLISHING CO. 

Geo. Richmond, Pres. C. R. Arnold Stc'y and Ticas. 

CHICAGO. 



1909 



v^^ 



xV 




PREFACE 



I HE aim of the publishers nf this volume and of the author of 
the history lias been to secure for the historical portion thereof 
full and accurate data respecting the history of the county from 
the time of its early settlement, and to condense it into a clear 
• -™,,_.™, find interesting narrative. All topics and occurrences have been 

^ ^^^^1 included that were essential to this object. 

The reviews of resolute and strenuous lives which make up the biographical 
part of tills volume, and whose authorship is for the most part independent of 
that of the iiistoi-y, are admirably ciilrulated to foster local ties, to inculcate 
patriotism, and to emphasize the rewards of industry dominated by intelligent 
purpose. They constitute a most appropriate medium for perpetuating personal 
annals, and will be of incalculable value to the descendants of those commemorated. 
Tliese sketches, replete with stirring incidents and intense experiences, are 
flavoied with a strong human interest that will naturally prove to a large portion 
of the readers of the book its most attractive feature. In the aggregate of per- 
sonal memoirs thus collated M'ill be found a vivid epitome of the growth of Butler 
County, which will fitly supplement the historical statement, for its development is 
identified with that of the men and women to whom it is attributable. 

Tlie publishers have endeavored to pass over no feature of the work slight- 
ingly. Init to fittingly supplement the editor's labors by exercising care over the 
minutest details of publication, and thus give to the volume the three-fold value 
of a readable narrative, a useful work of reference, and a tasteful ornament to the. 
library. We believe the result has justified the care thus exercised. 

Special prominence has been given to the portraits of representative citizens 
which appear throughout tlie volume, and we believe that they will prove not 
its least interesting feature. We have sought in this department to illustrate 
the different spheres of industrial and professional achievement as conspicuously 
as possible. To all those who have kindly interested themselves in the prepara- 
tion of tills work, and who have voluntarily contributed most useful information, 
or rendered other assistance, we hereby tender our grateful acknowledgements. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 
Chicago, Marcli. 190!). 



NOTE 



All the biographical sketches published in this volume were sub- 
mitted to their respective subjects or to the subscribers, from whom 
the facts were primarily obtained, for their approval or correction 
before going to press ; and a reasonable time was allowed in each case 
for the return of the typewritten copies. Most of them were returned 
to us within the time allotted, or before the work was printed, after 
being corrected or revised; and these may be regarded therefore as 
reasonably accurate. 

A few, however, were not returned to us ; and, as we have no means 
of knowing whether they contain errors or not, we cannot vouch for 
their accuracy. In justice to our readers, and to render this work more 
valuable for reference purposes, we have indicated these uncorrected 
sketches by a small asterisk (*), placed immediately after the name of 
the subject. They will all be found on the last pages of the book. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 



Contents 



CHAPTER I. 

Page. 

TOPOGEAPHICAL FISATURES AND illXEK^U- DEPOSITS 21 

Advance of Civilization Along the Waterways — The County Created, Named, and Surveyed — Organization 
of Counties — Topography — The Soil, Valley and High Land — Elevations Above Tide Water — Thomas Col- 
lins' Salt Well— Webster Wilson's Well— John Negley Well— Eccentricities of the Oil Fields— Coal Fields 
— Other Mineral Deposits — Lead Mines — Forests — Archeology — Epidemics, Floods, and Storms. 

CHAPTER II. 

Settlement or Western Pexxsylvaxia 41 

Indian Occupation — Early Maps — The Original People — The First White Men — Washington's Journey — 
England Takes Action — Cause of Indian Dissatisfaction — Cliristopher Gist — Frederick Post — Post Returns 
to the Delawares — Kaskaskunk — Pakanke — Glikkikin — Rev. John Rothe — Settlements up to 1804 — Pioneer 
Settlers — Pioneer Anecdotes and Adventures — Destruction of Kittanning — The Story of Massy Harbison — 
Gen. Richard Butler. 

CHAPTER III. 

Land Titles . 80 

Naming of Pennsylvania — Extinguishment of the Indian Title — The Erie Triangle — Boundary Line Dis- 
putes — Ferguson's Wanton Act — The Depreciation Lands — The Donation Lands — Drawn by Lottery — The 
"Struck" District — The Settlement Law of 1792 — Robert Morris — Agrarian Troubles — The Shooting of 
Maxwell— The End of the Laud Jobbers— The JlcKee and Varnum Case. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Organizatiox of Butlek CorxTY 90 

Accounts with Allegheny County — Location of County Seat — Original Townships — A New County Proposed 
— Present Division of Townships — Another New County Proposition — Transactions of the County Commis- 
sioners — Tax on Bachelors — The Northwestern Railroad — Dispute of Bounty Claims — 1804 and 1908 Com- 
pared — Commissioners' Clerks — Conscience Money — Public Buildings — The Court House of 1884 — Court 
House of 1908— County Jails— The First Stone Jail— Recent Jail Escapes— Capture and Death of the Biddle 
Brothers — The County Home — The Temperance Cause — W. C. T. U. — Non-partisan Temperance Union — 
Loyal Temperance Legion — Population Statistics. 

CHAPTER V. 

Political History 143 

Senatorial and Representative Districts Established — First Elections — A New Judicial District — ^Fourteentii 
Congressional District Established — Campaign of 1828 — Case of Hugh Lee — Constitutional Amendments — 
Twenty-fifth Congressional District — Anti-slavery Movement — The Know Nothing Party — Anti-Adminis- 
tration Party — The Republican Party — The New Representative District — Apportionment of 1871 — The Con- 
stitutional Convention — Changes in 1874 — Vote on Prohibition Amendment — Campaign of 1890 — Judicial 
Campaigns of 1892-1902 — The Union Party — Vote for President Roosevelt— New Primary Election Law — 
Congressional Districts — Senatorial Districts — Representative Districts — Judicial Districts — Public Officials 
— Appointment of Court Officials. 



12 CONTENTS 

CHAPTEK VI. 

The Oil and Gas Industries K'9 

Early Oil Discoveries — Petroleum Used as Medicine — its Commercial Possibilities Eealized — Oil Company 
Formed — First Shipment to Europe — Early Oil Wells — The Parker's Landing Field — Petrolia, Karns City 
and Fairview — Greece City — Troutman Farm — Millerstown Field — The Bald Ridge District — Thorn Creek — 
Thorn Creek Extension — Reibald Field — The Hundred-foot District — Brownsdale and Cooperstown — Speech- 
ley Field — The Pipe Lines — Producers and Refiners — Natural Gas as a Fuel — Deepest Well in the County 
— Nitro-glycerine — Flannegan's Well-cleaner — Accidents and Tragedies of the Business — Death of Holland 
— Butler County Woman Killed — Miscellaneous Incidents and Sketches — -A Loaded Porker — William Smith 
—The Montcalm Letter — Dune Karns — Richard Jennings — Taylor & Satterfield — Plummer's Ride — The Pro- 
ducers' Protective Association — Beating the Railroad Company — Parker City — The Devil's Half-acre — The 
Wickedest Man in the World — The Agrarian Trouble at Renfrew — Wilson's Iron Derrick — Fortunes That 
Were Missed — The Lawyer Pumper — The "Spotty " McBride Well — Hoffman's Luck — Oil Country Honor — 
Oil Men's Outing Association— Prices of Crude Oil — A Disastrous Fire — Thomas W. Phillips. 

e 

CHAPTER VII. 

Bench and Bar 221 

Early Court Officials — Early Courts — Origin of "Buckwheat County"- — First Quarter Sessions Court — Civil 
Gases and Other Court Business — Division of Townships — Cattle Marks — The Court in 1805-06 — Contempt 
of Court Case — Probate Court Created — MeJunkin-Halleek Tragedy— Court Dockets Written Up— Bredin 
Appointed Judge — Mohawk Murder Trial — Election of Judges — The Nellis Murder — Duff Trial — Constable 
Ferguson Killed— Court of 1853— Election of McGuffin — Cooper Murder Trial — Addlington Murder Trial — 
Hoekenbury Trial — Sehugart-Martin Trials — Constitution of 1873 — Judicial Contest of 1884 — Arrest of Coun- 
terfeiters — Harbison-Monks Baby Case — Lee Murder Trial — Hasler Murder — Judicial Contest of 1893 — 
Election of 1902— Catherine Miller Case— McGrady Tiial— The Hoffman Case— Ground Hog Case— The 
Kreditch Murder— McLaughlin-Hemphill Tragedv— The Schmidt Murder— The Bennett Riot— The Bench; 
Biographical Notice— The Bar- Biographical Notice^The Butler Bar in 1908. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Transportation Facilities . . . 
Public Roads — Stage Lines- 



CH AFTER IX. 



Agriculture 280 

Pioneer Methods — Primitive Appliances — Butler County Farmers Progressive — Agricultural Societies — The 
Butler Driving Park and Fair Association — Millerstown Fair Association — Chicora Dairy Park and Fair As- 
sociation — North Washington Agricultural Society. 

CHAPTER X. 

Military History 290 

Early Militia Organizations — Butler Invincibles — War of the Revolution — Butler County's Line of Descent — 
Military Organizations to which the First^ Settlers Belonged — Revolt of the Pennsylvania Line — A Hero of 
Stony Point — The Critchlow Brothers and Thomas Scott at Saratoga — War of 1812 — ^Butler Volunteers at 
Erie — Organization of the Second Infantry — The 13Sth Infantry — Rough Treatment of a Tory — Mexican 
War — Civil War — The Various Commands — ^Bounty Act — Balaam Association — Jubilee Meeting — Soldiers' 
Monuments — Spanish-American War — Departure of Mth Regiment — Death of Private Watters — Patriotic So- 
cieties — Roster of Company E, 15th Regiment — Names of VoIunteer^s — National Guard — Roster of Company 
L, 16th Regiment — Company G, 21st Regiment. 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Medical Profession 3.,3 

The Old Doctor — Some Borough and County Physicians — Homeopaths — Osteopathy — Registered Physicians- 
Butler Medical Association — Typhoid Fever Epidemic — Relief Society Organized— Ladies' Auxiliary Commit- 
tees — Dr. Batt's Work— Hospital Established — Supply Rooms — Diet Kitchen — Clara Barton's Visit Relief 

Fund — History of the Water Supply — Financial Report— Butler County General Hospital— Nurses' Trainins 
School. * 



CONTENTS 13 

CHAPTER XII. 

Banks .wcd Baxkinc 359 

First Banking Institution — First National Bank — John Berg & Co. — Butler Savings Bank — Butler Savings 
and Trust Co. — Butler County Kational Bank — Farmers' National Bank of Butler — Guaranty Safe Deposit 
& Trust Co.— Standard Trust Co.— First National Bank of Harrisville— First National Bank of Zelienople— 
Citizens" National Bank of Slippery Eock — First National, Slippery Rock — Mars National Bank — First Na- 
tional Bank of Bruin — Citizens' National Bank of Evans City — Lyndorn National Bank — Harmony Savings 
Bank — Commercial Bank of Harmony — Prospect Savings Bank — Millerstown Savings Bank Association — Mil- 
lerstOTvn Deposit Bank — Butler County Bank — Fairvjew Banks — Argyle Savings Bank, Petrolia. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

The Press 370 

Newspapers and Eilitors of the Past and of tlie Present. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Educatiox 385 

The First Sdiools— Progi'ess of Education— Important Legislation— Teachers' Associations, Etc. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Public Utilities 393 

Roads and Bridges — Electric Railways — Telephone and Telegraph — Bell Telephone — Postal Telegraph Com- 
jiany — People's Telephone Co. — Speechley Telephone Co. — Butler and Coylesville Telephone Co. — Burton Tel- 
ephone Co. — Slipperv Rock Telephone Co. — Saxonburg Telephone Co. — Butler County Telephone Co. — Harris- 
ville Teleplione Co.— Pittsburg ami Butler Telephone Co.— Portersville Telephone Co. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Butler Borough 400 

Founders of Butler — Ti;e County Seat — First Sale of Lots — Original Maps — Dispute about Title — First Set- 
tlers — Incorporation of the Town — First Public School Tax — Fire Department Considered — Extension of 
Borough and Street Lights — Light and Fuel Companies — Fire Insurance Companies — Water Companies — 
Railroads — Telegraph Lines — Board of Trade — Business Men's Association — Grocers' Association — Chamber 
of Commerce — Public Buildings — Taverns and Hotels — ilanufaetures — Machine Shops — Brickyards — Build- 
ing and Loan Associations — Churches — Schools — Religious and Charitable Societies — Graveyards and Ceme- 
teries — Postmasters. 

CHAP'?ER XVII. 

The Townships 487 

]?ln(iKAPHICAI 605 



Index 



Biograpbical 



Page 

Abernethy, Dr 33i 

Abrams, Edward E 611 

Adams, George 1459 

Adams, Josiah 784 

Adams, Leander 1281 

Addison, Hon. Alexander. . . . 239 

Aggas, Warren 607 

Agnew, Dr 326 

Agnew, Hon. Daniel 240 

Akins, Andrew M 900 

Albert, Peter W 1473 

Alehorn, Dr. James P 337 

Aldinger, F. Augustus 1078 

Alexander, Thomas 613 

Allen, Charles W 958 

Allen, Gideon E 1485 

Allen, W. L 1097 

Allen, William S.' 656 

Allison, Robert L., M. D 1347 

Altvater, William G 1320 

Anderson, John P 691 

Anderson, Ora H 1185 

Anderson, Robert M 1029 

Angell, C. D 172 

Angert, Joseph 889 

Armbruster, J. George 984 

Arner, William C 1411 

Arnold, William 1195 

Ash, Isaac 249 

Ash, Joseph 982 

Atwell, J. Clinton, M. D 718 

Atwell, Samuel 263 

AtweU, William J 1198 

Avery, S. S 253 

Ayres, Gen. William 243 

Bachman, Charles B 1141 

Bachman, William 959 

Badger, Frank W 895 

Badger, Sumner B . . . 975 

Bailey, Dr. Raymond W 343 

Baker, Everett M., M. D 1073 

Baker, James W 667 

Baker, Thomas M 255 

Baldwin, George 743 

Balfour, John 1451 



Paye 

Ball, Joseph 1450 

Bancroft, Prof. P. S 1275 

Barber, Dr. Walter 337 

Barber, William 1423 

Bard, Jackson E 766 

Barker, Enos r 1068 

Barklev, William J 939 

Barnard, Carlton H 831 

Barney, H. M 1418 

Barnhart, Andrew W 878 

Barnhart, Charles H 1134 

Barnhart, Rudolph 903 

Barnhart, Victor A 1009 

Barron, Joseph ■ 1391 

Bartlej^, James M 675 

Bartley, Naaman F 1241 

Hartley, William J 1420 

Bastian, David G 1244 

Bauer, Charles 983 

Bauer, George 1166 

Beachem, Charles 1229 

Beam, Samuel A 1409 

Beattv, George M., M. D 1141 

Beattv, Dr. J. W 335 

Beck, Frank S 862 

Beck, Joseph L 862 

Behm, Augustus H 1007 

Bell, Hon. Elmer E 954 

Bell, Dr. Harrv A 329 

Bell, Samuel 1313 

Bell, Samuel 943 

Bell, Dr. Sylvester D 329 

Bennett, David T 804 

Bennett, William L 808 

Beringer, John 1100 

Berry, O. P 1430 

Bicker, Herman L 660 

Bicker, John F 663 

Binsack, Henrv 902 

Black, Alfred' J 943 

Black, A. T 255 

Black, George A 250 

Black, John A 722 

Black, Newton 254 

Black, William H 256 

Blair, Marion E 7G0 



Page 

Blakeley, Col. Archibald 246 

Blakeley, Col. William 246 

Blaney, Cyrus E 748 

Book, Charles H 1266 

Book, William F IISO 

Boos, Jacob 779 

Borland, Charles R 1348 

Bovard, J. Chambers 1152 

Bovard & Sons, J. C 1152 

Bowers, Augustus 1259 

Bowser, D. L 629 

Bowser, Ross M 1021 

Bowser, S. F 257 

Boyle, J. C, M. D 1129 

Braham, Samuel L 1003 

Brandberg, C. J 993 

Brandon, Matthew H 643 

Brandon, Washington D 257 

Brandon, J. Emory 91i) 

Brandon, Jacob C". 911 

Brandon, William S 907 

Braunan, Isaac R 659 

Brediu, Edward M 245 

Bredin, Hon. James 647 

Bredin, Hon. John 240 

Bredin, Joseph B. 664 

Bredin, Dr. Stephen 329 

Brennan, William J 849 

Brewster, Alexander 671 

Bricker, Hiram C 989 

Brieker, Dr. McCurdy 329 

Brittain, James F 250 

Brower, Dr. B. H. B 337 

Brown, Charles M 1050 

Brown, C. N 204 

Brown, Henry J 1140 

Brown, Peter P 1282 

Brown, Robert H 973 

Brown, T. H 995 

Brown, William E 989 

Brown, Dr. William H 341 

Brunermer, George A 857 

Buchanan, James C 1423 

Buffington, Hon. Joseph 243 

Buhning, Henrv 1291 

BuUard, Dr. Henry 335 



Page 

Burc-haid, Dr. H. C 335 

Burk, John A 1236 

Burke, Richard 826 

Burton, William J 994 

Butler, Albert E 987 

Butler, Gen. Richard 75 

Bvers, .Fohn -.1386 

Byers, Dr. John E 328 

Byers, Josiah 1468 

Caldwell, James B 1101 

Caldwell, John B 1306 ' 

Caler, Wilbert L 1398 

Campbell, Andrew G 1298 

Campbell, James 1 755 

Campbell, John S ; 1289 

Campbell, John Sheppard.... 947 
Campbell, Mrs. Josephine. .. .1066 

Campbell, N. W 256 

Campbell, O. P 1107 

Campbell, T. Chalmers 1010 

Campbell, Dr. Willard B 1065 

Campbell, William 1306 

Campbell, William, Sr 1090 

Carpenter, John L 1374 

Cashdollar, William S 1117 

Chandler, George N 797 

Christie, .lames L., M. D 869 

Christie, Samuel Plummer. . .1442 

Christley, Alfred M 260 

Christlev, Curtis 1 1012 

Christley, Laurell E 378 

Christlev, William 1346 

Christy,' Alfred W 761 

Christy, Dr. J. L 338 

Clark," Julian A 1318 

Clark, .T. B 255 

Clay, S. G 1368 

Cleeland, David L 692 

Clevis, L. J 253 

Clinton, E. DeWitt 1277 

Glutton, Frank 1251 

Cluxton, Dr. F. C 335 

Cochrane, Calvin C 870 

Cochran, Joseph H 1058 

Colbert, W. H 255 

Colestock, .Joseph 671 

Collins, Isaiah 668 

Collins, .John 1348 

Collins, Rev. Patrick K 1134 

Conley, James R. P 1339 

Conley, Robert J 10o\ | 

Cook^M,,. TlM.inlcV r!^';^^!!;i-JS4 

Coo|i.r. .\|.Ih-s a 1453 

Cooper, .lospph B 966 

Cooper, Thomas F 1179 

Cornelius, Alexander M 259 

Cornelius, William M 253 

Coulter, Dr. G. W 338 

Coulter, Hunter E 930 

Coulter, John W 264 

Cowden, Dr. John 328 

Cowden, Dr. John V 328 

Cowden, Dr. William R 32S 



Page 

Coyle, James, Jr 761 

Craig, L. H 848 

Cramer, John 926 

Cranmer, .John T 1074 

Crawford, Dr. Frank 329 

Crawford, Joseph A 780 

Crawford, Walter G 253 

Cress, Milton 1476 

Criswell, David S 1463 

Criswell, John A 1077 

Criswell, Joseph 1310 

Critchlow, Henry C 762 

Cromling, Henry 1411 

Cross, John A . ! 1093 • 

Grouse, Philip 843 

Crowe, John 840 

Cubbins, William H 798 

Culberson, W. Clark 1446 

Cummings, Paul 256 

Cummings, Stephen 738 

Cunningham, Dr. Abelard V.. 931 

Cunningham, A. M 254 

Cunningham, David C 245 

Cunningham. Francis W 929 

Currie, Wjlliam B 654 

Cypher, .John C 737 

Cypher, Philip 742 

Dale, David E 814 

Dambaeh. Adam J 1165 

Dambaugh, .Jacob 1026 

Dart, D. W 1327 

Daubenspeck, G. F 838 

Daubenspeck, Philip 870 

Daughertv, Joseph S 849 

Daughert'v, W. H 1443 

Davidson, A. W 1414 

Davis, Dr. Harry M 333 

Davison. Mrs. Priscilla 1017 

Davy, F. H 1004 

Dean, Harold E 839 

DeColiere, Dr. Henri 328 

Delia ven, Robert L 768 

Dennison, Dr. B. E 335 

Dennv, James M 253 

DeWolf. Charles L.. M. D 890 

DeWolfe, Dr. EM G 338 

DeWolf e. Dr. Henrv C 325 

Dickey, David M . ." 844 

Dindinger, Hon. John 900 

Dipner, Charles 766 

Dipner, John L 773 

Dipner, William 766 

Dittmer, .Joseph J 697 

Divener, Charles 847 

Dixon, Winfield S 1290 

Dodd. Samuel T 1385 

Dodds, David B 1003 

Dodds, Ernest J 813 

Dodds, John S 965 

Dodds, Thomas J 643 

Dombart. Nicholas A., M. D.. 990 

Donaldson Brothers 759 

Donaldson. Clifford C 759 

Donaldson, Harry A 759 



Page 

Donaldson, William P 7.59 

Donley, Joseph T 255 

Double, Henry Perrj' 1254 

Double, Joseph ....". 635 

Douthett, Detmore W.. 1023 

Douthett, William 6 801 

Dower, John H 730 

Drake, Dr. Nannie B 341 

Drane, Philip A 1351 

Drushel, Henry Edwin 945 

Duff, Dr. P. S 341 

Duffy, Peter nZG 

Dunbar, Charles 1 1002 

Dunbar, Daniel L 1091 

Dunbar, Solomon II43 

Duncan, Gilmore A., D. D. S..1365 

Duncan, Nelson B 1292 

Duncan, Sample C 1233 

Dunlap, Mulvain 1314 

DuPanchell, Dr 327 

Eagal, Orenzo W 1483 

Eakin, Robert 1399 

Eastman, Frank il 255 

Eberhart, Andrew 681 

Eberle, C. P 882 

Eberle, H. W 762 

Ehmer, J. Andrew 868 

Ekas, Chester A 1436 

Elliott, .James M 773 

Elriek, Dr. J. H 333 

Elriek, John M 1040 

Elriek, Richard E 1060 

Emmerling. Dr. Charles 326 

Emrick, William J 964 

Endres, Adam 876 

Engelhart, Ernst F 895 

Evans, J. Bernard. 1150 

Evans, Silas H 796 

Evans, Walter 798 

Everts, J. H 778 

Ewing, Mrs. Ellsworth 1468 

Eyles, Fred 874 

Falkner, Matthew 1442 

Falkner, Samuel '. 1434 

Fehl, Casper 958 

Fennell, Philip S 789 

Ferguson, John 988 

Ferrero, Eugene 249 

Fetzer, Charles A 614 

Fiedler, Dr. Daniel W -. . . . 1479 

Fiudley, William C 260 

Fisher, Robert ' 878 

Fleeger, A. F 648 

Fleeger. Isaac M 966 

Fletcher, E. Jl 698 

Flick, John H 721 

FoUett. James S 68a 

Forcht, George 917 

Forquer, Benjamin J 1364 

Forquer, Francis J 1222- 

I'orquer. William A 254 

Forsvthe, Pavi.l 1032 

Foster. Dr. J. ( ' 343 



16 

Page 

Foster, Dr. Julia E 34L' 

Foster, Dr. W. V. 335 

Foster, William 6S7 

Fox, George H 626 

Fox, WilUam J 644 

Frazier, Thomas A 1131 

Frederick, Jacob 820 

Freehling, John G 703 

Freehling, Theodore H 712 

Freehling, William T 1216 

Friekenstein, Dr. Theo 326 

Frishkorn, Frederick A 768 

Galbreath, lion. James M 840 

Galbraith. John 243, 373 

Galbreth, Samuel W 697 

Gallagher, Dennis L 791 

Gallagher, Robert E., D.D.S... 92.3 

Gallaway, John F 1435 

Gamble, W. E l^'l^ 

Gerard, Claude 1230 

Gerlach, Charles 1040 

Gerner. Henry 1467 

Garroway, J. L 1057 

Gillespie, Otho J 1462 

(iillgrist, James A 1469 

GiUiland. E. L 1344 

Gilliland, John A 676 

Gilmore, Hon. Alfred: 248 

(Jilmore, Hugh 1359 

Gilmore, John 243 

Gilmore, Jlou. Samuel A 248 

Gilmore, W. E 902 

Glenn, James S 1133 

Glenn, Samuel W 1063 

Goehring, Charles E 873 

Goehring, W. H 819 

Goerman, C. I 1480 

Goldthorp, Thomas J 1281 

Goucher, Henderson H 259 

Gould, Perry E 937 

Grabe, William H 1327 

Graham, Hon. George H 1458 

Graham, Harry L 1257 

Graham, Hugh C 250 

Graham, Dr, James 325 

Graham, John 245 

Graham, John A 896 

Graham, John C 264 

Graham, Matthew 1196 

Graham, Orin P 1260 

Graham, Dr. Samuel 327 

Graham. Thomas J 953 

Graham, Walter L 1076 

Grav, Carson G 1457 

Grei>n, Paul K 642 

Greenert. John 749 

Greer, John B 2.56 

Greer, Hon. John M 1444 

Greer, Matthew S 970 

Greer, S. W 1038 

Greer, Thomas H 256 

Gregg, John A...; 1089 

Gregg, Ralph 1278 

Grenet, Henry F 1332 

Grimm, George F 1163 



INDEX. 

Page 

Groom, Andrew D 662 

Grossman, Ashley W 834 

Grossman, Dr, Eliza 341 

(Jrossman, Harrison B 834 

Grossman, Js'athaniel S 628 

Grossman, R. J., M.D 660 

Gundlaeh, Conrad 668 

Hall, Amos 809 

Hall, Amos M 1484 

Hallaek, Marshall Ney 754 

Hallstein, John A 1150 

Halstead, John L. M., M.D... 1429 

Hamer. G. D 254 

Hamilton, Fred J 1299 

Hannner, Gustave 1456 

Harden, Dr. E. E 343 

Harper, Gyrus 855 

Harper, Dr. David 335 

Harper, Dr. Mary E 341 

Harris, Dr. Edward H 341 

Hartmau, Hon. Joseph 605 

Hartenstein, Louis 1365 

Hartung, George M 1082 

Harvey, Elridge 1482 

Hays, Hon. Thomas . . . .' 630 

Hazen, Hon. Aaron L 242 

Hazlett, Dr, Frank L 330 

Hazlett, Leslie P 617 

Hazlett, Leslie E 676 

Hazlett, William 373 

Heck, George B 653 

Heim, Martin 934 

Heineman, Charles M 1304 

Heineman, Henry C 1304 

Heiner, John H 618 

Heist, Leonard 896 

Helfrich, J, George 704 

Heller, George F 717 

Heller, Henry E 724 

Helmbold, John E 1463 

Henninger, John E 910 

Henon, Thomas H 1404 

Henry, William 1283 

Hensiiaw, Henry W 1209 

Herman, Charles 715 

Heroid, Lewis A 1081 

Kerr, Charles E 1305 

Herrit, John H 689 

Hervey, Joseph W 1007 

Heyl, Asa Waters, D.D.S 1178 

High, Dr. Warren E 330 

Hillard, Daniel E 1191 

Hillard, .Jonathan B 1293 

Hilliard, John W 1413 

Hinehberger, Joseph B 1180 

Hindman, DeLoss L 1137 

Hindman, H. C 1297 

Hindman, John 1171 

Hindman, Robert S 1383 

Hines, George W 861 

Hines, James M l467 

Hines, William P 1390 

Hobaugh, John S 825 

Hoch, A. A 1354 

Hoeh, Hon. Ralph W. E, , 8S3 



Page 

Hoekeuberrv, B. M 1486 

Hockenberry, Harvey D., M.D. .1378 

Hotrmau, Harry N 216 

Hogan, Ben 213 

Hogg, Robert 1074 

Holbein, Joseph E 1102 

Hoon, Clark W 814 

Holland, James F 204, 206 

Hoon, Thomas R 620 

Hoon, William T 960 

Hoover, Michael 1383 

Hoover, Dr. Nicholas N 330 

Hosf ord, Charles F 1445 

Howard, George E 804 

Howard, Dr. Lyman L 338 

Huff, F. J 1045 

Huflfman, .L W 748 

Humi.lir.'v, .Ims.^i.Ii A 256 

Hun,|i|.ivv. Sh,Tin:in C 1478 

HumpliivN, W'llln,,,, 1385 

Huntir, William W 1452 

Kuselton. B. C 1118 

Hutchinson, James W 937 

Hutchinson, Darius L 1259 

Hutchison, James W 260 

Hutzler, William C 753 

Hyle, C. Ferd ,. 987 

Ifft, George 792 

Iflft, George N 373 

Tfft, Henry John 960 

Iman, Mrs". Martha E 1174 

Irvin, Samuel P 249 

Irvine, Dr. William 334 

Irwin, George B 1377 

Irwin, Robert S 1221 

Ivell, Eobert 1 298 

.Tack, D. H 253 

Jack, Jedediah 248 

Jack, R. P 1318 

Jackson, John H 264 

Jacobs, George M 774 

Jamison, Archibald T 1202 

Jamison, William E 777 

Jennings, Richard 209 

Johns, Isaac N 621 

Johnson, Albert C 253 

Johnson, Harry Lee 731 

.Johnston, C. C 1068 

Johnston, John 1046 

Jones, Dr. Mary L 341 

Kabel, Martin S2S 

Kaltenbach, John W 976 

Kamerer, Samuel H 1428 

Karns, Sheridan C 809 

Karns, Stephen D 208 

Kauflfman, George A 1038 

Kauffman, W. L 696 

Kaylor, G. W 1426 

Kaylor, Isaac 1434 

Keasey, Henry C 686 

Keasey, Webster 832 

Keck, Henry 020 

Keck, .Jacob 917 





•Page 


Keek, Theo. C. H 


.... 264 


Keister, Winfield S 


. . . . 785 


Kelley, John C 




Kelley, John K 


. . . . 253 


Kelley, Thomas J.. 


....1093 


Kelly, Dr. Albert A 


.... 334 


Kelly, David P 


.... 978 


Kellv, Milton H 


....1481 


Kellv. S. 


.... 821 


Kennedy, C. H 


. . . . 932 


Kennedv, Charles L 


....1085 






Keiiiirdv, ].. rivde 


....1132 


Keiin..,lv, I'rtrr H 


. . . . 675 


Konii.'dv Willi.-im 




Kennedv William J 


1174 


Kennedv, Hon. Wm. JI... 


....1210 


Kepple, A. D 


....1397 


Kepple, William L 


....1320 


Kerr, Levi T 


. . . . 1368 


Kerr, Thoma.s E 


....1018 


Kesselman, William 




King, Philo L 


....1447 


Kinsev, William P 


....1102 


Ivirker, James W 


. . . . 248 


Kirkpatriek, David L 


....1023 


Kiskad.l..ii. J. (■ 


.... 1455 


Kis,.n, .h.lii! 11 


....1059 


Kle.-iii.-iiiii, K'iid.ilph J 


. . . . 767 




.... 633 


Klinoler, Herman J 


.... 6.33 


Knaell, George H 


....1025 


Knaiif. A. H 


... .1331 


KnnuM.. J„l,n 


. . . . 932 


Kllonv,^ (■|,:,rl,.s K 


....1163 


Knox, .l;,ni<'^ M 


.... 753 


Koillrl', ,1c, hii K 




Kodi, John U 


.... 844 


Kohler, Frank X 


. . . . 261 


Korona, Manuel A 


....1426 


Kramer, Michael 


.... 786 


Krause, Philip P 


....1474 


krause, Eobert 


....1068 


Krause, William 


. . . . 853 


Kribhs, Rev. John A 


....1207 


Kri..s>, Ilriiiv I- 


....13.54 


Knit. Ant, .11 


696 


Kutsrh, .\ll„.|t 


....1300 


Kutsvh. .Joseph 


. . . . 754 


Kyle, D. J 


.... 253 


Kyle, Robert W 


....11.56 


h-ukrv. WiUiain E 


....1270 


Laiiil.inL; Hms 


207 


Laily, All.|]v^^ .1 


. . . . 684 


Laiiy, i:ih.iit 


.... 677 


Lasli.i. III-. \V. W 


.... 337 


Lauftcr, ■/.. l> 


....1049 


Laughner. Samuel N 


.... 767 


Lawrence, Peter K 


....1477 


Leake, Dr. E. N 


. . . . 341 


Leehner. John 


....1037 


Leech, Lott I 


....1144 


Leedom, J H 


.... 853 



Leedom, P. W 1471 

Lemmon, Andrew 123S 



Page 

Lcidecker, F. W 743 

Lensner, H. W lUSfl 

Lerner, Henry H 722 

Leslie, Samuel A 1454 

Leslie, Samuel McBride 1057 

Lester, William J 648 

Lewis, John A 1236 

Linn, L. G 253 

Litzinger, Lewis P 265 

Lloyd, Col. David D 1083 

Lloyd, R. Russell 963 

Logan, David Henry 1403 

Logan, James C 709 

Logue, Patrick 843 

Love, Sample 1039 

Lowrie, Walter 138 

Lowrie, Walter H 245 

Lowry, Col. Alexander........ 944 

Lowry, John F 863 

Lowry, Porter W 638 

Lusk, Dr. Amos 336 

Lusk, Dr. Joseph S 336 

Lusk, Dr. Loring 336 

Lusk, William H 795 

Luton, W. W 1197 

Lynn, Dr. George 325 

Lyon, Edwin 249 

Lynn, Dr. H. C 326 

Lyon, Thomas H 250 

Lytle, W. F 1177 

McAdoo, Dr. Geo. K 328 

McAlpin, Dr. Jasmine 341 

Mc-P.ride. Tir. ( ■. F 3-'9 

McHvHl.., >;.]. l-rnncis 244 

Wcl'.ii.l,'. K:,,;,|, L 7(17 

Mc-Hihl.'. , I. .1.11 M 1059 

McKride, .Michael ■■5il 

McBride, Kerr H 1164 

McCafferty. William 1354 

McCall, Josiah P 611 

Mc(;andless, Hon. Charles 241 

McCandless, Dr. Geo. A 337 

McCandless, Humes A 627 

McCandless, James W 1274 

Mc(.:andless, Jennings C 847 

McCandless, .loseph M 1037 

McCandless, Joshua J 642 

McCandless, Dr. Josiah 33s 

McCandless, J. R 1173 

McCandless, 0. G 255 

McCandless, Capt. William H..1343 

McCMrrier, John 1160 

M.rhristy, Dr. C. A 338 

.M( ( 'lall^rtv, James S 881 

-McClelland', Charles S., M.D...1119 

McClure, Robert M 249 

McCollough, Andrew W 1183 

McCollough, David 1404 

McCollough. N. C 926 

McCollough, Peter 863 

McConnell. Dr. W. W 1071 

McCoy, John H 1138 

McCrea, D. F 970 

McCune. W. D., M.D 1474 

McCurdv. Dr. R. L 333 



Page 

McDermitt, Areus 246 

McDonald, Duncan 1345 

McDonahl, William T 1198 

McDowell, James A 929 

McDowell, W. J 1464 

McDowell. William 11.59 

McElroy, James H., Sr 850 

McElvain, Nelson 1192 

ilcParland, A. B. C 255 

MeFarland. Thomas D 1471 

McFarlin, Caleb B 1462 

MeFarlin, Caleb B„ Jr 1428 

McFerrin. Chas. A 254 

McGaffic, W. H 826 

ilcGarvey, .lames 854 

McGeary, William B 813 

ilcGinnis, William 803 

ilcGuffin, Hon. L. L 241 

McGuirk, Dennis P 1 269 

-McGuirk, Thomas H 1357 

Mcliitire, C. E 1017 

.Mclntyre, William 1475 

.McJunkin. Hon. Ebeuezer .... 24] 

Mc.Junkin, Hon. Ira 617 

McJunkin. James B 258 

-McJonkin. Hon. J. David 626 

McJunkin. Dr. Isaiah 326 

McKain. John 1212 

McKain, Silas 1212 

ilcKay, Samuel 887 

McKee, .Tames A 607 

McKee, Dr. James C 331 

McKee, James F 993 

^k-Kee. James W 1325 

.McKee. .Tohu S., t>.]) 1:140 

:\IcKee, Josiah D ,so2 

McKeown, John 207 

McKiiincv, Henrv B 774 

M.KiniK-y. .Joseph M S20 

-McKinucv. .Samuel liiil 

-McMahon, Daniel 1270 

.Mc.Mah,,n. I). J 1336 

.Mc.Michacl. Dr. Josiah 3.34 

.McMichael. Hon. John 242 

-McMiclii,,.!. Robert .John, M.D. 1360 
MrMi,-li:,rl. y.,;,-i^ 1230 

-M. -Mill. Ml. in, .hicksou 333 

AI.-.Muir:n. .Mrs. .Margaret 1317 

.\lc.\allv. .lames M 982 

McXamara. John R 858 

ilcQuistion. Levingston 257 

McQiiiston. William A 838 

JlcSweeney, Edward 253 

MacTagga'rt. John E 738 

ilagee, William A 814 

ilaharg, James X 1108 

Maizland, John 1378 

Maltby, Albert E., A.M 1406 

ifanu. Dr. Jesse E 341 

JIanny, Joseph 710 

Marbiirgcr. George W 1190 

Marburger. John 1157 

?ilarkel, Lawrence O 1 168 

Marks. Robert A 11 89 

Marshall, A. A 619 

.Marshall. Henrv X 255 



INDEX. 



Page 

.Marshall, .Jamos T lOtIS 

.Marshall, John D 26U 

.Marshall, Keiiucilv 253 

M;u-tiii, Mrs. SaiKv A 122:j 

■Martin, Hon. .). Norman 241' 

Martin, William H 263 

Martin, William T 1207 

Martsolf, Henry 6.30 

Martsolf, Lewis 1223 

Mates, .Tames B 2.59 

Maurhoff, Alfred 1002 

Maxwell, Leslie Q 255 

Maxwell, R. L 253 

Ma.xwell, Dr. Thomas M 332 

Mavs, Peter 1 1400 

Meiikin, .Tohn A 1374 

Mceder, Albert H 884 

Meeder, Edwin 924 

Meek, .James 749 

Meldreu, Jacob L 209 

Menken, Henry 1447 

Merkley, E. N., D. 342 

Merkley, W. A., D. 342 

Metz, Andrew B 1328 

Metz, Dr. A. H 337 

Michael, William 1 1130 

Milford, .John J 759 

Miller, Andrew 1460 

Miller, C. E 625 

Miller, Charles R 1032 

Miller, Ellsworth 1211 

Miller, Eugene G 253 

Miller, Fred E 1149 

Miller, Dr. Gotleib 326 

Miller, G. Wilson 1071 

Miller, John F 1208 

Miller, John P 925 

Miller, Peter 1480 

Miller, William H 1333 

Millirou, George 957 

Milliron, James A 1459 

Mitchell, Alexander 258 

Mitchell, Erman B 253 

Mitchell, Hon. John H 247 

Mitchell, Joseph 250 

Mitchell, Louis Z 245 

Monks, Martin 1012 

Montag, Henry Ernest 1406 

Montag, J. E 1131 

Moore, James N 259 

Moore, Dr. .7. W. F 330 

Moore, .John L 889 

Moore, Lorenzo G 888 

Morgan, Edward 1109 

Morgan, Samuel 644 

Morrison, James H 1124 

Morrison, W. J 801 

Morrow, Dr. Clara E 342 

Morrow, David R 996 

Moser, J. G 1363 

Moyer, Abrara W 867 

Mu'ntz, John N 786 

Murphv, Frank H 263 

Murrin, A. P 1379 

Mnrrin. Hugh T 1379 



Page 

Murrin, John 1031 

Murrin, .John F 861 

Murrin, .Joseph T 1252 

Murrin, William Z 1031 

Mutual Cpal Mining Co 1204 

Myers, Charles M 737 

Myers, Henry J 1450 

Negley, Edgar H 265 

Negley, John H 247 

Negley, WilUam C 1275 

Nelson, Alfred B 1057 

Neubert, Emil F 1190 

Neubert, Oliver 1172 

Neu, Peter 930 

Neyman, Dr. A. M 326 

Neyman, Markle J 1226 

Nicholas, O. H 875 

Nicklas, Mrs. Mary W 822 

Nixon, Simeon 819 

Northime, L. C 1057 

Oakes, Scott 723 

Oesterling, Edward L 1050 

Oesterling, Eli 1097 

Oesterling, Fred L 709 

Oesterling, John 904 

Oesterling, Leonard, Jr 915 

Oesterling, Leonard, Sr 915 

Oesterling, Lewis B 911 

Oesterling, William 957 

O 'Hara, James 1305 

Ohl, Charles Adam 1417 

Oliver, Henderson 1397 

Orr, John 742 

Orr, .Joseph H 741 

Orton, George W. P 1358 

Orton, William H 650 

Ostrander, Loree L 1460 

Owens, Dr. James 333 

Painter, Howard 1 263 

Painter, .J. M 262 

Palmer, Dr. Orriu D 836 

Park, Albert A 938 

Parker, C. H 1074 

Passavant, Charles S., Jr.... 678 

Patterson, Dr. A. M 771 

Patterson, Dr. Ella A. H 341 

Patterson, Prof. Gaylord H. . 777 

Patterson, John W 755 

Patterson, Dr. R. L 334 

Patterson, Walter S., M. D... 716 

Pearsol, Samuel H 250 

Pearson, Dr. Benjamin 338 

Peffer, Alfred Z . .' 1303 

Peffer, Fred 868 

Penfield, R. S 682 

Peoples, James A 1243 

Peoples, John P 1243 

Pf abe, Henry 1469 

Phillips, Thomas W 219 

Pickard, William H 1380 

Pierce Brothers 698 

Pierce, James R 698 



■ Page 

Pierce, Thomas M 698 

Pistorius, Jacob 825 

Pistorius, Peter 718 

Pollock, B. L 256 

Polm, Charles 784 

Poole, R. A 1016 

Powel, Dr. Anna H 342 

Powel, Dr. B. B 342 

Powell, John Wesley 1425 

Poyrell, William V 622 

Pringle, William 1045 

Prugh, Rev. Peter C 1319 

Purucker, John E 827 

Purviance, Frank S 254 

Purviance, Col. John 243 

Purviance, Lewis K 249 

Purviance, Gen. John N 245 

Purviance, Parker C 263 

Purviance, Hon. Samuel .\ . . . 244 

Purviance, William A 831 

Purvis, Dr. Gracy F 343 

Purvis, Joseph L 641 

Purvis, Samuel G 884 

Pun-is, Samuel G 1111 

Purvis, William B 263 

Quirk, Michael 844 

Quinn, Harry M 832 

Rader, B. J 673 

Rader, Lewis 1044 

Rader, William H 1477 

Ralston, Everett L 925 

Ralston, Dr. James H 918 

Ralston, William A 25."i 

Ramsey, Ba.\ter R 1334 

Ramsey, William H 1203 

Randall, James N 1326 

Randolph, Dr. W. J 327 

Rape, William 1010 

Ray, Perry F 1417 

Reiber, Aaron E 261 

Reiber, A. E 996 

Eeiber, Ferdinand 261 

Reiber, George 724 

Beihing, William H 1124 

Reith, Joseph 1410 

Renick, Adam H 803 

Renick, Jacob G 875 

Renno, E. J 833 

Richards, A. C 867 

Richardson, Dr. N. M 3.38 

Riddle, W. H. H 807 

Rieger, Andrew 883 

Rieger, Charles 894 

Rimp, Charles 1168 

Ritner, Henry A 613 

Roach, Thomas V 1420 

Robb, Albert W 1429 

Roberts, Hon. Samuel 240 

Bobinson, Eli D 606 

Robinson, George E 263 

Robinson, Hon. Thomas 622 

Rockenstein, A. F 822 

Roessing, W. P 828 



INDEX. 



Page 

Rosebaugh, Andrew C 690 

Roth, John M 253 

Roth, Lewis M., D. D. S 945 

Ruch, Reuben F 1438 

Rudert, Paul 1149 

Ruff, Albert 1108 

Rumbaugh, Jacob B 1125 

Rumberger, Dr. C. C 335 

Rumberger, William F 1251 

Runkle, James G 856 

Russell, Huston 1094 

Russel, S. Nelson 1144 

Sager, William J 1251 

Sankey, Lewis C 807 

Sarver, A. H 974 

Satterfield, John A 210 

Sauter, Martin 1428 

Sauter, Theodore 1428 

Say, John C 981 

Sehaef er, Eugene 1021 

Schaffner, John 1267 

Schaffner, Samuel, Sr 744 

Sehenck, Elmer W 609 

Sehenck, George 736 

Sehenck, Theodore L 729 

Schilling, Alexander 1084 

Schilling, Herman 977 

Schlagel, Samuel 653 

Schlegel, Gus 723 

Schmidt, Dr. F 337 

Schnur, George W 887 

Schoeffel, Andrew 1312 

Schoenfeia, Charles 692 

Schoentag, Charles F 1334 

Schultz, Stephen F 1089 

Schwalm, Henry 1073 

Sehwalm, William 1073 

Scott, Albert T 260 

Scott, Dr. George H ; 332 

Scott, John Calvin 1396 

Scott, Dr. .John M 606 

Scott, Robert P 257 

Scott, Winfield S 933 

Searing, George" 1067 

Seaton, Amos 1339 

Seaton, Elias 1233 

Seaton, William G 1241 

Sell, John G 1470 

Shaffer, William H 1353 

Shakely, Elias 1139 

Shannon, John F 1112 

Shannon, Matthew W., Jr 1082 

Shanor, John J 655 

Shepard, William 1052 

Sheridan, John J 953 

Sherman, Casper 1066 

Sherwin, Samuel 1412 

Shiever, .Joseph F 1180 

Shira, C. C 1086 

Showalter, Hon. Jos. B., M. D. 331 

Shryock, Dr. Louisa M 341 

Shufflin, T. J 839 

ShuU, J. P 834 

Sibert, Bernard B 129'2 



Page 

Siebert, William 1142 

Sipe, W. 1 909 

Sitler, Alpheus 1448 

Slagle, John A 1242 

Slater, Mary A 1116 

Slater, William 816 

Sloan, Berton Eugene 1391 

Sloan, David J 1224 

Sloan, Edward C 1049 

Sloan, Foster 1384 

Sloan, Harvey A 1433 

Smith, Albert 1395 

Smith, Albert W 1204 

Smith, Charles A 695 

Smith, Dan 202 

Smith, John W 1157 

Smith, George W 244 

Smith, Leonard 1373 

Smith, Thomas V 1021 

Smith, WilUam 207 

Smith, William, D. 342 

Snaman, Harry B 635 

Snell, William J 1003 

Snow, N. S 803 

Snyder, Ernest U., M. D 1257 

Snyder, Harvey 250 

Snyder, John Harvey 1420 

Snyder, Samuel B 254 

Spang, George A 1167 

Spargo, John S 1473 

Spear, William L 1043 

Speer, Dr. Matthew W 337 

Spithaler, Martin 1179 

Spohn, Philip J 899 

Sproul, Hugh 1313 

Squire, Dr. E. P 335 

Staekpole, R. L., M. D 1451 

Staff, William 1352 

Stalker, Henry B 1195 

Standard Coal Mining Co 1203 

Staples, John 940 

Stearns, Ernest L 1229 

Steel, Mrs. Eva M 1343 

Steele, Asa C 702 

Steele, Hugh G 683 

Steen, James H 791 

Steighner, Barney 870 

Steigher, Christian 888 

Stein, Dr. Charles 326 

Stein, John 959 

Stein, Louis 967 

Stein, William A 1389 

Stepp, Lawrence H., M. D 1147 

Stevenson, John 1035 

Stewart, Frew H 919 

Stewart, Furman 1437 

Stewart, George C 256 

Stewart, Robert W 1064 

Stewart, Thomas T 1446 

Stickle, William P 1419 

Stokey, Charles 619 

Stokey, Henry W 637 

Stoops, Stephen 792 

Stoops, William C 997 

Storey, William 1392 

Stoughton, Lester G 750 



Page 

Stoughtou, Oliver W 1270 

Stoughton, Solomon R 1001 

Stracke, Louis F 827 

Strohecker, Charles J. D 712 

Struthers, James F 890 

Strutt, John G 833 

Sullivan, Charles A 250 

Sullivan, Hon. Charles C 609 

Sullivan. Col. John M 246 

SulUvan, John Q 249 

Sullivan, Moses 250 

Sutherland, Dr. J. H 335 

Sutton, D. Harper 1155 

Sutton, James M 998 

Sutton, Dr. John C 342 

Sutton, John H 952 

Swain, William A 690 

Sweeney, Timothy 1234 

Sweesy, Alpheus 773 

Taggart, Charles 790 

Taggart, Samuel N 1484 

Tavlor, Alexander 864 

TaVlor, Elias K 1254 

Taylor, R. B 215 

Tebav, James Hall 1217 

Teba'v, John H 1332 

Templeton, Samuel H 1390 

Terwilliger, Egbert A 789 

Thieleman, Christian H 1016 

Thomas, Dr. George D 333 

Thomas, Owen J 638 

Thompson, Andrew R 1123 

Thompson, David M 1225 

Thompson, E. C, M. D 1399 

Thompson, Gill M 1414 

Thompson, Harvey D 732 

Thompson, Hon. James 246 

Thompson, John H 253 

Thompson, Hon. Col. John M..1072 

Thompson, Joseph C 1470 

Thompson, Hon. Nelson H 1480 

Thompson, Oliver D 259 

Thompson, Solomon E 1336 

Thompson, William C 262 

Thompson, William G 246 

Tlirower, John E 1465 

Timblin, William 245 

Timmonv, Joseph T 253 

Titlev, Robert S .1110 

Totteu, Frank 1427 

Trautman, John 760 

Trautman. Louis P 853 

Trimble, Robert 1165 

Trimble, Samuel C 1148 

Troutman, Adam 11«6 

Troutman, Albert C 1026 

Troutman, George A 662 

Troutman, Henry N...'. 981 

Troutman, J, Henry 650 

Troutman, W, J 934 

Turner, Harry T 80S 

Turner, Dr. .John F 329 

Turner, Samuel E 1120 

Twaddle, .John C 1201 



INDEX. 



Page 

Vance, James B 1043 

Vanderlin, Joseph C 258 

Vaiulykc, Eli 1465 

Van Dyke, Jaekson Me 1372 

Vogeley, Theodore 1268 

Wade, Robert M 1210 

Wagner, Henry 744 

Wahl, Henry 1098 

Wahl, William 1441 

Waldron, Hon. William S 1099 

Walker, Clarence 261 

Walker, Lewis P 907 

Walker, Nathaniel 772 

Walker, Samuel 264 

Walker, Samuel 668 

Walker, Capt. Samuel 673 

Walker, Samuel R 716 

Walker, WilUam G 710 

Wallet, Henry D 1457 

Walter. Charles E 741 

Walter, George 741 

Walters, Charles T 1377 

Wasson, E. L., M. D 1366 

Wasson, John H 1410 

Watson & Williams 779 

Watson, Edwin A 1184 

Watson, Roy A 779 

Watson, William 968 

Webber. W. C 1449 

Weigaud, Charles 1466 

Weigand, George 1466 

Weisz, Isaac M 649 

Welsh. Dr. George 337 

Welsh. Henr? C 1265 



Page 

Welsh, William J 1116 

Werner, Augustus F 1031 

Wetzel, Andrew Fred 1343 

White. George R 261 

White, Lawrence M 1483 

Whitener, Valentine 1258 

Whitmire, John 729 

Whitmire, Robert J 783 

Whitmire, Thomas 1 730 

Wiek, C. Foster 1235 

Wiek, Eugene E 1045 

Wick, Leonard F 1216 

Wiek, Lewis C 1405 

Wick, W. S 1011 

Widger, James C 1430 

Wier, Samuel R 1472 

Wiegand, Edward K 816 

Wigton, John H 1359 

Wiles, John C 837 

Wiley, James 721 

Wilhelm, Rev. Jacob 952 

Wilkewitz, Godfrey 1476 

Williams, Andrew G 258 

Willfams, Charles C 779 

Williams, John C 810 

Williams, Dr. Olin A 341 

Wilson, Alexander 765 

Wilson, George N 1352 

Wilson, Dr. Harry M 856 

Wilson, James S 756 

Wilson, John H 946 

Wilson, John Milton 1357 

Wilson, Thomas 1372 

Winter," Edward 735 

Winters, Frederick J 1112 



Page 

Winters, W. D 784 

Wise, Henry M 909 

Wise, Israel M 711 

Wise, James E 1025 

Wise, Levi M 264 

Wise, WilUam H 1191 

Witte, Frederick W 655 

Wohlgemuth, Louis 1035 

Womer, John E 1367 

Worrall, George 796 

Wuller, Charles B 682 

Wuller, Daniel 216 

Yost, Andrew 684 

Youkers, Albert W 667 

Young, Aaron S 1253 

Young, Breaden 1129 

Young, Charles 1075 

Y'oung, Dallas M 783 

Young, Elmer E . 260 

Young, Col. Sam 373 

Young, William J 641 

Youkins, Daniel 749 

Youkins, John 621 

Zehner, Edwin 1294 

Zehner, Frederick 893 

Zeigler, Alfred 1215 

Zeigler, Gottlieb M 815 

Zeigler. Ira S 948 

Ziegler, A. C 1030 

Ziegler, Alfred H., M. D 701 

Ziegler. Capt. Jacob 371 

Ziegler. W. G 704 

Zimmerman, Dr. George M.... 326 



Tnoex Of uieois. 



Alameda Park, Butler 4l'9 

Barnhart Mill, Chicora 307 

Beam Hotel, Zelienople 339 

Bird's-eye View of Butler — Looking East from But- 
ler County National Bank 429 

Bird's-eye View of Butler — Looking West from 

Butler County National Bank 429 

Boydstown Reservoir of the Butler Water Co., Butler 233 
Dr. Boyle's Eye and Ear Hospital, Butler 567 

B. P. O. E. Building, Butler .537 

Broad Street School, Butler 389 

Building Used for High School, Renfrew 537 

Butler County Court House, Built in 1807 251 

Butler County Court House of 1853 233 

Butler County Court House of 1877 233 

Butler County Jail, Butler 233 

Butler Engine and Foundry Company, Butler 775 

Butler General Hospital, Butler ' 339 

Butler Roller iUlLs 283 

C. H. Barnhart 's House and Shop, Butler 339 

Commercial Hotel, Butler 13(52 

Concordia Home, Marwood 339 

County Infirmary 155 

Country Club House, Butler 233 

Eau Claire Academy 537 

English Lutheran Church, Butler 461 

Episcopal Church, Butler 461 

First Brick School Building, Butler 389 

First Presbyterian Church, Butler 461 

First School House— Built in 1808 115 

First Steel Jacket Kiln 193 

German Lutheran Church, Butler 461 

German Lutheran Church, Zelienople 537 

Goehring & Richards Building, Butler 567 

Grammar and High School, Mars 511 

Harmony U. P. Church 29 

Home of Alexander Hunter in Ireland 115 

Hotel Nixon, Butler 251 

I. 0. O. F. Building, Butler 233 

Knights of Pythias Home, Harmony 59 

Log Cabin, Built by Manassas Dugan 59 

Lowry House, Butler 115 

McBi'ide Well 193 

McCollough Barnard & Co.'s No. 1 Well and the 

Harry N. Hoffman Well 193 

M. E. Church and Parsonage, Connoquenessing 307 

Mechling Hotel 59 

M. E. Church, Butler 251 

Monastery at Herman Station 29 

Muddy Creek Falls 59 

New High School, Butler 389 

North Washington Academy 537 

OM Graveyard at Harmony 29 



Old People's Home, Zelienople 155 

Old Witherspoon Institute 511 

Orphans' Home, Zelienople 307 

Present Butler County Court House 251 

Public School, Bruin 511 

Public School, Evans City 537 

Public School, Renfrew 511 

Public School, Zelienople 307 

Rapp's Seat, Harmony 59 

Residences — 

E. E. Abrams, Butler 349 

William Arnold, Bruin 1194 

S. L. Braham, Harrisville 1062 

Jacob Dambaugh, Zelienople 1027 

Lewis A. Herold, Center Township 1080 

J. C. Kelley, Butler Township 349 

William B. McGeary, Butler 349 

James W. McKee. Butler 1323 

The Reiber Home, Butler 349 

W. H. H. Riddle. Butler 567 

Charles Rimo, Summit Township 1169 

W. F. Rumberger, Butler 1249 

Residence and Greenhouses of Geo. W. Schnur, 

Summit Township 886 

Philip J. Spohn, Summit Township 898 

John Stevenson, Parker Township 1034 

Sullivan Residence, Butler 349 

Henry C. Welsh, Penn Township 1263 

Second Presbyterian Church, Butler 389 

Shooting of Cowden Bros.' No. 2 Well, Fenuelton. . . 193 

State Normal School, Slippery Rock 511 

St. John's Lutheran Home and Orphanage, Mars. .. 155 
St. John's Reformed Church on Eberhart Farm, But- 
ler Township 29 

St. Patrick's Church, Sugar Creek, Donegal Town- 
ship 339 

St. Peter's Catholic Church, Butler 461 

St. Paul's Catholic Church, Butler 461 

St. Paul's Orphan Home 155 

St. Paul's Parochial School, Butler 389 

Stone House, Brady Township 59 

Store of Charles R. Borland, Harrisville 339 

The Walter and Graham Mill 283 

United Presbyterian Church, Butler 389 

United Presbyterian Church, Eau Claire 115 

United Presbyterian Church, Fairview 29 

View of Evans City 307 

Waldorf Hotel and Barn, Evans City 115 

West Sunbury Academy 511 

White Oak Springs U. P. Church, Connoquenessing 

Township 29 

Y. M. C. A. Buililing, Butler 251 




U.)u.c/ta. 



Risiory of Butkr County. 



CHAPTER I 



TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES AND MINERAL DEPOSITS 



Advance of Civilization Along the Waterways — The County Created, Named, and Sur- 
veyed — Organization of Counties — Topography — the Soil, Valley and High Land — 
Elevations Above Tide Water — Thomas Collins' Salt Well — Webster Wilson's 
Well — John Negley Well — Eccentricities of the Oil Fields — Coal Fields — Other 
Mineral Deposits — Lead Mines — Forests — Archeology — Epidemics, Floods, and 
Storms. 



The history of the territory of which 
Butler County forms a part presents a 
variety of startUng incidents, although 
none of the historic events of the hundred 
years preceding the advent of the white 
settlers happened within the present lim- 
its of the county. At various times the 
territory has been successively under the 
sovereignty of Great Britain, France, 
Great Britain again, Virginia, the United 
States, and lastly Pennsylvania. 

ADVANCE OF CIVILIZATION ALONG THE WATER- 
WAYS. 

A glance at the map of western Penn- 
sylvania will suggest to the thoughtful 
reader the fact, and the reasons for the 
fact, that Butler County was not the thea- 
ter of any of those great actions which 
shaped the destiny of the Great West and 
the entire National domain. The chief vil- 
lages and strongholds of the aboriginal in- 



habitants were along or near the great 
waterways, and when the European ex- 
plorers came into the country in the be- 
ginning of the eighteenth century, they fol- 
lowed these natural highways. It thus 
resulted in this region as well as all others 
settled before the era of railroads, that 
the early homes and operations of the 
white men were along the navigable 
streams. The Allegheny River on the east, 
the Beaver on the west, and the Ohio on 
the south enclose Butler County in an ir- 
regular oval, in the interior of which are 
only small streams tributary to the larger 
rivers, and not navigable for the small 
boats of pioneer commerce. 

Hence, during the periods of the French 
occupation, the long contest of the English 
for dominion, and during the Revolution, 
when events of far-reaching effect were oc- 
curring along the valleys of the Allegheny, 
and Ohio, and later when the pioneers 



22 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



pushed into the valley of the Beaver, the 
territory lying between the streams was an 
unbroken wilderness. During this time it 
was the wild retreat of the Indians who 
fell upon the outposts of civilization, and 
was probably the home of a few white men 
who had adopted the life of the savages 
and were living among them. 

When William Penn came to America in 
1682 to establish a form of government 
for his new possessions, the territory was 
divided into three counties, namely : Bucks, 
Philadelphia and Chester. The latter in- 
cluded the present limits of Delaware 
County and all of the territory southwest 
of the Schuylkill Eiver to the extreme lim- 
its of the province. The limits of the other 
counties were defined in a similar manner 
as to the west and northern boundaries. 
As the pioneers pushed their way into the 
forests to the westward and northward, 
new counties were erected from time to 
time to accommodate the needs of the peo- 
ple. 

In the line of descent, Butler County is 
the daughter of Chester County, as will be 
seen l)y reference to the table of the or- 
ganization of counties. The first county 
to be taken from the territory of Chester 
County on the west was Lancaster, which 
was erected under the authority of an act 
of the provincial legislature in May, 1729. 
The western limits of Lancaster County 
were defined as the extreme limits of the 
province. As civilization advanced west- 
ward, other new counties were erected 
from time to time in the order named: 
Cumberland, Bedford, Westmoreland, Al- 
legheny, and Butler. 

After the purchase of the Indian land 
in 1784, the territory west and north of 
the Allegheny and Ohio Eivers was at- 
tached to Westmoreland County. In 1787 
Allegheny County was created on the west 
of Westmoreland, and the northern limits 
of the county extended to the northern 
boundary of the state, including what is 
Tiow Erie County, and all of the territory 



west of the Allegheny Eiver and north of 
the Ohio. This territory included all of 
the present limits of Butler, Lawrence, 
Mercer, Crawford and Erie Counties, and 
parts of Armstrong, Beaver, Venango, and 
Warren Counties. 

THE COUNTY CKEATED, NAMED AND SURVEYED. 

The act of the legislature creating But- 
ler County was passed March 12, 1800. 
The county is named in honor of General 
Eichard Butler, who was killed at St. 
Clair's defeat, a biographical sketch of 
whom appears in another chapter. It is 
bounded by Venango on the north, by 
Armstrong on the east, by Allegheny on 
the south, and by Beaver, Lawrence and 
Mercer Counties on the west. Its geo- 
graphical center is in latitude 40 degrees 
45 minutes north, and longitude, 2 degrees, 
47 minutes and 30 seconds west of Wash- 
ington, D. C. Its area is 814 miles or 
529,960 acres, divided into thirty-three 
townships, and these are subdivided into 
seventy-one election precincts. The popu- 
lation of the county in 1908 (estimated) is 
about 79,000. 

The year following the act creating the 
new county, commissioners were appointed 
to run the county lines. The persons ap- 
pointed for this purpose were Samuel Eip- 
pey, Henry Evans, and John McBride, 
surveyors, and Beatty Quinn, as axeman. 
After this commission had made their re- 
port, the legislature appointed another 
committee to locate- the county seat. They 
were Isaac Weaver, John Hamilton, Thos. 
Martin, James Brady, and Presley Carr 
Lane. The place selected by them is the 
present site of the borough of Butler, and 
is within four miles of the center of the 
county, as the act provided. The present 
limits of the county as determined by the 
surveys of 1854 are as follows : Beginning 
at the mouth of Buffalo Creek at Free- 
port; thence westward twenty- three miles 
to a corner on the west side of Alexander's 
district adjoining Beaver County; thence 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



23 



along said line and Beaver County north- 
ward twenty-three miles to a corner where 
the streams of Muddy Creek and Slippery 
Rock unite ; thence along the Mercer Coun 
ty line north fifteen degrees east, fifteen 
miles to a corner near Harrisville; thence 
eastward fifteen miles to a corner near the 
Allegheny Eiver near Emlenton; thence 
southward about thirty miles along the 
Armstrong County line to the place of be- 
ginning. 

The first settlers of the county who came 
into the territory previous to 1800 were 
Scotch-Irish and Pennsylvania Germans 
who came from tlie eastern part of the 
state. ]\Iauy of the men had been soldiers 
in the War of the Revolution and had pur- 
chased tracts of land in the donation and 
dejoreciation district upon which they 
made settlements. These were followed 
by a large number of Irish emigrants who 
came in from 1800 to 1820, and these were 
followed by the Germans, who came in 
1838. 

TOPOGRAPHY. 

The chief and central figure in the to- 
pography of Butler County is the great 
dividing ridge between the waters of the 
Allegheny on the east and the tributaries 
of the Beaver on the west. This crest of 
the great water sheds sweeps through the 
eastern part of the county in a general 
direction nearly north and south. It en- 
ters the county in Middlesex Township, 
runs northeast through Clinton and Jef- 
ferson Townships to Dilks' Station on the 
Butler branch railroad, and thence north- 
ward in almost a straight line to Middle- 
town in Concord Township. From the lat- 
ter point it extends northward to North 
Washington and the village Annisville 
and rounding in a semi-circle the head- 
waters of Slippery Rock creek passes close 
to Eau Claire, and thence northward to the 
county line, along which it runs in a west- 
erly direction, when it again sweeps to the 
north and runs off along a line between 



Mercer and Venango Counties. Two 
prominent ridges coming in from the west 
meet the great divide near Middletown. 
The most northern of these is that which 
lies near Muddy Creek and Slippery Rock, 
and runs nearly due east from the Law- 
rence County line through Worth, Brady 
and Clay townships. The more southern 
of these ridges is that which separates the 
waters of Muddy Creek and Connoquenes- 
sing. It passes close to Portersville and 
Prospect and runs nearly northeast 
through Center and Concord Townships 
to its junction with the great divide. The 
height of these dividing ridges reaches 
about 1,500 feet above tide water, and they 
are approximately 600 feet above the Al- 
legheny River at Parker. 

The center of the drainage system of 
the northern part of the county is at Mid- 
dletown. In its immediate vicinity are the 
headwaters of Slippery Rock Creek, Mud- 
dy Creek, Bear Creek, Buffalo Creek, and 
Kearns' branch of the Connoquenessing. 
The northern part of the county is princi- 
pally drained by Muddy Creek and Slip- 
pery Rock Creek on the west and Bear 
Creek on the east and their tributary 
streams. The southern half of the county 
is drained by the Connoquenessing Creek, 
which is formed by the confluence of sev- 
eral branches near Butler borough and 
flows in a general direction a little south 
of west through Butler, Penn, Forward, 
and Jackson Townships to the Beaver 
County line. While the general direction 
of the stream is almost in a straight line, 
it makes many bold sweeps to the north 
and south, and with one or two exceptions, 
all of its branches enter it from the south. 
The branches on the south are Thorn 
Creek, Glade Run, Breakneck Creek and 
Brush Creek, along the western limits of 
the county. The tributaries on the north 
are Yellow Creek and Little Connoquenes- 
sing, the latter flowing in from the north- 
east a little above Harmony, after running 
a general parallel course for many miles. 



24 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



In the southeastern section of the county 
the small streams flow into Buffalo Creek 
on the east and Bull Creek on the south, 
and thence drained into the Allegheny 
River. Prohably nine-tenths of the drain- 
age of the county, however, is westward 
into the Beaver River. 

THE SOIL VALLEY AND HIGH LAND. 

There is comparatively little valley land 
in the county. A broad and beautiful val- 
ley has been carved out by the Connoque- 
nessing in the vicinity of Harmony and 
Zelienople,. and the soil is there derived 
from the lower coal measures and is very 
rich and strong. This region is the garden 
spot of the county, and is probably one of 
the richest agricultural sections in the 
state. Well defined terraces exist here 
that do not appear elsewhere in the county 
to the knowledge of the geologist. They 
occur at twenty, sixty, and one hundred 
and ten feet above the stream, but can only 
be traced for a short distance along the 
valley. 

Some fine bottom lands appear along the 
valley of the Slippery Rock from Anan- 
dale westward, and in the valley of Muddy 
Creek from Clay Township west to the 
Lawrence County line. Outside of the val- 
leys mentioned and a small amount of 
bottom land along the tributaries of these 
streams the arable soils of the county are 
derived from what the geologists call the 
barren measure rocks. The streams cut 
down into the lower coal measures, but- 
leave the hillsides so rugged that cultiva- 
tion is rarely attempted. The farming 
lands lie back from the streams on the 
highlands comi^osed of the barren meas- 
ures, and from this it results that a large 
portion of the county has a light soil and 
requires constant fertilization. 

Prof. I. C. White, author of the geolog- 
ical report on this district including south- 
ern Butler County, says upon this subject, 
that the farmers have very little in their 
favor with which to begin, and hence the 



use of fertilizers is necessary to secure a 
paying crop. The lower barren measure, 
from which nearly all of the soils of the 
district are derived, contain very little 
limestone, and hence the small amount of 
calcareous matter originally in the soil has 
nearly all been used up by the annual ex- 
traction of the crops, so that the land is 
literally famishing for lime. The northern 
section of the county is better situated in 
this particular than the southern. Along 
the Slippery Rock Creek in Slippery Rock, 
Worth, Brady, Cherry, Mercer and Ma- 
rion Townships, much of the land is very 
much improved by the presence of lime- 
stone which outcrops in this section, and 
has been used in the past thirty years to 
a large extent for agricultural purposes. 
Prof. Chance, in the second geological sur- 
vey, divides the soil of the northern section 
of the county into four classes : First, the 
soil of the bottom lands, found on Muddy 
Creek and Slippery Rock and their 
branches ; second, the liighlands of the bar- 
ren measures, varying from a very thin, 
loose soil to a hard tough clay, much of it 
good farming land adapted to grazing, but 
needing a liberal application of lime ; third, 
the highland of southern Brady, Clay, Con- 
cord, and Fairview Townsliips, formed 
by the outcrop of the Mahoning and Free- 
port sandstone; and fourth, the soil 
formed from the disintegration of the 
shales and sandstone of the lower produc- 
tive coal measures, varying much in qual- 
ity as the coal measure rocks vary in 
lithological character. 

ELEVATIONS ABOVE TIDE WATER. 

The surface of the county is broken by 
liills and valleys, the latter forming in the 
courses of its numerous streams. The ele- 
vations are decided, being higher in the 
northern than in the southern district of 
the county. At Butler Junction near the 
southeast corner of the county the eleva- 
tion is 768.7 feet, and at Emlenton Station 
in the Allegheny Valley, near the northeast 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



25 



corner of the county, the elevation is 905.1 
feet above ocean level. Within the county 
the following levels have been ascertained, 
the measurements being track levels at the 
various railroad stations: Southeast of 
Butler are Buffalo, 766.4; Harbison, 
801.66; Monroe, 840; Sarvers, 1,026.8; 
Cabot, 1,200.9; Marwood, 1,224.2; Dilks, 
1,307; Great Belt, 1,260; Herman, 1,300.6; 
Brinker Station, 1,301.6; Sunset, 1,317.1; 
Butler, at tlie West Penn Depot, 1,008 feet ; 
corner of Butler County National Bank on 
Main Street, 1,077 feet. 

Northeast of Butler are Chicora, 1.195 
to 1,210 feet; St. Joe, 1,400; Carbon Cen- 
ter, 1,170; Greece City, 1,286; Modoc, 
1,277; Argyle, 1,161; Petrolia, 1,175; Cen- 
tral Point, 1,184; Karns City, 1,204; Stone 
House, 1,089; Harts' Well on the Say farm 
in Parker Township, 1,407; Bruin, 1,104; 
High Point near Lawrenceburg, 1,096; 
Fairview, 1,247; High Point near Middle- 
town, 1,420; Columbia Hill in Allegheny 
Township, 1,471; Hill near the southwest 
corner of Donegal Township, 1,430. 

North of Butler Borough the level at 
Unionville in Center Township is 1,330 
feet; at West Sunbury, 1,400; North Wash- 
ington, 1,500; Eau Claire, 1,520; Annan- 
dale, 1,490; Venango Summit, near Eau 
Claire, 1,554; high point near Annisville, 
1,530; and Murrinsville, 1,440. 

West and northwest of Butler the level 
at Prospect is 1,330 feet; at Portersville, 
1,360 ; at West Liberty, 1,190 ; at Slippery 
Rock Borough, 1,300 ; at the northwest cor- 
ner of Mercer Township, 1,450; at the cen- 
ter of Slippery Rock Township, 1,.300; at 
the middle of the west line of Brady Town- 
ship, 1,470; at the angle of the west line 
of Worth Township, 1,350; at the center 
of Muddy Creek, 1,.375; and at Harris- 
ville Borough, 1,340. 

From the foregoing it will be seen that 
the highest point in the county is a knob 
near the village of Eau Claire in Venango 
Township, which is 1,554 feet above ocean 
level, and the lowest point is at Buffalo on 



the Butler branch railroad in the south- 
eastern corner of the county. 

Lake Erie is 573 feet above ocean level ; 
Kittanning at the curb outside of the Cen- 
tral House, 809.94; the Tarentum Depot 
on the West Penn Railroad, 778 feet; and 
Allegheny City on Sycamore Street, 
741.40. From these levels the relation of 
Butler County to Lake Erie and lower 
Allegheny Valley levels may be known. If 
speculation may be indulged in with any 
show of reason, and if the theory advanced 
by geologists is correct, it may be said that 
the Allegheny and the Beaver Rivers once 
flowed from 500 to 800 feet above their 
present levels, and that the Connoquenes- 
sing. Slippery Rock, Muddy Creek, and 
other local creeks from 800 to 1,200 feet. 
In the lowering of the river and creek bot- 
toms to depths far below their present bed, 
mighty agencies were at work. Instead 
of being mere conveyancers of clays, they 
were hewers of rock, leaving great ravines 
in the high plateaus, and preparing a way 
for the ice mountains which rolled over 
this section, pulverizing the massive sand- 
stones and grinding the hard lime rock 
into bowlders. The terraces and canons 
tell very plainly how this system of valley 
making was carried out, while the drill 
brings to light the method of filling up, 
which raised the river and creek bottoms 
to their present levels. 

THOMAS Collins' salt well. 
In the search for oil in Butler Coimty 
the earth has been bored in some places 
to a depth of over 4,000 feet, as in the 
test well on the Smith farm in Winfield 
Township. In very many places the drill 
has penetrated to a depth of 1,500 to 2,000 
feet, showing the geological structure and 
the coal formations in the various town- 
ships. Among the earliest operations of 
this kind was a salt well driven by Thomas 
Collins in 1811-12, to a depth of seventy 
feet, on the James Kearns farm in Butler 
Township. This well was near the road 



26 



HISTORY Oi" BUTLEE COUNTY 



leading from Butler to Cbicora on what 
was known as the "Salt Lick." An out- 
crop of coal in the same locality made the 
location desirable for the manufacturing 
of salt, and accordingly this industry was 
carried on for a number of years. Petro- 
leum was known to the pioneer settlers by 
the Indian name of Seneca oil, and was 
highly valued for its reputed medical vir- 
tues. A small flow of oil was obtained in 
this old salt well, which was sufficient to 
give its flavor to the brine and even to the 
salt produced. The pioneers did not real- 
ize the value of their discovery and the 
salt well was finally abandoned on account 
of the oily flavor it gave to the manufac- 
tured salt. 

WEBSTER Wilson's well. 
In 1824 Webster Wilson of New Brigh- 
ton drilled a salt well in Lancaster Town- 
ship about 2,600 feet above the confluence 
of Yellow Creek and Connoquenessing. 
This well was drilled to a depth of 339 
feet, and for a long time salt was manu- 
factured by the panning system. Some 
idea of the slow progress made in drilling 
a hundred years ago may be had from the 
record made at this well. Water-power 
was used to drill and a year's time was 
taken in drilling to the depth of 339 feet. 
The drillers seldom got more than two or 
three feet in a day, and often only a few 
inches. Wilson's record of the well shows 
coal at a depth of fifty-three feet, fire clay 
at fifty-nine feet, hard sandstone at sixty- 
nine. Clarion coal at 150 feet, Piedmont 
sandstone at about 210 feet, five feet of 
coal at 255 foet, and underlying the coal 
three feet of fire clay. Nothing below the 
fire clay was found except shale till the 
bottom of the well was reached. The ab- 
sence of ferriferous limestone in this well 
may be accounted for by its being cut out 
by a hard bluish-white sandstone which 
occupied its place. In drilling the old salt 
well at Harmony a vein of good coal was 
found forty-five feet below what is known 



as the Darlington or Upper Kittanning 
coal location. 

JOHN NEGLEy's well. 

A salt well was drilled at Butler about 
1832 by John Negley, who invested about 
$8,000 in the enterprise. The site of this 
old well was a point on the south bank of 
the Connoquenessing Creek about two hun- 
dred feet west of the Main Street bridge, 
near the old mill dam. Salt water was 
found at a depth of 800 feet, and a salt 
factory was established on the pan system, 
which was continued for many years. Coal 
for fuel was taken from the bank on the 
hill above from the same veins that are 
now operated by John M. Muntz. Foot 
power was used in drilling the salt well, 
and eighty ten-foot hickory rods took the 
place of a rope or cable. The hole was 
only two and one-half inches in diameter. 
The enterprise was abandoned after a few 
years, on accoimt of the brine being insuffi- 
cient. Had the well been drilled 300 feet 
deeper, as subsequent borings have shown, 
an inexhaustible supply of salt water 
would have been found. The drillers were 
engaged for three years in drilling the hole 
to the depth of 800 feet, and during that 
time met with many discouragements, on 
several occasions having their tools stuck. 

In 1857 the Orr salt well in Buffalo 
Township was drilled, but the flow of brine 
was small, and in 1858 it was sunk one 
hundred feet deeper, when a vein of water 
equal to twenty gallons per minute was 
struck. 

ECCENTKICITIES OF THE OIL FIELDS. 

The eccentricities of the Butler oil fields 
have proved that geologists know com- 
paratively nothing of the origin of this oil 
or of the gas reservoirs with which it is 
associated. For almost forty years the 
geologists and the operator have been pre- 
dicting the exhaustion of oil and gas in 
Butler County, notwithstanding the con- 
tradiction of their predictions by the dis- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



27 



coveries of new deposits. Oil and gas are 
inseparable companions, and where one 
exists so does the other. Like coal depos- 
its, they give out in time, and as new 
mines must be opened to supply the de- 
mand for coal, so new wells must be drilled 
to supply that for oil and gas. Wonderful 
exhibitions of the vagaries of the two 
fluids have been witnessed ever since the 
beginning of production in the Butler 
County fields. The pioneer wells in the 
Parker Township fields were drilled to 
the Third or Venango County sand. Out- 
side of the Martinsburg region several 
sands have been discovered, such as the 
Fourth sand at Karns City, the Bradford, 
the Gordon, the Snee, and the Hundred- 
Foot and within the last ten years, the 
Speechley sand has been developed in Con- 
cord and Washington Townships. In more 
recent years wells have been discovered in 
the Berea sand in Muddy Creek Township. 
Early in May, 1886, the Fisher Oil Com- 
pany drilled a well on the Reott farm near 
Herman Station to a depth of 2,650 feet 
with the object of tapping the Gordon sand 
that is found in Washington County. At 
a depth of 2,400 feet the Bradford sand 
was struck, or 140 feet below the Fourth 
sand. At 2,641 feet the shell of what 
would correspond with the Gordon sand 
was struck, but neither oil nor gas were 
obtained. The well on the Criswell farm 
was drilled to a depth of 3,500 feet, and 
the well on the Smith farm in Winfield 
Township to 4,000 feet, without other re- 
sults than to further display the freak- 
ishness of the oil-bearing sands in Butler 
County. In the Bald Ridge field the Third 
and Fourth sands come together, and 
equally as strange phenomena are observed 
in other sections of the county. 

COAL FIELDS OF THE COUNTY. 

HISTORY, CANNEL COAL BEDS, FEEAKS EARLY 

OPERATIONS, OPERATIONS IN 1908. 

A brief history of the coal fields and 
deposits of Butler County may be of in- 



terest, on account of their freakishness, 
and because of the extent of the operations 
being carried on at the present time. 
There are five distinct veins of coal known 
to the geologists in Butler County. They 
are the Upper Freeport, the Lower Free- 
port, called the Freeport group ; the Upper 
Kittanning and the Lower Kittanuing, 
called the Kittanning group ; and the Clar- 
ion coal, the latter being found below 
the ferriferous limestone. The first two 
groups are found above the ferriferous 
limestone. These groups are known as the 
lower productive coals and are found in 
every township in the southern half of the 
county, and with a few exceptions in all 
of the townships in the northern half of 
the county, the outcrop showing along the 
hillsides of all of the streams. 

In addition to the above groups, there 
are small areas covered by the Bakers- 
town, the Galitzin, and the Brush Creek 
coals, belonging to the upper series, the 
Eichenhauer freak series and the Sharon 
coal in the western part of the county, and 
what is known as the Slope vein in the 
northern tier of townships. The geologi- 
cal survey of 1837 located the Upper Free- 
port coal at Freeport and the Kittanning 
coal at Kittanning on the Allegheny River. 
The second survey in 1876 located the 
Lower Freeport and it was discovered that 
beneath the Upper Kittanning vein there 
was a second vein which had the appear- 
ance of cannel coal. The Kittanning group 
extends aci'oss the county, varying from 
two to five feet in thickness, and rises out 
of the bed of the Connoquenessing Creek 
seven miles above Harmony. The lower 
vein is forty feet below the creek at Har- 
mony, and does not appear at the surface 
until Beaver County is reached. After the 
Kittanning group reaches Beaver County 
it becomes a cannel known as the Darling- 
ton coal, and it there reaches its great 
thickness of from ten to twelve feet. 

The Freeport group outcrops along the 
streams in the southern half of the county, 



28 



lilHTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and iu a few places in the northern half, 
and is the coal that has been most mined 
for domestic consumption by the farmers 
and by the private operators in the early 
history of the county. 

The Clarion coal is seen on Rough Run 
and does not again appear iu the southern 
half of the county until the western limits 
are reached, and there it is very thin. In 
the northern half this bed of coal is found 
in Marion and Washington Townships, 
and is of a workable thickness. 

The Brookville coal appears on Rough 
Run in Winfield Township, but does not 
reach workable dimensions, and in tlie 
northern half of the county it is mined in 
Venango Townshiji. 

The Bakerstown coal has its origin from 
the town of that name in Allegheny Coun- 
ty, and is develoj^ed along the head of 
(xlade Run and Breakneck Creek, in south- 
ern Butler County. 

The Brush Creek coal belongs to the 
ujiper coal series, and is seen along the 
hills of Brush Creek in Cranberry Town- 
ship, and in one or two other places in the 
county. It is 527 feet below the Pittsburg 
coal and seventy-five feet above the Upper 
Freeport. This coal occupies the place of 
the Galitzin coal of Cambria and Somerset 
Counties, and the name is applied in sev- 
eral localities in Butler County. 

One of the freak beds of coal is found on 
the Semiconon branch of the Little Conno- 
quenessing Creek, and is from two to five 
feet thick. It is a rich bituminous coal 
much prized as a fuel, and occurs fifty feet 
above the Upper Freeport and twenty-five 
feet below the Galitzin or Brush Creek. 
This vein is called the Brush Creek coal in 
the geological reports of the state, but the 
author of the reports has doubts whether 
it is the same. 

The Eichenhauer coal in Lancaster 
Township belongs to none of the groups 
mentioned, and is purely a local coal. It 
is a new feature to the geologists, intro- 
duced between the Lower Freeport and the 



Darlington or Kittanning group, and is 
found on the Eichenhauer farm and a few 
farms surrounding it. Seven feet of work- 
able coal was found on the Eichenhauer 
farm, which was mined until the coal dip- 
ped below the water level of the creek, and 
the operations were then abandoned. The 
same vein was also mined at the mouth of 
Crab Run. In the latter township a bed of 
this coal has been mined for many years 
on the Coulter-McCandless farm. 

The Brookville coal is found in Marion 
Township 120 feet below the cannel coal 
beds, and the Clarion coal is found in 
workable thickness in Washington Town- 
ship. A thin outcrop of the Upper Free- 
port appears on a high knob iu Venango 
Township, and in this locality the Brook- 
ville coal appears to take the place of the 
Lower Kittanning. Venango Township 
also presents a freak in the form of a de- 
posit of limestone ore forty feet above the 
Brookville coal. 

Brush Creek coal is encountered in 
Donegal Township near Chicora, and the 
Upper Freeport vein also appears in this 
locality. 

In Mercer Township in the northwest 
section of the county the Harrisville vein 
appears, and has been mined extensively 
for over thirty years. What is known as 
the Burnett coal appears in Mercer, Mar- 
ion, Venango, Cherry, Allegheny, Parker, 
and Washington Townships, and forty-five 
feet below the Burnett vein is the Slope 
vein which is a series of coal which has 
no classification and appears to be un- 
known to the geologists. 

The Kittanning group which is visible 
throughout the entire northern half of the 
county, reaches an abnormal thickness in 
Washington and Cherry Townships, and 
in the eastern section of the county. Near 
Kaylor City in Armstrong County a de- 
posit of this coal has been found which is 
eleven feet thick, but its area is small. 
Throughout Butler County the coal varies 
from three to six feet. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



31 



A duplicate of the Darlingtou coal is 
found at the mouth of Breakneck Creek, in 
Jackson Township, and has been mined 
extensively in recent years. The Welsh oil 
well record in Jefferson Township locates 
ten feet of Darlington coal in that district, 
but this record is not believed to be cor- 
rect. At the point where the well was 
drilled the Darlington coal was found 146 
feet below the level of Thorn Creek, and as 
the yein has never been worked in that lo- 
cality, its exact thickness is not known. 

CANNEL COAL. 

The cannel coal beds of Butler County 
belong to the Kittanning group, which be- 
comes the Darlington cannel coal in 
Beaver County. The deposits are irregu- 
lar in the southern part of the county, be- 
ing found at the Kearns farm in Butler 
Township, at the Weaver farm in Forward 
Township, in Jackson Township, and 
above the Eichenhauer coal in Lancaster 
Township. In Forward Township a small 
bed is found above the Freeport coal, 
which is out of the regular place for the 
cannel. In all of these localities the cannel 
beds are thin and the coal impure and of 
little merchantable value. 

The cannel coal reaches its greatest 
thickness and conmiercial value in the 
northern section of the county where the 
beds vary from three to eight feet in 
Washington, Venango, Marion, Cherry 
and Center Townships. 

EAELY OPERATIONS. 

Coal mining was carried on at an early 
date in the county. The drilling of the salt 
well on the Kearns farm in Butler Town- 
ship in 1811-12, was the means of opening 
a coal bank at the same place. The Har- 
mony Society operated mines at the mouth 
of Yellow Creek as early as 1815, to sup- 
ply fuel for the colony and to operate the 
salt manufacturing plant. In 1832 a mine 
was operated south of the creek in the 



present limits of Butler Borough. Coal 
was mined and coked at Winfield furnace 
in the fifties, and similar operations were 
carried on on Bear Creek and Slippery 
Rock as far back as the thirties. 

The Muntz Mines of Butler are probably 
the oldest operations in the county. As 
early as the thirties coal was mined at an 
opening near the creek bank west of the 
Main Street bridge, and it is said by the 
older residents of the town that coal was 
mined here as early as 1810 and 1812. This 
mine was first operated by John Negiey, 
who was a pioneer of Butler, and came 
into the possession of John Gr. Muntz in 
1851. John M. Muntz, the present pro- 
prietor, took charge of the mine in 1872, 
and is the present operator. Other mines 
in the vicinity of Butler were the Lavery, 
Schatfner and Bredin, which supplied fuel 
for the town for many years. 

In the fifties coal was mined on the 
Daniel Heck and Eli Eagal farms near 
LTnionville in Center Township, which 
proved to be of value for coking pur- 
poses. Coke was manufactured at these 
mines and hauled to Prospect for use at 
the foundries which were in operation at 
that place. About the same time the prod- 
uct of the mine on Walker's Run in Buf- 
falo Township was being hauled to Natrona 
to the salt works and shipped from Free- 
port to Pittsburg by boat. The Cable 
mines in Connoquenessing Township on 
the Little Connoquenessing Creek were 
operated extensively for many years and 
supplied fuel to Harmony and Zelienople, 
as well as the surrounding farmers. Many 
other small mining operations were carried 
on in the county, and at one time the mines 
were so numerous and the competition so 
sharp that the farmei's could buy their 
winter supply of fuel at the banks for two 
cents per bushel. 

Tlie advent of natural gas as a fuel 
drove the private coal banks out of busi- 
ness, although there are yet many in oper- 
ation throughout the county. 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



LARGE OPERATIONS. 

The mining of coal on a large scale in 
the county had its inception with the com- 
ing of the railroads. As early as 1855 
Hugh McKee and Thomas White of Butler 
explored the cannel coal heds in AVashing- 
ton and Venango Townships, and leased a 
large tract of land for the purpose of 
developing the territory. They had asso- 
ciated with them F. G. May of New York 
City. At that time there were no facilities 
for marketing the coal and railroads within 
the limits of the county had not been 
thought of. 

The next move was made by Benjamin 
Niblock of Youngstown, Ohio; James M. 
Bredin, then of Butler, and Thompson 
Kyle, of Harrisville, who leased 50,000 
acres of land lying in Mercer, Butler and 
Venango Counties. The lands in Butler 
County lay in Mercer, Marion, Cherry, 
Washington, Venango, Allegheny, and 
Parker Townships. The royalty paid to 
the land owners for these leases was ten 
cents per ton. 

They then associated with them the firm 
of Wick, Wells & Company, of Youngs- 
town, Ohio; Shryock, Reynolds & Gill, of 
Meadville, Pennsylvania; Cunard & Mc- 
Henry, of London ; . and Jackson, of New 
York, and organized the Mercer Mining & 
Manufacturing Company. This company 
then opened mines at Pardee, in Mercer 
County, and at Harrisville, Mercer Town- 
ship, in Butler County. 

In 1868-69 this company built the 
Shenango & Allegheny Railroad from She- 
nango to Pardee, and in 1872 the line was 
extended to Harrisville and Brancliton. In 
January, 1876, an extension of the line was 
completed to Hilliard, in Washington 
Township, and other extensions into the 
various coal fields were made in 1880, 1882 
and 1883. In the latter years the connect- 
ing line was built from Branchton to 
Butler. 

The coal enterprise was undertaken on 
the supposition that the so-called Harris- 



ville vein, four feet thick, was the principal 
mining vein of coal in that locality. On 
investigation it was found that a second 
vein of good mining coal existed in Bull 
Valley in Cherry Township. This vein is 
from five to six feet thick and is called the 
Burnett vein in honor of the man who first 
located it. In the same valley the Slope 
vein was subsequently discovered, and has 
proved to be one of the most valuable 
coals found in the region now reached by 
the Bessemer Railroad and its various 
branches. The mines in this region were 
operated for a number of years by Mr. 
Burnett, who then sold out to a Philadel- 
phia company. The Harrisville mine was 
operated by C. A. Jewell, who in 1882 
opened the Oneida mine in Center Town- 
ship. Both of these mines have been ex- 
hausted. Following the development of 
the Harrisville mine the Union Coal & Coke 
Company operated a mine at Gomersol, in 
Cherry Township. Other mines were the 
Allegheny, the Buckeye, and the Eichbar, 
and the Erie Coal Companies operated 
mines in the vicinity of Anandale and 
Hilliard. The Stage mines at Claytonia 
were opened in 1894 and later Steele & 
Blair opened the Standard Mine on the 
Bessemer Railroad. 

OPERATIONS IN 1908. 

In 1908 there were twenty-five coal com- 
panies operating in Butler County employ- 
ing about 2,"000 men. The total production 
of the mines for 1907 was about 865,000 
tons. The principal operators in the dis- 
trict are The Great Lakes Coal Company, 
the Erie Coal & Coke Company, the Goff- 
Kerby Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, and 
the H. K. Wick Coal Company, of Ydtiugs- 
town, Ohio. Among the independent oper- 
ators are W. K. Hamilton, Harry Hamil- 
ton, C. B. McFarland, the Turner Coal 
Company of Greenville, P. D. Sherwin of 
Butler, George Stage of Greenville. But- 
ler is in the third bituminous district with 
Armstrong, Clarion, Beaver, Lawrence 



AND Et]PRBSENTATIVE CITIZENS 



and Mercer Counties, and with the excep- 
tion of Armstrong County has the largest 
production of any county in the district. 
The Butler district has been remarkably 
free from strikes and the various forms 
of labor troubles that the operators in 
other districts have encountered. The dis- 
trict has also been remarkably free from 
mine disasters and the usual run of acci- 
dents caused by mine explosions and gas. 
This is accounted for from the fact that all 
the mines in the county are above the 
water level, and are almost entirely free 
from gaseous formations. The coal mined 
along the Bessemer Railroad and the 
Western Allegheny Railroad is all of a 
superior quality for steam purposes and 
the entire output of the mines is shipped 
north for distribution along the Grreat 
Lakes. 

In addition to the above compaiii 's, the 
New Castle Coal Company and the Filer 
mines, having openings in Mercer County 
close to the line, are taking coal out from 
under farms in Butler County, the value 
of which is not included iu the reports of 
the production for this county. In the 
southeastern corner of the county the 
Clark Coal & Coke Company have an open- 
ing just across the line in Armstrong 
County, and their main entries run into 
the coal lands in Butler County. This 
company has several thousand acres of 
coal land leased in Buffalo Township. The 
Kerr Coal Com])any, a branch of the Gug- 
genheimer interests, also have a large 
block of coal lands in Buffalo Township 
adjoining the Armstrong and Allegheny 
County lines, which was purchased out- 
right from the farmers. This company 
has an opening at Lane Station on the 
Butler Branch from which the coal in But- 
ler County will be mined. Along Buffalo 
Creek and Walker's Run the small mines 
operated by Wright, Kelley, Yeanig, and 
Beckman are still in operation and furnish 
fuel to the villages and farmers in the 
surrounding country. 



The mines operating were as follows: 
The Sharon Coal & Lime Company, In 
Slippery Rock Township, operating the 
Buhl Mines Nos. 3 and 4, employed 177 
men. Their output was 98,400 tons. 
These mines are on the Wolf Creek Branch 
of the Pennsylvania Railroad. 

The Goff-Kirby Company of Cleveland, 
Ohio, were operating in Marion and 
Venango Townships at Anandale Station 
and Murrinsville under the title of Butts 
Cannel Coal Company. They employed 
253 men, and the output of their Anandale 
mine No. 2 was 165,000 tons, and of their 
No. 3, 36,000 tons. 

The Bessemer & Lake Erie Coal Com- 
pany, operating the Jefferson mine, em- 
ployed 120 men and liad an output of 
86,000 tons. 

The Erie Coal & Coke Company em- 
l)loyed eighty-nine men in their Keystone 
Mine No. 1 and had an output of 77,500 
tons. 

The Lochrie Brothers Coal Company at 
Argentine employed eighty men in their 
Pennsylvania Mine No. 1 and had an out- 
put of 59,000 tons. This company is oper- 
ating in Washington and Venango Town- 
ships. 

The Standard Coal Mining Company at 
Argentine employed eighty-nine men and 
had an output of 57,000 tons. 

The Nellie Coal Company employed 
seventy-eight men at their Nellie Mine in 
the same district, and had an output of 
49,000 tons. 

The Mutual Coal Mining Company em- 
ployed seventy-one men at the Royal Mine, 
in the Argentine district, and had an out- 
put of 43,768 tons. 

The Chicora Coal & Coke Company at 
Chicora, on the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- 
road, employed fifty men and had an out- 
put of 40,906 tons. 

F. A. Mizner employed fifty-nine men 
at the Grant Mine in Venango Township, 
and had an output of 31,625 tons. 

George Stage & Son employed forty- 



34 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



three men at the Stage Miue at Claj'tonia, 
and had an output of 18,000 tons. 

The Pittsburg Coal & Fuel Company 
operating the Wahlville No. 2, in Jackson 
Township, employed thirty-five men and 
had an output of 15,340 tons. . 

Samuel Sherwin operating the Kinkade 
Mine near Karns City employed forty-six 
men and had an ouput of 13,216 tons. 

The Maines Coal Company operating the 
Maines Mine in Center Township, three 
miles north of Butler, employed seventeen 
men and liad an output of 8,884 tons. 

The Erie Coal Mining Company em- 
ployed twelve men at their Claytouia mine, 
on the Bessemer Railroad, and had an out- 
put of 7,420 tons. 

Thomas Evans, lessee of the Butler 
Coal & Coke Company, employed twenty- 
two men at the Jamisonville mine, in the 
Bessemer Railroad, and had an output of 
6,824 tons. This mine is now operated by 
Mariana & Smith. 

The Grace Coal Company employed 
twenty-five men at the Evans City shaft 
on the main line of the Baltimore & Ohio 
Railroad, and had an output of 5,500 tons. 
This mine is now operated by the Turners, 
of Greenville. 

The Hallston Coal & Coke Company em- 
ployed fifteen men at the Hallston mine on 
the Bessemer Railroad, and had an output 
of 4,784 tons. 

The Branchton Coal Company employed 
seventeen men at the Branchton mine and 
had an output of 973 tons. 

P. D. Sherwin employed fifty-eight men 
at the Sherwin mines on the Bessemer 
Railroad, and produced 23,000 tons. This 
mine is on the Dr. McCandless farm in 
Clay Township. The same operator em- 
ployed thirty-three men at the Enterprise 
mine at Karns City and had an output of 
10,000 tons. The Enterprise mine is on 
the Taylor and Riddle farms and has been 
in operation since 1886. 

The future of tlie coal business in Butler 
County is full of promise. The operations 



for the past thirty years have all been con- 
fined to the northern half of the county 
and it is only recently that large mining 
operations have been carried on in the 
townships south of Butler. The Wahlville 
and Evans City mines on the Baltimore & 
Ohio Railroad are the only ones of im- 
portance in this section, while the Kerr 
Comi^any and the Clark Coal & Coke Com- 
pany are operating in the southeastern 
corner of the county and have their open- 
ings in Armstrong County. The full ex- 
tent of the coal beds in the southern town- 
ships have not been defined, except as they 
are located by the drill in operating for 
oil. These records are not reliable as to 
the exact thickness of the vein, but they 
are known to var}^ from three feet to at 
least eight or ten feet. All of the coal 
mined in Butler Comity is of an excellent 
quality both for fuel and steam purposes, 
and the close proximity of the fields to the 
Pittsburg district makes the future pros- 
pect very bright. 

IRON ORE AND LIMESTONE. 

The maker of the Universe used a lavish 
hand when he created the mineral re- 
sources of Butler County. The develop- 
ment of the petroleum and gas fields cre- 
ated wealth never dreamed of by Croesus, 
and no sooner had this wonderful source 
of riches begun to decline than men began 
to delve into the hills in search of minerals, 
with results that are astonishing to the 
expert mineralogist and almost unbeliev- 
able to the ordinary layman. The extent 
of the coal beds and their development in 
the last years has been already commented 
on. Iron ore and limestone are taken to- 
gether for the reason that the only deposits 
of iron ore to be found in the coimty are 
on top of the ferriferous limestone and 
these deposits were worked as early as 
1805. It was not until one hundred years 
later that the true value of the limestone 
was discovered and this many years after 
the old "tea kettle" furnaces had been 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



35 



dismantled aud the mannfaotiire of iron 
in the county abandoned. 

According to the geological maps of 
Pennsylvania the entire area of Butler 
County is underlaid with a bed of ferrifer- 
ous limestone that varies from eighteen 
feet at the Harrisville mines in the North- 
west section of the county to twenty-eight 
feet at AVest Winfield in the Southeast 
section. This limestone outcrops along 
the hills of Slippery Rock and Muddy and 
Wolf Creeks in Muddy Creek, Brady, 
Cherry, Washington, Venango, Marion, 
Mercer, Slippery Rock, and Worth Town- 
ships. In the Northeast section of the 
county the outcrop is in Allegheny and 
Parker Townships, aloug Big Bear Creek 
and Little Bear Creek, while the only out- 
crop in the Southeast section is along 
Rough Run in Winfield Township. Fol- 
lowing the direction of the Harrisville and 
Brady's Bend anticlinals, this bed of lime- 
stone dips to the Southwest at the rate of 
seventeen feet to the mile, and in the vicin- 
ity of Butler Borough is two hundred and 
fifty feet under the surface. In the South- 
ern tier of townships it is from three to 
four hundred feet, and in the Northern 
part of Allegheny County it is six hundred 
feet beneath the Pittsburg coal. 

The only other limestone in the county 
is known as the Crinoidal, and is found in 
but one locality. That is, at the top of the 
hill, one mile East of Sarvers Station in 
Buffalo Township, near Buffalo Presbyte- 
rian church. The Crinoidal is found five 
hundred and fifty feet above the ferrifer- 
ous limestone, near the top of the hills and 
has little merchantable value. 

EARLY FURNACES AND OPERATIONS. 

The pioneers soon discovered the fer- 
riferous limestone and the deposits of iron 
ore that accompany it and a number of 
small furnaces were early established 
along the valleys of the Conuoquenessing, 
the Sli]ipery Rock, Bear Creek and Rough 
Run. The iron ore at these places was 



found in pockets and in sufficient quanti- 
ties for the small operations of that day, 
and the limestone proved to be of an ex- 
cellent quality for fluxing purposes. 

The first furnace was built in the Con- 
uoquenessing valley by Dr. Detmar Basse 
Muller, and was in operation as early as 
1805. It was just outside the limits of 
Butler County, at the mouth of Pine Run. 
The product of this furnace was manufac- 
tured into stoves and farm implements for 
the use of the residents of the Conuoque- 
nessing Valley in Butler County long be- 
fore Pittsburg was thought of as an iron 
town. 

Mount Etna furnace was built in 1822 
on Slippery Rock Creek by Dr. John 
Thompson, who came from New Lisbon, 
Ohio, and purchased a large tract of land 
in Slippery Rock Township. He erected 
a cold blast charcoal furnace for the manu- 
facture of pig iron, and in 1823 he erected 
a forge for the manufacture of bar iron, 
built a saw-mill and a grist-mill, employed 
many men and did an extensive business. 
Financial difficulties overtook him in 1829 
and the property was sold at sheriff's sale, 
David McJunkin becoming the purchaser. 
Thompson afterward returned and paid 
every dollar of his indebtedness. McJun- 
kin operated the property for about seven 
years and then rented it to Ephraim Rose, 
John Near & Co., and Robert McGowan, 
successively. William S. Bingham also 
operated the furnace before it went out of 
blast in 1810. The capacity of the plant 
was fifteen tons a week and the iron was 
hauled to Pittsburg at a cost of five dollars 
per ton. The location of this old iron 
plant is at Etna mills on the Butler and 
Mercer Road. 

HICKORY FURNACE. 

The second furnace to be built on the 
Slippery Rock was at the site of Kiester's 
mill, a few miles further up the creek from 
Etna furnace, and was known as Hickor;y 
furnace. Joseph C. Swearingen, who 



36 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



owned five hundred acres of land in the 
vicinity of the old Slippery Rock park, 
built the furnace in 1836 and projected a 
large business, which ruined him finan- 
cially. The property was sold to Charles 
C. Sullivan, of Butler, and William Stew- 
art, who rented the plant to William Jack. 
After a few years the owners took charge 
and under the management of Stewart the 
property was operated at a profit. The 
Kiester grist-mill, now operated by S. M. 
Cheesman, was built in 1843 by Stewart 
and Sullivan. Robert Allen operated the 
old furnace for a few years before it went 
out of blast in 1860. (iood iron was made 
at both the Etna and Hickory furnaces, 
but they were driven out of the market by 
the competition of concerns having better 
advantages for shipping. 

M.\EION FURNACE. 

Marion furnace was built in 1850 by 
Robert Braden and James Kerr in the 
present limits of Marion Township. It 
was a cold blast, charcoal furnace, and was 
the third one built in the valley of the 
Slippery Rock. The capacity of the fur- 
nace was about eighteen tons per week, 
and the product was shipped to Pittsburg. 
The owners operated the plant until 1862, 
when it was abandoned. 

MAPLE AND KENSINGTON FURNACES. 

The first operations on Bear Creek were 
in 1844, when George and James Bovard 
built Maple furnace. It was a stone stack, 
cold blast, charcoal furnace, but was after- 
ward run with a steam engine. In 1847 
the property was purchased by Henry 
Graff of Pittsburg, and in 1854 M. S. 
Adams became the owner and operated the 
plant until 1865, when it was abandoned 
on account of scarcity of ore. This fur- 
nace produced about forty tons of iron per 
week and gave employment to thirty to 
forty men. 

Kensington furnace was built in 1846 by 
Church, Carothers and Crawford and was 



operated by them for five years. It was 
a charcoal furnace and had a capacity of 
six tons of iron per day. It was aban- 
doned for the same reason as Maple fur- 
nace. The iron ore in this locality is 
irregular in its formation and runs to 
pockets. Both these furnaces are in Alle- 
gheny Township. 

WINFIELD FURNACE. 

Winfield furnace on Rough Run in Win- 
field Township, was built in 1844 by Will- 
iam Spear, who operated it until 1856, 
when the property was purchased by the 
Winfield Coal & Iron Company. Soon 
after William Stewart, who had success- 
fully operated Hickory furnace, became 
owner and conducted the business until 
1864, when the enterprise was abandoned. 
The original furnace was a thirty-foot 
stack set on a twenty-foot base, and was 
fired with charcoal, which was manufac- 
tured on the furnace property. The blast 
was first run by water power and later by 
steam. Its capacity was about forty tons 
of iron per day, which was hauled to Free- 
port and shipped by rail or boat to Pitts- 
bui-g. To the casual observer of the day 
the closing of the furnaces on Bear Creek 
and Rough Run was the expiring act of 
the iron industry in Butler County and 
tliere was little to be hoped for in the 
future. Destiny had other things in store 
for the county and fifty years later the site 
of the "tea kettle" furnace was to be the 
scene of a great industrial activity. 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIMESTONE. 

About the time the last furnace was 
closed in Butler County the oil fields began 
to attract attention and for thirty years 
the iron ore and limestone beds were for- 
gotten. In the meantime there had been 
wonderful development in the Pittsburg 
district in the manufacture of iron and 
steel, in railroads, in the construction of 
public roads, and the manufacture of Port- 
land cements. All of these industries used 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



37 



immense quantities of lime and limestone 
and they began to look about for a source 
of supply. One of the first men to see the 
possibilities of the limestone business in 
Butler County was Webster Keasey, of 
Winfield Township, who was raised near 
the site of the old furnace. 

THE WEST WINFIELD EAILKO.'U). 

In 1890 Joseph Brittain, of Butler, who 
was then carrying on a number of enter- 
prises in the county, went to Eough Run 
to buy timber to be manufactured into 
railroad ties and billstuff. Webster Kea- 
sey met him and pointed out the possibili- 
ties of the lime, coal, and fire clay indus- 
tries at the old furnace site, if a railroad 
could be built into the place. Brittain was 
a man of action and was quick to formulate 
a plan. He purchased the Henry Keasey 
tract of laud, which adjoins the furnace 
property, that day and the next day he 
closed a deal with the manager of the fur- 
nace property in Pittsburg by which the 
latter agreed to furnish $40,000 and Brit- 
tain $40,000 to build a railroad from the 
Butler branch to Winfield furnace. Armed 
with this agreement Brittain went direct 
to the head men of the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road Company at Philadelphia and pre- 
sented his proposition. The next day he 
came away with a contract which bound 
the railroad company to build the branch 
road within a stipulated time. The strange 
part of the story is that Brittain did not 
have a dollar in cash when he closed the 
contract with the railroad company, and 
he had no financial backing; his part of 
the contract was to be paid in railroad ties. 
Brittain died before the road was com- 
pleted and his enterprises failed, with the 
single exception of the railroad. 

In 1891 the Rough Run Manufacturing 
Company purchased the Henry Keasey 
farm of 177 acres adjoining the furnace 
tract and erected a salt works, which they 
operated until 1893, when the business be- 
came unprofitable; the plant was closed 



down and the laud was leased to the lime 
company. 

The limestone industry had its inception 
in 1893 when Webster Keasey and J. A. 
Ransom leased the tract of the Rough Run 
Manufacturing Company and opened the 
mine that is in operation at the present 
time. Later the Acme Lime Company, 
Limited, was organized with J. A. Ransom 
president, J. J. Haas secretary and treas- 
urer, and Webster Keasey superintendent. 

The lime company operated three kilns, 
one patent steel jacket kiln, one steam 
drill, and one stone crusher with a daily 
capacity of two hundred tons of crushed 
stone. The daily capacity of the kilns was 
six hundred bushels of burnt lime. Hous- 
ton Brothers of Pittsburg were the suc- 
cessors of the Acme Lime Company, and 
they in turn disposed of the plant to the 
A. G. Morris Lime & Stone Company of 
Tyrone, Pennsylvania, which had formerly 
been a competitor of the West Winfield 
Company. The Morris company has a 
capital of two hundred thousancl dollars 
invested in the plant that is now in oper- 
ation, and the daily output is ten acres of 
raw stone and from three to five cars of 
burned lime. The raw stone is used for 
fluxing purposes in the manufacture of 
iron and steel and of late years a large 
percentage of the output of this mine is 
used in the construction of State highways. 

The ferriferous limestone at this point 
is twenty-eight feet thick and the lower 
edge of the stratum is twenty-five feet 
above the water level of Rough Rim. Its 
analysis shows ninety-six per cent, of car- 
bonate of lime, and it is considered one of 
the best gray limes in the country. The 
strata is the same as that of Bufifalo fur- 
nace and Brady's Bend, and extends from 
the northeast to the southwest through 
Winfield and Buffalo Townships. The 
limestone in West Winfield is being mined 
the same as coal, and the Morris company 
is one of the largest plants — the only one 
of its kind — in the world. At this point 



38 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tlie limestoue lies iu three separate veins, 
and has developed an abnormal thickness 
of twenty-eight feet. The two lower veins 
are being mined, and the top vein is left 
iu as a roof. The value of this limestone 
deposit may be estimated in a rough way 
by anyone who cares to make the calcula- 
tion. The land owner is paid a royalty of 
three cents per ton for the raw stone. 
Estimating the weight of the limestone at 
one hundred and forty pounds per cubic 
foot, the value per acre varies from one 
thousand dollars to twenty-five hundred 
dollars, depending on the thickness of the 
stratum. 

OTHER MINERAL DEPOSITS. 

The wealth of this part of the county iu 
minerals cannot be estimated by the value 
of the limestone. In addition to the fer- 
riferous limestone, six veins of coal are 
found above the limestone which run from 
two feet six inches to foiir feet. These 
veins are the Upper Freeport, Lower Free- 
poi-t, and Upper Kittanning Coals, while 
the Clarion coal bed lies twenty-five feet 
beneath the limestone. The Summit iron 
ore underlies the Freeport coal, and was 
the source of supply of the old Winfield 
furnace and the Buffalo furnace in Arm- 
strong County. This iron ore was also the 
supply for the Brady's Bend operations in 
the middle of the last century, and out- 
crops in Clarion County. The Buhrstone 
iron ore is also found in this locality under 
the lower Kittanning coal. The Mahoning 
sandstone is found in the upper strata, and 
the Homewood sandstone is found twenty- 
five feet above Rough Run. 

The Clarion County fire clay is also 
found, and varies from ten to fifteen feet 
in thickness. This vein of fire clay is also 
being operated as is also the Homewood 
sandstone, and is a source of large profits 
to the owners of the land. 

In the northwest section of the count, 
limestone was developed in a small way at 
an early date and was used for fluxing pui-- 



poses at the old furnaces, and by the farm- 
ers for fertilizing purposes on their land. 

About 1895 the attention of the superin- 
tendent of mines of the Carnegie steel in- 
terests was called to the limestone forma- 
tion along the Bessemer Railroad in Butler 
County as a possible source of supply for 
the Carnegie Steel Mills. Then an in- 
vestigation of the territory and an analysis 
of samples of the ferriferous limestone 
showed that the limestone of Slippery 
liock, ^fcrcci- and Cherry Townships was 
;i(liiiii;ilil>- suited for manufacturing pur- 
posi's, and tliat it contained ninety-six per 
cent, of carbonate of lime. Following out 
the suggestion, the Carnegie company 
leased a large block of territory and 
opened the mines at Wick Station and 
Harrisville Station on the Bessemer Rail- 
road, which now furnishes employment for 
a large number of men and is one of the 
principal sources of supply for the United 
States steel industries. The limestone 
stratum at this point is only a few feet 
beneath the surface, and is obtained by 
first stripping the soil from the top. 
These operations are among the most ex- 
tensive of the Carnegie interests. 

Ochre was found along the Connoquenes- 
sing Creek at an early day, and was used 
in mixing j^aints. A frame house erected 
by Walter Lowrie where the jail now 
stands was painted with this yellow clay 
ground in oil. 

LEAD MINES. 

Lead is said to exist along the valley of 
the Connoquenessing, although the geolo- 
gists have never been able to locate it. 
The early pioneers related stories about 
the Indians who came to Butler as early 
as 1820 and offered to tell the settlers 
where to find lead on payment of a sum of 
money. These Indians, it is said, went 
down along the creek below Butler and re- 
turned with all the lead they could carry 
and took it home with them. They would 
not allow anybody to go with them when 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



39 



they were mining their lead, and the white 
men were never able to discover its loca- 
tion. As late as 1850 an Indian of the 
Cornplauter tribe is said to have come to 
Butler and stopped at the old Beatty Hotel 
over night. The next morning he went 
down along the Connoquenessing Creek 
alone and returned in the evening with aU 
the lead he could carry. The next day he 
returned by stage to his lionie. Day's 
"Historical Collections of Pennsylvania" 
says that a lead mine existed at an early 
day near Harmony, and that the first set- 
tlers in that section of the county found a 
small furnace that the Indians had used in 
melting the lead. No white man has ever 
been able to discover these lead dejjosits 
which were known to the Indians, and 
whether or not they are phantoms is left 
to the reader to judge for himself. 



With the exception of the southeastern 
townships, a tract in Parker Township, 
and a few groves in other townships, the 
pine and the hemlock are absent. Vast 
forests of oak, elm, chestnut, walnut, ash, 
hickory, maple, and other hard wood trees 
abounded in every township in the county, 
and for many years was the source of a 
great lumber supply. In. the matter of 
orchards, the apple tree holds first place, 
the peach tree second, while the pear and 
the ]>lum are cultivated to a large extent. 
Much of the territory in the county is fitted 
for vine culture, but little attention is 
given thereto. Thirty years ago extensive 
vineyards were planted in Butler County 
which flourished for a few years. The 
vines were attacked by a blight which con- 
tinued until this branch of industry has 
been abandoned. 

There are one hundred species of mam- 
mals known in Butler County, and the list 
of birds includes three hundred and thirty 
species, of which one hundred and fifteen 
are natives. The panther was the lion of 
the wilderness whose scream was as famil- 



iar to the pioneer as the bark of a dog is 
to the i^eople of the present day. Many 
stories of adventure are told concerning 
the "painter," several of which are re- 
lated in the adventures of the pioneers. 
Contradictory stories are told about the 
last panther killed within the limits of the 
county. Some say it was in 1856, some 
place it earlier, and some later. The bear 
grew to gigantic stature in this district, 
and the wolf attained his greatest strength, 
and both animals were a source of danger, 
loss and trouble to the early settlers. The 
county was a paradise for hunters, who 
found along the deer-licks enjoyment and 
profit. It was the practice of the hunters 
in the winter time to hunt deer and carry 
their carcasses to Pittsburg where they 
were sold for cash. Adam Brown of For- 
ward Township, who was considered a 
great hunter of his day, shot forty-eight 
deer in one winter, and hauled them to 
Pittsburg on a sled. Jacob Ekas was an- 
other deer hunter equally as famous, and 
many others could be mentioned. The 
greed of the hunters led to the annihilation 
of the deer and the bounty laws tended 
toward the extermination of the wild ani- 
mals. The otter and the beaver abounded 
on Bear Creek and on Muddy Creek, but 
they have long since disappeared. The 
last of the otter tribe vanished from Bear 
Creek about 1872 and a few years later 
they had disappeared from Muddy Creek. 
The birds, however, have largely held 
their own, and are still with us. In Novem- 
ber, 1881, a golden eagle measuring seven 
feet from tip to tip was captured in Penn 
Township by Elijah T. Phillips. The owl, 
the hawk, and other predatory birds are 
numerous, but the species are kept from 
increasing by the hunters. Game birds and 
song birds are protected by law. 

AECHEOLOGY. 

Butler County is not without interest 
from an archeological point of view. On 
the site of old Indian towns along the old 



40 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Indian trails, and even in places where no 
signs of Indian habitations were found by 
the early settlers, arrowheads, stone chis- 
els, and other reminders of the original 
inhabitants of the land are frequently 
brought to light. As late as 1907 arrow- 
heads were found in the northern part of 
Connoquenessing Township and in many 
other localities in the county similar dis- 
coveries have been made where Indian 
camps and villages are known to have ex- 
isted. In 1893 a butternut tree and butter- 
nuts were found petrified within a rock in 
the outcrop south of the Connoquenessing 
Creek, opposite the borough of Butler. 
When that tree was covered with sand, or 
when the sand was converted into rock, are 
secrets of nature which invite the attention 
of the scientist. A few years later in ex- 
cavating for the foundation of the Broad 
Street School building in Butler, the work- 
men discovered a petrified log at the depth 
of twenty-five feet and a section of a laurel 
bush of gigantic size, which had doubtless 
been the growth of some prehistoric age. 

FLOODS AND STORMS, AND EPIDEMICS. 

High waters in the creeks in the county 
have not been unusual, but the damage 



was genei-ally confined to buildings on the 
lowlands, and the bridges across the 
streams, and no lives were lost. The flood 
which carried away a large portion of 
Petrolia was the most disastrous one 
known within that period. The drouths 
of 1854 and of the summer of 1894 were 
the most serious in the history of the 
county entailing heavy losses on the farm- 
ers, and rendering water exceedingly 
scarce by drying up many of the streams. 
The tornado which carried away part of 
Coaltown, and the rainstorm of June 21, 
1872, which damaged a few houses in But- 
ler are the only disastrous visitations of 
the elements worthy of mention. In 1832 
the locusts ravaged the county and again 
in 1849 they threatened the crops, but dis- 
appeared during the last week in June of 
that year. The frost of June 5, 1859, was 
one of the disasters of the middle of the 
century which effected the entire county. 
Fruit was killed and the prospects of a 
harvest were dashed to the ground. 

In 1838 scarlet fever and catarrhal fever 
were epidemic in Butler and vicinity, and 
the typhoid fever epidemic of 1903-4 is the 
subject of a separate article in this 
work. 



CHAPTER II 



SETTLEMENT OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA 



Indian Occthpation — Early Maps — The Original People — The First White Men — Wash- 
ington's Journey — England Takes Action — Cause of Indian Dissatisfaction — 
Christopher Gist — Frederick Post — Post Returns to the Delawares — Kaskaskunk 
— Pakanke — Glikkikin — Rev. John Rothe — Settlements up to 1804 — Pioneer Set- 
tlers — Pioneer Anecdotes and Adventures — Destruction of Kittanning — The Story 
of Massy Harbison — Gen. Richard Butler. 



There appears to be much mystery as to 
who the original inhabitants of Western 
Pennsylvania were. The only evidences 
of the Indian occupation found here by the 
pioneers from 1790 to 1800 were the old 
Indian trails and the traces of Indian vil- 
lages to be found in various part of the 
county. The Senecas were the occupants 
of this part of the State south of Lake 
Erie, but at the time the tide of immigra- 
tion reached the east bank of the Allegheny 
the country was claimed by several tribes, 
including remnants of the Delaware, the 
Shawanese, Munceys, and Senecas. These 
tribes, under the leadership of the Tory 
Scotch-Irishmen, Simon Girty, Alexander 
McKee, and Captain Elliott, were allies of 
the British during the Revolution. 

EAELY MAPS OF THE COUNTY. 

The maps of the Historical Society of 
Western Pennsylvania published in 1875 
show the Indian towns of what is now But- 
ler County to have been Cushcushking, on 
Wolf Creek in the present limits of Slip- 
pery Rock Township; Kaskaskunk, west 
of Holyoke Church in Center Township 
near the Franklin Township line; Sakonk 



on the west line of Alexander's District, 
where it intersects Connoquenessing Creek 
near Harmony; and another Indian town 
named Sakonk, which stood near the mouth 
of the Beaver River. Logstown was lo- 
cated on the northeast bank of the Ohio, 
a few miles southwest of the southwest 
corner of Butler County; and Shannopin 
Town stood across the Allegheny River 
opposite the Indian town of Allegheny. 
The map does not mention Murdering 
Town which stood north of Amberson's 
Bridge on Connoquenessing Creek; the 
Indian village that at one time existed near 
the mouth of Breakneck Creek ; the Indian 
village in Buffalo Township on the Jacob 
Simmers farm ; the Indian town that once 
existed in the northeastern section of the 
county near the present town of Bruin; 
the Indian village in Franklin Township 
about one mile south of Prospect on the 
old White farm; nor the Indian camps 
that were known to exist at Buhl's Mill in 
Forward Township, near Mechaniesburg 
in Worth Township, and on the present 
site of Harrisville in Mercer Township. 
Nor is any mention made of the old Indian 
camping place on the Kearns farm in But- 



42 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ler Townshij) at what is now known as the 
Transfei-, nor the Indian camp within the 
present limits of Butler borough on the 
site of the courthouse. A small band of 
Indians lived in the village near Bruin as 
late as 1796 when the first settlers came to 
that district, and a small band of Moravian 
Indians lived in a village near West Lib- 
erty as late as 1812. 

No mention is made of the Indian trails 
or paths leading across Butler County, of 
which there were a large number. As 
early as 1750 there was known to be an 
Indian trail or great path leading from 
Philadelphia across the mountains to Kit- 
tanning on the Allegheny River; and 
thence west to the Ohio line, probably 
passing the town of Kaskaskunk north of 
Butler. A path led north from Kittanning 
along the river bank to Franklin and traces 
of an old north and south path were found 
in Buffalo Township by the early settlers. 
The old Venango trail led from the forks 
of the Ohio River north through Cran- 
berry and Jackson Townships, passing 
Murdering Town and in the vicinity of 
Prospect and Harrisville. Traces of this 
path are yet to be seen qn the west line of 
the Greer McCandless farm in Connoque- 
nessing Township. The old Logstown 
path, followed by George Washington and 
his party in 1753, came up Beaver River 
and Connoquenessing Creek and inter- 
sected the Venango path at some point 
near Murdering Town. Another old path 
existed in early days leading from Mur- 
dering Town along the banks of the Con- 
noquenessing Creek to Butler, and thence 
east toward Kittanning. The early set- 
tlers of Butler Township and the southern 
part of the county say that an Indian trail 
once existed leading from the present site 
of Butler directly south to the present site 
of Pittsburg. Many of these old Indian 
trails were marked on the Colonial and 
State documents as being the property of 
the Cornplanter Indians, and they were 
used by these ti'ibes when the pioneers 



first came to occupy the land in the county. 
The narrative of Massy Harbison indi- 
cates that an Indian settlement of some 
proportion existed at an early day on the 
Connoquenessing Creek north of Butler, 
but there are no records to show who in- 
habited the place. 

THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE. 

While the Senecas, the Delawares and 
the Shawanese occupied the territory west 
of the Allegheny River and north of the 
Ohio at the time the first white men came 
into the country, they were by no means 
the first inhabitants of the land. A tradi- 
tion about the origin of the Delaware In- 
dians is of interest at this point on account 
of the fact that this nation of Indians occu- 
pied the territory, of which Butler County 
is a part, prior to emigrating to the east- 
ern part of the State. When the English- 
men first came to the shores of An>erica 
they found that the Lenni Lenape occupied 
the shores of the Delaware River in Penn- 
sylvania, hence the name Delaware In- 
dians. In the Indian language Lenni 
Lenape means the ' ' original people. ' ' The 
tradition is that many centuries ago the 
Lenni Lenape came from west of the Mis- 
sissippi River. When they reached the 
shores of the Mississippi they fell in with 
the Mengwe, or Iroquois, wlio were also 
of western origin, and had come from the 
far west near the source of the Mississippi 
River. They found that the country east 
of the Mississippi River was occupied by 
a people called the Allegewi, who lived in 
fortified towns and occupied all the terri- 
tory as far east as the Allegheny River. 
The Allegheny River and the Allegheny 
Mountains derived their names from this 
tribe of people, who were said to be tall 
and stout and many of them of gigantic 
stature. Vestiges of these people are yet 
to be seen in the historic mounds of south- 
ern Ohio and in Allegheny County in 
western Pennsylvania. 

The Lenape requested permission of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



43 



AUegewi to occupy the country, but the re- 
quest was refused. After a loug- council, 
however, the chiefs of the Allegewi granted 
permission for the strangers to cross the 
river, pass through the country, and oc- 
cupy the lands to the eastward. When the 
Allegewi saw the numbers of the strangers 
passing the river they became alarmed and 
assailed and destroyed many of those who 
had reached the eastern shore. A long war 
ensued in which the Allegewi were driven 
out of the country never to return. The 
Lenape called the Mississippi River the 
Namaesi Sipu, or the river of fish. After 
the Allegewi had been conquered, the 
Lenape and the Iroquois divided the terri- 
tory, the former occupying the lands south 
and along the Ohio River, and the latter 
the country in the neighborhood of the 
Great Lakes. 

The conquerors lived in harmony for 
many generations. Finally a band of 
hunters of the Lenape tribe crossed the 
Allegheny Mountains and discovered the 
great rivers and bays of the Susquehanna 
and Delaware, going as far east as the 
Hudson. After a loug absence they re- 
turned to their people and told of the dis- 
covery of a new land which abounded in 
game, fish, fowls and fruit, and in which 
no inhabitants lived. The Lenape imme- 
diately emigrated to the new country, 
establishing their principal towns on the 
Delaware River, and occupying the coun- 
try as far as the Hudson River and south 
to the Potomac. All of their nation, how- 
ever, did not cross the Mississippi River, 
but some remained behind, and because of 
the wars with the Allegewi they became 
frightened and went to the far west. They 
thus became divided into three parts, those 
that inhabited the Atlantic coast, those 
that inhabited the land between the Alle- 
gheny and the Mississippi, and those west 
of the Mississippi. The Lenape that occu- 
pied the Atlantic coast were divided into 
three tribes, called the Turtle, the Turkey, 
and the Wolf. The Minsi, or Wolf tribe, 



formed a barrier in central Pennsylvania 
between their nation and the Iroquois on 
the north and became known as the "Mon- 
seys." Forty tribes of Indians are said 
to be traceable to the Lenape, among which 
is the Shawanese. The latter tribe are 
said to be of southern origin and came 
from the basin of the Cumberland River 
to the Susquehanna Valley in Pennsyl- 
vania in 1673. In 1698 seventy families of 
this tribe settled on Conestoga and Pequea 
Creek under their principal chief, Opessa. 
They followed the west branch of the Sus- 
quehanna River and in 1728 were in the 
Ohio region. In 1832 the whole tribe occu- 
pied the tributaries of the Ohio in what is 
now western Pennsylvania and eastern 
Ohio, and there is no doubt but that many 
of the Indian villages and camps in Butler 
County were occupied by these people 
either as hunting lodges or principal places 
of residence. The Delaware Indians who 
inhabited western Pennsylvania, or at least 
that part of the State west of the Alle- 
gheny River, were no doubt descendants of 
that part, of the Lenape family that re- 
mained east of the Mississippi River when 
the principal part of the tribe emigrated 
to the Atlantic coast. 

Notwithstanding the facts that the In- 
dians of the iVllegheny River were well 
known to the French soldiers in 1753-59, 
the names of but few have been preserved 
in the pages of American history. Custa- 
loga and Kiassuta, or Guyasutha, the 
hunter, were the great chiefs here in the 
middle of the eighteenth century. Wash- 
ington met the first at Venango on French 
Creek in 1753, and the latter was one of his 
guides on that historical expedition. Both 
of these Indians after proving recreant to 
the French became earnest supporters of 
the British, and during the Revolution 
took part in many a bloody foray into the 
settlements east of the Allegheny River 
and Mountains. Early historians do not 
mention the fact that about the time Wash- 
ington made his visit to Fort Venango, one 



44 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEK COUNTY 



of the principal Indian towns was Kas- 
kaskunk in the present limits of Butler 
County, which was then inhabited by the 
Delaware Indians under the noted chief 
Pakanke, and the celebrated warrior and 
Indian orator, Glikkikkin. 

THE FIRST WHITE MEN. 

The pioneer white men of western Penn- 
sylvania, as they were also of the Missis- 
sippi and Ohio Valleys, were the French. 
Their claims to the right of possession 
were based on the discoveries of LaSalle, 
who, about 1669-1670, started south from 
the Great Lakes, struck the head waters 
of the Allegheny River, and followed that 
stream to the Ohio and thence to the falls 
at Louisville, returning to Canada the 
same year. 

In 1749 Gallissionere, the governor of 
Canada, organized an expedition which he 
placed under the command of Capt. Pierre 
Joseph Celoron, the object of which was to 
connect the French possession in Canada 
with Louisiana by a chain of forts reach- 
ing from the lakes to the Ohio Eiver and 
thence south. Advancing by way of Lakes 
Erie and Chautauqua, and Conewango 
Creek to the Allegheny Eiver, Celoron pro- 
ceeded down that stream to the Ohio. In 
descending the Allegheny, he crossed the 
northeast and the southeast corners of 
Butler County, and this therefore takes 
I'ank as the first white exploration of west- 
ern Pennsylvania. Celoron took formal 
possession of the country in the name of 
Louis XV., King of France, and buried 
leaden plates at certain points as evidence 
of possession. One of these plates was 
buried at the junction of the Allegheny 
and Monongahela Elvers. The mathema- 
tician, geographer, and chaplain of this 
expedition was a Jesuit priest named Eev. 
Joseph Peter de Bonnecamp. 

In 1753, four years after the first French 
expedition, the French erected a fort at 
Erie called Presque Isle, one at Waterford 
called Fort LeBoeuf, and took possession 



of John Frazier's cabin at the mouth of 
French Creek on the site of Franklin. 
Upon the crest of this cabin they placed 
the flag of France, and left the place in 
charge of a half-breed French officer 
named Capt. Chabert de Joncaire. Fort 
Machault, called Venango by the English, 
was erected in the spring of 1754. 

English jealousy being aroused by these 
proceedings. Governor Dinwiddle, of Vir- 
ginia, sent Maj. George Washington, aft- 
erward immortalized in American history, 
to learn from the French commandant his 
intentions, and to jorotest against the 
French occupying the Allegheny Valley, to 
which the English laid claim. Early in 
1754 the governor of Virginia sent a small 
force to the confluence of the Allegheny 
and Ohio Eivers and commenced the erec- 
tion of a fort for the purpose of heading 
off the French, but the latter descended 
the Allegheny Eiver, drove the English 
away, and completed the fort, which they 
named Duquesne. This was the beginning 
of the long and bloody contest known as 
the French and Indian War, which closed 
in 1759, with the expulsion of the French 
from western Pennsylvania. The Pontiac 
conspiracy in 1763 resulted in widespread 
havoc and wiped out the three forts north 
of Port Pitt. The last mentioned was gar- 
risoned by the English until tlie Revolu- 
tion, when the Americans became master 
of the country. 

WASHINGTON 's JOURNEY. 

In 1753 Governor Dinwiddle of Virginia, 
as above noted, sent George Washington 
to the French post at Venango and Fort 
LeBoeuf. Washington carried letters of 
instruction dated at the city of Williams- 
burg the 30th day of October and he set 
out on his journey the same day. He em- 
ployed a French interpreter and upon the 
14th of November arrived at Will's Creek. 
Here he engaged Christopher Gist, one of 
the most noted pioneers and woodsmen 
upon the stage during the troublous times 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



45 



from 1750 to 1783, and also four others as 
servants. The party then proceeded to 
the mouth of Turtle Creek, which point 
they reached on the 22d of November, and 
from there they went to the forks of tlie 
Ohio, now the site of Pittsburg, and Wash- 
ington spent some time in viewing the 
river and the land between the Allegheny 
and the Mouongahela, which he thought 
extremely well situated for a fort. The 
party then proceeded down the Ohio River 
to Logstown, where Washington met the 
Half-King Taunac Harrison, who gave 
him much information concerning the 
French and the route he must pursue to 
meet their commandant. On the 30th of 
November, W'ashington and his party, ac- 
companied by the Half-King, left Logs- 
town and proceeded to Venango where 
they arrived on the 4th of December. 
Washington described Venango as an old 
town situated on the mouth of French 
Creek on the Ohio River. It appears from 
this entry in W^ashington's journal that 
the Allegheny was called the Ohio at this 
period, which accounts in a measure for 
some of the confusing statements about 
the location of Indian towns in the early 
histories. At Venango the English found 
the French colors hoisted at the house of 
John Frazier, an English subject, and 
Washington immediately repaired there to 
learn where the French commandant re- 
sided. There were three French officers 
at Frazier 's house, one of whom was said 
to have command of the Ohio, but they 
told the commissioner of the English that 
there was a general officer at Fort Le- 
Boeuf, now Waterford, Erie County, and 
advised Washington to apply there for an 
answer to his inquiry. The officers at 
Venango told Washington that it was the 
intention of the French to take possession 
of the Ohio, and added with an oath that 
they would do it, although they knew that 
the English could raise two men to their 
one. In his journal Washington says that 
"the French pretended to have an un- 



doubted right to the river from the dis- 
covery made by one LaSalle sixty years 
previous to that time, and that the rise of 
this expedition is to prevent English set- 
tlement on the river or the waters of it." 
Washington journeyed on to Fort LeBoeuf 
where he arrived on the 11th of December 
and remained until the 16th, holding an 
unsatisfactory conference with the com- 
mander Legardur LaPierre. 

On the journey to Venango, ^Vashington 
and his party traveled from Logstown to 
Murdering Town on the Connoquenessing 
Creek in the present limits of Butler 
County, and thence followed the old 
Venango trail, which traverses the western 
section of the county, probably passing the 
vicinity of Prospect and Harrisville. On 
the return trip the party reached Venango 
on the 22d of December, where they were 
obliged to give up their horses on account 
of the weakened condition of the animals 
after making the long and arduous jour- 
ney. Washington, being anxious to make 
a report of his expedition as quickly as 
possil)le, left the rest of the party at 
Venango and with Christopher Gist as his 
sole companion, started on foot for the 
forks of the Ohio. On the second day they 
reached Murdering Town, and it was on 
the evening of this day that Washington 
had an adventure with an Indian, which is 
briefly touched upon in his journal. Wash- 
ington's journal says at this point that it 
was the intention to leave the trail at 
Murdering Town and steer across the 
country to Shannopin Town, an Indian 
village situated on the east bank of the 
Allegheny near the forks of the Ohio. It 
is probable that they intended using the 
old trail that existed at an early day, and 
which ran from the forks of tlie Ohio north 
through what is now Cranberry and Jack- 
son Townships, intersecting the Logstown 
trail at or near Murdering Town — called 
the Venango trail. 

Just after they had passed Murdering 
Town, Washington and Gist fell in with 



46 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



a party of French Indians, and the inci- 
dent which is casually alluded to in Wash- 
ington's journal, is related at some length 
in the journal kept by Gist. According to 
Gist, they arrived at Murdering Town 
about two o'clock in the afternoon. Gist 
says that at Murdering Town he met an 
Indian who called him by his Indian name 
and pretended to be glad to see him. The 
Indian accompanied them on their journey 
and when about two miles from Murdering 
Town he remarked that he could hear a 
gun from his cabin, and steered the party 
in a more northerly direction. The Indian 
also remai'ked that he could hear two war 
whoops and acted altogether in such a 
suspicious manner that both Washington 
and Gist became uneasy. Washington re- 
marked that they would stay for the night 
at the next water. They came to the 
water, passed it, and came to a clear 
meadow where the Indian made a stop, 
turned about, and discharged his gun 
directly at Washington. His aim was un- 
steady and both Washington and Gist 
escaped injury, although they were close 
together. Gist wanted to kill the Indian, 
but yielding to the persuasion of Washing- 
ton, they captured him, made him make a 
fire for them and pretended that they were 
going to camp at the spot for the night. 
They relieved the Indian of his gun and 
told him to go to his home, which was but 
a little way off, and said that they would 
follow him to his cabin in the morning. 
Gist followed the Indian until he was out 
of the way and then he and Washington 
set their compass and traveled all night, 
arriving at the head of Pine Creek in Alle- 
gheny County about daylight in the morn- 
ing. The clear meadow mentioned in the 
narrative is supposed to have been in the 
vicinity of Buhl's Mill and the route fol- 
lowed by Gist and AVashington must have 
passed very near the location of Evans 
City. 

It thus seems a fair inference that 
Washington's life was imperiled on the 



27th of December, 1753, and that it was 
near or upon the waters of the Breakneck 
that the incident occurred. He arrived at 
Williamsburg on the 16th of January, 
1754, and made his report to Governor 
Dinwiddie. This concluded the first im- 
portant public service of George AVashing- 
ton. 

ENGLAND TAKES ACTION. 

The English government, having learned 
of the designs and operation of the French 
on the Allegheny and the Ohio Rivers, re- 
solved to oppose force with force, and in 
the spring of 1754 began the erection of 
a stockade and fort at the forks of the 
Ohio, now the city of Pittsburg. Ensign 
Ward was in charge of this work. Before 
he had completed his stockade the French 
came down the Allegheny River and drove 
him away. The French and Indian War 
followed, in which the Indians were at first 
allied with the French, and later with the 
English, and concluded with Pontiac's con- 
spiracy in 1763. 

CAUSE OF INDIAN DISSATISFACTION. 

In order to combine the efforts of the 
colonies in this war, a conference was held 
at Albany, New York, in July, 1754, which 
was attended by the chiefs of the Six 
Nations, two commissioners on the part of 
the Council of New York, and two on the 
part of the Province of Pennsylvania, the 
latter being Robert Morris and Benjamin 
Franklin. The result of the conference 
was unsatisfactory to the Council, but 
Franklin and Morris secured from the Six 
Nations a great part of the land in the 
Province of Pennsylvania to which the 
Indian title had not become extinct. By 
this sale the Delawares, the Shawanese, 
and the Munseys found all of their land 
on the Juniata, the Susquehanna and the 
Allegheny Rivers sold from under their 
feet, which the Six Nations had guaran- 
teed to them on their removal from the 
eastern waters. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



47 



Previous to 1754 the Six Nations and the 
Delawares on the Atlantic coast had been 
at war with each other and the latter had 
been conquered. A treaty of peace was 
made in which the Six Nations guaranteed 
the Delawares, the Shawanese and the 
Munseys certain lands on the river above 
mentioned in consideration of their re- 
moval from their former homes in the east. 
This act of the Six Nations in selling the 
land in central and western Pennsylvania 
was highly dissatisfactory to these tribes, 
and was a partial cause of their alienation 
from the English. 

DESTRUCTION OF KITTANNING. 

The destruction of the Indian town on 
the east bank of the Allegheny River at 
Kittanning in 1756 by Colonel Armstrong- 
was a part of the operations of the army 
of the Province during the war with the 
French and Indians. Eng Shingas, the 
Delaware chief who met Frederick Post at 
Cushcushking in 1758, was in this battle, 
as was also Captain Jacobs, the latter be- 
ing killed. An excellent description of the 
destruction of Kittanning is given in the 
narrative of the Kirkpatrick family in this 
work. 

The Indian town of Kittanning was used 
as a sort of storehouse by the French, and 
was a central point from which the Dela- 
wares, the Shawanese and the Mimseys 
made forays into the central and eastern 
part of the State, causing widespread de- 
vastation among the frontier settlement. 
So desperate had the situation become that 
the authorities of the Province about this 
time offered a bounty of 150 Spanish dol- 
lars for the scalp of every male Indian 
that was killed by the frontiersmen, and 
half that amount for a female or a child. 
To the credit of the frontiersmen and set- 
tlers, be it said, there is no record of an 
Indian being wantonly killed for the sake 
of securing the bounty. The destruction 
of Kittanning was a severe blow to the 
Indian tribes in western Pennsylvania, 



and they retired subsequently to the terri- 
tory west of the Allegheny River of which 
Butler County is a part. 

CHRISTOPHER GIST. 

Christopher Gist, who accompanied 
Washington on his expedition to Venango, 
was a native of England and first became 
known in North Carolina as a good sur- 
veyor, a bold and skillful woodsman, and 
an intrepid explorer. As agent for the 
Ohio company he made a journey to the 
wilderness west of the Allegheny in 1750, 
went as far as the Scioto and Miami 
Rivers in Ohio, and was the first explorer 
of Kentucky. He was again with Wash- 
ington in the Fort Necessity campaign in 
1754, and was chief guide of Braddock's 
army. In 1756 he went south and enlisted 
the Cherokees in the English interests. 
He became Indian agent in the south for 
the British government, and died some- 
where in one of the southern States. He 
had three sons who were men of note, one 
of them being a colonel in the Revolution- 
ary army. 

FREDERICK POST. 

The next appearance of white men 
within the limits of Butler County was in 
1758, when Frederick Post, the Moravian 
missionary and political messenger, was 
sent among the Indians west of the Alle- 
gheny River, north of the Ohio, to detach 
them from their friendly relations with the 
French. His topographical references con- 
nect him with the Indian towns of Butler 
County, but he does not always distinguish 
between the headquarters town of the 
savages and their hunting town or lodge 
of the same name. Post was acting in the 
capacity of a spy, and was at Venango, 
August 8, 1758. His companion on this 
trip was Pesquetum, and from a minute 
made in his journal on August 8, they 
intended to visit Cushcushking in the Slip- 
pery Rock district. On August 10 they 
learned from an English trader, whom 



48 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



they met, that they were then within 
twenty miles of Fort Duquesne. On the 
12th they came to an old town on the Con- 
noquenessing Creek and there heard that 
Cushcushking (written Koshkoshkung, 
Cushcushkee, and otherwise) was fifteen 
miles distant. Post sent a messenger to 
Cushcushking with four strings of wam- 
pum to announce his arrival. It appears 
that he was well received by the Indians 
at Cushcushking, and that here he met 
several Indians of the Shawanese tribe 
from the Wyoming Valley who knew him. 
The principal chief at Cushcushking was 
King Beaver who lodged Post and his 
friends in a large house and entertained 
them royally. In the evening Beaver 
called on the preacher to say that a council 
ordered the men to be summoned but that 
they could not assemble for five days. 
Later ten chiefs came into the house and 
sat by Post's fire until midnight. The 
13th of the month appears to have been 
Sunday, and Post did not transact any 
business on that day. The following day 
he resumed his mission among the savages 
and witnessed fifteen French mechanics 
building houses for the very people who 
were promising to aid the enemies of their 
benefactors. 

During the next few days some time was 
spent in speech-making and festivities, and 
on the 17th of August a space in the center 
of the town was cleared and prepared for 
holding the council. About noon two mes- 
sengers from the Duquesne savages ar- 
rived, accompanied by a French captain 
and fifteen soldiers. The messengers 
wish Post to go at once to Duquesne where 
representatives of eight nations wished to 
speak to him. The Indian representatives 
with the soldiers were Kuckquetackton and 
Killbuck, and their treatment of Post was 
so formal and cold that King Beaver took 
the preacher to his own wigwam. The five 
days having expired the council was 
opened on August 18th, the visitors being 
addressed by King Beaver, King Shingas 



and Deleware George. On the following 
day, the 19th, the council was concluded 
and on the 20th Post, accompanied by 
twenty-five mounted men and fifteen men 
on foot, set out from Cushcushking for Sa- 
konk. Here the messenger was received 
with hostile demonstrations, which were 
only allayed by the interposition of the In- 
dians accompanying him. On the next 
evening fifteen savages from Cushcushking 
arrived at Sakonk, bringing the number of 
male Indians up to 120, and on the 22nd 
twenty savages of the Shawanese and Min- 
go tribes appeared, who informed Post that 
lie was wanted at Duquesne. The next day 
Post left Sakonk and proceeded to Du- 
quesne by way of Logstowu, arriving at the 
French fort on the 24th. While the French 
officers watched Post closely at the meet- 
ings held with the Indians at the fort, and 
suspected the object of his visit, they did 
not once violate French courtesy by order- 
ing him off. Post placed so much reliance 
in French honor that on the 27th of Au- 
gust he was back in Sakonk on his way to 
Cushcushking. King Shingas and nine- 
teen other savages accompanied him to the 
Indian town. On the 29th a party of nine 
Tawa Indians arrived at Cushcushking on 
their way to the French fort, and on Sep- 
tember 1st, the savages began to consider 
the proposals for alliance with the English 
submitted by Post. When they suggested 
that the main object of the English was 
to get possession of their lands. Post called 
on God to witness that such an idea was 
never entertained by his employers. He 
also made other statements that the In- 
dians did not believe but which they did 
not dispute, being willing to deceive the 
English as they were then deceiving the 
French. On the 3rd of September a treaty 
of friendship with the English -was signed 
by the following named counselors and 
chiefs : King Beaver, Captain Poter, Awa- 
kanomin, Delaware George, ^Macomal, 
Cushawmekwy, Pisquetumen, Killbuck, 
Keyheynapalin, Tasucaniin, Popauce, John 



AND KKPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



49 



Hifkomeu, AVasbaocautaut, and Cocbqua- 
caukehlton. 

On September 8tb Post left Cusbcusb- 
king, accompanied by Tom Hickman and 
Pisquetmnen. He reported at Fort Au- 
gusta September 22, 1758, witb a long story 
of Indian treacbery and narrow escapes 
and cbarging bis Indian companion Pis- 
quetumen witb being a perfidious scoun- 
drel, wliicb cbarge would seem, from subse^ 
quent events, to bave been not altogetber 
witbout some foundation. 

POST EETURNS TO THE DELA- 
WAEES. 

In tbe latter part of October, 1758, a 
council of tbe Five Nations witb tbe Gov- 
ernor of tbe Province and otber represen- 
tatives of tbe. Englisb was beld at Easton, 
Pennsylvania, wbicli was attend 'd by 
Post. After tbe council was over, Post re- 
turned to tbe Delaware towns west of tbe 
Allegbeny Eiver; under escort. The es- 
cort left Mm at tbe Allegheny Eiver and 
on their way back to Easton were am- 
bushed and killed by the very Indians who 
had pretended friendship to tbe English. 
Pisquetumen was concerned in this treacb- 
ery. 

Kaskaskunk — Pakanke, Glikkikin. 

The first white men to set foot within 
the limits of Butler County were, so far 
as is known, Christopher (iist and Major 
George Washington, when they made the 
expedition to Fort Venango in 1753, and 
they were followed by Frederick Post, the 
Moravian missionary and political messen- 
ger of the English in 1758. It would ap- 
pear from tbe evidence available on the 
subject that the next expedition of white 
men did not occur until after tbe Eevo- 
lution, and about 1790. Loskiel's History 
and Map of the Missions of the "Church 
of Jesus Christ of North America" which 
was published in 1794, gives some light on 
this subject. 



The first Moravian missionaries were 
sent out in 1732 and established missions 
in the eastern part of Pennsylvania in the 
vicinity of Bethlehem and on tbe Susque- 
hanna Eiver. David Zeisberger, who was 
one of the early missionaries of that so- 
ciety, was among the Indians at Onondaga 
in 1750, and in 1767, Zeisberger and two 
converted Indians named Anthony and 
John Papunbank came to tbe Seneca tribe 
at a town on tbe Allegheny Eiver north of 
Fort Venango, called Goschgoscbuenk. 
The town was described as containing 
three villages under tbe connnand of a 
blind chief named AUemewi. The mission- 
aries succeeded in converting the chief and 
a woman of the tribe said to be 100 years 
old. In tbe following year, 1768, Zeisber- 
ger and a fellow missionary named Got- 
lieb Senseman, returned to Goschgoscb- 
uenk with three Indians named Anthony, 
Abraham and Peter, and in the following 
two years established a mission on the 
west side of the Allegheny River at an 
Indian town named Lawunakhannock. In 
1770, trouble arose at this Indian town be- 
tween tbe Seneca tribe of Indians and tbe 
Cherokees. A treaty that had been made 
lietween the tribes had been violated by 
tbe murder of two or three Cherokees by 
tbe Senecas. The Cherokees caught two 
of the Seneca warriors, cut their fingers 
off, and sent them home with this mes- 
sage : "Now because you will not bold the 
chains of friendship with your bands, we 
will cut them off and send you herewith a 
specimen." During his visit to Lawunak- 
hannock in 1768, Zeisberger had met Pa- 
kanke, the chief of the Delawares, at Kas- 
kaskunk, and Glikkikin, tbe noted warrior, 
who bad become converted, and when the 
trouble arose in 1770, Pakanke requested 
the missionaries and their friends to come 
and live with him. Accordingly on tbe 
17tb of April, 1770, the two missionaries 
set out with sixteen canoes loaded with 
their Indian congregation and converts, 
and all of their baggage, descended the Al- 



50 



FirSTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



legheny River to the Ohio, theuce to the 
mouth of Beaver Creek or Eiver, and from 
there ascended that stream to the falls of 
the Beaver, where they arrived on the 3rd 
day of May. They then took the overland 
route to the village of Kaskaskunk in But- 
ler County, and were met on the road hy 
Glikkikin, who had provided horses for 
them. After ,two days' journey they ar- 
rived at the Indian town and were made 
welcome by Chief Pakanke. Shortly after 
their arrival the missionaries and their 
followers established the mission of Frie- 
denstadt, or the "Town of Peace." Here 
they built bark huts, erected a large hut for 
meetings, and cultivated crops. The mis- 
sion of Friedenstadt, according to Los- 
kiel's map, was located on Beaver Creek 
in what is now Lawrence County, near the 
present site of New Castle. This map does 
not locate the town of Kaskaskunk nor 
any of the Indian villages and towns in 
western Pennsylvania, except where mis- 
sions were established. The blind Chief 
Solomon was baptized at Kaskaskunk by 
one of the missionaries, probably Zeisber- 
ger, as he was the leader. Glikkikin, who 
had previously been a great warrior, be- 
came tired of this pursuit, and after his 
conversion declared his intention of taking 
up his residence with the missionaries at 
Friedenstadt. This decision on the part of 
Glikkikin caused a quarrel between him 
and Pakanke. The old chief became re- 
conciled, however, and about a year later 
his son was baptized by one of the mission- 
aries. Zeisberger and Senseman were aft- 
erwards adopted by the Delaware tribe 
and wielded a great influence over the In- 
dians of western Pennsylvania and east- 
ern Ohio. 

KEV. JOHN EOTHE. 

Rev. John Rotlie appears to have suc- 
ceeded Zeisberger and Senseman at Frie- 
denstadt and in 1773, when the congrega- 
tion decided to move to Gnadenhuetten on 
the Muskingum River in Ohio, he led the 



party that traveled overland, while the 
old people and the invalids traveled by 
way of boat down the Beaver River to the 
Oliio, and thence to tlie mouth of the Mus- 
kingum. 

It is proper to mention something of the 
work accomplished by Rev. Eothe at this 
point, as part of his labors among the In- 
dians was performed in this county and 
his remains lie at rest in the little ceme- 
tery at Prospect. He first came to Nain 
in the vicinity of Bethlehem in 1753, and 
was one of the missionaries sent to Frie- 
denshuetten on the Susquehanna River in 
1765. He established a congregation 
among the Indians a short distance from 
Friedenshuetten at an Indian town named 
Tsehechschequaununk, and in 1772 when 
the congregations at these two points de- 
cided to move to Sclioenbrun in Ohio. Rev. 
Rothe and another Moravian missionary 
conducted this expedition. Part of the ex- 
pedition went by boat down the main 
stream of the Susquehanna, and then up 
the west branch to its head waters. Here 
they were met by the overland party led 
by Rev. Rothe and the united company, 
composed of 240 persons, seventy head of 
oxen and as many horses, proceeded 
through the forests to the Allegheny River 
at Kittanning. A description of this pas- 
sage of the wilderness is a thrilling narra- 
tive. Mrs. Rothe and her young child ac- 
companied the expedition. The path led 
through the forests and, over blind roads. 
On one occasion Mrs. Rothe 's horse fell 
and pitched her headlong, but she escaped 
without serious injury. On another occa- 
sion she fell into a morass and was res- 
cued with difficulty. At Kittanning boats 
were btiilt and the expedition was divided, 
part going by the way of the Allegheny and 
Ohio Rivers, and part under the leadership 
of Rev. Rothe, traveling across the coun- 
try to Friedenstadt, which point they 
reached, after many hardships, on the 5th 
of August. Their route lay through But- 
ler County and no doubt followed the old 




HARDWARE STORE OF F. A. FRISHKORX. ZELIEXOPLE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



51 



ludian trail from Kittauiiiiig to the Ohio 
line, which lay some distance north of the 
borough of Butler, and probably passed 
Kaskaskunk. The passage of the wilder- 
ness was attended with many hardships 
and some casualties. Several of the mem- 
bers of the party died from exhaustion, 
among the number being an Indian boy 
who was a cripple. The boy had recently 
been converted and expressed to his pas- 
tor, Rev. Rothe, his great joy in his new- 
found ]-eligion, and his willingness to die. 

While at the mission station on the Sus- 
quehanna River, Rev. Rothe baptized the 
noted Indian chief, James David, on the 
18th of May, 1755. Chief David was one 
of the leaders of the Indian settlement at 
Friedenshuetten, and a member of the 
"Cajuga" tribe. After conducting the 
congregation from Friedenstadt to the 
Muskingum River in 1773, Rev. Rothe re- 
turned to eastern Pennsylvania and be- 
came the pastor of a Lutheran congrega- 
tion at York, Pennsylvania, where he lived 
until his death. He took a prominent part 
in colonial affairs during the Revolution 
and was one of the first chaplains to the 
United States Congress. He also assisted 
Zeisberger in translating the New Testa- 
ment and the Innnns into the Delaware In- 
dian language. In the latter part of the 
nineteenth century his remains were 
brought to Butler County by his grandson, 
Rev. David Luther Rothe, and interred in 
the Lutheran cemetery in Prospect by the 
side of his son, Col. David Rothe. 

Col. David Rothe commanded an eastern 
regiment in the War of 1812, and was a 
member of the State Legislature from Le- 
high County before removing to Butler 
County. He settled at Prospect and be- 
came the progenitor of the Rothe family 
of Butler County. 

THE CONVERSION OF GLIKKIKIN. 

Previous histories accredit Frederick 
Post, the Moravian missionary, with being 
at some of the Indian towns in the present . 



limits of Butler County in 1758 or shortly 
thereafter. The Indian towns which he 
visited were i^robably Kushkushkee on 
Wolf Creek in Slippery Rock Township, 
and the Indian town on the Connoqueness- 
ing Creek above Amberson's, known as 
"Murdering Town." Day's "Historical 
Collections of Pennsylvania" mentions the 
Indian town, Kaskaskunk, as being located 
eight or ten miles northwest of Butler, but 
which was really located in Center Town- 
ship a short distance west of Holyoke 
Church, and says that this Indian ^^llag•e 
was the home of Pakanke, a noted chief of 
the Delaware tribe of Indians who inhab- 
ited this district about the time Post made 
his visit to the western joart of the state. 
Glikkikin, who was a great warrior and an- 
orator, resided in the same village, and 
when he heard that the ^Moravian mission- 
aries were at "\^enango and coming into 
the countr^^ to teach the Indians, he went 
to refute them. Glikkikin was a Canadian 
Indian and had been initiated into the 
Catholic Church by the priests of Canada, 
and was acting as a sort of educator 
among the Indians with whom he lived. 
A converted Indian named Anthony ar- 
ranged a meeting between Glikkikin and 
the Moravian missionary (who proved to 
be David Zeisbei'ger), at Murdering Town. 
Anthony invited the missionary and the 
Indian orator to dine with him with the rp- 
sult that Glikkikin was converted to the 
Moravian faith. Loskiel's "History of 
Missions in North America," published in 
1794, relates the incident about Zeisber- 
ger converting Glikkikin and also states 
that about a year afterwards a son of the 
great Pakanke was baptized. 

SETTLEMENTS UP TO 1804 THE PIONEERS. 

From 1773 to 1790 the only white men 
to come within the limits of Butler County 
were the frontier scouts, such as Cajitain 
Brady, Captain Crawford, John Harbison, 
James Amlierson and such hunters as 
cared to risk their scalps for the sake of the 



52 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pelts of the beaver and otter they could 
catch during the trapping season. Cush- 
cushking was occupied' by the Seneca In- 
dians and Kaskaskunk by the Delawares 
until after the Revolution and roving 
bauds of Shawanese occupied camps and 
villages within the limits of the county. 
They were all allies of the British and ene- 
luies to be feared by the most adventurous 
frontiersmen. 

After the close of the Revolutionary War 
the revival of the migratory and land- 
hunting spirit of the older counties as well 
as the renewal of immigration from for- 
eign lands, caused an influx of settlers to 
that section of the state north of Allegheny 
County and west of the Allegheny River. 
Although the land was not open for settle- 
ment until 1795, there were adventurous 
spirits among the pioneers who made their 
appearance within the boundaries of But- 
ler County as early as 1790. This advance 
guard was composed of hunters and trap- 
pers whose purpose was to spy out the 
land, and at the same time make a profit 
out of the furs to be obtained from the wild 
animals that then abounded in this region. 
These men usually came here in the begin- 
ning of the hunting season, and returned 
at its close to their homes in the eastern 
counties, to anarket the product of their 
trap and gun. 

The Delaware and Shawanese tribes of 
Indians who had inhabited the greater part 
of Butler County, were hostile and op- 
posed to the westward march of civiliza- 
tion, and made the life of the hunter a 
hazardous one, but a tribe of the Senecas 
who had a village in the county near Slip- 
pery Rock Creek were friendly to the 
whites, and many of the luinters and trap- 
pers were kindly received by them. The 
treaty of Greenville. made in 1795 removed 
all the Indian tribes from the territory ex- 
cept a small band whicli lived in the village, 
near West Liberty, that were friendly to 
the whites, and remained in that vicinitv 
as late as 1812. 



There are many conflicting stories told 
about who were the first white men to set- 
tle in the county, and in the absence of ab- 
solute records, the statements given by 
their descendants must be taken as within 
reasonable bounds of accuracy. The first 
men who came into the county for the pur- 
pose of becoming permanent settlers were 
David Studebaker and Abraham Snyder, 
of Westmoreland County, who crossed the 
Allegheny River at Logan's Ferry, in the 
fall of 1790, camped for the night on the 
site of Butler borough and then proceeded 
to the village of the Seneca Indians on 
Slippery Rock Creek, where they remained 
for the winter. The original party that 
left Westmoreland County was composed 
of twelve persons who started out for the 
purpose of exploring the extreme western 
part of the county, for Westmoreland 
County then extended as far west as the 
Ohio line and as far north as Erie. AVhen 
the}' ari'ived at Logan's Ferry they were 
told stories about the Indian depredations 
against the whiteskins in the territory west 
of the Allegheny River and all the party 
except Studebaker and Snyder returned 
home. 

The two hunters remained with the In- 
dians about three months, spending the 
time in hunting and fishing and exploring 
the county. They then returned to their 
liomes near Greensburg and in 1792 David 
Studebaker again came to Butler County, 
bringing with him his youngest sister as 
housekeeper. They took possession of the 
little cabin in Worth Township built by 
the hunters the previous year and became 
permanent settlers. After a time the 
young girl, unable longer to endure the 
loneliness of the forest, begged her brother 
to take her home. Her brother complied 
with this re(]uest, and brought back an 
older sister to take her place. David Stu- 
debaker 's father was Joseph Studebaker 
of Westmoreland County, who in early boy- 
hood was taken captive along with his 
younger sister by the Indians, and held by 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



53 



tbem for nine years. The sister grew up 
to be a young woman among the Indians, 
became quite a favorite with them, and was 
treated with the utmost courtesy and civil- 
ity. Shortly before her brother was re- 
leased by the Indians she was thrown from 
her pony while riding through the woods 
and instantly killed. Joseph Studebaker 
was liberated at a place called Muskingum 
in southeastern Ohio in 1764, returned to 
the settlements in Pennsylvania and took 
a part in the War of the Revolution. He 
came to Butler County, made his home 
with his son, David, in Worth Township, 
and died there in 1815. 

James Glover, a Revolutionary soldier, 
born in Essex County, New Jersey, about 
1754, came to Butler' County in 1792, and 
in the fall of that year erected a cabin at 
Deer Lick in what is now Adams Township. 
He occupied this cabin until 1796, when 
he entered four hundred acres of land, be- 
came a permanent settler, and remained in 
the county until his death in 1844. Glover, 
who was a blacksmith, after the Revolution 
settled in Pittsburg, where he worked at 
his trade. He subsequently purchased a 
farm in what is now the heart of the north 
side of Pittsburg, and in 1815 or 1816 he 
leased this farm in perpetuity for $75 per 
year, retaining the ownership after he 
came to this county. The Glover lease and 
a few others of a similar character caused 
the legislature of Pennsylvania to pass a 
law prohibiting leases in perpetuity. 

Peter McKinney, who was a noted hun- 
ter, and a soldier in the Pennsylvania Line 
during the Revolutionary War, built a 
cabin in what is now Forward Township in 
1792. It is said that in his youth he came 
with his parents from Ireland, and that 
he was left an orphan before he had 
reached maturity. He was a drummer and 
fifer in the War of the Revolution, and. 
afterwards saw service in the Indian trou- 
bles, and was a drummer in Capt. Abra- 
ham Brinker's Company, raised in Butler 
County in the War of 1812. Mr. McKin- 



ney was married at Braddock field, West- 
moreland County, in 1791, to Mary Shorts, 
who came with him to Butler County. His 
daughter, Elizabeth, is said to have been 
the first white child born in the county, 
the date of her nativity being March 23, 
1792. His wife died in 1839 and his own 
death occurred in 1844. Petersville, in 
Connoquenessing Township, now the bor- 
ough of Connoquenessing, was named after 
this pioneer. 

Another pioneer who is said to have 
come to the county in 1792 was Patrick 
Harvey, who settled in Clinton Township. 
He was guided to the location by John 
Harbison, the Indian scout and spy who 
afterwards came to the couuty, and they 
mai'ked the boundaries of the farm they 
had selected by blazing the forest trees. 
The following year Harvey went into 
Sugar Creek Township, Armstrong 
County, and selected a farm on which his 
cousin, John Patton, afterwards settled. 
In the spring of 1794 he returned to his 
Butler County farm that he had selected 
two years previous, and in May, 1795, he 
broxight his family to their new home 
where a year later his third child, Martha, 
was born. His wife died in 1831, his own 
death occurring in 1849. 

David Armstrong came to Worth Town- 
ship in 1794 from Westmoreland County, 
bringing with him his son George, and his 
daughter, Rebecca. They made their tem- 
porary home in a wigwam until fall, when 
the father and daughter returned to West- 
moreland County, and the following year 
the entire family came to Butler County 
and settled on the land held during the 
winter by the son. 

A pioneer hunter named Daniels came 
into the county in 1794, built a cabin and 
cultivated a small garden on the laud in 
Marion Township afterwards owned by 
Robert Vanderlin. He was scared away by 
the Indians before the arrival of the other 
settlers. 

Thomas Girtv and his wife Ann. and 



54 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



their son Thomas, were among the first 
settlers of Connoquenessing Township. 
Thomas Girty was a brother of the notori- 
ous George, James and Simon Girtj% and 
his death is supposed to have occurred 
some time previous to 1803. Various ac- 
counts of tlae Girty family and the death 
of Mrs. Ann Girty have been published in 
previous histories, none of which are cor- 
rect. The account given in the sketch of 
the Girty family in this jmblication has 
been verified by Mr. A. McCollough of 
Butler, and others who have taken pains 
to hunt up the true story. The story of 
Ann Girty 's death, told in another part of 
this chapter, was related in 187.5 by David 
Shannon, who was one of the pioneers of 
Connoquenessing Township, and who was 
at Mrs. Girty 's funeral. 

In 1793 William Elliott, John Elliott and 
John Dennison, three land hunters from 
Wilkin sburg, came into Butler County and 
took up 1,400 acres of land in Middlesex 
Township. William Elliott, in order to se- 
cure more than the allotment of 400 acres, 
selected the tracts of land amounting to 
1,400 acres and located the other members 
of his party on them to hold them for him. 

James Hall, Abraham Fryer, James 
Harbison and William Hultz, hunters from 
east of the Allegheny Mountains, came 
into the county January 10, 1793, by way 
of Logan's Ferry, below Tarentum, and 
camped in the forests of Middlesex Town- 
ship. The next day they marked their 
camping place by engraving their names on 
the trees, and returned to their homes. A 
year later they returned to Middlesex 
Township, and settled on land on and 
around the site of their former camp. Dur- 
ing their absence George Hays, Thomas 
Martin and James Fulton came into the 
township and selected land, thus becoming 
the first settlers there. 

During the year 1795 Samuel and 
Thomas Cross, Jacob and John Pisor, 
Henry Steintorf, settled in Worth Town- 
ship. James Hemphill, Rudolph Barnhart, 



Adam and John Hemphill, Jacob Barn- 
hart, Sr., and Jacob Barnhart, Jr., made 
settlements the same year in Donegal and 
Fairview Townships, around the site of 
Chicora. James Hemphill, who was a 
noted hunter, with Rudolph Barnhart, had 
been in the county the previous year and 
marked out the land. Samuel Wallace set- 
tled in Fairview Township in 1795, and 
Robert Elliott in Buffalo Township; Ed- 
ward Graham located on land in Concord 
Township; George Bell settled in the vi- 
cinity of Bell's Knob, and Archibald Kel- 
ley built a cabin in Parker Township. 

Dvii'ing the years 1795 and 1796 James 
McKee and William Kearns came to But- 
ler Township; Daniel McConnell, William 
McConnell, Williarn McNees and Benja- 
min Jack came to Worth Township ; Aaron 
Moore and John McCandless settled in 
Franklin Township; Dunning McNair, a 
land speculator, and John Ekin settled in 
Connoquenessing Township ; William 
Thompson and Silas Miller, a noted hunter, 
were early settlers of Middlesex Township; 
John Parker, the pioneer and progenitor 
of the Parker family at Parker's Landing, 
settled in Parker Township; and Eli 
Scholar settled in Lancaster Township. 

PIONEER ANECDOTES AND ADVEN- 
TURES. 

THE EATHBUN FAMILY. 

Clark Rathbun, who was a native of New 
England, moved to Pennsylvania and en- 
gaged in the milling business on the 
Youghiogheny River above Elizabethtown. 
Previous to 1797 he purchased a tract of 
land in what is now the southwestern part 
of Penn Township, Butler County, and 
erected a cabin and brought hither his son 
Thomas and his daughter Ruth, the latter 
being a girl of about thirteen years of age. 
Leaving his two children to keep posses- 
sion of the place, he returned to Allegheny 
County, to his business of milling at Rob- 
bins 's mill during the winter. After a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



55 



short stay, Thomas became weary of liv- 
ing in the woods, and desired to return to 
his father's and attend school. The plan 
was talked over, and Ruth consented to it. 
Accordingly, Thomas returned to his for- 
mer home, and Ruth kept house alone for 
three months, her only companion being a 
large faithful dog. The nearest neighbors 
lived two miles from the cabin, and as the 
house was secure against wild beasts, she 
had no fear of robbers. Wolves howled 
about the dwelling at night, and all her 
surroundings were of the wildest character 
conceivable, but the girl remained at her 
post showing a magnanimous courage and 
self-sacrifice that has been the wonder and 
admiration of her descendants. The fol- 
lowing season the Rathbun family took u]> 
their abode in the wilderness, and lived 
here a few years, after which nearly all 
of the members went to Ohio. Ruth Rath- 
bun married Robert Brown, who was one 
of the first settlers of Penn Township. 
They were the parents of thirteen children, 
all of whom grew up to maturity, and be- 
came residents of the county. Mrs. Brown 
died in 1850, and her husband in 1853. 

AMBERSON AND THE INDIAN. 

Among the celebrated Indian scouts that 
patrolled the woods in northwestern Penn- 
sylvania previous to 1792, when the terri- 
tory was opened for settlement, were 
James Amberson, James Jeffries, and 
Capt. Samuel Brady. Amberson after- 
wards settled in Forward Township in the 
Connoquenessing Valley and was one of 
the pioneers of that district. These Indian 
scouts had all the hatred of the Indian that 
was possessed by Brady and other noted 
frontiersmen, and in their estimation there 
was no more harm in killing an Indian 
than in destroying a noxious animal. The 
story is related that many years after the 
Indian tribes had left Butler Coimty, Am- 
berson and a companion were out one day 
in the woods near the old Venango trail 
that passes through a portion of Forward 



Township, and that they saw a big Indian 
approaching along the trail alone. Am- 
lierson proitosed to his companion that 
they kill the Indian, to which the compan- 
ion objected. After some parley about the 
matter, Amberson got his way and the In- 
dian was accordingly shot and his body 
was hid in a hollow tree not far from the 
trail. The act was a wanton murder, but 
the old Indian scouts and frontiersmen did 
not regard the killing of an Indian in the 
light of a crime. 

CAPT. SAMUEL BKADY. 

That Captain Samuel Brady, the famous 
scout, was often in the forests of Butler 
County in 1780 and 1781, is substantially 
a matter of historical record. At that time 
General Broadhead was the commander 
at Fort Pitt, and Brady was depended 
upon by him to undertake hazardous en- 
terprises against the Indians. His success 
in these enterprises, and his daring ex- 
jiloits in general, aroused the jealousy of 
the officers at the fort, and it was a long 
time before they could be convinced that 
his methods of wai'fare against the sav- 
ages were more effectual than their own. 
They were, however, finally convinced of 
the fact from the following circumstance. 

General Broadhead having organized a 
force to punish the Indians who had been 
guilty of massacring the settlers of Se- 
wickley in ]780, Brady, owing to the jeal- 
ousy of the officers as above referred to, 
was not allowed to accompany the troops. 
He obtained permission, however, to or- 
ganize an independent party. With five 
white men and a friendly Indian scout, he 
set out and in a short time located the war 
party of which he was in search at the In- 
dian camp near Kittanning. Making a 
cautious approach after dark, he waited 
until the morning and then, with the first 
|)ale light of dawn, made his attack, seven 
rifles ringing out simultaneously and with- 
out warning in the morning air. The In- 
dians, who were gathered around the camp- 



56 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



fire, exulting over the scalps and spoils 
taken at Sewiekley, were effectually sur- 
prised, five of them dropping dead on the 
instant. Another, as it was afterwards 
ascertained, was mortally wounded, though 
he escaped for the time being. After a 
short pursuit Brady and his men returned 
to the fort with the canoes and other prop- 
erty of the Indians, while soon after the. 
soldiers came in empty-handed to report 
that the enemy had escaped them. It is 
said that they henceforth recognized 
Brady's superiority as an Indian fighter. 
There is another story which has to do 
with the escape of this famous scout from 
a party of Indians who were pursuing him, 
by leaping twenty-three feet across a deep 
chasm. There has been some dispute as 
to the location where this remarkable leap 
took place. It is said by many to have oc- 
curred somewhere on Slippery Rock Creek, 
while others have placed it on Bear Creek. 
"Wherever it was, he successfully leaped 
from one bank to the other of the stream, 
to the great mortification of the pursuing 
savages, who were close behind, and who 
thus saw one of their most feared and re- 
lentless enemies escape them to prove a 
thorn in their flesh on many a subsequent 
occasion. This is said to have occurred 
in 1781 or 1782. 

THE RESCUE OF ISAAC ZANE. 

The first white man to set foot within the 
present limits of Butler borough appears to 
have been Isaac Zane, who was a promi- 
nent character on the frontier of western 
Pennsylvania and Ohio in the days pre- 
vious to the Revolution. Zane was born 
in Virginia in 17.53, and when nine years 
of age was taken prisoner by the Wyandot 
Indians and carried to Detroit. He grew 
up with the Indians and when a young man 
was employed by the government. About 
the time of the Revolution Zane and a 
party of frontiersmen were sent on a mis- 
sion to some of the forts in New York 
State. They came to old Fort Venango 



in Pennsylvania, where they made a flat 
boat and descended the Allegheny River to 
Pittsburg, passing old Fort Duquesne and 
Logtown on the Ohio River and reaching 
the mouth- of the Muskingum River at 
[Marietta without any serious adventure. 
Here they decided to proceed up the Mus- 
kingum River to Detroit and thence to 
Erie. They were warned, however, that 
such a course would be dangerous on ac- 
count of the Indians being on the war path. 
Disregarding the warning, they set out, 
but had not proceeded more than a day or 
so on their journey when the party was 
captured by a band of Delawares, and 
Zane was selected as the prisoner to be 
taken back east to the Indian rendezvous 
near Kittanning, Pennsylvania. In their 
route to Kittanning they passed the pres- 
ent town of Coshocton, Ohio, struck the old 
Indian trail at the mouth of Connoqueness- 
ing Creek on the Beaver River, and thence 
followed the creek past "Murdering 
Town," near Amberson's bridge, and ar- 
rived at the present site of Butler in the 
evening, where they camped on the hill on 
the site of the court house. 

It appears that Zane was well known 
among the Indians of Ohio, and when the 
fact of his capture was ascertained, an In- 
dian girl, presumably one of the Wyandot 
tribe, undertook to accomplish his rescue. 
She followed the Delaware war party 
across the trackless forests of eastern Ohio 
from the Muskingum River to Butler, a 
distance of almost two hundred miles and 
overtook the party at the camp here in 
the evening. ' She held a parley with the 
chief of the war party and persuaded him 
to release Zane and allow her lover to re- 
turn to Ohio. After his return to Ohio, 
Zane married the Indian girl, and it is said 
that many families in the vicinity of Zanes- 
ville or Marietta point with pride to the 
fact that they are descendants of this 
noted couple. After the Revolution Zane 
settled on a large tract of land near Zanes- 
ville, Ohio, where he died in 1816. Howe's 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



57 



"Historical Collections of Ohio" states 
that Zane's wife was a half-breed French 
girl from Canada, but does not naention the 
roruantic rescue above related. The story 
of the rescue was published in recent years 
in the newspapers of Marietta, Ohio, and 
its authenticity was uncpiestioned at that 
time. 

DESTRUCTION OF KITTANNING. 

The following account of the rescue of 
Fort Shirley, the destruction of the Indian 
town of Kittanning, and the adventure of 
James Kirkpatrick with the Indians is 
taken from a manuscript in possession of 
J. D. Kirkpatrick, of Renfrew, Butler 
County, who is a grandson of the pioneer 
mentioned in the narrative. The Kirkpat- 
rick family were in the Allegheny Valley 
about the time that the Harbison family 
located at Reed's Station, opposite Free- 
port, and were no doubt among the earliest 
settlers in the territory west of the Alle- 
gheny River. In the Kirkpatrick narra- 
tive, the last murder by Indians is said to 
have occurred in April, 1791, while the 
raid on Reed's Station, according to the 
story of Massy Harbison, occurred in 1792. 
These are discrepancies for which the 
reader of local history can make due al- 
lowance. Both narratives are authentic, 
and the Kirkpatrick story is published for 
the first time in a history of Butler Coiinty. 
The narrative reads as follows: 

"After the defeat of Braddock on the 
Monongahela, the incursions of the Indians 
into the frontier settlements of Virginia 
and Maryland became mere frequent and 
bold. Indeed, so terrible had become their 
ravages that most of the settlers had fled 
for protection, either to the nearest stock- 
ade forts, or to the older settlements east 
and south of the mountains. 

"Emboldened by the success of their 
forays into these provinces, the savage 
hordes swept over the border into Penn- 
sylvania, and laid waste the beautiful val- 
ley of the Juniata and the Kiskimiuitas, 



carrying away whole families of women 
and children prisoners to their towns north 
of the Ohio, while statistics show that up- 
ward of 1,000 white settlers were killed 
during these incursions. 

"Washington had been recently ap- 
pointed Commander-in-Chief of all the 
forces then raised or to be raised, in the 
colony of Virginia. But the militia laws 
of the province were so inadequate to the 
enforcement of proper discipline that he 
had a sorry time bringing to subordina- 
tion the beggarly array of recruits who 
reported for duty after an urgent call. At 
this time there came to the young com- 
mander heart-rending appeals from the 
border for protection. He was deeply 
moved at the deplorable condition of the 
helpless people, and resolved that a speedy 
and decisive blow should be struck at their 
stealthy and deadly foe. 

"Scouts had brought in word that tracks 
of a numerous band had been discovered, 
tending toward Fort Duquesne, and an es- 
caped prisoner reported that they were 
hostile Delawares and Sliawnees, that 
Washington's former ally, Shingis, and 
another chief called Captain Jacobs, were 
their leaders, and that they had a rendez- 
vous on the Allegheny, twenty-five or thirty 
miles above Fort Duquesne, called Kittan- 
ning, whither they carried their prisoners 
and plunder. Colonel John Armstrong, 
of th.e Pennsylvania militia, undertook the 
punishment of this murderous band. He 
took with him Washington's beloved friend 
and neighbor. Captain Hugh Mercer, who, 
the year before, had been severely wounded 
at Braddock 's field and from the thicket, 
where he lay disabled, had witnessed the 
atrocities of the Indians. 

"With 280 picked men, well mounted, 
and with relialsle scouts in advance, they 
marched rapidly and silently over the 
mountains and through the forest to the 
Allegheny River. 

"Irving says they kept on till they 
reached the Ohio. This is a geographical 



58 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



error, unless he applies the name to the 
Allegheny, which prior to 1748 was called 
the Ohio, as well as the river below Pitts- 
burg, by the Seneca s and several other 
tribes. Yet as early as 1753 Washington, 
in the report of his mission to Venango, 
designates the north fork of the Ohio as 
the Allegheny, and other contemporary 
writers do the same. Setting out, as Arm- 
strong's party did, from Fort Shirley in 
the Juniata Valley, and celerity and se- 
crecy being the essence of tlic undertaking, 
their most direct and secluded route would 
be through the defiles of the mountains, in 
or near the Coneniaugh region, and thence 
through the valley of the Kiskiminitas to 
the Allegheny. 

"On the 7th, in the evening, being within 
six miles of Kittanning, the scout discov- 
ered a fire in the road and reported that 
there were two or at most four Indians at 
it. It was not thought advisable to sur- 
prise those Indians at that time, as if one 
should escape the town might be alarmed. 
So Lieutenant Hogg, with twelve men, was 
left to watch them, with orders not to fall 
upon them till daybreak, and our forces 
turned out of the path and passed by with- 
out disturbing them. 

"It was afterward a cause of wonder- 
ment and chagrin to M. Dumas, then in 
command at Fort Duquesne, and to his red 
allies, that so large a force of mounted 
men could march undiscovered into their 
enemy's country, where Indian scouts and 
detachments of French soldiers were con- 
stantly on the alert. 

"It was a clear moonlight night in Sep- 
tember when the avengers neared the end 
of their perilous ride. They were guided 
to the town by the whoops and yellsof the 
savages, who had just returned from an- 
other murdering foray, and were celebrat- 
ing their triumphs with the hideous scalp 
dance. It would require the pen of Hugo 
or the pencil of Dore to do justice to this 
weird and awful scene, in which the wai-- 
riors, fantastically decorated with feathers, 



beads and war paint, circled about a great 
hre in the monotonous dance, carrying 
aloft on the ends of poles the variously 
colored scalps of their recent victims. 
Armstrong's men had secreted their horses 
some distance back in the woods, and had 
cautiously made their way on foot to a 
dip in the land about 100 yards from the 
place. Here they were ordered to 'lie 
still and hush' till moonset. From this 
cover they had a full view of the horrid 
spectacle. 
• "The stalwart dancers went round and 
I'ound, and as the moonlight and firelight 
gleamed suddenly on the snow-white 
tresses of an aged woman lifted high by a 
sinewy arm, the fury of the white men 
could hardly be restrained. But, remem- 
liering that the success of the attack de- 
l)ended upon its being a complete sui'prise. 
they controlled their wrath. The savage 
rites were long, but they ended at last, and 
such Indians as had huts retired to them, 
and those who had not, built fires in a 
neighboring cornfield to protect them from 
the myriads of gnats that infested the 
place, and lay down there to rest. The last 
guttural 'Ugh! Ugh!' had died away and 
all slept heavily. But there was another 
weary wait for the white men till the moon 
set and the fires burned low. 

Armstrong's attack. 

"Historj^ says that as the first streak of 
dawn revealed the outlines of the lodges, 
Armstrong divided his men into two par- 
ties and they made a simultaneous attack 
upon the corn field and the village. Chief 
Jacobs being roused by the first shot, 
sounded the war whoop, and the braves in 
the field, although surprised, hearing the 
cry of their chief, fought desperately till 
several of their number were killed. But 
Armstrong's report says: 

" 'As soon as day appeared and the 
town could be seen, the attack on the corn- 
field began, through which our people 
charged, killing several of the enemy, and 




LOG CABIN, BUILT BY MANASSAS DUGAN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



61 



eutered the town.' The lodges, some thirty 
in number, were set on fire, and Chief 
Jacobs and his people, within, ordered to 
surrender. They refused. But as the fire 
made headway, many of them rushed 
from their burning homes. A few escaped, 
but many were killed and scalped after 
their own fashion. Among the latter were 
Chief Jacobs and his giant son, said to 
have been seven feet high. The women 
and children fled to the woods, says Irv- 
ing, Bancroft and Lossing, but older ac- 
counts state that many of them perished 
in the town. 

"Armstrong's account of the affair, 
which he sent by an express to Governor 
Denny in Philadelphia, and which is found 
published in the Portsmouth (New Hamp- 
shire) Gazette for October 7, 1756 (a copy 
of which is in possession of Mr. Joseph 
Porsythe of Pittsburg), relates that 
Jacobs 's squaw was killed and scalped as 
she attempted to escape through a window, 
and says further: 

" 'The Indians had a number of spare 
arms in their houses, loaded, which went 
off as the fire came to them, and quantities 
of gunpowder, which had been stored in 
every house, blew up from time to time, 
throwing some of their bodies a great 
height into the air.' 

"Armstrong also says that 'a squaw was 
heard crying in one of the burning houses.' 
It is therefore inferred that she, and per- 
haps others of her sex, perished in the 
flames, as the leg of a child was blown by 
one of the explosions into the midst of the 
white troops. The discharge of spare guns 
and the heavy explosions referred to, at- 
test how well French emissaries kept the 
savages supplied with the munitions of 
war. 

"In the action seventeen of the whites 
were killed, thirteen wounded and nineteen 
missing at roll call. Among the wounded 
were Colonel Armstrong and his second- 
in-command, Captain Mercer. It does not 
appear from the various accounts of the 



affair that the faithless Shingis was pres- 
ent at the destruction of Kittanning. It 
is probable that he had gone to Fort Du- 
quesne, as his tribe was accustomed to 
transport thither their most valuable pris- 
oners and booty, and it is known that they 
obtained from the French commandant at 
that place part of their supplies. Arm- 
strong's dispatch to Philadelphia also 
says: 

" 'Seven English prisoners were re- 
leased and brought away, who informed 
the colonel that besides the powder (of 
which the Indians boasted they had enough 
for ten years' war with the English) there 
was a great quantity of goods burnt, which 
the French had made them a present of 
but ten days before.' 

"The timeliness of Armstrong's attack 
is proved by further testimony of the res- 
cued prisoners, given in his Philadelphia 
dispatch : 

" 'The prisoners also informed us that 
that very day two bateaux of Frenchmen, 
with a large party of Delaware and French 
Indians, were to join Captain Jacobs, to 
march and take Fort Shirley; and that 
twenty-five warriors had set out before 
them "the preceding evening, which proved 
to be the party that had kindled the fire 
the night before; for our people returning 
found Lieutenant Hogg wounded in three 
places, and learned he had in the morning 
attacked the supposed party of three or 
four at the fire, according to order, but 
found them too numerous for him. He 
killed three of them, however, at the first 
fire and fought them for an hour, when he 
lost three of his best men and fled, the 
enemy pursuing them. Lieutenant Hogg 
soon after died of his wounds.' " 

Ai-mstrong relates further concerning 
the Kittanning raid: 

" 'Captain Mercer, being wounded in 
the action, was carried off by his ensign 
and eleven men, who left the main body in 
their return to take another road, and were 
not come in when the express came away. 



62 



HISTORY OF BUTLER C!OUNTY 



He liad four of the recovered prisoners 
with him, and some of the scalps.' 

"At the foot of Armstrong's dispatch 
the Gazette adds : 

' ' ' Since receiving the above return from 
Fort Lyttleton, we are informed Captain 
Mercer and twenty-five persons are re- 
turned safe, which makes up the missing, 
and the four released prisoners.' 

"The Gazette account has been freely 
quoted because it differs in some particu- 
lars from that in the histories, and con- 
tains information not to be found there. 
Also, because it is direct from the com- 
mander of the expedition, who presumably 
gave an accurate report. It is surprising 
that the historians are content to com- 
ment upon the signal blow suffered by the 
enemy in the loss of their most famous 
leader and their depot of supplies, but 
make no mention of the very important im- 
mediate results of that blow, viz. : the scat- 
tering of the assembling forces destined 
for the attack on Fort Shirley, and that, 
too, at the last critical moment, for had 
Armstrong's troops arrived in the vicinity 
of Kittanning twelve hours " later they 
would in all probability have been cut to 
pieces, and Fort Shirley, with its meager 
garrison would have fallen into the hands 
of Jacobs, as did Fort Granville, or Fort 
Granby, as Armstrong calls it, the preced- 
ing year, and the Juniata Valley would 
have been laid as waste and desolate as 
was Wyoming twenty-two years later. 

"It was daylight when the work of de- 
struction was finished, and the sun rose 
upon the smoking ruins. There was not a 
moment to lose, for, says Armstrong's re- 
port : 

" 'A body of the enemy on the other side 
of the river fired on our people, and being 
seen to cross the river at a distance, as if 
to surround our men, they collected some 
Indian horses found near the town to carry 
off the wounded and retreated, without go- 
ing back to the cornfield to pick up the 



scalps of those killed there in the begin- 
ning of the action.' 

"Taking with them the released pris- 
oners, the troops hurried back to the woods 
where their horses were corralled, mounted 
in haste, and made their way homeward as 
silently and cautiously as they had come. 
The fact that a body of the enemy fired 
upon Armstrong's party from the opposite 
side of the river seems further to confirm 
the testimony of the rescued prisoners con- 
cerning the proposed attack upon Fort 
Shirley. It is reasonable to suppose that 
tliey were a body destined for the expedi- 
tion, arriving thus early at the rendezvous. 

"The astonishment and alarm of the 
Ohio tribes at this direful visitation of the 
colonists put an end to their outrages for 
some time to come. On the frontier a feel- 
ing of security was, in a measure, restored, 
and the settlers in large numbers returned 
to the homes they had abandoned. It is 
pleasing to note in connection witli this 
daring exploit of Armstrong's militia that 
the populous town of the white men, with 
the foundries and rolling mills, and its 
beautiful homes and churches that now cov- 
ers the site of the old Indian rallying place, 
has not been rechristened, but retains the 
musical Delaware name of Kittanning. 
Keckewelder, the best authority on Lenni 
Lenape significations, says it is a corrup- 
tion of Kithan-uick, which means the main 
stream, or on the main stream, and with 
the Delawares denoted the stream as well 
as the town. 

"It is also in accordance with the eter- 
nal fitness of things that the county of 
which Kittanning is the capital, bears the 
name of Armstrong in honor of the man 
who, by a signal act of retaliation, opened 
the way for its settlement. The corpora- 
tion of Philadelphia presented Colonel 
Armstrong with a piece of plate, and also 
gave to him and to each of his officers a 
silver medal and to every private' in the 
troop a medal and a small present of 



AND BEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



money in recognition of their intrepid con- 
duct on the expedition. 

ADVENTURE OF JAMES KIBKPATRICK. 

"The treaty of Fontainbleau did not 
bring to the borders the tranquillity so 
earnestly hoped for, and not until after the 
close of Pontiac's war was there actual 
safety for settlers beyond the shadow of 
the forts. After a few years, however, the 
remnants of such tribes as remained north 
of the Ohio, being now at peace with the 
English emigrants, and tempted by the 
cheap and fertile land, began to push far- 
ther west and north of the manor tracts 
of Pennsylvania. 

"With these came James Kirkpatrick, 
of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, bring- 
ing with him his wife and three children, 
the youngest not yet a year old. They 
crossed the Allegheny River at a point 
where, a quarter of a century before, had 
stood the Indian town of Kittanning. Here 
they piled their household effects on the 
backs of pack-horses and pushed into the 
wilderness some ten miles beyond and to 
a little stream called Cherry Run. 

"With the help of a distant neighbor 
Kirkpatrick built a cabin and began to 
clear his land. Encouraged by the quality 
of their purchase he and his wife toiled 
cheerfully, for both were young, buoyant 
with health and hope, and charmed with 
the novelty of their woodland life. The 
elder children, too, were happy as linnets 
in the midst of their surroundings, and as 
the ax was lustily plied, watched with 
eager interest the swaying of each tree, 
and heard with boisterous shouts the crash 
when the great trunk shook the earth with 
its fall. 

"So the boundaries of the clearing ex- 
tended farther and farther as time went 
by, and the crops grew apace in the rich, 
new soil. A few Indians remained in a 
camp not many miles away, but they were 
friendly, and sometimes came to the col- 
onists to barter moccasins and furs for po- 



tatoes, turnips and other products of the 
soil, and the latch string of the pioneers 
was always out to the few travelers who 
passed their way, but beyond an occa- 
sional party of surveyors, a hunter or a 
militia man or two going or coming from 
the blockhouse district, they had few vis- 
itors. 

"Born of religious parents, the young 
people kept up in their new home the pious 
observances to which they had been al- 
ways accustomed. Indeed, their isolated 
situation gave new fervency to their devo- 
tions. It so happened on the morning of 
the 28th of April, 1791, a day ever after 
memorable to them, that George Miller, 
who was the first white man who had set- 
tled in this section, coming in 1766, and 
another militia man, had stopped at the 
cabin. Young Kirkpatrick, as was his 
habit, before beginning work for the day, 
read a chapter in the Bible, and all pres- 
ent knelt in prayer. 

"As they arose from their knees, one 
of the militia men hearing some stir out- 
side, opened the door to ascei'tain the 
cause. As he did so, an Indian standing 
near the house, fired at him, inflicting a 
terrible wound in his side. He was falling 
•out of the open door when his companions. 
Miller and Kirkpatrick, springing forward, 
dragged him in and barred the door. Mil- 
ler then barricaded the window with bed- 
ding, table and such other articles of house- 
hold furniture as would help to make it 
bullet-proof, while Kirkpatrick, seizing his 
rifle, ran up the ladder to the loft and be- 
gan shooting through a loophole in the 
chucking. Having been entirely engrossed 
with the labors of his farm, and not ex- 
pecting hostility from the Indians at that 
late date, he had run no bullets for some 
time, and so had but few in his pouch. He 
had not fired many rounds, when a shot 
aimed by the assailant sped through the 
crack above the large wooden door latch, 
struck the innocent baby, and it fell back, 
bleeding and gasping. 



64 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



"At this moment Kirkpatriek called 
down the ladder to his wife to mold some 
bullets as fast as possible, for his supply 
was nearly exhausted. There was no time 
now to wash blood stains from the cruel 
wound or to pillow the drooping head upon 
her throbbing breast; no time to give way 
to a mother's yearning or anguish — only 
time to lay, with trembling hands, the tiny, 
limp form in the sugar-trough cradle, that 
might never again rock him to slumber; 
only time to snatch with nervous haste the 
lead, the mold and the ladle for melting 
from the rude shelf, rake the embers from 
under the back log and essay her difficult 
task that her husband might save their 
lives or sell them as dearly as he could. 

"It was easy enough to melt the lead on 
the glowing coals, but the shaking fingers 
could not guide the molten stream into the 
throat of the mold. Seeing this, the 
wounded militiaman, holding together with 
one hand the gaping edges of his wound, 
crawled to the fireplace, and with the other 
hand steadied the ladle for her. In this 
way they filled and emptied the mold many 
times over, while Miller, having secured 
the house as well as he could, stood at the 
foot of the ladder, trimmed the bullets, 
loaded the spare gun, passed it up to Kirk- 
patriek, took his empty one, loaded it and 
exchanged, loaded and exchanged again 
and again. 

"Counting the shots and the intervals 
between them, the white men judged there 
were three assailants. After a time, how- 
ever, the shots were less frequent and far- 
ther off. They concluded from this that 
one of the Indians was either killed or 
badly wounded. The other two had by 
this time moved to the edge of the clearing 
and far enough away from the house to be 
seen from tlie loop hole. One of them had 
just fired his piecfl, the charge burying 
itself in the log near Kirkpatriek 's head. 
The other one was in the act of loading. 
Kirkpatriek now for the first time having 
a chance to take a deliberate aim, leveled 



his rifle and fired ; his bullet struck the 
ramrod out of the Indian's hand and en- 
tered his body. He threw up his arms and 
fell to the ground, but scrambled to his 
feet again and tottered into the woods. 
The other one ran away at full speed and 
firing ceased. 

"When the besieged white men opened 
the door and looked warily out,' an Indian 
lay dead in the yard with a bullet hole 
through his head. Assured that they were 
at last alone, every effort was made to al- 
leviate the sufferings of the wounded man 
and child. But the soldier was beyond all 
aid ; he lingered in great agony until near 
noon, when death came to his relief. The 
baby lay breathing feebly and white as 
marble. The brave husband could not 
tarry to soothe the grief of his wife or the 
terror of his children, but hastily prepared 
to carry them to a place of safety, lest the 
savages might return in greater numbers 
and massacre them all. 

"A white boy, at that time a prisoner 
with the tribe among whom the three In- 
dians were living, after his escape told 
Kiikjiatrick that they had expected to find 
hiiii aloiic with his family, and that but one 
of the tlnee returned to camp. Kirkpat- 
riek collected as many of his effects as 
could be packed on the horse behind his 
wife and children, and taking Miller, the 
surviving militiaman, as guard, hurried 
his family off by a circuitous route to the 
block house at Hannahstown; the mother 
carrying her wounded child on a pillow 
upon her lap. It was a dangerous and 
painful ride of nearly forty miles, and 
scarcely had they entered the sheltei'ing 
walls of the fort when the baby boy 
breathed his last. 

"As far as there is any record, this was 
the last murderous attack liy Indians upon 
a settler's home in western Pennsylvania. 
There have been published no less than 
four different versions of the story, in- 
cluding the one in Massy Harbison's book, 
which Mr. J. T. Kirkpatriek, a grandson 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



65 



of the pioueer James Kirkpatrick, pro- 
nounces incorrect in several particulars. 
It is believed the account here given is the 
true one, as it was obtained directly from 
Mr. J. T. Kirkpatrick, who had it from his 
grandparents, who were actors in the 
scene. 

"The scene of the tragedy is on the old 
road running north from Kittanning. A 
jaunting party passing through that re- 
gion some time ago, found the old cabin 
still standing, for the woodmen of those 
days builded better than they knew. It is 
true, the clapboard roof, as clapboards will 
do, had curled up like fur on the back of 
an angry cat ; the sash was gone from the 
small, square window, and the door from 
its hinges, but the four log walls and the 
chinking were almost as perfect as when 
young Kirkpatrick built it." 

THE GIRTY TRAGEDY. 

Among the first settlers who came to the 
northern part of Connoquenessing Town- 
ship was Thomas Girty, his wife Ann, and 
his son Thomas, Jr., who located near 
Whitestown about 1795 or 1796. The elder 
Girty died some time previous to 1803, and 
was probably buried at Girty 's Run in Al- 
legheny Coimty, where the family came 
from. The tax duplicates of Butler 
County issued by the commissioners of Al- 
legheny County in 1803, show .that Thomas 
Girty, a single man, was assessed with four 
hundred acres of land in Connoquenessing 
Township, besides other personal prop- 
erty. The young man lived on the farm 
with his mother, and because of the belief 
among the settlers that they were relatives 
of the notorious Simon Girty, the family 
was avoided, and many false stories have 
been told about them. 

During the absence of Thomas Girty, 
Jr., in Ohio in 1803, Davy Kerr, who was 
a squatter on the four hundred acre tract 
of land taken up by the Girtys, went one 
night to the cabin where Mrs. Ann Girty 
lived, determined either to drive her off 



the premises or scare her so that she 
would leave him in undisputed possession 
of the land. Before going to the cabin he 
had armed himself with a horse-pistol 
which he had loaded with buckshot. He 
stated the purpose of his visit to Mrs. 
Girty, and when she refused to leave made 
threats of violence, at which Mrs. Girty 
seized a burning firebrand from the fire 
and struck Kerr in the face. In the fight 
that ensued Kerr shot Mrs. Girty in the 
breast, inflicting wounds from which she 
died six weeks later. Because of the feel- 
ing that existed against the Girty family 
in the neighborhood, and partly because a 
settlement had been arranged, before Mrs. 
Girty 's death, Kerr was never prosecuted 
for his crime and shortly afterwards he 
gave up his claim to the land and left. So 
bitter was the feeling against Mrs. Ann 
Girty that the trtistees of Mt. Nebo Ceme- 
tery, near ^Vhltestown, refused to allow 
her to be buried at that place, and slie was 
interred on the farm where slie lived. For 
many years this grave was marked by a 
fence made of chestnut rails and the spot 
was avoided by children because they be- 
lieved that Mrs. Girty was a witch, and 
capable of working great mischief in the 
neighborhood. Thomas Girty, Jr., the son, 
never returned to Butler Comity after the 
death of his mother, and he lived and died 
in Adams County, Ohio. 

The suspicion that this Girty family was 
connected with the notorious Simon Girty 
was correct, although the Girty family in 
Butler County could never be charged with 
anything more serious than attending to 
their own business and living a quiet ex- 
istence. Howe's "Historical Collections 
of Ohio" says that the original Girty fam- 
ily lived in Pennsylvania and that the elder 
Girty was a man of violent disposition, 
given to drinking, who abused his wife and 
family so much that his wife deserted him 
for a young pioneer in the neighborhood 
named' John Turner. It was alleged that 
in order to get rid of the obnoxious Girty, 



66 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Turner knocked him on the head. Girty 
left four sons, viz.: George, James, 
Thomas, and Simon. All of the sons were 
captured by the Indians during Brad- 
dock's campaign and were subsequently 
adopted by various Indian tribes, with the 
exception of Thomas. George was adopted 
by the Delaware Indians and died in a 
drunken tit. James was adopted by the 
Shawahese, became notorious on the fron- 
tier, and met a violent death in Kentucky. 
Simon was adopted by the Seneca Indians 
and became the notorious white renegade 
who was so much feared and hated by the 
pioneers. Accounts differ as to how Si- 
mon met his death, one authority saying 
he was hacked to pieces by Colonel John- 
son's mounted men at Proctor's defeat, 
and another that he died at Maiden about 
1815. The white renegades, Simon Girty, 
Col. Alexander McKee, and Captain El- 
liott, were at the battle of Fallen Timbers 
—1794 — with about seventy Canadians, but 
did not take part in the fight. 

Thomas Girty was one of the white men 
that was a prisoner at Kittanning in 1756 
when Col. Armstrong made his famous ex- 
pedition and destroyed that Indian strong- 
hold. He subsequently settled on Girty 's 
Eun in Allegheny Coimty, and when the 
territory of which Butler County is a part 
was opened for settlement, he came to this 
county. It was alleged that during the 
Revolution and the Indian wars Thomas 
Girty was as vicious as his brothers in his 
treatment of the white settlers, and that 
his wife Ann made the bullets with which 
he shot down the frontiersmen in their 
fight with the Indians. 

A sister of the Girty men was married 
to Israel Gibson and came to Butler 
County with her husband previous to 1800. 
She died in 1801, and was the third person 
buried in the Mt. Nebo Cemetery, where 
two years later the ofiScials of the ceme- 
tei-y would not permit her sister-in-law to 
be buried. The Girty tract lay west of the 
Franklin Eoad and about one mile south 



of Whitestown. After the death of Mrs. 
Girty, Israel Gibson lived on the farm, 
and in later years it was known as the Ab- 
diel McClure farm. It is now known as 
the Coates farm. 

■ It is said that Thomas Girty was at one 
time loyal to the colonies, and that he was 
employed as a scout along with James Am- 
berson, James Jeffries and Capt. Samuel 
Brady. For some reason he turned 
against his former compatriots and became 
an outlaw. 

m'kEE and ELLIOTT. 

"While Butler County was not the field of 
any of the fiendish barbarities committed 
by the renegades, Simon Girty, Alexander 
McKee and Captain Elliott, it is a fact, 
however, that this territory was the ren- 
dezvous and hiding place of the maraud- 
ing tribes of Indians who terrorized the 
frontier and the Cumberland and Tusca- 
rora Valleys during the Eevolution and 
for a number of years later, and who were 
led by these white men. McKee and El- 
liott were residents of Path Valley, Penn- 
sylvania, previous to the Eevolution, 
where both men were leaders of the Tory 
element among the settlers. On account 
of their sympathies with the British, they 
were compelled to leave the valley, and 
both men joined the Shawanese tribe of 
Indians and became leaders of the Indian 
tribe in all the depredations that were com- 
mitted in western Pennsylvania during the 
period of the Eevolution, and which were 
chiefly instigated by the British. They 
married Indian wives, adopted Indian hab- 
its, and became as ferocious in their treat- 
ment of the white settlers as the Girtys. 
In consideration of their treachery, McKee 
was given the rank as colonel and Elliott 
the rank of captain in the British army, 
and after the Eevolution both men were 
a]ipointed agents for the Indians by the 
British government and were stationed in 
the southern part of Canada. 



AND REPfiESEXTATIVE CITIZENS 



67 



THE STORY OF MASSY HARBISON. 

The story of Massy Harbison and her 
terrible experiences with the Indians is 
one of the most thrilling narratives in the 
annals of tlie west. AVhile the capture of 
Mrs. Harbison took place in Westmore- 
land County, the terrible exj^eriences of 
the several days that followed and her es- 
cape from the Indians took place in But- 
ler County, and is an authentic narrative 
of adventure within the territorj'^ of the 
county. It has been published before, but 
its inherent interest and its value as an il 
lustration of the hardships and perils that 
sometimes fell to the lot of the early set- 
tlers in this region, entitle it to republica- 
tion in this volume. 



White was the daughter of Ed- 
ward White, a Revolutionary soldier, and 
was born in Amwell Township, Somerset 
County, New Jersey, March 18, 177vi. Af- 
ter the establishment of peace in 1782, the 
family removed west and settled at Red 
Stone Fort, now Brownsville, in the Mo- 
nongahela Valley. In 1787 Massy White 
was married to John Harbison with whom 
she removed to the headwaters of Char- 
tiers Creek, in Westmoreland County. 
John Harbison was an Indian scout and 
frontiersman and was with St. Clair's army 
in Ohio in 1791, when the latter met defeat 
by the Indians. 

The Indians, who had been the allies of 
tlie British, during the Revolutionary War, 
afterwards continued to harass the white 
settlers along the Ohio and Allegheny 
frontier. So great were tlieir atrocities 
and depredations that the government in 
1790 again inaugurated hostilities against 
them. During the period from this date 
until General AVayne's victory, in 1794, 
and even after that until the treaty of 
Greenville in 1795, numerous murders were 
committed and many persons taken pris- 
oners. Along the Allegheny River and 
near the boundaries of what is now Butler 
County, a number of outrages were com- 



mitted in 1791. In March of that year a 
Mr. Thomas Dick and his wife, living near 
the mouth of Deer Creek on the east side 
of the River, were captured, and a young 
man who lived with them was killed and 
scalped. Four days later a l)and of In- 
dians appeared at the house of Abram 
Russ, two miles further up the river, pro- 
tested their friendship, and asked for food. 
Having been received kindly, the Indians 
turned on their benefactors, massacred 
four men, a woman and six children. Sev- 
eral persons escaped and the news of this 
slaughter was quickly carried through the 
scattered settlements and the inhabitants, 
taking with them only such articles as 
could be hastily gotten together, fled to 
James Paul's, on Pine Run. By sunrise 
on the 23d of March there were between 
seventy and eighty women and children col- 
lected at this retreat, and all but four of 
the men had left in pursuit of the Indians. 
Massy Harbison and her two children were 
among the number who sought safety at 
James Paul's. After the murder on the 
night of March 22d, 1791, above the mouth 
of Bull Creek, from Pine Creek these peo- 
ple proceeded to a point on the eastern 
l)ank of the Allegheny River, a mile below 
the mouth of Kiskiminetas, and opposite 
the side of Freeport, and there erected a 
block house to which all the families who 
had fled from the neighborhood returned 
within two weeks. Here they remained in 
safety during the summer, although sev- 
eral murders were committed along the 
river and David McKee and another 
young man were killed and scalped within 
seven miles of the blockhouse. This block- 
house received the name of Reeds Station. 
Soon after the several families were pro- 
vided for at the blockhouse in the spring of 
1791, John Harbison, the husband of Massy 
Harbison, enlisted in the six months' serv- 
ice in Captain Guthrie's company, went out 
in the expedition against the Indians, under 
command of the unfortunate General St. 
Clair. He did not return until the 24th of 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



December, and when he came home he 
brought a memento of St. Clair's defeat 
in the shape of an ugly wound. On his re- 
covery from his wound Harbison was ap- 
pointed as spy and ordered to the woods 
on duty in March, 1792. AVhile no depre- 
dations had been committed during the 
winter, the inhabitants at Reed " Station 
feared trouble, and resorted to the spy sys- 
tem as a protection against the Indians. 
Having faith in the woods rangers to pro- 
.tect them, the settlers moved out from the 
blockhouse in which they had so long been 
confined and scattered to their habitations. 
Mrs. Harbison lived in a cabin within sight 
of the blockhouse and not more than two 
hundred yards distant from it. The spies 
in their long detours through the forest 
saw no signs of Indians, and nothing to 
alarm them. They frequently came to the 
Hai'bison cabin to receive refreshments and 
lodging and Mr. Harbison came home only 
once in eight or ten days. It appeared that 
Mrs. Harbison had apprehensions that 
something terrible would happen and she 
had entreated her husband to remove the 
family to some mgre secure place. On the 
night of the 21st of May, 1792, two of the 
spies, James Davis and a Mr. Sutton, came 
to lodge at the Harbison cabin, and at day- 
break on the following morning when the 
horn was blown at the blockhouse, they 
got up and went out. Mrs. Harbison was 
awake when the spies left the cabin, saw 
that the door was open, and intended to 
rise and shut it, but fell asleep again. 
While she slumbered Davis and Sutton re- 
turned, and after fastening the cabin door 
returned to the blockhouse. The woman 
awoke to find herself in the hands of a 
band of savages, who pulled her from the 
bed by her feet. The terrible events that 
followed are best narrated by Mrs. Harbi- 
son. 

In her narrative, she says: "I then 
looked up and saw the house full of In- 
dians, every one having his gun in his left 
hand and his tomahawk in his right. Be- 



holding the dangerous situation in which 
I was, I immediately jumped to the floor 
upon my feet, with the young child in my 
arms. I then took up a petticoat to put 
on, having only the one in which I slept; 
but the Indians took it from me, and as 
many as I attempted to put on, they suc- 
ceeded in taking from me, so that I had 
to go just as I had been in bed. While I 
was struggling with some of the savages 
for clothing, others of them went and took 
the two children out of another bed, and 
immediately took the two feather beds to 
the door and emptied them. The savages 
immediately began their work of plunder 
and devastation. What they were unable 
to carry with them, they destroyed. While 
they were at tlieir work, I made to the door 
and succeeded in getting out with one child 
in my arms and another by my side; but 
the other little boy was so much displeased 
at being so early disturbed in the morning 
that he would not come to the door. 

"When I got out, I saw Mr. Wolf, one 
of the soldiers, going to the spring for 
water, and beheld two or three of the sav- 
ages attempting to get between him and 
the blockhouse; but Mr. Wolf was uncon- 
scious of his danger, for the savages had 
not yet been discovered. I then gave a 
terrific scream, by which means Mr. Wolf 
discovered his danger, and started to run 
for the blockhouse. Seven or eight of the 
Indians fired at him, but the only injury 
that he received was a bullet in his arm, 
which broke it. He succeeded in making 
his escape to the blockhouse. When I 
raised the alarm, one of the Indians came 
up to me with his tomahawk, as though 
about to take my life; a second came and 
placed his hand before my mouth and told 
me to hush, when a third came with a lifted 
tomahawk and attempted to give me a 
blow; but the first that came raised his 
tomahawk and averted the blow; and 
claimed me as his squaw. 

"The commissary and his waiter who 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



69 



had been sleeping in the store-room, near 
the blockhouse, being aroused by Mrs. 
Harbison's scream and the report of the 
Indian's guns, attemjited to make their 
escape. The commissary succeeded in 
reacliiug the blockhouse amid a rain of 
liullets, one or two of which cut the hand- 
kerchief which he wore about his head. 
The waiter, on coming to the door, was met 
by two Indians who fired at him, and he 
fell dead. The savages then set up their 
tremendous and terrifying yells, and 
pushed forward and attempted to scalp 
the men that they had killed, but they were 
]irevented by the heavy fire which was kept 
up through the port-holes of the block- 
house. 

"In this scene of horror and alarm." 
says Mrs. Harbison, "I began to meditate 
on escape, and for that purpose I at- 
tempted to direct the attention of the In- 
dians from me, and to fix it on the block- 
house, and thought that if I could succeed 
iu this I would retreat to a subterranean 
lock with which I was acquainted, which 
was in the run near which we were. For 
this purpose I began to converse with some 
of those who were near me, respecting the 
strength of the blockhouse, the number of 
men in it, etc., and, being informed that 
there were forty men there, and that they 
were excellent marksmen, they immedi- 
ately came to the determination to retreat 
and for this purpose they ran to those who 
were besieging the blockhouse and brought' 
them away. They then began to flog me 
with their wiping-sticks, and to order me 
along. Thus what I intended as a means 
of my escape was the means of accelerat- 
ing my departure in the hands of the sav- 
ages. But it wos no doubt ordered by a 
kind Providence for the preservation of 
the fort and its inhabitants, for, when the 
savages gave up the attack and retreated, 
some of the men in the house had the last 
load of ammunition in their guns, and 
there was no possibility of procuring more, 



for it was all fastened up in the storehouse 
which was inaccessible. 

"The Indians, when they had flogged me 
away along with them, took my oldest boy, 
a lad about five years of age, along with 
them, for he was still at the door W my 
side. My middle little boy, who was about 
three years of age, had by this time ob- 
tained a situation by the fire in the house, 
and was crying bitterly to me not to go, 
and making bitter complaints of the depre- 
dations of the savages. 

"But these monsters were not willing to 
let the child remain behind them; they 
took him by the hand to drag him along 
with them, but he was so very unwilling to 
go, and made such a noise by crying, that 
they took him by the feet and dashed his 
brains out against the threshold of the 
door. They then scalped and stabbed him 
and left him for dead. 

"A¥hen I witnessed this inhuman butch- 
ery of my own child, I gave a most inde- 
scribable and terrific scream, and felt a 
dimness come over my eyes next to blind- 
ness, and my senses were nearly gone. 
The savages then gave me a blow across 
my face and head, and brought me to my 
sight and recollection again. During the 
whole of this agonizing scene I kept my in- 
fant in my arms. 

"As soon as their murder was eiTected, 
they marched me along to the top of the 
bank, about forty or sixty rods, and there 
they stopped and divided the plunder 
which they had taken from our house, and 
here I counted their number, and found 
them to be thirty-two, two of whom were 
white men painted as Indians. 

"Several of the Indians could speak 
English well. I knew several of them well, 
having seen them go up and down the Alle- 
gheny River. I knew two of them to be 
from the Seneca tribe of Indians, and two 
of them Munseys; for they had called at 
tlie shop to get their guns repaired, and 
I saw them there. 



70 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



"We then went from this place about 
forty rods, and they then caught my uncle, 
John Currie's, horses, and two of them, 
into whose custody I was put, started with 
me on the horses toward the mouth of the 
Kiskiminetas, and the rest of them went 
off toward Puckety. When they came to 
the bank which descended toward the Alle- 
gheny, the bank was so veiy steep, and 
there appeared so much danger in descend- 
ing it on horseback, that I threw myself 
off the horse in opposition to the will and 
command of the savages. 

"My horse descended without falling, 
but the one on which the Indian rode who 
had my little boy, in descending, fell, and 
rolled over repeatedly, and my little boy 
fell back over the horse, but was not mate- 
rially injured. He was taken up by one 
of the Indians, and we got to the bank of 
the river, where they had secreted some 
bnrk canoes, under the rocks opposite the 
island that lies between the Ki,skiminetas 
and Buffalo. They attempted in vain to 
make the horses take the river. After try- 
ing for some time to effect this, they left 
the horses behind them and took us in one 
of the canoes to the point of the island, and 
there they left the canoe. 

"Here I beheld another hard'scene, for, 
as soon as we landed my little boy, who 
was still mourning and lamenting about 
his little brother, and who complained that 
he was injured by the fall in descending 
the bank, was murdered. 

"One of the Indians ordered me along, 
probably that I should not see the horrid 
deed about to be perpetrated. The other 
then took his tomahawk from his side, 
killed and scalped him. When I beheld 
the second scene of inhuman butchery, I 
fell to the ground senseless, with my infant 
in my arms, it being under, with its little 
hands in the hair of my head. How long 
I remained in this state of insensibility 
I knew not. 

"The first thing I remember was my 
raising my head from the ground, and mv 



feeling myself exceedingly overcome with 
sleep. I cast my eyes around and saw the 
scalp of my dear little boy, fresh bleeding 
from his head, in the hand of one of the 
savages, and sank down to the earth again 
upon my infant child. The first thing I re- 
member after witnessing this spectacle of 
woe was the severe blows I was receiving 
from the hands of the savages, though at 
that time I was unconscious of the in- 
juries I was sustaining. After a severe 
castigation, they assisted me in getting 
up, and supported me when up. 

"Here I cannot help contemplating the 
peculiar interposition of Divine Provi- 
dence in my behalf. How easily might 
they have murdered me. What a wonder 
their cruelty did not lead them to effect it. 
But instead of this, the scalp of my little 
boy was hid from my view, and in order 
to bring me to my senses again, they took 
me back to the river and led me in, knee- 
deep. This had the intended effect. But 
'the tender mercies of the wicked are 
cruel.' 

"We now i^roceeded on our journey by 
crossing the island, and coming to a shal- 
low ])laee where we could wade out, and so 
arrive to the Indian side of the country. 
Here they pushed me into the river before 
them, and had to conduct me through it. 
The water was up to my breast but I sus- 
pended my child above the water, and, 
through the assistance of the savages, got 
safely out. 

' ' From thence we rapidly proceeded for- 
ward, and came to Big Buffalo. Here the 
stream was very rapid and the Indians had 
again to assist me. When we had crossed 
this creek, we made a straight line to the 
Connoquenessing Creek, the very place 
where Butler now stands, and from thence 
we traveled five or six miles to Little 
Buffalo, and crossed it at the very place 
where Mr. B. Sarver's mill now (1836) 
stands, and ascended the hill." 

[The foregoing paragraph is ^ quite ob- 
scure and misleading. The Indians, of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



71 



course, did not go to "the vei'y place where 
Butler now stands" and then retrace their 
way to Little Buffalo. They crossed Little 
Buffalo on the way to the Connoquenessing 
at the place where Sarver's mill stood in 
later years, and where now is Sarversville. 
They undoubtedly crossed the Connoque- 
nessing where the Cunninghams afterward 
built their mill, and where now stands the 
George Walter mill in Butler borough, at 
the foot of Washington Street. At this 
place the rocks originally projected far 
over the water, and the narrow chasm 
could be easily spanned by a log. The 
crossing was a favorite one with the In- 
dians, and the rocks on either side of 
the creek bore hieroglyphic inscriptions. 
These rocks were recently destroyed in 
grading for the tracks of the Bessemer 
Railroad.] 

The journal continues: "I now felt 
weary of my life, and had a full detei- 
mination to make the savages kill me, 
thinking that death would be exceedingly 
welcome when compared with the fatigue, 
ci'uelties and miseries I had the prospects 
of enduring. To have my purpose effected, 
I stood still, one of the savages before me, 
and the other walking on behind me, and 
I took from oft' my shoulder a large pow- 
der-horn they made me carry, in addition 
to my child, who was one year and four 
days old. I threw the horn on the ground, 
closed my eyes and expected every moment 
to feel the deadly tomahawk. But, to my 
surprise, the Indians took it up, cursed me 
bitterly and put it on my shoulders again. 
I took it off the second time and threw it 
on the ground, and again closed my eyes 
with the assurance that I should meet 
death; but, instead of this, one of the 
savages again took up the horn, and with 
an indignant, frightful countenance, came 
and placed it on again. I took it off a 
third time, and was determined to effect it, 
and therefore threw it as far as I was able 
to over the rooks. The savages immedi- 
ately went after it, while the one who ha'l 



claimed me as liis squaw, and who had 
stood and witnessed the transaction, came 
up to me and said, 'Well done, that I did 
right and was a good squaw, and that the 

other was a lazy •, he might carry 

it himself.' I cannot now sufficiently ad- 
mire the indulgent care of a gracious God, 
that, at this moment, preserved me amid 
so many temptations from the tomahawk 
and the scalping-knife. 

"The savages now changed their posi- 
tion, and the one who claimed me as his 
squaw went behind. This movement, I be- 
lieve, was to prevent the other from doing 
me an injury; and we went on until we 
struck the Connoquenessing at the salt lick 
about two miles above Butler, where was 
an Indian camp, where we arrived a little 
before dark." 

[This camp was in the ravine which 
opens into the valley near the Kearns 
farm. The distance from Butler is con- 
siderably less than two miles.] 

"The camp was made of stakes driven 
into the ground, sloping, and covered with 
chestnut bark, and appeared sufficiently 
long for fifty men. The camp appeared to 
have been occupied for some time. It was 
very much beaten, and large beaten paths 
went out of it in various directions. 

"That night, they took me from the 
camp about three hundred yards, where 
tliey cut the brush in a thicket and placed 
a blanket on the ground, and permitted me 
to sit down with my child. Then they 
pinioned my arms back, only with a little 
liberty, so that it was with difficulty I man- 
aged my child. Here in this dreary situa- 
tion, without fire or refreshment, having 
an infant to take care of, and my arms 
bound behind me, and having a savage on 
each side of me who had killed two of my 
dear children that day, I had to pass the 
first night of my captivity. 

"The trials and dangers of the day I 
had passed had so completely exhausted 
nature, that, notwithstanding my unpleas- 
ant situation and my determination to 



72 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



escape if possible, I insensibly fell asleep, 
and repeatedly dreamed of my escape and 
safe arrival in Pittsburg, and several 
things relating to the town, of which I 
knew nothing at the time, but found to be 
true when I got there. The first night 
passed away, and I found no means of 
escape, for the savages kept watch the 
whole of the night, without any sleep. 

"In the morning, one of them left us to 
watch the trail or path we had come, to see 
if any white people were pursuing us. 
During the absence of the Indian, who was 
the one that claimed me, the one who re- 
mained with me, and who was the mur- 
derer of my last boy, took from his bosom 
his scalp and prepared a hoop, and 
stretched the scalp on it. * * * j med- 
itated revenge ! While he was in the very 
act, I attempted to take his tomahawk, 
which hung by his side and rested on the 
ground, and had nearly succeeded, and 
was, as I thought, about to give the fatal 
blow, when, alas! I was detected." 

The Indian who went upon the lookout 
in the morning became Massy Harbison's 
guard in the afternoon, asked her many 
questions concerning the whites and the 
strength of the armies they proposed send- 
ing out, and boasted largely about the In- 
dians' achievements the preceding fall at 
the defeat of St. Clair. He gave the 
woman a small piece of dry venison, but, 
owing to the blows she had received about 
the face and jaws, she was unable to eat, 
and broke it into pieces for her child. On 
the second night (May 23), she was re- 
moved to another station in the same small 
valley or ravine, and there guarded as she 
had been the night before. When the day 
broke, one of the Indians went away, as 
upon the preceding morning, to watch the 
trail, and the other fell asleep. 

Then Massy Harbison concluded it was 
time to escape. Slu; thought of the ven- 
geance, but found it was impossible to in- 
jure the slee])ing savage, for she could 
effect nothing without putting her child 



down and she feared that if she did it 
would cry and defeat her design of flight. 

She contented herself with taking from 
a pillow-case of plunder the Indians had 
stolen from her house a short gown, hand- 
kerchief, and child's frock, and so made 
her escape. The sun was about half an 
hour high. She at first, to deceive the 
Indians, took a course leading in an oppo- 
site direction from her home, and then 
went over a hill and came to the Connoque- 
nessing about two miles from the place 
where she had crossed it the day before 
with her captors, and went down the 
stream till about two o'clock in the after- 
noon, over rocks, precipices, thorns, briars, 
etc., suffering great pain, as her feet and 
legs were bare, but fleeing on unmindful 
of it, to put as great a distance b'etween 
herself and the savage enemy as was pos- 
sible. She discovered, by the sun and the 
running of the stream, that she was going 
from, instead of toward home, frnd 
changed her course. She ascended a hill 
and sat there until the evening star made 
its appearance, when she discovered the 
way she should travel the next morning, 
and having collected some leaves, she made 
a bed, lay down and slept, although her 
feet, being full of thorns, caused her much 
pain. She had no food for herself or 
child. At daybreak, she resumed her 
travel toward the Allegheny River. Noth- 
ing very material occurred during the day. 

"In the evening" (we again quote from 
Massy Harbison's narrative), "about the 
going down of the sun, a moderate rain 
came on, and I began preparing for my 
bed, by collecting some leaves together, as 
I had done the night before, but could not 
collect a sufficuent quantity without setting 
my little boy on the ground; but as soon 
as I had put him out of my arms he began 
to cry. Fearful of the consequences of his 
noise in this situation, I took him in my 
arms and ])ut him on my breast imme- 
diately, and he became quiet. I then stood 
and listened, and distinctly heard the foot- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



73 



steps of a man coming after me, in the 
same direction I had come! The ground 
over whicli I had been traveling was good 
and the mold light. I had, therefore, left 
my footmarks, and thus exposed myself 
to a second captivity. Alarmed at my 
perilous situation, I looked around for a 
place of safety, and, providentially, saw 
a large tree, which had fallen, into the 
tops of which I crept, with my child in my 
arms, and there I hid myself securely un- 
der tlie limbs. The darkness of the night 
greatly assisted me, and jirevented me 
from detection. 

"The footsteps I heard were those of a 
savage. He heard the cry of the child, and 
came to the very spot where child cried, 
and there he halted, put down his gun, 
and was at this time so near that I heard 
the wiping-stick strike against the gun dis- 
tinctly. 

"* * * All was still and quiet; the 
savage was listening, if, by possibility, he 
might again hear the cry he had heard be- 
fore. My own heart was the only thing 
I feared, and that beat so loud that I was 
a])preh('iisive it would betray me. It is 
almost iiiijiossible to conceive or to believe 
the wonderful effect my situation pro- 
duced upon my whole system. 

"After the savage had stood and listened, 
with nearly the stillness of death, for two 
hours, the sound of a bell, and a cry like 
that of a night owl — signals which were 
given to him from his savage companions 
— induced him to answer, and, after he 
had given a most horrid yell, which was 
calculated to harrow uj^ my soul, he 
started and went off to join them." 

After the retreat of the ludian, Mrs. 
Ilaihison concluded that it was unsiife to 
remain where she was until morning, lest 
a second and more thorough search should 
be made, which would result in her re- 
capture, with difiSculty arose and traveled 
on a mile or two. Then, sinking down at 
the foot of a great tree, she rested until 



daybreak. The night was cold, and rain 
fell. 

On the morning of the iifth day of her 
suffering and strange experience, Massy 
Harbison, wet and exhausted, hungry and 
wretched, started again on her way toward 
the Allegheny. About the middle of the 
foi'euoou, she came to the waters of Pine 
Creek, which falls into the Allegheny about 
four miles above Pittsburg. She knew not 
at the time what stream it was she had 
reached, but crossed it and followed a path 
along its bank. Presentl.y she was alarmed 
at seeing mocassin tracks, made by men 
traveling in the same direction she was. 
After she had walked about three miles, 
she came to a fire burning on the bank of 
the stream, where the men whose tracks 
she had seen had eaten their breakfast. 
She was in doubt whether the men were 
white or Indians, and determined to leave 
the path. She ascended a hill, crossed a 
ridge toward Squaw Run, and came upon 
a trail. "W^iile she stood meditating 
whether to follow the path or seek her way 
through the underbrush, she saw three 
deer coming toward her at full speed. 
They turned to look at their pursuers. 
She looked, too, and saw the flash of a gun. 
She saw some dogs start after the deer, 
and, thinking that the chase would lead by 
the place where she stood, fled, and con- 
cealed herself behind a log. She had 
scarcely crouched in her hiding-place be- 
fore she found that, almost within reach 
of her outstretclied hand, was a nest of 
rattlesnakes. She v/as compelled to leave, 
and did so, fearing that she would be ap 
l)rehended by the hunters, whom she sup- 
jiosed wei-e Indians. 

The woman now changed her course, 
and, bearing to the left, came to Squaw 
Run, which she followed the remainder of 
the day. During the day it rained, and so 
cold and shivering was the fugitive, that, 
in spite of her struggles to remain silent, 
an occasional groan escaped her. She suf- 



74 



IISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



fered also intensely from hunger. Her 
jaws had so far recovered from the blows 
of the Indians that she was able to eat 
food, if she could have procured it. She 
picked grape-vines and obtained a little 
substance from them. 

In the evening, she came within a mile 
of the Allegheny, but was ignorant of it. 
There, under a tree, in a tremendous rain- 
storm, from which she sheltered her babe 
as well as she could, she remained all 
night. 

Upon the morning of the fifth day 
(Sunday, May 27), she found herself uu- 
al)le. for a considerable time, to arise from 
the groimd, and when, after a long strug 
gle, she regained her feet, nature was so 
nearly exhausted, and her spirits so com 
pletely depressed, that she made very slow 
progress. After going a short distance, 
she came to a path, which, as it had been 
traveled by cattle, she imagined would 
lead her to the abode of white people, but 
she came to an uninhabited cabin. Here 
she was filled with a feeling of despair, 
and concluded that she would enter the 
cabin and lie down and die; but the 
thought of what then would be the fate of 
her babe spurred her courage. She heard 
the sound of a cow-bell, which imparted a 
gleam of hope. Pushing on with all of tlie 
strength she could command in the direc- 
tion from which the sound came, she ar- 
rived at the bank of the Allegheny, oppo- 
site the blockhouse, at Six Mile Island, 
and was safe. Three men appeared on the 
opposite bank, and, after some delay, 
caused by the suspicion that she was sent 
there as a decoy from the Indians, one of 
them, James Crozier, came over in a canoe 
and took her to the south side of the river. 
Crozier had been one of the nearest neigh- 
bors of Massy Harbison before she was 
captured by the Indians, but so greatly 
was she altered by the horrors she had 
witnessed, the cruelty practiced upon her, 
and by exposure, fatigue and starvation, 
that he did not know hfer. 



When she landed on the inhabited side 
of the river and found herself secure, the 
brave woman, who had endured so much, 
gave way under the terrible strain, and was 
carried to the fort by the people, who came 
running from it to see her. During the 
terrible six days, in which she had seen 
two of her children murdered, had herself 
been severely beaten by the inhuman sav- 
ages, and had suffered the keenest anguish 
and despair, she had not shed a tear ; but 
now that danger was removed, the tears 
flowed freely "and imparted a happi- 
ness," reads her narrative, "beyond what 
I have ever experienced before, or expect 
to experience in this world." 

After careful treatment Massy Harbison 
recovered her health and senses. Two of 
the women in the fort, Sarah Carter and 
Mary A. Crozier, drew the thorns from her 
feet and Mr. Felix Negley, who had the 
curiosity to count them, found that one 
hundred and fifty had been removed. Aft 
erward more were taken out at Pittsburg. 
At the request of the magistrates of Pitts- 
burg, Mrs. Harbison made a deposition 
detailing the atrocities committed by her 
captors, which was soon afterward pub- 
lished in all the leading newspapers 
throughout the country. The truthfulness 
of Massy Harbison's story was attested 
to by Robert Scott, an early pioneer of 
Butler who was on the Allegheny River 
from 1790 to 1800. Subsequently "A Nar 
rative of the Sufferings of Massy Harbi- 
son from Indian Barbarity," communi- 
cated by herself, was edited and published 
in 1825 by John Winter. This publication 
run through four editions up to 1836, and 
the narrative has been incorporated in 
Brack enridge's "Recollections of the 
West" and other histories of Western 
Pennsylvania. 

Mrs. Harbison met her husband in 
Pittsburg and shortly after went with him 
to Coe Station in Westmoreland County. 
After the lands northwest of the Alle 
gheny were opened for settlement they re- 




CEX. RU.'HARD liTTLER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



75 



moved to Buffalo Township, Butler 
County, where John Harbison carried on 
a mill for a nimiber of years. The de- 
scendants of Massy Harbison still reside 
in Buffalo and Clinton Townships, some 
of them only a few miles distant from the 
place where she was captured and her chil- 
dren murdered on the 22d of May, 1792. 
The location of the old Massy Harbison 
farm in Buft'alo Township has been known 
in later years as the Weaver farm. The 
children of John and Massy Harbison 
were John, James, Betsy, Peggy, William, 
Mattie, Thomas, Nelly Jane, IBeujamiu, 
and Sina. Two were killed by the Indians, 
and John was the child she carried in her 
arms at the time of her escape from the 
captivity of- the savages. He grew to 
manhood, went west, and died at tiie age 
of eighty-eight. 

The Imnters who were after the deer 
seen by the woman on the fifth day of her 
adventure were James Anderson and John 
Thompson belonging to the detail known 
as spies. Had her thoughts not been de 
ferred by the rattlesnakes she would have 
discovered them to be friends and escaped 
a day which felt like eternity. 

GEN. RICHAKD BUTLEK. 

The following sketch of the life of (ren. 
Richard Butler was written in 1893 by 
Dr. Egal, State Librarian of Harrisburg. 
who was the ablest historian of his day in 
Pennsylvania. It has been published in 
previous histories of the. county, but its 
value is inestimable and it is worthy of 
preservation. 

"Richard Butler, the eldest child of 
Thomas and Eleanor Butler, emigrants 
from the North of Ireland, was probably 
born in what is now York County, Penn 
sylvania, April 1, 1743, although most 
biographers state he was born in Ireland. 
He was educated at the school of Rev. Mr. 
Allison, Chester County, and studied the 
profession of law. He served as an en- 
sign in Capt. James Hendrick's Company, 



of the First Pennsylvania Battalion, in 
Col. Henry Bouquet's expedition of 1764, 
and there received his first experience in 
the military art. At the outset of the 
Revolutionary struggle he entered the 
Pennsylvania Line as major of the Eighth 
Regiment, commissioned July 20, 1776; 
was promoted lieutenant-colonel March 12, 
1777, ranking from Au,gust 28, 1776, and 
transferred to lieutenant-colonel of Mor- 
gan's rifle command, June 9, 1777, whom 
he afterward succeeded, and distinguished 
himself on many occasions. This regiment 
was made up of picked men detached from- 
the several regiments of the Pennsylvania, 
Maryland and Virginia Line. He was 
considered by Washington and General 
Wayne one of the ablest partisan officers 
of the Revolution and most familiar with 
Indian life and affairs. It is said that he 
knew several Indian dialects, and had been 
requested by the commander-in-chief to 
compile an Indian vocabulary. 

"AVhen General Burgoyne advanced 
against General Gates, WasMngton sent 
Butler's Rifles from the banks of the Dela- 
ware to protect the flank and rear of Gates 
from the Indians under Brant; and after 
participating most efficiently and suc- 
cessfully in the battle of Saratoga, Octo- 
ber, 1777, were ordered back to Washing- 
ton's headquarters. The same regiment 
distinguished itself at the battle of Mon- 
mouth, June, 1778, and when AVashington, 
in a dispatch to Congress, animadverted 
on the conduct of Gen. Charles Lee on 
that occasion, he also stated that 'Colonel 
Butler's was the only command which 
lired a gun.' He was promoted colonel of 
the Ninth Pennsylvania, and under his 
command this regiment took a prominent 
and honorable share in the capture of 
Stonv Point; and St. Clair to Reed, in a 
letter dated July 25, 1779, says: 'My 
friend. Colonel Butler, commanded one of 
the attacks and distinguished himself.' 

"After the revolt in the Pennsylvania 
Line, the Ninth Regiment generally reen- 



76 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



listed under their old colonel and his cap- 
tains in the Fifth Pennsylvania, who com- 
manded it during the campaign under 
General Wayne in the south. Of his 
career in that department we have extant a 
characteristic letter to Gen. William Irvine, 
published in the first volume of 'Pennsyl- 
vania in the War of the Revolution. ' Gen. 
Henry Lee, in his ' Memoirs of the War in 
the Southern Department of the United 
States,' alludes to the incidents referred 
to in that letter as follows : 

Wliile in his camp before Williauisbmg the British 
general learned that we had some boats and stores on the 
Chickahominy River. Hither he detached Lieutenant- 
colonel Sinifoe, with his corps and the Yagers, to de- 
stroy them. This service was promptly performed; but 
the .\nicric:in general, having discovered from his ex- 
ploring parties the march of Simcoe, detached on the 
2(ith, Lieutenant-folonel Butler, of the Pennsylvania 
Line, iln- i.-ihiw iir.I '^c.iiiul and rival of Morgan at Sara- 
tov;;!. I lir liilr ci.riis, under Majors Call and Willis, and 
tlie r;i\:(li\, wlii.li c|i,| niit in the whole exceed one hun- 
dred and twenly rtl'crtivos, composed Butler's van. 
Major Mael'lieison of Pennsylvania led this corps, and 
having mounted some infantry behind the remnant of 
Armand's Dragoons, overtook Simcoe on his return near 
Spencer's plantation, six or seven miles above Williams- 
burg. Tlie suddenness of MacPherson 's attack threw the 
Yagers into confusion; but the Queen's Rangers quickly 
deployed, and advanced to the support of the Yagers. 

('a]l and Willis had now got up to MacPherson 's 
^\i[i|MMi «illi till i? riflemen, and the action became fierce. 
Lieulrnaiit l,..llar. at the head of a squadron of Sim- 
cue V lliissais, fell on .Armand's remnant and drove it 
out of line, making Lieutenant Breso and .several privates 
prisoners. Following his blow, Lollar turned upon our 
riflemen, then pressing upon the Queen's Rangers; and 
at the same moment. Captain Ogilvie, of the Legion 
Cavalry, who had been sent that morning from camp with 
his troops for the collection of forage, accidentally 
appeared on our left flank. The rifle corps fell back in 
confusion upon Butler, drawn up in the rear with his 
Continentals. Satisfied with the repulse of the assailing 
troops. Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe began to retire; nor 
was he further pressed by Butler, as Cornwallis had 
moved with the main body, on hearing the first fire, to 
shield Simcoe. 

"In October following, in view of 
Colonel Butler's valuable services prior 
to and at the capture of Y'orktown, he was 
honorably designated to plant our flag 
upon the British works after the surrender 
of Cornwallis; and though Colonel Butler 
detailed for this purpose his ensign, Maj. 
Ebenezer Denny, being probably partial to 
him as coming from his own town, Carlisle, 



where the families were near neighbors, 
yet Baron Steuben, unexpectedly and of- 
fensively, appropriated this honor to him- 
self, and Colonel Butler that night 'sent 
the arrogant foreigner a message, as 
everyone expected, and it took all the in- 
fluence of Rochambeau and WashingtoH 
to prevent a. hostile, meeting.' In this 
business, however, we have the following 
statement, according to which the baron's 
conduct was approved: When the com- 
missioners were discussing and arranging 
the terms of surrender, Lafayette, whose 
turn it was next to command the trenches, 
marched with his division to relieve the 
baron. The latter lefused to be relieved, 
iirging that having received the flag, the 
rules of European warfare' secured him 
the right to retain the command until the 
surrender of the place. Lafayette ap- 
pealed to Washington who, after consult- 
ing Count Rochambeau, and other foreign 
officers, informed him that the baron was 
entitled to the command, and must retain 
it until the matter under discussion should 
be decided. 

"On a plan of Carlisle, made in 1764, 
tbe Butler home is then and there indi- 
cated as being on lot 61, A\'pst Main Sti'eet. 
W^e have some letters written by him, and 
afterwards by his widow, as well as let- 
ters which we carefully copied from the 
originals now among the archives of the 
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, writ- 
ten by him to a friend. Gen. William 
Irvine, then commissioner of public ac- 
counts in New York, and they indicate 
Carlisle as his home. These letters, which 
are dated at Carlisle, besides some written 
by him thither when absent in the field of 
military service, extend from September, 
1782, to July, 1789. In September, 1789, 
his letters begin to be dated at Pittsburg, 
and the last one we have, posted from 
Pittsburg, is in August, 1790. It was the 
next year that he was killed in battle. We 
are thus particular, as these facts are not 
generally known, and in order to estalilish 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



77 



the claims of Carlisle to liim as beiug a 
resident and citizen of the place the 
greater part of his life. 

"After the close of the Revolutionary 
War. and when residing in Carlisle, the 
public service repeatedly called his atten- 
tion and presence elsewhere, especially to 
Port Pitt, on business relating to the In- 
dians, with whom he was well acquainted, 
and a very trusted commissioner of the 
Government among them, and hence he 
was generally and favorably known in that 
place. As an evidence of this statement, 
we will here mention what might now be 
regarded as a small matter, but, in the 
olden time, it was intended as a marked 
compliment and tribute to a great and 
popular man. Brackenridge, in his ' Recol- 
lections,' speaking of taverns and tavern- 
keepers of Pittsburg, says: 'When I can 
first remember, the sign of General Butler 
ke])t by Patrick Muriihy, was the head 
tavern, and the first hotel in the town, just 
as the i)ainted portrait of Washington or 
Lafayette or Jackson, or Perry, was often 
hoisted at the front of a public house to 
dignify and distinguish it, and to attract 
patronage. Throughout these many years 
a street in Pittsburg bears his name. 
Many" a partial parent called a sou after 
him. General O'Hara, of Pittsburg, gave 
the name of Richard Butler to one of his 
sons, with whom we were intimately ac- 
quainted, whose family we often visited 
at Guyasutha Place, and where still re- 
sides his only living daughter, Mrs. Will- 
iam M. Darlington. Butler County, as 
well as the town of Butler, was named in 
honor of the general, and the same honor- 
able name has been conferred on counties, 
and towns, and townships in other sections 
of the Union.' 

"But what had been his character and 
public services'? We answer briefly: He 
^as a brave and intrepid soldier, quick to 
perceive duty and as quick to perform it, 
and be possessed in a high degree the at- 



tachment of iiis men and tlie confidence of 
Washington. 

"Colonel Butler was at Fort Mcintosh, 
now Beaver, on the 29th of September, 
1785. as his will, to which we shall pres- 
ently refer, was dated at that place. 'The 
will,' writes Judge M. C. Herman, of Car- 
lisle, to whom we are indebted for some of 
the facts here given, ' appears to have been 
written hurriedly, and on the. eve of some 
dangerous expedition, for he says': 

Being in perfect health and senses think it niv duty 
(as I am going far from my family, and into some 
degree of danger more than generally attend at my 
happy and peaceful home), to make such arrangement of 
my worldly affairs as I wish and desire may take place 
in ease of my death, which I hope for the sake of my 
family, the Great and Almighty God will avert. 

"Upon the return from this expedition. 
Colonel Butler remained at Pittsburg, and 
owning considerable property in that 
neighborhood, he was quite prominent in 
securing the formation of the new county 
of Allegheny. The Supreme Executive 
Council of Pennsylvania, appointed him, 
September 30, 1788, lieutenant for that 
county, and on the 2nd of October follow- 
ing, the General Assembly appointed him 
commissioner, with Col. John Gibson, to 
[)urchase from the Indians their claim to 
the triangle on Lake Erie. In November. 
1788, in connection with his brother, Will- 
iam Butler, James Robinson and Daniel 
Elliott, made purchase of the reserved lots 
opposite the town of Pittsburg. He was 
commissioned one of the judges of the 
Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny 
County, November 21, 1788, which he re- 
signed in December, 1790, having been 
elected to the Assembly from the district 
composed of Allegheny and Westmoreland 
Counties. 

"Upon the expiration of his term of 
service in the Assembly, Colonel Butler re- 
turned to Pittsburg. The failure of Gen. 
Josiah Harmer's expedition against the 
western Indians occurred in the autumn 
of 1790. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was then 



78 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



appointed commander-in-chief of the 
United States army. Colonel Butler was 
appointed major-general, and second in 
command, and fell, when that army was 
defeated on the Miami, in the bloody battle 
fought against the allied Indians under 
Brant, on the 4th of November, 1791. The 
expedition had originally numbered about 
2,000 men; on the day of action it had 
been reduced to about 1,400, and of this 
force 913 were killed, wounded and miss- 
ing. A battalion of artillery was almost 
entirely destroyed. St. Clair was a great 
civilian and brave soldier, but, like the 
unfortunate Braddock, i^robably did not 
sufficiently understand and appreciate 
Indian warfare, or his army may not have 
been properly trained and disciplined to 
meet such a foe ; and many believed that if 
Butler had had the command, the result 
would have been dififerent. Two of his 
brothers. Cols. Thomas and Edward But- 
ler, were also in the disastrous battle in 
which the general had fallen, and the first 
was severely wounded. Maj. Ebenezer 
Denny, the aid-de-camp of General St. 
Clair (he had previously been the aid-de- 
camp to General Harmer, after whom he 
named his eldest son, and he named his 
youngest son after St. Clair), gives a de- 
tailed account of that battle in his military 
journal; and his son. Dr. William H. 
Denny, in his admirable memoir of his 
father, thus speaks of it : 

After General Butler had received his first wound, he 
continued to walk in front, close along the line, with his 
coat off and his arm in a sling, encouraging the men, 
and retired only after receiving a second wound in the 
side. The commander-in-chief sent Major Denny, with 
his compliments, to inquire how he was. He found him 
in the middle of the camp, in a sitting posture, supported 
by knap-sacks; the rifle balls of the Indians, who now 
surrounded closely the whole camp, concentrated upon 
that point. One of the wounded general's servants and 
two horses were shot here. He seemed, however, to have 
no anxiety, and to the inquiry of the aid-de-camp, he 
answered that he felt well. Whilst making this reply, a 
young cadet from Virginia, who stood by his side, was 
hit on the cap of the knee by a spent ball, and cried so 
loudly with the pain and the alarm, that General Butler 
actually shook his wounded side with laughter. This 
satisfied Major Denny that the second wound was not 
mortal, that the General being very fleshy, the ball might 



not have penetrated a vital part. He always believed 
that he might have been brought away and his life 
saved. Probably Ms own aid-de-camp, Maj. John Mor- 
gan, may have offered to bring him off, as was his duty, 
and the wounded General declined, conscious that Ms 
weight and helplessness would only encumber his brave 
voung friend for no use. and hinder him from saving 
iiimself. 

"About the time to which reference is 
here made, it is reliably stated that the 
youngest brother, Capt. Edward Butler, 
removed the general from the field and 
placed him near the road by which he knew 
the army must retreat, and on returning 
to the field found his other brother, Maj. 
Thomas Butler, shot through both legs. 
He then removed him to the side of the 
general, who, learning that the army was 
in retreat, insisted on being left alone, as 
he was mortally wounded, and that he 
should endeavor to save their wounded 
brother. He consequently placed Thomas 
on an artillery horse captured from a re- 
treating soldier, and taking a sad leave of 
their gallant and noble brother, 'they left 
him in his glory.' A letter from Edward 
Butler to his Brother Pierce, of Kentucky, 
dated Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, 
November 11, 1791, says: 

Yesterday I arrived here with our worthy brother. 
Major Thomas Butler, who is illy wounded, he having 
one leg broken and shot through the other. I hope, 
however, he will do well. He has borne the hard fortune 
of that day with the soldiery fortitude you might have 
expected from so brave a man. We left the worthiest of 
brothers, Gen. Richard Butler, in the hands of the sav- 
ages, but so nearly dead that, I hope, he was not sensible 
of any cruelty they might willingly wreak upon him. 

"We do not know just when he died or 
how he died. All we know of his end is, 
that, out of regard for the welfare of 
others, and with a heroic and self-sacrific- 
ing spirit, he desired to be left behind. 
His desire was granted, sadly and reluc- 
tantly, and we, too, can only hope that he 
was not conscious of any savage indignity. 
In the autumn of 1793, General Wayne, 
who had succeeded General St. Clair, in 
his expedition against the allied Indians, 
obtained possession of the ground on which 
the Americans had been defeated in 1791. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



79 



which he fortified and named Fort Recov- 
ery. Here he carefully collected, and with 
the honors of war, interred the bones of 
the slain of the 4th of November, 1791. 

"Sixty years after the death of General 
Butler, his nephew, Col. E. G. W. Butler, 
son of Col. Edward Butler, received his 
Uncle Richard's sword, a 'Toledo,' from 
Gen. W. L. Gaither, of Maryland, who said 
it had been presented to his ancestor. Ma- 
jor Gaither, by General Butler, after his 
brothers had left him, and handed down 
through two generations with the injunc- 
tion of the former, 'never to wipe from 
the blade the blood of Butler.' It was 
given to Colonel Butler because of the 
efforts of his father to save the life of its 
gallant owner, and by its side rests the 
sword of his wounded brother, Thomas, 
given to Colonel Butler by his eldest son, 
because the father of the former saved his 
father's life. Both bear the motto, in 
French: 'Draw me uot without just 
cause'; and on the other side : 'Sheath me 
not without honor.' 

"Col. William D. Wilkins, son of the 
late venerable Judge Ross Wilkins, of 
Michigan, has the military journal of Gen. 
Richard Butler during the campaign of 
1791. at the back of which are recorded the 
roster of officers for duty, and also General 
Butler's mess account and memoranda of 
expenditures. The order of battle and 
march was being entered at the very mo- 
ment of the attack by the enemy, and the 
change in the handwriting, from a very 
fair caligraphy to the nervous, blotted 
writing of an agitated and excited man, is 
quite significant. 

"Then follows a hiatus of several days 
and the series of orders recommences at 



Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, to 
which the -army fell back after its defeat, 
with a melancholy list of the killed and 
wounded, in which Butler's command (em- 
bracing the first and second Pennsylvania 
levies and battalion of Kentucky miUtia) 
suffered fearfully. The book is a very 
curious picture and record of the ancient 
military life, discipline and manners of the 
DeKalb and Steuben period, and shows 
General Butler to have been a skillful, 
judicious and accomplished officer, well 
versed in his ijrofession, thoughtful of the . 
welfare of his men, and solicitous for the 
honor of his country. 

"Gen. Richard Butler's will,* as stated, 
was dated September 29, 1785, and is re- 
corded at Carlisle. In it he mentions his 
wife Mary, and children, William and 
Mary, the rearing and educating of whom 
is entrusted to his wife. His estate con- 
sisted of a 'house and lot in Carlisle,' 
'furnitiire, plate, etc.,' tract of land 'war- 
ranted in the name of John Beard, situate 
on Plumb Creek, Westmoreland County, 
adjoining land of the late Col. George 
Croghan'; tract of land in Allegheny 
County; lots in Pittsburg, adjoining lots 
of William Butler; one thousand acres of 
hmd, being a donation of the State of 
Pennsylvania, and six hundred acres of 
land, a donation of the United States in 
Congress — 'these donations are for my 
services as colonel in the Army of the 
United States, ' and other property, includ- 
ing 'horses, cows and farming utensils at 
and near Carlisle.' The executors named 
in his will are his wife Mary, his brother 
William, his 'respected friend Thomas 
Smith, Esq., attorney-at-law, Carlisle, and 
my friend John Montgomery, Esq.' " 



CHAPTER III 



LAND TITLES 



Naming of- Pennsylvania — Extinguishment of the Indian Title — The Erie Triangle- 
Boundary Line Disputes — Ferguson's Wanton Act — The Depreciation Lands — 
The Donation Lands^Drawn by Lottery — The "Struck" District — The Settlement 
Laio of 1792 — Robert Morris — Agrarian Troubles — The Shooting of Maxwell — 
The End of the Land Jobbers — The McKee and Varnum Case. 



It is conuixmly supposed that Pennsyl- 
vania was so named by her founder in 
honor of himself. As a matter of fact, 
Penn wished to call his province New 
Wales, but King Charles II. objected. In 
view of the fact that the country was heav- 
ily timbered, Penn proposed the name 
Sylvania. The king agreed to this as a 
portion of the title, and to do honor to the 
distinguished admiral, the father of Will- 
iam Penn, he prefixed the word Penn to 
Sylvania, and named the jjrovince Penn- 
sylvania. Admiral Penn at the time of 
his death had claims against the crown 
amounting to sixteen thousand pounds, or 
about eighty thousand dollars. It was in 
liquidation of these claims that the title 
to all of the lands in the charter limits of 
Pennsylvania was vested in William Penn. 
The charter conveying the magnificent 
province dated March 4, 1681, is the 
foundation of all land titles in the State. 
The province contMined al)out thirty-five 
million, three hundred and sixty-one thou- 
sand, six hundred acres. The final adjust- 
ment of the charter boundaries with Vir- 
ginia, Maryland and New York did not 
take place for many years after the grant- 
ing of the charter. Penn died in 1718, and 



by his will, made in 1712, he devised his 
lands, rents, etc., in trust to his wife, Han- 
nah, to dispose of so much as was neces- 
sary to pay his debts, and then to convey 
forty thousand acres to William Penn, Jr., 
his son by a former wife, and the rest of 
his vast estate to his children by his sec- 
ond wife. The title was vested in them 
until 1778, when it was assumed by the 
State or colony. 

EXTINGUISHMENT OF INDIAN TITLE. 

The first Indian purchase after the char 
ter was made by William Markham, a 
relative of the proprietor, in July, 1682, 
and secured the right to a small territory 
about the size of Bucks County. In 1683, 
1684, and 1685 deeds were executed for 
small parcels of land west of the Schuyl- 
kill and on the Susquehanna. 

In 1686 the deed for the much disputed 
"walking purchase," of which one of the 
boundaries was "as far as a man can go 
in one day and a half," is said to have 
been obtained. Other lands were pur- 
chased from the Indians in 1696, and in 
subsequent years, but the lands freed from 
their claim were of comparatively small 
extent prior to 1718. The most important 



AND RRPRKSENTATIVE CITIZENS 



«1 



i-eliiKluishment of Indian titles were made 
by deeds and treaties executed in 17;i6, 
1749, 1754, 1768, and 1784. It is with the 
last of these treaties that the reader of the 
history of Butler County is most con- 
cerned. The Indian title to the land north- 
west of the Allegheny River was extin- 
guished by the treaty of Fort Stauwix in 
1784. Since the year 1768, when the first 
treaty of Port Stanwix was made, the 
northwestern boundary of the Indian pur- 
chases in the State ran from the Susque- 
hanna on the New York line to Towanda 
Creek, tlieuee to the head of Pine Cireek 
in Lycoming County, and down the xVUe- 
gheny and the Ohio to the west lines of the 
State. The purchase of 1784 included all 
of the lands in the State except a triangle 
in Erie County, embracing the present 
counties of Butler, Clarion, Jefferson, Elk, 
Cameron, Potter, Kane, Warren, Forrest, 
V^enango, Crawford, Mercer, and Law- 
rence, and parts of the counties of Beaver, 
Erie, Allegheny, Armstrong, Indiana, 
Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Tioga and 
Bradford. 

Distinguished men represented the 
riiitcd States at the treaty of Fort Stan- 
wix, among whom are Gen. Richard But- 
ler, Oliver Wollcott, and Arthur Lee. 
General Lafayette was also i^resent. The 
Indian tribes represented were the Mo- 
liawks, Onondagas, Senecas, Cayugas, 
Tuscaroras.'and the Cornplanter band of 
Senecas. Among the chieftains present 
were Coru])lauter and Red Jacket. The 
latter was opposed to joeace and made a 
war speech, which Lafayette said was a 
masterpiece. Cornplanter saw the folly of 
waging a war single-handed, and exerted 
all of his powers for peace. After a long 
•■onference, the treaty was signed on the 
L'"2d of October. 

THE ERIE TBIANGLE. 

What is known as the triangle of the 
northern part of Erie County was not 
within the charter boundaries of the prov- 



ince. This tract containing an area of 
202,187 acres was by the cessions of New 
York in 1781, by Massachusetts in 1785, 
and by Connecticut in 1786, left out of the 
jurisdiction of any particular State. AVhile 
surveying the donation land of northwest- 
ern Pennsylvania, General Irvine dis- 
covered that the northern charter boun- 
dary of the State would strike Lake Erie 
so as to leave but a few miles of lake coast, 
and that without a harbor in the State. In 
consequence of his representations a move 
ment was set on foot to secure from the 
Indians and the United States the cession 
of the triangle to Pennsylvania. This 
cession was secured in 1792. 

BOUNDARY LINE DISPUTES. 

The settlement of boundary lines be 
tweeu Pennsylvania and surrounding colo 
nies w^as attended with much difficulty. 
Had the claim of Lord Baltimore of Mary- 
land been conceded, the line would have 
been run twenty miles or more north of 
the present boundary, and Pennsylvania 
would have lost about three million acres 
of her most fertile land. Had Penn's 
claim been conceded, the consequences 
would have been still more serious to 
Maryland. She would have lost all of her 
territory north of Annapolis, including the 
site of Baltimore and several other towns, 
which includes about two-thirds of the 
area of the State. The existing boundary 
known as Mason and Dixon line was run 
in the years 1767 and 1768, and the agree 
ment was ratified by the king in 1769. 

The controversy between Virginia and 
Pennsylvania in regard to the ownership 
of territory assumed its most important 
aspect about the time the Maryland ques 
tion was settled. The Pittsburg region 
appears to have first been the subject of 
controversy in 1752, when Thomas Penn 
wrote to the governor of the province de- 
siring him to enter into any reasonable 
measures to assist the governor of Vir 
ginia to build a fort at the forks of the 



82 



HISTORY OF BIJTI.P]R COUNTY 



Oliio, and take some acknowledgmeut 
from him that this settlement should not 
be made use of to prejudice the rights of 
the proprietor of the country. 

Governor Diuwiddie, of Virginia, on tlic 
19th of February, 1754, announced his in- 
tentions of biiilding a fort on the Ohio to 
oppose the encroachments of the French 
and offered the men who were to be en- 
gaged in the work over and above their 
pay two hundred thousand acres of land, 
one hundred thousand acres of which 
should be contiguous to the fort, and the 
other one hundred thousand on or near the 
river. This proclamation was transmitted 
to Governor Hamilton, of Pennsylvania, 
and the latter replied that, having inquired 
into the extent of the province westwardly, 
lie had the greatest reasons to believe that 
the lands intended to be granted were 
within the limits of the province of Penn- 
sylvania. Governor Dinwiddle was equally 
firm in his belief that the land and fort 
were within the jurisdiction of Virginia, 
and thus it came about that the region 
around Pittsburg became the bone of 
double contention. England and France 
went to war about it, and Virginia and 
Pennsylvania began a controversy which 
endured for more than twenty years, in 
the course of which much ill blood and 
angry feeling were displayed. The matter 
was not finally settled until 1782, when the 
present line betweer. Pennsylvania and 
West Virginia was agreed upon, which is 
an extension of j\l ison and Dixon's line. 
The line was not completed and perma- 
nently marked until 1784. 

The new purchase of 1784 was confirmed 
by the Wyandotte and Delaware Indians 
January 21, 1885, and soon after settlers 
began to flock into the territory from the 
west branch of the Susquehanna. It was 
not until 1795 that the early pioneers 
crossed the Allegheny River and pene- 
trated the vast wildernesses of Butler 
County and the territory lying north to 
Tiake Erie. 



The record of the treaties made with the 
Indians after the famous "walking pur- 
chase," reflects no great amount of credits 
on the white invaders of the country. The 
new comers from the north of Ireland had 
no thought for the original occupiers of 
the land, and, as proved by their deter- 
mined opposition to Penn's surveyors and 
rent collectors in the Gettysburg country, 
did not even respect the claims of the pro- 
prietors of the province where such claims 
interfered with their own interest. Strong 
and warlike and without mercy in war, 
they marched forward to occupy the land 
and began the commencement of the end 
at the neighboring town of Kittanning on 
the Allegheny River. Then followed 
treaties which were broken with impunity 
by the whites whenever it was to their in- 
terest to do so, while the Indians were held 
to a strict compliance with them. The first 
treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768 was an 
affair of this kind. The colony or pro- 
prietary then got a show of title eastward 
to the Allegheny south of Kittanning. In 
1878 the title became vested in the State of 
Pennsylvania, and from that period to 
1794 the war was between her citizens and 
the Indians. 

As the years passed by, the Indians 
realized the plans of the invaders, and 
determined to hold in check the advance of 
the white race. They expressed them- 
selves plainly, but the aggressive people 
of trade and commerce disregarded the 
warning, and pushing forward their ad- 
vantages, brought on the Indian wars that 
terrorized the western section of the State 
for half a century. The first organized 
attack made by the English-speaking colo- 
nists in the vicinity of Butler County was 
that on the Delaware Indian town at Kit- 
tanning. This attack was made by three 
hundred and seven soldiers under Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Armstrong in September, 
1756. The Indian town was burned and 
with it many Indian women and children. 

The colonists lost seventeen killed, thir- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



83 



teen wounded, and nineteen missing. A 
number of whites held captives by the In- 
dians were released. 

feeguson's wanton act. 

In 1796 while John Gibson and William 
Ferguson were en route to Butler County 
they discovered a canoe full of Indians on 
the river near Brady's Bend. More than 
one of Ferguson's relations had been mur- 
dered by the savages, and as a consequence, 
he bore no love for the redskins. Here 
was an opportunity for revenge, and avail- 
ing himself of it, he fired on the party and 
killed one of the savages. He then fled 
toward Butler County and made his 
escape. The following year John Alexan- 
der and Hugh Gibson settled permanently 
on land selected in the limits of the county 
the previous year. Soon after their ar- 
rival, two giant Indians presented them- 
selves at the cabin door. Hugh Gibson, a 
boy of fifteen, was alone at tlie cabin and 
was very much scared, but the Indians 
merely asked for something to eat and 
when their hunger was satisfied with some 
cucumbers and cake furnished by young 
Gibson they passed on. 

As late as 1818 the Cornplanter Indians 
visited Butler County for their annual 
hunt during the winter season. As the 
animals would fall, the wild hunters would 
dress them carefully and then hang the 
carcass high up in the branches of a tree 
beyond the reach of wolves, and in places 
where bears would not venture. In later 
years straggling Indians from the Seneca 
reservation visited the county, but after 
the murder of the Wigton family in 1842 
by Mohawk, the representatives of the In- 
dian tribes avoided Butler County. 

THE DEPRECIATION L.4NDS. 

Before the title to the region northwest 
of the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers and 
Conewango Creek had been secured, the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was tak- 
ing steps for disposing of these lands. 



During the later years of the Revolution 
the value of the bills of credit issued by 
Pennsylvania, as well as those issued by 
Congress, gradually depreciated until 
they fell to a mere nominal value. Conse- 
quently great losses were experienced by 
the holders of the State certificates. The 
officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania 
line and the State troops especially suf- 
fered, as they received the certificates in 
payment for their services. Disputes con- 
stantly arose in relation to the deductions 
to be made from the face of the cer- 
tificates. To remedy this inconvenience, 
the State legislature on the 3rd of April, 
1781, passed an act fixing a scale of depre- 
ciation varying from li/o to 75 per cent, 
for each mouth between the years 1777 
and 1781. According to which the accounts 
of the army could be settled. Unable 
otherwise to pay its troops, the State gave 
the officers and soldiers cei'tificates in con- 
formity with the prescribed scale, which 
were made receivable in payment for lands 
sold by the State. These were called 
' ' Depreciation Certificates, ' ' and the lands 
thus purchased were called the "Depre- 
ciation Lands." 

In order to provide for the redemption 
of these Depreciation Certificates, an act 
was passed on the 12th of March, 1783, 
which described the boundaries of the 
Depreciation Lands. The boundary began 
at a point where the western line of the 
State crosses the Ohio River; thence up 
the said river to Fort Pitt; thence up the 
Allegheny River to the mouth of Mahoning 
Creek; thence by a west line to the west- 
ern boundary of the State; thence south 
by said boundary to the place of begin- 
ning, "reserving to the use of the State 
3,000 acres in an oblong not less than one 
mile in depth, from the Allegheny and 
Ohio Rivers and up and down the said 
rivers from Fort Pitt as far as may be 
necessary to include the same; and a fur- 
ther quantity of 3,000 acres on the Ohio 
River on both sides of Beaver Creek, in 



84 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



eluding Fort Mcintosh." The surveyor 
general of the State was instructed to 
cause the aforesaid tract of land to be laid 
out in lots of not less than two hundred, 
nor moi-e than three hundred and fifty 
acres each, numbering the same lots 
numerically on the draft or plat of the 
country aforesaid, and "shall as soon as 
the same, or one hundred lots thereof, are 
surveyed, together with the secretary of 
the land office and receiver general, pro- 
ceed to sell the same lots under such 
regulations as shall be appointed by the 
Supreme Executive Council. The full con- 
sideration bid at such sales shall be paid 
into the receiver general's office either in 
gold or silver, or in the certificates afore- 
said, upon full payment of which consider- 
ation and the expense of surveying, to- 
gether with all fees of the different offices, 
patents shall be issued in the usual form 
to the several buyers or vendors and the 
different sums in specie that may be paid 
into the receiver general's office, shall be 
by him paid over to the treasury of this 
State for the purpose of redeeming such 
certificates as may remain nqsatisfied at 
the end of such sales." 

The northern boundary line of the De- 
preciation Lands passed east and west 
almost centrally through Butler County, 
through the center of Donegal, Oakland, 
Center, Franklin, and Muddy Creek Town- 
ships, passing close to the village of North 
Oakland, Holyoke Church, and south of 
the village of Portcrsville. It was about 
four miles uortli of the borough of Butler. 
The southern half of the townships above 
mentioned and all of the townships in the 
southern part of the county including But- 
ler Borough were included in these lands. 

The Depreciation Lands were divided 
into districts which were assigned to a 
deputy surveyor and the dividing lines 
ran southward from the northern boundary 
line to the Allegheny or Ohio River, as the 
case might be, and were parallel. The dis- 
tricts were named after the surveyors, and 



are numbered from east to west beginning 
at the Allegheny River. The first district 
in Butler County is known as Elder's dis- 
trict, and extended about four miles west 
of the eastern boundary of the county. 
The territory comprised the eastern sec- 
tions of Buffalo, Winfield, Clearfield, and 
Donegal Townships to the northern boun- 
dary. The second district was known as 
James Cunningham's, and was the largest 
district in the county. It extended from 
the western boundary of Elder's district 
ten miles west to a point about one-half 
mile fi-om the western line of Middlesex, 
Perin, Butler, and Center Townships, and 
in addition to these townships included 
part of Oakland, all of Summit, Jefferson 
and Clinton, and parts of Donegal, Clear- 
field, Winfield and Buffalo. The area of 
this district within the limits of Butler 
County was approximately 150,000 acres, - 
and within the limits of Allegheny County 
nearly as much more. West of the Cun- 
ningham district was Jones' district, which 
comprised part of Franklin Township, 
all of Connoquenessing, Forward and 
Adams Townships, including the villages 
of ]\It. Chestnut, Prospect, Whitestown, 
Connoquenessing, and the town of Mars. 
The fourth district was Nicholson's, and 
the fifth district was Alexander's, the 
dividing line between the two being about 
four miles east of the western boundary 
of the county, and dividing the townships 
of Cranberry, Jackson, Lancaster, and 
Muddy Creek. Evans City is in Nichol- 
son's district, and the towns of Harmony 
and Zelienople and the village of Middle 
Lancaster are in Alexander's district. 
Other districts were created in a similar 
manner extending to the western boundary 
of the State. As a rule the western dis- 
tricts were much smaller than those of 
Butler CoTinty. 

THE DONATION LANDS. 

By a legislative act passed March 7, 
1780, the faith of the State was pledged to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



bestow upon the officers and privates of 
the Federal army belonging to the State, 
certain donations and quantities of land 
according to their several ranks, to be sur- 
veyed and divided oflf to them severally at 
the close of the war. 

For the purpose of effectually comply- 
ing with the intention of the act, the legis- 
lature on the 12th of Alarcli, 1783, or- 
dained "that there be and there is hereby 
declared to be located and laid off a cer- 
tain tract of country beginning at the 
mouth of Mahoning Creek; thence up the 
mouth of the Allegheny River to Cone- 
wango Creek; thence due north to the 
northern boundary of this State; thence 
west by the said boundary to the north- 
west corner of the State; thence south by 
the western boundary of the State to the 
northwest corner of the Depreciation 
Lands, and thence by the same lands east 
to the place of beginning, which said tract 
of land shall be reserved and set apart 
for the only and sole use of carrying into 
execution the said resolve." 

The act provided that all officers and pri- 
vates entitled to land as aforesaid, should 
make their respective claims for the same 
within two years after peace had been de- 
clared, and in the case of failure to make 
such application in person or in tliat of 
their legal representatives within one year 
after their decease, then it may be lawful 
for any person or persons to apply to the 
land office, locate and take up sucli ]iarts 
or parcels of land upon such terms as the 
legislature shall direct. 

The legislature passed an ■,\c\ on the 
24th of :\Iarch, 17S5, providing tliat tlie 
Donation lands should be laid off in lots 
of four descriptions, one to contain five 
hundred acres each, another three hun- 
dred acres each, another two liuiidred and 
fifty acres each, and another two hundred 
acres each, with the usual allowances. 

The allotment made for major-generals, 
brigadier-generals, colonels, captains, and 
two-thirds of the lieutenant-colonels, was 



five hundred acres each. Regimental sur- 
i^eons, surgeons' mates, chaplains, majors, 
and ensigns, were allotted three hundred 
acres each. One-third of the lieutenant- 
colonels, sergeants, sergeant-majors, and 
(luartennaster-sergeants were allotted two 
hundred and fifty acres each. Lieuten- 
ants, corporals, drummevs, fifers, fife- 
majors, drimi-majors and privates, were 
allotted two hundred aci-es each. 

DRAWN BY LOTTERY. 

A lottery was provided for the impar- 
tial distribution of these donations. Each 
applicant, if a major-general, should draw 
four tickets from the wheel containing the 
munbers on the five hundred acre lots; if 
a brigadier-general, three tickets; if a 
colonel, two tickets; if a lieutenant-colonel, 
one ticket from the wheel containing five 
hundred acre lots, and one from the wheel 
containing the numbers of the two hun- 
dred and fifty acre lots ; if a surgeon, chap- 
lain or major, two tickets from the wheel 
containing the numbers on the three hun- 
dred acre lots; if a captain, one ticket from 
the wheel containing the five hundred acre 
lots ; if a lieutenant, two tickets from the 
wheel containing the two hundred acre 
lots; if an ensign, or surgeon's mate, one 
ticket from the wheel containing the three 
hundred acre lots; if a sergeant,, sergeant- 
majo]-, or quartermaster-sergeant, one 
ticket from the wheel containing the two 
hundred and fifty acre lots ; and if a drum- 
mer, drmn-major, fife-major, fifer, corpo- 
ral or private, one ticket from the wheel 
containing the numbers of the two hundred 
Mere lots. 

The Donation Lands in this county lie 
in the northern and northwestern portion 
and are comprised of Districts No. 1 and 
No. 2. District No. 1 is composed of parts 
of Franklin, Clav, Bradv, Mnddj Creek 
and Worth Townslilps, and District No. 2 
is composed of ]>avts of Cherry, Clay, 
A\ashing-tou. Brady, and Slippery Rock 
Townships. 



HISTORY OK BUTLER COUNTY 



THE "struck district. 

Under the law of 1785, an agent was ap- 
pointed whose duty it was to explore the 
Donation and Depreciation districts, ex- 
amine the quality of the lands, and espe- 
cially to report such as was in his opinion 
unfit for cultivation. Tliis duty was at- 
tended to by General Irvine, who explored 
Butler County, and reported that a part 
of the second division of the Donation 
Lands was generally unfit for cultivation, 
and in consequence, the lots included in it 
were withdrawn from the lottery and from 
this circumstance it was known as the 
"Struck District." 

A portion of the "Struck District" is 
in Butler County, and comprises the 
northeastern quarter, which in the last 
forty years has been the most valuable 
portion of the Butler, or lower oil region. 
A large proportion of the lauds in Butler 
County thus reserved from the distribu- 
tion of the soldiers, were originally as val 
uable as those in any part of the donation 
tract, and the oil development which came 
later made them the richest lands in the 
county. The "Struck District" com- 
prised what is now Allegheny, Venango, 
Marion, Mercer, Parker, Pairview, Con- 
cord, and parts of Donegal, Oakland, Cen 
ter, Clay, Washington, Cherry, and Sli]* 
pery Rock Townships. 

The lands in the "Struck District" were 
disposed of by warrant and patent the 
same as other lands of western Pennsyl- 
vania under the settlement law of 1792. 
These lands were sold by the State to the 
settlers from April 3, 1792, to the 28th of 
March, 1813, for $20 per one hundred 



THK SETTLEMENT LAW OF 1792. 

The lands in the triangle in Erie County, 
the "Struck District," and the residue of 
the lands in the depreciation and donation 
districts, including the greater portion of 
them not taken up by the claims of the 



officers and the soldiers of the Revolutiou- 
arv army, were oifered for sale under the 
act of the 3rd of April, 1792, which is 
known as the Settlement Law of that 
year. The price of the vacant lands within 
the purchase of 1768, excepting such lands 
as had been previously settled on or im- 
proved, was reduced to the sum of fifty 
shillings for every one hundred acres, and 
the ]:)rice of vacant lands within the pur- 
chase of 1784 and lying east of the Alle- 
gheny River and Conewango Creek, was 
reduced to the sum of five pounds for 
every hundred acres. All of the lands ly- 
ing north and west of the Ohio and Alle- 
gheny Rivers, including Butler County, 
except those appropriated to public or 
charitable uses, was offered for sale at 
seven ])ounds, ten shillings, or ttventy dol- 
lars, for every one hundrecl acres, witli an 
allowance of six per cent, for roads and 
highways. This purchase act implied ac- 
tual settlement of the land and improve- 
ments such as is now enforced in home- 
steading United States lands. 

The Indian wars to which reference has 
been made in a previous chapter rendered 
it impossible for the pioneers who located 
warrants imder the old acts, or bought 
lands under the act of 1792, to effect a 
settlement in this county prior to the proc- 
lamation of the treaty of Greenville ne- 
gotiated by General Wayne in 1795, and 
as a consequence the homestead or im- 
provement sections of that act were nulli- 
fied by the circumstances of the case, and 
later by the acts of speculators, until 1805, 
when the United States Court, through 
Chief Justice ^Marshall, gave a judgment 
on the main question, the lesser points in 
the controversy being settled by legisla- 
tive enactments. 

Much controversy arose out of the act 
of 1792 between the actual settlers and 
the land speculators, or jobbers as they 
were called, in Butler County. Tlie job- 
bers claimed that non-compliance with the 
provisions of the law requiring settlement 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



87 



to be made within two years after the pas- 
sage of the act, forfeited the right of own- 
ership. On tlie otlier hand the settlers 
contended that settlement was impossible 
prior to 1796, because of the Indian war, 
and that two years succeeding passiflca- 
tion should be allowed for the making of 
actual settlements and improvements pre- 
scribed. There was great diversity of 
opinion upon the bench as to the meaning 
of the act, and the controversy was finally 
carried up to the United States Supreme 
Court. 

ROBEBT MORRIS. 

Robert Morris, the Revolutionary pa- 
triot and Washington's secretary of the 
treasury, became a large owner of Butler 
County land, and many of the laud owners 
of today hold title through this celebrated, 
but unfortunate, patriot. Morris was the 
holder of a large amount of the depreci- 
ated scrip redeemable in western Pennsyl- 
vania lands, and influenced 1)y .Tjiuk's Cun- 
ningham, one of the survey o is df I he de- 
preciated lands, and afterwards liis agent, 
located a great ntmiber of warrants in the 
present limits of Butler County. This he 
was able to do by a process which, al- 
though undoubtedly conti'ary to the spirit 
of the law of 1792, was not in violation of 
any of its provisions. The warrants were 
made out in the year 1794 in the names of 
sundry citizens of Lancaster Couuty, 
Pennsylvania, most of them Germans, aud 
then assigned to Morris. The latter paid 
the monej's demanded, and eventually se 
cured patents to most of the tracts of land, 
but they bore on the maps of the surveyors 
the names of the Lancaster County men, 
obligingly lent for the purpose of assist- 
ing the speculator. Morris located three 
hundred and eleven warrants in Cunning- 
ham's district, which had been issued to 
men who served in the Pennsylvania Line 
of the Continental army. The area cov- 
ered by these warrants embraced about 
90.000 acres of land in the northern part 



of the district including the site of the 
borough of Butler. This wholesale sys- 
tem of land purchase was carried on in 
other counties until loaded down with real 
estate, the patriot lost all, and from 1796 
to 1802 was in a debtor's prison. He died 
May 8, 1806. 

AGHAKIAN TROUBLES. 

Litigation concerning title to land was 
more common within the limits of the Cun- 
ningham district than elsewhere in Butler 
County. Robert Morris' effects were sold 
in 1807 at marshal's sale in Philadelphia, 
and the warrants for the Butler County 
lauds went into the hands of Stephen Low- 
rey of Maryland and other speculators. 
Lowrey's purchase consisted of one hun- 
dred and seven warrants, which covered 
many tracts on which the pioneers had 
many permanent improvements, and the 
real troubles between the contending spec- 
ulators and the holders of the land began. 
Many of the settlers who had no warrants 
for the land were summarily dispossessed 
of their squatter homes by the land job- 
bers, and others were compelled to make 
terms as best they could. The feeling 
against the speculators ran very high, and 
considering the character of the frontiers- 
men with whom they had to deal, it is sur- 
prising that war did not result from the 
controversy other than that which was 
carried on in the courts. As it was, much 
ill feeling was engendered and on one oc- 
casion at least blood was shed. 

THE SHOOTING OF MAXWELL. 

The agrarian trouble on the Duffy farm 
west of the borough of Butler in 1815 was 
the direct outcome of the persecutions of 
the settlers by the land speculators which 
had been going on relentlessly for a period 
of almost twenty years. The land in ques- 
tion was part of the Morris estate which 
had been purchased by Stephen Lowrey, 
and the latter claimed ownership in 1815. 
Previous to this time the farm had been 



H^ 



1 1 IS TORY OF BUTLEK COUNTY 



entered by Abratuim Maxwell ou the 
ground that no i)revious settlement had 
be6d made on the tract in accordance with 
the act of 1782, and he was advised by his 
attorney, AVilliam Ayres, Esq., of Butler, 
that his claim was valid. He accordingly 
built a cabin on the ground and made quite 
an extensive clearing. The land was cov- 
ex'ed, however, by one of Morris's war- 
rants which liad been taken out in the 
name of Christian Stake, and was one of 
the 107 tracts which came into the hands 
of Lowrej' at the sale of Morris's estate. 
In the spring of 1S14 Maxwell leased the 
property" to Samuel Robb, and soon after- 
ward Lowrey brouglit suit of ejectment 
against the owner and the lessee and ob- 
tained a judgment in the United States 
court at Philadelphia. By reason of the de- 
fendant's default of appearance, the order 
of ejectment was placed in the hands of a 
d(']m1y iii;irslial iiamcd Parchment, wlio 
made )}r('i)aratioiis f.' disjjossess Robb. The 
hitter refused to give peaceable possession, 
and he was backed in his decision by the 
farmers in the surrounding country, many 
of whom had located ou land claimed by 
Lowrey and had suffered or expected to 
suffer ejectment. The officer did not then 
attemjit to use violence, but one morning 
in 0<-tober, 181.5, he returned to Butler 
with an organized posse for the purpose 
of carrying out the order of the court. The 
officer and his posse assembled at the old 
hotel on South Main Street, where the Wil- 
lard Hotel now stands, and there met a 
number of farmers from the surrounding 
country, all of whom were bitterly opposed 
to lancl jobbers in general, and Lowrey in 
particulai'. Both parties were armed with 
rifles. When the officer and his posse in- 
cluding the land owner, Lowrey, started 
out upon the road leading along the creek 
to Maxwell's cabin, they were closely fol- 
lowed by the farmers, who were deter- 
mined to oppose the- ejectment of Robb. 
The two parties met again at Robb's cabin, 
where. Robb iriet them iit the door and re- 



fused the deputy marshal possession. The 
members of the officer's party, the ai-med 
farmers, and the little squad of men and 
boys from the village who had followed 
the contestants to the spot from curiosity 
to see what tlie oulecmie would be, crowded 
around Parcliineiit and Uolib. When they 
heard the refusal of ti:e latter to yield to 
the officer's demand, and saw that no im- 
mediate effort was to be made to take 
forcible possession of the premises, they 
fell back and broke into little groups to 
talk over the situation. Lowrey and Max- 
well were standing close together convers- 
ing by the side of a rail fence which ran 
from the cabin to the public road when 
the confused sound of the many voices 
was suddenly pierced by the sharp crack 
of a rifle. Maxwell cried out, "I'm shot; 
I'm shot," and fell to the ground. Per- 
sons whose attention was not immediately 
drawn toward Maxwell saw a man, rifle 
in hand, bounding through the bushes up 
the hillside. Excitement and consterna- 
tion prevailed among the group of men 
at the cabin. Maxwell was apparently dy- 
ing, and his friends believed that the mur- 
derous shot was tired by one of Lowrey 's 
followers. The farmers excitedly abused 
Lowrey as tiie instigator of the crime, and 
threatene<l violence, and for a time it 
looked as though a serious riot would re- 
sult. The arguments of the cooler heads 
among the crowd finally prevailed, and 
the land speculator and the officers were 
allowed to depart in peace. Maxwell's 
wounds were of a serious nature and his 
life hung in the balance for many days, but 
he finally recovered, and at the end of two 
months was removed from Robb's cabin 
to his own home a few miles distant. 

The fact that Maxwell was shot led to 
the belief that one of the land speculator's 
party was guilty of the crime, but later 
when all the circumstances were reviewed, 
it became the opinioji of most of the people 
that the man who fired the shot was 
one of the farmers who sympathized with 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



Maxwell and that he was eudeavoriug to 
kill or at least wound, Lowrey. In the 
confusion he accidentally shot Maxwell, 
who was the chaniiiion of the squatters. 
It was never positively known who fired 
the shot, though it is said that Abraham 
McCandless, at one time sheriff of Butler 
County, who died in 1893, was ]u-esent at 
the tra.i^edy and with a playmate, Jacob 
Brinker, saw and recognized the man who 
fired the shot but whose identity, however, 
they never revealed. 

This occurrence was the means of 
changing most radicall.y the policy of the 
land speculators. Up to this time they 
had almost invai'iably dispossessed the 
settlers of their land by suits of ejectment, 
but after the shooting of Maxwell almost 
all of the contested claims for lands were 
compromised, the farmer being allowed a 
certain portion of the tract on which he 
was settled for his improvement, or 
granted the whole upon payment of a 7iom- 
inal sum of money. 

TflE END OF THE LAND JOBBERS. 

Prom the close of October, 1815 to July, 
1818, the land speculators resorted to 
compromise and arbitration rather than 
to law. In July, 1818, Dunning McNair, 
of Glade Mills, then called Woodville, gave 
notice through the papers pu1)lished in 
Butler that as Colonel Stephen Lowrey 
made sales and received money for lands 
in the Cunningham district, which were 
the property of Robert Morris and said 
McNair, buyers in the future should deal 
directly with him, as he could not conceive 
bv what authoritv Mr. Lowrev had the 



right or power to interfere. This notice 
was continued unanswered until March 
17th, 1819, when Stephen Lowrey pub- 
lished a friendly caution in the same 
paper, in which he invited all persons in- 
terested to call upon him in the town of 
Butler when he would show them in whom 
the title to the lands was really vested. 

Owing to the reversion of the lands to 
the State under the acts of 1792, 1795, and 
1799, the time for applying for donation 
land was extended to 1810. In the mean- 
while the board of property, misconstru- 
ing the act of April, 1802, placed tickets' 
for the bad land in the wheels from which 
tiic soldiers drew. 

THE m'KEE and VARNUM CASE. 

Under the act of reversion, Andrew 
McKee bought two hundred acres in the 
second Donation District, for which a pat- 
ent was issued February 8, 1804. Enoch 
^^arnum claimed the greater part of the 
tract as a settler and improver of 1797, 
and the State Supreme Court decided in 
his ffivor some time prior to 1823. The 
legislature accepted the law but in justice 
to McKee, who held a patent from the es- 
tate, an indemnity was granted to him. 
Thus the claim of the actual settler was 
recognized and the error of the board 
])roperly corrected. The question of 
squatter sovereignty slept until after the 
oil fields were opened, when it was re- 
vived in several localities, the most not- 
able case occurring at Renfrew in the days 
of the oil excitement. This case grew out 
of the ownership of the Purviance land 
and was the most stirring agrarian trou- 
ble since 1815. 



CHAPTER IV 



ORQANIZATION^OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Accounts ivith Allegheny County— Location of County Seat— Original Toivnshtps-A 
New County Proposed— Present Division of Toivnships— Another New County 
Proposition — Transactions of the County Commissioners— Tax on Bachelors — The 
Northwestern Railroad— Dispute of Bounty Claims— 1804 and 1908 Compared— 
Commissioners' Clerks— Conscience Money— Public Buildings— The Court House 
of 1884— Court House of 1908— County Jails— The First Stone Jail^-Recent Jail 
Escapes— Capture and Death of the Biddle Brothers— The County Home— The 
Temperance Cause— W. C. T. U.— Non-partisan Temperance Union-Loyal Tem- 
perance Legion — Popxdation Statistics. 



The act of the legislature of Pennsyl- 
vauia, erecting Butler County, was ap- 
proved March 12, ISOO. The act also pro- 
vided for its attachment for administra- 
tive purposes to Allegheny County, and 
descrihed its boundaries as follows: Be- 
ginning at a locust ti-ee on the south side 
of Buffalo Creek; thence along the Alle- 
gheny line twenty-three miles, to Alex- 
ander's District; thence due north twen- 
ty-three miles along that line and Beaver 
County to a corner near the confluence of 
Muddy Creek and Slippery Eock; thence 
north tifteen degrees east fifteen miles 
along the Mercer County line to a white 
oak tree in the Third Donation District; 
thence due east along the Venango County 
line to the Allegheny River; thence due 
south along the Armstrong County line to 
the place of beginning. 

The county was named after General 
Richard Butler, who was killed at St. 
Clair's defeat, and a sketch of whose life 
has been given in the preceding chapter 
of this volume. 



ACCOUNTS WITH ALLEGHENY COUNTY. 

The transcript of accounts between But- 
ler and Allegheny Counties from May 7, 
1800, to December 3, 1803, shows that the 
sum of $5,528,901/2 was collected in the 
townships of Butler County, all of which 
was expended by the commissioners of 
Allegheny County in the manner set forth 
in the itemized statements contained in 
records now in the possession of the 
commissioners of Butler County. At the 
close of 1803 the total receii^ts from 
Butler County aggregated $5,079.51, and 
the expenditures on account of Butler 
County were $5,52S.90yo, showing an in- 
debtedness to Allegheny County of 
$449,391/2, which the commissioners of 
Butler County agreed to pay at the time 
the settlement was made. The settlement 
of the accounts between the commission- 
ers of Allegheny Count}^ and of Butler 
County appears to have been attended 
with some difficulty, as the transactions of 
the commissioners of Butler- County show 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



91 



as Jate as September, 1812, that the dis- 
putes liad not all been settled. 

The tax levj^ in the original township 
of Connoquenessing- in 1800 was $176.99; 
in 1801, $204.06; in 1802, $450.53;. and in 
1803, $452.92, or a total of $1,234.50 for 
the four years. 

In Middlesex Township the tax given 
for the four years was as follows: $183.58; 
$284.28; $438.09; and $444.53; a total of 
$1,350.48. 

In Slippery Rock Township the tax 
amounted to $.345.98; $214.50; $281.36; 
and $341.33 ; a total of $1,183.17. 

In Buffalo Township the tax amounted 
to $82.53; $108.80; $135.15; $161.01; a to- 
tal of $487.49. 

LOCATION OF THE COtTNTY SEAT. 

The original act provided that the 
county seat was not to be at a greater dis- 
tance from the center of the county than 
four miles. The year following the pas- 
sage of the act the governor appointed 
Samuel Rippy, Henry Evans, and John 
McBride surveyors, with Beatty Quinn as 
their axeman, commissioners to run the 
county line. After these commissioners 
had performed their duties and made the 
proper report the legislature appointed 
John David, William Elliott, and Samuel 
Ewalt commissioners to locate the county 
seats of Armstrong, Butler and Mercer 
Counties. 

A supplementary act was passed April 
6, 1802, authorizing the governor to ap- 
point a commission who would locate the 
seats of justice in Armstrong, Butler and 
Mercer Counties, and the executive act- 
ing under this authority appointed Isaac 
"Weaver, John Hamilton, Thomas Morton, 
James Brady, and P. Carr Lane. 

The next step taken toward establish- 
ing the county seats was under the act 
of March 8, 1803, in which John McBride, 
William Elliott, and John David were ap- 
pointed trustees for the county, and au- 
thorized to survey three hundred acres on 



the north side of Connoquenessing Creek, 
near the site of Cunningham's mill, agree- 
able to the grant and obligation secured 
from Samuel Cunningham, John Cunning- 
ham and Robert Graham. The trustees 
were authorized to lay out a lot, or lots 
of laud not exceeding five acres for county 
buildings, the residue in town lots which 
were to be sold at public sale. Under this 
act the grounds for the county buildings 
were laid off and the first sale of lots was 
held August 10, 1803. (See Butler Bor- 
ough.) 

ORIGINAL TOWNSHIPS. 

When the first commissioners of the 
county took charge of affairs in 1804, they 
found the four townships named in the 
statement of the Allegheny County com- 
missioners to be sufficient for the purposes 
at that time. These townships were Con- 
noquenessing, Middlesex, Slippery Rock 
aud Buffalo. The inhabitants of the 
county were not satisfied with the division 
of townships, and in February, 1804, a pe- 
tition was presented to Judge Moore, then 
holding court in Butler, praying for a 
change in the order of townships. Tlie 
]ietition stated: 

' ' That Middlesex Township at present extends from 
the southern boundary to the township of Slippery Roek, 
a distance of more than twenty-three miles * » » and 
we pray your honors to ereet that part of Middlesex and 
Buffalo Townships south of said northern boundary into 
separate townships. 

This petition was signed by John Quinn, 
Patrick McGee, Bernard McGee, Hugh 
McGee, Robert Maxwell, Robert Kennedy, 
William M. Kennedy, Joseph Sutton, Da- 
vid Sutton, Daniel Sutton, James Guffey, 
John David, David Kerr, Matthew Wig- 
field, John Bittiger, Henry Sofire, and 
James Shields. The court held the peti- 
tion under advisement until the May term 
of court, 1804, when this endorsement was 
made: "The court considers that the ne- 
(H'ssity of acting on this petition is super- 
seded by an appointment of viewers at the 
present session to divide the whole county 



92 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of Butler into separate districts to be 
erected into townships. — J. Moore." 

Another petition for the erection of 
townships was presented May 15, 1804. 
This petition represented that the inhab- 
itants of the county at large labored under 
a great inconvenience for want of a suffi- 
cient number of townships in said county, 
and that they therefore prayed the hon- 
orable court to appoint suitable persons 
to lay out a competent number of town- 
ships, and make report of their proceed- 
ings at the next session of court. The 
signers of this document were Matthew 
White, Jacob Mechling, James Bovard, 
John Negley, William Ayres, John Gil- 
more, Robert Hays, David Dougal, Josiali 
Crawford, John McCandless, Alexander 
White, Samuel Kinkaid, Samuel A. Rippy, 
William Skeer, William B. Young, James 
Thompson, John McBride, John David, 
William Elliott, -Samuel Cunningham, 
Henry Evans, and William Wasson. Pur- 
suant to this petition Judge Moore ap- 
pointed John Cunningham, John David, 
and Barnett (xilliland a committee to in- 
quire into the propriety of* granting the 
l^i'ayer of the petitioners, and to execute 
all other acts and duties required by the 
act of assembly in such case ])rovid('d. 

At the session of court held in August, 
1801, the committee named tondored their 
report, in which they stated that they are 
of the opinion that it is absolutely neces- 
sary that the county should l)e divided 
into a convenient number of townships, 
and submitted plan No. 1 and plan No. 2 
for the consideration ancrdetentiinatiou of 
the court. This report was ciKlovsed by 
John Parker who was then holding court 
in Butler, and continued under advisement 
vmtil the next session. Plan No. 2 referred 
to in the report sliowed nine divisions, 
each seven and three-fourths miles square ; 
one division thirteen miles, ninety-eight 
perches by five and one-half miles; one 
division ten miles by five and one-half 
miles; one division in the northwest cor- 



ner of the county ten miles by five and 
one-half miles; and one division in the 
northwest corner five miles one hundred 
and fifty-two perches on the north line by 
five and one-half miles on the east line. 
The only township name given on the re- 
port is "Slippery Rock." 

Report No. 1, or the minority report, 
was drawn to a scale and the townships 
named as follows: Connoquenessing in 
the southwest corner, Middlesex next, and 
Buffalo in the southeast corner. In the 
second tier Mulder, Butler and Counaught; 
in the third tier Muddycreek, Heidelberg, 
and Clearfield; in the fourth tier Slippery 
Rock and Parker; and in the fifth, or 
northern tier, Mercer in the northwest cor- 
ner and Venango in the northeast corner. 
The minority report was practically 
adopted, but amended so far as the names 
were concerned, and the divivsion of town- 
ships a])i)roved November 15, 1804, by 
.Judge Parker. The names of the town- 
ships, as amended, were: Cranberry, Mid- 
dlesex and Buffalo in the first tier; Con- 
no(iuenessing, Butler and Clearfield in the 
second tier; Muddycreek, Center and Don- 
egal in the third ; Slippery Rock and Par- 
ker in the fourth; and Mercer and Venan- 
go in the fifth tier, making in all thirteen 
townships. Previous to this time the 
county had been divided into six election 
districts, and these districts were super- 
seded by the new order of townships. 

During the years intervening between 
1804 and 1853, six additional townships 
were created, making in all nineteen. A 
line extending from the west line of But- 
ler to the Connoquenessing Creek and 
thence along that stream to the east line, 
divided the original Butler Township into 
North and South Butler. Connoquenes- 
sing Township was divided by a noi-th and 
south line, creating East Connoquenessing 
and West Connoquenessing. Muddycreek 
was similarly divided, and the east half of 
the township was given the name of Frank- 
lin. A north and south line divided Slip- 



AND IIKPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



93 



l)ery Rock Township, and the eastern half 
was given the name of Cherry. Allegheny 
Township was created out of the eastern 
half of Venango, and AVashington and 
Fairview composed the other two town- 
ships. 

()u .Jime lb, 1847, a jietition for the erec- 
tion of a township out of i)arts of Middle- 
sex, South Butler, Craulicrry, and East 
C(Uinoqucne.ssing-, to be called Ringold 
Township, was signed by ninety-three resi- 
dents of those districts and presented to 
court. This petition was met by seven 
counter-petitions from the old townships, 
supplemented by an account of the large 
meeting held at Breakneck, now Evans 
City, to protest against the establishment 
of such a township. The opposition was 
led by Samuel Marshall, Andrew Boggs, 
Joseph Johnson, David Garvin, and Dan- 
iel Boggs, residents of the southwest por- 
tion of the county. 

From the records it appears that in 1849 
the school directors of Middlesex and 
Cranberry Townships flatly refused to 
create a sub-school district for the accom- 
modation of the citizens of those two 
townships. On the 10th of March the mat- 
ter was considered at a meeting held at 
A. M. Brown's store and a petition 
was prepared to be jjresented to court 
asking for the erection of a new township, 
and for the increase of school districts. 
The petitioners submitted a plat of the 
territory and asked the court to order the 
establishment of a new township and name 
it "Ringold." The court did not take 
kindly t(i this petition and marked it with 
his (lisa|>])i-oval. 

A NEW COUNTY PROPOSED. 

The snub inflicted by the court on the 
southwestern portion of the county burned 
in the breasts of its citizens for a number 
of years, and the desire for a change in 
the division of the townships took another 
shape in 1849, when a proposition was 
made to the Legislature to create a new 



county to be named Lawrence out of parts 
of Beaver, Mercer, and Butler Counties. 
The measure received little support from 
Butler County people, who were pleased 
with Butler County as it stood, and the 
movement finally resulted in the creation 
of Lawrence County out of parts of 
Beaver and Mercer, the territory of Butler 
County remaining intact. 

In 1853, on the petition of citizens of 
Buft'alo, Middlesex and Cranberry Town- 
ships, the Legislature passed an act cre- 
ating ten townships out of the three 
named. The governor did not' sign the 
act, but referred the question of the griev- 
ances of the citizens to the courts of But- 
ler County. 

PRESENT DIVISION OF TOWNSHIPS. 

In the meantime there was growing dis- 
satisfaction in the county over the division 
of school districts, and the townships, and 
a movement was undertaken which re- 
sulted in the division of the county into 
the thirty-three districts that exist to- 
day. The new movement was born in a 
little schoolhouse in which the late Maj. 
Cyrus Anderson, of Butler, then presided 
as teacher. The miserable condition of 
the building was called to the attention 
of the directors who were unable to afford 
relief until new townships or districts 
were formed, one of which at least they 
could govern. A petition was drawn up 
and circulated for signers and the work 
of the reconstruction of the county begun. 
On the 18th of June, 1853, a petition bear- 
ing forty-five signatures was presented to 
coui-t asking that the prior petition of the 
l)eople of Buffalo, Middlesex and Cran- 
berry Townships be denied, and that the 
act of the Legislature erecting ten town- 
ships be set aside. The prayer of the 
petitioners was granted, the court ap- 
pointing three viewers to devise a plan 
for the division of the county into town- 
ships. 

A petition of sundry citizens of the 



94 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



county asking for the division of the 
county into townships five miles square 
was presented to court on June 18, 1853. 
The signers set forth that the petitions 
from the people of Buffalo, Middlesex and 
Cranberry Townships to the State Legis- 
lature asking that ten townshij^s be erected 
out of the three named, were granted, and 
that an act was passed in accordance with 
the prayer of the petitioners; that the 
governor did not approve of that act, but 
remanded the whole question to the courts 
of Butler County, and that now the people 
of Butler County desire their disapproval 
of the petitioners' prayer as it would re- 
sult in" the division of the county into 
forty-three small townships. 

The signers of this remonstrance asked 
the court to order that the whole county 
be divided into townships, each as nearly 
five miles square as possible. The court 
acquiesced in this opinion and the same 
day — June 18, 1853 — appointed Hugh Mc- 
Kee, Samuel M. Lane, and James T. Mc- 
Junkin commissioners to inquire into the 
propriety of granting the petition and to 
make a draft of the townships and of the 
division lines proposed, as well as of the 
lines of townships proposed to be altered, 
and to make a report before the next term 
of court. On November 19, 1853, the com- 
mittee filed their report and opinion which 
were presented to Judge Agnew and asso- 
ciate judges. The report of the committee 
is an elaborate document in which is set 
forth the advantages of the new division 
of townships, and which also considers 
the objections urged in connection with the 
disarrangement of school districts. The 
committee found it necessary to ascertain 
the exact dimensions of the county by 
actual survey, which was done by Hugh 
McKee. 

According to this survey the county 
averages twenty-four miles and a fraction 
east and west, and thirty-three miles and 
a fraction north and south. To carry out 
the wish of the petitioners to create town- 



ships five miles square would, it was said, 
leave a fractional range of townships on 
two sides of the county, and a ground for 
future complaints, but by dividing the dis- 
tance and approximating the direction of 
the order of court, five ranges of town- 
ships north and south, and seven east and 
west were secured, making in all thirty- 
three townships. Thirty-one of the town- 
ships are almost five miles square and con- 
tain about twenty-four square miles, the 
other two, owing to the diagonal north- 
western boundary line of the county, vary- 
ing a little from that size. The expense at- 
tending the proposed division which was 
one of the objections urged against it, was 
estimated by the committee at $600, or an 
average of about eight cents to each tax- 
able. The report was signed by Hugh 
McKee and James T. McJunkin, the other 
member of the committee being absent, 
but was not immediately acted ujoon by 
the court. David Scott was appointed 
viewer to succeed Mr. Lane, and on March 
6, 1854, signed the final report which was 
presented and considered by the court on 
March 29 that year. This provided for 
the establishment of thirty-three town- 
ships, all except three being nearly twenty- 
four square miles in area. The township 
of Mercer having four unequal sides lacked 
about one-third of a proportionate area, 
while the townships cf Slippery Rock and 
Worth, owing to the division of the tri- 
angle lying to the north and west of them, 
contained a little more territory than an 
equal proportion. The triangle contained 
about six square miles, and it was appor- 
tioned to the two -townships named, each 
of which would lack a fraction of being 
the regular size without such addition. 
The order of court approving this division 
and creating the townships was signed 
March 29, 1854, and the thirty-three town- 
ships are named in order, beginning at 
the northwestern township of the northern 
range and running cast, as follows: Mer- 
cer, Marion, Venango, and Allegheny in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



95 



the first tier; Slippery Rock, Cherry, 
Washington, Parker in the second ; Worth, 
Brady, Clay, Concord, and Fairview in 
the third; Muddycreek, Franklin, Center, 
Oakland, and Donegal in the fourth; Lan- 
caster, Connoquenessing, Butler, Summit, 
and Clearfield in the fifth; Jackson, For- 
ward, Penn, Jefferson, and Winfield in the 
sixth ; Cranberry, Adams, Middlesex, Clin- 
ton, and Buffalo in the seventh. 

Under the new order of townships an 
election of township officers and justices 
of the peace was ordered to be held April 
28, 1854, under the act of that year. 

At the March term of court, 1854, a 
petition was filed asking for the modifica- 
tion of the line between Slippery Rock and 
Worth Townships. This petition was 
signed by Stephen Morrison, A. H. Boyle, 
A. Murphy, Thomas Kelly, Jr., John W^ 
Martin, Thomas Kelly, A. G. Dennison, 
John Stonghteu, William Gallagher, 
Thomas Boyle, C. Nussell, John Stoughten 
and John Brant. 

On March 6, 1854, a remonstrance 
against tlie order of survey signed by 
forty-six citizens was filed, showing the 
whole plan to be disadvantageous to a 
large number of citizens. A long list of 
reasons are given in this remonstrance, 
the sixth of which is as follows: "We 
apprehend that the surveyors in their 
hurry to finish their work and influenced 
perhaps by the representations of a few 
individuals lying north of the line, have 
unintentionally done injury and incom- 
moded the whole township by accommo- 
dating a few at the expense of thirty or 
forty men." 

NEW COUNTIES PROPOSED. 

The dissatisfaction over new township 
lines took shape again in a proposition to 
carve part of a new county out of Butler 
County territory, which was presented to 
the Legislature in April, 1854. An act 
passed the House of Representatives and 



was carried through the Senate providing 
for the erection of a new county out of 
parts of W^estmoreland, Allegheny, Arm- 
strong and Butler. The plotters succeeded 
in getting the bill through the House and 
the Senate without the knowledge of the 
people of Butler County, but they could not 
win any real support in Butler County, 
and hence the project fell through. 

In February, 1856, the committee of the 
Legislature on new counties reported a 
bill for the erection of parts of Allegheny, 
Butler and Westmoreland into a county 
to be named Madison. According to this 
bill the townships of Middlesex, Clinton 
and Buffalo would have been detached 
from Butler County. 

In January, 1861, a bill was introduced 
in the Legislature annexing the Anderson 
farm in West Deer Township, Allegheny 
County, to Butler County. The people of 
Butler were inclined to ignore additions 
as well as subtractions and this project 
met the fate of its predecessors. 

The last attempt to filch territory from 
Butler County occurred in 1871, when the 
people of East Brady asked for the forma- 
tion of a new county out of parts of Arm- 
strong, Butler, Clarion, and Venango 
Counties. This was at the time the Great 
Western Iron Works were iri operation at 
Brady's Bend, and the development of the 
oil fields along the Allegheny River had 
reached Parker's Landing and the nortli- 
eastern section of Butler County. The 
Northwestern Independent, a paper pub- 
lished by Clark Wilson at Parker, was the 
official organ of the agitators. In June, 
1872, a bill authorizing the change of 
boundary between Butler and Armstrong 
Counties was defeated in the House of 
Representatives, and shortly after the 
agitation about a new county ceased. 
Since that time the question of forming 
new counties out of Butler and parts of 
surrounding counties has been agitated 
several times, but no definite movement 
has ever been made. 



96 



[[STOKY OF BUTLKK (X)UNTY 



IKANSACTIONS OF THE COUNTV COMMIS- 
SIONERS. 

Tile lirst meeting of the cominissiouers 
of Butler County v/as held November 9, 
1803, in a log house on the site of the 
Nixon Hotel on South Diamond Street, 
which was afterward used for holding- 
court and such other public purposes as 
was required until the erection of the 
county building. Two of the commission- 
ers, Matthew White and James Bovard, 
took the oath of office on that date, but 
Jacob Mechling, the third commissioner, 
did not qualify until November 16, on 
which day the organization was completed 
and a term of four days begun. The time 
seems to have been employed in making 
estimates and adjusting a variety of busi- 
ness relative to the establishing of the 
office. On November 21, Mr. Mechling 
reported that districts Nos. 1 and 2 were 
laid off and the lines surveyed by Thomas 
Grimes at a cost cf $5. Commissioners 
Wliite and Bovard reported that districts 
Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 had been laid off by John 
Cunningham at a cost of $15. These dis- 
tricts were laid out under the act of 
Assembly of April 4, 1803, providing for 
the appointment of justices of the peace. 
On November 28, the commissioners were 
at Pittsburg consulting with the commis- 
sioners of Allegheny County in regard to 
transferring the official records to Butler 
County, but little seems to have been ac- 
"complished prior to December 8, 1803, 
when duplicates of the records were re- 
ceived from Allegheny County showing 
the receipts and disbursements in the four 
townships of Butler County. The next 
item of business in December was the issu- 
ing of the first wolf order to John Cooper, 
the collector of Buffalo Township. At the 
same time a contract was entered into 
with John Negley for "a place to accom- 
modate the courts of justice of the town 
of Butler." 

Toward the close cf December the com- 



missioners again visited the commission- 
ers of Allegheny County for the purpose 
of obtaining certain books and copies of 
records, but seem to have failed in their 
mission. They returned, however, with a 
('oi)y of Reed's Digest which proved very 
. useful to David Dougal, the commission- 
ers' clei'k. With so much written law at 
hand the commissioners were able to 
transact any public iiusiness that came be- 
fore them, and the first public contract of 
importance appears to have been the 
awarding of the contract on January 16, 
1804, to Samuel Meals for iron work of 
the "Public Prison." The tax duplicates 
of the several townships were issued on 
April 11, the amounts being: 

For Slippery Rock $ 364.00 

For Middlesex 480.32 

For Buffalo 166.32 

For Connoquenessiug , 465.27 

Total $1,475.81 

From the beginning of 1804 to October 
25 of that year the county commissioners 
rented a room for office purposes from 
William B. Young, to whom they paid 
$6 rent on that date. 

In November, 1804, James Scott took 
the place of Jacob Mechling as a commis- 
sioner, and with Messrs. White and Bovard 
composed the board. The business of the 
mouth seems to have been the drawing of 
warrants to the judges and clerks of the 
general election held in October. 

TAX ON BACHELORS. 

An important item in the transaction 
of the county commissioners in December 
was the petition of Hugh Smith for relief 
of the disabilities under which single men 
labored at that time. The tax on single 
blessedness was 75 cents, but Hugh could 
now protest, and on tlie certificate of 
Squire Robert Galbreath, that he was mar- 
ried before the date of the petition. The 
commissioners exonerated him from the 
payment of an unjust tribute. The trans- 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



97 



actious of tile couuty •■ommissioiiers did 
not require all of tlieir time, as will a]> 
pear from the record made by Clerk David 
Dougal at the close of 1804. Ou the 29th 
of December the clerk credited Commis- 
sioner White with ninety-four days' serv- 
ices, Bovard with one hundred three and 
one-half days, Scott with eleven days, and 
himself with eighty-three days. 

On January 4, 1805, the question of esti- 
mates was disposed of, and a tax levy of 
$2,500 waa ordered. On the 17th of the 
month John Negley received $28.89 for his 
services as treasurer of Butler County, 
from x\pril 11 to December 31, 1804, being 
at the rate of $40 per year. In February 
John Negley received $50 in full for rent 
of courthouse from February 1, 1804, to 
February 1, 1805. John Negley was re- 
ap])ointed treasurer for the year 1805, 
and required to give a bond in the sum of 
$3,000. In March, 1805, William McDon- 
ald, the coroner, held an inquest on the 
body of a child named Catherine Barrick- 
man at the house of Benjamin Thomas, 
and was paid $15.14 for his services. Dur- 
ing this year the work of redistricting the 
county into thirteen townships appears to 
have been completed, and the commission- 
ers paid David Dougal, James Bovard and 
James Scott, surveyors, Edward Grimes, 
George Scott and Alexander White, chain 
carriers and blazers, for their services in 
surveying and establishing the township 
line. In April the tax duplicates for the 
year were issued as follows : 

Slippery Rock Township $ 351.81 

Mercer Township 161.84 

Parker Township 178. .53 

Venango Township 116.28 

Donegal Township SOo.eSio 

Clearfield Township 118.45 

Buffalo Township 170.17 

Middlesex Township 232.71 

Butler Township 262.55 

Center Township 273.33 

Muddyereek Township 260.48 

Connoquenessing Township 312.891/2 

Cranberry Township 153.34Vj 

Total $2,798.n2Vi 



The total tax levied was $2,798,021/2. 

A distinction seems to have been made 
in the amount of the tax levied in the 
various townships, but for what purpose 
the records do not state. In the firat four 
named townships the rate was six mills, 
and in the others five mills. 

In May and June public roads appear 
to have taken the time of the commission- 
ers. A road was viewed from McClure's 
in tlie direction of Beaver and from the 
Mercer County line through Zelienople to 
the Butler County line. This road after- 
ward being known as the Pittsburg and 
Franklin Pike. 

On the 9th of November, Abner Coats 
qualified as county commissioner and took 
the place of James Bovard. John Negley 
was reappointed treasurer, and William 
Campbell was paid $13.50 for making two 
jury wheels. 

The making out of tax duplicates, or- 
ders for auditors, jurors, etc., and the pay- 
ment of election judges and clerks kept the 
commissioners busy in the early part of 
the year. The tax duplicates issued in 
May were as follows : 

Slippery Rock $519.46 

Mercer 243.38 

Parker 278.89y2 

Venango 180.94 

Donegal 312.39 

Clearfield 198.06V- 

Buffalo 263.38 

Middlesex 306.82 

Butler .• 450.501/2 

Center 383.25 

Muddyereek 386.46 

Connoquenessing 332.271/2 

Cranberry 260.56 

In August the commissioners awarded 
a contract for cutting the State Road 
through Butler County, while the month 
of September was given to the issuing of 
warrants and pajTiient for jury services, 
and witness fees and other expenses con- 
nected with the Circuit Court. William 
Elliott, John McBride and John David, 
who were the trustees in the matter of the 
county seat lots, delivered their trust to 



98 



ISTOliY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



cpiiiinissioners White, Coats and Scott ou 
Juu(! 19, 1806. Ou November 7, the com- 
missioners paid David Dougal $20 for 
drawing a map of Butler County for the 
use of the commissioners. Contracts were 
awarded for the construction of a bridge 
over Connoquenessing Creek at Butler 
and for other bridges in the county during 
the same month, and constituted the last 
items of business recorded in the first 
minute-book kept by the cormnissioners. 

Jacob Smith qualified as county commis- 
sioner on December 2, 1806, and took the 
place of Matthew White. Nothing of im- 
portance was transacted during the re- 
mainder of the year. 

The most important item of business at 
the opening of 1807 was the awarding of 
a contract on January 6 to Alexander Hill 
for the building of the courthouse. This 
contract was sealed and approved by the 
court on the 18th of the month. Ou the 
7th of March, Abraham Brinker was ap- 
pointed commissioner vice Jacob Smith, 
hut there appears to be no record of the 
resignation, removal or death of Smith. 
Under date of April 14, Mr. Coats was 
paid $2 for "laying out courthouse and 
going to Justice Scott's on business re- 
lating to courthouse." The county jail 
received some attention in the same month 
as the bill of John Negley for carpenter 
work and materials on jail building was 
ordered to be paid. 

The organization of the Board of Com- 
missioners in 1808 contains the names of 
Abner Coats, John Negley, Francis Ander- 
son as commissioners, and Walter Lowrie 
clerk. A warrant was drawn in February 
to John Purviance for rent of courthouse 
from March, 1808, to March, 1809, for the 
sum of $50, while on March 12 George 
Young was paid $15 for courthouse rent 
up to April, 1808. Another item paid was 
a bill of D. C. Cunningham to the county 
commissioners for $2 for legal advice. In 
the fall of 1808, James Scott succeeded 
Abner Coats as commissioner, and on 



October 27, 1809, Thomas Dodds and 
Joseph- Williamson qualified as the suc- 
cessors of Negley and Anderson. During 
the years of 1808 and 1809 much of the 
time of the commissioners was occupied in 
the erection of the courthouse, the con- 
struction of bridges and the opening of 
public roads in the county. 

Walter Lowrie qualified as county com- 
missioner in October, 1810, and with 
Joseph Williamson and James Scott 
formed the board. The principal work 
done by the board was fixing the budget 
for 1811 and making a schedule of values 
of land, horses, cows, mills and stills for 
the guidance of assessors. The estimate 
of expenditure for the ensuing year was 
$4,800. Samuel Williamson was appointed 
treasurer, his bond of $6,000 being signed 
by John Negley and Samuel Deniston. 

The records of the commissioners' office 
for 1811 say that the commissioners were 
engaged in April "in compromising" 
with Alexander Hill the builder of the 
courthouse for $600, and gave him a draft 
on the Bank of Deposit and Discount at 
Pittsburg. In October William Balph was 
elected commissioner to succeed James 
Scott, letting contract for the State Road 
and issuing warrants formed the work of 
the officials up to December, when the 
board settled with John McGinnis for fin- 
ishing the sheriff's office. 

The accounts with Allegheny County, as 
closed in 1803, had never been settled, and 
in September, 1812, commissioners Will- 
iamson and Lowrie visited Pittsburg for 
that purpose, but their mission proved a 
failure. In October, Robert Martin was 
elected commissioner, also Ephriam Har- 
ris vice Lowrie, resigned. They with 
William Balph formed the board on 
January 1, 1813, with Robert Scott clerk. 

The term of Harris expii-ed in Novem- 
ber, 1813, and James McKee qualified as 
his successor. Robert Scott was continued 
as clerk at $1.23 per day. The auditors 
appointed in the fall of 1813 were John 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



99 



Christy, Robert Lemmon, and Moses Sulli- 
van, who reported an account up to 
January 1, 1814. 

Nothing out of the routine of issuing 
orders was accomplished until October 29, 
1814, when the contract for building a 
bridge at Amberson's on Connoquenessing 
Creek was considered. On November 8, 
John Negley gave a bond for the com- 
pletion of this bridge. At this time John 
Ciiristy qualified as commissioner in place 
of "VMUiam Balph whose term had expired. 
It appears that a new jail building was in 
process of erection by John Negley at this 
time, the work having been begun in 1812 ; 
That a new bridge at "race grounds" was 
contemplated and three bridges were built 
at Slippery Et)ck on the State Road. 

The race ground mentioned was known 
in later years as Stehle's field and was the 
baseball ground up until 1902, when the 
ground was plotted into lots and sold. It 
is now that part of the west end of the 
city which is bounded by Pillow Street, 
Race Street, and Fourth Avenue. 

The expenses of the county in 1815, as 
shown by the five hundred and ten war- 
rants issued, aggregated $3,466.47, a large 
part of which represented coui't expenses 
and election expenses. On November 4, 
William Campbell took the oath of office 
as the successor of Robert Martin whose 
term had expired. The new jail building 
having been practically completed John 
Negley, who also furnished the floor and 
partitions for the second story of the 
courthouse, received on the latter contract 
the sum of $175. 

During the year warrants for $42 were 
given to John Ralston, John Burkhart, 
Daniel Graham and John Burtner for the 
scalps of fourteen wolf puppies, while 
John Reniston received $8 for a full grown 
wolf head. The principal item of public 
improvement was the completion of the 
bridge over Wolf Creek, which was built 
by Daniel Foster for the county. In 
November, Thomas McCleary qualified as 



commissioner to succeed James McKee, 
whose term expired. The expenses of the 
county for the year, as shown by the 
auditor's report, were $5,858. 

The important events of the year were 
the completion of the county jail by John 
Negley, which had been in course of con- 
struction for five years, and the plastering 
of the courthouse later by John Dunbar. 
The expenses of the county for the year 
were $4,074.35, which inclucled the repairs 
of the public buildings and the final pay- 
ments on the county jail. Francis Fryer 
was elected commissioner in October and 
took the place of John Christy whose term 
had expired. 

Comparatively little business was trans- 
acted in 1818; the county disbursements 
being $3,986.92yo. No public improve- 
ments were made during this year. Abra- 
ham Brinker qiialified as commissioner in 
November and he with McCleary and 
Fryer formed the board for the ensuing 
year. 

During 1819 a new bridge was built at 
Harmony by David Townsend at a cost of 
$399, also one at Bassenheim and one at 
Zelienople. Robert Lemmon qualified as 
county commissioner in November, 1819, 
and John Dodds qualified as commissioner 
in 1820. The disbursements of the county 
for the two years 1819 and 1820 were 
$3,080.57 and $4,752.28, respectively. On 
November 6, Thomas McCleary was ap- 
]Kiiuted clerk to the commissioners to suc- 
ceed Robert Scott. The commissioners 
reserved the right to dismiss him at the 
close of three months if his work was not 
satisfactory. The salary of the clerk for 
that year was fixed at $100. 

The expenditures for the county in 1821 
were $3,390,101/2- John Brandon was the 
new commissioner elected in October, and 
in November Robert Scott was restored to 
his old position as clerk. An account for 
coal supplied to the county for the years 
1820 and 1821 was settled and a warrant 
drawn to Martin and Bowers. 



100 



IIIS'I'ORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



The construction of a bridge atLowrie's 
mills was decided upon in 1822 and repairs 
on tlie courthouse and jail were author- 
ized. On November 4 the commissioners 
organized with Messrs. John Dodds, John 
Brandon, and John Coo vert, the last 
named being the new member. William 
Gibson was appointed treasurer for the 
ensuing year. The appointment of John 
Walsh as clerk to succeed Robert Scott 
was made November 29. The expendi- 
tures for the year were distributed by 592 
warrants aggregating $3,589.80V2- 

One of the items of expense for the year 
1823 was a warrant drawn to John Bran- 
don for "goose-qiiills" bought in Simon 
Reed's store. 

The case of William Hogg, who had 
been drawn for grand jury service in June, 
was adjudiralrd by tlir <'(iiimiissioners in 
July, it ai)pears that Hogg had been dis- 
charged from service on the grand jury on 
account of being a Scotchman or an Eng- 
lishman who never became a citizen. Hogg 
demanded pay for his services, which was 
at first refused, but at a later hearing of 
the case the commissioners issued the 
warrant. 

Tn July, William Purviance surveyed a 
number of outlots east of the borough of 
Butler, which were sold by the commis- 
sioners in October. These outlots now 
constitute a part of the town east of •Mc- 
Kean Street, and compose some of the 
most valuable proY)erty in the city. 

John McQuistion was elected commis- 
sioner to succeed John Dodds, whose term 
had expired and the new board organized 
on the 5th of November. John Sullivan 
was appointed treasurer for the ensuing 
year, and Hugh McLaughlin was author- 
ized to make certain repairs on the court- 
house. An item of exjjense incurred by 
the commissioners' office was the purchase 
of two pairs of snuffers and a box of 
candles. The business of the year closed 
with the payment of the contractors for 
the Lick bridge over the Connoquenessing 



at what is now known as the Transfer 
north of Butler, and the improving of the 
Harmony bridge. The expenses of the 
county for all purposes that year were 
.$3,755.58. 

The commissioners of 1824 had in mind 
the education of poor children in the com- 
munity whose parents were not able to 
provide for such education. Among the 
items for that year is one for $6.43 to 
William Reed "for schooling poor chil- 
dren." Later in the year another warrant 
was drawn to John Alward for the same 
purpose. On the 5th of November, Hugh 
McKee qualified as commissioner to suc- 
ceed John Brandon, and William Gibson 
was appointed as clerk to succeed John 
Walsh. • 

The most important item of business 
transacted by the commissioners in 1825 
was the adoption of a uniform standard 
•for the triennial assessment. On Novem- 
ber 25 the board was composed of Robert 
Scott, Hugh McKee and John McQuistion. 

In January, 1826, Isaiah Niblock, of 
Butler, was appointed treasurer, his salary 
being based on one and one-half per cent, 
of the expenditures. This appointment 
was strongly opposed by John McQuis- 
tion, a member of the board of eoimiiis- 
sioners, but the reasons for the opposition 
are not given. It is probable that the 
opposing member did not believe that min- 
isterial and secular work could be com- 
bined, the new incumbent of the treas- 
urer's office being a minister of the gospel 
and pastor of the Associate Reformed 
Church, now the United Presbyterian 
Church of Butler. The same year the 
commissioners entered into a twelve-year 
contract with Andrew Marshall to keep 
the Harmony bridge in repair for that 
term at the stated consideration of 
$312.50. At the close of October, David 
Dougal qualitied as commissioner and suc- 
ceeded John McQuistion. The disburse- 
ments of the countv for this year were 
$4,456.91. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



101 



In February, 1827, Samuel A. Purviance 
was appointed clerk to the commissioners. 
A bridge over Connoquenessing Creek 
opposite the borough was completed by 
John Stephenson and the courthouse was 
subjected to general repairs by the author- 
ity of the board. John McNeese was 
elected commissioner in October to suc- 
ceed Hugh McKee. The expenditures of 
the county for the year were $6,198.40, as 
certified by the auditors, Robert Martin, 
Maurice Bredin and Joseph Bryson. 

From January 1 to October 29 in 1828, 
sufficient business was transacted to oc- 
cupy the time of commissioner Scott for 
eighty-three days, Dougal for eighty-one 
and one-half days, and ]\I('Xeese for fifty- 
eight days. The clerk, Samuel S. Purvi- 
ance, was employed in the office for one 
hundred nine and one-half days of his sec- 
ond term down to March 6, 1828, and 
sixty-one days additional to October 29. 
Alexander Graham succeeded Scott as 
commissioner, October 29, and served six- 
teen days before the close of December. 
Cliristian Mechling was appointed clerk 
for a short term on October 28. At the 
close of the year, Treasurer Thompson re- 
l)orted a revenue of $6,710.98, of which 
$1,437.6.312 were unexpended. 

The question of appointing a treasurer 
was decided January 21, 1829, when James 
Thompson was chosen and he served until 
the reorganization of the board of com- 
missioners in October, when Francis Mc- 
Bride was appointed to succeed him. 
Jose]:)h McQuistion was elected commis- 
sioner to succeed David Dougal and 
John N. Purviance was reappointed clerk 
at a salary of $75 per year. He had 
previously been appointed clerk in Febru- 
ary to succeed Mechling, the short-term 
appointee of the previous year. 

Public roads and bridges occuiued most 
of the time of the commissioners during 
the year 1830. Among the roads opened 
was one from James McCandless' house 
to the brick meeting-bouse in Connoque- 



nessing Township, and the State Road 
from Kittanning to Evans's Ferry on 
French Creek received some attention, in 
August. Among the bridges projected 
was one opi^osite the former home of Det- 
mar Basse Muller ; one over Muddy Creek 
near Kennedy's mill, one over Wolf Creek 
and one over Slippery Rock Creek where 
the graded road from Butler to Mercer 
crosses that stream. In October, John 
McCandless qualified as commissioner as 
successor to McNeese. The salary of 
Clerk Purviance was increased to $90, and 
the financial reports show receipts to the 
amount of $6,574.57, of which $699.86 re- 
mained in the treasury. 

In January, 1831. Francis McBride 
was appointed treasuier and William 
Avres was em])Ioved as attorney at salary 
of $25. 

It appears that the associate judges had 
something to do with the classilication of 
merchants for taxable ))ur))(>ses al)0ut this 
time. One of the items on the minute-book 
of the commissioners is the record of a 
meeting held with the merchants of the 
county who appealed from the tax classi- 
fication made by the commissioners and 
the associate juclges of that year. 

It may appear strange that one of the 
commissioners had to go to Pittsburg to 
l)rocure iron and nails and other supplies 
for the use of repair of jail and court- 
house, and attend to having the same 
hauled from Pittsburg. In August of that 
year Bennett Dobbs was emploj^ed to place 
sheet-iron on the western wall of the 
])i-ison room of the jail. Previous to this 
time there appears to have been no iron 
work on the inside of the prison except 
that provided for the doors and the win- 
dows which was of a very light character. 
During the year the Breakneck Creek 
bridge, opposite Boggs' house, was con- 
structed by Sylvester Ash, and contractor 
Charles DufTy began work on the l)ridge 
over the Connoquenessing at the Salt 
Lick noi-th of Butler. At the reorganiza- 



102 



HISTORY OP BUTLPIR COUNTY 



lion of the board iu October, William 
Pillow qualified as commissioner and suc- 
ceeded Alexander Graham. John N. Pur- 
viance was reapjjointed clerk at a salary 
of $1 per day. Andrew Sproul was ap- 
pointed treasurer in December, and Will- 
iam Ayres was succeeded as attorney by 
Samuel A. Purviance and the salary fixed 
at $25 per year. Auditor William Moore 
reported a revenue of $6,946.07, and a 
balance in the treasury for the year of 
$1,278.57. 

In March, 1832, the commissioners 
awarded to George Miller, of Butler, the 
contract for repairing the courthouse and 
the plastering thereof to Philip Varnum. 
About the same time a new roof was 
ordered to be placed on the jail. B. G. 
Gall and A. Ziegler were given a contract 
to build a bridge over the Connoquenes- 
sing Creek at Harmony. Eohert Graham 
qualified as commissioner in October to 
succeed Joseph McQuistion, and William 
Campbell, Jr., was appointed clerk at a 
salary of $70 per annum. The fiinances of 
the county were in excellent shape that 
year and showed a balance over expendi- 
tures of $670.56. The total receipts for 
the year were $8,394.57. 

Charles C. Sullivan was appointed at- 
torney to the commissioners in 1833 at a 
salary of $25 and Andrew Sproul was 
appointed treasurer. John Vanderlin was 
elected to succeed John McCandless as 
commissioner and William Campbell, Jr., 
was reappointed clerk at a salary of $1 
per day. Toward the close of the year 
George Miller was appointed treasurer to 
succeed Andrew Sproul and John Mc- 
Lelland was appointed attorney to suc- 
ceed Charles C. Sullivan, the salary re- 
maining at $25 per year. The receipts 
for the year were $5,614.10 and the bal- 
ance unexpended, $224.83. 

In 1834 the commissioners were John 
McCandless, Robert Graham and Joseph 
Graham, the latter having been elected to 
succeed William Pillow, whose term had 



expired. The expenditures for the year 
were .$6,802.94 and the receipts from taxes 
$6,446.33, showing an indebtedness of 
$356.61. 

William Campbell, Jr., was reappointed 
clerk, George Miller treasurer and John 
McLelland attorney, for 1835. In April of 
that year Moses Crispin was employed as 
janitor of the courthouse and bell-ringer. 
It was the duty of the bell-ringer not only 
to ring the courthouse bell for the sessions 
of court, but to ring it on Sunday morning 
to indicate the hour for church services, 
and this custom existed as late as 1883, 
when the courthouse was destroyed by 
fire. After the completion of the new 
courthoiase in 1885, the custom was not re- 
vived. In October, Hugh Stevenson was 
elected commissioner to succeed Robert 
Graham, whose term had expired, and 
Jacob Zeigler was appointed clerk to fill 
the vacancy caused by the resignation of 
Campbell. Under date of October 17 this 
minute was recorded in the transactions 
of the commissioners, "employed in fight- 
ing with Joseph McQuistion." The cause 
of the battle and its result remain untold. 
It appears that John Vanderlin was then 
a member of the board. 

Early iu 1836 John N. Purviance was re- 
appointed counsel to the commissioners 
and the salary increased to $35. John B. 
McGlaughlin was appointed treasurer and 
the salary of that office fixed at two per 
cent, on the tax levy. Nathan Skeer quali- 
fied as commissioner to succeed Vanderlin 
at the organization of the board in Octo- 
ber. The auditor's report shows a rev-, 
enue of $8,314.59, and a balance in the 
treasury of $1,136.12. 

William Criswell was elected to succeed 
Joseph Graham as commissioner in this 
year, and John N. Purviance was re- 
appointed counselor at a salary of $30 per 
annum. Bridge matters formed an im- 
portant item in the year's business and 
contracts were awarded for a bridge over 
the Connoquenessing below Butler, one 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



103 



near Boyd's mill, one at Malachi Richard- 
son's and one at Gilleland's. The treas- 
urer's receipts for the year amounted to 
$8,372.16, and the balance unexpended was 
$2,743.47. 

Jacob Shanor qualified as commissioner 
October 28. James Frazier was appointed 
treasurer and Jacob Zeigler clerk. These 
appointments were made in January. The 
treasurer's receipts for the year were 
$8,177.28, and the unexpended balance at 
the end of the year $1,005.84. 

In January, 1839, Jacob Zeigler was. 
chosen clerk and counselor to the com- 
missioners, his pay as clerk being $1.25 
per day, and as counselor $30 per annum. 
This arrangement was not of long dura- 
tion, for on January 8, George Zeigler was 
appointed clerk at $1.25 per day, John N. 
Purviance counselor at $35 per annum, 
and Jacob Mechling, Jr., treasurer at 
three and one-half per cent, on the tax 
levy. The change in the clerkship was 
caused by the election of Jacob Zeigler as 
prothonotary. Thomas R. McMillen qual- 
ified as commissioner in October, as the 
successor of Nathan Skeer, whose term 
had expired. The sum audited for 1839 
was $8,030.47, including $166.76 advanced 
by the treasurer to meet bills against the 
county. 

The appointments made in 1840 were: 
E. ^1. Bredin, attorney; William Camp- 
bell, treasurer; George AV. Zeigler, clerk; 
and John ^IcCollough, bell-ringer. Toward 
the close of October, George Miller quali- 
fied as commissioner to take the place of 
Criswell. The receipts of the county for 
the year were $9,403.83. 

Tlic ;i|)|K>iiitniciils made by the com- 
missiiiMcrs ill 1S41 were: x^ndrew Cams, 
treasurci': W'illinin Tiinblin, clerk; George 
W. Snnth, attorney; and William John- 
son, bell-i'inger. The bell-ringer appears 
to have been a boy of rather tender years, 
for one of the incidents of the year was 
the receipt of a petition from leading citi- 
zens of Butler borough against continuing 



a boy of William Johnson's years as bell- 
ringer and custodian of public buildings, 
and recommending the employment of 
John McCollough, Jr. The commissioners 
acquiesced in this petition without delay 
and McCollough was duly installed as 
bell-ringer. In August of this year John 
Ross was awarded a contract for painting 
the courthouse and public offices. 

TIE VOTE FOB COMMISSIONER. 

The elections held in October of 1841 re- 
sulted in a tie vote for county commis- 
sioner, and the contest that resulted was 
heard on November 10 by commissioners 
McMillen and Miller sitting with the Court 
of Quarter Sessions. The claims of Mc- 
Curdy and Moyer, two of the contestants, 
were set aside, and John Ray, of Donegal 
Township, was chosen, the new member 
taking his seat on November 20. The rev- 
enues" of 1841 amounted to $9,237.52, all 
of which were disbursed. The school fund 
then amounted to $254.15, or $111.66 from 
unseated land tax, and $142.49 paid by 
former treasurer. 

In January, 1842, the trustee of 
the Butler Academy owed the sum of 
$2,457.70. This sum included $1,101.36, 
the amount of John Negley's judgment, 
and $150 subscribed toward the support of 
the institution. 

Under the constitution of 1838 the office 
of county treasurer became elective and 
the first election held in the county after 
the new law went into effect was in 1841, 
when Andrew Cams was chosen county 
treasurer for the term of two years. He 
presented his certificate of election in 
October, and qualified January 1, 1842. 
Alexander S. McBride was appointed 
clerk, George W. Smith attorney, and 
Samuel R. Williams bell-ringer, for the 
year. In October, John Ray was reelected 
commissioner and Abraham Moyer, who 
was one of the defeated candidates in the 
contest of 1841, was also elected commis- 
sioner, and with Thomas R. McMillen 



104 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



formed the board for tlie ensuing year. 
Tlie warrants issued foi- the vear repre- 
sented $8,309.75. 

In the early i)art of 1843 Alexander Mc- 
Nair was appointed attorney at a salary 
of $:25 ]jer aniumi. and John Gold bell- 
ringer at a sahn y of *.j(). Maniicf Bredin 
qualified as conniiissicaier on O('tol)er 14. 
The total treasurer's credit amounted to 
$11, 077. 21 ; and the value of warrants, 
.$7,292.47. 

Daniel Coll qualified as treasurer on the 
1st of January, 1844, and Alexander S. 
M(d>ride was ieapi)()iiite(l clerk, and John 
Gold bell-ringei-. On Odnher 26, W. W. 
l)od<ls (jualified as (■(ii!iini>sioiier. 

The board of commissioners in January, 

1845, consisted of W. W. Dodds, Maurice 
Bredin and Abraham Moyer. The firm of 
Gilmore & Purviance were appointed 
countv attorneys, and the reappointment 
of Alexander S. McRride Clerk, and John 
Gold bell-ringer are ineiilioned. Thomas 
H. Bracken was elected commissioner at 
the October election, and took the place 
of Abraham Moyer. 

John Bredin, Jr., was appointed clerk at 
the meeting held the 1st of January, 1846, 
Oren Baldwin attorney, and John Gold 
bell-ringer. In A])ril, David Douthett was 
apiiointed commissioner as the successor 
of Maurice Bredin, and on October 24, 
Lewis Z. Mitchell was appointed mercan- 
tile appraiser under the act of April 22, 

1846. This was the first appointment 
made for this position. John Anderson 
qualified as commissioner on the 27th of 
October as the successor to David Douth- 
ett, who had lieen appointed to fill a 
vacancy. 

George W. Crozier was appointed clerk 
to the commissioners in January, 1847, 
and the salary increased to $1.50 per day. 
John Borland was a{)]iointed attorney 
and John McCollough bell-ringer. At the 
October election Joseidi Douthett was 
chosen to succeed Commissioner W. W. 



Dodds, and William Timblin was ap- 
l)ointed mercantile appraiser. 

Andrew Simpson succeeded Bracken as 
a member of the board in 1848, and imme- 
diately after the organization of the board 
a resolution was adopted changing the 
system of fuel contract for the public 
buildings. The resolution was as follows: 
"That the coal should be shipped by those 
who will supply it at four cents per bushel 
and not take more than four hundred 
bushels from any one at any one time; 
also to supply the jail in the same way." 

The year 1849 appears to have been one 
of disasters and floods. An entry refers 
to the floods of July and speaks of county 
bridges being damaged at Amberson's, at 
Robb's, and one on Breakneck Creek. 
George W. Crozier was reappointed clerk, 
and John Sullivan counsel and mercantile 
appraiser. Thomas Kelly was elected 
commissioner this year to succeed An- 
derson. 

In January, 1850, George W. Crozier 
was reappointed clerk, and John McCol- 
lough bell-ringer, and William Timblin 
attorney, at a salary of $25 per year. The 
board was composed of Thomas Kelly, 
Andrew Simpson and Joseph Douthett. 
Thomas Welsh was elected commissioner 
in October to succeed Joseph Douthett, 
and at the organization of the board in 
November, James Wliite, of Prospect, was 
appointed mercantile appraiser. 

The appointments made by the commis- 
sioners in 1851 were: James A. McNair, 
clerk; Arcus McDermit, attorney; and 
William Williamson, bell-ringer. McNair 
resigTied as clerk in October, and John 
Sullivan was appointed to fill the vacancy 
at the last meeting of the old board. 
James Mitchell succeeded Andrew Simp- 
son as commissioner on October 28, and 
on the last day of the year John Greer, 
of Prospect, was appointed mercantile 
a])praiser. 

The principal business before the com- 



AND iJKlMIKSKNTATIVE CITIZENS 



missioners iu 1852 was the buildiug of a 
new courthouse. In January John Sulli- 
van was appointed clerk, Ebenezer McJun- 
kin, attorney, and John McCuUough, bell- 
ringer. On the 28th of May of this year, 
Architect Barr was in consultation with 
the commissioners over the plans for the 
proposed new courthouse. Subsequently 
the commissioners, Kelly, Welsh and 
Mitchell, spent twelve days visiting the 
comity seats of Lawrence, Beaver, Alle- 
gheny, AVasliington, Green, Fayette, Blair, 
and Indiana counties to obtain information 
relative to the courthouse buildings, and 
(Continued to give this subject their atten- 
tion until July 16, when they awarded the 
contract to William Bell, of Warren, Penn- 
sylvania. John Miller succeeded Thomas 
Kelly as commissioner in November, and 
David ]\IcDonald was appointed mercan- 
tile appraiser. 

THE NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD. 

There are no changes in the appoint- 
ment of the commissioners in 185.3, until 
the close of January, when George W. 
Grozier was appointed temporary clerk. 
The Northwestern Railroad, which was the 
first project of the kind started in Butler 
Comity, was a subject of consideration by 
the county commissioners in March, 1853. 
It was proposed to build this road from 
New Castle to Butler, and thence to Free- 
port. On the 31st of March, the commis- 
sioners unanimously agreed to siibscribe 
$250,000 to the capital stock of the North- 
western Railroad Company, as recom- 
mended and found by the grand jury, and 
in accordance with the act incorporating 
that comjiany. This resolution was duly 
signed by the commissioners, and the 
clerk, John Sullivan. The Northwestern 
Railroad Company afterwards failed and 
the road was never completed, while the 
commissioners of the county were involved 
in Htigntion over the i-ubscription made to 
the cajiital stock of the concern. 

At tills time the commissioners were also 



engaged in watching the progress of the 
new courthouse, and in making repairs on 
the jail so that their positions were any- 
thing but sinecures. One of the sanitary 
acts of this period must be credited to the 
board ; this was the construction of a 
sewer fi-om the jail to the creek, which was 
the first improvement of this class made 
in this section of Pennsylvania. Another 
important item of business transacted by 
the commissioners in this year, was the re- 
districting of the county into thirty-three 
townships, and the establishing of the 
township lines. At the October election, 
William C. Campbell was elected commis- 
sioner to succeed Welsh. 

Pursuant to the action taken the pre- 
vious year the commissioners issued rail- 
road bonds in October, 1854, to pay for the 
subscription to the capital stock of the 
Northwestern Railroad Company, and in 
the same month a contract was made for a 
new courthouse bell. John Kennedy was 
elected commissioner and qualified in No- 
vember. 

The new courthouse was finished during 
the summer of 1855, and the commission- 
ers were engaged in purchasing furniture 
and office fixtures for it. There is no 
minute to the effect that contractor Bell 
ever finished the structure, or of its ac- 
ceptance by the commissioners, but a min- 
ute recorded on December 7, 1855, in re- 
gard to the cleaning of the interior of the 
courthouse, indicates that Bell had ob- 
sei'ved a notice to finish his contract. Sam- 
uel Marks was appointed clerk for that 
year. 

In January, 1856, the commissioners re- 
appointed Samuel Marks, clerk, E. McJvm- 
kin, attorney, and John MeCollough, bell- 
ringer. In August,- Architect Barr and 
Contractor Bell met with the commission- 
ers and made the final settlement for the 
construction of the new courthouse. 

General dissatisfaction seemed to exist 
over the affairs of the Northwestern Rail- 
road Company, and in February, 1857. 



106 



HISTORY OF BITTLP]R COUNTY 



John Graham was appointed agent of the 
county and ordered to visit Philadelphia 
to attend a meeting of the directors of the 
Northwestern Railroad, on March 3d, and 
find out the condition and policy of that 
corporation. Little satisfaction was ob- 
tained at this meeting, and towards the 
latter part of the year the members of the 
board visited the directors at Pittsburg. 
On March 11th of that year Contractor 
Bell was given a warrant for the final pay- 
ment of work done on the courthouse. 
Samuel P. Irvine was appointed clerk. 

Anxiety about the intentions of the rail- 
road company prevailed in 1858 and occu- 
pied considerable time of the county com- 
missioners. Bridges at Evansburg, Black's 
mill, Bovard's mill, and Zelienople were 
i-e)3aired or built during the year, and 
mention is made of a law suit in which the 
commmissioners were interested, being 
tried at Pittsburg. Subsequently the case 
is referred to as Duberry vs. William Har- 
bison, Charles McClung, and Butler Coun- 
ty. 

In ISGO tlie board was composed of 
William Harbison. Charles INlcClung, and 
Thomas McNfCse. Sanuiel P. liviue was 
reappointed clei-k, and appointed attorney 
for the board. Irvine resigned the clerk- 
ship in August, and Samuel Marks was 
appointed. 

The board in 1861 was composed of 
Matthew Greer, Thomas McNeese, and 
Charles MeClung. William S. Jack was 
api)()Jiited clerk, and John 'M. Thompson 
attorney. On April 30tli Jack resigned and 
enlisted for service in the war, and John 
H. Niblock was appointed his successor as 
clerk. 

The board in 1862 was Abner Bartley, 
Matthew Greer, and Thomas McNeese. 
John H. Niblock was reappointed clerk, 
but resigned in March, and Harvey Col- 
bert of Butler was appointed his successor 
and continued in the office until the close 
of 1866. Early in 1862 mention is made of 
the relief work of the board, and on Julv 



olst of the commissioners agreeing to give 
each volunteer in three companies of nine 
months' men,. $25.00 each as soon as mus- 
tered in. On August 26th this bounty was 
paid to the soldiers of Capt. Anderson's 
company. In October, John M. Thompson 
having resigned to enter the United States 
service, Charles McCandless was chosen 
attorney. Commissioner Greer attended 
the court of Pittsburg for several days 
during this year in the matter of the rail- 
road suit, and was credited with 209 days' 
service from January 1 to December 31, 
together with 36 days' service in 1861, as 
against 477 days of Mr. McNeese. 

DISPUTE or BOUNTY CLAIMS. 

The payment of bounties to soldiers ap- 
pears to have been the cause of trouble in 
1863, when certain citizens who resided 
near the line of Lawrence County, suc- 
ceeded in imposing on the commissioners 
of Butler County, and were paid bounties 
they did not deserve. In April, 1863, a 
meeting of the commissioners of Lawrence 
and Butler Counties was held to settle 
some dis]iuted jioints about soldiers' boun- 
ties, and detoimine on which side of the 
line certain claimants for bounty lived. 
To avoid further trouble in the matter it 
was suggested that on whichever side of 
the line the home was, the land could be 
assessed in that county, and the soldier 
paid the bounty from the treasury of that 
county. A meeting was held at Porters- 
ville, September 17th to fix the boundary 
line, when Messrs. Sutton, Wilson, Greer 
and Bartley were appointed to take the 
southern end of the line and James For- 
rest, Thomas McNeese and Harvey Colbert 
the northern end. Samuel Leason was 
elected commissioner to succeed Thomas 
McNeese in October, and with commis- 
sioners Bartley and Greer brought the 
business of the year and the boundary line 
question to a satisfactory close. 

No changes were made in the appoint 
ments for 1864, and in February a tax 



AND REPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



107 



oi' lifteen mills on assessed value of prop- 
erty was authorized; being four mills 
for county purposes, three mills for state 
purposes, and eight mills for railroad 
charges. The auditors for the year 1864 
apparently did not associate the 314-day 
services charge by the commissioner's 
clerk with the increased work of the times ; 
but the commissioners did. At the close 
of their report auditors John H. Cratty, 
Vi'. H. H. Riddle and Simeon Nixon made 
the following note: "AVe, the undersigned 
auditors of Butler County, having exam- 
ined the foregoing account of the commis- 
sioners' clerk of Butler County, do report 
that Congress must either make more days 
in the year, or we shall compel the com- 
missioners to commute his rations." The 
commissioners evidently did not agree 
with the auditors, for Harvey Colbert was 
reappointed clerk two days after the re- 
port was tiled. The report of taxables in 
the county for 1864 showed that there were 
216 citizens of the county assessed live per 
cent, of their incomes under the law pro- 
viding for an income tax. A. C. Christy 
was elected a member of the board in Oc- 
tober, 1864. 

Under date of March 15, 1865, a minute 
was entered which recalls a tragic na- 
tional event. It reads as follows : "Abra- 
ham Lincoln, president of the United 
States, was shot last night in Wasliington 
City by an assassin, and died this morning 
— requiescat in pace." 

The fight against the railroad company 
was carried on this year by commission- 
ers Bartley and Leason. In October Will- 
iam Dick was elected commissioner to suc- 
ceed Abner Bartley. 

In January, 1866, the commissioners re 
appointed the old officers, but in the latter 
part of the month Clerk Harvey Colbert 
resigned, and George W. Kneiss was ap- 
pointed to succeed him. In November a 
vacancy was caused in the office of county 
treasurer by the death of W. E. Moore, and 



J. Christy Moore, of Center Township, 
was appointed to fill the vacancy. 

The tax rate of 1866 was eight mills, or 
nine mills lower than the rate of 1865. 
This rate was continued for 1867. 

In May, 1867, the commissioners re- 
ceived bids for the erection of a new jail 
and sheriff's residence, and on June 14th 
the contract was awarded to S. G. Purvis 
& Company of Butler. There were no 
changes made in the appointments this 
year. Charles Hoffman was elected com- 
missioner at the October election. 

At the meeting of the board in January, 
1868, the clerk's salary was placed at 
.$700 and the attorney's was still held down 
to $25; but the bell-ringer had his pay in- 
creased to $150. James M. Lowe was the 
commissioner elected in October. 

The new commissioner elected in 1869 
was John S. Campbell. In September of 
that year George Kneiss resigned as clerk 
and Thomas B. White was appointed to fill 
the vacancy. On November 6th of this 
year the board elected a president in the 
person of Charles Hoffman, he being the 
first to serve under that title. One of the 
transactions of the commissioners for the 
year was to discard the old digest pur- 
chased in 1804, and to purchase a new edi- 
tion of Purdon for the office. 

The transaction of the commissioners in 
'January appears to have been fixing a tax 
levy of seven mills and awarding the con- 
tracts for printing the auditor's report to 
John H. Negley for $50. Railroad matters 
came up again in February, and in that 
month the commissioners borrowed from 
the First National Bank for ninety days 
the sum of $1,500, and in March a warrant 
for $116,798 was is.«ued to Robinson, 
banker, for railroad bonds and coupons. 
This transaction seems to close the busi- 
ness between the commissioners and the 
old Northwestern Railroad Company. In 
November, James Lowe was chosen presi- 
dent of the board, and before the close of 



108 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the year W. H. Black was appointed attor- 
ney, and the clerk and bell-ringer were re- 
appointed. An estimate of the expendi- 
tures for the current year was placed at 
$40,000. 

In April, 1871, Thomas B. White re- 
signed as clerk to the commissioners to 
become postmaster of Butler, and William 
J J. Spear succeeded him as clerk. In June 
the commissioners had imder considera- 
tion the claims of John M. Thompson and 
Charles McCandless for defending Butler 
County in the case of Lawrence County vs. 
Butler County growing out of the subscrip- 
tion of the Northwestern Railroad Com- 
l^anv. The claim, which was a bill for a 
fee "of $10,000, was finally tabled until 
"equitably adjusted either by law or com- 
promise." In July when the trial was re- 
sumed, James Bredin was employed to 
represent Butler County, the consideration 
being a fee of $500 and traveling expenses. 

The use of iron in the superstructure of 
hiidgcs in the county is first mentioned in 
tlie tiaiisaction of the commissioners in re- 
gard to liridge work in 1872. The records 
say tliat the new iron bridge in Cherry 
Township was completed in October and 
an iron Imdge at Harmony near tCnslen's 
was also finished. 

The commissioners appear to have led 
a strenuous life during 1872. Part of the 
trouble was caused by a threat to proceed 
according to law against collectors who 
neglected to pay off their tax duplicates 
before January 1, 1872. On January 8th, 
a record is made that every one having 
business with the office had fault to find 
with everyone and everything. Mention is 
made at this time of the overseers of the 
poor and from the entry it appears that 
the poor people of the county were sent to 
Dixmont Hospital in Allegheny County. 
In March, the financial embarrassment of 
the county treasury was relieved by an 
unexpected draft from Harrisburg, which 
enabled the commissioners to lift an over- 
due note of $600 held by Mrs. S. C. Sulli- 



van. In June it appears that one-half the 
jurors were excused and the conamission- 
ers hurried payments to them, saying, 
"they are no use here — the sooner they 
are discharged the better for the county." 
On the 22nd of June an entry states that 
on the previous day the hardest rain that 
the oldest citizens remember of had fallen 
in the southwestern part of the county, 
taking away bridges and doing much dam- 
age to fences and grain. Heavy rains in 
August of that year damaged bridges and 
delayed the rebuilding of those that had 
already been destroyed by the floods in 
June. 

It would appear from an entry made on 
October 29th, that the residents of Clear- 
field Township were keeping up the Irish 
reputation as lovers of a strenuous life 
and combat. After settling with the wit- 
nesses in attendance at court, the commis- 
sioners caused the following entry to be 
made on the minute book : ' ' The witnesses 
are all from Clearfield, and a hard set 
of fellows they are to get along with." 
And again under date of October .31, 
"Court in session. Trying Dutchman for 
burning a barn near Saxonburg ; found him 
guilty, being out only fifteen minutes." 

The matter of the $10,000 fee for legal 
services claimed by Thompson and Mc- 
Candless was under consideration in this 
month, and on December 22nd arbitrators 
were appointed. On the 28tli of Decem- 
ber Judge Kerr, James F. Robinson and 
Judge Mitchell met under the appoint- 
ment, but nothing was accomplished. Rob- 
ert Barron became a member of the board 
in November, 1872, and on the 25th of the 
month John B. McQuistion was appointed 
clerk to fill the vacancy caused by the 
death of William L. Spear, which occurred 
on November 24th. 

The board in 187.3 was composed of 
James P. Christley, Robert Barron, and 
Benjamin F. Garvin. The most important 
item of business transacted was the carry- 
ing out of the order of court made in Sep- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



109 



tember, to have all books and dockets re- 
bound, and such dockets as were mutilated 
transcribed and bound. In order to meet 
payment of bills and current expenses, a 
temporary loan of $2,448 from John Berg 
& Company, with the understanding that 
the money was to remain in the bank "to 
be drawn out as needed." 

The board in 1874 was composed of 
Jolm C. Riddle, James P. Christley and 
Robert Barron. E. J. Cratty was ap- 
pointed clerk to succeed John B. McQuis- 
tion, and Thomas Robinson as attorney to 
succeed W. H. Black. The business of the 
commissioner's office for the year appears 
to have been unimportant and consisted of 
routine work. 

James C. Donaldson was the new mem- 
ber elected in 1875, and was the last officer 
elected under the old law, which required 
one commissioner to be elected each year. 
At the meeting of the board held in Feb- 
ruary, I. S. P. DeWolf was chosen clerk at 
a salary of $700 per year, and Clarence 
Walker, attorney, at $40 per annum. In 
June, George Maxwell of Center Town- 
ship was appointed clerk to succeed De- 
Wolf. Affairs about the courthouse were 
enlivened on the night of October 18th, 
by an attempt made by burglars to blow 
up the safe in the treasurer's office. The 
attempt proved a failure, in so far as get- 
ting the safe doors open was concerned, 
and the force of the explosion wrecked the 
inside of the office. As a consequence of 
the damage to the doors of the safe, pay- 
ment of warrants was checked for a few 
days until experts could be sent for and 
the doors of the safe opened. The bur- 
glars were never apprehended. 

Under the new law, which provided for 
the election of three commissioners to 
serve for three years and for minority rep- 
resentation on the board, the following 
were cliosen at the fall election held in No- 
vember, 1875, and qualified on the first 
Monday of Janiiary, 1876, to serve until 
the first Mondav of January, 1879 : Rob- 



ert Barron, J. T. Donaldson, and William 
A. Christy. Samuel McClymonds was ap- 
pointed clerk for the term of three years. 

In March tlie dispute about the treas- 
urer's salary for the year was in progress, 
the board offering $2,250, believing that 
this was the legal interpretation of the 
court's decision in the matter. The case 
was appealed to the Supreme Court and 
that tribunal decided in favor of the treas- 
urer, fixing the salary on the percentage 
basis. In June, 1876, the removal of the 
old courthouse cupola was decided upon, 
and a new one fitted as a clock tower or- 
dered to be constructed. The clock for 
this structure was not to cost more than 
$900, of which the county was to pay $300 
and the borough of Butler $600. 

In January, 1879, the board of commis- 
sioners was composed of J. C. Donaldson. 
James Gribben and Jonathan Mayburry. 
Samuel McClymonds was reappointed 
clerk, and H. W. Nichols was appointed 
janitor, or bell-ringer, to succeed the vet- 
eran janitor, John McColIough. Clarence 
Walker was reappointed counsel. 

The board in 1882 was' composed of 
Charles Cochran. George W. Hays and 
James Collins. At the election held in 
November, 1881, T. I. Wilson was chosen 
minority member of the board, but nm 
death occurring prior to January, Collins 
was appointed to fill the vacancy. Samuel 
T. Marshall was appointed clerk and 
Thomas Robinson, attorney, and the com- 
mission of the treasurer, J. H. Miller, was 
fixed at four per cent, of all money paid 
out to the amount of $55,000, and one-half 
per cent, of any sum over that amount. 
The courthouse having burned down in 
December, 1883, the commissioners at a 
meeting held in March, 1884, levied a tax 
of five mills for county purposes and two 
mills for building purposes. In June of 
this year, Architect J. P. Bailey was al- 
lowed four per cent, for plans, specifica- 
tions and superintendence of the proposed 
new courthouse, and in August the pro 



110 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ceeds of the insurance on the old building, 
amounting to $23,500, were set apart for 
the new building, together with about $19,- 
500 from the duplicate tax list of 1884, 
and two mills per cent, on duplicate for en- 
suing six years. In December, 1884, the 
board authorized the issue of $65,000 in 
bonds in blocks of $6,000 annually, the in- 
terest not to exceed four per cent. The 
commissioners do not seem to have been 
unanimous on the bond proposition, as Mr. 
Collins voted against it. The contract for 
the erection of the courthouse was awarded 
to R. B. Taylor on the 2ud of December 
and on the 3rd of the month the sum of 
$21,933.33 was received from the insurance 
company, together with $329 interest. 

An item of importance at this time was 
the order of Judge Hazen to have the old 
record book rebound and copies made of 
those that had been mutilated. 

The commissioners who qualified on Jan- 
uarj^ 5, 1885, were J. C. Bredin, John C. 
Kelly, and J. M. Turner. Robert N. Em- 
ery was appointed clerk in January, but 
resigned in March and was succeeded by 
F. M. Shira. Dr. Linn, who was appointed 
first county physician in 1879, was reap- 
pointed in 1885. S. F. Bowser was ap- 
pointed attorney. The principal business 
of the commissioners for the year was the 
completion of the courthouse, and routine 
office work. Gas was introduced as fuel in 
the public offices for the first time, and the 
commissioners seem to have had some 
doubt about the ultimate success of the 
venture, for they state in their records 
that the new fuel was taken on trial. Rob- 
ert N. Emery, who resigned as clerk in 
March, was afterwards appointed court- 
house watchman, and in February, 1886, 
Samuel T. Marshall was reelected clerk to 
succeed F. M. Sliira. Nothing of impor- 
tance was recorded during the remainder 
of this term. 

The new board, in January, 1888, was 
composed of A. J. Hutchison, John C. 
Kelly, and B. M. Duncan. Samuel T. Mar- 



shall was reelected clerk, Newton Black 
attorney, and Samuel Graham jail physi- 
cian. 

On January 7, 1889, Enos McDonald was 
chosen clerk to succeed Samuel T. Mar- 
shall, and on the 10th of January, 1890, 
John Humphrey was appointed commis- 
sioner to succeed John C. Kelly, who had 
resigned. 

The board in 1891 was composed of John 
Humphrey, Samuel T. Marshall and J. C. 
Kiskaddon. On the 2nd of February, 
Isaac Meals was elected clerk, and served 
through the term of three years. 

The board in 1894 was composed of S. 
W. McCollough, Richard Kelly, and 
George W. Wilson. Isaac Meals was re- 
elected clerk. Richard Kelly died in the 
latter part of July, 1895, and John IMitchell 
was appointed to fill the vacancy. 

In January, 1894, the board of commis-- 
sioners was composed of S. W. McCol- 
lough, Richard Kelly, and George W. Wil- 
son. The appointments made by the board 
were Isaac Meals, clerk; Adam Kamerer, 
janitor; J. M. Painter, attorney; and Dr. 
J. W. Miller, jail physician. Dr. Miller 
died during the latter part of the year, and 
Dr. S. M. BipjDus of Butler, was appointed 
to fill the vacancy, and reappointed in Jan- 
uary, 1895. There were no changes in the 
api^ointments in 1896 and the board closed 
its work in December of that year with a 
good record. 

The board was organized in Januarv, 
1897, with John Mitchell, president; D. H. 
Sutton, secretary; and Harmon Seaton 
composing the third member of the board. 
J. C. Kiskaddon was appointed chief clerk 
and L. E. Shira, transcribing clerk ; George 
E. Robinson was appointecl attorney, and 
Dr. S. M. Bippus was reappointed jail 
physician. Adam Kamerer was contin- 
ued as courthouse janitor in 1897 and 1898, 
and in January, 1899, Dr. J. W. F. Moore 
was appointed jail physician. Adam Kam- 
erer, the courthouse janitor, died in 1898, 
and was succeeded by Hugh Morgan. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



111 



The rebuilding of the county jail in 1898, 
the purchase of the county farm, and the 
erection of the buildings thereon, in 1899, 
occupied the attention of this board for a 
greater part of their time, and these duties 
were discliarged with a fidelity that reflect 
much credit on the individual members of 
the board. 

In January, 1900, the board was com- 
posed of John W. Gillespie, J. J. McGar- 
vey, and John A. Eichert. J. C. Kiskad- 
don was reappointed clerk. Porter Lowry 
attorney for three years, at a salary of 
$400 per year, and Hugh Morgan, janitor 
of the courthouse. The most important 
business transacted by the board during 
the year was the completion of the build- 
ing at the County Home, and the installing 
of the inmates. In January, 1901, the 
board appointed Joseph Graham superin- 
tendent of the County Home at an annual 
salary of $500, Mrs. Joseph Graham, ma- 
tron, 'at a salary of $300, and Dr. A. M. 
Neynian, physician, at an annual salary 
of $225. The tax levy for this year was 
four and three-fourths mills for county 
purposes, and one and three-fourths mills 
for the expenses of the poor district, and 
the pajTuent of bonds and interest on the 
County Home. 

On June 25th, 1902, Solomon Dunbar 
was appointed commissioner to fill the va- 
cancy caused by the death of John W. Gil- 
lespie. 

The commissioners who qualified on the 
1st of January, 1903, were James L. Pat- 
terson, Robert McClung, and Greer Mc- 
Candless. The appointments made by the 
board at their first meeting were as fol- 
lows: E. L. Ralston, attorney for the 
term of three years, at an annual salary of 
$400; J. C. Kiskaddou was reappointed 
clerk at a salary of $800 per year; E. A. 
McPherson, janitor of the courthouse; Dr. 
L. R. Hazlett, jail physician, and Miss 
Laura B. McClung and Mary J. Patterson, 
transcribing clerks. 

Dr. A. M. Neyman was reappointed phy- 



sician of the County Home, and the salary 
increased to $400 per year; Joseph Gra- 
ham was reappointed superintendent, Mrs. 
Graham, matron, and ]\Iiss Mary Graham, 
assistant matron. S. ^I. Wright was ap- 
pointed engineer. 

In January, 1904, Dr. L. R. Hazlett was 
appointed physician to the County Home 
at a salary of $400 per year ; Howard Gra- 
ham was appointed farmer at a salary of 
$25 per month; Jennie Wilson, laundress 
at a salary of $5 per week ; Sadie English, 
cook, at a salary of $1 per day ; and S. M. 
Wright was continued as engineer. Dr. . 
W. B. Clark was appointed jail physician, 
and Miss McGlung and Miss Patterson 
were continued as transcribing clerks in 
the commissioners' office. 

On the 2nd of January, 1905, the com- 
missioners in the minutes of their meeting 
noted the death of Robert McClung, one 
of their members. On the 14tli of the 
month Jolm T. Kelly was appointed to fill 
the vacancy. 

James Scott was appointed farmer at 
the County Home and Edward Sloan was 
continued as engineer. With these excep- 
tions the officials appointed the previous 
year were continued. On account of the 
increased clerical work in the cormnission- 
eis' office, caused by the county poor dis- 
trict and the County Home, the salary of 
the commissioners' clerk was increased 
this year to $950. 

William Seibert, N. S. (Jrossman, and 
G. F. Easley qualified as commissioners in 
1906, and composed the board at the close 
of 1908. The appointments made by the 
l)oard in January, 1906, were Robert K. 
Grossman, clerk; James B. Mcjunkin, at- 
torney; Dr. MeCurdy Bricker, physician 
to the County Home ; Dr. W. J. Grossman, 
jail physician ; Laura McClung, Irene Eas- 
ley, and Emma Seibert, transcribing 
clerks in the commissioners' office; E. A. 
McPherson, janitor of the courthouse ; and 
Harry Grieb, caretaker of the courthouse 
clock. The appointment of su}ierintend- 



112 



liisToin OK p.ijtlp:k county 



eiit of tlir County Home was passed over 
until l''cl)iiiaiy 1, and 0. W. Stoughton 
was ajipointed superintendent at a salary 
of ^iu)t\ ])er year, and. Mrs. O. W. Stough- 
ton, matron, at a salary of $350. Dr. Mc- 
Curdy Bricker died in the early part of 
1908,'and Dr. ,J. C. Caldwell was appointed 
))hysi('ian to tlie County Home to fdl the 
vacancy. 

A lar.^c amount of business was trans- 
acted l>y the board of eoimnissioners dur- 
ing tlie term, including the repairs on the 
courthouse, a large amount of bridge work, 
and the macadamizing of a number of pub- 
lic roads under the direction of the State 
Highway Department. The first petition 
for improved roads under the new law was 
filed with the county commissioners March 
6, 1906, and was for a road in Mercer 
Township, but the first work done was on 
the Three Degree Road leading from the 
Plank Road to Bredinville, south of Butler, 
in 190(). Since that time the Franklin 
Road has been completed in Center Town- 
ship, a road to Buffalo Township, two 
roads in Mercer Township, a road from 
Valencia to the Allegheny County line, and 
three miles of the Butler and New Castle 
road in Butler Township. The record of 
the present board is one of hard work and 
a faithful performance of their public duty. 

Previous to 1890 the county commission- 
ers were paid a salary of $2.50 per day, 
for each day they were actively engaged in 
the duties of their office. In the latter 
year the General Assembly passed an act 
increasing the pay of these officers to $3.50 
per day, and in 1906 a new act went into 
effect which fixed the salary of the com- 
missioners at $1,200 per year. 

1804 AND 1908 COMPARED. 

The tax duplicates issued by the county 
commissioners in April, 1804, amounted 
to $1,475.81, distributed among the four 
townshi])s. In 1905, the tax lew amounted 
to $2,798,021/,. distributed among the thir- 



teen townships, as shown in the table given 
in this chapter. In 1906, the number of 
taxables given in the county was 1,644, 
and the tax levy was $4,116.30, distributed 
among the thirteen townships as given in 
the table published in 1906. The total val- 
uation of taxable property is not given in 
any of the transactions of the commis- 
sioners' office, but it did not exceed $400,- 
000 during any of these years. 

In the table given below will be found 
the number of taxables, the total value of 
all taxable property, the amount of money 
at interest, and the value of all taxable 
real estate in the county, given by town- 
ships, for the year 1908. It must be re- 
membered, however, that the valuation of 
real estate for taxable purposes in the 
county rarely exceeds 50 per cent, of the 
market or cash value, and that the real 
value of the real estate in the county ap- 
proximates forty-six to fifty million dol- 
lars. The table below is taken from the 
return made by the coimty commissioners 
to the secretary of the commonwe'alth in 
1908: 

1908. 

Total Value 

Number of all Monev Value of all 

of Tax- Taxable at Real Estate 

ables. Property. Interest. Taxable. 

.\dams Tp 412$ 420,260,$ 132,830$ 395,076 

Alleghen.v Tp 339 294,819 22,544 266,722 

Buffalo Tp 425 516,243 55,262 493,306 

Butler Tp 1,028 905,259 127,986 846,955 

Brad.T Tp 187 178,978 30,667 167,608 

Clinton Tp 326 470,730 70,031 442,542 

Cla.v Tp 444 418,235 63,114 287,107 

Center Tp 310 414,687 32,730 388,836 

Clearfield Tp 316 343,042 32,237 322,809 

Cherry Tp 349 315,055 32,102 293,203 

Cranberry Tp 310 466,724 164,514 442,603 

Connoqueness 1 n g 

Tp 345 360,782 87,084 335,770 

Concord Tp 437 430,648 146,960 391,723 

Donegal Tp 453 355,749 59,340 326,809 

Forward Tp 353 421,029 211,791 400,.329 

Fairviow Tp 494 378,412 77,660 342,844 

Franklin Tp 311 349,174 39,843 325,451 

.Tefferson Tp 429 531,907 127,574 496,855 

.Jackson Tp 424 489,524 133,855 456,777 

Lancaster Tp 295 351,702 49,442 329,406 

Marion Tp 330 266,926 36,127 246,098 

Mercer Tp 219 220,791 41,916 200,139 

Middlesex Tp.... 427 492,511 216,229 449,396 

Muddy Creek Tp.. 258 296.161 9.413 281,864 

Oakland Tp 342 372,031 72,255 35.3.033 

Penn Tp 545 529,761 202,343 480,821 

Parker Tp 338 283,037 21,534 260,315 

Summit Tp 520 541,148 113,898 509,613 

Slippery Rock Tp.. 486 437,335 39,437 397,885 

Venango Tp 464 307,765 39,099 274.7.58 

Washington Tp... 563 428,310 78,670 383,315 



AND RKPRESKNTATIVE CITIZENS 



113 



WiuBeld Tp. . . 


. . . 4S1 


0.>S,S49 


159,902 


.^00.018 


Worth Tp 


. . . 275 


:i»S,423 


38,599 




Bulh-r lioi-ough 


... 7,010 


8.087,412 


1,724,669 8 


.-I'u'.r.'M 


Bnliii V.n,;.... 


188 


90.527 


24,184 




l:ii 


89,775 


17,941 


78.350 


Call'i\ l;-!" 


V2-i 


53,412 




45.433 


En ill ■; li. 1;. V. 


441 


266,727 


losiisi 


231.237 




124 


79,526 


17,103 


08,390 




106 


42,384 


20,574 


34.474 


ii:<: :• i.' 


2B3 


103,418 


84,615 


143.293 


11,11- .-. ,.!• r-i 


130 


88.570 


144,153 


73.830 


K:ll;i- ' r. . i... 


125 


51,560 


21,620 


44.064 


CUi.-i.i r...... 


208 


214,543 


293,008 


177.150 


M;ii- pH-i-.i, 


455 


354,773 


106,910 


320,853 


rr.,.|i-l l-r- 


163 


86,745 


69,066 


73.710 


Po;l r-vi;i' i;. 


1., 6(i 


61,136 


22.803 


54.170 


i'uli-l.a i;..,-,'. 


. 141 


61,001 


27,819 


48.821 


"v;, !;:'■,'"' 


,'. .' :5()4 


210,769 


171,105 


182.702 


Sax.iMii.ii- r.nr, 


... 101 


126,213 


124.958 


11-3.248 


Val.ii, ia r.i.ro. . 


105 


78,380 


36,447 


72.993 


West S n n b u 


r y 








Boro 


. . . 100 


66,638 


18,980 


38,855 


,Wo St L i D e 1- 










Uoro 


,^ 78 


62,889 


7,382 


37,447 


Zelienoplo I'.oi-j 


. . . 465 


393,271 


235,220 


357,941 


Total 


...25,229 $ 


24,855,792 


$6,456,366 $23. 


,119.696 



The number of acres of cleared land in 
the county in 1908, 398,903; number of 
acres of timber land, 77,316 ; value of real 
estate, exempt from taxation, $1,806,815; 
number of horses and mules, 10,624 ; value 
of horses and mules, $577,208; number of 
neat cattle, 11,480; value of neat cattle, 
$207,773 ; value of salaries and emoluments 
of office, $971,115; value of stages and 
omnibuses, $4,142 ; amount of tax assessed 
for county purposes in 1908, $99,425; ag- 
gregate amount of state tax assessed, 
$25,842. 

commissioners' clekks. 
On the 16th of November, 1803, David 
Dougal was appointed clerk to the county 
commissioners and served until January, 
1808; since that time the following ap- 
pointments have been made : Walter Low- 
rie, 1808-9-10 and 11; Robert Scott. 1812- 
13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20; Thomas McCleary 
was appointed in 1821 and his salary fixed 
at $100 for the year; Robert Scott was 
again appointed in 1822 and 1823; John 
Welsh in 1824; William Gibson in 1825; 
Campbell Purviance in 1827; Christian 
Mechling, 1828 and 1829; Mechling re- 
signed February 17, 1829, and Nelson Pur- 
viance was appointed at a salary of $50; 



1S;U)-31 and 32 Nelson Purviance filled the 
api)oiutment, beginning at a salary of $90 
per year, which in the latter year was in- 
creased to $1 per day; William Campbell 
was appointed for the years 1833-34 and 
35. His salary was at first $70 per year, 
the second year it was $1 per day, and the 
third year $1.25 ]Der day. Jacob Zeigler 
was appointed in 1836; George W. Zeig- 
ler in 1840; William Timbliu, 1841; A. S. 
McBride, 1842-43-44; John Bredin, Jr., 
1845; George W. Crozier in 1847; James 
A. McNair, 1851; John Sullivan, 1851-52 
and 53; Thomas Robinson, 1854; Samuel 
Marks, 1855-56-57; S. P. Irvine, 1858; W. 
S. .lack, 1861; John Niblock was appointed 
in the latter part of 1861 to fill the vacancy 
caused by the resignation of Jack. In the 
early part of 1862 Niblock resigned and 
Harvey Colbert was appointed; Colbert 
was reappointed in 186.3-64-65-66; George 
Kneiss, 1867 and 68; in 1869 Thomas B. 
White. White resigned April 8, 1871, to 
become postmaster of Butler, and William 
Spear was appointed to fill the vacancy. 
Spear died in December, 1872, and J. B. 
McQuistion was appointed for the re- 
mainder of that year and for 1873. Eli 
Cratty in 1874 and 75 ; I. S. P. DeWolf was 
appointed February 13, 1875, and on May 
21 J. B. Storey was appointed; Samuel 
McClymonds, 1876-77-78-79-80 and 81; 
Samuel T. Marshall 1882-83 and 84; Rob- 
ert N. Emery, 1885, resigned in March and 
F. M. Shira was appointed. Samuel T. 
Marshall, 1886-87 and 88, resigned in De- 
cember and Enos McDonald was ap- 
pointed; 1889, and 1890, Enos McDonald; 
1891-92-93-94-95 and 96, Isaac Meals; 
1897-98-99-1900-1-2-3-4-5, J. C. Kiskaddon ; 
1906-7 and 1908, Robert K. Grossman. 

CONSCIENCE MONEY. 
"Happy is the man that keeps a good 
conscience." The following incident is re- 
lated by Rev. Loyal Young, deceased, in 
his book entitled "From Dawn to Dusk," 



114 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and wbicli is a record of events that hap- 
pened in a busy life of fifty years, most of 
which was spent in Butler. Rev. Young- 
was pastor of the First Presbyterian 
Churcli of Butler from 1832 to 1867, and 
the incident that he relates happened in 
1850. On his way to prayer meeting on 
the evening of May 29th of that year, he 
passed the postoffice and received a letter 
post marked Cincinnati. The letter was 
written with a pen, but in imitation of 
print. On opening the letter Rev. Young 
found enclosed bank bills amounting to 
$240. The following note, also in imita- 
tion of print, was attached to the bill: 
"Rev. Loyal Young, I am told you are an 
lionest man. This money belongs to the 
county of Butler. Pay it to the county 
treasurer." There was no name signed to 
the note and no way of identifying the per- 
son who had sent the money. Rev. Young 
held the matter under advisement and the 
following day he handed the money to the 
county commissioners as the proper 
medium through which to put it in the pos- 
session of the treasurer. The commission- 
ers afterwards handed Rev. Young $10 as 
a donation for his services in helping to 
save the county the money. Rev. Young 
accepted the money with reluctance, but 
never felt satisfied that he had done so, 
and his own mind was never completely at 
ease until he had paid back the money to 
the county treasurer with interest. He ar- 
gued in his own mind thus: "If this $240 
belongs to the county, it all belongs to the 
county; and though the commissioners 
have a right in the circumstances to make 
a donation, the receiver can hardly be jus- 
tified in retaining a dollar of what the 
sender of the money desired to go to the 
county." In writing about the circum- 
stance Rev. Young concludes with these 
words: "When a dishonest act has been 
secretly perpetrated and restitution made, 
why need any one know it but the perpe- 
trator and his all seeing Maker?" 



PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 

COURTHOUSES. 

B^'rom the organization of the county un- 
til 1807 the business of the courts was 
transacted in rented quarters. The ses- 
sions of the court were held in a log build- 
ing that stood on the south side of the Dia- 
mond on the present site of the Nixon 
Hotel, and the court records and dockets 
were kept at various houses in the town. 
In 1807 a brick courthouse was built on the 
site of the present building. It was a 
plain, but substantial liuilding, having east 
and west gables and a wooden cupola in' 
the center of the roof, in which was hung a 
bell, which is said to be still doing duty 
upon one of the churches in Prospect. The 
original building was in the form of a rect- 
angle and stood on the property line, fac- 
ing the east. North and south wings were 
added, which were used for the county of- 
fices. The courtroom was on the first floor 
■ and was paved with brick. The bar was 
separated from the audience room by a 
high wooden partition and a rail that was 
almost the height of a man's head. The 
furniture was plain and substantial as be- 
fitted the time. The north wing of the 
building was divided into two offices, the 
one facing Main Street, being occupied by 
the county commissioners, and that in the 
rear by the registrar and recorder. These 
offices had an entrance from ]\Iain Street 
and from the North Diamond. The south 
wing was divided in the same way, the 
front office being occupied by the prothono- 
tary, and that in the rear by the sheriff. 
In addition to the Main Street and Dia- 
mond Street doors, the sheriff's office had 
a door that opened into the court room 
inside of the bar. In the rear of the build- 
ing was a large yard with a brick wall 
aroimd it, about eight or nine feet high. 
This yard was .paved with brick and con- 
tained the coal house and a number of 
small outbuildings. The second floor of 




U. V. CHURCH, -EAU CLAIRE 



HOME OF ALEXANDER HUNTER IN IRELAND 




AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



117 



the main building was divided into four 
apartments for the use of the grand jury, 
jury rooms and waiting rooms. This 
building was used for school purposes in 
its early history until school buildings 
could be provided in the borough. It was' 
also frequently used for holding relig- 
ious services by congregations without a 
regular bouse of worship of their own, and 
for holding Sunday schools which were or- 
ganized at an early date. 

The records of the county commission- 
ers show that on January 6, 1807, the con- 
tract for erecting this building was let to 
Alexander Hill, and that from February 
7, 1807, to September 8, 1809, he was paid 
the sum of $4,793.34, less $325.27 deducted 
by the referees for arbitrators to whom 
the ditferences between himself and the 
commissioners were submitted. A num- 
ber of disbursements Avere made in 1824 
for doors in the jail and courthouse, glaz- 
ing windows and placing extra irons in 
and around the jail. Just when the north 
and south wings were built, it is not defi- 
nitely known, but old residents of the town 
who can remember something about the 
first courthouse say that they were not 
built until some time after the original 
building was erected. 

This building answered the purposes of 
the county until 1851, when the question of 
erecting new public buildings in Butler was 
presented to the county. As has always 
been the case when extensive improve- 
ments were suggested, the proposition met 
with some opposition on the part of the 
tax-payers. The fact that the public build- 
ings of the county were not located near 
its geographical center had been the cause 
of com])]aint on the part of some of the 
residents in the country districts, and on 
January 26, 1852, the opponents of the 
scheme to rebuild the courthouse met at 
the Associate Reformed Church near West 
Sunbury, and organized by electing John 
Miirrin president, Thomas C. Thompson, 
Capt. James Stewart, Robert MeCandless, 



John Prior, William Carothers, Alexandei- 
Gallagher, vice-presidents, and George 
Boyd, J. W. Christy, S. S. Mahard, Allen 
Wilson and Patrick McBride, secretaries. 
A series of resolutions were adopted, the 
gist of which was that were new buildings 
to be erected, the center of the county 
should be selected, and the commissioners 
should be empowered to purchase a tract 
of land in such central position, and plot 
the area not required for public purposes 
into lots. The friends of this proposition 
saw in it an easy method of obtaining new 
buildings without increasing taxation ; but 
they did not consider the vested interests 
of the people of Butler. This removal of 
the public building to the center of the 
county would have located the county seat 
at or near the present site of Holyoke 
Church in Center Township, the location 
originally selected by the committee ap- 
pointed by the governor of the state in 
1800 to locate the coimty seats of the new 
counties that had been erected that year, 
but which was changed to Butler at the 
suggestion of the Cunninghams. 

The question of removing the county 
seat seems to have been seriously consid- 
ered throughout the county, and on the 
19th of February, 1852, an anti-removal 
meeting was held at Butler, which was pre- 
sided over by John White of Franklin 
Township. At this meeting it was decided 
to take active and aggressive measures 
toward preventing the removal of the 
county seat to another location and to that 
end township committees were appointed 
to olitain signatures to a petition which 
was to be presented to the legislature on 
the subject. 

The petition, bearing nmnerous signa- 
tures, was presented to the legislature, 
and in May that body passed a bill author- 
izing the commissioners of Butler County 
to borrow $20,000, at six per cent, for a 
period of twenty years to be expended in 
the erection of public buildings. The act 
also provided that the lenders of the sum 



118 



IliSTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of money meutioned should not be subject 
to taxation for that sum. This action of 
the legislature settled the county seat re- 
moval project for all time, and insured 
the erection of a new courthouse at Butler. 

After the passage of this bill by the leg- 
islature and its approval by the governor, 
the board of commissioners secured the 
services of Architect Barr, and after- 
wards, in their official capacity, spent 
twelve days visiting the county seats of 
Lawrence, Beaver, Allegheny, Washing- 
ton, Green, Payette, Blair and Indiana 
Counties, examining their buildings. As 
the result of this trip the commissioners 
decided to build a more imposing and cost- 
ly edifice than was at first contemplated, 
and this measure met with more opposition 
on the part of those who favored the 
county seat removal scheme. It was ar- 
gued by the opposition that a much 
clieaper building would answer the pur- 
pose just as well and that a great amount 
of money would thus be saved to the tax- 
payers. Nevertheless bids were received 
for the proposed building, and on July 16, 
1852, the contract was awarded to William 
Bell for $37,000. This amount was in- 
creased by extras to $40,000. After its 
completion the new courthouse was re- 
garded as one of the largest and best pub- 
lie buildings in western Pennsylvania, and 
remained the pride of the county for more 
than a third of a century. 

Work on the new building was com- 
inciiced in 1853, but it was not completed 
until 1855. During the period of construc- 
tion of the new courthouse, court was held 
in the basement story of the old Presbyte- 
rian Church on East Jefferson Street, and 
the county officers had their quarters in 
various parts of the town. A writer in the 
Butler Eagle in the latter part of the eight-, 
ies thus describes the courthouse of 1853: 

"It was built of excellent materials, native sandstone 
and brick, the stone work being cut in a substantial man- 
ner, and of a style of architecture which possessed great 
dignity and beauty. The Goddess of Liberty with scales 
so delicately balanced in her right hand and the sword 



of .Justice in the other so ingeniously carved on the front 
gable was suggestive and the statue of Gen. Eichard 
Butler, who fell at St. Clair's defeat in 1791 and after 
whom the town and county were named, was admired by 
all who viewed the structure. So much was this statue 
prized that when it became necessary to remove the 
building somewhat, it was carefully lowered and finally 
placed on the comb of the roof in front of the improved 
court house of 1877. This improvement was made in the 
fall of 1877 under the sujiervision of the then board of 
commissioners, J. C. Donaldson, Eobert Barrens and 
W. A. Christy. The improvement cost about .$10,000. It 
consisted of a new roof and a change in the shape of the 
ceiling, replastering, frescoing and a modification of 
the cupola with the addition of a clock. It was much 
improved in appearance, but was still not large enough 
for present uses. Malcolm Graham, then of Butler, had 
the contract. With the purchase of additional buildings 
for some of the oiBees, it. would have answered the needs 
of the county for perhaps fifty years. This idea would 
have lieen probably carried out had the building not 
been destroyed by fire December 11, 1883." 

The courthouse of 1853 stood back 
from the property line of the street some 
distance, and was surrounded by an iron 
picket fence about six feet high. A simi- 
lar iron fence at one time surrounded the 
Diamond Park on the east side of Main 
Street. At the time of the controversy 
over the removal of the county building to 
a central location the population of the 
county was a little more than thirty thou- 
sand and the population of Butler borough 
according to the census of 1850 was 1,148. 

The addition of the town block in the 
cupola of the courthouse in 1877 was the 
beginning of a new era in the customs of 
the people of Butler. Previous to that 
time the ringing of the courthouse bell at 
11 o'clock on Sunday mornings called the 
people to divine services held in the vari- 
ous (?hurches. This custom had prevailed 
for many years and the official bell-ringer 
for probably a quarter of a century was 
John McCollough, who was janitor of the 
courthouse, and who is still residing in 
Butler. The old courthouse bell had a 
magnificent tone, and on a clear day could 
be heard nine or ten miles from the town, 
and after the establishing of the clock in 
the cupola it was the custom of the country 
people for four or five miles out of town to 
set their time-pieces by the striking of the 



ANJ) RKPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



119 



hour by the "Town Clock." This bell was 
destroyed in the fire of December 11, 1883, 
The custom was not revived after the new 
t'onrthouse was completed. 

THE COURTHOUSE OF 1884. 

Immediately after the fire of December 
11, 1883, the commissioners set about to 
get temioorary quarters for the court and 
county offices. The basement of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church was secured for the 
holding of court, and it was so used for 
the ])alance of the December term of Quar- 
ter Sessions, which was in session at the 
time of the fire. The county offices were 
established in ditferent parts of the town 
for the time being, oi' until the commis- 
sioners could provide places for them. 
After some discussion and examination 
the English Lutheran Church building, 
formerly Witherspoon Institute, was 
leased for a term of two years, and was 
nccujiied by the court and county officers. 

At the March term of the Quarter Ses- 
sions Court held in 1884, the first legal 
step was taken toward the erection of a 
new courthouse. During the session of 
the regular term of court the connuission- 
ers presented ;i |)aper to the court an- 
nouiiciiiL; the dcsl ruction of the courthouse 
by fii'c and iircdiiipanied with the state- 
ment of the financial condition of the 
county. Jvidge James Bredin, who was 
then presiding, submitted the question to 
the grand .jury of which James D. Ander- 
son, of Penn Township, was foreman. The 
court amplified his remarks on the subject 
by suggesting to the grand jui-y the wis- 
dom of erecting a commodious and substan- 
tial building. The grand jury in their final 
presentment to court reported favorably, 
and advising the county commissioners to 
proceed with the rebuilding of the court- 
house with whatever enlargements might 
be found necessary for tlie aceommodatio]] 
of the public business and recommending 
that they avail themselves of the services 
of experienced architects. In tlieir pre 



seutment, the jury expressed the belief that 
such a building could be erected at a cost 
of $85,000. 

The recommendation of the grand jury 
and the suggestion of an $85,000 building 
caused opposition, and when the question 
was again submitted to the grand jury at 
the June term of court, Judge McJunkin, 
who was then presiding, discouraged the 
proposition to erect an expensive building 
and expressed his views on the subject to 
the grand jury. This grand jury, of which 
the late Nathan M. Sfater, of Butler, was 
the foreman, reported in favor of the new 
Iniilding, but placed the probable cost at 
$50,000. Some question having been 
raised as to the regularity of the drawing 
of the jury for the March and June ses- 
sions, nothing further was done until the 
September court, when the question was 
again referred to the grand jury, of which 
Henry Buhl, of Forward Township, was 
the foreman. This grand jury recom- 
mended that the new courthouse be built 
of stone or brick, or sucli materials as the 
commissioners of the county, after dili- 
gent search and inquiry of good mechanics 
and master workmen, think best, and the 
jury further recommended that the com- 
missioners use all economy possible in the 
construction of a durable and sufficient 
building. 

In the meantime James P. Bailey, of 
Pittsburg, had been selected as architect 
and the general plan of the building agreed 
upon. Three months were occupied in 
preparing the plans and specifications. 
Sealed bids were invited by )uil)li<'ation for 
the erection of the building wliich were 
opened by S. T. Marshall, clerk of the 
commissioners, on the 13th day of Septem- 
ber, 1884, in the courtroom and in the pres- 
ence of the judges of the court, and a 
large number of citizens. The bids, of 
which there were fifteen, ranging from 
$117,700 to $182,000. were read aloud by 
Jacob Zeiglei-, of the Butler Herald, and 
wiM'c transcribed on the conunissioner's 



r_>() 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



minute hook by the ch^-k of courts, W. B. 
Dodds. ■ 

The coniniissioners left the matter open 
for discussion for some time after the bids 
were opened, and tliey iinally awarded the 
contract to R. B. Taylor, who was the low- 
est bidder and invited him to enter into a 
contract. Taylor's bid of $117,700 in- 
cluded all the work except that of fresco- 
ing, heating apparatus and the furniture 
for the bench and bar. Nothing was done 
by the commissioners until the meeting of 
the December court, when a bill of equity 
was filed on the part of those who were op- 
posed to erecting such an expensive build- 
ing. A preliminary injunction was 
granted, as prayed for, by Judge McJun- 
kin, and on their petitions to court, Taylor, 
the contractor, and Bailey, the architect, 
were permitted to become co-defendants 
to the bill with the commissioners. Upon 
this, rules to show cause were issued and 
answers were filed. After hearing, the 
rules Avere made absolute. The December 
grand jury, of which D. R. Kennedy, of 
Muddycreek Townslii]i, was foreman, pro- 
tested against the erection of the court- 
house on the Bailey plan as being too ex- 
pensive and extravagant, condemned the 
stone walls proposed and wanted a fire- 
proof building erected at the cost of $76.- 
000. The old board of commissioners re- 
tired at the close of 1884, and the new 
board, composed of John M. Turner, of 
Parker Township; J. C. Bredin, of Clay 
Township, and John C. Kelly, of Adams 
Township, took ther seats on the first Mon- 
day of January, 1885. The litigation over 
the contract for the new courthouse was re- 
sumed by Bailey and Taylor, who took out 
a writ of error and the ease was heard on 
January 23, 1885, in the Supreme Court, 
then in session in Philadelphia. After a 
hearing this tribunal dissolved the injunc- 
tion granted by the courts of Butler 
County, at the cost of the plaintiffs. After 
some further delay the commissioners 



ratified the contract entered into by the 
old board with Bailey and Taylor. 

Owing to the delay caused by the legal 
controversy over the letting of the con- 
tract, work was not begun on the new 
building until April 6, 1885, and was com- 
]ileted in July of the following year. 

COURTHOUSE OF 1908. 

When the new courthouse was completed 
and occupied in 1885, it was imagined that 
the county would be amply provided for 
for at least fifty years. The constant in- 
crease in population and the consequent 
increase in business of the court of the 
county in the last twenty-five years created 
the necessity of enlarging the quarters of 
the public officers and providing means for 
the adequate protection of the county dock- 
ets and court records. On the 1st of 
March, 1906, N. S. Grossman, William Sei- 
bert, and G. F. Easley, county commission- 
ers, employed J. C. Fulton, of Uniontown, 
Pennsylvania, as architect to prepare 
plans and specifications for the remodel- 
ing and enlargiiig of the courthouse. On 
March 8, 1907, a contract was let to George 
Schenck, of Butler, and work was com- 
menced in the same mouth. The repairs 
included the moving of the side walls out 
to the street line, the addition of a third 
story, a new roof, and the fire-proofing of 
the vaults in all the offices of the first 
floor, and in the basement. The total cost 
of the improvements was about $155,000, 
to provide for the payment of which, the 
commissioners issued bonds to the amount 
of $125,000 on October 1, 1907, and the 
second issue of bonds on October 1, 1908, 
to the amount of $30,000. On May 8, 
1907, the documents of the various offices 
of the courthouse were removed to the 
sixth floor of the Butler County National 
Bank Building, where quarters were pro- 
vided during the time that the repair work 
was being done. 

The heating plant in the new building 



AND RF.PRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



was installed by the Armstrong Warming 
and Ventilating Company, of Pittsburg. 
The decorating was done by the William 
G. Andrews Decorative Company, of Clin- 
ton, Iowa; the marble wainscoting and 
tile floors by the Logan Company, of Pitts- 
burg; the tire-proofing by the Expanded 
Metal Fire Proofing Company, of Pitts- 
burg; the fixtures by the Morreau Gas Fix- 
ture Manufacturing Company, of Cleve- 
land, Ohio ; the counters by the Art Metal 
Construction Company, of Jamestown, 
New York; the furniture by A. H. An- 
drews Company, of Chicago, 111.; the slate- 
roofing by Carl Barnard, of Butler, and 
the gutters and valleys by J. G. & W. 
Campbell, of Butler. The building was 
completed and ready for occupancv the 
middle of October, 1908. 

When the first steps were taken to 
wards the remodeling of the courthouse in 
March. 190(), an advisory committee com 
posed of five members of the bar and two 
local contractors were appointed to assist 
the commissioners and architect in prepar- 
ing the plan and specifications. This com- 
mittee, which rendered valuable an(^ ac- 
ceptable services, consisted of Hon. James 
M. Galbreath, Alexander ^^litchell, Levi M. 
Wise, Everett L. Ealston. and S. F. Bow- 
ser, of the bar, and George Schenck and 
Ed. Weigand, of the local contractors and 
builders. 

The courthouse of 1908 is an edifice that 
the i)eople of Butler County can call the 
attention of the passing stranger to with 
some pride. The interior is well finished, 
the decorations beautiful, and the mural 
paintings illustrating historic place§ and 
scenes in the county, show an artistic taste 
in keeping with the, age. The building is 
well heated, well lighted, and absolutely 
fire]n-oof. Compared to its predecessors 
it is a magnificent palace, but yet not out 
of kee]iing with the dignity and the impor- 
tant y)osition the county holds in the com- 
monwealth, and it will long stand as a 



credit to its builders and the public spirit 
of the citizens of the county. 

COUNTY JAILS. 

According to Brackenridge's "History 
of Western Pennsylvania, ' ' the first prison 
in Butler was Bowen's pig-pen, which 
stood a short distance east of the log house 
in which the first court of the county was 
held in 1803._ The first jail of which there 
is any definite record in the county was 
built by Abraham Brinker and stood on 
the corner of South Washington Street 
and the Vogeley Alley, on the site now oc- 
cupied by the residence of Mrs. Schultz. 
This old building was constructed of logs 
and brick and was used for many years as 
a cabinet-maker's repair shop, and was 
only torn down about the beginning of the 
present century. From the records of the 
transactions of the county commissioners 
in 1804, it would appear that work liad 
been commenced on the public building, 
for on January 16th a warrant was drawn 
to Samuel Meals for "iron work on the 
public prison." In May of the same year 
James Blashford was paid for carpenter 
work done on the jail, and on the 7th of 
Jnne the connnissioners settled with Abra- 
ham Brinker for building the jail "accord- 
ing to agreement." Later in the year war- 
rants were drawn to William Freeman for 
plank used in the jail, and to Matthew 
Thompson for making spikes. In the fol- 
lowing year Benjamin White was paid for 
thirty logs and one thousand brick, for 
the county jail, and in 1806 Paris Bratton 
was paid for building a picket fence about 
the jail lot. This old log building appears 
to have answered the purpose, of a public 
prison until 1817. when the new stone jail 
was finished. 

THE FIRST STONE JAIL. 

From the same records in the commis- 
sioners' office it appears that John Negley 
of Butler began the erection of a stone jail 



122 



HISTOKY OF BUTLER dOUNTY 



on the site of the present jail in 1812. 
From various causes the work was delayed 
and the building was not completed until 
1817. This building answered the pur- 
poses of the county for almost half a cen- 
tury, and was not replaced \mti\ 1867. In 
1821 the commissioners authorized the jail 
doors to be covered with sheet iron and in 
1830, sheet iron was placed on the west 
wall of the prison room, and other repairs 
were made to add to the security of the 
building. The iron used in these repairs 
was secured with much difficulty and was 
liauled from Pittsburg on wagons. 

The old prison was a gloomy enough af- 
fair, and while it would not be regarded as 
a safe place in which to keep criminals of 
the present day, it answered its purpose 
very well. During these years the jail 
yard was surrounded by a stone wall and 
the prisoner?; were allowed to exercise in 
the yard for an hour or so every day. The 
old prison was provided with a dunegon, 
which was located in the basement, and 
was used only for the safe keeping of des- 
perate criminals. A large iron ring was 
fastened in the stone floor of this dungeon, 
to which heavy iron shackles were fast- 
tened, and when the prisoner was thus se- 
cured he had little chance of escape. It is 
said that Mohawk was confined in this part 
of the jail a part of the time while he was 
kept a prisoner, and after his execution 
the iron shackles and manacles were kept 
hanging on the wall and were a source of 
terror and wonder to the bad boys of the 
town who heard many weird stories about 
them. 

In May, 1867, the county commissioners 
awarded a contract to S. G. Purvis & Com- 
pany of Butler for building a new jail. 
The stone prison was enlarged to its pres- 
ent dimensions and the sheriff's residence 
was built on the street line in front of the 
prison. AVith some repairs and additional 
cells constructed of boiler i^late, this prison 
lasted until 1S9S. wlien the interior was 
torn out and the building remodeled. 



On the 5th of January, 1898, the county 
commissioners opened bids for the con- 
struction of the jail and sheriff's residence 
and the contract was awarded to the Van 
Dorn Iron Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
for $19,924. On March 4th of the same 
year the commissioners issued bonds to 
the amoimt of $20,000 at three and one- 
half per cent, interest to pay for the ex- 
penses of remodeling the jail. The stone 
work on the prison was sublet to George 
Schaftner of Butler and the contract for 
the carpenter work and finishing was let 
to George Schenck of Butler. While the 
building was being repaired, Sheriff W. 
B. Dodds kept his prisoners in the Mercer 
County jail. The new prison is provided 
with two tiers of cells and will accommo- 
date about forty prisoners. On the third 
floor there is located a separate apartment 
for women and children and a hosjiital 
room for the care of the sick. The entire 
building is brick, with the best sanitary ap- 
pliances, and compares favorably with 
similar prisons in the state. 

RECENT JAlh ESCAPES. 

During the existence of the old jail 
built in 1867 there were a number of jail 
escapes and deliveries, the most important 
of which was that of May 4, 1892, when 
James F. Mills (the murderer of Dugan), 
James Britton, Jesse Smith, T. J. Black, 
Charles Miller and Joseph Gibson suc- 
ceeded in "jimmying" the locks of their 
cells and escaping to the roof of the build- 
ing and thence to the street. Mills, Brit- 
ton and Smith were recaptured, and the 
others have never been heard of since. 

When the new prison was built in 1898 
it was guaranteed to be "pig tight and 
bull strong." In fact it was supposed to 
be so secure that it would be impossible 
for anyone to break out. As a matter of 
fact no one has broken out, but there have 
been a number of clever escapes effected 
with the aid of outsiders. 

Tn Mav, 1902. Clvde Adams was conlined 



AND RB^PRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



123 



in the county jail on the charge of larceny. 
On the evening of May 7th his escape was 
accomplished in a clever manner while the 
family of Sheriff Hoon were in the parlor 
of the jail residence and fancied that 
everything about the prison was secure. 
Adams was assisted by his sweetheart, 
i\Tag,i>ie TTouck, who was a domestic em- 
ployed by tlic slieriff's family, and by Lee 
foovert and Abbie Houck, who were on 
the outside of the jail. The conspii-ators 
had arranged their plans so that Maggie 
Houck managed to secure the keys to the 
prison when no one in the sheriff's family 
was watching her, and unlocking the prison 
dooi-, allowed Adams to walk out of the 
front door of the sheriff's residence. 
Adams was met on the outside by Coo vert 
and the two girls, and the party made 
their escape into Ohio. Subsequently 
Adams and Maggie Houck were married 
and they were living in the vicinity of 
Youngstown when they were apprehended 
and brought back to Butler. Adams 
pleaded guilty to the charge of jail break- 
ing at the December term of court of 1902, 
and was sent six months to the workhouse. 
His wife and her sister, Abbie Houck, 
stood trial on the charge of assisting a 
prisoner to escape, were found guilty and 
sentenced to pay tines, which they served 
out in jail. Coovert entered the plea of 
voile covtendre to the charge against him, 
and was sentenced to three months to jail. 

On the night of January 14, 1906, John 
Mininger broke jail by sawing the bars in 
one of the windows and letting himself 
down to the street by means of a rope. He 
had ]ireviously secured tools and saws 
from an unknown source and had tam- 
pered with the lock on his cell door. 

John Rushnough escaped on the night 
of May 9. 1906, by the use of a skeleton key 
with which he unlocked the iron doors lead- 
ing into the hall of the sheriff's residence 
and relocked them again as he passed out. 
This escape was accomplished in a clever 



manner and the prisoner was never ap- 
prehended. 

A daylight delivery took place on Sep- 
tember 14, 1906, when Jerry Hall, who was 
in jail on the charge of horse stealing, and 
Larry Campbell, who had been committed 
on the charge of larceny, succeeded in 
"jimmying" the door from the men's cor- 
ridor into the elevator shaft of the prison 
and di-opping down to the first floor. This 
was accomplished about dinner time, and 
when the attendants at the jail went to 
give the prisoners their dinner and opened 
the door into the elevator shaft, the two 
prisoners rushed out, gained the street, 
;ind succeeded in making their escape. 

THE CAPTURE AND DEATH OF THE BIDDLE 
BROTHERS. 

THEIR CRIME. 

During the winter of 1901 the city of 
Pittsburg and the suburban towns were 
terrorized by a series of robberies, hold- 
ups and murders committed by a gang of 
desperate characters who made the city 
their headquarters. On the morning of 
April 12, 1901, the residence of Thomas H. 
Kahney, who lived at Mt. Washington, 
Pittsburg, was entered by masked burglars 
who attempted to chloroform Mrs. Kah- 
ney and shot and instantly killed Mr. Kah- 
ney. This robbery was the boldest that 
had been committed that year and the 
murder was wanton and uncalled for. The 
leaders of the gang of robbers were sup- 
posed to be Ed Biddle and his brother, 
John Biddle, and their accomplice was 
Walter Dorman. These men were under 
suspicion for the Kahney murder, and on 
the day following the murder, County De 
tective* Robinson, of Allegheny County. 
Officer Fitzgerald of the city detective 
force of Pittsburg, Inspector Gray, of the 
police force, and Patrolman Wess of the 
police force, went to a house where they 
had been informed that three men and m 



124 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



woiriau were in hiding, who were wanted 
by the officers. The officers entered the 
house and arrested John Biddle without 
any trouble. They then went up to the 
second floor where they found Ed Biddle 
and a woman named Jessie Bodyne. A 
figlit ensued in which revolvers were used, 
and Officer Fitzgerald was instantly killed, 
while Ed Biddle was shot twice and dan- 
gerously wounded. Having secured their 
prisoners the officers went immediately to 
a house on Webster Avenue, where they 
found Walter Dorman and Jennie Seebers 
and arrested them. 

Ed Biddle was taken to Mercy Hospital 
where his wounds were treated and after 
his recovery was taken to the Allegheny 
County jail and confined there with his 
brother "Jack" and Walter Dorman. 
Jack Biddle was tried for the murder of 
Thomas H. Kahney and Ed Biddle was 
tried on the charge of being an accomplice. 
They were convicted and sentenced to die 
on December 12, 1901. Walter Dorman 
turned state's evidence at the trial and re- 
ceived a penitentiai'y sentence. After his 
conviction and sentence, Ed Biddle sent a 
plea to the governor asking that he be not 
hanged on tlae same day with his brother, 
but that the executions take place on sepa- 
rate days. In compliance with this peti- 
tion, the governor changed the time for the 
execution of Jack Biddle to January 14, 
1902, and that of Ed to January 16. In 
the meantime a plea for commutation of 
sentence to life imj^risonment was pre- 
pared and sent to the gov-ernor and a re- 
prieve was granted to February 25th for 
the execution of Jack Biddle, and Febru- 
ary 27th, 1902, for Ed Biddle. Jessie Bo- 
dyne and Jennie Seebers, the two women 
who were arrested with the Biddies and 
Dorman, had been released on their own 
recognizance by the coui't, their being no 
charges against them. 

THE ESCAPE. 

Pending tlie e.xecution of their sentence. 



the two Biddle men were confined in mur- 
derers' row in the Allegheny County jail, 
at Pittsburg, and were under heavy guard. 
Having previously sawed the bars of their 
cells and having been supplied with re- 
volvers and ammunition, the two Biddle 
men broke out of their cells early on 
Thursday morning, January 30, 1902, 
overpowered the prison guard and made 
their escape through the house of the war- 
den of the jail, onto the streets. Before 
leaving the prison they had locked the 
prison guards in the cells that they had 
vacated, and had supplied themselves with 
citizens' clothing taken from the guard's 
wardrobe. After leaving the jail the two 
convicts went to a house in Allegheny 
where they remained all day in hiding and 
until late that night. The escape of the 
Biddies was not discovered until after 
daylight on Thursday morning, and then 
it was found that they had been assisted 
in their escape by Mrs. Kate Sofifel, wife 
of Peter K. Soffel, the warden of the jail, 
and that she had supplied the jirisoners 
with the steel saws, the revolvers, and the 
keys with which they had unlocked the 
doors of the prison into the warden's resi- 
dence and thence made their escape to the 
street. Mrs. Soffel was said to be in love 
with Ed Biddle "and as she had disap- 
peared and could not be found, it was 
believed that she had gone away with the 
fugitives. The entire police force of the 
city of Pittsburg and the detectives of 
Allegheny County were put to work on the 
case, but were unable to find any trace of 
either of the Biddies or of Mrs. Soffel. 

It afterward developed that the fugi- 
tives after escaping from jail had gone 
to a house in Allegheny where they met 
Mrs. Soffel, and remained until Thursday 
night. They then left the city by way of 
the Perrysville Road, and at Etna they 
stole a horse and sleigh and drove over the 
Plank Road to Cooperstown in Butler 
County. They arrived at the boarding- 
house of J. A. Snyder, in Cooperstown, on 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



125 



Friday moruing, January 31, where they 
called for breakfast and had their horse 
fed. From Cooper stowu they drove over 
the Plank Road to Butler, crossed over to 
Spring-dale, and drove in the direction of 
Herman Station. They turned, however, 
crossed over the Lookout Avenue bridge 
to the north side, drove out Penn Street 
to Mercer Street, thence to New Castle 
Street, and thence followed the New Castle 
Road to Mt. Chestnut, where they arrived 
at the hotel of James J. Stevenson a little 
after noon, and called for their dinner. 
After they had eaten their dinner Mrs. 
Soffel and Ed Biddle, who represented 
themselves to be husband and wife, retired 
to a room on the second floor of the hotel, 
while Jack Biddle remained on watch on 
the outside. 

THE PURSUIT. 

The Pittsburg oflScers were entirely at 
sea on Friday morning, and no trace of 
the fugitives laad been found in Allegheny 
County. Butler County officers did not be- 
lieve that they would attempt to escape 
through Butler County, and when the re- 
port came from Cooperstown that two 
men and a woman had been seen at that 
place, who were believed to be the Biddle 
brothers and Mrs. Soffel, the story was 
laughed at. About half past eight o'clock, 
Edward Brown, of Cooperstown, called up 
Harry T. Rattigan of the Herald office at 
Butler, on the telephone, and told him that 
the Biddies had passed through Coopers- 
town on their way toward Butler, and 
asked him to notify the officers. An hour 
later Frank HoUiday, of Cooperstown, 
drove into Butler, and notified Deputy 
Sheriff J. R. Hoon that he had seen the 
Biddies on the Plank Road on their way 
to Butler, and that they were only a short 
distance behind him driving in. A posse 
was organized, consisting of Deputy 
Sheriff J. R. Hoon, Chief of Police Robert 
Ray, Aaron E. Thompson, and Frank 
Holliday, and the pursuit was conuueneed. 



The rig driven by the fugitives was easily 
traced from the peculiar manner in which 
the horse was hitched to the sleigh and 
from the fact that the parties in the sleigh 
did not have lap robes, although it was 
a bitterly cold day. The Butler posse fol- 
lowed the fugitives toward Herman Sta- 
tion, but finding that they were off the 
trail returned to Butler and took up the 
trail again at New Castle Street in the 
afternoon. 

In the meantime the Pittsburg officers 
were notified and at three o'clock in the 
afternoon Detectives John Roach, A. H. 
Swinehart and Charles McGrovern, of the 
Bureau of Detectives of Pittsburg, arrived 
at Butler on the Bessemer train and were 
met at the depot by J. A. Snyder, of 
Cooperstown, with a team and sleigh ready 
for the road. The county commissioners 
of Allegheny County had offered a re- 
ward of $5,000 for the return of the two 
Biddle men dead or alive, or $2,500 for 
either one of them. The Biddies were 
known to be men of desperate character, 
capable of committing any crime to effect 
their escape, and it was believed that they 
would die before they would allow them- 
selves to be recaptured. The Pittsburg 
officers had the death of Fitzgerald in mind 
and a long list of crimes committed by the 
Biddies, and they came prepared for a 
desperate encounter. The officers were 
armed with Winchester repeating shot- 
guns loaded with buck-shot, and each man 
carried his revolver in his pocket. By this 
time the trail of the fugitives was easily 
found, and the Pittsburg posse left at once 
in tlu' direction of Prospect, traveling over 
the New Castle Road. At Mt. Chestnut 
tiiey inquired at William Watson's store 
and were told that a rig answering the de- 
scription given had passed the store a little 
after dinner going in the direction of Pros- 
pect. The posse drove on to Prospect, 
where they met the Butler officers, but at 
that point the trail had been lost. The 
tiled horses were changed at this place 



126 



FilSTORY OF BIJTT.ER COUNTY 



for fresh ones and the officers telephoned 
to the surrounding points in the county 
endeavoring to pick up the lost trail. 
While they were waiting, a telephone mes- 
sage from Mt. Chestnut said that the 
Biddies had just left the hotel at Mt. 
Chestnut, going in the direction of Pros- 
pect. The two posses then started back 
toward Butler together. 

Wliile this pursuit was going on Mrs. 
Soffel and Ed Biddle were resting quietly 
at the Stevenson Hotel in Mt. Chestnut 
and Jack Biddle was keeping watch on the 
outside. When the second posse passed 
Mt. ( 'liestnut, Jack Biddle hitched up the 
horse and sleigii, called his couii:)amons, 
and they left Mt. Chestnut, following the 
New Castle Road. Ignorance of the roads 
in the country and the general direction 
in which they were traveling caused them 
to keep the main road, and to drive 
directly to their death. About a mile from 
Mt. Chestnut they stopped at the farm 
house of J. F. Wagner, which one of the 
Biddies entered and stole a shot-gun, but 
fortunately could find no ammunition. 
They then went on, and about midway 
between Mt. Chestnut and Prospect at a 
dip of the road, near the farm of Elliott 
Robb, they encountered the officers. 

When about one hundred yards from the 
Biddies the officers identified the rig and 
immediately got ready for action. The 
horses were placed in charge of J. A. 
Snyder, and the two posses formed a line 
across the road and called for the fugi- 
tives to halt. Ed Biddle rose in the sleigh 
and fired his revolver at the posse, and a 
general battle ensued, in which both Ed 
and Jack Biddle were mortally wounded 
and Mrs. Soffel was slightly wovmded by 
a shot from a revolver. Deputy Sheriff 
Hoon took charge of the prisoners and 
they were brought to Butler and lodged in 
jail about six o'clock in the evening. The 
shooting took place about five o'clock in 
the evening, and as the prisoners had to 
be hauled a distance of seven miles through 



a blinding snowstorm which had come up, 
their condition was a pitiable one when 
they arrived in Butler. The two Biddies 
were taken to the third floor of the jail 
where they were given surgical attention, 
and Mrs. Soffel was taken to the Butler 
County General Hospital where she was 
kept under guard. Realizing that death 
was near at hand, Ed Biddle asked for a 
priest, and Rev. Father Walsh, of Butler, 
was sent for and hfeard his confession on 
Friday night, and the confession of Jack 
Biddle on Saturday afternoon. Jack Bid- 
dle died at 7 :35 p. m. on Saturday, Febru- 
ary 1, and Ed Biddle died at 11 o'clock 
Saturday night. 

The news that the Biddies had been cap- 
tured reached Pittsbiirg about 6 o'clock 
Friday evening, and caused the greatest 
excitement. The Pittsburg newspapers 
chartered a special ti-ain and about 10 
o'clock in the evening arrived in Butler, 
bringing with them all the newspaper re- 
))orters available in the city, the chief of 
|)olice of Pittsburg, and a number of the 
officers of Detective Bureau of Allegheny 
County, as well as a number of extra tele- 
graph operators sent out by the Western 
Union and the Postal Telegraph com- 
]5anies to handle the news. That night all 
the telegraph wires leading out of Butler 
were kept hot and inquiries came pouring 
in from newspapers all over the United 
States, asking for an account of the battle. 
During the two days' following special 
writers from Chicago and New York 
papers were on the ground and artists 
from several of the large weekly ilhas- 
trated papers of the country were here 
taking pictures of the various places at 
which the Biddies had stopped and of the 
battle-gromid. 

On Sunday, February 2, Coroner John 
U. Jones held an inquest on th§ bodies of 
the Biddle brothers, wliich was attended 
by Jolm R. Henninger, district attorney 
oif Butler County, and A. M. Christley, 
and William Z. Murrin on the part of 



AND REPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



127 



Sheriff Tlioruas E. Hooii. The jury was 
composed of William A. Stein, Louis B. 
Stein. Jacob Keck, Esq., J. A. Walter, 
A. M. Flack and Harry T. Rattigau. The 
witnesses before the inquest were John 
Koach, A. H. Swinehart, A. E. Thompson, 
Frank Holliday, J. A. Snyder and Deputy 
Slieriff J. R. Hoon. Previous to the hold- 
iuii- of the inquest an autopsy was held by 
Dr. J. C. Atwell and Dr. McCurdy Bricker, 
wliich was witnessed by Drs. George K. 
McAdoo. J. J. Schultis, W. C. McCandless, 
(i. J. Peters, .1. McAlpin, R. H. Pillow and 
J. r. Boyle. 

ED BIDDLE A SUICIDE. 

The evidence presented before the in- 
(luest was that when the posse met the 
Biddies on the road, Ed Biddle pulled a 
revolver and began to shoot. Then the 
shooting became general on both sides. 
The autopsy revealed the fact that after 
sliooting at the officers Ed Biddle had 
turned his revolver on himself and inflicted 
a wound in the region of the heart that 
would in itself have proved fatal. The 
verdict returned by the coroner's jury 
aftei- hearing all the evidence, was that 
Ed Biddle had come to his death by a gun 
shot wound inflicted by himself, and that 
Jolm Biddle had come to his death while 
i-esisting arrest. The jury relieved the 
officers of all responsibility and com- 
mended them for their brave conduct. 
The fact that the Biddies intended to 
clieat the gallows in the event that they 
failed in making their escajje from jail 
was developed after the inquest, when on 
examining their clothing a quantity of 
strychnine pellets were discovered hidden 
in the waistband of Jack Biddle 's trousers. 

On Sunday evening the liodies of the 
Biddies were placed in the corridor of the 
residence part of the jail and the doors 
opened to the public. For three hours a 
continuous stream of people passed the 
coffins of the dead desperadoes. On Mon- 
day. Februarv .3, the bodies were taken to 



Pittsburg by the Butler County officers 
and turned over to the officials of Alle- 
gheny County. Subsequently a contro- 
versy arose over the reward offered by 
the commissioners of Allegheny County, 
the Pittsburg officers putting in a claim 
foi- all of it. The Butler County officers 
contested the claim and carried the matter 
into the courts of Allegheny County, but 
a settlement was agreed upon and the re- 
ward was divided among all the officers 
connected with the capture. 

Mrs. Softel, who had taken such a prom 
inent part in the escape of the Biddies, 
was kept at the Butler County General 
[losjutal until she had recovered from the 
shock brought on by the exposure to the 
inclement weather on Friday, January 31, 
and the bullet wound she received in the 
breast, and was then returned to Allegheny 
County. She was tried on the charge of 
assisting the Biddle brothers in escaping 
from jail, convicted and served her sen- 
tence in the jjenitentiary. Subsequently 
she attemjited to go on the stage in a play 
entitled "A Desperate Chance," but was 
refused admission to the theaters in west- 
ern Pennsylvania, and her cai-eer as an 
actress was doomed to failure. Several 
dramas were written in which the escape 
of the Biddle brothers and their subse- 
(|uent capture was used as the basis of the 
jilay, but they did not meet with popular 
approval. 

In May, 1902, some persons who were 
su]iposed to be friends of the Biddle boys, 
or else sentimentally inclined, erected a 
stone marker at the roadside where the 
Biddies were shot in Franklin Township. 
On Decoration Day this stone marker was 
decorated with flowers. The residents of 
the conunuuity did not appreciate this 
niemorinl. and the marker was taken away. 

THE COUNTY HOME. 

Prom the formation of the county until 
1898 each township and borough was con- 
stituted a separate poor district and pro- 



]28 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



vided for the care of the paupers and in- 
digent persons within their respective dis- 
tricts. While this arrangement had its 
advantages it proved unsatisfactory in 
many ways and in 1898 the county com- 
missioners submitted the question of erect- 
ing a county home to a vote of the people 
at the spring election held on February 15. 
While the proposition was vigorously 
opposed in some localities it was carried 
by a good majority in the county and im- 
mediate steps were taken toward purchas- 
ing a farm and erecting suitable buildings 
on it. On December 24, 1898, commis- 
sioners John Mitchell, Harmon Seaton and 
D. H. Sutton employed Owesley and 
Boucherle, architects of Youngstown, 
Ohio, to prepare plans and specifications 
for buildings. In the meantime the ques- 
tion of a suitable site was under discussion 
and the commissioners were offered the 
choice of three or four locations; one of 
these was the Wall farm near Evans City, 
another was the Stevenson and Bach farms 
on the Baltimore «fc Ohio Railroad at the 
present site of East Butler, and the third 
was the John Doerr farm in Butler Town- 
ship south of the borough line. The 
Adams farm at Wick Station on the 
Bessemer road was also offered. On Janu- 
ary 25, 1899, the commissioners considered 
a resolution to the effect that the John 
Doerr farm of two hundred acres could 
be purchased at the price of $70 per acre. 
The board was hopelessly divided on the 
resolution and the vote stood Mitchell and 
Seaton for and Sutton against it. It was 
argued by the opposers of the Doerr farm 
location that it was too far away from the 
railroad and that it would be difficult to 
I)rorure and maintain a sufficient supply 
of water. An appeal was taken from the 
action of the commissioners by D. H. Sut- 
ton and others and the matter was brought 
before Judge John M. Greer for a hearing. 
A number of witnesses from surround- 
ing counties were put on the stand by the 
opposition to show that the Doerr farm 



was not a suitable location and after a 
lengthy hearing the court decided that it 
did not have jurisdiction in the matter 
and that the choice of a location lay with 
a majority of the board of commissioners. 
On March 20, 1899, the commissioners 
passed a resolution to the effect that the 
Doerr farm be purchased and at the same 
time issued bonds to the amount of $15,000 
for the purchase of the farm. Pending 
the issuing of the bonds the commission- 
ers secured a temporary loan of $8,000 
to apply on the first payment on the farm. 
On the 5th of April the commissioners 
employed Owesley and Boucherle as archi- 
tects to supervise the constriaction of the 
building and on the 28th of June the archi- 
tects' plans were adopted. Bids were ad- 
vertised for and opened on July 25, 1899, 
for the erection of the building. The fol- 
lowing bids were received at that time : 

William Feigle of Butler $61,798 

Henry Schenek of Erie 67,611 

Constable Bros, of Erie 65,985 

G. Krutt & Co., Findlay, Ohio 63,657 

Thomas Lightbody, Youngstown, Ohio 57,876 

George Schenek, Butler 56,590 

Edward Duiibaugh, Evans City 64,260 

Fred Rausher, Butler 61,726 

On the basis of the above bids and cer- 
tain changes in the plans amounting to 
$1,132, making a total of $57,722, the con- 
tract was awarded to George Schenek, of 
Butler, for the erection of the buildings. 
Other contracts awarded were the heat- 
ing and ventilating to McGinnis, Smith & 
Co., of Pittsburg, for $23,511; electric 
wiring to the Youngstown Electric Light 
Company, Youngstown, Ohio, $3,286; 
plumbing to Frank Huff, of Butler, for 
$4,372; sewage system to C. F. L. Mc- 
Quistion, of Butler, for $4,250; water 
tower and tank to C. F. L. McQuistion, of 
Butler, for $1,850; combination electric 
light and gas fixtures to the Butler Light, 
Heat & Motor Company, for $904. On 
August 22, 1899, the plans for the build- 
ings were presented to the court for ap- 
proval. Judge Greer took, exceptions to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 129 

the location of the buildings on the north- in the regular estimate. The total cost of 

western corner of the farm, favoring a the farm and buildings to the county was 

location on the Saxonburg Road, and took about $132,000. 

occasion to say that he was powerless in When the county farm was opened for 

the matter as the question of location lay the reception of inmates in October, 1900, 

entirely with the commissioners. The Joseph Graham, of Whitestown, was in- 

commissioners were not unanimous on stalled as superintendent and farmer, and 

m;iny other matters pertaining to the pur- Mrs. Joseph Graham as matron, and Dr. 

chase of tlic county farm and the erection A. M. Neyman, of Butler, was appointed 

of the l)nildings as well as the matter of physician. Hiram Gillespie was employed 

the location, and on the resolution select- as engineer December 11, 1900, and re- 

ing the present location of the buildings mained until January, 1904, when he was 

Commissioner Sutton voted nay. On succeeded by S. M. Wright. Edward 

Se])teraber 29, 1899, the commissioners Sloan is the present incumbent. In Janu- 

isKued bonds to the amount of $100,000 at ary, 1904, Mrs. Mary Graham was ap- 

3'.. per cent, for the purpose of paying the pointed assistant matron, and the same 

expenses of building. The estimated cost year Dr. L. R. Hazlett was appointed 

of the buildings and improvements upon physician. In January, 1906, Oliver W. 

which the bond issue was based is as fol- Stoughten was appointed superintendent 

lows: to succeed Joseph Graham, who had re- 

Buiidiugs $57,872 signed, and Mrs. Oliver Stoughten was 

piTmbin ''"'' ^■^""'^""S -l'l]l appointed matron. Dr. McCurdy Bricker 

Sewage"^. ................. .'! ..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 4*200 ^'^s appointed physician, and at his death 

storm sewer 1,000 in 1908 Dr. J. C. Caldwell was appointed 

Water tower and tank 2,000 fo fill the vacancv 

Electric wiring 1,683 "* "" ^"*^ VdCdU(y. 

Water well 237 

Inspector's services 200 THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE. 

Architect 's services 4.925 ,^.|^^ ynoneev temperance worker in But- 

On August 14, 1900, commissioners ler County was John Welsh, a soldier of 
awarded the contract to Fred Winters the Revolution, who settled in Connoque- 
for the masonry of a barn and the con- nessing Township about 1800. He was for 
tract for the superstructure to Cooper many years a total abstainer, and was one 
Brothers, of Valencia. The buildings were of the early advocates of the temperance 
completed in October, 1900, and on the movement. The year 1829 saw the begin- 
25th of that month the poor from the iiing of temperance agitation in the county, 
north end of the county were received and a county temperance society being organ- 
installed in the new home. ized at Butler February 9, with Rev. John 
The buildings are constructed of brick Coulter as president. Another was organ- 
with Berea stone trimmings and are ized the same year at Mount Nebo Church 
equipped with every modern appliance for at A^^iitestown, which was presided over 
the comfort and security of the inmates, by Rev. Reid Bracken, with Robert Walker 
When the commissioners settled with the as secretary and Matthew McClure treas- 
contractor on September 11, 1900. extras urer. This society had twenty-four mem- 
were allowed to amount to $10,056. At the bers enrolled on April 28, 1829, who 
same time a bond issue was made to the pledged themselves against supporting 
amount of $1,600 bearing SVo per cent, in- any man for office who was known to be 
terest to pay for the additional expenses an habitual drinker of liquor. The action 
and buildings that had not been counted taken by this society is probably the first 



130 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



iiiovciiu'iit t;il«Mi l)y tlic tciiiperanee peoplf 
in the wiiv nl' jissocialiiii;- temperance witli 
polities. ■ 

All tinti-teiiiperiince society was formed 
ill (oneonl Township. August 21, 1830, 
with Andrew Chiistie [)resident and John 
Christie sccretai-.\ . 'I'he movement gained 
votaries in (■\<mv lownsliip liefore tlie 
.lose of 1S;!0. while tile Tiieol.ahl .Mattliew 
idea of ti'iiip.'niiice. as inculcated in Ire 
land, spj-ead rapidly throughout the comi- 
ties of this commonwealth. 

A tem])erance wave swept over tlie 
county in IS.'Jl and 1832, when William 
Campbell and Matthew S. Lowrie visited 
every house in Butler and tendered the 
pledge, which was generally signed by the 
w(mien and children. Another pledge was 
l)resented to the people of the borough in 
183G, and was signed by a majority of the 
residents of tlie town. These recurring 
temperance waves coTitinued from 1829 
until 1840. each organization taking a 
share in teaching the wisdom of abstain 
ing from strong' drink, and each was cred- 
ited with the accomplishment of mucii 
good. The movement received a tem- 
l)()rary setback, however, in the ]iolitical 
compaign of 1840 and 1844, which aj^pears 
to have demoralized the county socially 
and many of the converts to temperance 
returned to their old convivial ways. In 
T848 the moralists again resinned hostili 
ties and attacking the evil of strong drink 
with fresh, vigor soon saw encouraging re 
.suits. 

rKMl^EKANCK ORGANIZATIONS. 

Butlei- Division No. 207, Sons of Tem- 
|)ei-anee, was organized in April, 1848, by 
Robert Carnahan. This was followed by 
the organization of township and borough 
branches throughout the county and ulti- 
mately by the organization of the youth 
into temperance companies. 

The Boys' Hope Section, Cadets of 
Tcmyx'iance, was organized in April, 1850, 



but the organization died out before the 
close of the year. 

I'hc Independent Order of Good Tem- 
plcis was a secret order organized for the 
purpose of carrying on temperance work. 
Seveial lodges were organized in Butler 
County, and the society at one time had a 
laigc membersiii)). ^\■hile the (rood Tem- 
l>lcis accomiilished much good, yet the 
li<pior trallic giew and prospered from 
Near t(> >ear with little abatement of the 
evils arising therefrom. Finally many of 
the earnest women of the county became 
enlisted in the temperance cause and of- 
fered themselves as soldiers of the new 
crusade which had its inception at Hills- 
l)oro, Ohio, in December, 1873. The 
"Woman's Crusade" led to the organiza- 
tion of the "Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance Union" in 1874, which spi-ead through 
Pennsvlvania the following year and in- 
vaded Butler (!ounty in 1880.* 

The ]uoneei- branch of the "Woman's 
('hristiau Temperance Union" in Butler 
< 'ounty was organized at Harrisville, July 
22, 1S80. with eleven members. On No- 
vember 23, 1881, the Butler County 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union 
was organized in the First Presbyterian 
Church of Butler by Mrs. Frances L. 
Swift, president, and Mrs. Ellen M. Wat- 
son, secretary, of the State W. C. T. U., 
with but seven members. Miss Mary E. 
Sullivan was elected president of the 
county union, and Mrs. Nanny D. Black, 
secretary, both of Butler. While a vice- 
president was named for each township in 
the county. The local Woman's Christian 
Tcmi)erance Union of Butler Borough was 
organized by Miss Mary E. Sullivan in the 
Ignited Presbyterian Church, February 
13, 1882, with fourteen members. Miss 
Sullivan and Mrs. Black were elected 
president and secretary of the local union. 
At the close of the first year a second call 
was sent out for a county W. C. T. U. con- 
vention to be held in Butler and in re- 
sponse to this call about thirty women met 



AN I ) \l I':i MIESKXTAT I \' K ( ! ITIZKNS 



131 



ill the First Piesbyteiiau Church in Biat- 
Ut, November 6, 1882, when the State 
organizer, Miss Narcissa E. White, as- 
sisted by Mrs. Frances L. Swift, reorgan- 
ized the county auxiliary to the State 
W. C. T. U. Mrs. Elizabeth R. Daine, of 
iJiiffalo Township, was elected president 
of the county union, and Miss Mary E. 
Sullivan corresponding sccretarj'. Mrs. 
Xanny D. Black was elected reciordiug sec- 
retin y, Miss Aggie Shaw, of Ilarrisville, 
trciisuier. and Airs. A. G. Brown, of Ren- 
frew, vice-president. At the State con- 
\eMtion held at Oil City, October 11 and 
1 ■_'. 1882, the Butler union was represented 
liy ^Irs. N. A. Bryson and Mrs. Isaiah J. 
Mclhide, and the Harrisville union by 
Mrs. Chester and Mrs. Webster. The 
woi'k of the organization was continued 
for the next live or six years until nearly 
every part of the county had been reached, 
and over five huudreil members had been 
enrolled in the various local unions. 

The South Side Branch of Butler was 
organized Octobei- 18, 1888, with Mrs. 
.lames S. Henry, president; Mrs. J. H. 
Xegley, vice-president; Mrs. A. Stewart, 
corresponding secretary; Mrs. L. Ij. 
Christy, recording secretary; Mrs. T). L. 
.Viken, treasurer; and Mrs. T. Steen, dele- 
gate to the county convention. 

The Central Branch of Butler was or- 
ganized December 4. 1888, witli Mrs. M. E. 
Xicholls, president; Mi-s. Lizzie K. Ayres, 
vice-president; Mrs. I. J. McBride, cor 
responding secretary; Mrs. M. K. Byers. 
recording secretary; and Mrs. U. D. 
Fisher, treasurer. 

The Young Woman's Chi-istian Temper- 
ance Tnion, an auxiliary of the Woman's 
('liristian Tem])erance Union, organized 
its lirst branch in Butler County at Har- 
risville. May 8, 1884, Mrs. Mary B. Reese 
being the organizer. On March 7, 1885, 
a branch at Butler was organized contain- 
ing eighty-two members. In the same 
year unions were organized at Evans City, 
( "enterville, and 1 'nioiiville. and during the 



following year at Concord, Prospect, 
Bethel, Jacksvilte, North Hope, and Mil- 
lerstowu. Local temperance work was 
carried on by these unions in every part 
of the county, and the object of those en- 
gaged in the agitation was partially 
achieved but the membership of the organ- 
ization was finally absorbed by the older 
unions, after the division of 1889. 

The sixth annual convention of the But- 
ler County Union was held at Butler 
November 2-3, 1887, and was presided over 
by Mrs. Prances L. Swift, Mrs. E. R. Dain 
having died June 11, 1887. Mrs. S. M. 
McKee, of Butler, was elected president, 
and Mrs. J. B. Showalter, of Millerstown, 
coiresponding secretary. Mrs. L. J. Mc- 
Kinney, of Myoma, was chosen recorder, 
and Mrs. Lizzie K. Ayres, of Harrisville, 
retained as treasurer. The following year 
a campaign was prosecuted against the 
granting of license, but without other re- 
sult than the accumulation of a debt, the 
stirring up of local strife, and the crip- 
pling of the xmions in means and influence. 
Previous to 1888 the Butler Coimty Union 
had always declared itself to he non- 
partisan, but in the annual convention in 
November of that year, a motion to revive 
such action was defeated, owing to the de- 
sire on the ]iart of many and both jiarties 
to keep the distnrlnng element of politics 
out of the convention, if possible. Mrs. 
Lucy H. A\'ashington, of Port Jearvis, 
New York, presided at the election of 
officers at this convention, at which time 
Mrs. J. B. Showalter was elected presi- 
dent and Mrs. S. M. McKee corresponding 
secretary. Mrs. M. J. Earhart, of Petro- 
lia, was elected delegate to the national 
convention held at New York City that 
year. The event of the year 1889 was the 
vote on the prohibitory amendment, and 
the campaign that preceded it. The county 
union took an active part in this campaign, 
and in several places the Young Women's 
Unions drilled the Loyal Temperance 
Legions, and marched the children singing 



IIISTORV OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ou the streets and past the polls, while 
banners and mottoes were placed wherever 
they were allowed. This agitation led to 
a majority for the amendment in this 
oounty, but it was defeated in the State. 

Nine delegates were sent from Butler 
Coimtv to the State convention in Phila- 
delphia, in October, 1889, and Mrs. N. C. 
Core, of Butler, was the delegate to the 
national convention at Chicago held in 
November of that year. The event of the 
State convention in October was the re- 
fusal of Mrs. Frances L. Swift, Mrs. 
Ellen M. Watson and Mrs. J. D. Weeks to 
accept reelection to offices in the State 
union, and the subsequent passing of that 
organization into the hands of those identi- 
fied with Miss Frances Willard's policy 
of endorsing prohibition wherever it might 
be foimd. This event and the subsequent 
adherence of the National Union to its 
position induced Mrs. J. Ellen Poster, the 
leader of the opposition to withdraw from 
the convention in Chicago, along with thir- 
teen delegates from Iowa. 

The position taken by the National 
Union at Chicago was the subject of much 
difference of opinion among the women of 
the Butler County Union, and the County 
Convention held at Butler November 21, 

1889, was marked bj' the secession of thir- 
teen members who did not agree with the 
position taken by the National Union. 
Prior to this disagreement the condition 
of the Butler County Union is shown by 
the following figures: Number of unions, 
37; paying members, -187; moneys raised, 
$1,607.30; juvenile unions, 14; member- 
ship, 604. The results of the disagree- 
ment in the convention of 1889 were noted 
in the reports of the convention held in 

1890. The number of unions in that year 
reported was twenty-five, and the member- 
ship 4.35, a loss of twelve local unions and 
fifty-two members; nine juvenile organ- 
izations were reported with a membership 
of 315, while $1,349.83 were raised for 
tempetanee purposes. 



At the County Convention held at Mars 
in 1891 two new local unions were re- 
ported, while the Loyal Temperance 
Legion contained 569 members. In 1892 
twenty-five unions were reported, and the 
principal work done was the circulation of 
petitions for the anti-narcotic bill, for the 
signing of the Brussels Treaty, and for 
the closing of the World's Fair on Sun- 
day. In 1893, twenty-two active unions 
were reported, petitions were circulated 
for the closing of saloons on Memorial 
Day, for the local option bill against the 
repeal of local prohibitory laws, and for 
the Pennsylvania Sunday law. Mrs. A. M. 
Rice, of Petrolia, was sent as a delegate 
to the National Convention at Chicago 
tins year. The County Convention of 1903 
was held in St. John's Reformed Church, 
Butler, and the following officers were 
elected: Mrs. M. D. Dodds, president; 
Mrs. J. W. Orr, of Bruin, vice-president; 
Mrs. M. S. Templeton, of Butler, corre- 
sponding secretary; Mrs. L. C. Wick, of 
Butler, recording secretary; and Mrs. 
A. M. Rice, of Petrolia, treasurer. The 
presentation of banners to unions showing 
a certain increase in membership was one 
of the features of this convention. 

The convention of 1894 reelected the old 
officers with the exception of vice-presi- 
dent. A department of railroad work was 
established this year, and Mrs. T. J. Steen, 
of Butler, was elected superintendent of 
the department. At the convention held 
in 1895 the only change made in the officers 
was in vice-president, Mrs. Harry M. 
Greenlee, of Butler, being elected to that 
position. 

In 1896 the convention was held at 
Petrolia, at which Mrs. A. M. Rice, of 
Petrolia, was elected president; Mrs. 
M. D. Dodds, vice-president; Mrs. M. S. 
Templeton, corresponding secretary; and 
Mrs. Florence Wick, recording secretary. 

At the convention held at Butler in 
1897 Mrs. Rice was continued as president, 
Mrs. Eli Miller, of Butler, was chosen vice- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



]33 



president, Mrs. Templeton was continued 
as corresponding secretary, Mrs. M. M. 
Sutton was elected treasurer, and Miss 
Bertha A. Bottner, of Petrolia, was elected 
corresponding secretary. 

In 1898 the convention was held at 
Mars, and the old officers, were continued. 
The following year the convention was 
held at Slippery Rock, at which Mrs. Mar- 
garet Dunwoody was elected correspond- 
ing secretary, in the place of Mrs. M. S. 
Templeton. The County Convention in 
1900 was held at Zelienople at which four 
Loyal Temperance Legions were reported 
organized in the county with a total mem- 
bership of 200. Butler County was re- 
ported third in Loyal Temperance Legion 
work in the State for that year. The 
officers elected in 1900 were Mrs. C. E. Mc- 
Intire, of Butler, president; Mrs. Eli 
Miller, vice-president; Mrs. R. M. Moone, 
corresponding secretary; Miss Maud Mc- 
Chononds, of Slippery Rock, recording 
secretary; and Mrs. M. M. Sutton, treas- 
urer. 

At the convention held in Butler in 1901, 
Mrs. C. E. Mclntire was continued as 
president, Mrs. C. D. Greenlee was chosen 
vice-}nesident, Mrs. R. M. Moone corre- 
sponding secretary, and Mrs. J. W. Mc- 
Kee, of Biitler, treasurer, a position which 
she still holds. 

In 1902 Miss Maud McCljTnonds was 
elected president, Mrs. C. E. Mclntire 
vice-president, Mr&. E. E. Bell, of Butler, 
corresponding secretary, and Mrs. 0. M. 
Russell, of Butler, recording secretary. 

In 1903 the superintendent of foreign 
work in the county reported a mission 
started among the foreigners at Lyndora. 
This department has continued to circu- 
late teni]ierance literature among the for- 
eign-speaking element in the county, con- 
sisting of tracts and pamphlets published 
in foreign languages. The officers elected 
for the ensuing year were Miss Maud Mc- 
Clymonds, president; Mrs. J. H. Heiner, 
of Butler, vice-president; Mrs. E. N. Mc- 



Adoo, of Butler, recording secretary; 
Miss Adelaide Robinson, of Butler, corre- 
sponding secretary. 

The officers of the county society elected 
in 1904 were Miss Bertha A. Bottner, of 
Petrolia, president; Mrs. Ethel Coulter, 
vice-president; Miss Cora E. White, re- 
cording secretary; Miss Adelaide Robin- 
son, corresponding seci-etary; and Mrs. 
J. W. McKee continued as treasurer. 

The officers elected in 1905 were Miss 
Bertha A. Bottner, continued as president ; 
Mrs. C. E. Mclntire, vice-president; Mrs.. 
L. C. Wick, recording secretary; Miss 
Maud McClymonds, corresponding secre- 
tary; and Mrs. J. W. McKee continued 
as treasurer. 

The twenty-fifth Annual Convention of 
the County Union was held in the First 
Presbyterian Church of Butler, September 
20, 1906, on the anniversary of the organ- 
ization of the Butler County Union. A 
special program had been prepared and 
the event was celebrated in an appropriate 
manner. The officers elected for the en- 
suing year were Miss Bertha A. Bottner, 
president; Mrs. F. B. Denman, vice-presi- 
dent; Miss Maud McClymonds, corre- 
sponding secretary; Mrs. W. L. Kelley, 
recording" secretary ; and Mrs. J. W. Mc- 
Kee, treasurer. 

The officers elected in 1907 were Miss 
]\raud McClymonds, president; Mrs. Will- 
iam Cooper, vice-president; Miss Bertha 
A. Bottner, corresponding secretary; Mrs. 
P. D. Denman, recording secretary; Mrs. 
J. W. McKee, treasurer. 

The officers in 1908 are Miss Virginia 
Cookson, of Evans City, president; Mrs. 
J. C. Toy, of Mars, vice-president; Mrs. 
E. H. Cronenwett, recording secretary; 
Miss Bertha Bottner, corresponding secre- 
tary; and Mrs. J. W. McKee, treasurer. 
The department superintendents ar^e as 
follows: Foreign work. Miss Mary Mc- 
kee, of Butler; Sabbath observance, Mrs. 
M. P. Forsythe, of Butler; flower mis- 
sions, Mrs. E. H. Cronenwett, of Butler; 



134 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



scientific tempeiauce uud narcotics, Mrs. 
Frank Miliei", of Slippery Rock; prison 
and jail work, Mrs. Harriet Cooper, of 
Butler; literature and press, Miss Bertha 
Bottner, of Petrolia. 

The work accomplished by the temper- 
ance women of the county in the past 
twenty-seven years is to be admired for 
the wonderful persistence with which they 
pursued their object. The Butler County 
Union materially assisted the State Union 
in 188") in having the "Temperance Edu- 
cation Law" passed and by their zeal in- 
<luced the court to close every drinking- 
place in the county. They have waged in 
cessant warfare on narcotics and liave 
been the means of procuring legislation 
preventing the sale of cigarettes and to- 
bacco to minors under the age of eighteen, 
[u 1881 there were forty-five saloons in the 
county. In 1885 there were none, and in 
1894 there were none, and chiefly through 
the influence of the temperance workers the 
number of drinking places in the county in 
1908 was limited to half the numbej' there 
were twenty-five years ago. 

The great Murphy meetings of 188(i aiul 
1887 were inaiiircstiitions of the power of 
the movement at that time, while the grad- 
ual moulding of imblic opinion in opposi 
tiou to the liipior traffic has been princi- 
pally due to the untiring agitation of the 
temperance unions. The battle for the 
prohibitory amendment in 1889 was lost to 
the state, but in Butler County a majority 
of 2,423 votes in favor of the amendment 
was given. The vote by districts in the 
county is given in a table in the political 
chapter. 

The County Union has accomplished 
much good through its departmental work 
and is carrying on a eamjiaign of education 
with unabated vigor. One department of 
this work is the circulating of temperance 
literature among the foreign speaking resi- 
dents of the county and the establishing of 
night scliools among the foreigners for the 
teaching of the English langmige, temper 



ance, and good citizenship. Through the 
efforts of this department assisted by the 
Y. M. C. A., the night school for foreigners 
was established at Ijyndora in 1906, which 
is now supported by the citizens of Butler 
and the Standard Steel Car Company. 

In 1908 there were fourteen local unions 
in the county as^foUows: Bethel, Browns- 
dale, Bruin, Butler, Connoquenessing, 
Mars, Chicora, Myoma, Petrolia, Slippeiy 
Rock. Springdale, Unionville, Zelienople, 
and ilai'mony. The total membership was 
about five hundred. 



W'lieu the tiiirteen members of the 
County W. C. T. U. seceded, and left the 
convention of November 21, 1889, held at 
Butler, the seceders held a convention the 
same day at which a declaration was read 
in the meetii^- by Mrs. N. C. Core, in which 
the following leading points were set forth: 
That while the society held a neutral posi- 
tion between Church and State, its mem- 
bers were a unit in opposing intemperance. 
That for some years the original central 
idea was being undermined by a political 
idea, and that since the convention appears 
to adiiei'e to views which cannot be other- 
wise than damaging to the best interests 
of the cause, it is necessary to organize a 
non-sectarian and a non-political associa- 
tion. The document as read was signed by 
Madames N. C. Core, Isaiah J. McBride, 
M. K. Byers, M. E. Nicholls, F. Bailey, R. I. 
Boggs, D. Garrett, K. H. Miller, J. R. 
Afiller. Cynthia Gilmore, Tj. K. Ayres, and 
Patton Kearns, wilh the blisses Mary E. 
Sullivan, Celia Culil)isoii, and Margaret 
Wick. After the reading Madames J. L. 
Henry, M. J. Fay, E. S. Bartley, and Miss 
\j. B. Young signed the declaration. That 
evening Mrs. M. E. Nicholls presided over 
a meeting of twenty-seven non-partisan 
workers who organized a bureau of corre- 
spondence with Mrs. Nicholls president. 
Miss Young, secretary, and Mrs. Byers, 
treasurer. The actual organization of the 



AND REPRBSPJNTATIVE CITIZENS 



135 



Woman's Christian Temperance Alliance 
was not effected until September 18, 1890, 
when Mrs. Ellen J. Phinney, president of 
the National Alliance, came to Butler and 
organized the Bntler ('ounty Alliance. The 
officers then elected were: Mrs. Margaret 
J. Earhart, of Petrolia, president; Mi-s. J. 
B. Showalter, of Cbicora, vice-president ; 
Mrs. M. E. Nicholls, of Butler, correspond- 
ing secretary; Miss May Hopkins, record- 
ing secretary; and ]\liss L. E. Young, 
treasurer. The title then adopted for the 
new association of temperance workers 
was Woman's Christian Tem])t'rance Al- 
liance. 

The second contcrciirc was held X<Acm- 
ber 6, 1891. and resulted in the clioic' of 
Mrs. J. B. Showalter, for president; Mrs. 
M. ,1. Earhart. vice-president; Mrs. Emily 
Robinson, of Butler, corresponding secre- 
tary; Mrs. E. J. Calvert, recording secre- 
tary; and Miss L. E. Young, treasurer. 
The third conference held at ]\Iillerstown 
in 1892 resulted in the re-election of the old 
officers, with the exception of recording- 
secretary, Mrs. U. D. Fisher, of Butler, 
being chosen for tliat position. 

The fourth conference was held at I hit- 
ler in September, 1893, when the following 
named officers were chosen: President. 
Mrs. Isaiah J. McBride, of Butler; vice- 
president. Mrs. N. C. Core, of Butler; cor- 
responding secretary, Mrs. J. E. Byers. of 
Butler; recording secretary, Mrs. V. I). 
Fislier; and treasurer, Miss L. E. ^Oung. 

NoN-r.virnsAN tempekance union. 
The Non-Partisan Temperance Union of 
Butler, which appears to have been oi-gan- 
ized Sei)teniber 19, 1890, was the Woman's 
Christian Temperance Alliance under a 
new name. The officers chosen by the Non- 
Partisan Union were Miss L. E. Young, of 
.Butler, president; Mrs. J. E. Byers, of 
Ruller, secretary; and Mrs. U. D. Fislier. 
ti'easurer. The organization was extended 
during the next few years to other ])ai-ts of 
the countv. and local unions were eslah 



lished at Chicora, Karns City and in Fair- 
view Townshij). These unions eventually 
died out, and on account of the removal 
and deaths of a number of the leaders of 
the County Union, the latter organization 
was finally abandoned. The last officers 
elected by the Non-Partisan Union in 1899 
were Miss L. E. Young, president; Mrs. J 
E. Byers, secretary; and Mrs. D. L. Clee- 
land, of Butler, ti-easurer. 

LOVAL TEIMPERANCE LEGION. 

The Jjoyal Temperance Legion, which 
was an auxiliary of the W. C. T. U., was 
organized for juvenile work, and at the 
County Convention of the W. C. T. U. held 
at J\fars in 1898, the County Loyal Temper- 
ance Legion was organized with the fol- 
lowing officers: President, G. A. Bailey; 
vice-jiresident, Harry Flowers; recording 
se<'ietary. Newton Eppinger; correspond- 
ing secretary, Artemesia (roddard ; treas 
urer, Bert Little. .\t tlie same time the fol 
lowing superintendents of departments 
were appointed: literature, Annie Sander- 
son ; flower mission, Maud Staples ; mercy, 
Delia Elliott ; railroad, Jessie L. Otterman ; 
county superintendent, Mrs. A. G. Otter- 
man. At the convention held May 17, 1899, 
Harry Flowers was elected president ; Ray 
Goddard, vice-president; Bertha Weigle, 
corresponding secretary; and Bert Little, 
treasurer. Jessie Otterman was continued 
as superintendent of railroad work; Agnes 
Staples was appointed superintendent of 
Hower mission; Luella Baker, superintend 
cut of the department of mercy; and Miss 
Jennie E. Dean, music director. AVliile the 
Butler County Legion was third in the 
state in 1899, the organization was aban- 
doned in a few years, and its work was 
taken up bv one of the departments of the 
County W." C. T. U. 

SI'ATISTICS OF eOPULATION. 

The following table exhibits the popula- 
tion of the county by townships and bor- 
oughs at each decennial census since its 
(irnanizatiou : 



HrSTOKY OF Bl'TLKR COUNTY 



'ICS OF POPULATION. 



Adams Township... 
Alleghep.v Township. 
Brady Township 



Butler, .")iti Ward 

Butler Township 

Bruin Borough 

Center Township 

Centerville Borough 

Cherry Township 

Clay Township 

Clearfield Township 

Clinton Township 

Concord Township 

Connoquenesslng Borough. 
Connoquenesslng Towns'p.] 

Cranberry Township 

Donegal Township 

Eau Claire Borough 

Evans City Borough 

Fairview Borough 

Fairvlew Township 

Forward Township 

Franklin Township 

Harmony Borough 

Harrlsville Borough 

Jackson Township 

Jefferson Township 

Karns City Borough 

Lancaster Township 

Marion Township 

Mars Borough 

Mercer Township 

Middlesex Township 

Mlllerstown Borough 

Muddy Creek Township. . . 

Oakland Township 

Parker Township 

Penn Township 

Petrolia Borough 

Portersville Borough 

Prospect Borough 

Saxonburg Borough 

Slippery Rock Borough. . . 
Slippery Bock Township.. 

Summit Township 

Valencia Borough 

Venango Township 

Washington Township. . . . 
West Liberty Borough. . . . 
West Sunbury Borough. . . 

Winfleld Township 

Worth Township 

Zelienople Borough 





















Registry 




















Esti- 


o£ Vot 




















mated 


ers for 


3ao. 


IS.-JO. 


1841). 


i.sr.ii. 


1860. 


1870. 


1880. 


1890. 


1900. 


1008. 


1908. 










866 


873 


1,156 


1,817 


1,610 


1,455 


291 










881 


890 


2,287 


1224 


1,004 


lioso 


216 










701 


600 


772 


729 


721 


655 


131 


582 


i'.6i2 


Y.826 




1,205 


1,495 


1,263 


1,131 


1,121 


1,525 


305 




580 


861 


T'.14S 


1,399 


1,935 


3,163 


8,734 


21548 
ill 


■4,675 
4,215 
4,845 
3:175 
5,495 


"ill 

969 

635 

1,099 


472 


'768- 


1,389 


'2,622 


'l,i98 


"984 


1,667 


1,297 


1,591 


1,045 


570 
147 
209 


972 


'l,322 


■l,834 


■l,495 


"829 


"843 


"986 


1,665 


■886 












.^68 


418 


448 


993 


1,075 


215 






"625 


"976 


"967 


903 


1,161 


1,433 


1,021 


1,190 


238 










1,039 


1,062 


1,036 


1,076 


1,134 


1.620 


324 


515 


"617 


1,1 03 


'l',924 


869 


847 


1,056 


'841 


813 


1,025 


205 










1,021 


1,132 


1,048 


918 


900 


1,065 


213 










855 


926 


1,654 


1,138 


'ill 


'■ttt 


If 


977 


1,944 


2,692 


2,5 is 


1,098 


'l',65i 


"1496 


"1,593 


960 


1,080 


216 


765 


1046 


1,822 


2,23(; 


931 


945 


983 


909 


981 


i;065 


21s 


91)0 


1,085 


1,615 


1.174 


999 


852 


2,156 
"333 


1,617 

"637 
303 


1,204 

■1,266 
235 


1,520 
4.50 

1,495 
265 


304 

2^^ 
53 








I'.ots 


Xioi 


1,67s 


3,930 


1,996 


1,437 


1,630 


326 










1,020 


1,025 


1,133 


1,724 


1,515 


1235 


247 








Viif) 


860 


1,047 


1,047 


990 


924 


1,055 


231 












414 


497 


585 


645 


945 


169 












352 


386 


386 


319 


555 


111 










1,117 


1,1.37 


1,267 


1,154 


1,406 


1,505 


301 










1.457 


1,234 


1,214 
701 


1,600 
'427 


1,422 
265 


1405 
365 


281 










1436 


1,653 


1,070 


946 


834 


1,035 


207 










789 


850 




965 


II? 


l:!^ 


iti 


64i 


■■77! 


1,233 


1,29(5 


"545 


"478 




"697 


684 


760 


152 


010 


1,231 


1,692 


2,259 


1,034 


1,010 


1,106 


1,078 


1,541 


1,500 


300 












407 


1,108 


1,162 


950 


1,452 


285 


868 


l,3i7 


1,998 


1,142 


1,694 


972 


790 


785 


799 


945 


189 










919 


926 


1,039 


1,198 


940 


1,195 


239 


659 


"945 


1,364 


"76!> 


1,170 


1,309 


2,510 


1,710 


1,317 


910 


182 










914 


837 


1,131 
1,186 


1,814 
546 


Hit 


1,945 
475 


389 
95 












"198 


216 


190 


196 


270 


54 












271 


362 


343 


561 


510 


102 












295 


319 


258 


307 


500 


100 


865 


'l',54i 


■1,567 


I'.irto 


' ' 99.3 


"879 


1,667 


■1,247 


'l,266 


■l',746 


■348 










939 


1,304 


1,266 


1,287 


1,260 
149 


1,840 
270 


368 
54 


3.5.S 


■499 


"822 


V.473 


"836 


"962 


V,322 


■l,i47 


1,342 


1,385 


277 








l,(io:! 


993 


996 


1.287 


1,351 


1,508 


1,800 
280 


360 
56 












"216 


"243 


■238 


■'254 


305 


61 










1,134 


1,121 


1,092 


1,087 


1,395 


1,680 


336 










928 


893 


1,076 


939 


837 


1,090 


218 












387 


497 


639 


963 


1,650 


330 


"l93 


14,683 


22.371 


30.346 


35,594 


36,510 


52;536 


55,339 


56,962 


79,920 


15,984 



The total population ot the county in 1800 was 3,916. 
The figures given in the column 1908 are estimated on the 
basis of five of a population for each registered voter. The 
number of registered voters in the county as returned bv 
the registry assessors In June, 1908, is given in the last 
column. 

Centerville Borough given in the above table is now Slip- 
pery Rock Borough, and It will be noticed that Butler 
Borough Is dropped in the last three columns and Butler, 
1st, 2d. 3d, 4th and 5th Wards substituted. The popula- 
tion of Butler Borough in 1900 was 10.853. and the esti- 
mated population In 1908. 21.305. These figures do not 
Include the population of Lyndora in Butler Township nor 
the foreign population of Red Row. The total number of 
voters registered In the borough in 1908 was 4,361. 

The statistics ot population of 1900 gives the number 
of white males in the county as 26,492, and the white 
iVinnles as 27,361. The foreign population was 3,109, and 
Hie coloiMl population 119 The estimates of the foreign 



population in 1908 vary from 12,000 to 15,000. about 60 
per cent of which are in the district surrounding Butler 
Borough. 

In 1880 the vilage of Eldorado had a population of 53 ; 
Modoc, 127; Greece City. 142: Forestville, 233; Hllllard, 
lie; Mechanicsburg. 52; Middletown. 94; Martlnsburg, 
287 ; North Washington. 147 ; Petersville. 90 ; Sarversville. 
:!7 ; Troutman, 320 ; Unlonville, 44 ; West Liberty, 63 ; and 
Whitestowu, 90. In 1900 many of these villages had dis- 
appeared and others had been converted into boroughs. The 
population of Evans City, originally called Evansburg, 
.jumped from 68 in 1880 to 637 in 1890, and to 1,200 in 
1900. Forestville has decreased in population, while the 
villages of Eldorado, Greece City, and Modoc have almost 
entirely disappeared. The population of these villages is 
included In the census of their respective townships. Mar- 



tlnsburg has been converted into a borough and the name 
changed to Bruin, and Its population has Increased from 287 
in 1880 to about 750. Petersville has been changed to 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITlZExNS 



137 



ng Borougl 
880 to 43S 



aud has increased In population 

West Liberty Borough has been 

of 1900. and its population is now 



Couuoiiueoessing BoroUi 

from ■ 

created since the 

305. Other boroughs that have been created 

are Mars, with a population of about 1,200. Valencia witt 

a population of 270, Eau Claire with a population of 4,50 

and West Liberty with 2S0. 



Gallery Borough was created under a charter granted 
.lune 6. 1905. and is not included in the above table. The 
population in 1900 was included in .\dams Township, and 
tlie estimated population in 1908 is 300. No return was 
made by the registry assessor of the voters for 1908, and 
I he number of taxablcs for that year were 111. 



SOME NOTABLE PIONEERS. 

David Dougal was one of the be«t kuowu 
citizens in Butler County throughout his 
long and eventful career, and his name is 
inseparably linked with its histoiy for a 
period surpassing the allotted life of man. 
He was a native of Franklin County, 
Pennsylvania, born near Fannetsburg, 
September 23, 1778, and was the sou of a 
Presbyterian minister. He obtained a 
good English education, and in early man- 
hood left home and went to Huntingdon, 
where he clerked in the prothonotary's" 
office. Here he studied the art of survey- 
ing, afterwards went to Pittsburg, and 
later to Kentucky, where he acquired a 
taste for adventure and free outdoor life. 
He next went to Detroit and acted as clerk 
in a trading post, meeting hundreds of In- 
dians there, and subsequently spent some 
time among ttie Indian tribes of Ohio.- 
These associations had a marked influence 
on his character that remained with him to 
the day of his death. He finally returned 
to Huntingdon, whence, about the year 
1800, he came to Butler County. Upon the 
organization of this county he was ap- 
pointed the first clerk of the board of 
county commissioners, and later served 
one term in that body. At the first sales of 
lots in Butler borough, Mr. Dougal proved 
his faith in the new county seat by purchas- 
ing several lots, some of which he owneil 
until he died. He was one of the pioneei- 
merchants of the town for a short time, but 
soon abandoned merchandising to pursue 
the more congenial vocation of a surveyor, 
which profession he followed until tlie in 
firmities of old age compelled him to retire 
from active life. He loved nothing so well 
as to roam through the primitive forest, 
running lines, establishing corners and 
blazing trees to mark boundaries. He did 



the greater part of the early surveying in 
this county, and his wonderful memory re- 
tained in old age the most precise and 
exact knowledge of lines and surveys made 
by himself during the first years of the 
county's history. He was recognized by 
courts and lawyers as a high and almost 
infallible authority on such matters. 

Mr. Dougal was the agent of Stephen 
Lowrey, and later of his daughter, Mrs. 
Sarah Collins, wdio inherited a large por- 
tion of her father's lands in this county, 
and he continued in this capacity for the 
heirs of Mrs. Collins until his retirement 
from active business. This responsible 
position afforded him the opportunity of 
acquiring property, and he became quite 
an extensive land owner. Scrupulously 
honest in all his dealings ; correct and care- 
ful in his business habits; possessing an 
extensive and valuable fund of general in- 
formation, fine conversational abilities and 
remarkable mental power, he commanded 
the respect of the best people of the com- 
munity. There were few branches of 
scientific lore in which he was not well 
versed. In pleasant weather Mr. Dougal 
would sit in front of his modest home on 
South Main Street and converse with those 
who chose to listen or be entertained. His 
manner of speech was calm, deliberate and 
dignified, and his subjects were history, 
l)olitical economy, geography, geology, 
topography, climate and astronomy. He 
possessed an extensive and accurate knowl- 
edge of the last mentioned science, and was 
always happy when gazing at the starry 
firmament or discoursing upon its won- 
<lrous beauty and grandeur. His store of 
local history, too, embraced the minutest 
details of the annals of Butler County 
from its erection until the year of his 
death. 



138 



in STORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



With all tliesc advantages he was, 
nevertheless, a peculiar ami ecct'iitiic char 
acter, and is principally remenihcicd by 
the present generation because of the man- 
ner in wliich he lived. Though he possessed 
plenty of this world's goods, and might 
have enjoyed the usual comforts of life, 
he refused to improve his i^roperty, and 
persisted in living in one of the smallest 
and plainest of the frame buildings in 
Dougal's row until he removed to his farm 
in Summit Township, a few years prior to 
his death. Surrounded l)y rubbish of all 
kinds, including his surveying instruments. 
maps, charts, books, etc., with a few broken 
chairs and a bed that defied des<'rii)tiou. 
he despised and discarded modern fash- 
ions and modes of living, and seemed to 
take a ijeculiar delight in the slovenly dress 
and unrestrained life of the rudest pioneer 
backwoodsman. Nevertheless, when occa- 
sion re(|uired, he would appear as a well- 
dressed gentleman in refined society, and 
was thoroughly familiar with all the cour- 
tesies pertaining to it. Though he lived 
witli the most rigid frugality, he was not a 
miser, but was generous, kind and charit- 
able to the poor and needy. If his tenants 
could not pay their rents, he permitted 
them to remain or move away without 
molestation. 

This gifted, strange and eccenti-ic man 
never married, and died on his farm in 
Summit Township, November 8, 1881, at 
the extraordinary age of 10.3 years, leaving 
much valuable property to relatives, and 
also to some fr-iends who cared for him in 
his declining age. In a]»))earance he was 
tall and erect in cai'riage, grave, serious 
and dignified in bearing, and remarkably 
independent in thought and action. Not 
only to the severe simplicity of his mode of 
living, but to the wonderful evenness of his 
temper, which he rarely suffei-ed to be ruf- 
fled by any excitement, was largely due 
the uniformly good health be enjoyed 
throughout his life and the great longevity 
he attained. Mr. Dougal was pre-eminently 



a peacemaker, ilis opportunities as a sur- 
veyor were always used to settle disputes 
and avoid litigation, and, as the natural 
result of this policy, he was often appealed 
to by disputants as final arbiter. In poli- 
tics,, he was a Whig, until the formation of 
the Republican party, and ever afterward 
a Republican. While he did not profess 
any particular religious faith nor attend 
church, he was a firm believer in the funda- 
mental principles of Christianity, and had 
an utter contempt for the man who treated 
the forms of religion with levity. The 
leading minds of Butler County looked 
upon liim not only as a learned man, but 
a philosopher, and his name will be re- 
spected as long as a single one of those who 
knew him best is left to do justice to his 
memor3^ 

Hon. Waltek Lowrie was one of the 
most distinguished sons of Butler County, 
and none of her citizens ever attained 
greater eminence or labored in a broader 
field. He was born in Edinburgh, Scot- 
land, December 10, 1784, and came to the 
United States with his parents, John and 
Catherine (Cameron) Tjowrie, in 1792. 
The family settled in Huntingdon County, 
Pennsylvania, whence they removed to 
what is now Allegheny Township, Butler 
County, in 1797. Here his parents spent 
the remaining years of their lives, his 
mother dying in J 8.37 and his father in 
1840. Their children were as follows: 
Matthew B., who removed to Pittsburg, 
became quite a prominent man of that 
city, and served as mayor several terms; 
Walter ; John L. ; Ann, who married An- 
drew Porter; Elizabeth, who first mariied 
John Stevens, and aft^r his death, Robert 
S. Whann; Jane, who became the wife of 
William Porterfield; and Catherine, who 
mai-ried Andrew McCaslin. John Lowrie, 
Sr., owned a farm and a grist- and saw- 
mill, and was one of the prosperous citi- 
zens of the county. He was one of the 
founders of Scrubgrass Presbyterian 
Church in Venango County, and a man of 




WALTER LOtTRlE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



139 



sturdy cliaiacter, excelleut moral traits 
and hi.!"!! mental qualities. After clearing 
up his farm and living upon it for about 
forty years, lie died there, and is buried 
ill Scniliiiiass Presbytei'ian cemetery. 

'i'lic subject of this sketch was reared 
ii))oii iiis latlier's farm, and his primary 
education consisted of an occasional term 
at a subscription school and home instruc- 
tion of winter nights. His parents being 
ilevout Presbyterians, AValter was care- 
fully trained in that faith, and at an early 
age entered u]ion a course of study with 
the ministry in view, and pursued the 
Latin, (Ireek and Hebrew languages un- 
der Rev. John McPherrin. He came to 
Butler in 1807 to engage in teaching, was 
soon after appointed clerk in the commis- 
sioner's office, was later elected a member 
of the board, and also filled the office of 
justice of the peace, thus commencing a 
public career that lasted continuously for 
almost thirty years. In the meantime, he 
and his lirother Matthew B., opened a 
store in Butler, which was conducted prin- 
cipally by clerks, the greater part of his 
time being devoted to his public duties. 
In 1811 he was elected on the Democratic 
ticket to the Legislature, and the following 
year to the State Senate. He was reelected 
to the latter, and served in that body 
seven years. In 1818, while still a member 
of the State Senate, he was elected to the 
United States Senate, and served in that 
body with ability and distinction for six 
years. This period was one of great in- 
tei'est in the history of our country'. Such 
distinguished men as Webster, Clay, Cal- 
houn, Randolph and Benton were members 
of the Senate, and among these eminent 
statesmen Walter Lowrie occupied a posi- 
tion of hoiioralile ])rominence. His stanch 
integrity won their confidence, while his 
practical judgment led them to seek his 
advice and rely upon his opinions. He 
was regarded by the Senators who knew 
him best as an authority upon all questions 
of political history and constitutional law. 



Dining the discussion of the celebrated 
Missouri Compromise, he made a speech 
of great power and force of argument, in 
which he took strong grounds against the 
extension of slavery, and uttered a vigor- 
ous protest against the establishment of 
slave labor upon a single foot of free terri- 
tory. His influence in the Senate was not 
only that of a statesman, but also of a 
Christian. He was one of the founders of 
the Congressional Prayer Meeting, as well 
as of the Congressional Temperance Soci- 
ety. For a long time he was a member of 
the executive committee of tlie American 
Colonization Society, also of the Senate 
committee on Indian affairs. At the ex- 
piration of his senatorial term, in March, 
1825, he was elected secretary of the Sen- 
ate, an office which he held for twelve 
years, resigning it in 1836 to become secre- 
tary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign 
Missions, which, under his vigorous and 
sagacious policy, was built up fi-om an ob- 
scure institution to its subsequent imiwr- 
tance and prosperity. He brought to his 
new field of action the same strength of 
mind and earnestness of purpose that had 
characterized his previous career, and be- 
came the efficient head of a great mission- 
ary work. His labors only terminated 
with his death, which occurred in New 
York City, December 14, 1868. 

Senator Lowrie was twice married. His 
first marriage occurred in 1808, to Amelia 
^IcPherrin, a daughter of Rev. John Mc- 
Pherrin, his preceptor, and one of the 
founders of the Presbyterianism in Butler 
County. She died in 1832, and he after 
ward married Mary K. Childs. The chil 
dren of his first marriage were as follows : 
John C. ; Matthew S., an early member of 
tlie Butler bar; Mary, who married Sam 
uel Baird, a merchant of Pittsburg; Eliza : 
Walter M. ; Jonathan Roberts, a well re 
membered attorney of Hollidaysburg : 
Reuben P., and Henry M. John C, Wal 
ter M., and Reuben P. became mission 
aries of the Presbyterian church. Reu 



140 



1 [STORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ben P. fell a victim to overwork in the 
enervating climate of China, and Walter 
M. was murdered by Chinese pirates, 
August 19, 1847. Rev. John C. Lowrie, 
D. 1)., spent two years on missionary work 
in India, when he returned to New York 
and was appointed assistant to his father 
in the office of the Board of Foreign Mis- 
sions, and after his father's death he suc- 
ceeded him as secretary, which position 
he filled continuously for several years. 
Senator Lowrie exhibited a rare example 
of obedience to the dictates of duty in re- 
signing the secretaryship of the United 
States Senate, and accepting that of the 
Board of Foreign Missions. He relin- 
quished a home surrounded by every com- 
fort, a position of ease and large emolu- 
ment, the society of a wide circle of emi- 
nent men, with whom lie was on tei*ms of 
the closest intimacy, for a life in humble 
quarters, in a city with which he was im- 
familiar and to assume an arduous posi- 
tion, the remuneration of which was 
scarcely sufficient to sustain him. Not- 
withstanding his many varied talents, he 
was a modest and unassuming gentleman, 
whose public career was marked by the 
same rigid morals and principles that 
guided his private life. 

Rev. John McPherrin was one of tlie 
founders of Presbyterianism in western 
Pennsylvania, the pioneer minister of that 
denomination in Butler County, and the 
first pastor of the Butler church. He was 
a native of what is now Adams County, 
Pennsylvania, born November 15, 1757, 
whence the family removed to Westmore- 
land County. His preparatory studies 
were pursued under Rev. Robert Smith, 
D. D., of Pequea, Pennsylvania, and he 
graduated at Dickinson College in 1788. 
He studied theology under the direction of 
Rev. John Clark, of Allegheny County, 
and was licensed to ])reacli by the Pres- 
bytery of Redstone, August 20, 1789. On 
Se])tember 22, 1790, be was ordained by 
the same Presbytery, and installed pastor 



of the congregations of Salem and Unity, 
in Westmoreland County, where he re- 
mained until 1803, In the meantime, how- 
ever, he had visited this portion of the 
State on a missionary tour, coming here 
in the summer of 1799 and preaching to 
a congregation under the spreading 
branches of a large tree that stood near 
the site of Concord Presbyterian church, 
in what is now Concord Township, Butler 
County. Several of his audience requested 
him to name the embryo church, which he 
did, calling it "Concord," the title it has 
borne to the present day. 

In 1803 Mr. McPherrin returned to this 
county and accepted calls from Concord 
and Muddy Creek churches, both of which 
he took charge of the same year. In 1805 
be became a member of the Presbytery of 
Erie, and continued to minister to the con- 
gregations mentioned until 1813, when he 
resigned the Muddy Creek charge, having 
been installed pastor of the Butler church 
April 7, 1813, in connection with the 
church of Concord. It is also said he was 
pastor of Harmony church for several 
years. He remained pastor of Butler and 
Concord churches until his death, which 
occurred at Butler, February 10, 1822. 
Before coming to Butler County, Mr. Mc- 
Pherrin was married to Mary Stevenson, 
a daughter of John Stevenson, of Wash- 
ington County. His cliildren were as fol- 
lows: Amelia, who married Walter Low- 
rie ; William ; Samuel ; John ; Clark ; 
Mary, who married John Sullivan; Eben- 
ezer; Josi'ab, and Anderson. 

Rev. Isaiah Niblock, D. D,, was one of 
the pioneer ministers of what is now 
known as the United Presbyterian church 
of Butler. He was a native of County 
Monaghan, Ireland, born in the year 1794, 
studied divinity under Rev. John Dick, 
D. D., professor of theology in the United 
Sessions church, Glasgow, Scotland, and 
was licensed to preach in 1817. The fol- 
lowing year he emigrated to New York, 
and preached in Philadel])bia in the fall 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



141 



of 1818. SooD after he crossed the Alle- 
gheny Mountains on horseback, arriving 
in Pittsburg on the 20th of December, 
1818, where he was appointed to supply 
vacancies for three months in this section 
of the State. Three days later he came to 
Butler and preached in the courthouse on 
the last Sunday of the year. He continued 
to preach as a supj^ly until April 23, 1819, 
when he received a call from the congrega- 
tions of Butler and White Oak Springs, 
which he accepted, and after filling his 
previous engagements, was ordained and 
installed as their pastor by the Monon- 
gahela Associate Reformed Presbytery, 
and preached his first sermon as pastor of 
the Butler church on the third Sunday in 
May, 1819. This pastorate continued for 
more than forty-five years, or until his 
death in Butler, June 29, 1864, although 
he was unable to preach for nearly five 
months preceding that event. When Mr. 
Niblock became jiastor of the Butler 
church it consisted of but one elder and 
nine communicants. Under his ministry 
there were added to the Butler, White Oak 
Springs and Union congregations about 
1,100 members. He baptized about 2,000 
children and adults, and imited in mar- 
riage more than 200 couples. After com- 
ing to Butler, Dr. Niblock was married to 
Rachel Alexander, of Pittsburg, who be- 
came the mother of six children, viz. : 
Mary J.; James; Alexander; John, a 
United Presbyterian minister; Hugh; Mrs. 
Maria Zimmerman, and Harriet. 

Rev. William White, D. D., the honored 
and respected rector of St. Peter's Protes- 
tant Episcopal Church of Butler for half 
a century, was a native of Stewartstown, 
County Tyrone, Ireland. He was born 
March 18, 1811, and grew to manhood in 
his native land. In 1832 he came to Pitts- 
burg, Pennsylvania, and entered the West- 
ern LTniversity, graduating from that insti- 
tution in 1834. He graduated from the 
General Theological Seminary of New 
York in 1837, was ordained a deacon l)v 



Bishop Onderdonk, in Christ Church, 
Philadelphia, the same year, and was sent 
to take charge of the Preeport and Butler 
congregations. In 1838 he was ordained 
a priest by the same bishop, and remained 
in charge of both churches mentioned until 
1842, when he gave up the Freeport charge 
and confined his labors to Butler and vicin- 
ity. Dr. White was married October 7, 
1840, to Mary Bredin, a daughter of James 
Bredin, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to whom 
have been born six children, as follows: 
.:binie; Isabella; Thomas, an Episcopal 
minister of East Albany, New York ; 
George R., attorney at law at Butler; 
James B. and William, both deceased. For 
several years Dr. \\niite combined with his 
parochial duties those of a teacher in the 
old Butler Academy, and many of the lead- 
ing men of Western Pennsylvania look up 
to him with pride as their preceptor. He 
continued as pastor of the Butler congre- 
gation until 1877, when the infirmities of 
advancing age induced him to lay down the 
burden, although he occasionally per- 
formed the offices of his sacred calling in 
the adjoining counties of Armstrong and 
Clarion until his death. For nearly sixty' 
years his name was closely associated with 
the religious and educational life of Butler 
County, and few of its citizens have won- 
to a greater degree the unbounded love and 
confidence of the whole people than tliis 
venerable patriarch whose rare usefulness 
throughout that period was gladly ac- 
knowledged by all. 

Rev. Loyal Young, D. D., was pastor of 
the Presbyterian Church of Butler for 
nearly thirty-five years, and his name is a 
familiar one in many of the homes in But- 
ler County. He was a son of Robert and 
Lydia (Gould) Young, of Charlemont, 
Franklin County, Massachusetts, where he 
was born July 1, 1806. Wlien Loyal was 
five years old his parents removed to 
French Creek, Harrison County, Virginia, 
lie obtained a good English education in 
till- schools of that localitv. entered Jeffer- 



142 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



son College, in 182t), and graduated from 
that institution in the fall of 1828. After 
teaching a private family school in Vir- 
ginia one year, he entered the Western 
Theological Seminary, at Allegheny City. 
Pennsylvania, and was licensed to preach 
the gospel by the l*resl.vter\ of Ohio, June 
21, 1832. On the 2r)tli oi' ( )ct()her following, 
he was married to Margai'et P. Johnston, 
a daugliter of Rev. Robert Johnston, the 
first pastor of the Scrubgrass Presbyterian 
Church, Venango County, to which union 
were born seven sons and one daughter. 
Four of their sons, Robert J., Watson J., 
Torrence F., and James W.. were soldiers 
in the Union Army. 

Mr. Young came to Butler County soon 
after he was licensed to preach, his first 
sermon in Butler lieing delivered August 
29, 1832. The following summer he 
preached as a candidate, and was ordained 
and installed as the third pastor of the 
Butler congregation, by the Presbytery of 
Allegheny, December -i, 1833. For nearly 
thii'ty-five years he labored faithfully and 
assiduously in building up the church. 
During his ministry here he baptized about 
800 children and adults, united in marriage 
over 200 couples, and nearly 450 persons 
were brought into the Butler church. He 
delivered his farewell sennon May 10, 
1868, and the same month took charge of 
French Creek and Buckhannon churches in 
West Virginia. He remained at French 
Creek eight years, and was then installed 
as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church 



of Parkersburg, in the same State, which 
position he filled five years. His next 
charge was the Winfield, Point Pleasant 
and Pleasant Flats churches of West Vir- 
ginia, which he ministered to from 1880 to 
1885. He then removed to W^ashington, 
Pennsylvania, and became a supply for a 
few years. Here his wife died December 
29, 1887, and soon after he returned to But- 
ler, where he continued to follow the min- 
istry up to within a few weeks of his 
death, which occurred October 11, 1890. 

While pastor of the Butler church, in 
1858, the degree of D. D. was conferred 
upon him by Washington College. Dr. 
Young was twice moderator of the Synod 
of Plttsl)urg, once of the Erie Synod, and 
re)>vesente(i the l*re<l)ytery at the (leneral 
Assembly several times. He was also the 
author of the following works : * * Commen- 
tary on the Book of Ecdesiastes. " "Hid- 
den Treasure," "Interviews With In- 
spired Men," "Communion," and "From 
Dawn to Dusk." A few weeks before his 
death he completed a conunentary on the 
Book of Proverbs. To Dr. Young more 
than to any other man was due the estab- 
lishment of Witherspoon Institute at But- 
ler. He was the guiding spirit in calling 
the convention which brought that school 
into existence, in preparing the charter, in 
raising money, and placing the Institute 
on a solid foundation. He was its princi- 
pal for ([uite a long pei-iod, and his name is 
closely interwoven with its early growth 
and progress. 



CHAPTER V 



POLITICAL HISTORY 



Senatorial and Representative Districts Established — First Elections — A Neiv Judicial 
District — Fourteenth Congressional District Established — Campaign of 1828 — 
Case of Hugh Lee — Constitutional Amendments — Tiventy-fifth Congressional Dis- 
trict — Anti-slavery Movement — The Knoir Nothing Party — Anti-Administration 
Party — The Republican Party — The New Representative District — Apportionment 
of 1871 — The Coi/sfitiitifiual Convention — Changes in 1874 — Vote on Prohibition 
Amendment — Ca m pan/i/ of 1890 — Judicial Campaigns of 1892-1902 — The Union 
Party — Vote for Picsidcni Roosevelt — New Primary Election Law — Congressional 
Districts — Senatorial Districts — Representatirc Districts — Judicial Districts — 
Public O-fflcials^Appointment of Court Officuds. 



lu addition to exercising a fostering 
care over her own internal political affairs, 
Butler County has played an important 
part in the various congressional, sena- 
torial and judicial districts to which she 
has belonged. Her citizens have ever val- 
ued and protected their political rights and 
have exercised them in the manner whicli 
to their minds was best calculated to con- 
serve the highest interests of tlie nation 
and the state. 

The act of the legislature creating Butiei- 
County was approved March 12, 1800. Be 
sides defining the boundaries of the county, 
this act made temporary provision for her 
political status by assigning her to the 
same senatorial district as Allegheny, 
Washington, and Green Counties. The 
rejjresentative district was made up of 
Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, 
Warren, and Venango Counties and was 
entitled to two representatives in the gen- 
eral assembly. 

Under the Constitution of 1790, then in 
force, the members of the State Senate 



were elected every three years and tiie 
meml)ers of the House of Representatives 
every year. No member could serve more 
than four years in seven. Elections were 
held on the second Tuesday in October of 
each year, save for President and Vice- 
President of the United States, which were 
held in November, as at present. The 
terms of service of state senators and rep- 
resentatives began on the fourtli Monday 
of October. 

The state Capitol was at Lancaster and 
the Senators and Representatives, as well 
as other citizens having business there, 
usually made the journey on horse-back, 
that being the only mode of conveyance 
outside of walking, previous to the estab- 
lishment of a stage-coach line and the 
canal. Occasionally a prudent member 
took his own provisions with him. 

The act above referred to also provided 
that : 

"Tlie inhabitants of thai |.:ii( of the .-oiinty of 
Butler in Elder's district of the defirei-iatod lands, who 
heretofore held their eh^etions at the town of Freeport. 
shall be annexed lo the distriit known bv the name of 



144 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



McClure's district and vote with the inhabitants thereof 
at the house of Andrew McClure. And the inhabitants 
of that part of Butler County in any of the donation 
districts, who have heretofore held their elections at the 
town of Freeport shall be annexed to what is called 
Buchannan 's district and vote with the inhabitants 
thereof. ' ' 

SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT. 

The act of April 2, 1803, assigned Butler 
County to the sixth judicial district with 
Beaver, Mercer, and Erie Counties, of 
which the Honorable Jesse Moore was the 
first presiding judge to sit in Butler. 

ELEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

An act of the General Assembly of April 
11, 1803, divided the state into eleven con- 
gressional districts, the eleventh district 
being composed of Allegheny, Beaver, But- 
ler, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Warren, 
and Erie Counties. 

FIRST ELECTIONS. 

The first general election in the county 
was held in 1804, at which members of con- 
gress, representatives to the general as- 
sembly and county commissioners were 
voted for. The same year at the election 
held on the first Monday in November, 
presidential electors were voted for. 

The candidates for Congress were J. B. 
C. Lucas, Democratic Republican, and 
James O'Hara, Federalist. The latter was 
a resident of Pittsburg, a Revolutionary 
soldier, and, as the name of his party indi- 
cates, an adherent of the Hamiltonian idea 
of a strong government. That his ideas 
were not well received in Butler County 
may be seen from the records of the vote 
cast in the six election districts into which 
the county was divided at that time. Lucas 
received 408 votes in the county and 
O'Hara 118. 

The election that year in the first dis- 
trict was held at the home of Ezekiel Bre- 
-din, formerly James Buchannan 's, where 
William Gault, Jacob Smith, and Ephraim 
Harris were judges. In the second district 
the polling place was at the residence of 
Alexander Ramsey, the judges being Ben- 



jamin Fletcher, W. I^urgeson, and James 
Coulter. The judges of election and poll- 
ing places are not recorded for the third 
and fourth districts. The judges of the 
fifth district were W. Johnson, Samuel 
Duncan, and Moses Bolton. The place of 
holding election is not mentioned. In the 
sixth district the judges were, Abdiel Mc- 
Lure, William Campbell and George Shan- 
non. At Butler the judges were William 
Ayres, John Cunningham, and John Gil- 
more. There were no returns from the 
fourth district. 

1st 2d 3d 4th 5th 6th 

Candidates. Dist. Dist. Dist. Dist. Dist. Dist. 

Confjress — 

John B. C. Lucas 32 T6 188 . . 61 51 

James O'Hara 32 6 63 . . 9 8 

Assembly — 

James Bovard 92 

George Robinson 32 46 84 .. 60 58 

Jacob Mechling 50 76 78 . . 25 4 

Abner ■^ftycock 32 22 80 . . 43 58 

John McBride 32 8 196 .. 43 66 

Jonathan Coulter 32 34 50 . . 25 5 

J.icob Perree 12 6 51 . . 7 5 

John Negley 102 

Commissioners — 

Abner Coats 12 . . 40 60 

.lames Scott 18 42 121 . . 4 2 

Francis Kearns 1 .. 72 .. 23 3 

David .\rmstrong 27 3 

Hugh Lee 13 40 1 

Wililam Brown 3 .. 53 .. .. 1 

At the election held for state senators in 
the county in 1805, David Martin received 
207 votes and Samuel Ewalt 149 votes. The 
election, however, seems to have fallen to 
the lot of one of the other counties in the 
district, and Butler County did not elect a 
state senator until 1811. 

The following year Jacob Mechling of 
Butler was elected to the legislature, re- 
ceiving 229 votes in this county. Abner 
Laycock received 232 votes and Francis 
McLure 231 votes. 

A NEW JUDICIAL DISTRICT. 

By an act of the legislature approved 
February 24, 1806, the sixth judicial dis- 
trict was reconstructed, Butler County be- 
ing placed in the same district with Mercer, 
Butler, Venango, Crawford, and Erie. The 
same act provided for the holding of court 
in Butler on the first Monday in March, 
June, September and December of each 
year, for terms of one week. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



145 



The act of March 21, 1808, put Alle- 
gheny, Beaver aud Butler Counties in the 
same senatorial district, and Allegheny and 
Butler Counties in the same representative 
district and entitled the two counties to 
four representatives. 

The act of April 4, 1809, changed the 
time of holding court in Butler to the sec- 
ond i\Iondays of the months given above. 
An act was also passed in 1809 to validate 
the acts of justices of the peace from the 
erection of the countv in 1800 to November 
1, 1808. 

Francis McLure and Samuel Ewalt ap- 
pear to have been the candidates for state 
senate in Butler County in 1809, but failed 
of election in the district. The same year 
John Negley of Butler was elected repre- 
sentative.. 

In 1810 James Patterson, the candidate 
for representative, received a majority of 
the votes in this county, but failed of elec- 
tion. In the same year Walter Lowrie of 
Butler was elected to the legislature and in 
1811 to the state senate. He was re-elected 
in 1814 and elected United States Senator 
in 1818. 

THE FOURTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

The Legislature of 1812, on March 20, 
passed an act apportioning the State into 
fifteen congressional districts. Butler and 
vVUegheny Counties constituted the Four- 
teenth District. The political machinery 
of those days was much simpler than at 
present. The candidates ran largely on 
their personal merit and popularity, and 
as the representatives of the political 
ideas and principles which were then di- 
viding the people into parties. The Demo- 
cratic-Republicans, who were followers of 
Jefferson, were in a majority in the county 
for many years. Sometimes a candidate 
would achieve success by sheer dint of 
personal popularity, this more frequently 
hapi)ening when too many candidates 
from the leading party sought the same 
office. The "scrub race," however, gradu- 



ally fell into disrepute, as was inevitable, 
and served to pave the way for the dele- 
gate system which succeeded it and which 
continued in operation almost until the 
close of the last century, when it too gave 
way to the system of nomination by popu- 
lar vote now in use. 

As an indication of the tendency toward 
the delegate method in 1814, an advertise- 
ment which appeared in the Pittsburg 
paper of that year is of interest : 

" At a general meeting of the Democratic-Republican 
delegates from the different townships of the county 
of Butler, held at the Court House in the town of 
Butler, on the 4th day of .luly, 1814, for the purpose 
of putting in nomination suitable persons to be sup- . 
ported at the next general election, the following persons 
were unanimously agreed upon : Governor, Si-non 
Snyder; Assembly, John Potts. It was resolved, That 
Hugh McKee and Robert Scott be delegates to meet 
two delegates from Allegheny County at Mr. .Tames 
Carnahan's at such time as may be agreed upon; ;ind 
that they be instructed to support .Tohn Potts fm- a 
member of the House of Representatives in tlie State 
in conjunction with three mendiers fnjin Allrulicny 
County; and :ils.. .-ift.-r :i .-Miifi imr,. ^^iIl| j|,. ,1-1, y,i|,.'s 
from Alleghenv l'.iiili(\ in |i,t m n ,!i.i:i.i'i ,, -m :ilili> 

person to be Mi|.ii,.rt,',i imi ,1 M.ni 1 1 ( .i,j,.. iHuti 

this district. Il.-alvc i. I'li.it tli,- |iiiir,'r,|inL;> -if (liis 
meeting be signed by the cliairm;!!! :iim1 sr.'ictuiy tiiid 
published in the Pittsburg papers. ' ' 

The minutes of the meeting were signed 
by Robert Martin as chairman aud Robert 
Lemmcm as secretary. Mr. Potts who was 
a citizen of Butler County was elected to 
the Assembly. 

John Gilmore was elected representa- 
tive to the General Assembly from Butler 
County in 1816-17-18-19 and in 1821. In 
the year last mentioned he was chosen 
speaker of the House. He was a candidate 
for state senator in 1821 and again in 
1825, but was not elected, although he re- 
ceived a majority of the votes cast in the 
county. 

Moses Sullivan, a brother of Hon. 
Charles C. Sullivan, was elected repre- 
sentative in 1822 and 1823, and state sen- 
ator in 1824, serving three terms in the 
Senate. 

In 1825 the congressional district was 
composed of Beaver, Butler and Arm- 
strong Counties, and Robert Orr was 



mSTOKY OF BirTl.EK COUNTY 



elcctf'd to ('ou}Xvess, n-ceiviiig .j,1.j7 votes 
ill the district. The vote on the jsroposed 
( 'oMstitiitiotial Aniemhnent of tliat year 
was (i24 for and (i!H against tiie amend- 
ment. At tlie same election Jt)hn Brown, 
James Powers, William Beatty and Will- 
iam B. Foster were elected representatives 
from the district composed of Allegheny 
and Butler Conntics. William Beatty was 
a citizen of ISullcr ('ounty and was re- 
elected in ISJd and ISl'7. Mo.ses Sullivan 
w;is elected State Senator in 1825 from 
the district conii)o.sed of Allegheny, Beaver 
and Bntler Counties. 

i;.\MP.\KJN OF 18'_'8. 

The campaign of ISL'8 saw three tickets 
in the field. Tliey were known as the 
".\inerican System," "Independent," and 
"Jackson." William Pnrvianee, of But- 
lei', was a candidate for the Assembly on 
the iirst named ticket, Eobert Stewart on 
the second, and dames .McKee on the third. 
iMcKee was elected, receiving ?,;2b() votes 
in the district, of which 720 were given 
him in Butler County. The vote of the 
county was 1,068 for Andrew Jackson and 
()10 for John Quincy Adams, a majority 
of 458 for "Old Hickory." The campaign 
of tliat yeai- was marked by much bitter- 
ness of feeling and many heated discus 
sions over the relative merit of the oj^pos- 
ing presidential candidate. Occasionally 
there was violence resorted to on the part 
of some over-rash champion of "Old 
Hickory," which was usually met in kind 
by the advocates of Adams, but no serious 
damage was done outside of a few bloody 
noses and blackened eyes. The spirit en- 
gendered by that campaign is forcibly 
expressed in a toast expressed on the 4th 
of July and on training day. It is as fol- 
lows : 



Notwithstanding the free expression of 
ich strong sentiments personal enooun 



ter> and deeds of violence were rare as 
the result of political differences. 

IFIK (WSK OF HUGH LEE. 

The case of Hugh I.ee, of Butler County, 
attracted general attention in tlie legis- 
lature in ilarch. 182!». Lee had filled the 
otlice of justice of the peace from 1808 
to 1S2!) and was charged with l>eing an 
alien. This ch.irge was carried forward 
from court to court and ultimately came 
before tlie legislature for adjudication. 
Lee refuted the charge with the evidence 
that he had been naturalized in New 
Orleans prior to coming to Butler County. 
After a lengthy discussion the legislature 
disposed of the matter by adjourning the 
debate by a vote of 54 to 28. Lee com- 
|)leted his term as justice of the peace in 
1830, and was not again molested by his 
pei'secutors. 

By the act of April 29, 1829, Butler and 
Beaver Counties were made a senatorial 
district, and Butler County created a rep- 
resentative district entitled to one member 
of the House of Representatives. 

The opposition to Free Masonry, due 
l)rimarily to the disapjiearance of William 
]\f organ in 182(1, ajipears to have been the 
leading issue in Butler County in 1830. A 
meeting of the "antis" was held at the 
courthouse on February 6 of that year 
and presided over by General Ayres. An- 
other meeting was held on February 17, 
at which George W. Smith was chosen as 
a delegate to the State Anti-Masonic Con- 
\entiou, and a Committee of Vigilance was 
a]iix)inted. 

In 1832 the State was again apportioned 
into Congressional districts and Butler 
County was placed in the same district 
with Armstrong and Clearfield Counties. 
William Ayres, the candidate for Congress 
from Butler County that year received 
1,254 votes in the county, but failed of 
an election in the district. 

.\t the October election in 1835, Butler 
County cast L780 votes against the pro- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



14? 



posed CoiLstitutioual Coiiveutiou to be 
held in 1838, and 541 votes in favor of it. 
William Ayres and Tlionias Denny were 
chosen senatorial delegiitcs and Samuel A. 
Pmviance representative delegate. 

The campaign of 18oS was an exciting 
one in Butler. Previous to the election 
in October, tlie Whigs raised a flag on the 
Mechliug corner,- concealing their project 
so well under the cover of darkness that 
the Democrats did not discover it until tin- 
uext morning. A Whig tiag in IJutlcr in 
1838 was out of the question, and as soon 
as the amazed Democracy discovered the 
streamer flaunting deliance in the morning 
breeze, they immediately removed it with- 
out ceremony. The chief actor in the re- 
moval of the flag and the flagiiole was 
Paulhemas, the blacksmith. 



CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. 

The Constitutional amendments sub 
mitted at the election in 1838, received a 
majority of ],fi71 votes in the county, the 
vote for them being 2,383 and against 
them 712. Under the new Constitution the 
offices of recorder and prothonotary were 
made elective, and at the election of Octo- 
ber 11, 1839, candidates for these offices 
were voted for. for the first time. Joseph 
McQuistion and William Walker, candi- 
dates for register and recorder, received 
1,219 and 1,093 votes I'espectively, while 
Jacoli Zeigler and John Levis received 
1,318 and 1,021 votes respectively for 
prothonotary. For academy trustees the 
vote was: John Gilmore and Rev. Loyal 
Young. 1,146 votes; John Duffy and Dr. 
James Graliam received 1,143 votes. 

At the election held in October. 1840. for 
members of Congress, Joseph Buffington 
received 2,100 votes; William Wilkin s 
1.804 votes, and David Tarbox 5 votes. 
Buffington was afterward elected to Con- 
gress in the district in 1842 and served 
two terras. 



Ilih; TWKXTV-KIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

The Act of Assembly of March 25, 1843, 
placed Butler County in the Twenty-fifth 
Congressional District, with Armstrong, 
Indiana and Clearfield Counties. The Act 
of A])ril 14 of the same year placed Alle- 
gheny and Butler Counties in the Twenty- 
fourth Senatorial District, which was en 
titled to two members, while Butler 
County was continued as a Representative 
District, with one member. 

THE ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT. 

A new ticket was in the field in 1844. 
The Anti-slavery and Liberty men organ- 
ized in that year at ;i meeting hehl at the 
courthouse at which John Waldron pre- 
sided and John Smitli was secretary. One 
of the resolutions adopted asserted: 
"That in organizing a Liberty party in 
Butler County we do it from the sense of 
duty to Grod and are determined to sup- 
port no man or party in the management 
of political affairs further than measures 
and men in office are governed by the 
Bible, which we take as our supreme law 
tfl" which all otlier laws must conform." 

In the election that followed, the Lib- 
erty party candidate, John Shryock, re- 
(^eived 146 votes for county commissioner, 
while Dodds, the Democrat, received 2,103, 
and Bracken, Whig, received 2,066 votes. 

The Anti-Masonic advocates were active 
in 1846 and placed a full ticket in the nom- 
ination under the title of the Anti-Masonic 
Whig Party. In March, 1847, the people 
voted on the Option, or fjiquor Law, giving 
1 ,960 votes for the sale of liquor and 1,225 
against such sale. The same year a new 
road law was voted for and resulted in 
695 votes for the new law. and 1,771 for 
the old law. 

On July 29, 1848. the Free Soilers and 
Free Laborites held a meeting at Porters- 
ville to prepare for the conventions of 
their party, but little was accomplished. 



148 



HISTORY OF BUTLER (BOUNTY 



The siiiiie year the charter of the Colum- 
bia Bank was the cause of much discussion 
and a debate in the Assembly at Harris- 
burg in March. 

The anti-slavery movement appears to 
iiave been gathering some force in Butler 
County in 1850. In October of that year 
an anti-slavery meeting was held at Cen- 
treville, now Slippery Rock Borough, for 
the purpose of considering the provisions 
of the new Fugitive Slave Law. The meet- 
ing was presided over by John Hays and 
Thomas Stephenson, and a committee was 
appointed to draft a petition to Congress 
for the repeal of the law. 

The Free Soil element were active in the 
campaign of 1853 and succeeded in defeat- 
ing the Democratic candidates for judge 
of the Supreme Court in the county that 
year. The decrease in the total vote of 
1853 over the preceding year was 1600, the 
Democratic party suffering the most from 
the defection of the Free Soil element. The 
vote cast on October 11, for Thomas A. 
Budd, Whig candidate, for .judge of the Su- 
preme Court, was 1952, for John C. Knox, 
Democratic candidate, 1835, and for Will- 
iam A. Stephenson, Free Soil candidate, 
95. The Wliig candidates that year were 
successful for both the state and county 
offices. 

THE KNOW NOTHING PAKTV. 

The first election in the county held after 
the organiaztion of the thirty-three town- 
ships and the four boroughs of the county 
brought into light the dangers of introdu- 
cing "isms" into politics. While the Know 
Nothing Party had a state ticket that year, 
it secretly gave its support to the Whig 
candidates, and by tliis means defeated the 
Democratic ticket. In the local election the 
Know Nothings supported those candidates 
in the Whig and Democratic tickets, who 
were members of their (so-called) "dark- 
lantern organization," or whom they be- 
lieved to be in sympathy with it. 

The Wliig candidate for governor re- 
ceived 2955 votes. William Bigler, the 



Democratic candidate, 2381, and Ben R. 
Bradford, the Know Nothing candidate, 
fourteen. The highest Know Nothing vote 
cast for assemblyman was sixty-one for II. 
F. Aderhold, while W. McClelland, T. 
Barry and John Cowden each received sev- 
enteen votes. Samuel A Purviance, Whig 
candidate for Congress, received 2903 
votes against 2367 cast for 0. D. Palmer^ 
Democrat. In county affairs, John McKee, 
Democrat, received 2675 votes for sheriff, 
against 2553 cast for J. A. Gibson; Mat- 
thew F. White received 2732 votes for pro- 
thonotary against 2445 cast for his Wiiig 
opponent, Nathan Brown. This vote was 
reversed in the battle for register and re- 
corder, I. S. P. DeWolf, Whig, being vic- 
torious. John Graham, Democrat, was 
elected clerk of courts. Jacob Bentel, 
Whig, was elected coroner and William 
Smith, Whig, auditor. The vote for the 
proposed liquor law that year was 2301 for 
the law and 2293 against it. 

The full strength of the Know Nothings 
was represented in the vote for Thomas H. 
Baird, candidate for judge of the Supreme 
Court, who received 1189 votes. The total 
Whig vote cast was 2955 and the total Dem- 
ocratic vote 2381. 

THE ANTI-ADMINISTKATION PARTY. 

B"'ollowing the example of members of the 
legislature, a large number of citizens 
signed a call for a union meeting to be held 
at Butler March 19, 1856, at which the 
"Anti-Administration Party," or "Union- 
ists for the sake of the Union," was or- 
ganized. This meeting was largely at- 
tended by members of both the Wliig and 
the Democratic Party, and was the begin- 
ning of the Republican Part}' in Butler 
County, as it now exists. The campaign 
of that year was one of the most exciting 
in the history of the state. Party spirit 
ran high, and the battle for political su- 
premacy was waged fiercely in every dis- 
trict. Butler County was the scene of many 
torch-light processions and campaign ral- 
lies. The entire interest of the campaign 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



149 



oenteretl on the presidential contest, the 
leading candidates being James Buchanan, 
of Pennsylvania, Democrat, and John C. 
Fremont, Republican. The result of the 
election was an unexpected and disagree- 
able surprise to the Democrats. While 
Buchanan was elected president, the Re- 
publicans carried the state and county 
ticket, and for many years after political 
honors in the county were more evenly di- 
vided between the two great parties. The 
vote cast for president was as follows: 
Fremont, Republican, 3401; Buchanan, 
Democrat, 2648; Fillmore, Know Nothing, 
67; Fillmore (repeaters), 14; Samuel A. 
Purviance, Republican, received 3092 votes 
for Congress ; James A. Gibson, Democrat, 
2581 ; Alexander Wardlaw, Know Nothing, 
thirteen. For state senator, John R. Har- 
ris, Republican, received 3090 votes; John 
H. Negley, Democrat, 2562. For the legis- 
lature, A. W. Crawford, Republican, re- 
ceived 3101 votes; DeLorma Imbrie, Re- 
publican, 3103; George P. Shaw, Repub- 
lican, 3102; Thomas J. Lavton, Democrat, 
2565 ; Charles H. Shriner. Democrat, 2566 ; 
Jacob Criss, Democrat, 2566. For district 
attorney, Eugene Ferrero, Republican, re- 
ceived 3106 votes ; James M. Bredin, Dem- 
ocrat, 2546. For associate judge, Thomas 
Stephenson, Republican, received 3070 
votes; Jacob Mechling, Jr., Republican, 
3011; Samuel Marshall, Democrat, 2617; 
J. Bovard, Democrat, 2549. For county 
commissioner, P. Hilliard. Republican, re- 
ceived 3003 votes; J. W. Martin, Democrat, 
2644. For county surveyor, David Scott, 
Republican, received 3114 votes; Charles 
Cramer, Democrat, 2529. For county 
aiiditor, William S. Waldron, Republican, 
received 3050 votes ; R. B. Maxwell, Demo- 
crat, 2565. For academy trustees, Archi- 
bald Blakeley, Republican, 3052 votes; 
Thomas H. Bracken, Republican, 3051 ; W. 
C. Pollock, Democrat, 2552; William Bor- 
land. Democrat, 2554. 

The Know Nothing Party, which had 
cut considerable figure in the politics of 



the county in 1854, fell into decadence and 
at the October election, 1857, the total vote 
polled by this party for Hazelhurst, their 
candidate for governor, was fifty-three. 
David Wilmot, the Republican candidate 
for governor, received 2,831 votes and 
William F. Packer, the Democratic candi- 
date, 2361. 

The People's Reformed ticket of 1858 
presented the names of James Kerr, of 
Harrisville, for Congress; R. J. Gregg, of 
Buffalo Township, and John O. Jack, of 
Center Township, for the legislature. 
Thomas Dodds of Connoquenessing for 
commissioner, and William McKinney of 
the same township for auditor. 

THE REPUBLICAN PABTY. 

The Republican party again swept ttie 
county in 1860, when the campaign was 
formerly opened in Butler by a ratification 
meeting held to ratify the nomination of 
Abraham Lincoln, the presidential nomi- 
nee of the party. The bitterness of the 
campaign survived the election and indi- 
vidual members of the minority party wex"e 
proscribed for their political views. In 
1862 the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania 
decided that the act of extending the right 
of suffrage to soldiers in the field was un- 
constitutional. The legislature the follow- 
ing year off'ered an amendment to the Con- 
stitution providing a remedy for this in- 
justice to a volunteer army and the amend- 
ments were voted on at a special election 
held in August, 1863. The vote in Butler 
County was 2,679 for the amendment and 
1,237 against it. The vote for governor 
the same year was for Curtin, Republican, 
3.328, and Woodward, Democrat, 2,054. 

THE NEW KEPEESENTATIVE DISTRICT. 

In 1857 Butler County was constituted 
as a separate representative district, and 
elected two representatives. The repre- 
sentatives under this arrangement elected 
fi'om the county were W. W. Dodds, John 
M. Thompson, William S. Graham, 



150 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



TJiomas Robiusou, iliram C McCoy, 11. 
W. (Jrant, aud in 18(io, Julia H. Negley aud 
William Hazlett. iu 1804 the district was 
enlarged by the addition of Lawrence and 
-Mercer Counties and was entitled to four 
representatives, all the counties voting 
t'ui- the nominees. In this year William 
Hazlett and John 11. Negley of Butler, 
Samuel McKinley of Lawrence County 
and Col. Josiah McPherrin, a native of 
Butler, but a resident of Mercer County, 
were the successful candidates. Ln 1805, 
John II. Negley and Capt. Henry Pillow 
of lUitler were elected, as were also Mc- 
Kinley and McPherrin. 

The returns of the presidential election 
of 180-1 show that the civil and military 
vote of Butler County for president was 
for Lincoln, 3,475, and for McClelland, 
2,937. The returns of Marion Township 
which gave Lincoln fifty-three and McClel- 
lan 102 votes came in too late, so it was 
alleged, to be counted. 

hi 1808 Louis Z. Mitchell, Democrat, le- 
ceived o,317 votes for Congress and Dar 
viu Phelps received 3,3H() in this county. 

THE APPORTIONMENT Ul-' 1871. 

The legislature made a new apportion 
ment of the state in 1871, in which Butler 
County was placed in a representative dis- 
trict with Beaver and Washington Coun- 
ties. Capt. (}eo. W. Fleeger, of Butler, 
was one of the memhers elected under this 
apportionment, 

.\t the same session of the legislature 
Butler County was placed in the twenty- 
sixth Senatorial District with Beaver and 
Washington t'oinities. This arrangement 
only lasted until a convening of the con- 
stitutional convention in 1873 and the 
legislature of the following year reappor- 
tioned the state to carry out the provisions 
of the new constitution. 

THE constitutionaIj convention. 
'Phe questiim of calling a c(mvention to 
revise the state constitution was submitted 



to the peoiJle at the fall election in 1872, 
and was Ci^i'ried in Butler County by a de- 
cisive majority, the vote being 3,377 for, 
and 490 against it. Ueneral John N. Pur- 
viance and Louis Z. Mitchell of Butler 
were chosen delegates from this county, 
and the convention thus provided for met 
in the city of Philadelphia, in 1873, and 
concluded its labors on November 3d of 
that year. The new constitution, except 
wherein otherwise provided, went into 
effect January 1, 1874. This constitution 
j)rovided for the election of state senators 
every four years instead of every three 
and members of the House of Representa- 
tives every two years instead of every 
year. It also provided for biennial in- 
stead of annual sessions of the general as- 
sem})ly aiid fixed the date of meeting for 
the first Tuesday of January of every sec- 
ond year. The date of holding the general 
election iu the state was changed from the 
second Tuesday of October to "the Tues- 
day next following the first Monday of 
November," of eacli year. In order to 
make effective the provision of the new 
constitution changing the terms of state 
senator from three to four yeai-s, the legis 
lature of 1874 reapportioned the state, 
placing Butler and Armstrong Counties in 
the Forty-first Senatorial District, and 
providing that at the general election of 
that year the senator should be chosen in 
the disti-ict for a term of two years and 
that at the general election of 1870 the 
senator should be elected for four years. 
This apjiortionment is still in force. 

I iKJcr the act of 1874 Butler County be 
caiiic a representative district alone and 
entitle(l to two members. The Congres- 
sional api)ortionment made the same year 
placed Butler in the Twenty-sixth Con- 
gressional district with Mercer and Craw- 
ford (bounties. 

CHANGES IN 1874. 

The alinonnal increase of population 
caused by the development of the Butler 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



151 



County oil field, from 1869 to 1874, 
changed the manners and customs of the 
people and gave rise to new conditions in 
local politics. The men who followed the 
oil excitements were usually self-assertive 
and independent in character and were dis- 
posed to consider men and measures ratii- 
er than party lines in the political cam- 
paigns of tlic hist quarter of the century. 
While the I{e])ul)lican party had a nominal 
majority in the county for the fifteen years 
previous to this time and the majority kept 
increasing as the population of the county 
increased, the independent element in tlie 
oil country exercised such an influence as 
to he able to elect dark horses or a Demo- 
crat who was favora))le to their inti?rests 
at the most unexpected times. The in- 
crease in the husiness of the Courts having 
kept i)ace with that population, the (jues- 
tion of electing two judges for the district 
was ])resented at the Republican primary 
held in 1874. The legislature had recently 
passed an act authorizing the election of an 
a<lditiunal law jmlgf in Uutler County and 
Moil. Charles AlcCandless had been ap- 
poined to fill the position until the fall elec- 
tion. At the Republican primary election 
of that year more votes were recorded 
than had been cast by both i)arties at the 
preceding fall election. 

Wht'U the result of the primaries in this 
county was presented to the conventions 
held in Butler it was found that the vote 
foi- Charles McCandless exceeded that for 
Mr. McJunkin by forty-one. The friends 
of Mr. ^fcJunkin were dissatisfied with the 
results and held a convention opposite the 
Wilhird House and nominated him. The 
regular Republican nominees in tlie dis- 
trict were Charles McCandless, of Butler, 
and Hon. L. L. McGuflfin, of New Castle, 
while the Democratic nominees were 
James Bredin, of Butler, and John Mc- 
Michael, of New Castle. Mr. McJunkin 
thus became the choice of the independent 
Republicans. Party lines were obliterated 
for the time and the contest resulted in 



the election of Judges McJunkin and 
Bredin. 

, While the Prohibition sentiment had re- 
ceived moi-e or less encouragement in the 
county since 1830, no ticket was placed in 
the lield until 1876, when the temperance 
peoi)le of the county nominated John 
Brandon, of Conno(|U('iiessing Township, 
for the assembly, and .lohii 0. Christy for 
associate jvidge. The Republican vote of 
the county at the fall election of 1876 was 
5,643 ; the Democratic, 4,830 ; Prohibition- 
ist, 57 ; and the Greenback Party, 21. The 
battle of that year was for representatives 
in the state legislature and the vote cast 
was the largest in the history of the 
county down to that time. R. A. Mifflin 
received 5,424 and William Irvine 5,359 
votes on the Republican ticket. Geoi'ge H. 
Graham received 5,076 and James Hum- 
))hrey 4,779 votes on the Democratic 
ticket. Brandon, the Prohibition candi- 
date, received sixty-six votes and Christy 
seventy-six votes. 

Two years later the Democrats turned 
the tables on the Republicans on the legis- 
lative ticket by electing George H. Graham 
and James Humphrey. In 1882 the legis- 
lative ticket was split, the Democrats 
electing "Uncle Jake" Zeigler, and the 
Republicans Joseph T. Donly. 

The judicial campaig-n of 1884 was one 
of the bitterest in the history of the county 
and was marked with many sensational 
features. The Republican nominees were 
John M. Greer of Butler and A. L. Hazen 
of New Castle, while the Democratic nom- 
inees were Hon. James Bredin of Butler 
for reelection and John MeMichael of New 
Castle. The independent Republicans of 
Butler nominated Hon. E. McJunkin. At 
the same time a half interest in the weekly 
Times was purchased and one-half of the 
paper was devoted to the interest of Judge 
McJunkin 's cam|)aign and was edited by 
Fiank Eastnum of Butler. Capt. George 
W. Fleegei- was the Republican candidate 
for Congress in the district composed of 



152 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Butler, Mercer and Crawford Counties, 
and he came in for a share of the vitupera- 
tions and invective that were heaped on 
the opposers of Mcjuukin's campaign. 
The campaign was carried on with such 
bitterness as to estrange friends and was 
the cause of libel suits being instituted 
against the local paper ; but after the elec- 
tion the suits were never pressed and were 
finally dropped. 

The election resulted in favor of A. L. 
Hazen and John McMichael, the candi- 
dates from the Lawrence County end of 
the judicial district, while Capt. Fleeger 
was elected to Congress. 

Being dissatisiied with the result of the 
election Judge Bredin instituted a contest 
which was heard in Butler and finally de- 
cided in favor of Hazen and McMichael. 

In 1887 the State legislature reappor- 
tioned the congressional district and But- 
ler County was placed in the Twenty-fifth 
District with Beaver, Lawrence, and Mer- 
cer Counties, and the same year the legis- 
lative apportionment was made which is 
still in force. Under this apportionment 
Butler County constitutes a single district 
and is entitled to two members who are 
elected every two years. 

THE VOTE ON THE PROHIBITION AMENDMENT. 

The question of amending Section 1, Ar- 
ticle 19, of the constitution, so as to pro- 
hibit the manufacture, sale or keeping for 
sale of intoxicating liquors, was submitted 
to a vote of the people at a special election 
held June 18, 1889. The proposed amend- 
ment was vigorously discussed in a cam- 
paign of several months previous to the 
election, and while the proposition was de- 
feated by a majority of 190,000 votes in 
the state, Butler County gave a handsome 
majority in favor of the amendment. The 
vote by districts was as follows: 

For. Against. 

Butler, 1st Ward I9s 4:! 

Butler, 2(1 Ward U4 f>2 

Butler, 3fl Ward : 14:'. 82 

Btitler, 4tl) Ward 14r, 48 



Butler, 5th Ward Itj5 

Adams Township N 91 

.\dams Township S ! . ISti 

Allegheny Twp 1.5.5 

Bald Ridge 105 

Brady Twp 99 

Buttalo Twp 110 

Butler Twp 66 

Center Twp 105 

I hcrrv Twp. N 7H 

Cherry Twp. S 112 

Clearfield Twp ' 3.5 

Clinton Twp 188 

Concord Twp 19.5 

Connoquenessing Twp. N 7.5 

Connoquenessing Twp. S 70 

Cranberry Twp 69 

Clay Twp 157 

Donegal Twp 125 

Fairview Twp. E 86 

Fairview Twp. W 127 

Forward Twp 137 

Franklin Twp 112 

Jackson Twp. E 26 

.Tackson Twp. W 29 

■Jeflfei-son Twp 68 

Lancaster Twp 31 

Marion Twp 120 

Mercer Twp 169 

Middlesex Twp 117 

iluddycreek Twp 150 

Oakland Twp 114 

Parker Twp 223 

Peun Twp 182 

Slippery Rock Twp 147 

Summit Twp •. 38 

Venango Twp 147 

Washington Twp. N 45 

Washington Twp. S 122 

Winfield Twp 51 

Worth Twp U(i 

Centerville Boro 71 

Evans City Boro 72 

Fairview Boro 44 

Karas City Boro 32 

Harmony Boro 38 

Chicora Boro " 116 

Prospect Boro 59 

Petrolia Boro 56 

Saxonburg Boro 1 

Sunbury Boro 49 

Zelienople Boro 31 



•16 



CAMPAIGN OF 1890. 

Tbe Congressional campaign of 1890, as 
well as that for governor, was one of the 
never-to-be-forgotten iiolitical fights of the 
county. The Republican party had nomi- 
nated George W. Delamater of Meadville 
for governor, who was distasteful to a 
large element of the part.y throughout the 



AND representative: CITIZENS 



153 



oil country. The Democratic nominee was 
the late Robert E. Pattison, ex-governor of 
tlie State. Lewis Emery, Jr., an independ- 
ent Republican and antagonistic to the 
Delamater wing of the party, took the 
stum)) for ex-Governor Pattison. The dis- 
affection within the ranks of the Republi- 
can party that year spread into the Con- 
gressional districts, and the Twenty-fifth 
District, of which Butler County was then 
a part, had a three-cornered fight on be- 
tween Thomas R. Phillips, the regular Re- 
publican nominee, E. P. Gillespie, of Mer- 
cer, the Democratic nominee, and Alexan- 
der McDowell, of Sharon, Independent. 
The vote at the fall election resulted as 
follows : Pattison for governor, 4,722 ; 
Delamater, 4,097; John D. McGill, Prohi- 
bition, 418. Pattison 's majority over 
Delamater, 625. For Congress, E. P. Gil- 
lespie received .3,837 votes; T. R. Phillips, 
3,773; McDowell, 1,326; AV. P. Braham, 
Prohibition, 318. Gillespie's majority over 
Phillips, 111. Gillespie was elected in the 
district. Two years later Mr. Phillips was 
elected to succeed Mr. Gillespie, and re- 
elected in 1894. 

The Judicial Campaign 1892-1902. 

In 1892 a vacancy was caused on the 
bench in the seventeenth judicial district 
bj' the death of John McMichael. lion. 
Norman L. Martin, of New Castle, was aj)- 
pointed to fill the vacancy until the next 
election, which was held in November of 
that year. The candidates were Hon. John 
M. Greer, of Butler on the Republican 
ticket, and Norman L. Martin of New Cas- 
tle on the Democratic ticket. Mr. Greer 
was elected and became assistant law judge 
of the district. Septeml)er 1, 1893. Butler 
County was constituted as a separate ju 
dicial district, and known as the Seven 
teenth. the same number it held under the 
old apportionment, until the act of 1901 
was passed, which constitutes Butler Conn 
ty as the Fiftieth district. 

At the judicial election held in l!»t)2. 



Judge Greer was a candidate for re-elec 
tion, but was defeated at the Republican 
primaries by James M. Galbreath, who be- 
came the party candidate. The Democi'atio 
candidate was Hon. Levingston McQuis- 
tion, of Butler, and the campaign that pre- 
ceded the election was one of the hardest 
contested in the history of the district. 

1896. 

In the presidential election of 1896, when 
the free coinage of silver was the absoi'b- 
ing question before the public, Butler 
County voters were intensely interested. 
McKinley, Republican, received 6,807 
votes, while W. J. Bryan, the free silver 
Democrat, received 4,947 votes. The vote 
cast for the other tickets in the field were 
as follows: Levering, Republican, 285; 
Bryan, People's i)arty. 79; Mitchell, So- 
cialist Labor, 3; Bentley, National, 46; 
Bryan, Free Silver, 101; McKinley, Inde- 
l^endent, 14; Palmer, Jefferson Party, 26. 

The same year the Republican candidate 
for Congress, J. J. Davidson, of Beaver 
County, received 26,529 votes in the dis- 
trict, against 17,050 cast for the Demo- 
cratic candidate, J. G. McConeghy, of New 
Castle, and 1,034 cast for the Prohibition 
candidate, Ralph P. Allen. Mr. Davidson, 
the Congressman elect, died in January, 
1897, and Dr. J. B. Showalter, of Butler 
Countv, was appointed to fill the vacancy, 
and at the election held April 20, 1897, was 
elected for the unexpired term. The vote 
cast for Showalter at this election was 12,- 
221 in the district, against his Democratc 
competitor. Dr. Salem Ileilman, of Sharon, 
who received 6,222. The vote in Butler 
C(mnty was 3,1.34 for Showalter, and 1,530 
for Heilman. 

The Senatorial contest in the 41st Dis- 
ti-ict in 1896, resulted in a warm contest 
between W. B. Meredith, Republican, of 
.\rmstrong County, P. R. Burke, Democrat, 
of Karns City, Butler Countv, and W. H. 
Ritter, Citizens' Ticket, of Butler. The 
three-cornered fight was caused by dissat 



1;~.4 



HISTOKY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



isfaftion among tlie Republicans of Hittlrr 
County over the result of the Senatorial 
conference held in Butler, at which Mer- 
edith was nominated. Meredith was elect- 
ed by the small majority of 581 over his 
closest comjjetitor. The vote in the dis- 
trict being as follows: Meredith, 9,423; 
Burke, 8,842; Ritter, 1,358; Sherrard, Pro- 
hibition, 99. Tlie vote in Butler County 
was as follows: Mereditli, 3.945; Burke. 
5,144; Ritter, 1.205; Sherrard, ciglity. 

Some life was infused in the caiiiiiaign 
of 1898 by a factional (^uan-el in the iJepub- 
lican party, in which the re-election to the 
Legislature of James N. Moore was made 
an issue. Moore secured his nomination 
and also his election after one of the most 
bitter fights that the county has witnessed. 
The same yeai- the choice of the Re]Hil)lican 
party for Congress was Dr. J. i>. Showal- 
ter, who was candidate for rei'ie<*tion, and 
the choice of the Democrat was M. L. Lock- 
wood, of Zelieuople. Lockwood carried on 
an aggressive campaign, and succeeded in 
reducing his competitor's majoritv in But- 
ler County to 286. The vote in the Con- 
gressional district was as follows: Sho- 
walter. 1S.220; ].o<-kwood, 15,271; J. A. 
Bailey. i'rohi))iti(m, 2.(»0(!. Showaiter's 
majoritv over Lockwood in the district, 
2,949. "The vote of Butler County was, 
Showalter, 4,675 ; Lockwood, 4,389 ; Bailey, 
343. Showaiter's majoritv over Ijockwood, 
286. 

In 1900 Showalter was again the nomi- 
nee of the ii'cpuhlican ]>arty and Lockwood 
was the choice of the Democrats in the dis- 
trict. The campaign was as full of sensa- 
tional features as that of 1898, and Lock- 
wood succeeded in reducing his oppdnent's 
majority in Butler County to 693. The 
vote in the District was, Showalter, 23,831; 
Lockwood, 19,64L Showaltei-'s nuijoritv. 
5,190. hi the county, Showalter rcM'cived 
5.93!) votes and Tjockwood, 5.24(). 

Tu the Forty-first Senatorial District, in 
1900. .\. (1. Williivms. of Butler, was the 
clioice of tli(> Re])ublicans for the lienor; 



and James S. Gallaghei-, of FreejKirt, was 
the Democratic candidate. Gallagher con- . 
ducted an unusually aggressive campaign, 
and though defeated, swejjt the majority 
of his competitor below that usually given 
to the Republican candidate in the district. 
The vote in the district was, Williams, 11,- 
676; Gallagher, 8,810; in the county, for 
Williams, 5,887; for Gallagher, 4,902. Will- 
iam's majority in the district, 2,866; in the 
county, 985. 

There was very little change in the vot- 
ing on the Presidential ticket in 1900 over 
that of 1896 in the county, the principal 
contest being for Congress and State Sen- 
ate. The vote for President was as fol- 
lows: . McKinley, Republican, 6,303; 
Bryan, Democrat, 4,465; Woolej% Prohib- 
ition, 492; Mallory. Socialist Labor, five; 
Barker, People's party, seven; Debs, So- 
cialist, thirteen. Al(d\iiilev's majoritv over 
Bryan, 1838. 

ACT OF 1901. 

The act of the legislature in 1901 reap- 
portioning the congressional districts, 
))1aced Butler County in the Twenty-second 
District witli Westmoreland County. The 
first election held under this arrangement 
in 1902 resulted in the election of George 
F. Huff of Greensburg, and his subsequent 
ela-tion in 1904 and 1906. The vote in the 
district in 1902 was Hutif, Republican, 18,- 
827; C. M. Heineman, Democrat, 13,084; 
Woodburn, Prohibition. 778. The vote in 
Butlej- Countv was for Huff, 6,007 ; Heine- 
man, 4,590; Woodburn, 200. The vote for 
Congress in the district in 1904 was Huff, 
21,547; C. M. Heineman, Democrat, 9,824; 
C. D. Greenlee, Prohibition, 1,536. The 
vote in the county was Huff, 5,898 ; Heine- 
man, 3,068; Greenlee, 410. In 1906, Huff's 
vote for Congress in tlie district was 15,- 
924; S. A. Kline, Democrat of Greensburg, 
10,102; Kerr, Prohibition, 35; Stull, So- 
cialist Labor, 523; Kline. Lincoln party, 
458. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



157 



THE UNION PABTY. 

The Union party filed nomination papers 
in tile county in 1901. Tlie papers were 
si.^ned by F." A. Grace, H. 1.. Brandon, F. 
E. Brandon, George M. Graham and 
Frank Lavery. At the election in Novem- 
ber, John Henninger, Democrat, was 
ftlect(Ml district attorney and George M. 
Graham, Independent Republican, was 
electe<l cU-rk of courts. 

The disclosure of frauds in connection 
with the cvcction of the State capital at 
Harrisburg and the dissatisfaction gener- 
ally felt throughout the state in regard to 
the management of the state treasury 
were the causes of a political upheaval in 
the state which landed William H. Berry, 
a Democrat, in the state treasurer's office, 
this being the first time in almost fifty 
years that a Democrat had been elected to 
that office. Berry's campaign was re- 
garded as something of a joke, but the re- 
sults at the election were a disagreeable 
surprise to the Republican party in the 
state. The vote east in Butler County was 
as follows: Plummer, Republican, 3,796; 
Berry, Democrat, 3,159; Berry, Prohibi- 
tion, 678; Berry, Independent, 523, Berry, 
Lincoln party, eighty-one; Ringler, So- 
cialist, thirty-three; Ding-man, Socialist 
Labor, nine; Plummer, Citizens, eighty- 
five. Berry's majority over Plummer. 644. 

eONTEST OF 1906. . 
The contest for governor in the state in 
1906 was very bitter and Butler County 
had its share in the exciting events of the 
campaign. Lewis Emery, Jr., who was 
the Democratic candidate, and also the can- 
didate of the Lincoln party, was remeiu- 
bered in Butler County by the old-line Re- 
publicans as the man who had deserted 
the party in 1890, and supported Gov- 
ernor Pattison. The vote at the election 
was as follows: Edwin Stewart, Repub- 
lican, 3,813; Lewis Emery, Jr., Democrat, 
2,537; H. L. Castle, Prohibition, 375; Stew- 
art, Citizens ticket, eighty-one; Emery, 



liincoln party ticket, 609; Emery, Refer- 
endum, six; Emery, United Labor, ten. 
The campaign was distinguished by the 
vitriolic attacks made by Homer L. Castle, 
the Prohibition candidate, on Mr. Emery. 

THE VOTE FOE PKESIDENT BOOSEVELT. 

The presidential campaign of 1904 was 
an unusually quiet one. Neither of the old 
parties indulged in the campaign methods 
that had been mucli in use in the past fifty 
years. The vote cast for presidential 
electors was as follows: Roosevelt, Re- 
IHiblican, 6,596; Parker, Democrat, 3,183; 
Swallow, Prohibition, 511; Socialist Labor, 
Corrigan, eighteen ; Debs, Socialist, eighty- 
:<even; Parker and Davis, Independent, 
four. Roosevelt's majority over Parker 
was 3,413, the largest majority ever given 
a presidential candidate in the county. 

In the congressional campaign of 1894 
the vote cast in the district was as follows: 
Thomas W. Phillips, 22,156; Joseph Van- 
derlin, 10,435 ; Joseph White, Prohibition, 
1,475; William Kirker, Peoples party, 
L919; Thomas W. Phillips, Independent, 
six votes in Butler County. 

THE NEW PBIMAKY ELECTION LAW. 

The primary election law passed by the 
legislature February 17, 1906, provided 
for a uniform system of holding primary 
elections by all parties in the state. Un- 
der this system the primary elections held 
in 1908 caused unusual interest in Butler 
County oil account of nominating candi- 
dates for Congress and State Senate. 
Butler County Republicans presented the 
name of Hon. J. D. Mcjunkin of Butlei 
for Congress, while Westmoreland County 
presented Hon. George F. Huff for re 
election for the fourth term. Huff's cam 
paign caused considerable feeling among 
the Republicans in Butler County because 
of an agreement entered into by the party 
leaders of the district at the time the new 
apportionment was made, by which it was 
understood that Westmoreland County 



158 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



was to have the Congressmau for three 
terms and Butler County for two terms in 
the ten years that the apportionment 
would exist. Colonel Huff having been 
elected for three terms and then announc- 
ing himself as a candidate for the fourth 
term was the means of bringing about a 
bitter contest in "which the Westmoreland 
County candidate won. 

The Democrats of the district nominated 
Thomas A. Kline of Greensburg for con- 
gi'essional honors. 

In the senatorial district a sharp con- 
test was waged at the Republican prima- 
ries between Hon. 6. W. McNeese of Arm- 
strong County, who was a candidate for 
reelection, and Hon. Thomas Hays of But- 
ler, who had previously served three terms 
in the legislature. Mr. Hays not only had 
a majority in his own county, but defeated 
McNeese and Armstrong County, and be- 
came the Republican nominee for the dis- 
trict. The Democrats nominated Dr. R. J. 
Gros.sman, of Butler for senatorial honors 
and the county thus had the distinction of 
having both candidates in the senatorial 
field. 

A. M. Chri.stley. of Butler, was elected a 
delegate in the tw-enty- second congres- 
sional district to the Republican National 
Convention at Chicago, which nominated 
William H. Taft for i>resident, and Lev- 
iiigston McQuistiou of Butler was chosen 
a deh'gate in tlie sani" district to the Dem- 
ocratic National Convention at Denver, 
which nominated AVilliam J. Bryan for 
president. 

C0NGKESSI0N.\L DISTRICTS. 

Since the organization of the county 
there have been eight apportionments 
made of Congressional districts, and at 
various times Butler County has been in 
the same district with nearly every coimty 
in the western jiart of Ihe State. 

ill 1800 the UJeveuth Congressional Dis- 
trict was comjiosed of Allegheny, Beaver, 



Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Venango, War- 
ren, and Erie. 

In 1812 Butler was assigned to the four- 
teenth district with Allegheny County. 

In 1825 Butler, Beaver and Armstrong 
Counties composed the district. 

In 1832 another change was made and 
Butler, Armstrong, and Clearfield Coun- 
ties were assigned to the same district. 

In 1843 Butler, Armstrong, Indiana and 
Clearfield Counties constituted the district. 

In 1874 the Twenty-sixth Congressional 
District was composed of Butler, Mercer, 
and Crawford Counties. 

In 1887 the Twenty-fifth Congressional 
District was composed of Butler, Beaver, 
Lawrence and Mercer Counties. 

In 1901 Butler and Westmoreland Coun- 
ties constituted the Twenty-second Con- 
gres.sional District. This apportionment 
still exists. 

SENATORIAL DISTRICTS. 

In 1800 Butler County was assigned to 
the senatorial district with Allegheny, 
Washington and Green Counties. 

In 1808 Allegheny, Beaver and Butler 
Counties composed the district. 

In 1829 an act of legislature was passed 
ci-eating a senatorial district out of Bea- 
ver and Butler Counties. 

In 1843 Allegheny and Butler Counties 
constituted a senatorial district, and was 
entitled to elect two members. 

The act of 1871 created the twenty-sixth 
senatorial district out of Butler, Beaver 
and Wa-shington Counties. 

The act of 1874 created the forty-first 
senatorial district out of-Butler and Arm- 
strong Counties, and the act of 1906 made 
110 change in the district. 

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS. 

In 1800 the representative district was 
composed of Butler, Beaver, Mercer, Craw- 
ford, Erie, Warren and Venango Counties. 

In 1808 But lei- County was assigned to 
the district with Allegheny County. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



159 



In 1825 by an act of the legislature But- 
ler County was continued in the same dis- 
trict with Allegheny County. 

In 1829 the legislature constituted But- 
ler County a district by itself and entitled 
to one representative. 

In 1843 a reapportionment of the state 
was made and Butler County was contin- 
ueil alone as a district, and entitled to one 
representative. 

In 1857 Butler County alone constitutcil 
the district and membership was increased 
to two. 

In 1864 the district was enlarged by add 
ing Lawrence and Mercer Counties and en- 
titled to four members. 

In 1871 Butler, Beaver and Washington 
Counties constituted a legislative district 
and was entitled to hnw members. 

In lS7r. Butler County alone constituted 
the district and was entitled to two mem- 
bers. This apportionment still exists. 

JUDICIAL DISTRICTS. 

In 1803 the sixth judicial district was 
composed of Butler, Beaver, Mercer, and 
Erie Counties, with Hon. Jesse Moore as 
presiding n^^dge- 

In 180(i the district was composed of 
Butler, Mercer, Venango, Crawford and 
Erie Counties. 

In 1873 under the new apportionment of 
the state, Butler County constituted the 
Seventeenth Judicial District with Law- 
rence County attached. 

In 1893 Butler County alone became the 
seventeenth district and Lawrence County 
became a separate district. 

In 1906 the legislature passed a judicial 
apportionment act in which Butler County 
was constituted the Fiftieth Judicial Dis- 
trict. 

PUBLIC OFFICIALS. 



United States Senators. — Walter Low- 

;, who was a resident of Butler, served in 

e United States Senate from March 4, 

1819. to March 4, 1825. At the expiration 



of his tei-m as a United States Senator he 
was elected secretary of the Senate, which 
position he held until 1836. He resigned 
his position in the Senate in that year to 
accei)t the secretaryship of the Presbyte- 
rian Board of Foreign Missions, which un- 
der his vigorous and sagacious policy was 
built up from an obscure institution to its 
su-bsetjuent importance and prosperity. 

John H. Mitchell, formerly a resident of 
Butler County, was elected United States 
Senator from Oregon for three successive 
tertus beginning in 1872 and was a member 
of that body when his death occurred in 
1905. 

Representatives in Congress. — John Gril- 
more, of Butler, 1829 to 1831; William 
Beattv, of Butler, 1837 to 1841; Joseph 
Butfington, of Kittaning, 1843 to 1845 ; Al- 
fred Gilmore, of Butler, 1849 to 1851; 
Samuel A. Purviance, of Butler, 1855 to 
1859; Ebenezer MeJunkin, of Butler, 1871 
to 1874; Col. John M. Thompson of But- 
ler, 1875 to 1878; Capt. George W. Fleeger, 
of Butler, 1885 to 1887 ; Thomas W. Phil- 
lips, of New Castle, 1893 to 1897 ; Dr. Jo- 
seph B. Showalter, of Chicora, 1897 to 
1903; George F. Huff, of Greensburg, was 
elected from the 22nd District composed of 
Butler and Westmoreland Counties in the 
fall of 1902 and was reelected in 1904 and 
1906. 

James Thompson, a native of Butler 
County, served two tenns in Congress from 
Erie County, Pennsylvania; he was elect- 
ed in 1846 and reelected in 1848. 

William G. Thompson, who was a broth- 
er of Col. John M. Thompson, was elected 
from the 5th District of Iowa and served 
in the Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth Con- 
gresses. 

Augustus M. Martin, who was a native 
of Connoquenessing Township, Butler 
County, was a member of Congress from 
Indiana in 1892, and was one of tlie dis- 
tinguished attorneys of that state. 

Presidential Electors. — James G. Camp- 
bell, 18.56; E. MeJunkin, 1864; Dr. S. D. 



160 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Bell, 1888; E. E. Abrams, LSiHi; .lolin H. 
Negley, 1904; A. W. MeCol lough. 1!)()8. 

Federal Appointees. — John M. Sullivan, 
of Butler, revenue collector, 1867 to 1882 ; 
Alexander W. Crawford, consul at Ant- 
werp, Belgium, in 1861; Edwin Lyon, con- 
sul at Elpasso, Mexico; Hugh McKee, sui'- 
veyor of the territory of Kansas, 1858; 
Charles McCandless, chief justice of New 
Mexico, 1877; Samuel Black, governor of 
the territory of Nebraska, 1859; Matthew 
N. Greer, of Buffalo Township, clerk in the 
Document Room in the House of Repre- 
sentatives, 1908; James U. Campbell, mar- 
shall of the Western District of Pennsyl- 
vania; John N. Purviance, R. L. Maxwell, 
and H. H. Goucher, registers in bank- 
ruptcy; J. W. Kirker, provost marshal, 
1863 to 1865; Jolm H. Negley, enrolling 
officer, 1861; John C. O'Donnell, appointed 
post-master of Pittsburg in 1894; James 
B. Mates, census enumerator, 1890; James 
W. Hutchison, commissioner in bank- 
ruptcy, 1904 to 1908; James H. Tebay, of 
Zelien()])l(', and Benjamin R. Williams, of 
Butler, I lilted States Revenue Service in 
1908; (ieoigc Sutton, a native of Penn 
Township, was chief inspector in the 
United States postal service for a district 
comprising five southern states, with head- 
quarters at Atlanta, Georgia, in 1908. 

State Officials. — John Gilmore, treasurer 
in 1841 ; Moses Sullivan, president of Canal 
Commission in 18.35; John N. Purviance, 
auditor general, 1845 to 1851 ; John M. Sul- 
livan, deputy secretarjr of state, 1855 to 
1858, and assistant clerk of the State Sen- 
ate from 1847 to 1850, chief clerk from 
1852 to 1853, and deputy superintendent of 
common schools from 1858 to I860; John 
Gilmore, speaker of the House in 1841; 
James Thompson, speaker of the House in 
1835,- associate justice of the Supreme 
Court, 1857 to 1867, and chief justice, 1867 
to 1872; Walter H. Lowrie, associate jus- 
tice of the Supreme Court. 1851 to 1857, 
and chief justice from 1857 to 1863 ; Sam- 
uel A. Purviance, attorney general, 1861; 



Jacob Zeigler, transcribing cierk of th«> 
Senate, 1843, assistant clerk of the House 
in 1858, and chief clerk of the senate in 
1871; James M. Carson, reading clerk of 
the Senate, 1896 to 1897 ; Porter W. Low- 
ry, reading clerk of the senate, 1903 ; James 
N. Moore, journal clerk of the House, 1904 
and 1906, and assistant clerk of the House 
in 1907; Carl Shanor, of Prospect, jour- 
nal clerk of the House, 1903; O. G. Mech- 
ling, Butler, ])astor and folder in the 
House, 1907; Frank Staufter, Butler, as- 
sistant door keeper in the House of Rep- 
resentatives, 1900; Jefferson Burtner, 
chief clerk in the auditor general's office, 
1890 to 1908. 

County medical iiisjiector for the State 
Board of Health. Dr. IT. D. Horkenbeny, 
of West Sunbury; deputy factory inspect- 
or, J. C. McClymond, of Portersville ; mem- 
ber of the State Board of Agriculture. W. 
TL H. Riddle. 

Delegates to the Constitutional Conven- 
tion. — William Ayres and Samuel A. Pur- 
viance to the convention of 1838 ; Louis Z. 
Mitchell and John N. Purviance to the con- 
vention of 1873 (James H. Walker and 
Samuel A. Purviance were delegates-at- 
large to the .same convention); Porter W. 
Lowry, Levingston McQuistion and M. F. 
Leason to the convention of 1891. 

State Senators. — Walter Lowrie, 1811 to 
1819; Moses Sullivan elected in 1824 and 
served three terms; ^Viliialll Purviance in 
1836; Charles C. Sullivan. ]S41 and 1S44; 
William Hazlett, 1849; John R. Harris, 
1856; Charles McCandless, 1862; James 
Kerr, 1868; John M. Greer, 1876 and 1880; 
Joseph B. Showalter. 1888; Andrew G. 
Williams, 1894; Capt. Thomas Hayes, 1908. 

Representatives. — On account of the va- 
rious changes in the apportionment of the 
coimty, it is difficult to obtain absolutely 
reliable data about the representatives to 
the legislature elected from the county pre- 
vious to the Constitution of 1873. The fig- 
ures used in the list following indicate the 
vear in which the election was held and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



161 



the ^ember elected served in the session of 
the year following. The representatives 
elected since 1804 are as follows: John 
McBride, 1804; Jacob .Mecliliug. 1805. 1806, 
1807 and 1808; John Nagley, 1809 and 
1820; Walter Lowrie, 1810; James Potts. 
1814; Andrew Christie, 1815; Jt.hn Gil- 
more. 1816-17-18-19-21 (Mr. Gilmore was 
elected speaker of the House in 1821) ; 
Moses Sullivan, 1822 and 1823; William 
Beatty. 1825-6-7; James McKee, 1828; 
William Purviance, 1830-31; Joseph Brv- 
son, 1832; Samuel Kerr, 1833-34; George 
W. Smith, 1835; Samuel A. Gilmore, 1836- 
37; Samuel A. Purviance, 1838; George 
Potts, 1839; Isaac S. Pearson, 1840; Sam- 
uel M. Lane, 1841; Joseph Cummings. 
1842-43; Joseph Cross, 1844; William Haz- 
lett, 1844; Joseph Cross, 1845; D. H. B. 
Brower. 1845; John R. Harris, 1846; Jacob 
Zeigler, 1847 ; Robert Hansen. 1848 ; D. H. 
B. Brower, 1850; William Stewart and R. 
B. McCombs, 1853-54; Alexander W. Craw- 
ford, 1855-56-57 ; W. W. Dodds, 1857 ; John 
:\I. Thompson. 1858-59; William M. Gra 
ham, 1859-60; Thomas Robinson. 1860; 
Hiram C. McCov, 1861-62; H. W. Grant, 
1861-62; William Haslett, 1863-64; John H. 
Negley. 1863-64-65; Henry Pillow, 1865; 
James T. McJunkin. 1867; Alexander Les- 
lie, 1868-69; George W. Fleeger. 1870-71; 
Dr. Jos. S. Lusk, 1871-74-76; David Mc- 
Kee. 1872-73; William S. Waldron. 1872; 
A. L. Campbell, 1873. 

Previous to 1873, Butler, Lawrence, and 
Mercer Counties formed the Representa- 
tive District. Under the new Constitution 
of 1873 Butler County became a separate 
district and entitled to two members. The 
constitution also provided for biennial ses- 
sions and election of representatives every 
two years. Representatives elected from 
the county since that time are as follows: 
1876 R. A. Mifflin and Dr. William Irvine; 
1878 James Humphrey and George H. Gra- 
ham; 1880 Dr. S. D. Bell and William P. 
Braham; 1882 Joseph Donley and Jacob 
Zeigler; 1884 Joseph Hartman and J. M. 



Leighner; 1886 Josiah M. Thompson and 
J. B. Showalter; 1888 Joseph Thomas, Jr., 
and R. I. Boggs ; 1890 Andrew G. Williams 
and Josiah M. Thompson; 1892 James B. 
Mates and David B. Douthett ; 1894 David 
B. Douthett and James N. Moore; 1896 
John Dindinger and James N. Moore; 
1898 John Dindinger and James N. Moore; 
1900 .lames 1',. Mates and Nelson Thomp- 
son; 1902 A. M. Douthett and Thomas 
Hays; 1904 Dr. W. R. Hockenberry and 
Thomas Hays; 1906 Ira McJunkin and 
Rev. J. M. Dight; 1908 Dr. E. G. Wasson 
and Ira McJunkin. 

President Judges.— Vuder the old sys- 
tem the president .iudges of the state were 
commissioned during good behavior. The 
Constitution of 1838 fixed the term at ten 
years, and in 1851 the office became elect- 
ive instead of appointive. The judges un- 
der the old and new systems are as fol- 
lows, being named in the order of their 
commission: Jesse Moore, February, 
1804; Jonathan Roberts, 1818; William 
Wilkins. 1821; Charles Shaler, 1824; John 
Bredin, 1831; Daniel Agnew, 1851 and 
1863; Lawrence L. McGuflfen, 1863; 
Charles McCandless (appointed) 1874; 
Ebenezer McJunkin, 1874; James Bredin. 
1874; Aaron L. Hazen, 1884; John M. 
Greer, additional law judge in 1892, and 
president judge of the Seventeenth Dis- 
trict, September 1, 1893, Lawrence County 
being created the Fifty-first District with 
Aaron L. Hazen president judge; James 
M. Galbreath, present incumbent, was 
elected in 1902. 

John McMichael of New Castle was 
elected additional law judge in the district 
in 1884 and served imtil his death in 1902. 
Noi-nuin L. Martin, a member of the New 
Castle Bar, was appointed to fill the va- 
cancy until the succeeding election, at 
wliich Hon. John M. Greer of Butler 
County was elected an additional law 
judge. 

Associate Judges. — The associate judges 
of the state were at first commissioned bv 



162 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the governor to serve during life, but in 
1838 the constitutional term of service was 
fixed at five years, and the officers de- 
clared to be elective. The first associate 
judges of Butler County were Samuel 
Findley, John Parker and James Bovard, 
who were commissioned in 1803. John 
Duffy was commissioned in 1840 and Chris- 
tian Buhl in 1845. Under the new law the 
first elections were held in 1851 and Sam- 
uel Marshall and John McCandless were 
chosen. Jacob Mechling, Jr., and Thoma's 
Stephenson were elected in 1856; James 
Kerr and James Mitchell in 1861 ; Joseph 
Cummings and Thomas Garvey in 1866. 
The death of Judge Cummings and the ap- 
pointment of Hiram C. McCoy as his suc- 
cessor in 1870 disturbed somewhat the or- 
der of judges. Samuel Marshall defeated 
McCoy for the office in the fall of 1870, and 
when the latter 's term expired in 1871, 
Daniel Fiedler was elected. In 1875 Sam- 
uel Marshall was reelected and in 1876 
Robert Storey was chosen to succeed Judge 
Fiedler. Abraham McCandless was 
elected in 1880, A. D. Weir in 1881, and 
Jacob Keek in 1885. The Supreme Court 
in 1885 decided that the new legislation 
abolished the office of associate judge in 
the different judicial districts, and Mr. 
Keck did not qualify in Butler County. 

District Attorneys. — The office of dis- 
trict attorney in Butler County was not 
created until 1851. Previous to that time 
the prosecuting attorney for the common- 
wealth was known as deputy attorney gen- 
eral, and tlie incumbents were appointed 
by tlie governor. Under the old law the 
office was first held by John Gilmore and 
he was succeeded in the order named by 
Charles Wilkins, Robert Moore, John Bre- 
din, W. W. Fetterman, Samuel A. Gil- 
more, John N. Purviance, Dunlap Mc- 
Laughlin, Parker C. Purviance, John Gra- 
ham, John Negley, and E. McJunkin. Un- 
der tlie law of 1850 the following named 
persons have filled the office: John H. 
Negley, 1850; Archibald Blakely, 1853; 



Eugene Ferero, 1856; James W. Kirker, 
1859; Robert M. McClure, 1862; W. H. H. 
Riddle, 1865 ; John M. Greer, 1868 ; J^rdi- 
nand Reiber, 1871; Levingston McQuis- 
tion, 1874; W. A. Forquer, 1877; A. M. 
Cunningham, 1880; S. B. Snyder, 1883; 
Charles A. McPherrin, 1886; Aaron L. 
Reiber, 1889; Ira McJunkin, 1882; A. M. 
Christley, 1895; Jacob M. Painter, 1898; 
John R. Henninger, 1901; Samuel Walker, 
1904; Albert C. Troutman, 1907. 

Sheriffs.— T\iQ Constitution of 1790 pro- 
vided that the office of sheriff was an elect- 
ive one, and the first incumbent of the 
office elected in Butler County was John 
McCandless, in 1803. His successors in 
the order named have been : Eliakim An- 
derson, 1806; William Campbell, 1809; 
Samuel Williamson, 1812; James McKee, 
1815; Henry Evans, 1818; William Beatty, 
1821; Abraham Maxwell, 1824; John 
Welsh, 1827; Jacob Brinker, 1830; Fran- 
cis McBride, 1833; John Pollock, 1836; 
John B. McLaiaghlin, 1839 ; James G. 
Campbell, 1842; George W. Reed, 1845; 
Andrew Kearns, 1848; Arthur McGill, 
1841; John McKee, J854; Abraham Mc- 
Candless, 1857 ; John Scott, 1860 ; William 
0. Breckenridge, 1863; James B. Storey. 
1866 ; Harvey D. Thompson, 1869 ; John T-. 
Kelley, 1872; George AValter, 1875; John 
Mitchell (appointed to fill vacancy), 1877; 
William H. HofTman, 1878; Thomas Don- 
aghy, 1881; Peter Kramer, 1884; Oliver C. 
Redic, 1887; William M. Brown, 1890; A. 
G. Campbell, 1893; W. B. Dodds, 1896; 
Thomas R. Hoon, 1899 ; xMartin L. Gibson, 
1902; A. M. Campbell, 1905; John B. Cald- 
well, 1909. 

The Deputy Sheriff's appointed since 
1893 were as follows: A. M. Campbell, 
1893; T. James Dodds, 1896; J. Rainey 
Hoon, 1899; A. 0. Hepler, 1902; Curt Vor- 
ous, 1904 and 1905; T. James Dodds and 
Curt Vorous, 1909. 

Prothonotaries. — Prior to 1839 the pro- 
thouotaries were appointed by the gov- 
ernor- for terms of three years. Since that 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



163 



time the office, has been elective. Down to 
1850 the incuflibents of the prothonotary's 
office discharged tlie duties of the clerk of 
courts, but in that year the office of clerk 
of courts became a separate one, its in- 
cuuibent being elected every three years. 
The first prothouotary of Butler County 
was William Ayres, who was commis- 
sioned by the governor July 4, 1803. His 
successors have been Jacob Mechling in 
1809; John Negley in 1818; William Camp- 
bell, 1821; John Neyman, 1824; William 
Stewart, 1827; Peter Duffy, 1833; John 
Sullivan, 1836; Jacob Zeigler, 1839; Jacob 
Mechling, Jr., 1842; James McGlaughlin, 
1845 ; C. E. Purviance, 1848 ; John T. Bard, 
1851; Matthew F. White, 1854; Nathan 
Brown, 1857; Allen Wilson, 1860; William 
Stoops, 1863 ; James B. Clark, 1866 ; Cyrus 
E. Anderson, 1869; Eli Conn, 1872; James 
H. Tebav, 1875; Alexander Russell, 1878; 
Matthew' N. Greer, 1881 ; William M. Shira, 
1884; J. W. Brown, 1887; reelected in 
1890; S. ^l. Seaton, 1893; R. B. Thompson, 
lS9(i; J. N. :\lcCollough, 1899; John B. 
Clark, 1902; William A. Lowry, 1905; J. 
M. CJruikshank, 1909. 

The deputies appointed since 1893 are; 
Alexander Russell in 1894; Angle Thomp- 
son, 1897; Kenneth McCollough, 1900; H. 
E. Stewart, 1903; S. M. Seaton, 1903; 
John B. Clark, 1906; John Clark and Miss 
Lulu Cruikshank, 1909. 

Clerk of Courts. — Previous to 1850 the 
duties of the clerk of courts were dis- 
charged by the prothouotary. In that year 
the office of the clerk of court became a 
separate one, the incumbent being elected 
every three vears. Louis Z. Mitchell was 
elected in 1851; J. Graham in 1854; Mr. 
Graham died while in office and W. K. 
Potts was elected to fill the Vacancy ; Emil 
Maurhoff, 1857; Robert A. Mifflin, 1860; 
Watson J. Young, 1863; Frank M. East- 
man, 1866; Jefferson Burtner, 1869; John 
H. Sutton, 1872; Louis N. Cochran, 1875; 
W. A. Wright, 1878; W. B. Dodds, 1881; 
Reuben McElvain. 1884, reelected in 1887; 



Joseph Criswell, 1890; reelected in 1893; 
Isaac Meals, 1896; William P. Turner, 
1899; W. H. Campbell (appointed to fill 
vacancy), in 1901; George M. Graham, 
1901; L. E. Christley, 1904; R. M. McFar- 
land, 1907 ; R. M. McFarland, 1909. 

Treasurers.— John Negley, 1804; John 
Potts, 1807; Samuel Williamson, 1810; 
William Campbell. 1813; Hugh McKee, 
1816; John Gilkey, 1819; William Gibson, 
1822 ; John Sullivan, 1823 ; Isaiah Niblock, 
1826 ; James Thompson, 1828 ; Francis Mc- 
Bride, 1829; Andrew Sproul, 1832; George 
Miller, 1833; John B. McGlaughlin, 1835; 
James Frazier and Jacob Mechling, Jr., 
1839; William Campbell, 1840; Andrew 
Kearns, 1841, was the first treasurer 
elected under the new law; Daniel Coll, 
1843; Isaac Colbert, 1846; Michael Zim- 
merman, 1848; Samuel C. Stewart, 1850; 
John Martin, 1851 ; William B. Lemmon, 
1853; James Kearns, 1856; Samuel Marks, 
1857; .lames Deer, 1859; George W. Reed, 
1861; Nathaniel Walker, 1863; William 
E. Moore, 1865; J. Christey Moore (to 
fill vacancy), November, 1866; Hugh Mor- 
rison, 1867; John Haney, 1869; Francis 
Anderson, 1871; Joseph F. Campbell, 
1873; David Cupps, ]875; J. H. Miller, 
1878; A. L. Craig, 1881; J. A. McMarlin, 
1884; Amos Seaton, 1887; James S. Wil- 
son, 1890; John T. Martin, 1893; Cvrus 
Harper. 1896; Daniel Rankin, 1899; W. S. 
Dixon, 1902; Thomas Alexander, 1905; 
S. C. Trimble, 1909. 

Tlie deputy treasurers appointed since 
1900 are John Rankin, 1900; C. W. Dixon, 
1903; J. A. Kiskaddon, 1906; Homer 
Dixon, 1909. 

Commissioners. — The county was gov- 
erned bv the commissioners of Allegheny 
County "from 1800 to 1803. Those who 
have held the office in this county since the 
latter year are as follows; 

Matthew Wliite and James Bovard, No- 
vember 9, 1803, and Jacob Mechling, No- 
vember 16, 1803, formed the first board; 
James Scott, 1804 and 1810; Abner Coats. 



164 



lllsroKV OF UrTLKK COUNTY 



November U, I8O0 ; Jacob iSuiitli, Deceiu 
her 2, 1806; Abraluuii Blinker, March 7, 
1807; Jolm Negiey and Frauds Andersou, 
1808 and 180!>; Tlumia.s Dodds aud Joseph 
Williamsou, October -27, 1809; Walter 
Lowiie, October, JSIO; William Balpii, Oc 
tober, 1811; Ifobcrt Martin, October, ISIU 
.•ind 1815; Kpliraini Harris, October, 181L', 
vice i.owrie, resigned; .James McKee, Jau- 
narv, I8I;!; William ('ami)bell, November, 
I8I0; Thomas McCleary, October, 1816; 
F. Fryer, October, 1817; Abraham Brin- 
ker, November, 1818; Robert Lemmou, Oc- 
tober, 1818; J. Dodds, November, 1820; 
Jolm Brandon, October, 1821; John Cov- 
ert, Novembei', 1822; Hugh McKee, No- 
vember, 1824; liobert Scott, November, 
1825; John MeQuistion, November, 1825; 
David Dougal, October, 1826; John Mc- 
Nees, October, 1827 ; Alexander Graham, 
October, 1828; Joseph McQuistion, 1829; 
John McCandless, 1830; Wrlliam Pillow, 
I80I; Robert Graham, 1832; Joseph Gra- 
ham, 1835; Hugh Stephensou, 1835; Na- 
than Skeer, 1836 ; William Criswell, 1837 ; 
Jacob Shannon, October, 1838; Thomas R. 
McMillen, October, 1839; George Miller, 
1840; John Ray, November, 1841; Jolm 
Ray, October, 1842; Abraham Moyer, Oc- 
tober, 1842: Maurice Bredin, 1843; W. W. 
Dodds, 1844 ; T. H. Bracken, October, 1845 ; 
David Douthett, appointed iu April, 1846, 
to succeed Bredin; John Anderson, Octo- 
ber, 1846; Joseph Douthett, October, 1847; 
Andrew Sim])son, 1848; Thomas Kelly, 
1849; Thomas Welsh, October, 1850: 
James Mitchell. October, 1851; John Mil- 
ler, November. 1S52; William C. Campbell, 
1853; John Kciiiicdv, 1854; Andrew Boggs, 
1855; P. HillianI, 1856; Isaac Robb, 1857; 
William Harbison, 1858; Charles McCluug, 
1859; Thomas McNees, I860; Matthew 
(Jreer, 1861; Abner Bartley, 1862; Samnel 
Leason, 1863; A. C. Christie, 1864; Will- 
iam Dick, 1865; Jolm W. Brandon, 1866; 
('harles Hoffman, 1867; James M. Lowe, 
18(i8; John S. Campbell, 1869; William L. 
Bartlev, 1870; Benjamin F. Garvin. 1871; 



Robert Barron, 1872; James P. Christley, 
1873; John C. Riddle, 1874; James C. Don- 
aldson, 1875. 

Under the article of tlie Constitution of 
1873. providing for the election of three 
commissioners, to serve three years, and 
r()r the minority representation on the 
board, the following named were chosen 
in Xovember, 1875: Robert Barron, J. C. 
Donaldson and William A. Christie, to 
serve until January, 1879, when James 
Gribbeu, Jonathan Mayburv aud J. C. Don- 
aldson (lualified. In" the fall of 1881, 
(•harles Cochrane, George W. Hays and T. 
L Wilson were elected, but the last named 
died prior to January, and James Collins, 
appointed to fill the vacancy, took the oath 
of office as the third member; J. C. Bread- 
en, John C. Kelley and J. M. Turner were 
elected in 1884; A. J. Hutchison, John C. 
Kelly and B. M. Duncan, in 1887; John 
Humphrey was appointed to succeed Kelly, 
ic-signeil, January 10. 1890; and he with S. 
V. ilarshall and J. C. Kiskaddon. were 
elected in November, 1890. In 1893, S. W. 
McCollough, Richai'd Kelly and George W. 
Wilson were elected; in 1896, John Mit- 
chell, Harmon G. Seaton and D. H. Sut- 
ton ; in 1899, John W. Gillespie, J. J. Mc- 
(Jarvey and Jolm A. Eichert; on June 20, 
1902. Solomon Dunbar was appointed to 
till the vacancv on the board caused by the 
death of John" W. Gillespie; in 1902, j"ames 
1j. Patterson, Robert McClnng and Greer 
^icCandless were elected; on January 14, 
1905. John T. Kelly was appointed to fill 
the vacancv caused bv the death of Rob- 
ert McClung; in 1905, N. S. Grossnuvi, 
William Seibert and G. F. Easley were 
elected. In 1909 the Board is composed of 
J. C. Kiskaddon, president; Charles Kei- 
ger, secretary; W. H. Grabe; clerk, W. B. 
Scott, witli three transcribing clerks — ]\Iiss 
^label S. Graham, Miss Catherine Reiger 
and ^Tiss Jennie Martin. 

Coroners. — William McDonald, commis- 
sioned October 4, 1803; Robert Stewart. 
1806; Isaac Evans. 1809; James McKee, 



AND KKPUESKNTATfV'E t^ITlZENS 



165 



1812; Couuell liogers, 1815; William Gib- 
son, 1818; David Shannon, 1821; Jacob 
Briuker, 1824; George Miller, 1827; Robert 
St. Clair, 1830; James Spencer, 1833; 
Thomas McKee, 183(); James Hoou, 
1839; Matthias Cypher. 1842; George 
W. Crozier, 1845; James \^niite, 1848; 
Archibald Critchlow, 1851; Jacob Bentle, 
1845; Neal Duffy, 1857; John Letcver. 
1860; W. Brewer, 1863; James Kearns. 
1866; George Burkhart, 1869; Diivid Kirk 
Patrick, 1872; W. E. Conn, 1875; J. J. 
Campbell, 1878; William Kennedy, 1881; 
William Campbell, 1884; Alexander Stor- 
ey, 1887; John Kennedy, 1890; G. M. Gra- 
ham, 1893; John L. Jones, 1896; reelected 
in 1899; Dr. J. C. Atwell was a^jpointed to 
fill the vacancy caused by the death of John 
L. Jones, April 22, 1902, and was elected 
at the November election of 19(t2; Dr. W. 
S. Patterson, 1905; Dr. R. 1.. Stackpole, 
1909 (deputy, Fred Poessing). 

Register and Recorder. — Prior to 1839 
this office was an appointive one. and dur- 
ing the first fifteen years of the county's 
existeuce was administered by the pro- 
thonotai'y. On July 4. 1803, William Ayres 
was commissioned protlioiiotary, clerk of 
the court of oyer and tenuiuer, clerk of 
quarter sessions, clerk, of the orphans' 
court, recorder, register of wills, adminis- 
trator of oaths of office, etc. Jacob Meeh- 
ling succeeded Ayres in January, 1810, in 
all these capacities; but in 1818, Robert 
Scott became register and recorder. The 
incumbents, appointed or elected since that 
time, are named as follows: Maurice 
Bredin, 1832; John Welsh, 1836; William 
W. Brandon, 1838; Joseph McQuistion 
(first election), 1839; Wijliam Balph, 1842. 
reelected in 1844; James T. McJunkin, 
1848, reelected in 1851; Isaac S. P. DeWolf. 
1854 ; Adam Ekas, 1857 ; Cvrus E. Ander- 
son, 1860; James S. Kennedy, 1863; Sim- 
eon Nixon, 1866 ; George W. Kneiss, 1869 ; 
Matthew N. Greer, 1872 ; James D. Ander- 
son, 1875; H. H. Gallagher. 1878; H. W. 
Christie. 1881: M. H. Bverlv. 1884; H. A. 



Ayres, 1887; David E. Dale, 1890; J. S. 
Wick, 1893; W. J. Adams, 1896, reelected, 
1899; J. P. David, 1902; Porter Wilson, 
1905; Julian Clark, 1909 (deputy, E. I. 
Brugh). 

Jury Commissioners. — William A. Chris- 
tie and Charles McClung, 1867; John A. 
Brown and Peter Emery, 1870; T. W, Ken 
nedy and John M. McCandless, 1873; Sam- 
uel Balfour and Thomas Jameson, 1876; 
Hugh MeCrea and ,1. W. Monks, 1879; Dan 
iel Wallett and Rolx-it McChmg, 1882; Z. 
McMichael and Frederick Henuinger, 1885; 
W. F. Campbell and Charles Rielly, 1888 ; 
William R. Patterson and John McCaffer- 
ty, 1891. George H. Graham was appoint 
ed commissioner, vice John McCaft'erty. 
deceased, in November, 1892, to serve until 
January 1, 1895. James Griffen, H. W. 
Nicholas, 1894; Nicholas died in March. 
1896, and A. 0. Everhart was appointed to 
fill tlie vacancy. A. 0. Everhart and 
Charles Redick were elected in 1897 ; A. D. 
Nicholas and John D. Christie in 1900; A. 
0. Everhart and A. J.. Cooper in 1903; 
Dale Thorne and John Leise, in 1906; Dale 
Thorn and John Leise, 1909. 

Surveijors. — Prior to 1850 this office was 
an appointive one. David Dougal, James 
Scott and James Bovard were the first sur- 
veyors who performed work under the or- 
der of the commissioners. Their success- 
ors have been James Irvine, Thomas Gra- 
ham, 1809 to 1814; William Pui-viance. 
1823; Hugh Conway, 1827; James Iloge, 
James Dunlap, appointed in 1839 ; Thomas 
H. Tjyon and Peter Murrin, served prior to 
18.50- William Purviance, 1853; David 
Scott, 1859; W. D. McCandless, 1862; Na- 
than ^L Slater, 1865. 1868, 1871, appointed 
to fill vacancy in 1875, and elected in 1880; 
F. Wilt, 1874 (died in office) ; James M. 
Denny, 1877 and 1880; B. F. Hilliard, 1883 
and 1886; C. F. L. McQuistion, 1889 and 
1892; F. E. McQuistion, 1895; Isaiah Meals. 
1898; B. F. Hilliard. 1901; C. F. B. Awtey. 
1904; reelected in 1907; C. F. B. Awtey. 
1909. 



166 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



County Auditors. — 1896, W. S. Moore, 
O. R. Tliorne, F. P. McBride; 1899, J. W. 
Patterson, P. H. Sechler, J. A. McGoweii; 
1902, Howard C. Hazlett, W. D. Deitrieh, 
George S. Huselton; 1905, ^V. B. Scott, 
George N. AYilson, David Cupps; 1909, II. 
E. Heberlin, E. W. Thompson and Robert 
A. White. 

Superintendent of Count.r Home, 1909, 
O. W. Stoughton. 

Early Justices of the Peace.— The jus- 
tices of the First Election District of But- 
ler County, from 1804 to 1838 were as fol- 
low: Meizer Tannehill, Jacob Smith and 
Ephraim Harris, 1804; William Adams, 
1805; Thomas Elder, 1806; Hugh Lee, 
1808; Hugh Henderson, 1809; James Mc- 
Kee, 1812; Robert Reed, 1820; W. Mc- 
Michael and Andrew Donaldson, 1824; 
John Reynolds, 1826; Samuel E. Harris, 
1828; Samuel Kerr, 1830; John Murrin, 
1834; John Nenl and Thomas Stephenson, 
1835; Joseph Justice. W. H. McGill and 
Alexander McBride, 1S36; William Jack, 
1837 ; Henry C. Linn and John Black, 1838. 
In 1820 this district comprised Mercer and 
Slippery Rock Townships. 

The justices of the peace for tlie same 
period in the Second District wei-e : Jacob 
Mechling, 1804; Washington Parker and 
John Stewart, 1805; A. Young, 1808; 
Matthew B. Lowrie, 1812 and 1813; John 
Christy, 1815; Joseph Kerr, 1817; John 
Murrin, 1823 ; Andrew Donaldson and Ben- 
jamin Fletcher, 1827; William Turner, 
1828; David Kelly, 1834; Levi Duchess and 
John Anderson, 1835; Jacob Hilliard, 1836; 
and Josiah Fletcher, 1838. 

In District Number 3 the justices of the 
peace were: William Johnston, James 
Bovard and James Scott, 1804; Thomas Gil- 
christ and Samuel Kinkaid, 1805; Reuben 
Ayres and Patrick Hagerty, 1808; Walter 
Lowrie, 1809; Joseph Williamson, 1812; 
William Hutchison and William Campbell, 
1813; Robert Scott, .1815; Samuel Kin- 
kaid, John Neyman and John Duffy, 1816 ; 



Abraham Brinker, 1817; William Robb, 
1818; Maurice Bredin, 1821; Thomas Mc- 
Cleary and Francis McBride, 1825 ; James 
McCurdy and John Sweeney, 1826; Daniel 
McLaughlin, 1827; Moses Hanlen, 1828; 
James Cunningham, 1829; Hugh McKee, 
is;i(i; David McCandless, 1832; John Mc- 
Clelland, 1834; Robert Carnalian, 1835; 
Bennet Dobbs, 1836; P. C. Purviance, 1837. 
In 1815, the townships of Butler, Centre, 
Clearfield and Donegal, were included in 
this district as well as some other territory. 

The justices of the peace in District 
Number 4 were: Robert Galbreath and 
Francis Anderson, 1804 ; John David, 1806-. 
Owing to changes in 1807 it does 
not appear that justices were elected 
or appointed for this district. William 
Campbell, 1822; Isaac Lefever, 1825; 
James Potts, William Walker, John Dodds 
and James Brown, 1829; W. R. Elliott, 
1830; William Dixon and Johnston White, 
is:!.-); Kmil Maurhoff, 1838. This (listri<-t 
coiiiprised Buffalo, Clearfield, Butler and 
Middlesex, in 1822, Clearfield and Butler 
Townships being detached from the Third 
District. 

The justices of the peace in District 
Number 5 were: Roljert Hays, 1804; 
Stephen Stone, 1806; Joshua Stoolfire, 
1810; Christian Buhl, 1813; Robert Boggs, 
1820; John Oakley, 1822; Daniel Belts- 
hoover and Robert Brown, 1823; William 
McLean (resigned in 1836), and Jacob 
Grossenor, 1824; William Simpson and B. 
G. Goll, 1825 ; Andrew White, 1827 ; Sam- 
uel Kirk, 1832; James Frazier, 1823; Dan- 
iel Graham and John Henry, 1836; David 
Spear, 1837; W. Cunningham and Henry 
Umstead, 1838; T«iomas Fletcher,. 1839. In 
1810, Cranberry Township constituted the 
Fifth District;" in 1813, Connoi(uciicssing 
Township, then organized, was added, and, 
in 1820, these two townships with Middle- 
sex and Butler formed the district. 

In District Number 6 the justices of the 
peace were: Eliakim Anderson, 1804; 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



167 



John Brackney, 1805; A. Biyson and 
Thomas Christy, 1808; William Dodds, 
1812; Robert Martin, 1815; Thomas Sul- 
livan, 1819; Thomas Christie, 1820; John 
Thompson, 1827; Henry Dufford, 1830; 
Robert Hampson, 1813; George A. Kirk- 
patrick, 1832; Thomas Stewart, 1835. 

Commissions were issued to the follow- 
ing justices of the peace in the county in 
1907 : George Graham, Fairview Bor- 
ough ; W. F. Lytle, Butler Borough ; T. H. 
Wheeler, Harmony Borough ; P. P. Brown, 
West Sunbury Borough ; A. R. Thompson, 
West Sunbury Borough; M. J. Leonard, 
Chicora; James F. McKee, Prospect Bor- 
ough; A. D. Groome, Parker Township; 
W. P. Day, "Fairview Township ; J. P. Gett- 
man, Lancaster Townshija; 0. P. Graham, 
Cranberry Township; Isaac N. Wright, 
Cranberry Township; W. H. H. Camp- 
bell, Venango Township; Solomon Pon- 
tius, Donegal Township ; W. P. . Hig- 
^ins, Oakland Township; John P. McCoy, 
Cherry Township: J. T. Black, Marion 
Township; James .McMicliacl, Clay Town- 
ship; Philip Hilliai'd, Washington Town- 
ship: Charles Snyder, Harrisville Bor- 
ough ; John A. Eichert, Jackson Township ; 
H. L. Allen, Allegheny Township. 

In 1908 commissions were issued to the 
following justices of the peace : Zenas Mc- 
Michael, Zelienopie Borough; Joseph Cris- 
well and James M. jNIcNally, Butler Town- 
ship; J. N. McBride, Franklin Township; 
John S. Campbell, Cherry Township ; John 
C. Dight, Adams Township ; John W. Kal- 
tenbaugh, Penn Township; W. H. Bovard, 
Slippery Rock Township; P. G. Groome, 
Washington Towmship; J.'W. Heslop, Ma- 
rion Townshi]>; John Blair, Venango 
Townshi]); U. H. Book, Cherrv Township; 
P. H. Davy, Butler Borough; Geo. W. Hu- 
sdton, Chicora ; Alexander Lurting, Mars 
Borough; Carl Butzer, Petrolia Borough; 
A. J. Smathers, Evans City Borough; H. 
M. Wise, Harmony Borough; S. W. McCol- 
lough, Fairview Township; Charles Ifft 
Mercer Township. 



APPOINTMENT OF COURT OFFICIALS. 

Since 1893, the following court officials 
have been appointed by the various judges 
sitting on the bench: 

Court Criers. — B. L. Hockenberry, ap- 
pointed in 1894 and served until Septem- 
ber, 1902, when he resigned and J. S. 
Campbell was appointed to fill the va- 
cancy; Joseph Criswell was appointed in 
1903, and William H. Walker, June 9, 
1906. 

Court Stenographers. — Ed. S. Riddle, 
appointed December 11, 1894, by Judge 
Greer, and reappointed January 1, 1903, 
by Judge Galbreath; Miss Ada Findley 
was appointed assistant court stenogra- 
pher January 9, 1903; Miss Georgie Chris- 
tie was appointed assistant court stenogra- 
pher May 4, 1908, to fill the vacancy caused 
liy the resignation of Miss Findley. 

Court Auditors.— 1893, Frank Stauffer; 
1894, W. C. Findley; 1895, Harry L. Gra- 
ham; 1896, Raymond L. Cornelius; 1897, 
E. H. Negley; 1898, F. H. Murphy; 1899, 
Kennedv Marshall; 1900, John W. Coul- 
ter; 1901, T. James Dodds; 1902, John H. 
Jackson; 1903, Charles B. Adams; 1904, 
Charles H. Miller; 1905, James B. Mates; 
1906, Thomas Watson ; 1907, Samuel S. At- 
well. 

Tipstaves appointed by the court since 
1893.— At the March tei'm of court, 1895, 
the following ai)p()intnu'iits were made: 
John Mitchell, John Shaffuer, Elias Boyer, 
and Robert McElhaney. In August of the 
same year John Mitchell resigned and 
James C. Welsh was appointed to fill the 
vacancy. In 1898 the court made the fol- 
lowing appointments : Hugh Morgan, Rob- 
ert Harbison, and Christ Henchberger. In 
1900, W. W. Maxwell, 0. P. Campbell and 
R. 0. Lewis were appointed. In 1903, Jo- 
seph Henchberger, Harmon Seaton, Capt. 
John G. Bippus and F. M. Renno. The 
same year the court fixed the compensa- 
tion of these officers at $2 per day. At the 
December term, 1905, W. H. Aber and 
George W. Campbell were appointed to 



168 HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 

fill the vacancy caused by the resignation McMarlin were appointed and the same 
of F. M. Renno and Joseph Henchberger. year the pay of these officers was increased 
111 ]i)07 W. H. McCandless and James A. by order of court to $2.50 per day. 



CHAPTER VI 



THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES 



Early Oil Discoveries — Petroleum Used as Mediciiie — Its Commercial Possibilities 
Realised — Oil Company Formed — First Shipment to Europe — Early Oil Wells — 
The Parker's Landing Field — Petrolia, Karns City and Fairvieiv — Greece City — 
Troutman Farm — Millerstoivn Field — The Bald Ridge District — Thorn Creek — 
Thorn Creek Extension — Reibald Field — The Hundred-foot District — Brownsdale 
and Coopersto'wn — Speechley Field — The Pipe Lines — Producers and Refiners — 
Natural Gas as a Fuel — Deepest Well in the County — Nitro-glycerine — Flanne- 
gan's Well-cleaner — Accidents and Tragedies of the Business — Death of Holland — 
Butler County Woman Killed — Miscellaneous Incidents and Sketches — A Loaded 
Porker — William Smith — The Montcalm Letter — Dune Karns— -Richard Jennings 
— Taylor £ Satterfield — Plummer's Ride — The Producers' Protective Association 
—-Beating the Railroad Company— Parker City— The Devil's Half-acre— The 
Wirli'drst M<(ii i)i the World — The Agrarian Trouble at Renfreiv — Wilsmt's Iron 
Derricl.- Fniimics That Were Missed — The Lawyer Pumper — The " Spottif" Mc- 
Bridc W(ll--IIoli'iiuiii's Luck — Oil Country Honor— Oil Men's Outing Association 
-Prices of Crude Oil — A Disastrou.s Fire — Thomas W. Phillips. 



Petroleum was lirst discovered within 
the present boundaries of the United 
States about 1627 or 1629 by the Francis- 
can Father, Joseph de la Roche D'Allion, 
who located a bituminous spring at Cuba, 
in Allegheny County, New York. Little 
attention seems to have been paid to the 
mattei- at the time, however, but occasion- 
ally, at lon.i^- iiilorvals, we hear of other oil 
discovciics, as, for instance, in 1()!»4, when 
Eele Hancock and Portlocli obtained pat- 
ents for making "oile" out of a peculiar 
kind of rock. Again, in 1761, we find that 
oils were distilled from bituminous shale 
for medical purposes. 

About the middle of the Eightccntli ccn 
tury the presence of oil in the region now 



included within Butler, Armstrong, and 
Venango Counties seems to have attracted 
the attention of some of the French officers 
commanding forces in the Norlli western 
territory. Among them was Ca])taiii .fon- 
caire, commander of the Frencli c.xix'dition 
down the Allegheny in 1749, who located 
an oil spring above Fort Venango on the 
Allegheny. According to a formei-ly ac- 
cepted account, Contrecoeur in the follow- 
ing year, in his official dispatches to Mont- 
calm, makes mention of the presence of oil 
in this field and describes an Indian cere- 
monial which seemed to furnisu proof that 
some, at least, of the Indians in his day 
were tire-worsliipers. This letter, the au- 
tlienticitv of wbiHi Iihn been ilenied (see 



I7i) 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



account of its origiu in the article entitled 
■ ' The Montcalm Letter, ' ' in the latter part 
of this chapter) read as follows: 

" I would flesire lo nssiire jou that this is a inn-il 
delightful land. Some of the most astonishing iiaiiinil 
wonders have been diseovtipd by our people. While 
descending the Allegheny, fifteen leagnis l.elow the 
mouth of the Conewango and three above the Ven.-mgi) 
(French Creek), ne »ere invited by the cliief uf tin- 
Seneeas to attend a religious ceremony of his tribe. 
We landed and drew up our canoes on a point where 
a .small stream entered the river. The tribe appeared 
unusually solemn. Wo marched up the strea n about a 
half league, where the company, a band it appeared. 
had arrived some days before us. (iiganlii- hills begirt 
us on every side. The scene was really sublime. The 
great chief then recited the conquests and heroism of 
their ance.stors. The surface of the stream was covered 
with a thick scum, which, upon applying a torch at a 
given signal, burst into a complete conflagration. At 
the sight of the flames the Indians gave forth a tri- 
umphant shout that made the hills and valleys reecho 
again. Here then, is revived the ancient fire-worship of 
the East; here then, are the children of the Sun.'' 

In 1779, when Broadhead's division of 
General Sullivan's army was advancing 
against the Seneca Indians, signs of oil 
were observed and reported in various lo- 
calities along the Allegheny River. 

In the vicinity of Titusville, on the west 
side of Oil Creek, there have been found 
evidences of somewhat primitive oil opera- 
tions in a number of pits — several hundred 
in all — sunk in the flats of the creek, and 
measuring each about seven feet in length 
by six in depth and four in width. These 
pits had a clay bottom and were walled 
with halved logs. When the debris was 
cleared from them by the early discoverers 
they gradually filled with water, on top of 
which floated a thin coat of oil. The In- 
dian Cornplanter could give no account of 
their origin, nor has any definite informa- 
tion ever been ascertained in regard to it. 

THE OIL USED AS MEDICINE. 

The Indians and early white settlers 
made use of the oil for medicinal purposes. 
Fn 1806 a man named Carey obtained it 
from Oil Creek and sold it under the name 
of Seneca oil. It was found serviceable 
in rheumatism, in weakness of the stom- 
ach, in curing bruises and .sore breasts, and 



as a gentle cathartic, and had been pre- 
viously credited with these valuable prop- 
erties, in 1789, by Jedediah Morse, in the 
American Universal Geography, published 
at Charlestowu, Mass. That its virtues 
were not generally known is proved by the 
fact that when General Hays, of Franklin, 
subsequent to 180(5, shipped several bar- 
rels of the oil by wagon to Baltimore, the 
merchant to whom they were consigned 
emptied them into Chesapeake Bay. 

ITS COMMERCIAL POSSIBILITIES REALIZED. 

The distillation of petroleum had been 
carried on in Truscovitch, Austria, as early 
as 1810, and in 1853 one Schrenier first 
used it for illuminating purposes; but the 
lirst practical method of refining was in- 
troduced by an Austrian named Toch, wlio 
built a refinery at Tarentum for Peterson 
and Dale. It was about half a century ago 
that interest in this i»eculiar product be- 
gan to assume a jiractical form. A prize 
of $1,000 was offered l)y S. Kier for the in- 
vention of a lani}) that would burn the oil, 
and in 1857, largely through the efiforts of 
Nevin & McKeowu, it began to be known 
as an article of commerce. 

In the meanwhile efforts were being 
made to find some practical method of ob- 
taining a large and steady sujiply of the 
product. In 1858 a well in Canada was ex- 
cavated by pick and shovel to the oil sand, 
and in the same year a well 400 feet deep 
was drilled by T. AV. Nevin and Co. at 
Greensburg, Penna., though without suc- 
cess. The pioneer producer was found in 
Col. Drake, who in 1859 drilled the first 
well on Oil Creek, Venango County. Thus 
it a])pears that J. M. Williams, who exca- 
vated the Canada \yell above mentioned 
was the first man on this continent within 
the historic period to dig down to the pe- 
troleum ; T. W. Nevin was the first to drill 
expressly for it, and Colonel Drake was 
the first to drill for it with success. 

The era of commercial activity in this 
field began at once after the success of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



171 



Colonel Drake. In P^ebruary, 1860, the 
Butler Oil Company was organized to drill 
for oil in the vicinity of Butler. The mem- 
bers of the company kept the project pretty 
quiet at first and the press took little no- 
tice of it, as all felt that they were tread- 
ing on uncertain ground, and they wished 
to blare no trumpets that might only serve 
to emphasize and advertise a possible fail- 
ure. There were not wanting others, how- 
ever, to take the risks involved in view of 
a possible great reward, and almost daily 
reports of new discoveries, some on farms 
in various parts of the county, fed the ex- 
citement until the oil fever was endemic 
over the greater part of this region. 

In the meanwhile developments were 
proceeding on Oil Creek that commanded 
the attention of the country, and indeed, of 
the world. 

OIL COMPANY FORMED. 

At a meeting held in Zimmerman's Hotel 
in Butler, January 19, 1861, a company 
was organized to develop the oil sand in 
the neighborhood of Butler. The proceed- 
ings of the company were very dignified 
and were conducted with a due apprecia- 
tion for all the proprieties, William Camp- 
bell presided at the meeting, and J. G. 
Muntz acted as secretary. Committees 
were appointed to draft articles of asso- 
ciation and select a site for operation. 
The company began business under the 
title of the "Butler Pioneer Oil Company," 
and on February 5, 1861, commenced oper- 
ations on the lot near the brewery south- 
west of the boroiTgh, and drilled a well to 
the depth of 800 feet without striking oil. 
Believing their enter))rise to be a failure, 
the comjiany abandoned the well. This 
well was located on the Negley property 
between Water Street and the Connoque- 
nessing Creek in the third ward of Butler 
borough, and a short distance from Wal- 
ter's Mill. 

The next oil company organized in But 
ler County wtis the Enterprise Oil Com 



pany at Prospect in 1862. Rev. A. H. 
Waters was president of this company and 
A. W. McCollough, secretary. The unoffi- 
cial stockholders were J. K. Kennedy, John 
W. Forrester, D. C. Roth, G. B. Warren, 
Mrs. Ann Bredin, all of the Prospect neigh- 
borhood, with E. McJunkin, Jacob Zeigler 
and James T. McJunkin, of Butler. This 
company drilled three wells at Harris' 
Ford on Slippery Rock Creek, one of which 
had a good showing of heavy oil. The 
wells were drilled wet and failed to pan 
out. The company final) v abandoned these 
wells. 

FIRST SHIPMENT TO EUROPE. 

The credit of making the first shipment 
of petroleum to European markets belongs 
to H. Julius Klingler and John Berg, of 
Butler. In 186;] Messrs. Klingler and Berg 
were engaged in shipping oil from the 
Venango County field to Pittsburg. The 
oil was shipped in barrels and transported 
from Titusville or Oil City by means of 
fiat-boats, and when tlie cargo reached 
Pittsburg, the barrels were stored in large 
freight yards near the boat-landing. The 
shipment of the first cargo of oil to Eu- 
rope was the result of "pernicious activ- 
ity" on the part of the authorities of the 
city of Pittsburg. Many finns were en- 
gaged in shipping oil to iPittsburg by boat 
and storing it in freight yards from whence 
it was subsequently shipped by railroad to 
eastern markets. Many thousands of bar- 
rels of oil were stored in the yards within 
the city limits, and the residents of that 
portion of the city became alarmed for fear 
of a fire. The city authorities investigated 
the matter and ordered the owners of the 
oil to move it. This order suggested the 
idea to Messrs. Klingler and Berg of ship- 
ping a consignment of oil to London and 
seeking a market for it there. According- 
Iv they loaded one thousand barrels on to 
the cars at Pittsburg, shipped them to Phil- 
adelphia, and thence by clipper to Liver- 
pool, England, where they were consigned 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



to Boult, En^lisli jhkI Bj'andoii. who 
boiijilit tlio oil l)y the ton. 

KAKLY OIL VVELUS. 

The tirst oil well in the uppvv lieldis of 
Butler Coxmty was, it is said, drilled on 
the Joseph Meals farm in Washington 
Township, later the Dr. A. ^F. Hoover 
farm. It was drilled by hand to a depth of 
three hundred feet, and was al)andoued on 
account of a flow of water, which stopped 
further operation. In 1889 a well was 
drilled within seventy-five feet of this oil 
well, which was a good producer and on the 
same farm and on the Shira, Clark, Bell, 
Miller and other farms, producing wells 
were ol)tained in 1893 and 1894. 

The first oil well in the Millerstown field, 
now Cliicora, was drilled in 18()1 to a depth 
of two hundred and fifty feet, but the com- 
pan>- were from nine liundred to eleven 
hundred feet short in their calculations 
and consequently failed of their object. 

(Jrcal excitement was caused in January, 
1865, by the oil discoveries on Slippery 
Rock Creek. On February 2, Dr. Egbert, 
the oil operator of Franklin who had leased 
thousands of acres on the Slippery Rock, 
completed a well near Harlansburg that 
yielded a barrel of oil everv thirtv minutes.. 
In INIarch, 1865, the Smith "and Collins well 
on the Campbell farm on Slippery Rock 
Creek, was drilled in and operated as a 
mystery. Some claimed it to be a hundred 
barrel producer, and others rated it as 
high as two hundred. The same year a 
heavy producer for the time was struck on 
Muddy Creek and one by the Clark Com- 
pany near the village of Wurtemburg, just 
outside of the western limits of the county. 
In May, 1865, a well was drilled 071 the 
Robert Glenn farm in Marion Township, 
then owned by Robert Vandi-riin and at 
the same time a well was drilled at Buhl's 
Mill in Forward Township, on Connoquen- 
essing Creek. 

The Sunbury Oil Company drilled a well 
at West Sunbury immediately after the 



Civil War, and nuule their first sale of oil 
at Pittsburg in Se])tember, 1866, receiv- 
ing eleven hundred dollars for the first 
[)rodiict of their two wells in Butler Coim- 
ty. The oil was ])arreled and hauled to 
J*ittsl»urg bv wagon. 

In August, 1865, the Butler Oil Com- 
pany leased twelve thousand acres of land 
between the village of Martinsburg (now 
Bruin), and ]\Iillerstown, and controlled 
the land from Millerstown to Herman in 
Simimit Township. This company drilled 
five wells, not one of which reached the 
Butler sand, and thus in an ocean of oil 
they found disappointment. The territory 
held l)y this company subsequently pro- 
duced some of the largest wells found in 
the Butler field. The company dissolved 
after this experience, but later its members 
were found identified with more success- 
ful operations. 

C. D. Angell who in 1867 was operating 
on the Island property at Scrubgrass, came 
into Butler County and found every indi- 
cation of oil on a line extending to Har- 
mony through Bull Valley and Prospect, 
and in a western direction on a line be- 
tween Rayiiiilton in Venango Comity and 
Sli]>p('ry Ikock in Butler County. In later 
yeai-s Angell ))ecame identified with the 
Butler County fields and was one of the 
largest producers in the district. 

In 1868 the Jacobs Oil Company was or- 
ganized by Butler men, being named in 
honor of Captain Jacob Ziegler, who never 
for a moment lost faith in Butler County 
as an oil field. This company entei-ed the 
field of Martinsburg, and drilled a well 
which started to flow at the rate of sixty 
barrels per day after it had been shot, and 
was the first paying well produced in the 
limits of Butler County. This well was 
purchased by Robert Black in 1872 for $4,- 
000, and continued a small producer until 
1880. 

THE P.^KEr's L.\NDING FIELD. 

In the year 1860 Thomas McConnell, W. 
D. Robinson, Smith K. Campbell, and Col. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



173 



J. B. Finley, purchased tAvo acres of land 
on tlie west bank of the Allegheny River 
about ninety rods north of Tom's Run, 
from Elishn Robinson, Sr., and organized 
the Foxbiiig Oil Company. A well was 
drilled to the depth of 4()() feet, when an ac- 
cident occurred, which obstructed the o^i- 
erations for a few days. In the interval 
the war broke out and the excitement in^ 
cident thereto stopped all further proceed- 
ings and the well was abandoned. 

Subs('(iueiitly the same ])arties purchased 
one liundicd acres known as tlie Tom's 
Run tract from Mr. Robinson, and in 1865 
a well was drilled which wa.s. the first pro- 
ducer in that locality. It is a remarkable 
fact that the well drilled in 1860 was on 
territory that the ojierations of subsequent 
years proved to be dry. Had the well been 
completed in 1860 it would probably have 
prevented all future devei<ii)ments in that 
region for many years. The well complet- 
ed in 1865 was known as Clarion No. 1, and 
yielded eighteen barrels a day until 1869, 
when it became a twenty-five barrel pro- 
ducer. In July, 1869, there were twenty- 
five ]iroducing wells at Parker's Landing 
yielding 310 barrels daily. At the close 
of that month there were twenty-two wells 
rigging and eighteen wells drilling, so that 
the total in August was sixty-four. The 
old town of Lawrenceburg was invaded by 
the vanguard of operators and drillers be- 
fore tli(> close of Augiist and many Butler 
men went thither to share in the work and 
profits. Oil agreements were printed in 
the newspapers of Butler and everything 
pointed towards busy days. By the middle 
of November, 1859, there were 1,058 wells 
in the Parker and Lawrenceburg field. The 
first oil fire in the district was reported No- 
vember '21. when the Enterprise well above 
the Landing was destroved. This well was 
the j.rojiei-tv of J. W. Christy, Col. John 
M. Thompson, Allen Wilson, W. K. Potts, 
and other Butler men. 

The Valley well at Church Run on the 
Fulerton-Parker farm, was completed in 



January, 1870, and was owned by M. E. 
Adams, John Scott, John M. Thompson, 
George Purviance, B. C. Huselton, and 
William McClung. The Barnes and Ter- 
rell well near by and the new well above 
the mouth of Bear Creek were also com- 
pleted in January, 1870. Before the close 
of the month a five-barrel well was struck 
at Martinsburg on the Farren farm, which 
was known as the Berg well. This well was 
owned by S. D. Karns, Herman J. Berg, 
and others. The Atlantic well in that 
neighborhood owned by Patrick McBride 
and others was reported in February, 1870. 

The Thorn Creek Oil Company was or- 
ganized February 2, 1870, with Harvey Os- 
borne, president; Francis Laube, secre- 
tary; E. A. Helrabold, superintendent; E. 
F. Aderhold, treasurer; J. M. Dowler and 
H. T. Markel, auditors, and R. M. Douthett 
and James Gribben, business managers. 
This company operated in the Parker and 
Martinsbui-g district and brought in the 
"Maple Shade" near Risk Village, the 
"Isabel" on Thorn Creek, the "Walnut 
Shade" on the Fox farm, near Emlenton, 
and the "Church Run" well on the Mar- 
shall farm above the Valley well. These 
wells came in in March, 1870. Then fol- 
lowed the "Golden Gate," the "Shep- 
herd," near Lawrenceburg, the "Wyona" 
on the Farren farm, the "Number 12" 
south of Bear Creek, the "North West,'' 
the "Cataract," the "Eclipse," and other 
wells. The "^Golden Gate" was owned by 
Butler men. 

In April, 1870, oil was discovered on the 
Aaron Beery farm in Middlesex Township. 
James Sutton and other Butler County 
men brought in some wells on the Anchor 
farm on Fowler Run, and the Smith and 
Stewart well on the Fowler farm weic 
brought in in April. The Glade Run and 
Cherry Valley Oil Company was organ 
ized in April and began active operation 
in the Parker Township field. Among the 
wells brought in were the "Dingbat" near 
the old furnace on Bear Creek, the "Hoo- 



174 



[IISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ver" aud the "California." These were 
followed by the "Rush," the "Washing- 
ton," and the Turk and Shii-a wells, all 
in the first half of the year. In August 
the Parsons Brothers struck oil near Far- 
rentown on the Martinsburg Road and 
brought in three wells that were fine pro- 
ducers. Dr. Guthrie and William Gill of 
Butler brought in the "Millbrook" well on 
the Conelly farm. Dr. Cowden and Jacob 
Ziegler of Butler bi-ought in the "Estella" 
on the Logue fai'm, and Dr. Cowden, S. H. 
Bailey, and Newton of Portersville, drilled 
the "Udora" No. 2 on the Bailey farm. 
Other wells drilled were the "Nancy 
Adams" on the John B. Leonard farm, 
and the "Mullen," or "Glory Hole," were 
twenty-barrel producers. McGee and At- 
well drilled the Ida May well on the Far- 
ren farm in 1870, and Gen. John N. Pur- 
viance of Butler owned the Oak well on 
the Robinson farm. 

The Cherry valley well drilled in Ve- 
nango Township in November, 1870, to a 
depth of 650 feet, showed the same sand 
as the Parker's Landing field. The Wolf 
Creek Oil and Salt Testing Company, of 
Centerville, of which C. 0. Kingsbury was 
president, began operations late in 1870, 
and the Thorn Creek Oil Company organ- 
ized the same year, began operations in 
Parker and Venango Townships. 

The Wolf Creek well No. 1 was drilled 
in 1870 for a Centerville syndicate, but 
was abandoned at a little over 800 feet. 
The tools were stuck in the well, the fish- 
ing tackle lost, and a heavy flow of gas 
drove the drillers away from their work. 
On one occasion the pressure of gas in this 
well raised a cohmin of water one hundi*ed 
feet above the derrick, and nothing was 
done to control the flow of water and what 
was probably one of the strongest gas wells 
struck in the county was literally drowned 
out. In 1871 the same company drilled at 
a point in the hollow near the creek two 
miles northwest of Centerville (Slippery 
Rock) to a depth of 1,42.3 feet, obtaining a 



small show of oil and gas. This well was 
productive of some geological knowledge, 
but was a financial failure. 

The first well drilled in the southwest- 
ern section of the county was on the Mul- 
ler farm near Zelienople in 1870. This 
well was drilled to a depth of 825 feet and 
then abandoned. Twenty years later the 
Harmony and Lancaster pools were de- 
veloped in the vicinity of the Muller well. 

A man named Whann, who had been a 
partner of J. A. Satterfield at Pithole, 
made the second attempt to find oil at Mil- 
lerstown in 1870. He got the rig partly 
up when a two-inch plank fell on the head 
of the contractor and put a quietus on 
operations for two years. 

In 1866 a well was drilled on the Adam 
Ritzert farm in Oakland Township, which 
showed the existence of oil and lead many 
people to predict that Butler County would 
yet prove an extensive oil field. The drill- 
ing of new wells around Martinsburg 
(Bruin) in August, 1871, and the extension 
of the field southwest towards Karns City 
and Petrolia showed that the time for pre- 
dicting was past, and that oil reservoirs 
existed in many places throughout the 
county. During this year the Borland well 
was drilled on the Robert Black farm, the 
famous Bennett well on the Stone House 
farm in Parker Township ; two wells were 
drilled by Badger and Karns on the Stone 
House farm, the Heiner well was com- 
pleted on the Say farm, the Lambing well 
on the Fletcher, and a well on the Martin 
farm. 

PETROLIA, KARNS CITY AND FAIRVIEW. 

The Campbell farm became the front of 
operations in November, 1871, when a six- 
ty-five barrel well responded to the drill. 
This was followed by a well on the Walker 
farm adjoining Campbell, which became a 
noted producer, and was purchased in 
May, 1872, by B. B. Campbell and the 
Walker brothers. These wells were the 
beginning of the village of Argyle, which 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



175 



was one of the mushroom oil towns of 
Fairview Township. Within six years the 
R. D. Campbell and the A. L. Campbell 
farms were celebrated for at least a dozen 
of great wells that made fortunes for their 
owners as well as the fanners. 

The "Maple Shade" well was completed 
on the Widow Hutchison farm in Parker 
Township south of Bear Creek early in 
the spring of 1872 by A. W. McCoUough. 
It started off with 100 barrels a day and 
for a time was known as the largest pro- 
ducer south of the creek. 

Other wells completed in 1872 were the 
Lambing well on the Shakely farm, the 
"Lib," "Walnut," the "Fannie," and the 
Collins No. 2 on the Milford farm, and 
the wells on the Jamison farm. The suc- 
cess of the "Maple Shade" well on the 
Hutchison farm led to an invasion of the 
territory around Martinsburg, and the suc- 
cess of the Columbia Oil Company on the 
Reddick farm, and the wells drilled on the 
Wilt farm, Campbell, Shepherd, the Mat- 
thew Cannon tract, the Martin farms, and 
others south of Martinsburg, pointed to 
an extension of the field. 

A scramble for leases resulted in large 
profits to the land owners. James Say 
leased his 100 acre farm at $200 per acre, 
and one-eighth royalty, while other farm- 
ers were equally as fortunate. In April, 
1872, the Lambing brothers struck a hun- 
dred-barrel well on the Gibson farm near 
Fairview, and the McPherson well on that 
farm proved a paying property. Around 
the village of Argyle land was sold from 
$500 to $1,000 per acre. The principal 
operators in this district were the Lambing 
brothers, B. B. and A. L. Campbell, J. B. 
Findley, C. D. Angell, McKinney and Nes- 
bitt, and McPherson and Blaney. 

During the year 1872 the scouts of the 
oil army were locatiug and drilling wells 
in advance of the Parker field. A well was 
drilled on the John Smith farm in Cherry 
Township, on the David Stewart and the 
Rumbaugh farms in Washington Town- 



ship, on the J. H. Hindman farm in Clay 
Township, on the W. C. Campbell farm in 
Fairview Township, at Ralston 's Mill in 
Concord Township, at Millerstown in Don- 
egal Township, at James Stephenson's 
Mill in Summit Township, and along 
Thorn Creek. The greatest advances were 
made in Fairview Township. The well on 
the W. C. Campbell farm produced a little 
oil and turned out to be the greatest gas 
well that had been struck in oildom up to 
that time. The "Fanny Jane" was struck 
in May, 1872, and in four months' time the 
town of Petrolia had sprung up with a 
population greater than that of the county 
seat. In the same month oil was found on 
the S. S. Jamison farm two miles north of 
Boydstown in Concord Township, and the 
town of Greece City sprung up like a 
mushroom in the night. This was the first 
oil discovered in the Connoquenessing Val- 
ley. The Bonny Brook well at Brinker's 
Mill in Summit Township, now East But- 
ler, was completed in June, 1872, but 
proved a disappointment to its owners. 
The McClymonds farm, now the site of 
Karns City, became famous as. an oil cen- 
ter the same year. 

In December, 1871, Cooper Brothers 
leased fifteen acres of land from Hugh P. 
McClymonds and fifteen acres from Sam- 
uel L. Riddle. The first well was located 
ill the valley near the line between the two 
leases on the McClymonds land. In June, 
1872, this well was producing 120 barrels 
a day. On the 29th of May, "Dune" 
Kearns had leased for a bonus of $200 an 
acre and one-eighth royalty, the entire 214 
acres of the McCljononds farm, the owner 
reserving the Cooper lease and fourteen 
acres around the farm buildings. On the 
first of June Mr. Kearns also leased on 
the same terms 204 acres of the Saml. L. 
Riddle farm, the owner reserving the Coo- 
per lease and ten acres about the farm 
buildings. At this time oil was selling at 
$4 a barrel, and there was a fierce compe- 
tition among the operators for the McCiy- 



176 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



monds farm. This was finally compro- 
mised on June 18, 1872, when McClymonds 
sold his farm for $60,000, reserving his 
farm buildings and the surface of four- 
teen acres. The purchasers were 0. G. 
Emery, "Dune" Kearns, William Thomp- 
son, William Parker, and John H. Haines. 
Soon after a town sprung up which was 
named Karns City in honor of "Dune" 
Karns, who was at that time the largest 
individual operator in the Butler County 
field. He was also the promoter of the 
Parker and Karns City Railroad, and in- 
teicstcd in a number of the pipe lines that 
were laid from the Butler County field to 
the Allcglienj' river. Within the year 
Fairview Township had three booming oil 
towns. They were Petrolia, Karns City, 
and Fairview. 

GKEECE CITY. 

The Morrison well on the S. S. Jamison 
farm in Concord Township came in Au- 
gust 22, 1872, and started to flow at the 
rate of about 700 barrels a day. Within a 
few hours, however, the rig caught fire and 
about 200 barrels of oil were consumed be- 
fore the well was under control. The yield 
soon dropped to 300 barrels, then to 200, 
and in the latter jiart of August the well 
was producing only 150 barrels a day. This 
well was believed to be the third sand when 
it was first struck, but later development 
proved it to be the first fourth sand well 
developed in Butler County. Greece City 
sprung up as if by magic, and in the fall 
of 1872 the surrounding country was dot- 
ted with derricks and drilling wells and a 
number of gushers were brought in during 
the winter. The field proved freakish, 
however, and the wells soon became ex- 
hausted. The Oil Man's Journal of Au- 
gust 31, 1872, referring to the large strike 
at Greece City, recognized the fact that the 
theories of "Uncle Jake" Ziegler concern- 
ing the oil regions of Butler County were 
correct, and that the Morrison well should 



be regarded as the beginning of Butler 
Coimty's new oil development. 

TROUTMAN FARM. 

The beginning of the developments on -the 
Troutman farm and Modoc city was in 
March, 1873, when a fourth sand well was 
tapped. In regard to the discovery of the 
fourth sand, Hon. A. L. Campbell, who was 
one of the largest operators in the terri- 
tory, and who was a life-long resident of 
Petrolia, made the following statement in 
a letter published in 1894 : 

" In the latter part of the summer of 187H Foster 
Hinrlman, William Banks, Charles C. Stewart, and John 
H. Gailey drilled a well on the Scott heirs farm near 
the corner of McEleer and .1. B. Campbell farms west 
of Karns City, and when deep enough as they thought, 
there was but little show of oil. Tack, Morehead and 
Company had finished No. 1 McEleer nearby where I 
was superintendent of the farm and part owner, and 
had kept a record of the strata as the well progressed. 
Charles C. Stewart was around frequently when I took 
samples of the stratas, and he claimed that in their 
well tbey did not finish in the same sand as we had in 
McEleer No. 1, which showed for a fair producer. 
Gailey and Company concluded they were down and 
dry, all agreeing to that opinion except Mr. Stewart, 
and on a proposition to drill the well deeper Mr. Gailey 
refused to pay any more expense. Stewart and Banks 
came to my office at Argyle with their measurements 
and consulted my register and the samples I had taken 
at No. 1 McEleer. From the calculations and investiga- 
tions made that day it was decided their well was 
not deep enough. Drilling was begun again, and before 
oil was obtained all tlic .iili.-r-. li;i.l s..l.l tlicir interests 

to Stewart. After drillint; in s,,i Icptli. sixty-nine 

feet I think, oil was shu,!. m irhul nfh Kcards was 
called the fourth sand. AVi-i .if ilii^. kv]\ a short 
distance we were drilling No. 'J McI^Icct. :iii(I soon were 
finished in the fourth sand. W.^ thru piillid „ut No. 1 
McEleer and drilled her down. W'l ii:ii.l ifioii to each 
of our men to say nothing about Uic fmirtli sand, but 
it was not many days until Mr. Jennings and all others 
in the neighborhood began drilling their wells deeper. 
The man that first risked his money in the enterprise 
is entitled to the credit, and he was Charles C. Stewart, 
now of Brady Township, Butler County, I believe. ' ' 

Since the publication of the above, Mr. 
Stewart and Mr. Campbell have died. 
There may be honest differences of opin- 
ion as to whom credit is due for the discov- 
erj^ and first development of this sand, but 
there can be no conflict as to the wonder- 
ful influence they had in stimulating the 
oil business. The fourth sand fever raged 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



177 



tliroughout tlie eiitire di.striot affected, and 
nearly every operator hurried on the work 
of deepening his old wellss and drilling new 
ones. Around Petrolia, Karns City, Trout- 
man, Modoc and Greece City, the excite- 
ment continued to grow and there were 
periiaps never so many large wells struck 
in so short a period in a limited area in 
the historj' of the oil industry. During 
tlie autumn of 1873 and the year of 1874 
wells ranging from 100 to 4,000 barrels a 
day were reported in quick succession. 

The first well in Washington Township 
was developed contemporaneously with the 
first at Greece City. Three montlis after 
striking the sand the owners tubed it when 
it yielded seven barrels a day. One hun- 
dred and fifty rods southwest of the old 
well another well was drilled into a closer 
sand which pi'oduced five barrels per day 
for nearly two years. On the David Shira 
farm east of the Rumbaugh, James Frazier 
and James iNIonroe struck a four-barrel 
well. A. Sheidemantle drilled a well on 
the Alfred Shira farm and other parties 
drilled on the Alexander Clark and on the 
D. F. Campbell farms. These were the 
pioneer development in the oil fields of 
this township, which in later years pro- 
duced some of the largest wells in the 
Speechley district. 

The forerunner of the oil developments 
in Forward Township was the Evans well 
wliich was drilled in 1872 aliout 2,(100 feet 
above Buhl's bridge on Connoquenessing 
Creek. This well was drilled to a depth 
of 62fi feet when it was abandoned. The 
well on the Denny lands in Winfield Town- 
ship was drilled in November, 1872, when 
a flow of gas was struck. David Morrison, 
Curtis Jamison, Daniel Denny and Will- 
iam Stewart were the projectors and own- 
ers of this well. 

Several wells were drilled in the vicinity 
of Millerstown in the fall of 1872. The 
Preston McKinney well drilled to a depth 
of 1,600 feet was dry, while the Lincoln 
well on the McClymonds farm, tlie Carpen- 



ter brothers' well and the Brown and 
Stoughten well on the W. C. Adams farm, 
a^well on the Banks farm, and Preston and 
Xesbit's well on the Smith farm, were 
small producers. 

Dr. Findley, Wm. Yeates, Thomas Con- 
uell, Sr., Dr. Taylor and E. S. Golden and 
others, composing the Euresco Oil Com- 
pany, l)egaii oil (Icveloinuents on the Peter 
Millei- farm soutlieast of Petrolia and on 
the McGarvey farm in December, 1872. Be- 
fore the close of the year a well was drilled 
on the Boyd farm in Clearfield Township 
and one on the Stephen McCue farm across 
the line in Armstrong County. Before the 
close of the year a well had been completed 
on the Storey far-m one mile east of Bueua 
Vista, and other wells had been completed 
on the Jamison farm and in Fairview 
Township. 

J'n January, 187o, a well was drilled at 
Bonny Brook in Summit Township to a 
depth of 1,040 feet, when a heavy flow of 
salt water was struck. Interest in the 
Petrolia field was stimulated by a 500-bar- 
rel gusher on the J. B. Campbell farm, and 
on the P)laney farm near Argyle there were 
nine i>r()ducing wells. The Spider well be- 
tween Petrolia and Fairview was drilled in 
February, 1873, and produced 150 barrels, 
and the Karns well forty rods east of 
Karns City came in at 140 barrels. 

H. Jj. Taylor & Company who began op- 
ciation in Butler County in 1871 and 
owned 300 wells, among them being the 
■'Ross," which produced 2,000 barrels a 
day. sold their forty producers in the Pe- 
trolia, Millerstown and Karns Citv fieldx 
in 1874 for $100,000. 

The old Divener well of 1873 which 
yielded 1,400 barrels a day at the beginning 
and 700 barrels for a long period was the 
cause of the iNIillerstown stampede. 

Tn February, 1873, Berg and Lambing 
drilled a well on Bonny Brook in Summit 
Township to a depth of 1,500 feet without 
striking oil. The same year the old Rimi 
bangh well two miles northwest of North 



178 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



ington, was drilled in March, and oil 
)und at 1,265 to 1,365 feet. This well 



Washii 
was found 

produced seven barrels a day for a long 
time but the expense of freighting the prod- 
uct to Parker ate up all of the profits, and 
the well was abandoned after it had been 
drilled to a depth of 1,690 feet. In 1876 
or 1877 Trumbull and Croll drilled a well 
west of the old Rumbaugh well on the same 
fai-m, and got a four barrel producer, 
which was a profitable investment at that 
time. Other wells were drilled along the 
south branch of the Slippery Rock Creek 
but without results. 

MILLERSTOWN FIELD. 

The famous Millerstown district, in Don- 
egal Township, was opened in April, 1873, 
when A. W. MeCollough, A. L. Campbell, 
and Charles Heweus drilled the Shreve 
well on the Adam Stewart farm. The con- 
tractors of this well were Kingsley and 
Shreve, and it was for one of the drillers 
that the well was named. The Shreve well 
was a good example of how fortunes are 
sometimes missed in the oil country. The 
work of grading for the foundations for 
the derrick was commenced in the winter 
time, and the first location was near a 
spring on a hillside. Someone familiar 
with the local conditions suggested to the 
owners of the well that they had chosen a 
bad location to drill in the winter time, as 
the spring from which they expected to get 
water for their boilers always froze up 
and went dry. Acting on this suggestion 
the location was changed to lower ground 
along the bank of the run where there was 
plenty of water close to the well. This well 
came in for eighty-five barrels, and of 
course the owners felt well repaid for their 
trouble. The following summer other par- 
ties secured a lease and drilled on the first 
location made for the Shreve well, and to 
the utter amazement of everybody in the 
district the well came in for 1,200 barrels 
per day. Like the famous Col. Sellers, the 



owners of the Shreve well had a million 
in sight and didn't know it. 

The Shreve well was the pioneer of that 
district and to it must be credited the be- 
ginning of the Millerstown field. This well 
was followed by the McFarland & Com- 
pany well on the Thorn farm, Parker, 
Thompson & Company on the Barnhart, 
and James M. Lambing on the Forquer 
farm. South of the village were the Green 
wells on the Johnson tract, the Gillespie 
wells operated by J. Birchfield, the Hemp- 
hill tract operated by McKinney, Gailey 
& Company, and the Egbert lease on the 
Widow Hemphill farm controlled by Duffy, 
McCandless, Stoughton and others. All 
these wells tended to change Millerstown 
from a wayside village into a bustling oil 
town, and inside of a year it had a popu- 
lation of four or five thousand people. 

The same year Hart and Konkle drilled 
a well near the old distillery on the Mc- 
Candless farm about half a mile northwest 
of Butler. It proved to be a heavy gas 
well, but had no oil. The owners of this 
well offered to sell it to Col. Thompson 
and others of Butler for the price of the 
casing, but the offer was refused. 

The Zeigler and Mylert well at Greece 
City was struck in the third sand on June 
7, 1873, and immediately began to flow oil 
and gas. The gas caught fire from the 
boilers and the flames caught two work- 
men — James Wherry and James Crowley 
— who received fatal burns. 

The Meade wells on the Neu farm in the 
southwest corner of Donegal Township, 
were drilled in 1875 to an average depth 
of 1,565 feet. The Bulger well on the same 
farm was drilled the same year and 
reached the third sand at 1,555 feet. The 
extension of the Millerstown field south 
and the striking of these wells gave rise to 
the booming oil town of St. Joe. Plum- 
mer, three miles west of Millerstown ; Dan- 
ville, a mile from St. Joe, and Greer, a 
postoffice named for North Oakland Sta- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



179 



tion ou the Narrow Gauge railroad, were 
oil towns that developed from the Millers- 
town field. 

A well drilled on the McClymonds farm 
December 4, 1875, for Mattison and Mc- 
Donald struck the third sand at 1,390 feet 
and produced an amber green colored oil 
at the rate of seventy-five barrels per day. 
This well was opened 1,244 feet above 
ocean level. The fourth sand was found in 
this well at 1,490 feet, or 246 feet below(?) 
ocean level. 

The three Woodward wells ou the Mc- 
Clymonds farm were drilled in 1875 for 
George G. Stage, J. R. Woodward and 
James Shakeley. One of these wells 
yielded 1,900 barrels a day at the start, 
and the others were good producers. The 
Carbon Center field, south of St. Joe, was 
developed in 1875, when the Forcht No. 1 
came in at 100 barrels a day. 

The Gibson and Ecock well on the Pron- 
siuger farm was opened about 1,382 feet 
above ocean level and struck a fifteen foot 
bed of limestone at a depth of 285 feet. 
The mountain sand was reached at 568 
feet, the first sand at 825 feet, the second 
sand at 1,160 feet, and oil sand i-ock at 
1,402 feet. The drill penetrated the oil 
sand rock sixteen feet, bringing the explo- 
ration to 1,418 feet, or 36 feet below ocean 
level. 

Two miles northwest of Parker in Al- 
legheny Township the Coliunbia Oil Com- 
pany completed a well on the Reddick 
farm January 10, 1876. At 1,277 feet the 
drill struck a pocket and dropped to 1,280 
feet. The elevation of this farm is 1,485 
feet above the ocean, while the third sand 
was found at a depth of 1,250 feet, extend- 
ing twenty feet from the soap-stone to the 
slate beds beneath. This well yielded fif- 
teen barrels per day for some months, but 
decreased to three and one-half barrels in 
August, 1876. 

Tlie centennial year witnessed a crude 
oil advance from $1.55 a barrel to $4. It 
also witnessed the market threatened by 



the striking of a 125 barrel well near 
Greece City, and beheld the consolidation 
of oil-refining interests and pipe lines and 
activity in every part of the field. During 
the year 1877 there were 1,002 wells drilled 
in the Butler-Armstrong field, while 171 
dry holes were struck, the total production 
being 9,904 barrels per day. 

The Eastern Belt theory was developed 
in 1878 by the completion of a well on the 
Mrs. Kaylor farm near the east line of 
Fairview Township, by George H. Graham 
and Samuel Banks. This well was known 
as the "Ghost," and while its owners sold 
it for a good price the buyers made a poor 
bargain. The Eastern Belt theory gave 
rise to the oil town of Kaylor City, which 
is just over the line in Armstrong County. 

Venango Township came in for an ex- 
ploration in 1878 by the drilling of the 
Prentice well on the James Higglns farm 
Tiear the second coal bank. This well \^as 
drilled to a depth of 1,600 feet and pumped 
a small quantity of oil, but not sufficient 
to pay expenses. Forty feet below the 
level of the coal bank a thick bed of lime- 
stone was struck in this well. 

The pioneer well in the Six Points 
neighborhood in Allegheny Township was 
drilled on the Chambers land two miles 
east of the village in 1871. No oil was ob- 
tained in this well. In 1877-78 a number 
of wells were drilled to the third sand, 
which was reached at a depth of 1,200 feet 
below the ferriferous limestone. A moun- 
tain sand two hundred feet deep resting 
on twenty-five feet of loose grain salt- 
water rock was discovered in these wells. 
The oil produced by the fifty-foot was 
lighter in color but of a greater gravity 
than that produced by the third sand. 

THE BALD KTOGE DISTRICT. 

After the drilling and operation of tlie 
extensive oil belt reaching from Parker's 
Landing to St. Joe south of Millerstown 
ceased, Butler County was practically neg- 
lected by the oil scouts who had all moved 



ISO 



HISTOKV OF BUTLEK (JOUNTY 



U, til.- Iini.lf..nl li.'l.l. 'riK' IJnia Wi.li;t" dis- 
trict .soiithwfst of DiitU-r liad its iiu-t'iitinii 
in July, 1880, when Keiber aiid Husseltoii 
of Butler leased 780 acies in Penn and 
Foi'wjjvd Townships, and started to drill 
a well at the iiiterseetioii of the Angel 
Iwentv-two and a half dej^iee line on the 
ilohert M(d<.'c lanii and the (Jreece City 
line near l'>ald liidgc, now l{<'nfrew. W. 
('. Neelv (ontraclcd t.. diiil the in-oposed 
well at $1.<M» per fool and hold one-fonvth 
of the i|;3,250 of stock. Owing to the 
scarcity of water the location was cliauged 
to a ])oint on the Sniitli farm 1,100 feet 
south and drilling was counnenced Sep- 
tember 1, 1880. Oil was struck at 1,620 
feet, but the drilling was continued to the 
depth of 1,750 feet,"and the work was fin- 
ished at a six-barrel well March 8, 1881. 

In April, 1881, the Bald Bidge Oil Com- 
pany was incorporated, the stated capital 
being $16,000. No. 2 well was commence.! 
in .June, 1881, and completed the 1st of 
October. After being shot it made sixteen 
1)arrels. No. 3 was drilled on the Crowe 
farm in B"'orward Township in November, 

1881, and the same month Simeox and 
Myers began drilling a well on the Hamill 
farm. This well was completed March 20. 

1882, and came in for 100 barrels. Up to 
December 19, 1883, forty-seven wells were 
drilled in this field of which thirty-seven 
were producing 642 1)arrels a day. 

Early in 1882 the ^IcCalmont farm at 
McCalmont station north of Eenfrew was 
purchased by Agnew and Egbert for $104,- 
000. This farm contained 1,110 acres and 
I)roved to be one of the most valuable 
tracts in tlie Bald Ridge district. The For- 
rest Oil Company purchased a tract from 
Simeox and Myers, A. Sheideraautle com- 
pleted a well on tlie Webber farm in 1882, 
and Yeagle and Campbell completed a well 
(m the Smith farm in August, 1883. 

The Bald Ridge Oil and Transportation 
Company was cliartered May 24, 1881, the 
charter being signed by Governor Hoyt 
;ind Secietai'v (Mav. The capital stock, 



$10,1 KM I. \\:is <livided into 320 shares of $50 
each, all of which were held bv J. D. Mc- 
.lunkin. .loiin S. Campbell, Ferd Reiber, S. 
11. r.'arsol. W. 1). Brandon, W. H. Hoif- 
man. W . II. Kitter„R. P. Scott, (I. W. Flee 
ger, .lolm X. Patterson, D. A. Heck, H. A. 
krug, Jr.. (leorge Krug. Henrv Bauer, 
Philip I'.iuier, and B. C. Iluseltoii, M. Rei- 
hci-. Sr., Harvey (,'olhert, Henry Kitenrail- 
ler. Simon ^■etter, .lacoh Reiber, and J. A. 
1 l.iw'k. O. I ). Thompson, 11. L. Westermann, 
and \V. C. Neely. In August, 1882, the 
compan>- sold their leases and equipment 
to Phillips Brotliers for $160,000. After 
this sale a jiipe line was extended south 
of Petrolia to the new field, and the coun- 
try from Reibold Station to Butler was 
invaded by sju'culators seeking leases of 
land. About the time that the Bald Ridge 
Oil & Transportation Company made their 
sale to Phillips Brothers another sale was 
made in which Simeox and Myers dispjosed 
of a half interest in their Bald Ridge leases 
fo]- $75,000 to the Forrest Oil Company 
and Richard Jennings & Son. This field 
may be said to have been really opened in 
the fall of 1881 by the Simeox" and Myers 
100-barrel well and the Sheidemantle 600- 
l)arrel well. Previous to that time the well 
that had been drilled were southwest of 
the town of Renfrew. The Phillips Broth- 
ers also secured the Wallace faim and be 
gan drilling on it in December. 1SS2, and 
developed one of the most valuable farms 
in the district outside of the McCalmont 
tract. 

In March, 1882, John Johnson of Tem 
pleton, sold seventy acres of land at the 
junction of the Butler Branch of the Pitts 
'burg & Western Railroad at Butler for $6, 
000," the purchasers intending to establish 
a town at that point and drill for oil. Th<' 
entei-prise proved to be a failure. 

Early in the spring of 1882 the drillei-s 
on the Stewart farm in Winfield Township 
struck the greatest gas vein discovered in 
the county down to that time, and in the 
fall of 18*82 wells were completed on the 



AND REPRESENT ATI \^E CITIZENS 



181 



W. Bruwu farm and the Maliood lanus in 
the Bakl Ridge district. The well ou the 
Webber farm near Evans Citj' yielded over 
2,000 barrels in twelve days ending August 
9, 1882, and was the opening of a new dis 
trict. 

In December, 1883, the company leased 
2,000 acres in Cranberry and Adams Town 
shij^s adjoining Allegheny County, and 
early in 1884 began drilling near tlie Will 
iani Tliiehnan saw-mill. 

THOKN CKEEK. 

Tlie Thorn Creek field owes its devt'lop 
ment to the foresight of Thomas W. l^hil 
lips, who had operated extensively in what 
is known as the Bullion field in Venango 
County and afterwards in the Troutmau 
district. When the general exodus i)egaii 
to the McKean County oil fields, Mr. Phil 
lips did not join the throng, but remained 
in Butler County. He conceived the idea 
fhat oil in large quantities would be found 
near the Bald Ridge wells and in 1881 be- 
gan leasing on an extensive scale southwest 
of Butler on Conuo(|uenessing and Thorn 
Creek. The first wells drilled were small. 
but the character of the rock in which the\ 
were found confirmed the theory that a 
rich deposit was near and on August IG, 
1884, he was rewarded bj^ striking a well 
on the AVilliamson Bartley farm which 
proved to 1)e the largest well foimd dowu 
to that time. It began producing at the 
rate of forty barrels an hour and was in 
creased by deeper drilling to 180 barrels 
per hour. Its greatest day's production 
was fully 4.000 barrels, and was equal to 
any of the wells struck in the nortliern 
fields of the county. 

The striking of this well caused a staiii 
pede from the upper fields and in a short 
time Thorn Creek was the scene of one of 
the largest excitements since the days of 
^ilillerstown. Extensive operations were 
carried on in this field by Mr. Phillips and 
others and in a few months the ])roductiou 
had reached 16.000 barrels a dav. The 



I'hillii)s gusher attracted attention all over 
the country and special excursion trains 
were run from Pittsburg to the well. 
The Semple, Boyd and Armstrong No. 

5 on the Marshall farm was the next gush- 
er recorded in the county. It was drilled 
through the sand October 25, 1884, but ow 
ing to the quantity of salt water present it 
made no show of oil. The owners of the 
well though not ex])ecting much from this 
pa it of the field, refused an offer for their 
well from Mr. Philliits and proceeded to 
luive it shot as the final act in the drama 
in which they expected to lose a lot of 
luoney. When the well was shot it began 
to flow at the rate of 400 to 500 barrels 
per hour and the lack of faith on the part 
of the owners in not putting up tankage 
was punished by the loss of over 2,500 bar 
rels of oil. It is said that at one time dur- 
ing the day the well flowed at least 500 
barrels an hour or 12,000 barrels a day. 
It was by all odds the "Jumbo" of wells 
in the Pennsylvania oil field. A correct 
gauge of this well was never obtained, but 
it is said that the pi]>c line ronipany al- 
lowed the owners credit for Ki.ddii barrels 
of oil per day. It gradually decreased and 
in a short time fell to the 500-barrel level 
and from that point it decreased still lower 
to a small pumper. The well has long since 
been abandoned. The shooting of this well 
was one of the phenomenal sights of the 
oil country, and is described in the chapter 
devoted to nitro-glycerine and torpedoes. 

In November, 1884, following the Ann- 
strong No. 2 on the Marshall farm, Phillips 
Brothers were drilling six new wells on 
the Bartley and Dodds farms. Christie 
brothers had eight wells and other oper- 
ators iTi the field were Boyd and Semple, 
Conner and Fishel, Greenlee & Company, 
Gibson & Company, Fisher brothers, Boyd 

6 Company, Lappe & Company and a host 
of small operators were hovering around 
the outer edges of the pool. In I)ecember 
there were twenty-four wells completed, 
including three dry ones, on the Wallace, 



182 



IJSTOKY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Marshall, Bartley, Dodds, Henderson, 
Brown and Webber farms, while twenty- 
nine new wells were cniiuiu'm'ed on these 
farms and on the Patterson, McCandless, 
McCormick, Kennedy, and adjoining lands. 
The Fisher Oil Company began operations 
on the McJunkin farm east of Butler, C. 
Eliasou on the Leibler farm in Butler 
Township, and Showalter and Hartman 
near the old fair ground southwest of the 
borough of Butler. 

The second well of importance struck on 
the Bartley farm reached the fourth sand 
October 11, 1884, and began to flow at the 
rate of forty barrels an hour. On the 13th 
the well was drilled deeper and made 150 
barrels, and on the following day it was 
yielding 250 barrels an hour, or at the rate 
of 6,000 barrels a day. The owners of this 
well were Henderson W., Calvin G., and 
Thomas (j. Christie, of Butler, who had 
leased twenty-eight or thirty acres adjoin- 
ing the great oil lease of the Phillips 
brothers. This was the largest strike of 
the district until the Armstrong No. 2 
which came in about ten days later. 

The famous McBride well in the Bold 
Kidge field was shot December 12, 1884, 
when a flow of 200 barrels an hour fol- 
lowed the torpedo. Before the close of the 
month the Producers' Association pur- 
chased the leases, wells and equipments of 
McBride and Campbell, Christie brothers 
and Phillips and Simpson. 

The summer of 3884 brought in another 
field in Butler County when the Grand- 
mother well was completed for Bolard, 
Greenlee and Smith, one mile west of Sax- 
onburg. This well became a great gusher 
and was the foundation of Golden City. 
The fields about Saxonburg and Jefferson 
Center were developed later. 

In 1885, owing to the uncertainties of 
the oil field, the once busy towns of Philip 
City and McBride City in Penn Township 
fell into decay, and Hooks City in Parker 
township began to boom. Philips City 
sprang up after the striking of the first 



Phillips well in the Thorn Creek field in 
August, 1884, and flourished for over a 
year. The striking of the McBride well on 
the Plank Road on Thorn Creek gave rise 
to McBride City which was named in honor 
of the owner of the well. Philip City has 
long since passed into oblivion and the 
building of the Bessemer Railroad up the 
valley of Thorn Creek rescued McBride 
City from a similar fate. It is now a sta- 
tion on the railroad. 

In the spring of 1885 Hooks brothers 
drilled a well on the Kelly farm in Parker 
Township and found oil in the boulder 
rock. The well was torpedoed and became 
a 100-barrel producer. In August of that 
year there were fourteen producing wells 
at Hooks City yielding 500 barrels, and a 
flourishing little town had sprung up in the 
vicinity of the first well. At the close of 
September, 1885, the Ott farm east of Mil- 
•lerstown was the most active place in that 
field where Westerman & Company had 
brought in a 100-barrel producer. Owen 
Brady was operating the same year south- 
east of Millerstown, and Joseph Hartman 
was operating on the O'Brien farm. 

One of the freaks in the Thorn Ci'eek 
field was developed on the Mangel farm 
on May 17, 1885, when Conners and Fishel 
completed a well, without any show of oil. 
The well was then cased to shut off the 
salt water and rigged up for pumping and 
for several days a steady stream of salt 
water was pumped. On the 21st of May 
oil began to flow at intervals through the 
casing, and shortly after a flow of sixty 
barrels per hour was recorded. It became 
a 1,000-barrel well and was one of the larg- 
est struck that year. 

In June, 1885, there were 147 producing 
wells in the Thorn Creek field, many of 
which were pumping from ninety to 120 
barrels a day. The Armstrong No. 1 was 
yielding about 1,000 barrels a month, and 
at the close of July the production of the 
entire field had decreased to 2,800 barrels 
a day. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



183 



The Midnight Mystery was drilled in 
September, 1885, by the Leideckers of But- 
ler in Winiield Township. The well was 
worked as a mystery and for twenty-one 
days the oil scouts could not learn whether 
the new well was a gusher or a dry hole. 
The well was completed on September 10th 
and a week later it yielded thirty-five bar- 
rels in nineteen minutes. Many tracts 
were leased in the new field and extraor- 
dinary prices paid which did not justify 
the operators. 

In November, 1885, a well was drilled in 
Middlesex Township for Dr. McCandless, 
Charles Neely and others, which was a 
small producer, and in the same month the 
Pittsburg Producers Company completed 
a well on the John Balfour farm in Adams 
Township west of Mars, which began to 
flow at a depth of 1,400 feet. This well 
was the inception of an extensive field that 
was developed west of Mars in Adams and 
Cranberry Townships and extending al- 
most to Hendersonville. 

During 1885 efforts were made to ex- 
tend the Butler County fields in Brady 
Township where a well was drilled on the 
William Mayer farm near West Liberty to 
a depth of 1,400 feet. No oil was obtained, 
but the well produced a small supply of 
gas. Early in 1886 Sincox and Myers, 
who were among the first operators in the 
Bald Ridge district, leased a tract of 1,000 
acres in Center Township, and drilled a 
well on the John Byers farm. This well 
proved a failure and the leases were aban- 
doned. 

The Jefferson Township field was devel- 
oped in May, 1886, by the Extension Oil 
Companv, which was composed of R. B. 
Taylor, 0. K. Waldron, Loyal S. Mcjun- 
kin, W. P. Roessing, J. A. McMarlin, and 
others, who drilled a well on the W. J. 
Welsli farm. This well produced 100 bar- 
rels a day for a short period and was the 
beginning of later developments which ex- 
tended over a wide area in that township. 



THORN CREEK EXTENSION. 

Thinking that the belt from Thorn Creek 
would extend nearly east and west, Thomas 
W\ Phillips, who opened up this field, leased 
a large body of land embracing about 15,- 
000 acres extending east to the Armstrong- 
County line, and drilled wells to test his 
theory. Small wells were obtained in a 
number of tests, but no outlet was found 
for the Thorn Creek belt. Retaining this 
body of leases when the Thorn Creek field 
began to wane, Mr. Phillips returned and 
looked for a southwest extension of the 
field in August, 1886. The first well was 
struck on the Critchlow farm in that month 
which produced 120 barrels a day, and 
opened up the Glade Run field. This field 
increased in richness towards the south- 
west, and in 1887 Mr. Phillips struck a 
number of wells producing over 100 barrels 
per hour. His largest month's production 
in this field averaged about 6,000 barrels 
per day and his production that year from 
this and other fields reached 1,100,000 bar- 
rels, notwithstanding the fact that half of 
liis production was shut in for the last two 
months of the year. The number of his 
wells in the Thorn Creek field and exten- 
sion numbered 125, while he held 7,500 
acres in leases. He sold this production and 
leases in June, 1890, and then turned liis 
attention to the development of the leases 
which he retained east of Thorn Creek. In 
that year he obtained paying wells in Jef- 
ferson Township, and in January, 1891, 
struck the Fisher farm well north of Jef- 
ferson Center, which flowed 135 barrels an 
hour. In July, 1892, he struck a well on 
the Wolf farm which started flowing at 
forty barrels an hour and increased to 125 
when drilled deeper. The following month 
he drilled on the Barr farm adjoining, and 
got a well that produced fifty barrels an 
hour. In June, 1893, he struck a well on 
the Eichenlaub farm near Herman Sta- 
tion, which produced forty barrels an hour, 
and opened up the Herman field. 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



liLAKK I;L'N I'iKLli. 

Tliis tieid may be said to have beeu 
opened in 1886, as a southwest extension of 
the Thorn Creek fiekl when the 125-barrel 
well on the Critchlow farm was completed 
by Mr. Phillips. The Phillips interests 
were bought in 1890 by the Southern Oil 
Coiiijiany, and the district became a verit- 
able oil center for several years. Wells 
were drilled on the Critchlow, Spithaler, 
Hyde, Markel, Widow Croft, and other 
farms, some of which produced over 100 
barrels per hour, and many of them 350 
bai-rels a day. 

KKIBOLD riELD. 

'I'he Keibold tield came into prominence 
in September, 1887, when the Beam well 
No. 6 was drilled into the sand. About the 
middle of the afternoon of September 14, 
the well yielded ten barrels an hour when 
the drill was twenty-four feet in the sand, 
six barrels of which came from the one 
luiiidred-foot. At three o'clock a flow of 
iL'ii barrels was recorded, and five minutes 
later the force of the flow was so strong 
that it lifted the tools in tlie hole imtil the 
temper-screw struck the walking-beam. 
When completed the well flowed 140 bar- 
rels an hour. This well was about 600 feet 
west of No. 5, drilled by the same company, 
which was producing eighty-five barrels an 
hour when No. (i was coinmeiiced. Other 
|)roducing wells in this district at that time 
were Peifl'er No. 2, Coast and Company 
No. 2, Root and Johnson No. 4 and 5. and 
the Phillips wells, and the total production 
of the field was about 9,000 barrels a day. 

The development on the Henry Lonitz 
farm one and one-half miles west of Sax- 
ouluirg in October. 1887, was one of the 
surprises of the oil field. Bolard, Smith 
aii<l Greenlee completed a well September 
1, which produced sixty barrels per day. 
Golden and McBride's well yielded 200 
barrels in October, and then Bolard, Smith 
and Greenlee's No. 2 came in with a gusher 



producing 2,500 barrels a day, at a depth 
of 1,767 feet. 

The extension of the development up 
Glade Run began in 1887, and the first 
wells were obtained on the Nancy Adams 
farm that year. These wells were obtained 
in the Hundred-Foot, and were the first 
demonstrations of how to handle water 
wells in connection with oil. 

The "Mystery" well on the H. D. 
Thompson farm in Center Township was 
drilled in June, 1887, and attracted much 
attention for some time. The well was 
drilled by Albert and Morrison, and a 
show of oil was obtained, but the hopes of 
its promoters that a new field would be 
(le\-((loped were never realized. 

THE HUNDREO-IOOT DISTKICT. 

What is known as the " Hundred- Foot" 
field in Connoquenessing Township was 
opened in the spring of 1889, when John A. 
Steele drilled the first well on the Irvine 
.Vnderson farm on Connociuenessing Creek. 
This well in-oved to be a good producer. 
Acting ou the theory that the field extend- 
ed in the direction of Little Connoquenes- 
sing Creek, Steele employed Leslie P. Haz- 
lett, Escj., to take up a tract of land in the 
vicinity of Graham schoolhouse near the 
White Oak Springs Church. Hazlett 
leased a block 800 acres, one of the con- 
siderations being that the first well should 
be drilled within half a mile of the school- 
house. This well was drilled on the W. M. 
Humphrey farm by Mr. Steele, and came 
in for a])Out 500 barrels a day in the Hun- 
di-ed-Foot sand. This well opened up one 
of the most prolific Hundred-Foot fields in 
the county. Operators flocked to the field, 
and in a short time hundreds of wells were 
drilled on the Humphrey, John Brandon. 
Thomas Graham, Hiram Graham, Knaiiff, 
Amberson and Tj. P. Hazlett farms, many 
of which produced from 500 to 900 barrels 
a day. One of the most^valuable farms in 
the district was the Peter Eader, which 
produced over 1,000,000 barrels of oil. The 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



185 



Humphrey farai produced approximately 
the same amount, and the farms next in 
importance were the Brandon and Haz- 
lett. The field extended from the Ander- 
son farm along Big Creek to the mouth of 
Little Connoquenessmg, and up the Little 
Connoquenessing to tlie Graham school- 
house. The field was at its height during 
the summer of 1890, and the following win- 
ter, but the wells declined rapidly, and in 
the course of four or five years the terri- 
tory was practically abandoned. Opera- 
tions have been carried on on a small scale, 
and some small wells obtained in the 
search for an extension of the field, but 
no large wells have been struck in the dis- 
trict witliin recent years. 

BKOWXSDALE ANU (^OOPERSTOWN. 

The principal developments in Butler 
County in 1892 were confined to Jefferson, 
Cranberry, Lancaster and Penn Town- 
ships. The Brownsdale field in Penn 
Township was opened that year. A 750- 
barrel well was struck in January, 1893, 
on the Johnson fai-m and this was fol- 
lowed by wells on the Anderson, Blair, 
Marsh, Critclilow, Warner, Heckert, S. 
Thompson, and William Thompson farms. 

The Sutton well on the Hemphill farm 
near Zelienople, completed in November, 
1891. was an index to the extension of that 
pool. It yielded twenty-five bands a day 
at tlie start, and the Kiiciss well on the 
Cunningham farm, which came in soon 
aftei", produced four hundred barrels. 

Henshaw and Company drilled a well on 
the Muddy Creek field in November, 1891, 
which yielded forty barrels a day, and was 
then the largest well that had been struck 
in that field. 

In January, 1892, the production of the 
Harmony and Zelieno]ile fields amounted 
to 5,000 barrels a day. with twenty-one 
strings of tools running and eight new rigs 
building. The pi-incipal operations at that 
time were on the O'Donnel. five miles 
southwest of Zelienople. on the Knauff and 



Cunningham farms on whilt is known as 
the Island, on the Home farm, on the Fan- 
ker farm. In what is specifically known 
as the Harmony field. Golden and Com- 
pany had drilled their No. 3 on the Shiever 
farm, and struck a 400-barrel producer, 
wliile their No. 2 on the same farm was 
showing up at the rate of 250 barrels a 
daj'. The Eicholtz farm was the scene of 
operations by the Evans City Oil Company 
and the Kennedy Company. 

Another pool was opened in 1893 south 
of Evans City on the R. J. Conelly farm 
in Adams Township. In September of 
that year a well that had been drilled on 
this farm in 1890 and abandoned, was 
cleaned out for Burk and Company and 
started pumping. Gibson and Gahagan 
drilled a well on the Robert Anderson 
farm through the hundred foot to a lower 
sand, but without success. A dry hole was 
drilled on the Wagner farm in the Browns- 
dale field in the same vear, while a number 
of wells drilled by T." W. Phillips & Com- 
pany in the McCalmont district proved to 
be fair producers. In the Washington 
Townslii]) field new wells were drilled on 
the Alexandei- Bell, R. 0. Shira, Geo. 
Meals and Sanmel Shira farms. An ex- 
tension of the Petersville district was also 
worked that year by the Forest Oil Com- 
pany, and the same concern was engaged 
in operations at Mars Station. A well 
drilled on the Reiber farm, and the Reiber 
and Bradner well on the Knauff lands 
northwest of the Thompson farm, were 
fair producers. 

In 1893 operations were revived in the 
old Greece City district by the Grocer's 
Oil Co., Stewart & Co., and Matthew Bow- 
ers, who found fair producers on the San- 
derson and Clymer farms east of the old 
town of Greece City. An attempt to find 
a northern outlet for the hundred foot was 
made by Charles Hazlett, who drilled a 
well on the Jacob Shiever farm near 
Wliitestown without success. P. C. Fred- 
erick struck a fair producer the saine year 



186 



HISTORY OF BIITLEK COUNTY 



iu tlie viciuity ol" Jlendersonville in Cran- 
berry Township, and wells were found on 
the Byers farm, and on the Pontius farm 
east of Chicora. The Tebay well near 
North Washington and two miles in ad- 
vance of developments, was completed iu 
December, 1893, and proved a paying one. 
Other successful ventures of the same year 
was Purviance & Company's well on the 
Shorts farm in Connoquenessing Town 
ship. The Phillips Company's wells on the 
Eichenlaub and Oertell farms at Herman 
Station, and the well on the William Pol- 
hemus farm in Center Township. 

The Brownsdale field in the Hundred- 
Foot district proved to be one of the best 
producing territories of the last decade of 
the century, and took its name from the 
hamlet of Brownsdale. Its developments 
to the southeast and the successful out- 
come of the Reiber and Bradner ventures 
in Middlesex Township in 1893-4 brought 
the territory into wide prominence, and 
was the means of developing the Coopers- 
town field, which occupied the attention of 
producers until 1898. The Cooperstown 
field was the direct result of a long and 
continuous effort under very discouraging 
conditions made by Reiber and Bradner, 
and which ended in the striking of a pay- 
ing well on the Knauff farm. In Septem- 
ber, 1894, this firm was offered the sum of 
$250,000 for their holdings, which they re- 
fused. Scores of operators flocked into 
the territory, and the quiet village of 
Cooperstown took on the activity of a 
booming oil town of the early seventies. 
Operations spread into Adams Township, 
and on the east into Clinton Township, 
and the most sanguine anticipations of the 
operators were more than realized. The 
deepest producer in the county was drilled 
in this district on the Campbell heirs' farm 
in Middlesex Township by McJunkin and 
Brandon in January, 1894, to a depth of 
2,005 feet. The drill penetrated the fourth 
sand at this depth and the well started to 
produce 120 barrels per day. 



The same month a well was drilled on 
the widow Brown farm in the Brownsdale 
district to a depth of 2,750 feet, but proved 
a dry hole. At 2,675 feet in this well the 
Speechley sand of the Venango group was 
struck with a show of oil and gas, and the 
led sand was also found for the first time 
ill this field. 

SPEECHLEY FIELD. 

The Cooperstown field was the last of 
tlie large developments in the county up 
to the close of the century, and it was 
predicted that the end of the oil industry, 
so far- as Butler County was concerned, 
was almost in sight. In 1900 the fourth 
sand districts of Concord and Washington 
Townships furnished a genuine surprise 
when a well was struck in Campbell Hol- 
low in the Speechley sand. This was the 
beginning of the Speechley field which in 
the course of four or five years produced 
over 3,000,000 barrels of oil. A rush was 
made for the district by operators, and 
large prices were paid for lands through- 
out the entire district. 

The next pool of importance opened in 
the county was the Spotty McBride well 
in Butler Township in 1905. McBride ob- 
tained a block of 215 acres and drilled a 
well on the Dr. 0. K. Waldron farm which 
turned out to be a 2,500-barrel gusher. 
The field proved to be limited and the 
wells of short duration. Efforts to find a 
northeastern outlet were awarded in 
1907-8 by wells on the Frazier, McCand- 
less, and White farms near Alameda Park 
in Butler Township. These wells are over 
two miles northeast of the McBride gusher. 

The Pennelton field was opened in 1906, 
by the Cowden brothers, of Butler, who 
have produced a number of good wells. 
Nothing phenomenal has been struck in 
the district, but a number of paying wells 
have been brought in by the various oper- 
ators in this field. 

The Petersville pool belongs to the freak 
class and cannot be accounted for bv anv 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



387 



law of oil formation. This field was 
opened in 1906 and continues to produce 
some paying wells, though the territory 
was drilled over in 1889-90 at the time of 
the Little Creek excitement. 

The Muddy Creek field had its inception 
in January, 1908, when the Prospect Gas 
Company drilled a well on the Wallace 
farm northwest of Prospect for gas, and 
was rewarded with a paying oil well. 
Land was taken up rapidly, and large 
bonuses paid for leases, but the field has 
not yet produced any very large wells. 

The Hoffman well on the Dodds farm 
south of Thorn Creek in Penn Township 
came in for 250 barrels a day in May, 
1908, and was the inception of a drilling- 
boom in that locality. The Hoffman well 
was considered a rank wildcat, and the 
lucky strike was the means of booming 
prices for land in that district. Several 
good wells have been ol^tained, but none 
of them have equalled tlie production of 
the first one. The South Penn Oil Com- 
pany, The Phillips Gas & Oil Company, 
Culbertson & McKee. and McColIough & 
Bernard have brought in good wells in the 
district. 

Center Township in the vicinity of 
Oneida Station was the scene of opera- 
tions in the winter of 1907-8 on the 
O'Brien and Hewings farm, but nothing 
has been developed to indicate a very ex 
tensive field. 

THE PIPE LINES. 

In the early days of the oil excitement 
at Titusville and Oil City, the problem 
of storing the production and transport- 
ing it to the markets was a serious one to 
the producer. Most of the production was 
barreled at the well and shipped to Pitts- 
burg on flat-boats or carried elsewhere by 
the railroad, and thousands of men and 
teams were given employment hauling the 
barreled oil from the wells to the shipping 
point on the Allegheny River and on the 
railroad. When the development reached 



Parkers Landing and the northeast corner 
of Butler County in 1868, the wagon and 
the flat-boat were the only means of trans- 
portation and only two small pipe lines 
were in operation in the upper district at 
Pithole and the Shaffer farm. The story 
of the early pipe line companies, their 
struggles for existence, the consolidation 
of the small lines for the protection of 
their interests, out of which grew up the 
most gigantic trust in the world, is 
familiar history. As Butler County was 
the field of the early beginning of the in- 
dependent pipe line companies, so it 
became the battle-ground in later years of 
the most determined and successful oppo- 
sition that the Standard Oil Company 
have ever met. 

According to the Oil Well Driller, the 
first suggestion of a pipe line as a means 
of carrying oil w«is made by Gen. S. D. 
Kearus in 1860. He proposed to lay a line 
from Buining Spring in West Virginia to 
Parkersburg, a distance of thirty-six miles, 
and carry oil by gravity. This line was 
never built, and it was several years be- 
fore the first pipe line was in operation in 
Pennsylvania. 

The first attempt to start the pipe line 
Imsiuess in Pennsylvania was in 1862, 
when the state legislature attempted to 
pass a bill authorizing the construction 
of a pipe line from Oil City to Kittanning 
on the Allegheny River. This line would 
liave cut the edge of Butler County. 
Strangely enough this bill met with such 
ojiposition from the oil country teamsters 
that its promoters abandoned all attempts 
to pass it at that term of the legislature. 
It was argued against the bill that there 
wei-e four thousand or five thousand team- 
sters employed in the oil country hauling 
oil and that the building of a pipe line 
would ruin their business and impoverish 
their families, and besides, would throw 
many laborers out of employment. 

The credit of building the first pipe line 
in the state belongs to Samuel VanSyckle. 



188 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



who built a line iu 1865 from Pithole to 
the Miller farm near Titusville. This line 
was four miles long, and carried eight 
barrels of oil per day. The construction 
of the line envolved VauSyckle iu debt and 
in 1866 the venture was considered a 
failure. 

In 1866 Ileury Harley constructed a 
pipe line from Benninghoff Run to the 
Shaffer farm. This line met with a fierce 
opposition from the oil country teamsters, 
who blamed Harley for impoverishing 
them and ruiiiiun their business. Violence 
and incendiarism wcil' lesorted to. Har- 
ley 's oil tanks were burned, and his pipe 
line was torn up and disjointed. Harley 
was a man of determination, however, and 
not easily scared. Detectives were set to 
work and in a few weeks twenty men who 
were the leaders of the riot of teamsters 
were lodged in jail in Franklin. This put 
an end to the teamsters' opposition, and 
the pipe line proved a success. 

The first free oil pipe line bill was 
passed by the legislature in 1868 bj^ con- 
sent of Thomas A. Scott, who was at that 
time the "Political Anaconda" of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad. This bill gave the 
right of free pipe lines in eight counties 
of the state, namely : Allegheny, Arm- 
strong, Butler, Clarion, Venango, Craw- 
ford, Warren, and Forest, with the proviso 
that no pipe line should enter the city of 
Pittsburg or Allegheny. The purpose of 
this proviso was to keep the pipe line 
owners from using the Baltimore and Ohio 
Railroad at Pittsburg. 

Following the passage of the free oil 
pipe line bill, S. D. Karns built a line 
from Parker's Landing to the Allegheny 
Valley Railroad on the opposite side of 
the Allegheny River. The same year 
Parker, Thompson & Com))any built a line 
west of the river and the following year 
Fulerton Parker joined Karns under the 
name of The Karns & Parker Pipe Line. 
After about a year of competition the two 



companies combined under the name of 
The Union Pipe Line. 

With the extension of developments into 
the Butler County oil fields other pipe lines 
were organized. The GJrant Line, a com- 
petitor of The Union Pipe Line Company, 
was organized at Pai-ker by Col. D. B. 
Allen and Thomas McConnell. 

The Fairview Pipe Line Company was 
organized in 1872 and built a line from 
Fairview to Karns City in Butler County. 

The Relief Pipe Line Company built a 
line from Karns City and Petrolia to 
Parker's Landing in 1872, and in 1874 and 
1875 the line was extended to Millerstown, 
now Chicora. 

The Butler Pipe Ijine Company con- 
structed a line from the Butler county oil 
field to the loading-racks at Parker's 
Landing in 1872. 

The Cleveland Pipe Line Company was 
organized by S. D. Karns in 1873, and 
constructed a line from Karns City and 
Petrolia to Parker's Landing. 

Vandergrift and Foreman constructed 
a line about the same year into Concord 
Township and the Greece City field. One 
of the com) )eti tors of this line was The 
Mutual Pij.e Line Company organized in 
1871 and doing business in Butler, Arm- 
strong, Clarion and Venango Counties. 

In 1872 the legislature passed a bill re- 
pealing the Scott proviso in the free oil 
pipe line bill of 1868, which allowed pipe 
lines in only eighty counties, and passed a 
new free pipe line bill. The next two or 
three years saw a wonderful development 
in the pipe line business. Short compet- 
ing lines were constructed all over the oil 
field and competing companies waged war 
on each other to the point of cutting rates 
to a figure where they did business at 
a loss. This condition of affairs soon 
worked havoc among the competing pipe 
lines as well as among the producers. All 
of the pipe line companies paid for their 
oil in certificates and the producer was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



189 



often at a loss to know whether the cer- 
tificates were good or not. To make mat- 
ters worse the producer was reduced to 
the choice of taking the certificates or not 
running his oil. The conditions in the 
Butler County field were far from satis- 
factory, and were the causes of many 
financial disasters among the competing 
pipe line companies as well as hardships 
among the producers. This unsatisfac- 
tory state of affairs led to the consolida- 
tion of the interests of the Mutual Pipe 
Line Company and Vandergrift & Fore- 
man, in one united pipe line system. 

The advantages of the consolidation of 
the smaller lines quickly commended itself 
and the organization of The United Pipe 
Line was the first step taken toward estab- 
lishing for all times the question of trans- 
portation of oil by pipe line. 

The United Pipe Line bought or com- 
bined The Warren Pipe Line, The Oil City 
Pipe Line, The Antwerp Line, The Penn- 
sylvania Transportation Company, the 
Clarion Division of the American Trans- 
fer Company, The Prentice Pipe Line, and 
the following lines in Butler Coimtv: The 
Cleveland (Karns), The Union, The Grant, 
The Relief, The Mutual Pipe Line Com- 
pany, Vandergrift & Foreman and the 
Columbia Conduit Company. The latter 
company was organized in 1875, and had 
constructed a line from Pittsburg to the 
oil fields at Millerstown. This was the line 
built by Dr. Hostetter. The United Pipe- 
Line Company conducted the business 
until 18S4, when it was taken over by the 
National Transit Company and became 
part of the Standard Oil Company. 

The Western and Atlantic Pipe Line 
Company began business in 1887 and in 
1888 built loading-racks at Mars on the 
old Pittsburg and Western Railroad, now 
the Baltimore and Ohio in this county. 
This line was known as the Western and 
Atlantic and the Craig, Elkins and Kimble 
Company. It was sold to the National 



Ti-ansit Company in 1889 and the loading- 
racks and tanks at Mars have since been 
abandoned. 

From the combination of the Mutual 
Pijie Line Company and the Vandergrift 
and Foreman interests in 1875, there grew 
in fifteen years the great giant of all com- 
binations, The Standard Oil Company. 
Whatever may be said about the business 
methods of the "Octopus" and the man- 
ner in which it dealt with competing com- 
panies and the independent producer and 
refiner, the effect of the combination was 
to place the oil-producing business on a 
substantial cash basis. The pipe line com- 
panies jiaid cash for the oil, and the 
producer knew that if he had a thousand 
barrels of oil in the line or in the tank 
that it represented so much money at the 
current price of oil. The new system did 
away with the old pipe line certificate of 
uncertain value and substituted a cash 
value regulated by the market. 

The pipe line combination fixed the price 
of oil and this led to dissatisfaction among 
the independent producers and refiners 
and the consequent organization of inde- 
pendent companies. The most prominent 
and aggressive of the independent com- 
cerns in the field today is the Pure Oil 
Company, which was organized in 1895 
under the laws of New Jersey with a capi- 
tal stock of $1,000,000. The incorporators 
were David Kirk, Jerome B. Aiken, M. L. 
Lockwood, of Zelienople, C. H. Duncan, 
W. A. Dennison, Thomas Westgate, James 
W. Lee, Adolphus A. Hoch of Chicora, 
Ferdinand Reiber of Butler, Lewis Walz, 
Rufus Scott, Lewis Emery Jr., M. Mur- 
phy, W. L. Curtis, Thomas W. Phillii)S, 
and Clarence A¥alker of Butler. 

The officials of the company were, David 
Kirk, president; Clarence Walker, secre- 
tary, and C. H. Duncan, treasurer. 

The Butler Pipe Line was constructed 
in January, 187.3, from Greece City in Con- 
cord Township to the loading racks at 



190 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Parker's Lauding. The promoter and 
head of the company was William Parker. 
The time for the first run of oil from the 
wells above Boydstown to the receiving- 
tanks at Parker was five hours and thirty- 
five minutes. 

The Allen and McConnell line was com- 
pleted from the Grant farm to Parker in 
1873. 

The first trunk line was placed in 1875, 
from Carbon Center in Butler County to 
Brilliant Station near Pittsburg, a four- 
inch pipe being used. Following the con- 
struction of the Carbon Center line, a line 
was constructed from Bear Creek in But- 
ler County to the first pumping station at 
Hilliard, in Washington Township. This 
line was extended fi-om Hilliards to Cleve- 
land, a distance of 110 miles. Following 
the construction of these two lines other 
trunk lines were built from the Pennsyl- 
vania field and other oil fields to Philadel- 
phia, Baltimore, and Tidewater. These 
were the McKean and Philadelphia line, 
with Baltimore branch, the Olean and Buf- 
falo, the Olean and New York, the Rexford 
and Bayonne, N. J., the Morgantown, West 
Virginia and Philadelphia, the Mellon line 
from Greggs to Linwood, and the United 
States Pipe Line from Titusville to 
Athens. 

The United States Pipe Line Company, 
or Producers Line, was organized in 1892, 
and began the transportation of oil early 
in 1893. This company was the first to 
prove the fallacy of the idea that refined 
oil lost its color when sent through pipes 
in hot weather, and during the first year 
of its existence transported many millions 
of gallons through its lines to the seaboard 
with satisfactory results. 

The cost of carrying a barrel of oil from 
Pithole to New York in 1865 was $5.55. 
From the Butler County fields by way of 
Pittsburg was $4.59 per barrel. Today the 
price is $.50 or less from any part of the 
region to the seaboard. The price by rail 
and pipe line has been the same since 1879. 



PRODUCERS AND REFINERS. 

The Producers and Refiners' Pipe Line 
Company, which is the principal competi- 
tor of the Standard Oil Company in the 
Butler County field, are operating a line 
from Trail Run, Ohio, to Sistersville, West 
Virginia, thence to Pine Grove Station, 
thence to Tayloi'stown Station, Pennsyl- 
vania, thence to Washington Junction, 
Pennsylvania, thence to Primrose, and 
from Primrose by way of McDonald, 
Noblestown, Oakdale, to Adams Station in 
Butler County; from Adams Station to 
Butler, from Butler to Karns City, and 
from Karns City by way of Dotter's Sta- 
tion to Oil City, and thence to Titusville, 
where it intersects with the United States 
Pipe Line. 



NATURAL GAS AS A FUEL. 

The two great sources of natural gas on 
this continent are along the western slope 
of the Apalachian Mountains and the great 
Cincinnati Arch. The Apalachian gas de- 
posits occur in the small folds of the anti- 
clinals, which exist in the strata as they 
rise toward the Allegheny Mountains from 
the synclinals that lies to the westward. 
The gas deposits of Butler County are 
found in the first, second, third and fifth 
oil sands, the Speechley, the Warren, the 
Bradford, Tiona sands. The Butler gas 
sand and the Hundred-foot belong to the 
Butler Venango group and are known as 
tlie most productive gas sands in the 
United States, because of their vast ex- 
tent. The first, second, and third sands 
exist in Butler, Armstrong, Clarion, Ve- 
nango, Crawford, and Forrest Counties, 
and in Armstrong, Westmoreland, Alle- 
gheny and AVashington Counties; the up- 
per layers are known as the Murraysville, 
or salt sand, and the Hundred-foot. The 
Hundred-foot is divided into the Thirty- 
foot, and Fifty-foot and the lower layer 
into the Gordon, the Gordon stray, fourth 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



191 



and fifth sands, the Baird and Elizabeth 
sands. 

The thick layer of sandstone north of 
Pittsburg lies two or three hundred feet 
above the first sand, and outcrops in the 
hilltops of Butler and Venango Counties. 
This is known as the Mountain sand, and 
south of Pittsburg becomes the "Big In- 
jun." It is productive of oil in some 
localities. 

Natural gas as a fuel was used at Fre- 
donia, New York, as early as 1824. In 
tearing down an old mill the workmen dis- 
covered inflamable bubbles on the waters 
of Canodonay Creek. They took the hint 
fi"om this discovery and drilled a one and 
a half-inch hole into the limestone rock in 
the bottom of the creek, and the gas fol- 
lowed the hole. The supply of gas ob- 
tained from this source was utilized in the 
town and furnished fuel for about one 
hundred houses and for the new mill for 
many years. 

The light-house at Erie was lighted by 
natural gas in 1831 from a burning spring 
that existed in the vicinity. A cone-shaped 
tower was built over the spring which col- 
lected the gas, and it was carried to the 
light-house by means of wooden pipes. 

In the early days of the oil developments 
at Oil Creek, natural gas was used for fuel 
at the drilling and pumping wells as early 
as 1862, but it was ten years later before 
it was generally used for domestic and 
manufacturing purposes, and piped any 
distance from the wells to the place of con- 
sumption. 

"Sketches In Crude Oil" by John J. Mc- 
Lauren gives John Criswell of New Castle 
the credit of producing the first natural 
gas and utilizing it for manufacturing 
purposes in Butler County. Criswell 
drilled a salt well near Slippery Rock in 
1840 and at a depth of 700 feet struck a 
flow of natural gas which he used to heat 
the pans at his salt factory. 

In 1872 a well was drilled on the W. C. 
Campbell fann near Fairview to a depth 



of 1,335 feet for oil and was abandoned on 
account of a flow of gas and salt water. 
After the well had been abandoned for 
some two months the pressure became so 
strong that it blew the water entirely out 
of the hole and in the autumn of the same 
year a company was formed to utilize the 
gas. This was done by laying a line of 
31/2-inch casing from the well to Fairview, 
a distance of two miles, and thence to 
Petrolia, two miles from Fairview. Pres- 
sure of the well on a steam-gauge was 
eighty-one pounds and it had an escape 
through a six-inch pipe. The noise of the 
escaping gas could be heard a distance of 
two miles from the well. 

The correspondent of the "Titusville 
Herald," under date of September 3, 1873, 
gave a graphic account of this remarkable 
well: 

" The roar of the escaping fluid was equal to the 
sound of Niagara, and the iron tools that penetrated the 
rock were raised and tossed in the hole with as much 
ease as a skiff is rocked on the surface of an angry 
ocean. So strong was the gas giant that one man might 
have held the tools out of the hole without the aid of 
an engine. It would toss a hundred pound rock to the 
height of forty or fifty feet, and an ordinary club 
when launched in the upward stream would be tossed 
seventy ■ or eighty feet. For a few weeks this well 
shrieked and howled and whistled, making night hideous 
and day tedious with its ceaseless yells until the arms 
of science opened to receive the wasting fuel. When 
finally controlled, this well supplied the towns of Argyle, 
Fairview, Karns City, and Petrolia, besides furnishing 
fuel for forty pumping and drilling wells, eight pump 
stations, two hundred gas burners, and forty cooking 
stoves, all of which were supplied from seven miles of 
pipe line." 

This well was drilled by the Lambing 
Brothers in April, 1872, and soon after the 
gas began to flow the well was accidentally 
lighted. The flames rose to a height of 
seventy-five feet and could be seen a dis- 
tance of ten miles. To extinguish it the 
contractor spent $500, which was finally 
accomplished after several days' hard 
work, by smothering the blaze with clay. 

So far as is known, the Campbell well 
was the first gasser to be utilized for do- 
mestic purposes, and the gas piped to any 
distance from the well. It is claimed that 



192 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the Newton well at Titusville was drilled 
in 1872, and in August of that year the gas 
was piped to Titusville, where it was util- 
ized in the dwelling houses and in the 
mills. It is probable that the Butler 
County well was under control and in use 
a couple of months before the Titusville 
well was struck. 

About 1873 Hart and Conkle drilled a 
well on the McCandless farm about a half 
a mile northwest of the borough of Butler, 
and struck a tremendous flow of gas. This 
well was accidentally lighted and burned 
for years, the fuel being allowed to go to 
waste. The owners of the well offered to 
sell it to Col. John M. Thompson and Hon. 
Charles McCandless, of Butler, for the 
price of the casing, but the offer was re- 
fused. The possibilities of natui-al gas for 
fuel and lighting purposes was not appre- 
ciated at that time, and inability to con- 
trol the well induced the Butler parties to 
turn down the proposition that contained 
a fortune. Twelve years later a company 
was organized to supply the town with 
natural gas, but in the meantime the Hart 
and Conkle well had been drowned out 
with water. In the latter jjart of the eigh- 
ties the Standard Plate Glass Company 
of Butler drilled a well for gas within 
three hundred feet of the old Hart & Con- 
kle well, which was a complete failure. The 
water had evidently destroyed the gas pool 
in that locality. 

About the same year that the Hart and 
Conkle well was drilled Butler parties 
drilled a well on Wolf Creek at the Woolen 
Mill, which was one of the largest gas wells 
struck in the county tliat year. This well 
blew and whistled for months, finally 
catching fire and destroying the rig. The 
flaming torch burned fully one hundred 
feet in the air and lighted the surrounding 
country until water finally drowned out 
the flow of gas. The pressure of gas in 
this well was so strong that it permeated 
the ground for many rods around it, and 
when a crowbar was driven into the soil 



a blue flame would shoot uj) for several 
feet. 

In November, 1874, the famous Harvey 
well was struck, at Lardin's Mill, in Clin- 
ton Township. Gas was obtained in lieavv 
quantities at 1,145 feet. At 420 feet the 
"Blue Monday" and "Lightning Rock" 
was reached and it required six weeks of 
drilling to pass through tue one hundred 
feet of this hard, white limestone. Sand- 
stone and gas showed at a depth of 1,115 
feet, and a heavy flow was struck at 1,145. 
The gas from this well was conveyed a 
distance of 150 feet in a six-inch iron pipe 
from which it discharged with the force 
of steam. The well was located between 
abrupt hills in a valley about three hun- 
dred feet wide, and in the night time when 
the gas was burning the surrounding val- 
ley looked like a self-feeding furnace. As 
described by J. Cunningham, of Taren- 
tum, the United States Signal Service 
officer who visited the place in February, 
1875, at night, the scene was incomparable. 
When he came within its immediate influ- 
ence he saw the trees wrapped in light and 
their trunks and branches silvered to their 
tops by the great torch — a burning flame 
fifteen feet wide and forty feet high — 
throwing into brilliant illumination the 
hundreds of interested faces. This, with 
the intense heat and brilliancy, and the ter- 
rific noise of the escaping fluid, made a 
sight not soon to be forgotten by any who 
witnessed it. When this well was finally 
brought under control a gas pipe line was 
laid from the well to the Spang and Chal- 
fant Mill at Etna, a distance of about sev- 
enteen miles. This was the first pipe line 
laid to convey gas for manufacturing pur- 
poses in the tjnited States. 

In 1875 John Burns drilled a gas well at 
St. Joe to a depth of 1,600 feet. This well 
was on the Duffy farm and is known by 
some as the Duffy well, by others as the 
Burns well. Its mouth was 1,298 feet 
above ocean level and when the well was 
enclosed with 5-ys-inch casing, with a cap, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



195 



the pressure was strong enough to lift the 
casing. To avoid damage the gas was al- 
lowed to escape. The gas in this well was 
piped to Freeport and the pressure at that 
place on the line was 125 pounds. The out- 
put of this well averaged 12,000,000 feet of 
gas per day and was considered the larg- 
est well of that period. 

The Delamater well, one half mile from 
the Burns well, was an oil producer in the 
third sand. When the owners drilled be- 
low the third sand they lost a ten-barrel 
oil well and struck what appeared to be an 
inexliaustible reservoir of gas. 

The Denny wells in the northeastern 
corner of Winfield Township were drilled 
for oil about 1872, but became great gas 
producers and were the forerunners of 
some of the largest gas wells in Western 
Pennsylvania which were afterwards 
drilled in that township. These wells were 
drilled by the Denny brothers, who owned 
the Denny Mills, and William Stewart, 
who at that time owned the furnace tract. 
The gas from these wells was used at the 
mill and the dwelling houses for over a 
quarter of a century. 

What is known as the Saxon City gas 
well was drilled at Cabot Station in 1874 
to a depth of 1,857 feet. The gas from this 
well was piped to Etna and Sharpsburg 
and it proved to be one of the most con- 
sistent producers in the Butler Countv 
field. 

Middlesex Township was the scene of 
operations for oil and gas in 1875, when a 
well was drilled on the J. B. Mahan farm, 
one and one-half miles east of Glade Mills. 
At a depth of 1,420 feet an amber oil was 
found in a thick bed of white sand stone. 
The well showed a production of five bar- 
rels but was drilled to 732 feet, where the 
flow of oil was increased to ten barrels. A 
heavy flow of gas was also found from 
1,732 to 1,745 feet. Blood red slate was 
found at 1,880 feet, and this formation 
continued to 1,930 feet, when drilling- 
ceased. 



The Chantler No. 1 was drilled in Clin- 
ton Township two miles south of the Jef- 
ferson Township line, where gas was 
struck at 1,340 feet. Another well was 
drilled on the Westerman farm just south 
of the Chantler, where gas was found at 
1,340 feet, and oil and gas at 1,495 feet in 
the second sand. The product of these 
two wells was piped to the mills at Etna. 
About 1886 a well on the Criswell farm in 
the same township was drilled by Klingen- 
smith for the Standard Plate Glass Com- 
pany of Butler to a depth of 3,500 feet. 

In 1875 a gas well was drilled on the 
Robert Thompson farm two miles south of 
St. Joe at Carbon Center in Clearfield 
Township. This well was drilled to a 
depth of 1,558 feet and for four months 
produced eight barrels of oil per day from 
the third sand. It was afterwards drilled 
to the fourth sand, when the oil gave way 
to a heavy flow of gas. The well caught 
fire and burned the rig down and after it 
was controlled it was turned to account as 
fuel for the boilers in that section of the 
Clearfield and Donegal oil fields. 

The Jack well at North Washington 
struck gas in the fourth sand at a depth 
of 1,500 feet, and was the first gas well in 
that section. Its volume decreased fifty 
per cent, the first year, although it was the 
only well in that locality. 

In 1877 a gas well drilled on McMur- 
ray's Run in Marion Township which pre- 
sented the same phenomena as the Jack 
well. This well was drilled for oil, by 
Emerson and Bronson, but their enter- 
prise was rewarded by a flow of gas and 
water. The latter produced in a cohimn 
reaching about thirty-five feet above the 
derrick. 

The discovery of gas in the _ Phillips 
Brothers' well on the McJunkin farm, 
about one mile and one-half east of the 
borough of Butler, promised the citizens 
of that town a cheap and clean fuel. This 
well was drilled in 1882, and gas was 
struck at a depth of 1,000 feet. It was the 



196 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



introduction to later wells that were 
drilled on the McCrea farm on the hill 
south of the town in 1886 and 1887. 

In 1887 the Fisher Brothers drilled a 
well to the gas sand on the McCrea farm 
just outside of the borough limits. The 
well filled up with water and appeared to 
be a failure. It afterwards came into the 
possession of David Kirk, who bailed the 
water out and was rewarded by the larg- 
est flow of gas struck near the town since 
the Hart and Conkle well. Kirk after- 
wards promoted the Mutual Gas Company 
of Butler, which supplied the town with 
light and fuel. The well on the McCrea 
farm was sold to the Shenango Gas Com- 
pany and the gas was piped to New Castle 
in the fall of 1887. 

The Mahoning Gas Company drilled a 
well on the Shields farm in Mercer Town- 
ship in 1886 and other wells in Slippery 
Rock Township which supplied the towns 
in the northwestern part of the county and 
in Mercer County with fuel for more than 
twenty years. 

The greatest gas producer ever drilled 
in Butler County was on the Casper Fruh- 
ling farm in Winfield Township in 1889. 
This well was drilled by A. W. McCollough 
of Butler, who in the previous year had 
taken up a large block of leases in Win- 
field, Clinton, and Buffalo Townships foi 
the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company. The 
company drilled a dozen or more wells and 
in 1889 completed the Fruhling farm well 
and the well on the John Cruikshank farm. 
The former j^roduced 15,000,000 feet of 
gas daily and the latter 12,000,000 feet. 
The gas in these two wells was found in 
the lower member of the hundred foot or 
the Venango first sand, or the second sand 
and fifty foot of the Parker field. Two 
large pipe lines were laid from this field to 
the'Plate Glass Works at Ford City on the 
Allegheny River, while two more lines 
were laid to Butler borough by the Home 
Natural Gas Company and the Standard 
Plate Glass Company. This was the great- 



est gas reservoir ever opened in Butler 
County. Many pools have been opened 
since which have proved good producers, 
but nothing has ever, equalled the Fruh- 
ling and Cruikshank wells. A few miles 
east in Armstrong Coimty the Phillips Oil 
Company struck the famous Kerr farm 
well in the Speechley sand. Tiiis well pro- 
duced 30,000,000 feet daily, and was the 
largest well in the Butler and Armstrong 
district. 

DEEPEST WELL IN THE COUNTY. 

The deepest test well for gas ever 
drilled in the county was that on the Rob- 
ert Smith farm in Winfield Township. 
This exploration was made by the Pitts- 
burg Plate Glass Company under the 
direction of A. W. McCollough of Butler 
in 1891. The mouth of this well is found 
at the top of the Mahoning sandstone, 
1,351 feet above ocean level. The ferrifer- 
ous limestone is reached at the depth of 
475 feet; the mountain sand or "Big 
Injun" at 852 feet; the bottom of moun- 
tain sand at 1,032 feet; the top of Butler 
gas sand at 1,372 feet, and the top of the 
hundred-foot or Venango first sand at 
1,514 feet. A good flow of gas was struck 
in the lower member of the hundred-foot, 
and through it an eight-inch hole was 
drilled which was cased with 614-inch 
casing so as to carry off the gas into the 
Ford City pipe line. 

Meantime a six-inch hole was drilled 
through the lower strata of the Venango 
sand and the drill passed on through the 
interval of the Warren group, the Speech- 
ley, the Bradford, the Kane and the Wil- 
cox, deep into the Chemung sands without 
encountering gas or oil or finding a matrix 
for either. The last 1,500 feet were 
drilled through easily, only a shell being 
struck at intervals until a depth of 4,000 
feet was recorded and operations were 
suspended. The bottom of this well is 
2,649 feet below ocean level, being almost 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



197 



500 feet deeper than any well ever drilled 
in the county. 

In January, 1893, Guckert and Steele 
drilled a well on the Beighley farm a mile 
and one-half northeast of Harmony, and 
struck a gas pool at the top of the Butler 
gas sand. This well showed a pressure of 
150 pounds and was the beginning of ex- 
tensive operations in the southwestern 
part of the county in which the Breakneck, 
Glade Run and Thorn Creek oil fields took 
a prominent part. 

In November, 1893, the Citizens' Gas 
Company drilled a well on the Bauldoff 
farm near Herman Station in Summit 
Township proved a good fourth sand 
gasser, and the same year the Brown and 
Brewster wells on the Alexander Brewster 
farm in Center Township showed the ex- 
tension of the gas fields in a new direction. 
The second well on that farm had a rock 
pressure of 1,600 pounds. The gas from 
these wells was piped to Butler and util- 
ized by the various fuel companies and 
the glass works. 

It is nearly always the ease that where 
an oil field is found there is a correspond- 
ing gas pool not far away. Oil and gas 
were undoubtedly formed and placed in 
the sand rocks by the same agency. The 
process that filled the oil rocks also filled 
the gas rocks. They run parallel and so 
long as oil is found within the domain of 
Butler County, gas will be found in the 
same vicinity. Many gas wells in Butler, 
Warren, Venango, Armstrong and Wash- 
ington Counties have been producing gas 
ever since wells in the same locality have 
been producing oil. Gas wells have often 
been abandoned because the pressure has 
so decreased that they could not force the 
product through the lines as against wells 
of higher pressure. The introduction of 
the gas-pump in the last fifteen years has 
worked a revolution in the manner of pro- 
ducing and transporting natural gas, and 
has made it profitable to deliver gas from 
wells of light pressure. At the present 



time to abandon a gas well when it ceases 
to be strong enough to force its way 
through the pipe line would be like aban- 
doning an oil well because it had ceased 
to flow. 

The first accident resulting from the use 
of natural gas for fuel and lighting pur- 
poses in the county occurred in Pairview 
about 1875, and resulted in the death of 
Mrs. Robert Patton and the serious injury 
of Rev. I. D. Decker. The gas pipe line 
which was laid from the famous Lambing 
well on the Campbell farm through Pair- 
view to Petrolia passed in front of the 
Patton house. Through some fault in the 
laying of the line gas escaped in the winter 
time and worked its way under the frozen 
ground into the cellar of the Patton liouse. 
One evening Mr. Patton went to the cellar 
on an errand carrying a lighted lamp in 
his hand. An explosion followed which 
wrecked the house, instantly killed Mrs. 
Patton, and seriously burned Mr. Decker 
about the face. Mr. Patton was seriously 
injured, but recovered. 

A similar accident occurred in Butler in 
1886, when the residence of John Gates on 
Lookout Avenue was destroyed by an ex- 
plosion of gas, and John Gates, Jr., was 
killed. Through improper piping the gas 
had escaped from the main line on the 
street and worked its way in the winter 
time under the frozen ground under the 
cellar of the Gates house. Young Gates 
had gone to the cellar on an errand with 
a lighted lamp in his hand, when the ex- 
plosion occurred. The house was built of 
brick and young Gates was crushed to 
death by the walls falling in on him. 

It has been twenty-six years since 
natural gas came into general use for 
domestic and manufacturing purposes, al- 
though it was used for fuel at the wells 
in the oil country as early as 1860. In 
1882 the total value of gas produced in the 
United States was $215,000, Pennsylvania 
producing $75,000 of this amount. For 
the first ten years the increase in con- 



198 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



sumption was slow. In 1907 the output in 
the United States reached the enormous 
total of 388,842,562,000 cubic feet, an 
equivalent of nineteen and a half million 
tons of coal. The value of this output in 
round numbers was $46,800,000. Penn- 
sylvania's share of this product was 
$18,000,000, and the state stood first in the 
production of natural gas. West Virginia 
was second, and Ohio third. The con- 
sumption of natural gas is increasing at 
the rate of ten per cent, per year, and it 
is estimated that the value of the output 
for 1908 will be about $56,000,000. About 
forty per cent, of this output belongs to 
Pennsylvania and the balance is dis- 
tributed among the other gas-producing 
states. The southwestern states are com- 
ing to the front and will play an important 
part in the future. The value of the 
natural gas produced in Butler County 
can only be approximated from the fore- 
going figures, as there are no statistics at 
hand on the subject. At the close of 1908 
there was more gas in sight and more 
developed territory than in the laistory of 
the natural gas business. 

NITRO-GLYCERINE. 

The discovery of nitro-glycerine dates 
back to 1846, when a patient European 
chemist. Professor Ascania Sobrero, liit 
upon a new compound by mixing fuming 
nitric acid, sulphuric acid, and common 
glycerine. At first he didn't know it was 
loaded. Neither of the three ingredients 
is an explosive by itself and the product 
of the three looks harmless, having the 
appearance of lard oil. The first dis- 
coverer found that it would burn in lamps, 
emitting a gentle white light. Concussion 
proved that the meek-looking stuff was an 
explosive more powerful than gunpowder 
or gun-cotton. Strangely enough, it was 
first put up as a homeopathic remedy for 
headache, because a few drops rubbed on 
any part of the body would cause a severe 
headache. It is still prescribed as a medi- 



cine, but its commercial value is found in 
its us? as a high explosive. It was first 
used as a high explosive in Europe in 1861 
by Alfred B. Noble, a Swedish engineer, 
at Ilelenborg, Sweden. 

A small consignment of nitro-glycerine 
shipped to New York City as a specimen 
accidentally exploded in the street. This 
accident caused widespread comment 
among the newspapers as to the cause. 
Investigation solved the mystery, and 
miners and contractors gradually learned 
its value for removing rocks and for 
heavy blasting. A five-pound jar of the 
stuft' was suspended against the side of 
the steamer "Scotland," sunk off Sandy 
Hook, and exploded. It cut a fissure 
twelve feet wide along the side of the ves- 
sel, and nitro-glycerine was used there- 
after in clearing up wrecks. The de- 
structive power of nitro-glycerine has 
been fully demonstrated by its use in the 
mining regions and in the oil country. It 
has played an important part in the pro- 
duction of oil, but its use was not gener- 
ally adopted until about twenty years 
after its first discovery. 

The unrelenting foe of oil wells is 
])araffine. It clogged and choked some of 
the largest wells on Oil Creek and dimin- 
ished the yield of other wells in every 
quarter of the field. It incrusts the veins 
of the rocks and the pipes, just as lime in 
water coats the tubes of a steam boiler 
or the inside of a tea kettle. 

At first the operators steamed their 
wells, and later benzine was used with the 
same results. Some genius patented a 
liquid that would boil and fizz and remove 
all the paraffine attached, cleaning the 
tubing as much as caustic-soda scours the 
waste iii]»(' of a sink. All of these methods 
were limited in their scope and worked 
satisfactorily as a rule in the shallow 
wells. The idea of exploding powder at 
the bottom of the holes drilled for oil oc- 
curred in 1860. Powder had been used in 
water wells with good results, and the idea 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



199 



of trying tlie experiment with oil wells 
suggested itself to Henry H. Dennis, who 
drilled the first well at Tideoute in 1860. 
Dennis had struck the tools in drilling the 
well. He procured three feet of two-inch 
copper pipe, plugged it with wood at one 
end, inserted a fuse-cord, and exploded 
the charge in the presence of six men. 
The hole was full of water and oil, and 
after the explosion the smell of oil was so 
much stronger that people ])assiiig the 
well noticed it. The same year William 
Reed developed the idea of tlic K'ccd tor- 
pedo, which he used in a number of wells. 
The torpedo was made of tin casing and 
filled with gunpowder. This torj^edo was 
used in the A. W. Raymond well at Frank- 
lin, and it was expected that "Cold- 
stream" Barry, who built the first tele- 
graph line between Pittsburg and Franklin 
through Biitler County would fire the shot 
by electricity. Barry failed to get there, 
and an attempt to explode the torpedo 
with a fuse failed. Reed went on with his 
experiments, and in 1863 made a can 
strong enough to resist the pressure of 
the water and let it down the Criswell well 
on Cherry Run. Failing to discharge it 
by electricity, he exploded it by sliding a 
hollow weight down a string to strike a 
percussion cap. 

The experiments with the torpedo dem- 
onstrated the fact that the yield of oil had 
been increased by exploding powder hun- 
dreds of feet under the water, and in 
November, 1864, Col. E. A. L. Roberts 
applied for a patent for "a process of 
increasing the productiveness of oil wells 
by causing an explosion of gunpowder or 
its equivalent, at or near the oil-bearing 
point in connection with superincunil)ent 
fluid-tamping." He claimed that the ac- 
tion af a shell at Predei'icksburg in 1862 
which exploded in the mill-race suggested 
to him the idea of bombarding oil wells. 
He constructed six torpedoes and arrived 
at Titusville in January, 186.5, and made 
the first test of his process in the Ladies' 



well owned by Captain Mills. Two tor- 
pedoes were exploded at the Ladies' well, 
and subsequent experiments proved the 
Roberts torpedo to .be a success. Reed, 
who made the first torpedo in the oil coun- 
ti-y, John F. Harper, William Skinner, and 
others who had been experimenting along 
the same line from 1860 to 1865 filed appli- 
cations for patents and commenced pro- 
ceedings against Colonel Roberts for inter- 
ference. The suits dragged for two years 
in court and were decided in favor of 
Roberts, who secured the patent that was 
to become a grievous monopoly in the oil 
country. Roberts organized a company in 
New York to construct torpedoes and 
carry on the business extensively. During 
1867 many suits for enfringement of the 
Roberts patent were entered, and Roberts 
seemed to have the courts on his side. He 
olitained injunctions against all of the par- 
ties using his i^a tents and compelled the 
operators to come to his terms. 

The operators were at first skeptical 
as to the advantages of the Roberts 
method, fearing that the torpedoes would 
destroy the wells. In December, 1866, the 
Woodin well, a dry hole on the Blood 
farm, received two shots, and started to 
l)ump eighty barrels a day. Roberts sub- 
stituted nitro-glycerine for gunpowder 
al)out 1867, anrl established a factory at 
Titusville. The torpedo war became gen- 
eral and uncompromising. The Reed 
Company which had continued to manu- 
facture torpedoes, were driven out of the 
business by the Roberts injunction. The 
monopoly charged $200 for a medium shot 
which was an exhorbitant price, even for 
that day of high finance in the oil country. 

The war with Roberts resulted in an 
army of "moon lighters" invading the 
country, who made a business of manu- 
facturing torpedoes and shooting wells at 
night. The Roberts crowd hired emis- 
saries to spy on these nocturnal well- 
shooters, and many of them were arrested 
and sent to jail. About two thousand 



200 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



prosecutions were threatened, and most of 
them begun, against producers accused of 
violating the law by engaging "moon 
lighters." An imposing array of coun- 
sel was engaged by the torpedo company 
and the defendants were represented by 
attorneys of international reputation, 
among the number being Keller and Blake 
of New York, and Gen. Benjamin F. But- 
ler. Most of the individual suits were 
settled, the operators making such terms 
as they could. By this means the Roberts 
brothers and their torpedo company rolled 
up millions of dollars. 

The Roberts patent was re-issued in 
Jime, 1873, perpetuating the burdensome 
load upon the oil producers until after 
1883. Col. E. A. L. Roberts died in Titus- 
ville in March, 1881. The litigation over 
the patent and infringements attracted 
widespread attention. He was responsible 
for more lawsuits than any other man in 
the United States, and a week before his 
death he said that he had expended a quar- 
ter million dollars in torpedo litigation. 
His brother. Dr. Walter B. Roberts, was 
a partner in the torpedo business, and was 
actively engaged in the management of the 
company. Hg was elected mayor of Titus- 
ville in 1872, and had an ambition to serve 
his district in Congress. He succeeded in 
his profession and in the management of 
his business, but he was never able to gain 
his goal in the field of politics." He was 
once a candidate for Congress in his dis- 
trict, but the. oil producers, whom the 
vexatious torpedo suits had irritated to 
the point of exasperation, opposed him 
and caused his defeat. 

Gradually the quantity of explosive in 
a torpedo has been increased in order to 
shatter a wider area of oil-bearing rock. 
From five pounds of gunpowder which 
was used in the first torpedo the amount 
had been brought up to more than one 
hundred quarts of nitro-glycerine for a 
single shot. In such instances the glycer- 
ine is lowered into the well in cans, one 



resting upon another at the bottom of the 
hole until the desired amount is in place. 
A cap is adjusted to the top of the last 
can, the cord that lowered the nitro- 
glycerine is pulled up, a weight is dropped 
upon the cap, and an explosion equal to 
the force of a ton of gunpowder ensues. 
In a few seconds a shower of water, oil, 
mud and pebbles ascends, saturating the 
derrick and pelting broken stone in every 
direction. 

One of the most graphic scenes ever 
witnessed in the oil country occurred at 
the Semple, Boyd and Armstrong well in 
the Thorn Creek field, in Butler County, 
in 1884. This well was drilled on the Mar- 
shall farm and reached the sand October 
25, 1884. It had all the appearances of a 
dry hole, but the owners concluded to try 
a shot before abandoning the well. The 
scene that followed is thus described by 
Frank H. Taylor: 

" On October twenty-seventh, 1884, those who stood 
at the brick school-house and telegraph-oflfices in the 
Thorn Creek district and saw the Semple, Boyd & Arm- 
strong No, 2 torpedoed, gazed upon the grandest scene 
ever witnessed in Oildoin. When the shot took effect 
and the barren rock, as if smitten by the rod of Moses, 
poured forth its torrent of oil, it was such a magnificent 
and awful spectacle that no painter 's brush or poet 's 
pen could do it justice. Men faniiliar with the wonder- 
ful sights of the oil country were struck duml) with 
astonishment, as they beheld the mighty display of 
Nature's forces. There was no sudden reaction after 
the torpedo was exploded. A column of water rose 
eight or ten feet and fell back again, some time 
elapsed before the force of the explosion emptied the 
hole and the burnt glycerine, mud and sand rushed up 
in the derrick in a black stream. The blackness gradu- 
ally changed to yellow; then, with a mighty roar, the 
gas burst forth with a deafening noise, like the thunder- 
bolt set free. For a moment the cloud of gas hid the 
derrick from sight and then, as this cleared away, a 
solid golden column half a foot in diameter shot from 
the derrick floor eighty feet through the air, till it 
broke in fragments on the crown-pulley and fell in a 
shower of yellow rain for rods around. For over an 
hour that grand column of oil, rushing swifter than 
any torrent and straight as a mountain pine, united 
derrick floor and top. In a few moments the ground 
around the derrick was covered inches deep with petro- 
leum. The branches of the oak trees were like huge 
yellow plumes and a stream as large as a man's body 
ran down the hill to the road. It filled the space 
beneath the small bridge and, continuing down the hill 
through the woods beyond, spread out upon the flats 
where the Johnson well is. In two hours these flats 
wore covered with a flood of oil. The hill side was as 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



201 



if a yellow freshet had passed over it. Heavy clouds of 
gas, almost obscuring the derrick, hung low in the 
woods, and still that mighty rush continued. Some of 
those who witnessed it estimated the well to be flowing 
five-hundred barrels per hour. Dams wer*? built across 
the stream, that its production might be estimated; the 
dams overflowed and were swept away before they could 
be completed. People living along Thorn Creek packed 
up their household goods and fled to the hillsides. The 
pump station, a mile and a half down the creek, had to 
extinguish its fires that night on account of gas. All 
fires around the district were put out. It was literally 
a flood of oil. It was estimated that the production 
was ten thousand barrels the first twenty-four hours. 
The foreman, endeavoring to get the tools into the 
well, was overcome by the gas and fell under the bull- 
wheels. He was rescued immediately and medical aid 
summoned. He remained unconscious two hours, but 
subsequently recovered fully. Several men volunteered 
to undertake the job of shutting in the largest well ever 
struck in the oil region. The packer for the oil saver 
was tied on the bull wheel shaft, the tools were placed 
over the hole and run in. But the pressure of the 
solid stream of oil against it prevented its go.ng lower, 
even with -the suspended weight of the two thousand 
pound tools. One thousand pounds additional weight 
were added before the cap was fitted and the well 
closed. A casing connection and tubing lines connected 
the well with a tank." 

Nitro-glycerine continues to be the 
agency for removing paraffine and increas- 
ing the flow of oil wells. Methods of han- 
dling it have changed in the last twenty 
years, but the operation in the main is the 
same as used in the seventies. In recent 
years the tin tubing that encased the old 
torpedo has been discarded and the nitro- 
glycerine is now poured into the hole out 
of a bucket or a can, and allowed to per- 
meate the crevices of the rock at the bot- 
tom. It is then exploded by the use of a 
squib and a go-devil. This method is used 
where there is no water in the well or 
where the water can be bailed out easily. 



FLANNEGAN S WELL CLEANER. 

Many devices have been invented to re- 
move paraffine without the use of nitro- 
glycerine, but none have proved of suffi- 
cient merit to take the place of the old tor- 
pedo or become generally used throughout 
the oil country. The most notewortli^ in- 
vention of recent years is that of Francis 
B. Flannegan, a native of Butler, who is 
now a resident of Washington City. About 



1896 Mr. Flannegan patented an electric 
appliance for removing jDaraffine from oil 
wells and experimented successfully on a 
number of wells in Butler County. This 
appliance consisted of an electric coil 
about six feet long and three inches in 
diameter which was used as a heater. To 
the end of the heater was attached a reel 
of copper wire, and this was lowered to 
the bottom of the well. The copper feed 
wire was then connected with a dynamo 
and the paraffine in the rock was melted 
by heat. The electric appliance was then 
removed and the paraffine was then 
pumped or bailed out. Flannegan had his 
dynamo and machinery mounted on a four- 
wheel truck so that it could be easily re- 
moved from one location to another, and 
he apparently had a fortune staring him 
in the face. Although the experiment 
proved successful in a number of cases in 
Butler County, the inventor was never 
able to perfect his machine so that it could 
be used in all kinds of territory. 

.OCCIDENTS AND TKAGEDIES OF THE BUSINESS. 

Torpedoing wells is a hazardous busi- 
ness. A professional well shooter must 
have nerves of iron, be of temperate habits 
and keenly alive to the fact that a care- 
less movement or a misstep may send him 
flying into space. Notwithstanding all the 
care taken in the handling of the treacher- 
ous stuff, it has left a long list of acci- 
dents and tragedies in its wake throughout 
the entire oil country. It never gives any 
warning, is quick as lightning, and the first 
intimation that the community has of an 
impending tragedy is a shivering shock 
that indicates that a life has been snuffed 
out, and that there is probably nothing left 
of the unfortunate victim but a few shreds 
of flesh and clothing. The first fatality 
from its use in the oil regions befell Will- 
iam Munsen in the summer of 1867, at 
Renno. Munsen was a well owner, and 
had a factory where he made torpedoes un- 
der the Reed patent. His new industry 



202 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



went along quietly for months, but one 
morning in August he was seen entering 
the building and shortly after an explosion 
occurred that tore the building to atoms 
and utterly annihilated Munsen. The force 
of the explosion was felt at Oil City, three 
miles away, where houses trembled on 
their foundations, windows were shattered 
and the people were driven into the streets, 
horror-stricken. 

Three years later a tragedy occurred in 
the Scrubgrass region near the northern 
edge of Butler County, which is familiar 
history to the residents of the Parker and 
Karns City fields. R. W. Redfield, an 
agent for a torpedo company, hid a can 
of glycerine in the bushes in Augiist, 1870, 
exiDecting to return the next day and use 
it. Mrs. George Fetterman while picking 
berries saw the can and, thinking it con- 
tained lard oil, handed it to her husband. 
Fetterman poured some of the stuff into 
a vessel and sent it to his wells which he 
was operating. A day or two later, notic- 
ing a heated journal on one of his engines, 
he put a little of the supposed oil on the 
axle with the engine in rapid motion. A 
furious explosion followed which wrecked 
the engine house and stunned three men 
who were at work on the derrick. Fetter- 
man's body was found terribly mangled, 
with one arm torn off and his head crushed 
into a jelly. The mystery was not solved 
until some one thought of investigating 
the oil can and found that it contained 
nitro-glycerine. 

Probably the first accident in the Butler 
County field happened in Bear Creek Val- 
ley, two miles below Parker, in 1874. John 
Osborne, a youth who was well known and 
well liked, was driving a buckboard loaded 
with nitro-glycerine down the valley, when 
the cargo let go at a rough place on the 
road. The concussion was felt for three 
miles, and when the frightened people of 
the community went to investigate the 
cause of the explosion, they found a deep 
liole in the road, and scarcelv a shred of 



the boy, horse, or buckboard to be found 
anywhere. 

Alonzo Taylor was the next victim and 
his death occurred at Troutman in the 
summer of 1875. Taylor had placed a tor- 
pedo in a well, and the drop weight had 
failed to explode the percussion cap. He 
then drew up the torpedo, got it safely out 
of the hole, and took it to a hill nearljy to 
examine the priming. This was a risky 
business and had cost several men their 
lives. A few seconds after his arrival at 
the hill a stunning explosion occurred, and 
Taylor's body was found badly mangled. 
The torpedo in this case was made of giant 
powder, instead of nitro-glycerine. The 
damage to surrounding property was not 
very great, as giant powder expends its 
force downward. 

In 1878 Gotham's Nitro-Glycerine Fac- 
tory was located along Bear Creek near 
Petrolia. On the morning of October 27, 
W. 0. Gotham, John Fowler and Harry 
French went to their usual work at the 
factory. An explosion occurred during the 
forenoon which tore Fowler into shreds, 
mutilated French and landed Gotham's 
dead body in the creek, fifty yards away. 
The factory was reduced to kindling wood. 
Gotham had a family and was widely 
known throughout the oil country. The 
other two men were strangers .to the com- 
munity. 

One of the best known shooters in the 
Petrolia district in 1877 was Dan Smith. 
Familiarity with danger makes people 
careless, and this led to the undoing of 
Smith, who was employed by the Roberts 
Torpedo Company. A teamster was em- 
ployed to haul the glycerine from a fac- 
tory in Venango County to Petrolia, where 
it was stored in an abandoned coal bank. 
Smith and the teamster had been in the 
habit of tossing the glycerine cans from 
one to the other in loading and unloading 
their wagon, like the teamsters in the city 
do brick. The driver would toss the cans 
to Smith, who would catch them and carry 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



203 



them into the magazine. One morning in 
January, 1877, the two men wei'e seen 
driving to the magazine with a heavy 
wagon loaded with glycerine. Shortly 
after a terrific explosion was heard. All 
that could be found of the two men was 
buried in a cigar box. It was presumed 
that they had been tossing the cans and 
that a misstep or a slip had caused the 
tragedy. 

After the Petrolia accident, Butler 
County was remarkably free from nitro- 
glycerine tragedies for over ten years. In 
1889 Humes Brothers had a factory and 
magazine in Bean Hollow, about a mile 
and one-half south of Butler Borough. On 
the morning of the 10th of December, 1889, 
James Woods and William Medill, two 
experienced shooters, went to the maga- 
zine to get a load of nitro-glycerine for 
their wells. About ten o'clock a fearful 
explosion was heard which broke window- 
glass and caused the houses to tremble in 
Butler. Twenty minutes later an eighteen- 
year-old boy ran to the Court House and 
told the tragedy that had occurred at the 
nitro-glycerine magazine. The boy had 
been at the magazine and had left just a 
few minutes before the explosion occurred. 
Nothing could be found of either men, ex- 
cept a few pieces of flesh which could not 
be identified, and the only evidences of the 
existence of a magazine was a large hole 
in the ground along the side of which lay 
four dead horses. The factory building 
which stood across the run from the maga- 
zine was wrecked, but was subsequently re- 
built and used as a factory for five or six 
years. 

Six years later almost to a day a similar 
explosion occurred at the same factory and 
magazine which snuffed out the lives of 
two Butler men. On the 4tli of December, 
1895, George Bester of Butler, an oil well 
shooter, went to the Humes magazine to 
get a load of nitro-glycerine. Louis Black, 
a boy of about twenty years of age, went 
with Bester as a companion. An explosion 



occurred in which Bester was almost, 
totally annihilated, Black's body mangled, 
the horses killed, and the nitro-glycerine 
factory reduced to a pile of kindling wood. 
The left arm of Black was found in the top 
of a tree three hundred feet from the scene 
of the explosion, and the tire off of one of 
the wheels of the wagon was found 
wrapped around the limb of a white oak 
as tightly as though it had been a coil of 
rope, one hundred yards away. The sup- 
position is that Bester was removing a can 
of glycerine from the shelf in one of the 
magazines when the explosion occurred. 
About seven hundred pounds of glycerine 
were stored in the magazine about fifty 
yards from the one that exploded, and pro- 
tected by a steep bluff of the hill. Had 
this magazine let go, the amount of dam- 
age done would have been immense. The 
force of this explosion almost caused a 
panic in Butler. Houses trembled on their 
foundations, window glass was broken all 
over the town, the plaster was loosened on 
the McKean Street school building, caus- 
ing a panic among the chilaren. The John 
Shaftner house on the hill south of the 
town was badly damaged, and his barn was 
moved almost a foot off its foimdation. 
George Bester was twenty-eight years of 
age and had a wife and two small children. 
Black was a single man and lived with his 
parents in Butler. 

On the 17th of December, 1901, the town 
of Butler was shaken by an explosion of 
nitroglycerine which occurred at the 
magazine on the Bredin farm about a mile 
southwest of the town. Thomas L. Ed- 
wards, a partner of James F. Holland, and 
Charles D. Parker, a shooter employed by 
the Pennsylvania Torpedo Company, went 
to the magazine about four o'clock in the 
afternoon to prepare their loads for work 
on the following day. The two men were 
last seen as they were driving out of town 
with their wagons in the direction of the 
magazine. The people who went to the 
scene of the ex]ilosion found the dead 



204 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



horses lying beside a great hole in the 
ground where the magazine had once 
stood. The only thing found by which the 
two unfortunate men could be identified 
were a few bits of clothing and a few 
pieces of human flesh and bones. The 
force of the explosion shook the houses Ln 
Butler, broke window glass, and broke the 
glass in the store front of Cooper's tailor 
shop on the corner of Main and Diamond 
Streets. Edwards was about forty years 
of age and had a wife and three children. 
He was a native of Armstrong County, 
but had resided in Butler for a number of 
years and was among the best known 
shooters in the district. Parker came to 
Butler from Virginia, where he had been 
employed in the torpedo business and had 
resided in Butler but a short time. He 
left a wife and two small children. 

C. N. Brown, known as "Brownie," was 
one of the oldest and best known shooters 
in the Butler County field. He had been 
with Fred Hinman at Petrolia and for 
twenty years had shot wells in every field 
south of the Venango County line. He 
came to Butler in the nineties, purchased 
a comfortable home and decided to quit the 
business. In April, 1897, he went to Evans 
City to shoot a well on the Ramsey farm, 
which was to be his last job. It was in 
truth, for while carrying two cans into the 
derrick an explosion occurred which 
wrecked the derrick, and snuffed out 
"Brownie's" life as quick as a flash. He 
was one of the most popular men that ever 
rode a torpedo wagon and was known 
from one end of the district to the other 
as "Brownie, the torpedo man." He had 
a wife and several children, who are still 
residing in Butler. 

DEATH OF HOLLAND. 

The last fatality in the torpedo business 
in Butler Coimty happened November 29. 
1907, when James F. Holland of Butler 
was killed at Boydstown. Holland had 
gone to shoot a well for Squire Higgins on 



the Whitmire farm, near Boydstown, and 
had delayed his work until about four 
o'clock in the evening, until after the 
school children had left the public school 
building, which was near the well that he 
intended shooting. The shot had been 
successfully lowered, and the go-devil 
dropped, but for some reason the torpedo 
did not explode. Holland had gone back 
to the derrick to ascertain the cause of the 
trouble, and was accompanied by Higgins 
and Irvine Whitmire. It was almost dark 
by this time, and the men were working 
with the aid of a lighted lantern. Holland 
had left a couple of cans partly filled with 
glycerine on the derrick floor, and for 
some imaccountable reason these exploded. 
Holland was hurled under the bull wheels 
and so badly injured that his death occur- 
red within an hour. Whitmire was thrown 
thirty feet out of the derrick and badly in- 
jured, but subsequently recovered. Hig- 
gins was stunned by the force of the explo- 
sion but received no serious injury. Hol- 
land was one of the best known shooters in 
the Butler County field, and was regarded 
as one of the most careful and reliable men 
in the business. He was about fifty-five 
years of age, and had a wife and two chil- 
dren. 

A WOMAN KILLED. 

In the history of the oil country and the 
handling of torpedoes, there have been but 
two women who lost their lives from ex- 
plosions of nitro-glycerine. One of these 
occurred at Tideoute in 1873, and the other 
at Butler in 1890. One morning in April, 
1873, the little town at Dennis Run, half a 
mile from Tideoute, was shaken by an ex- 
plosion. The explosion occurred at a 
frame structure on the side of the hill oc- 
cupied by Andrew Dalrymple as a dwell- 
ing and engine house. Dalrymple was a 
moonlighter, and had been engaged in 
manufacturing torpedoes at night at his 
house to avoid detection by the Roberts 
spotters. He was probably filling a shell 



AND REPRESENTATIVE. CITIZENS 



205 



at the time the explosion occurred.' it 
knocked the tenement house into spUuters, 
killed Dalrymple outright, and injured 
Mrs. Dalrymple so badly that she died a 
few hours later. She was unconscious 
when found, and was never able to tell 
how the accident happened. The first per- 
sons to reach the place after the explosion 
were surprised to hear a feeble cry arising 
from beneath the rubbish. Two feet under 
the pile of splintered boards and timbers 
they found the Dalrymple baby, twenty 
months old, alive and intact with scarcely 
a scratch on its body. Further seai'ch re- 
vealed the unconscious mother and the 
dead father. Kind-hearted people of 
Tideoute took charge of the little orphan, 
who was later adopted by a wealthy fam- 
ily of the town, and grew up to be a l)eauti- 
ful young woman. 

On the evening of April .30, 1K9(). the 
people of Butler heard an explosion wliich 
had the sound of nitro-glycerine. The 
sound of the explosion came from the 
south side of the creek in the vicinity of 
the plank road, and the people at once 
started for the magazine at Humes' fac- 
tory, expecting that another accident had 
occurred there. It was soon discovered, 
however, that Mrs. Annie Edwards, who 
lived alone near the toll gate, was found 
dead in her yard, and that the explosion 
had occurred at her house. It was the cus- 
tom at this time for oil well shooters to 
drive to the Thorn Creek and McCalmont 
fields to hide their empty cans in fence 
corners and various places on their way 
back to town, instead of driving back to 
the magazines, which were a considerable 
distance off the road. An investigation 
revealed the fact that Mrs. Edwards had 
found several of these empty nitro-glycer- 
ine cans and carried them to her liouse. 
How the accident happened is not known. 
It is presumed, however, that Mrs. Ed- 
wards was on the side porch of her house 
and had attempted to knock the top off a 
can with a hatchet. Fragments of the cans 



and hatchet were found in the vicinity, and 
Mrs. Edwards' dead body was found in the 
yard forty feet from the porch. It was 
evident that her pet cat was by her side 
when the explosion occurred, for its dead 
body was found a few feet away from Mrs. 
Edwards. Mrs. Edwards was about eighty 
years of age, and was connected with one 
of the pioneer families of Butler. She pre- 
ferred to live alone, and being ignorant of 
the deadly nature of glycerine, was uncon- 
sciously the means of her own death. She 
lived on the property now owned by the 
estate of W. A. Marks on the Plank Road. 

Numberless hairbreadth escapes have 
been reported in the handling of nitro- 
glycerine, many of which sound almost 
like fairy tales. Once in a while a shooter 
goes through the experience of having an 
explosion and living to tell about it. One 
of these was John McCleary, who was 
known from Bradford to McDonald as one 
of the best men in the business. While fill- 
ing a shell at a well in Washington County 
in 1881, the well flowed and threw down 
the shell. The glycerine pi'omptly ex- 
ploded and wrecked the derrick. When 
McCleary saw the trouble coming he took 
to his heels and ran. The first explosion 
knocked him down and covered him with 
mud. He rose to his feet just as four cans 
on the derrick floor cut loose and the force 
of the second explosion carried McCleary 
fifty feet farther and filled his back full 
of hemlock splinters. He fell stimned and 
bleeding, but was not seriously injured. 
He lived to shoot many more wells and 
finally met his fate like the general run of 
oil well shooters, while placing a torpedo 
in a well in one of the southern fields. Mc- 
Cleary was known as "Jack" and oper- 
ated extensively in the Butler County 
fields from Parker to Thorn Creek. 

The placing of a torpedo in a well that 
is likely to make a flow of oil or salt water 
is a dangerous piece of business. Charlie 
Ford, who was a well known shooter of 
Butler in the latter part of the eighties. 



206 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



had an experience of this kind wlnle shoot- 
ing a well for the Krug Brothers east of 
Butler. Ford was filling the shell when 
the well suddenly began to flow. There 
were several men in the derrick at the time 
who immediately ran for their lives. Ford 
had his nerve with him, however, and un- 
hooking the bail of the torpedo shell, he 
waited until the flow raised it out of the 
hole, and then grasping it in his hands, 
carried it to the corner of the derrick and 
set it down in a safe place. He was almost 
overcome by the gas and could not resume 
his work for some time, but when the well 
ceased flowing he replaced the torpedo and 
made a successful shot. Ford's nerve was 
doubtless the means of saving several lives 
as well as his own, and he, too, like Jack 
McCleary, ultimately met his fate while 
handling this dangerous stuff. 

One of the most remarkable escapes that 
happened in the oil region is credited to 
James F. Holland, whose death is men- 
tioned above. Holland on one occasion 
took a load of nitro-glycerine from his 
magazine near Butler into the edge of 
Armstrong County, where he was to shoot 
a well. It was in the winter time and the 
roads were covered with snow and ice. 
The well was located in a deep ravine and 
was reached by means of a road that de- 
scended along the side of the hill. In mak- 
ing the descent of this hill Holland's 
wagon suddenly skidded sidewise and went 
over the bank, spilling the glycerine cans 
along the side of the hill for several rods. 
Nothing daunted by this adventure, Hol- 
land righted his wagon and proceeded to 
gather up the cans of nitro-glycerine and 
carry them back to the road. In this oper- 
ation he slipped once and fell, and the two 
cans he was carrying rolled for some dis- 
tance. He finally succeeded in getting his 
wagon reloaded, and shooting the well 
without any further mishap. 

On another occasion Holland was driv- 
ing down the McCalmont hill at McCal- 
mont station at night, with a heavy load of 



nitro-glycerine on his wagon, when his 
team became unmanageable. The horses 
dashed down the hill and across the rail- 
road tracks at McCalmont station just as 
the passenger train, which was overdue, 
for Butler, whistled for the crossing. The 
hind wheels of the wagon had barely 
crossed the tracks when the train dashed 
by, and Holland breathed a sigh of relief. 
Had the train struck the wagon the results 
would have been terrible, as the coaches 
were heavily loaded with people traveling 
to the county seat. 

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS AND 
SKETCHES. 

The following incidents of the Butler 
County oil field and brief sketches of a 
few of the men who were prominently 
identified with the operations from Parker 
to Millerstowu forty years ago will be 
found interesting to many of the readers 
of this volume. Most of the incidents 
were published in the newspapers at the 
time, and all of them are familiar history 
in the oil country. The names of Freder- 
ick Prentice, Captain Vandergrift, George 
V. Foreman, "Dime" Karns, Lambing 
Brothers, Satterfield and Taylor, C. D. 
Angell, George W. Delamater, John Pit- 
cairn, Thomas W. Phillips, Isaac Phillips, 
John McKeown, and many otliers are in- 
delibly linked with the early history of 
oil in Butler County. Among those who 
came into the field later were the McKin- 
neys, James Guffey, John Gailey, M. L. 
Lockwood, Dr. J. B. Showalter, Hon. 
Thomas W. Hays, George H. Graham, 
A. L. Campbell, and others who were 
natives of the county. Andrew Carnegie, 
the great steel baron, was once associated 
with the early history of oil in Butler 
County, being a stockholder in the Colum- 
bia Oil Company, and at the same time 
superintendent of the Allegheny Valley 
Railroad. 



AND REPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



207 



A large share of the credit of opening 
the Butler County field is due to James 
Lambing, who drilled the "Ursus Major" 
well in 1871, on the B. B. Campbell farm 
near Martinsburg. Heavy tools were used 
in this well for the first time in the oil 
country, and the driller was Charley 
Cramer. The tool-dresser was A. M. 
Lambing, who is now a well-known priest 
of the Roman Catholic Church in the Pitts- 
burg Diocese. The Lambing brothers 
came from Armstrong County, and at one 
time were the heaviest operators in the 
Butler field. 

A prominent figure in the early days 
was John McKeown, who was known all 
over the oil country as one of flie largest 
operators and one of the wealthiest men 
in the oil business. McKeown started in 
the Parker's Landing field without a 
penny of money, and the only resources 
he had was a supply of Irish pluck and 
an indomitable courage. He drilled the 
first well on the Widow Nolan farm at 
Millerstown, and subsequently operated 
at Modoc, Petrolia and Martinsburg. He 
joined the exodus to Bradford where he 
was the partner of Hon. Thomas W. Hays. 
From Bradford he went to McDonald and 
was one of the largest operators in that 
field. He died at the age of fifty-three, 
leaving a fortune estimated from three to 
ten million dollars. McKeown started as 
a i^oor boy and worked his way to the 
front rank of producers and financiers of 
the country. Although a millionaire he 
disliked the ostentation and display of 
wealth and had a fancy for disguising 
himself when transacting business where 
he was not known. On one occasion he 
dressed as a laboring man and went to 
consult Dr. Agnew, a Philadelphia spe- 
cialist, in regard to his health. He ex- 
plained to the physician that he was a 
poor man and unable to pay a large fee. 
The physician performed , the services 
asked, and charged a fee of ten dollars, 
which the patient was to pny when he had 



earned the money. The next day Mc- 
Keown returned dressed in a business 
suit, introduced himself and gave the 
astonished doctor a check for $100. On 
another occasion he went to Baltimore to 
purchase some real estate which was be- 
ing sold at a forced sale to satisfy cred- 
itors. McKeown deposited a million dol- 
lars in the Baltimore bank, disguised 
himself as a farmer, and attended the sale. 
The mortgagor expected to buy the real 
estate at a nominal siim, much less than 
its real value, and when the stranger 
began bidding the other buyers, who were 
on the ground, intimated to the farmer that, 
he had a good deal of nerve and inquired 
if he had the money to put up for his bid. 
The farmer replied that he usually had 
the cash to pay for what he purchased. 
The block was finally knocked down to the 
stranger for $600,000, and he astonished 
the creditors by calling uj? a local bank and 
producing the cash inside of a half hour. 

William Smith, who drilled the first well 
for Colonel Drake at Titusville in 1859, 
was born in Butler County in 1812. He 
learned the blacksmiths' trade at Free- 
port, worked for a while at Pittsburg, and 
in the forties moved to Tarentum where 
he was' employed making tools for Sam- 
uel M. Kier, and drilling salt water wells. 
"V^niien Colonel Drake took the contract to 
drill his well he found it difficult to get a 
practical borer to sink it. He went to 
Tarentum and engaged a man to drill the 
well, but the driller failed to make his 
appearance. He made the second trip to 
Tarentum and was referred by F. N. 
Humes, who was cleaning out salt wells, to 
William Smith, who was a blacksmith and 
maker of drilling tools. Smith accepted 
the offer to manufacture tools and drill 
the well and took with him his two sons, 
James and William. One of the sons sub- 
sequently purchased a farm in Winfield 
Township, Butler County, upon which he 
resided until his death. 

One of the operators in the Millerstown- 



208 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



petrolia field in the seventies was George 
W. Delamater of Meadville. His father 
was Hon. George B. Delamater, was a 
prominent banker and oil operator of 
Meadville, who represented that district 
in the State Senate in 1869. The son, 
George W., operated at Petrolia, entered 
politics, was elected mayor of Meadville 
and State senator, and in 1890 was the 
machine candidate for governor on the 
Eepublican ticket against Robert E. Pat- 
tison. Delamater was opposed by such 
men in his own party as Lewis Emery Jr., 
Joseph W. Lee and a host of independent 
oil producers and the campaign of that 
year was one of the most bitter in the 
political history of the county. Delamater 
was defeated for governor and Butler 
County for the first time in many years 
gave the Democratic candidate for State 
office a majority. Delamater was ruined 
financially by this campaign, and subse- 
quently went to the northwest and started 
life anew as a lawyer at Seattle. About 
1906 he gave up his practice in Seattle 
and returned to Pittsburg, where his 
death occurred under sad circumstances. 

THE MONTCALM LETTER. 

No latter day work on petroleum, no 
book, sketch or magazine article of any 
pretensions has failed to reproduce part 
of a letter purporting to have been sent 
out in 1750 by Joncair, the commander 
of the French fort at Duquesne, now 
Pittsburg, to General Montcalm, com- 
mander of the French possessions of 
Canada. It has been quoted as throwing 
light on the religious character of the In- 
dians and offered as evidence of their 
affinity with the fire worshipers of the 
East. J. J. McLauren, author of 
"Sketches in Crude Oil," who was 
familiar with the early history of Frank- 
lin, and the upper oil country, has de- 
clared this story to be a "fake." Butler 
County's interest in the story is due to 
the fact that a Butler County boy was one 



of the authors of the "fake." Franklin 
has been dubbed the nursery of great men, 
and the one that gave birth to the Mont- 
calm "fake" letter first saw the light of 
day in Butler County. According to Mc- 
Lauren a young lawyer opened an office 
in Franklin about seventy-five years ago 
and soon took a leading rank among the 
members" of his profession. The same 
year a talented young minister was called 
to the pastorate of the Presbyterian 
Church of Franklin. The two young men 
became fast friends, and cultivated their 
literary tastes by writing for the village 
paper. Among others they prepared a 
series of fictitious articles based upon the 
early settlement of Northwestern Pennsyl- 
vania which were designed to whet the 
appetite for historic and legendary lore. 
In one of these sketches the alleged letter 
to Montcalm was included. The average 
readers supposed the minute descriptions 
and bold narratives to be rock-ribbed 
facts, and at length the French com- 
mander's letter began to be reprinted as 
actual history. One of the two writers, 
who coined this interesting fake, was 
Hon. James Thompson, the eminent jurist, 
who learned the printing trade in Butler, 
practiced law in Venango County, served 
three terms in the State legislature, one 
in Congress, was district judge for six 
years, and sat on the Supreme bench for 
fifteen years, serving as Chief Justice the 
last five years of his term. Judge Thomp- 
son's literary co-worker was the Rev. 
Cyrus Dickson, D. D., who resigned his 
first charge in Franklin in 1848, and re- 
moved to the east, where he gained dis- 
tinction in the pulpit and as a forceful 
writer. The Montcalm letter is referred 
to in the opening of the chapter on oil 
and gas. 

"dunc" kaens. 
One of the picturesque figures in the 
Armstrong-Butler oil district was Stephen 
Duncan Karns. With his two uncles, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



209 



Karns operated the first West Virginia 
well at the mouth of Burning Spring Run 
in 1860. He gained experience in drilling 
wells with his father, who operated the 
salt wells at Tarentum. The firing on 
Fort Sumter puj an end to the opera- 
tions on the Kanawha River in West Vir- 
ginia, and young Karns enlisted in the 
United States service for three years and 
did not get hack to Pennsylvania until the 
close of the war in 1865. In 1866 he leased 
one acre of land at Parker's Landing from 
FuUerton Parker and drilled a well. This 
well produced a barrel of oil a day at the 
start, and in the course of a few months 
increased its production to twelve barrels, 
incidentally made its owner twenty thou- 
sand dollars. Karns next leased a farm 
from the Miles Oil Company of New York 
that had an abandoned well on it. He 
drilled this well to the sand and got a 
twenty-five-barrel producer. This well 
settled the question of oil south of Parker. 
His next venture was the leasing of the 
Parren farm on Bear Creek and the Stone 
House farm of three hundred acres in 
Butler County. In 1872 he had an income 
from his wells amounting to $5,000 a day. 
He bought the Cooper well on the Mc- 
Clymonds farm, a mile south of Petrolia, 
which the owners had abandoned, drilled 
it deeper, and in two days had a hundred- 
barrel flowing well. The town of Karns 
City sprung up like a mushroom in the 
night and was named in his honor. Karns 
promoted the Parker and Karns City Rail- 
road, built pipe lines, controlled the Ex- 
change Bank, the Parker bridge and for 
a year or more was the largest producer 
in the oil region. He built a fifty thousand 
dollar mansion on the Allegheny River at 
Glen Cairn, kept a string of race horses, 
and played the part of a royal host. He 
went to Europe and was at Paris during 
the siege. Returning from Europe he 
built the Fredericksburg and Orange Rail- 
road in Virginia. The drop in the pi'ice 
of crude oil to forty cents in 1874 and 



various financial losses compelled Karns 
to surrender all of his property to his 
creditors and the man who was worth 
millions in 1872 and 1873 was obliged to 
start life anew. In 1880 Karns induced 
E. 0. Emerson of Titusville to start a 
cattle ranch in Western Colorado, and for 
sLx years the former oil king superin- 
tended the ranch. Emerson had bought 
the Riddle farm at Karns City from 
Karns for eleven thousand dollars. He 
deepened one well — supposed to be dry — 
to the fourth sand. He struck a six hun- 
dred-barrel gusher and sold the property 
for $90,000. Karns returned from the 
West, practiced law for a while at Phila- 
delphia and then came to Pittsburg, where 
he published a Populist paper. When 
Coxy's "Army of Commonweal" marched 
through the "Smoky City" Karns walked 
at the head of the parade. Karns lived a 
more or less spectacular existence until 
his death, but never regained his fortune. 
He was known through the oil country as 
"Dune," a name that is familiar to every 
one in the Butler county fields. 

RICH.IBD JENNINGS. 

Richard Jennings and his brother-in- 
law, Jacob L. Meldren, did much to de- 
velop the territory east of Petrolia. Jen- 
nings came from England to Armstrong 
County about 1850 and located at Queens- 
town. Meldren bought the farm at the 
head of Armstrong Run on which the 
noted Armstrong well was drilled in 
1870. It opened the "Cross Belt" which 
ran at right angles to the main lines and 
upset the theories of geologists and oper- 
ators. This cross belt was remarkable for 
mammoth gushers and extended from 
Petrolia into Armstrong County. Richard 
Jennings was one of the largest operators 
in this district and laid the foundations 
for the large fortune which he left to his 
sons who are now carrying on the busi- 
ness. The sons operated in the McDonald 
field and are now prominent in the bank- 



210 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



ing business in the city of Pittsburg. The 
story is told of Richard Jennings that in 
the days of the Petrolia excitement he sent 
his foreman, Daniel Evans, to secure the 
Daugherty farm on the southern edge of 
the town. This farm was owned by two 
maiden sisters, and all efforts to lease it 
had failed. Faithful to his duty, the fore- 
man knocked at the door of the Daugherty 
residence and engaged board for a week. 
Before the week expired he was engaged 
to the elder sister and had the pleasure of 
securing the lease of the farm for his em- 
ployer. He reaped a harvest of green- 
backs in due course of time from the prop- 
erty, and his widow, who died recently, 
left an estate valued at more than 
$100,000. 

Inspired by the success of Evans, an- 
other gay and festive operator attempted 
to lease a farm from a maiden lady near 
Millerstown. After he had exhausted 
every art to get the lease he hinted at 
matrimony. The indignant lady exploded 
like a bomb-shell, and seizing a broom 
compelled the bold visitor to beat a hasty 
retreat minus his hat and gloves. 

TAYLOE AND SATTEEFIELD. 

Among the large operators of the Butler 
County field in 1870 were Taylor and Sat- 
•terfield. Their policy was to buy lands 
tested by one or more wells and avoid the 
risk of wild-catting. In this way they ac- 
quired productive farms in every part of 
the field from Parker to Millerstown, and 
their transactions footed up millions of 
dollars annually. They established banks 
at Petrolia and Millerstown, employed an 
army of drillers and pumpers, and in com- 
pany with Vandergrift and Forman, John 
Pitcairn, and Fisher Brothers, they built 
the Fairview pipe line from Argyle to 
Brady, which was the nucleus of the 
National transit system of oil transporta- 
tion. Capt. J. J. Vandergrift, George V. 
Forman, and John Pitcairn were asso- 
ciated with them in their producing oper- 



ations in 1879, which extended to the 
Bradford field, and grew to such magni- 
tude that the Union Oil Company was 
formed in 1881 with $5,000,000 capital. In 
1883 Forman was i^aid a million dollars 
for his holdings in this concern in Alle- 
gheny County, which up to that date was 
the largest individual sale in the region. 
All of its properties were eventually sold 
to the Forrest Oil Company, and the 
Union Oil Company went out of existence. 
John A. Satterfield remained in the oil 
business after the dissolution of the Union 
Oil Company, and eventually turned his 
attention to banking in Buffalo. He was 
born in Mercer County, served four years 
in the Civil War, and in 1865 opened a 
grocery at Pithole with James A. Waugh 
as a partner. Later he engaged in the 
oil business, coming to Parker in 1870 and 
to Millerstown in 1873, where he resided 
for four years. His work in the Butler 
fields increased his reputation for honesty 
and enterprise, and at the time of his 
death he occupied a position among the 
leading financiers of the country. 

PLUMMEe's EIDE. 

In the days of the Millerstown excite- 
ment there was a lively scramble for 
leases, and various operators had cast 
longing eyes on the Divener farm, two 
miles south of Millerstown. The farm con- 
tained two hundred acres and the Bennett 
well, which came in for 300 barrels on the 
Boyle farm, made the Divener farm very 
desirable. The Divener couple were old 
and childish, and not wishing to move out 
of the house in which they had resided for 
many years, they positively declined to 
lease or sell. Lee and Plummer were two 
young men from New Castle who were 
looking for leases in the new field, and 
were on the anxious seat in regard to the 
Divener place. One morning Plummer 
overheard an operator tell his foreman to 
offer three hundred dollars an acre for the 
Divener farm. Plummer lost no time. He 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



211 



mounted a fast horse and rode at a gallop 
to the Divener house and offered the old 
couple $200 an acre for their land, one- 
eighth of the oil, and permission to stay in 
the house. The aged pair consulted a 
moment, and accepted the offer. The ink 
was not dry on the lease when the foreman 
rode up, but Plummer met him at the gate, 
and informed him that it was "too late." 
The first well drilled by Lee and Plummer 
on this farm paid for the entire expense 
of the lease in thirty days, and they subse- 
quently sold their holdings to Satterfield 
and Taylor for $90,000. With a fine sense 
of appreciation the first well was labeled 
"Plmnmer's Ride to Divener," and in the 
estimation of the Millerstown hustlers, it 
discounted "Sheridan's Ride to Winches- 
ter." Lee and Plummer were among the 
few operators in the field who could quit 
when they had a good thing. Dividing 
their money after the sale of their lease, 
they said good-bye to the oil field and went 
back to New Castle, where they engaged 
successfully in business that did not have 
so many elements of chance. 

THE producers' PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION. 

The imsatisfactory condition of the oil 
business in 1874 led to the organization of 
producers' protective associations, and the 
inauguration of a shut-down in the entire 
oil field. Operations were suspended all 
along the line and for a couple of months 
scarcely any oil was produced. The pur- 
poses of the movement might have been 
carried out but for the violation of their 
agreements on the part of some of the 
operators who had pumping wells. Some 
of these operated their wells at night and 
shut them down in day time and when this 
became known it practically broke up the 
association. Some of the operators who 
carried out their agreement were financial 
losers by the operation on account of their 
wells being flooded with water and prac- 
tically ruined. 

In 1878 another movement was made to 



organize the independent producers, and 
what was known as the Petroleum 
Producers' Association was organized 
throughout the entire oil field. The pur- 
pose of this organization was to buy, sell 
and transport crude petroleum, and for a 
number of years it had a wide influence in 
the oil coimtry. The association built pipe 
lines, erected tankage and went into the 
business of buying and selling petroleum 
on a large scale. It built a seaboard pipe 
line and for a number of years was ah 
active competitor of the Standard Oil 
Company. Branches of the association 
were organized at Petrolia, Karns City, 
Millerstown, and Troutman in Butler 
County. Among the active members of the 
Petrolia Association were George H. Gra- 
ham and Hon. Thomas W. Hays, and the 
promoters of the Karns City Association 
were Alexander McDowell, A. J. Salis- 
bury, A. W. Gordon and E. V. Rigney. 
Each of the associations had from eighty 
to one hundred members, all of whom were 
extensive operators in the Butler County 
field. 

BEATING THE RAILROAD COMPANY. 

The independent producers and pipe 
line operators in the seventies often had 
trouble in obtaining cars to ship their oil. 
Discrimination was indulged in by the 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, of which 
Andrew Carnegie was then superintendent 
of the Allegheny Valley division. The 
Armstrong and Butler County producers 
who were shipping oil fi'om Brady's Bend 
had made complaint to the railroad com- 
pany about their treatment in the matter 
of distributing cars for shipping oil and 
their request liad been treated with indif- 
ference, and in some cases ignored. The 
oil operators of that day were men of re- 
sources. They quietly gauged their tanks 
and when they were full, run the oil onto 
the ground. They then presented the bill 
for the oil at the current market price to 
the railroad company. The railroad com- 



212 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pany saw the point made by the operators, 
settled the bills and thereafter furnished 
cars when asked for. 

The last shut-down in the oil county oc- 
curred in 1886 at the time the Thorn Creek 
field was at its height, and the Phillips and 
Armstrong gushers had been spouting oil 
at the rate of several thousand barrels per 
day. Tlie price of crude petroleum went 
down to $.621/0, and in the hope that a sus- 
pension of operations and limiting the pro- 
duction would stimulate prices, the move- 
ment was inaugurated. The price of crude 
petroleum dropped to $.52 in 1891 and 
since that time it has gradually increased 
to $1.78, which has been the price paid by 
all the pipe line companies for the last two 
years. 

PARKER CITY. 

A¥hen the advance guard of the oil army 
reached Parker's Landing in 1869 there 
was nothing there but a few houses, and a 
ferry across the river. In a comparatively 
short space of time there was a full-blown 
city under a city charter, large business 
blocks, banking houses, opera houses, daily 
newspapers, an oil exchange, and Ben 
Hogan's Floating Palace on the river 
bank. Part of the resident portion of the 
city extended into Butler County. Ben 
Hogan's place was too tough for the town, 
which was noted for its toughness, and one 
night the guy ropes that held the palace 
to the shore were cut with an axe and 
Hogan, his collection of vile women, 
gamblers, and blacklegs floated down 
stream never to return to Parker. 

The oil exchange at Parker attracted a 
large number of speculators in oil, and it 
was really one of the show places of oil- 
dom. ■ Someone has said that it is as dan- 
gerous to speculate in kerosene as it is to 
start a fire with it. This proved true with 
the oil exchanges, of which there were sev- 
eral in Butler County. Many fortunes 
were lost in the Parker Exchange and a 
few made. George Darr was the agent 



and Thomas B. Simpson was the largest 
operator. Daniel Goettel is credited with 
engineering the largest bull movement in 
the history of oil at this exchange. The 
patrons of the exchange were representa- 
tive young men from all over the United 
States, many of whom have since become 
prominent in the affairs of the State and 
Nation, and the names of some are famil- 
iar to every liousehold in the county today. 
Christ Ball and Henry Loomis were two 
brokers who cleared up $60,000 in one year, 
which was a snug fortune in the seventies. 
A young German farmer of New York 
State staked all his money on the market 
one day and made $22,000. He retired to 
New York State, bought a farm, and the 
oil country and the oil exchange knew him 
no more. 

With the exodus to Bradford trade 
slackened, and the Parker exchange met 
the same fate as the boom city. The build- 
ing was sold for ground rent, and the 
$5,000 library was removed to Oil City. 
Tlie expensive paintings and furniture 
sold for a pittance and the Wall Street of 
Parker has long since only existed in 
memory. 

THE devil's half ACRE. 

What is known as the Devil's Half Acre 
was a small lease in Penn Township owned 
by Judge James Bredin of Butler, for 
which there was a lively scramble by the 
operators. When the Thorn Creek field 
was opened up in 1884 it was discovered 
that about a half acre of land lying on the 
old Pittsburg Turnpike had no apparent 
owner, and on account of this lack of own- 
ership it was called the "Devil's Half 
Acre." The oil developments made the 
half acre valuable property and the oper- 
ators began to look around for the owner. 
It was then discovered that the piece of 
ground had originally belonged to a tract 
owned by Judge Bredin, and that when he 
had sold the tract five years previous, a 
sti-ip of ground amounting to about half 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



213 



an acre had been conveyed as a right of 
way to another tract of land that lay back 
from the public road. In the subsequent 
years both pieces of land had been con- 
veyed to other parties, the half acre was 
never used for the purpose for which it 
was intended and the circumstances sur- 
rounding the first sale had been forgotten. 
Bredin received a handsome bonus for the 
lease of the half acre, and the operators 
were rewarded by a paying well. 

Another instance of land becoming val- 
uable that had been considered worthless 
occurred in the Hundred-foot District in 
Connoquenessing Township in 1889. About 
1880 the heirs of Daniel Graham sold a 
tract of land on Little Connoquenessing 
Creek and when the deed was executed the 
new purchaser discarded about fifteen 
acres of the tract lying on the creek bot- 
tom as being utterly worthless. The 
ground was covered with rocks, brush and 
rattlesnakes, and was not considered fit 
for pasture land. The property was as- 
sessed as vacant land and the Graham 
heirs kept it without much thought that it 
would ever prove valuable. The striking 
of the gusher on the Humphrey fann and 
the subsequent development on the Bran- 
don and other farms brought the fifteen- 
acre tract into prominence and a large 
bonus was paid for the lease of the ground 
and sevei'al large .wells were drilled on it. 
The heirs of the Graham estate subse- 
quently realized a neat fortune out of the 
land that had been discarded as worthless. 

"the wickedest man in- the wobld." 
A sketch of the oil country from 1860 to 
1890 would be considered incomplete with- 
out mention of Ben Hogan, who flourished 
during the palmy days of Oil Creek, Par- 
ker and Petrolia. Nearly all of the mush- 
room oil towns were infested with a crowd 
of sports, gamblers, and plug-uglies who 
stole, gambled, carroused and did their 
best to break all the commandments at 
once. Hapless wretches were driven to 



desperation and fitted for the infernal re- 
gions, while lust and liquor goaded men 
to frenzy, resulting sometimes in homicide 
or suicide. The chief of the sinners in 
catering to this class of people was Ben 
Hogan, who had a reputation as wide as 
the oil fields and called himself ' ' the wick- 
edest man in the world." Hogan had been 
a prize fighter on land and a pirate on the 
seas, a bounty jumper and a blockade run- 
ner during the Civil War, and for one of 
his crimes had been sentenced to death. 
He was pardoned by President Abraham 
Lincoln, and in the summer of 1865 he 
came to Oil Creek and ran a variety show 
at Pithole. His companion and mistress 
was "French Kate," who was said to be a 
Confederate spy during the days of the 
Civil War, and a leacier of the demi-monde 
of Washington City. The character of the 
place that the pair ran at Pithole was so 
malodorous that the authorities drove 
them out of the county, and they were next 
heard of at Parker in 1872, where Hogan 
built what was known as the "Floating 
Palace." This palace was built on boats 
and anchored on the Allegheny River 
bank, and was consequently out of the 
jurisdiction of the local authorities. He 
ran a dance hall, sold whiskey, and made 
himself so generally obnoxious that he was 
forced to leave, and in the winter of 1873, 
he came to Petrolia, where he opened an 
opera house and conducted a gilded palace 
of sin known as " Hogan 's Castle." Ho- 
gan put on airs, dressed in a loud style and 
would have been elected burgess of the 
town but it is said that the election board 
counted him out. The "castle" became so 
notorious that a newspaper took up the 
cudgel against Hogan and forced him to 
leave Petrolia. From Petrolia he went 
west and there engaged in some swindle, 
after which, in 1875, he returned to the oil 
region and followed his old occupation at 
Elk City, Bullion, Tarport and Bradford. 
His residence was of short duration in all 
of these places, but he met with financial 



214 



IISTOiiY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



success and was about to depart for Paris 
when lie met in New Yorlc City tlie con- 
verted drunkard, Charles Sawyer, ilogan 
was deeply impressed with Sawyer's 
preaching and became convevted. He 
signed the pledge, quit drinking and from 
that time until his death he devoted all of 
his time to evangelistic work and in trying 
to offset as far as possible his former mis- 
deeds. 

After Hogan's conversion he married 
"French Kate," who also professed re- 
ligion at the time, but it didn't have any 
very lasting effect with her as she eloped 
■with a tough a couple of years later. 
Evangelist Moody met Hogan and advised 
him to go into the Evangelistic work. Ho- 
gan traversed the oil country, visiting all 
the towns where he had formerly conduct- 
ed his dens of vice, and conducted evange- 
listic meetings at which he told of his con- 
version and his desire to lead a better life. 
He visited Butler in 1893 and held several 
large meetings in the old opera house. 
When Hogan came to the oil country in 
1865 it is said that he could not read nor 
write, and that all the education he ever 
had was given him by "French Kate." 
He made good his promises to Evangelist 
Moody and so far as is known he led a 
consistent Christian life for many years 
previous to his death. 

THE AGEAEI.4N TROUBLE AT RE>'FEEW. 

A lease fight that attracted general at- 
tention all over the country and obtained 
almost national notoriety by publication 
in the newspapers occurred at Renfrew in 
the Bald Ridge district in 1883. David A. 
Renfrew had leased a tract of land in Penn 
Township south of the Connoquenessing 
Creek and west of the Meridian road to the 
Bald Ridge Oil Company. The oil com- 
pany subsequently sold the lease to Sim- 
cox and Myers. The surveyors employed 
to run the lines of the lease discovered a 
strip of land containing about six acres 
which was not described in the titles to anv 



of the adjoining tracts. The six-acre strip 
immediately became the subject of conten- 
tion, three parties claiming the land. 
David A. Renfrew claimed it by right of 
l)urchase, Charles C. Sullivan of Butler 
claiuied a part of it, having secured a pat- 
ent from the state, and the third claimants 
were the heirs of William Purviance, .who 
had surveyed and owned the original 
tract. The Purviance heirs were repre- 
sented by Miss Elizabeth Purviance, J. F. 
Purviance, Miss S. S. Purviance, H. C. 
T'urviance, W. A. Purviance and B. F. 
I'urvianee. The Purviance family had 
taken possession of the tract and were liv- 
ing in a building that had been erected on 
the premises. The other claimants to the 
title entered a suit of ejectment and the 
Purviances were ordered to vacate, which 
they refused to do. Simcox and Mj^ers 
demanded pdsscssitm of the lease, which 
was icruscil lluMii. and they called on Ren- 
frew to assist in dispossessing the tenants 
of the property. One morning a posse 
composed of David A. Renfrew, John Ren- 
frew, Edward Alshouse, Porter Phipps, 
J. J. Myers, Hugh Strawick, A. A. Dickey, 
F. Stroup, Simeon Phipps, James Ross, 
John Renfrew, Grant Anderson, Samuel 
Ross and Charles Ileeter, went to the lease 
to dispossess the tenants who were then 
holding possession. The Pui'viances had 
prepared for trouble, barricaded the doors 
of the house, and offered a strong resist- 
ance to the posse. The posse battered 
down the doors of the building, overpow- 
ered the inmates, and by force of numbers 
carried them off' the premises. Among the 
inmates of the house were Miss Elizabeth 
and Miss S. S. Purviance, who were 
roughly handled in the process of eviction. 
Criminal suits followed in which the men 
engaged by Renfrew in evicting the ten- 
ants were indicted for riot and assault and 
battery, and cross-suits were instituted 
against various members of the Purviance 
family. The litigation was also carried on 
in the civil courts in the form of ejectment 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



215 



suits, but the Purvianee family lost tlieir 
claim to the six acres, which proved to be 
one of the most valuable oil leases in that 
part of the Bald Ridge district. 

The proceedings at the time the evic- 
tion was made developed into a riot and 
was the most exciting agrarian trouble 
since the Maxwell affair in 1815 mentioned 
in another chapter. 

Wilson's ikon dkreick. 

The idea of substituting iron for wood 
in building oil derricks has been attempted 
several times, but was never successfully 
carried out until the latter part of the 
nineties, when Amos C. Wilson, of Butler, 
secured a patent for building derricks 
from sections of pipe. The legs of the der- 
rick were fitted into metal sockets and so 
arranged that the pieces could be easily 
put together and taken apart and the 
braces and girders were made of the same 
material. Wilson erected one of his der- 
ricks on a lot near the Walter's Mill in 
Butler and drilled a well with it, and sev- 
eral other tests were made of the derrick 
in the Pennsylvania oil fields, but they 
never became popular, and Wilson finally 
abandoned his plan of placing his inven- 
tion on the market. 

FORTUNES THAT WERE MISSED. 

No story of missed fortunes in the oil 
country is more interesting than that of 
the Lambing brothers, who were among 
the heavy operators that followed the in- 
land developments from Parker's Land- 
ing in the early part of the seventies. They 
drilled the famous Campbell gas well and 
in 1872 owned leases on 16,000 acres of 
land in Concord, Fairview and Parker 
Townships, and had drilled the Ralston 
Mill well in Concord Township. When the 
Ralston well was completed it filled up 
with water and there were no indications 
of oil. The well stood in that condition 
for about twenty months when the casing- 
was purchased by Kittanning parties. In 



the meantime there had been a decline in 
the price of crude oil, the Lambing broth- 
ers had became financially embarrassed 
along with many other producers and had 
given up their leases. When the workmen 
undertook to pull the casing out of the 
Ralston well they discovered after they 
had pulled up about half of it that two or 
three sections were split. This suggested 
that the water had not been cased off, and 
that probably the well was good for some 
oil if it were properly cased. The new 
owner skirmished around and got new 
pieces of casing to replace the sj^lit sec- 
tions and re-cased the well. The water 
was then bailed out and to the surprise of 
everybody concerned, the well made 120 
barrels a day. Had the Lambing brothers 
discovered the split casing when the well 
was drilled, their holdings would have 
been worth a million dollars to tliem. 

THE LAWYER PUMPER. 

One of the notable characters that came 
to the Millerstown field in 1873 was M. 
Augustus Perry. Perry was a New Eng- 
lander by birth, and in the early days of 
the Oil Creek excitement had come to 
Titusville with $1,100,000.00. Along with 
other capitalists from the east he engaged 
in producing and speculating and event- 
ually lost his entire fortune, and at the 
time mentioned he was pumping on the 
Shreve well for $2.50 a day. Perry was a 
man of education, a lawyer by profession, 
and had exceedingly fine literary tastes. 
He still had faith in his lucky star and was 
looking forward to the day when he would 
regain his lost fortune. 

R. B. TAYLOR AND DAN WULLER. 

An instance of how fortunes are some- 
times made in the oil fields occurred in the 
Hundred-foot District in Connoquenessing 
Township in 1889. R. B. Taylor of Butler, 
who was a well known contractor and 
builder, had secured a lease on the Daniel 
C;il)le farm on Little Connoquenessing 



216 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Creek. When he attempted to organize a 
company to drill on the lease he met with 
many discouragements from old operators 
who had no faith in the location of the 
lease. Taylor finally drilled the well him- 
self, with the exception of a one-eighth 
interest that was carried by another party, 
and struck a gusher that flowed over 500 
barrels a day. After the well had pro- 
duced enough of oil to pay the expenses 
of the lease and the drilling, Taylor sold 
out for $90,000. 

Another instance occurred in the Coop- 
erstown field in 189.3. Daniel Wuller of 
Butler was a well known druggist and at 
that time was operating some in the local 
oil fields. One night he had been out with 
some good fellows and the next morning 
he awoke with a queer feeling in his head 
and a faint recollection of the proceedings 
of the evening before. When he balanced 
his cash he found that he had paid $250 
for a lease in the Cooperstown field and 
that the fellows who sold him the lease 
were spending his money and enjoying a 
hearty laugh over the manner in which 
they had done up the druggist. The lease 
was considered "no good," and when 
Wuller attempted to form a company to 
drill it he was laughed at. He decided 
to turn the tables ou the practical jokers 
and proceeded to drill a well himself. The 
first well came in good and others followed, 
and in the course of a few months Wuller 
sold out at a clean profit of $50,000. 

THE "spotty" M 'bride WELL. 

The decline of the Speechley field in 
Washington and Concord Townships was 
followed by the usual crop of predictions 
that Butler County had produced her last 
oil pool, and that the shades of oblivion 
would soon cover the entire district. In 
the winter of 1904-5 Isaac L. (Spotty) 
McBride leased a block of 215 acres of 
land in the southwestern section of Butler 
Township about three miles from Butler, 
and located a well on the 0. K. Waldron 



farm. After much hard labor and many 
disappointments he formed a partnership 
with P. F. MeCool, Harry Hinchberger, 
and Mike Finnegan, and let the contract 
for the drilling of the well. McBride had 
been in the oil country for over thirty 
years and had more than the usual run of 
bad luck. He had drilled numerous dry 
holes, and when he undertook the drilling 
of the well on the Waldron farm he was 
obliged to work on the well as a driller in 
order to carry his one-fourth interest. 
The well was completed May 9, 1905, and 
began to flow at the rate of 2,500 barrels 
per day. It was by all odds the largest 
well struck since the days of Thorn Creek, 
and " Spotty 's" fortune was made. A 
mad scramble for leases followed the 
striking of the well, and fancy prices were 
paid. The Simon Barrickman farm of 
forty acres was leased for $11,000 and the 
eighth royalty. Two thousand dollars 
were paid for twenty acres of the Samuel 
Schlagel farm, and $10,000 for the Ihmsen 
farm, while equally as fancy prices were 
paid for other farms in the vicinity. 
After the McBride well had flowed about 
30,000 barrels of oil the owner sold the 
property for $200,000. Spotty 's one- 
quarter interest represented a neat profit 
of a little more than $50,000, and he is 
now living on "Easy Street." 

The McBride pool proved to be a freak 
of the first water. Other wells were 
drilled but all of them turned out to be 
small producers and the entire field was 
a money loser to nearly every one but the 
owners of the first well. 



In May, 1908, Harry N. Hoffman, a 
pumper for the Southern Oil Company in 
Penn Township, secured a ten-acre lease 
on the Dodds farm, on which he proposed 
to drill a well. About twenty-two years 
ago an operator named Jones had obtained 
a lease on the same piece of land and 
erected a derrick. Before the drill was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



217 



started a dry well or two had been drilled 
in the neighborhood, and Jones concluded 
that his was a losing chance. He accord- 
ingly gave up his lease and sold the rig 
without drilling. Hoffman knew about the 
location and always had faith in it. When 
he secured his lease and started to drill 
he had to give up his job with the oil 
company, and when he tried to get finan- 
cial backing he was met with polite re- 
fusals and some few intimations that he 
was crazy to drill on the location that he 
had solicited. Nothing daunted, he mort- 
gaged his home for all it would carry, bor- 
rowed all the money he could get from 
other sources to pay the contractors, and 
on the day that the well reached the top 
of the sand he stood to lose every penny 
he had saved in twenty-five or thirty years' 
work or make a fortune. When the driller 
started to run the last bit, the hole was 
apparently as dry as the proverbial "pow- 
der horn." Hoffman was sitting on the 
anvil in the derrick watching the tools de- 
scend their hole, and remarked to the 
drilling crew, "Well, boys, I am all in." 
"Never say die until the last bit has been 
drilled," replied the driller, who really 
felt sorry for Hoffman. Sure enough, 
when the bit came up in the course of an 
hour it was dripping with grease, and be- 
fore the day was over the Hoft'man No. 1 
was flowing at the rate of 250 barrels a 
day. The Hoffman well opened an ex- 
tensive pool in Penn Township which has 
produced a number of wells in the 100- 
barrel class, but none of the wells have 
equalled the first gusher. Hoffman was 
offered $30,000 for a half interest in the 
well ten days after it was struck, but re- 
fused to sell. He drilled other wells on 
his lease and is on the high road to for- 
tune. The striking of the gusher caused a 
scramble for leases and high prices were 
paid for land in the immediate vicinity of 
the well. 

OIL COUNTRY HONOR. 

Much has been written and said about 



the code of honor among oil men in the 
oil country twenty-five or thirty years ago. 
An instance occurred in connection with 
the Hoffman well which brings the sub- 
ject down to the present date. Newton 
Maharg owns a fann adjoining the Hoff- 
man lease on the Dodds tract. When 
Hoffman started to drill his well he went 
to Maharg and asked him for a ten-acre 
lease to protect his well. Maharg had no 
faith in the venture, and refused the lease, 
but not wishing to discourage Hoffman, he 
said, "Go ahead with your drilling, and 
if you get a well I will give you a ten-acre 
lease for nothing, and all I will ask is the 
usual royalty." Hoffman took Maharg at 
his word, and when the gusher came in 
he went after the lease and got it, although 
it would have been several thousand dol- 
lars to Maharg 's advantage to go back on 
his word. The land surrounding the two 
leases sold as high as $200 an acre, and 
Maharg could have easily received the 
top price for the asking. 

THE OIL men's outing ASSOCIATION. 

Tlie Oil Men's Outing Association had 
its inception in 1886, when the employes 
of the National Transit Company and 
their friends held a picnic at Slippery 
Rock Park on the Bessemer Railroad. 
The affair was such a pronounced success 
that it was decided to hold an outing every 
year and include all the oil men and their 
friends in the entire oil field. The place of 
liolding the annual outing was changed to 
Conneaut Lake, and a permanent organ- 
ization was effected. One of the features 
is the publication of the Oil and Gas Mag- 
azine which is devoted to oil region 
reminiscences, and contains much valuable 
information about the oil business. The 
officers of the association in 1908 were 
J. W. McKee, president ; Hon. E. L. Was- 
son, vice-president; C. R. Watson, secre- 
taiy and treasurer; Charles H. Olliver, 
chairman of the executive committee, with 
the following active members of the com- 



218 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



mittee: William M. Starr, Samuel C. 
Redic, Z. P. Lauffer, J. K. Wood, M. M. 
MeKinney, H. A. Evans, and Dr. W. R. 
Cowden. 

The production of Pennsylvania crude 
petroleum in 1859 was 1,873 barrels. In 
1860 it was 547,439 barrels, and the high- 
water mark in production was reached in 
1891, when 35,742,152 barrels were pro- 
duced. 

The lowest monthly average price of 
crude petroleum in 1859 was $20 per bar- 
rel. It dropped to $2.75 in 1860 and to 
$.10 in 1861 and 1862. The $4 mark was 
reached in 1864 and the average price for 
the year was $9,871/2. The highest monthly 
average for the same year was $12,121/^. 
In 1874 the price declined to $.55 and the 
production was 11,000,000 barrels. The 
steady decline in the price of crude oil 
caused financial disasters in the oil coim- 
try, and Butler County suffered along 
with the others. It has been said that dur- 
ing the period of depression that over 
2,000 executions were issued by the sher- 
iffs in the oil country, and this county had 
its proportionate share. 

PRICES OF CRUDE OIL. 

The average price of pipe line certifi- 
cates of Pennsylvania crude petroleum as 
well as the price in January of each year, 
is given below : 

Price in Yearly 

Year. .Tanuarv. average. 

1860 $19.25 ' $9.59 

1861 l.OU .49 

1862 10 1.05 

1863 2.25 3.15 

1864 4.00 8.06 

1865 8.25 6.59 

1866 4.50 3.74 

1867 1.87'.. 2.41 

1868 1.95 3 621/. 

1869 .5.75 5.631A 

1870 4.521/0 3,86' 

1871 3.821/, 4..S4 

1872 4.021/.. 3.64 

1873 2.60 1.83 

1874 1.20 1.17 

1875 1.03 1.35 

1876 1.80 2.5614 

1877 3.53 ^^ -.42 

1878 1.43 1.19 



1879 1.03 .85% 

1880 1.10% .941/2 

1881 95y2 .85% 

1882 83% .78% 

1883 ' 93% 1.05% 

1884 1.11 .83% 

1885....; 70ys .87y8 

1886 88% .7114' 

1887 *. 70 .66% 

1888 9114 87% 

1889 86% .94% 

1890. 1.05% .86% 

1891 7414 67 

1892 62%' ..55% 

1893 .53% 64 

1894 79% .83% 

1895 99 1.35% 

1896 1.42-% 1.17% 

1897 88 .75% 

1898 65 .91% 

1899 1.17 1.29% 

1900 1.66% 1.35% 

1901 1.19% 1.21 

1902 1.15 1.23% 

1903 .' 1.52% 1.59 

Since 1904 there was a steady advance 
until March 9, 1907, when the price of 
credit balances was quoted at $1.78. There 
has been no change since. 

A DISASTROUS FIRE. 

The first disastrous fire in the oil region 
occurred at the Merrick well near Rouse- 
ville, April 17, 1861, at which forty-two 
men were more or less seriously burned, 
nineteen died from their injuries, and two 
were incinerated on the scene of the fire. 
One of the victims of the tragedy was 
Henry R. Rouse, one of the pioneer oil 
operators of that region, and the man for 
whom Rouseville in- Venango County is 
named. The ]\lerrick well had been drilled 
in on the day of the fire, and started to 
flow at the rate of two thousand barrels a 
day. Two or three hundred people had 
gathered around the well to watch it flow, 
when suddenly there was a tremendous 
explosion. The oil and gas took fire and 
those who were able to get away from the 
place fled for their lives. Among the vic- 
tims were two strange men who had come 
that day from Oil City, each carrying a 
valise. They were among the missing, and 
when the fire was under control their 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



219 



charred bodies were found near the well. 
Who they were has never been learned. 
Among the nineteen who were fatally 
burned was James Walker, of Butler 
County, and among the list of injured 
were Levi Walker and John Glass, both 
of Butler County. 

THOMAS W. PHILLIPS. 

Tlie development of the oil field of But- 
ler County and the oil business generally 
in western Pennsylvania owes more to 
Hon. Thomas W. Phillips than any other 
man living or dead, since the beginning 
of oil operations in 1859. Mr. Phillips is 
a native of Lawrence County and a resi- 
dent of New Castle, and much of his suc- 
cess and prominence in the development of 
the oil field have been attained in Butler 
County. Mr. Phillips went to Oil Creek 
early in the sixties in partnershixi with his 
brother Isaac, followed the developments 
down the river to Parker and thence into 
Butler County, and in 1873 the Phillips 
Brothers were among the large producers 
in the Parker and Troutman field. When 
the financial panic struck the country in 
1873 the Phillips Brothers met with finan- 
cial reverses which threatened them in 
bankruptcy. At that time they owed about 
$800,000, and they had about $2,000,000 qf 
property throughout the oil country which 
would have been sold at a sacrifice, but the 
creditors at a meeting held in Parker City 
decided to give the two brothers ten years' 
time in which to pay their obligation, and 
appointed them trustees to take charge of 
the estate. A situation which would have 
appalled less courageous men only served 
to bring out their strong character, and 
with magnificent energy they launched into 
oil-producing on a vast scale on a plan 
which was originated by Thomas W. 
Phillips, and in the short term of fifteen 
years the entire indebtedness of $800,000 
was paid off. In the meantime, Isaac 
Phillips had died and the greater part of 



the burden fell on the aurviving brother. 
When the exodus of oil men to Bradford 
began, Thomas W. Phillips remained in 
Butler County and gave his attention to 
the development of the Thorn Creek field, ' 
Glade Run and Thorn Creek extension, 
and it was in these fields that he had made 
the money to pay the losses of 1873. He 
not only paid his indebtedness, but ac- 
cumulated a handsome fortune in addition 
and established the business now being 
conducted by the Phillips Gas and Oil 
Company. Mr. Phillips had been inter- 
ested in every movement for the protec- 
tion or improvement of the producing in- 
dustry, and the producers and operators 
of western Pennsylvania owe him a debt 
of gratitude for his watchful care in 
thwarting hostile legislation. When the 
movement was undertaken to limit the pro- 
duction and thus reduce the excessive 
stock of oil on hand, Mr. Phillips refused 
to curtail operations until a satisfactory 
provision, which he proposed, was made 
to compensate and protect the labor en- 
gaged in the industry by setting aside 
•2,000,000 barrels of oil for its benefit. 

Mr. Philli|is came into public life promi- 
nently in 1880, during the Garfield cam- 
})aign. He conceived and planned the 
Republican text book of that campaign, 
tlie first ever published, and was its finan- 
cial backer. His work in this campaign 
brought him into prominence in Pennsyl- 
vania, and in the subsequent contest in the 
legislature for United States Senator he 
i-epeatedly i-eceived votes in the open con- 
vention of both Houses. In the fall of 
1890, owing to the dissatisfaction existing 
in the Republican party over the manner 
in which the successful candidate for Con- 
gress obtained his nomination, Mr. Phillips 
was prevailed upon to be an independent 
candidate and nominated at a convention 
of representatives of the district held at 
Harmony. He was defeated at the fall 
election, but he ran such a large vote that 
he received the party nomination in 1892 



220 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and was elected* by the largest majority 
ever given in the Twenty-fifth District, 
which was then composed of Beaver, But- 
ler, Lawrence and Mercer Counties. Mr. 
Phillips was reelected in 1894, and in 1896 
declined a nomination to give his time to 
the labor commission of which he was then 
a member. While a member of the House, 
Mr. Phillips was a member of the Commit- 
tee on Labor, and also that on Merchant 
Marine and Fisheries. In the extra session 
of the Fifty-third Congress he introduced 
a bill for the free coinage of silver based 
on the natural law of supply and demand, 
believing that there has been no sensible 
silver legislation since the Rebellion. This 
bill was favorably commented on by the 



press and men of recognized financial abil- 
ity. At the second session of the Fifty- 
third Congress he introduced the bill 
authorizing the appointment of a non-par- 
tisan commission to collate information on 
the labor and industrial problems and was 
made a member of the commission which 
afterwards performed valuable services. 
Although past three score years and ten, 
Mr. Phillips takes an active interest in the 
affairs of the company which bears his 
name, and in 1908 he represented his dis- 
trict in the Republican national convention 
at Chicago, and was one of the three dele- 
gates from Pennsylvania who voted for 
Roosevelt on the first and only ballot 
taken. 



CHAPTER VII 



BENCH AND BAR 



Early Court Officials — Early Courts — Origin of "Buckwheat County" — First Quarter 
Sessions Court — Civil Cases and Other Court Business — Division of Townships — 
Cattle Marks — The Court in 1805-06 — Contempt of Court Case — Probate Court 
Created — McJunkin-Halleck Tragedy — Court Dockets Written Up — Bredin Ap- 
pointed Judge — Mohawk Murder Trial — Election of Judges — The Nellis Murder — 
Duff Trial — Constable Ferguson Killed — Court of 1853 — Election of McGuffin — 
Cooper Murder Trial — Addlington Murder Trial — Hockenbury Trial — Schugart- 
Martin Trials — Constitution of 1873 — Judicial Contest of 1884 — Arrest of Coun- 
terfeiters — Harbison-Monks Baby Case — Lee Murder Trial — Easier Murder — Jur- 
dicial Contest of 1893 — Election of 1902— Catherine Miller Case — McGrady Trial — 
The Hoffman Case — Ground Hog Case — The Kreditch Murder — McLaughlin- 
Hemphill Tragedy — The Schmidt Murder — The Bennett Riot — The Bench; Bio- 
graphical Notice — The Bar — Biographical Notice — The Butler Bar in 1908. 



For some time after the erection of But- 
ler County the legal affairs of the dis- 
trict were administered by the courts and 
the attorneys of Pittsburg, Butler County 
being attached to Allegheny County, for 
administrative purposes and composing a 
part of the Fifth judicial district. Since 
the beginning of the administration of jus- 
tice in the county, many men have sat on 
the bench, and many more have appeared 
as attorneys at the bar and as prosecutors 
and defenders in a long list of cases that 
go to make up the civil and criminal docket 
of her courts. The early judges and attor- 
neys compare favorably with the bench 
and bar of today in point of learning and 
ability. The early judges were usually 
men of education, dignified, courteous, and 
always gentlemen. The reading of law 
books was limited and as their libraries 



were usually small, they were unable to 
draw the nice distinctions which enter into 
the mysteries of the practice of the profes- 
sion today. In the absence of law and 
precedent they fell back on their common 
sense, which is the basis of all law, and 
the records made by these early jurists are 
bright lights in the history of the country. 
The early lawyer was handicapped in 
the same manner as the jurist, and it was 
his custom to find a principle to fit the 
case, or a precedent, and failing in either 
to rely on impassioned eloquence to con- 
vince the jury, more susceptible then than 
now to the almost irresistible influence of 
magnetic oratory. Politics and the law 
were closely allied in those days and the 
early lawyers were good speakers on the 
stump as well as eloquent advocates before 
the bar, and when they assembled at the 



222 



HISTORY OB^ BUTLER COUNTY 



county seats their tilts in. court, and out, 
were listened to with admiration by their 
friends. They were usually a hard-worked 
set of men. Until the advent of the stage- 
coach they were compelled to ride the cir- 
cuits on horseback, journeying from 
county to county as their duties called 
them, undergoing many hardshijjs and 
oftentimes in danger. The lawyer was 
usually his own clerk and he was com- 
pelled to write out his briefs in longhand, 
with a goose-quill pen, and oftentimes dur- 
ing the session of the court, s^Dent the en- 
tire night in preparation of legal papers 
and documents, wliicli are today turned 
over to the skillful stenographer and type- 
writer. There were no printed blanks in 
those days and all forms of legal pajDers, 
documents, deeds and conveyances, had to 
be written with the pen and involved an 
immense amoimt of labor. 

As might be exjDected from their sur- 
roundings, the lawyers of the early day 
were men of intellect, self-reliance, and 
marked individuality, and filled with the 
idea of being leaders among their fellow 
men. In fact, the early lawyer was always 
a politician and he was compelled to take 
an active part in the political affairs of 
his district. Butler County produced her 
share of this class of men among her 
pioneers, as witness the names of Col. 
John Purviance, Gen. William Ayers, 
Samuel A. Purviance, John Nelson Pur- 
viance, Samuel A. Gilmore, George W. 
Smith, Charles Craven Sullivan, and 
others who were prominent in the county 
in the first fifty years of her existence. 

The forties and fifties produced another 
set of men who were prominent in state and 
national affairs and who took a leading 
rank among the legal profession of the 
state, in the latter half of the century. The 
names of Hon. Ebenezer McJunkin, Louis 
Z. Mitchell, Hon. Charles McCandless, and 
Col. John M. Thompson form a galaxy 
that had few equals and no superiors in 
the courts of western Pennsylvania. 



EAKLY SHERIFFS OF THE COUNTY. 

The early officials of Butler County were 
a self-reliant lot of men of vigorous body 
and mind, and trained to the hardships of 
a frontier and backwoods life. They had 
a rough set of men to deal with, as is 
shown in Brackenridge's narrative, but 
they had the physical ability to cope with 
the emergencies. John McCandless, the 
first sheriff of the county, was said 
to be a man without fear, and it was some- 
thing unusual for the sheriff or the deputy 
to carry arms. 

James McKee, who was the fifth sheriff 
of the county, never carried a weapon or 
a pair of handcuffs. 

James Gilmore Campbell, who was sher- 
iff of Butler County in 1843, was a man of 
great physical strength and undoubted 
loyalty to his country. On one occasion a 
stranger who was visiting in the town was 
discussing politics in front of the old court 
house with a party of men and took occa- 
sion to express his disgust for the Repub- 
lican form of government, and his prefer- 
ence for the government of England. 
Campbell promptly knocked him down, 
and then informed him that if he wished 
to express tory opinions the best place for 
him was across the Canadian line, where 
he had come from. 

One of the sheriffs in the fifties, it is 
said, was deficient in education, and think- 
ing that he would please the court he al- 
ways attempted to write his official returns 
in the Latin terms used in court practice. 
During one of the sessions of coui't pre- 
sided over by Judge McGuffin, the court 
issued a process for the arrest of a witness 
who had failed to_ answer a subpoena. The 
papers were placed in the hands of the 
sheriff and the party was traced to Muddy 
Creek Valley, whei*e the sheriff found him 
sitting on a stump, in the midst of a 
swamp. The swamp had overflow^ed with 
water and there was no way of getting at 
the fugitive except by a boat. The sheriff 
returned to Butler and made a return of 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



223 



the writ on the back of which he made the 
following endorsement to the effect that 
the party named in the writ was "In 
swampmn, up stumpum, non-est-cuma- 
tum." This return convulsed the court 
and the members of the bar, but Judge 
McGuffin gravely received it and dis- 
charged the sheriff from further duties in 
the case. 

EARLY COURTS OF THE COUNTY. 

The first Court of Common Pleas and 
Quarter Sessions held in Butler County, 
under the Act of April 2, 1802, was pre- 
sided over by Hon. Jesse Moore, who was 
a fine specimen of judicial dignity and a 
great stickler for the observance of court 
rules. Judge Moore was a gentleman of 
the colonial pattern, mild, faithful and 
firm, who administered justice for justice 
sake. He had a high sense of the dignity 
to be observed among the members of the 
bar outside, as well as in the court room, 
which, however, was often upset bj^ the fim 
loving attorneys. 

Henry M. Braekenridge, who came to 
Butler from Pittsburg in 1803, as clerk to 
Gen. William Ayres, the first prothonotary 
of the county, and who was also one of the 
early members of the Butler County bar, 
being admitted to practice in 1815, in his 
"Recollections of the West," thus de- 
scribes in part the first court held in But- 
ler: 

"The first court held in Butler drew the 
whole population to the town, some on ac- 
count of business, some to make business, 
but the greater part from idle curiosity. 
They were at that time chiefly Irish, who 
had all the characteristics of the nation. 
A log cabin, just raised and covered, but 
without windows, sash or doors or daubing, 
was prepared for the hall of justice. A 
carpenter's bench, with three chairs upon 
it, was the judge's seat. The bar of Pitts- 
burg attended, and the presiding judge, a 
stiff, formal and pedantic old bachelor, 



took his seat, supported by two associate 
judges, who were common farmers, one of 
whom was blind of an eye. The hall was 
barely sufficient to contain the bench, bar, 
jurors and constables. But few of the 
spectators could be accommodated on the 
lower floor, the only one yet laid; many, 
therefore, clambered up the walls, and 
placing their hands and feet in the open 
interstices, between the logs, hung there 
suspended like so many enormous Mada- 
gascar bats." * * * 

John McQuistion Smith, who was born 
in Butler Borough in 1828, and is now 
probably the oldest living native born citi- 
zen of the town, has an excellent recollec- 
tion of people and events previous to 1850. 
He says that the log cabin above mentioned 
stood on east Diamond Street on the site 
of the Nixon Hotel. As he remembers the 
building, it was a two-story log affair, with 
a hall-way through the middle. This build- 
ing was used as a court house until the 
first court house was built. A pig-pen, be- 
longing to a man named Bowen, which 
stood on the same lot about where the 
residence of Clarence Walker now stands, 
was on the occasion of this court used as a 
temporary jail. Mr. Smith dug the foun- 
dation for the Walker house in 1851, and 
he remembers tearing up the foundation 
of an old pig-pen that stood in the alley. 
The first actual jail erected in Butler was 
a log building that stood on the corner of 
the Vogeley Alley and South Washington 
Street, on the ground now occupied by the 
residence of Mrs. Shultz. 

ORIGIN OF "the buckwheat COUNTY." 

The early attorneys who came here from 
Pittsburg to attend upon the sessions of 
the court were much given to telling stories 
and cracking jests about the poverty of 
Butler County and her people. It was 
these same lawyers who, in later years, 
when the Butler Hotel tables added to their 
bills of fare the toothsome buckwheat cake, 



224 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



conferred upon Butlei' County the title of 
"the Buckwheat Comity," which name has 
been perpetuated up to the present time. 

PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST QUARTER SESSIONS 
COURT. 

The first record of the Court of Quarter 
Session is dated February 13, 1804. The 
commission of Hon. Jesse Moore as presi- 
dent judge of the Court of Common Pleas 
of the counties of Butler, Beaver, Mercer, 
Crawford, and Erie, was read, as well as 
those issued to Samuel Findley and John 
Parker as associate judges of Butler Coun- 
ty. The following attorneys were then ad- 
mitted to practice for the courts, on mo- 
tion of Steel Semple, William Irwine, Alex- 
ander W. Foster, William Wilkins, Isaac 
Mason, Henry Haslett, Thomas Collins, 
Henry Baldwin, Cunningham S. Semple, 
John Gilmore and James Mountain. Steel 
Semple was then admitted upon motion of 
Thomas Collins. On February 14, Joseph 
Shannon was enrolled as a member of this 
bar, and William Nellis and William Mc- 
Donald were appointed constables. 

FIRST GRAND JURY. 

The first grand jury empannelled in the 
county was at the May Session of court, 
1804, at which the same judges presided. 
From the number of indictments for as- 
sault found at this term, it is inferred that 
the pioneers of Butler County were im- 
bued with the same spirit of combat that 
is found among the foreign element in 
Lyndora in 1908. 

CIVIL CASES TRIED. 

The first civil case tried in the county 
was that of Sturgeon's lessee and Robert 
Willowby vs. Thompson. The suit was 
for possession of four hundred acres of 
land, the outcome being the confession of 
"lease, entry and ouster," plaintiff suf- 
fering non-suit and jury paid by William 
Ayres. This case was tried at the May 
term, 1804, before Judge Moore and his 



associates. On May 19th a "deed poll" 
was acknowledged from John McCandless, 
sheritf, to the president and directors of 
the bank of North America for twenty 
tracts of land in this county. 

TAVERN LICENSES GRANTED. 

The granting of tavern licenses seems to 
have been one of the duties imposed on the 
early Courts of the county. At the May 
Session, 1804, John Moser, Robert Gra- 
ham, George Bowers, and William Brown, 
of the town of Butler, and Guy Hilliard, 
Robert Boggs and Matthew White, of Con- 
noquenessing Township were recom- 
mended to the court as proper persons to 
keep tavern and licenses were ordered to 
be issued to them. As the population of 
the town of Butler in 1804 was less than 
five hundred, the number of licenses grant- 
ed to hotel keepers would appear to be ex- 
cessive under present conditions. In Au- 
gust of the same year tavern licenses were 
granted to Robert Reed of Slippery Rock, 
David Sutton of Middlesex, and Benjamin 
Garvin of Connoquenessing Township. 

DIVISION OF TOWNSHIPS. 

Previous to this time Butler County was 
subdivided into four town.ships, viz.: Buf- 
falo, Middlesex, Connoquenessing, and 
Slippery Rock. In 1803 six election dis- 
tricts were created in the county, the com- 
missioners being Jacob Mechling, James 
Bovard and Matthew Wliite. At the Au- 
gust term of court, 1804, the county was 
divided into thirteen townships, as follows : 
Cranberry, Middlesex, Buffalo, Connoque- 
nessing, Butler, Clearfield, Muddycreek, 
Center, Donegal, Slippery Rock, Parker, 
Mercer and Venango. Nine of these town- 
ships were approximately eight miles 
square, and four of them in the northern 
part of the county were irregular in 
shape. During the years intei'vening be- 
tween 1804 and 1853, six additional town- 
ships were erected, making in all nineteen. 
A line extending from the west line of But- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



225 



ler Township eastward to the Connoque- 
nessing Creek divided tlie original Butler 
into north and south Butler. Connoquenes- 
sing Township was divided by a north and 
south line, and Muddycreek similarly di- 
vided, the eastern half being given the 
name of Franklin. The eastern half of 
Slippery Rock Township was set apart as 
Cherry, and the other townships created 
were Allegheny, Washington, and Fair- 
view. 

CATTLE MAEKS REGISTERED. 

On account of their cattle ranging the 
woods in the early days, the settlers adopt- 
ed marks for the purpose of identifying 
their stock. At the August term of court 
in 18U4, Benjamin Zerber registered his 
cattle mark, which had then been in use for 
five years. The mark is described as fol- 
lows: "A crop of the right or off ears to 
wit : one-fourth of the ear cut off. ' ' 

THE COURT IN 1805-1806. 

The court was formed in 1805 with Hon. 
Jesse Moore as president judge and John 
Parker and James Bovard associates. John 
McCandless, the first sheriff of the county, 
took the oath of office in October of that 
year. In February, 1806, associate judges 
Findley, Parker, and Bovard were present, 
and they, with Judge Moore, formed the 
court. Among the jurors at that term of 
court were Philip Hartman, Robert Lea- 
son, A. McMahan, and Thomas Dougan. 

Hon. Jasper Yeates, Judge of the Su- 
preme Court, was present in September, 
1806, and judge of the Circuit Court of 
this county, and Hon. Thomas Smith pre- 
sided here in the same capacitv in Septem- 
ber, 1807. Hon. H. H. Breckenridge of 
Pittsburg presided as circuit judge at the 
September Session of court in 1808. March 
6, 1809, John Gilmore, who was the first 
prosecuting attorney of the county, or 
deputy attorney general, resigned, and 
Charles Wilkins was appointed to fill the 
vacancy. 



Chief Justice William Tilghman pre- 
sided as circuit judge in September, 1809, 
and in 1810 John Gilmore was appointed 
prosecutor. 

CONTEMPT OF COURT CASES. 

The early judges and officers of the court 
appeared to have a due regard for the gen- 
tler sex. The court records of May 11, 
1811, show that Sarah Shorts was adjudged 
to be in contempt of court for not obey- 
ing a subpoena in the case of Hays vs. Ash. 
There is no record that she was ever pim- 
ished for the disobedience, and it is said 
that her sex saved her from the wrath of 
the court. At the November session in 
1811 John Elliott, William Downing, Hugh 
Flemming and Ben. Fletcher had attach- 
ments issued against them for not respond- 
ing to subpoenas and in 1813 this derelic- 
tion on the part of witnesses became so 
common as to make the adoption of strin- 
gent measures necessary to secure their at- 
tendance. 

At the May term of court, in 1815, Will- 
iam Martin was found guilty of an assault 
on Sheriff Samuel Williamson, while the 
latter was in the execution of his office, and 
was fined ten dollars, with three months 
imprisonment and compelled to furnish a 
bond of five hundred dollars to keep the 
peace — especially toward Samuel William- 
son, Esq., and to pay all the costs of the 
prosecution. 

Samuel Roberts took his seat as presi- 
dent judge in the court of Butler County 
November 9, 1818. His associates were 
Judges Parker and Bovard. The commis- 
sion of William Wilkins as president judge 
of the 5th judicial district, of which But- 
ler County was part, was read in open 
court April 2, 1821. 

In October, 1824, Charles Shaler pre- 
sided as judge with John Parker and 
James Bovard associates. 

PROBATE COURT CREATED. 

Owing to deaths .occurring among the 



226 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pioneers probate business was added to the 
work of the court in this year (1824). 

THE m'JUNKIN-HALLECK TRAGEDY. 

The year 1824 was marked by an unfor- 
tunate tragedy in the county. In the latter 
part of June, a young man named Frank- 
lin B. Halleck, who had been boarding at 
Mechling's tavern in Butler, left owing 
a day's board. Mechling swore out a ca- 
pias, which was placed in the hands of the 
sheriff, who started in pursuit of Halleck. 
It appears that Halleck 's route lay through 
what is now Brady Township, and as the 
sheriff was passing the house of David Mc- 
Junkin he met the latter, who was just 
starting on S, hunt. He ordered McJunkin 
to pursue the fugitive, and the latter did 
so. Overtaking Halleck, McJunkin com- 
manded him to halt. The command being 
unheeded, McJunkin raised his rifle and 
fired, the ball striking Halleck near the 
spine, and inflicting a wound from the ef- 
fect of which he died eleven days later. 
McJunkin was arrested on charge of mur- 
der. At the trial he was found guilty of 
voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced 
to two years confinement at hard labor in 
the penitentiary at Philadelphia. 

COURT DOCKETS WRITTEN UP. 

In April, 1828, Judge Shaler ordered a 
complete index from the continuance dock- 
et to be made and a copy of the execution 
docket from February, 1813, to April, 
1824, to be written. An abuse was cor- 
rected in January, 1829, when Judge Sha- 
ler ordered that no executions could be is- 
sued upon a judgment on a bond given to 
the treasurer for surplus moneys which 
might become due by purchases of land 
for taxes until scire facias should first is- 
sue. In July of this year William Stew- 
art, clerk of the Orphans' Court, was or- 
dered to make a copy of the Orphans' 
Court docket from 1803 to July 11, 1829, 
in a legible hand. 



BBEDIN APPOINTED JUDGE. 

In 1831 John Bredin, of Butler, was ap- 
pointed judge of the district, and with his 
associates presided over the courts of But- 
ler County until 1851. 

THE COOLY MUKDEB TRIAL,. 

September 11, 1833, Robert B. Cooly was 
found guilty of murder in the second de- 
gree and sentenced to seven years in the 
penitentiary of the western district at Al- 
legheny. 

From 1833 to 1840 the records of the 
court show no cases of special importance. 
John Parker and James Bovard were as- 
sociate justices during this period and at 
the September term, 1840, John Duffy 
qualified as associate judge, thus placing 
three Irishmen, all natives of the same 
county in Ireland, on the bench at the 
same time. 

In November, 1841, John Ray was 
chosen by the court to fill a vacancy on 
the board of county commissioners caused 
by a failure to elect in the preceding Oc- 
tober election. 

THE MOHAWK TRIAL. 

The celebrated trial of the Common- 
wealth vs. Samuel Mohawk, charged with 
the murder on Saturday, June 30, 1843, 
in Slippery Rock Township, of Mrs. James 
Wigton and her five children, was begun 
December 13, 1843, before Judges John 
Bredin and John Duffy and the following 
named jurors : John Brandon, Isaac Boyer, 
Henry Barnliart, Robert E. Hays, John 
Olliver, Robert Hay, Robert Lemmon, 
Samuel Marshall, George A. Kirkpatrick, 
.Tohn Gilmore, AVilliam Cunningham, and 
John Dull. The trial, which lasted several 
days, during which forty-eight witnesses 
were examined, resulted in a verdict of 
guilty, a sentence of death, and the hang- 
ing of the murderer in Butler, March 22, 
1844. 

The crime for which Mohawk paid the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



227 



extreme penalty of the law was one of the 
most horrible in the history of the state, 
and created such excitement among the 
people of the entire county that it was 
only through the most earnest efforts of 
those upholding the supremacy of the law 
that a lynching was prevented, and his le- 
gal conviction and execution rendered pos- 
sible. Even after his trial and conviction 
a posse of citizens was organized in the 
northern jaart of the county and started 
for Butler with the determination to take 
the prisoner from the authorities and hang 
him. Word had been received in Butler 
of the intentions of the party and James 
G. Campbell, who was then sheriff, with 
the assistance of the late Judge Ebenezer 
McJunkin, the late John H. Neglay, and 
other citizens of the town, organized a gar- 
rison and barricaded the jail. They were 
assisted in this work by Capt. McCall, a 
retired army officer, who was at that time 
living in the property recently occupied by 
St. Paul's Orphans' Home. The party of 
countrymen came as far as the old Sleppy 
Tavern on the Sunbury Road, where they 
were met by a delegation of citizens from 
Butler, who gave them assurances that the 
dignity of the law would be maintained and 
that Mohawk would be executed according 
to the order of the court. Having their 
fears allayed, the party disbanded and 
went to their homes. 

Samuel Mohawk, who was a Cornplauter 
Indian, was born December 25, 1807, on 
the Cattaraugus Reservation in New York. 
He attended a Quaker school in his youth 
and subsequently engaged in hunting and 
farming. He was married about 1832 to 
Lydia Kypp, from whom he secured a di- 
vorce, and he afterwards married Sara Sil- 
verheels, a member of his tribe. On the 
day before the murder he made his ap- 
pearance in Butler, where he put up at 
Brinker's Tavern, and spent his time 
drinking. It is supposed that he came to 
Butler from Pittsburg, as was the custom 
of the Indians at the headwaters of the 



Allegheny River to go to Pittsburg on 
rafts and to return to their homes either 
by way of the old Franklin through the 
western part of Butler County, or over 
the Pittsburg and Butler Pike through 
Butler. On the same evening he left But- 
ler, taking the stage for the Stone House 
Tavern, at the intersection of the Frank- 
lin Pike and the Butler and Mercer Pike. 
The same evening he appeared at a tav- 
ern in Prospect, and on account of his un- 
ruly and ugly disposition caused by drink- 
ing, he was thrown out of the house. He 
is supposed to have spent the night in the 
vicinity of the Stone House, and the next 
morning he proceeded to the house of 
James Wigton. What occurred there is 
best told in the words of his confession of 
the crime committed by him. It is as fol- 
lows: 

" Openotl tlip door, entered niid saw the noman, asked 
her for a ax; she said she had none; then asked her 
for a knife, which she gave me, and I cut at her, and 
I think I hit her on the arm. She attempted to escape, 
went out of doors, I followed, she returned into the 
house and tried to close the door on me, but I pushed 
it in with both hands and entered. She went out 
again, I followed and caught her about five rods from 
the door. She succeeded in taking the knife from me 
and threw me, but she held the knife while I held her 
wrists. In the struggle the knife cut the back of 
my head, when I pushed the woman otf and struck her 
with my fist. She said, ' you mustn't kill — I'll give you 
money,' but I took up a stick of some size and struck 
her on the head, when she fell. I then took a stone, 
struck her and thought she was dead. I went into the 
house with the same stone, saw a child of five or six 
years of age which I struck and killed; saw another 
small child in the cradle, which I killed at once, then 
heard a child crying up stairs, went up with a stick 
and struck the three children on the head and next 
went to the spring to get a drink; went back to the 
house and heard a child crying up stairs, got a large 
stick, and went up stairs, struck one of the children, 
on the large bed, that was moaning, and it made no 
more noise. On coming down, saw the woman moving 
and struck her with a stone on the head three times." 



At the very time that this fearful crime 
was being committed, James Wigton, the 
husband and father of the family, was at 
his father's house, less than a mile distant. 
The murder was discovered before his re- 
turn by Lemuel Davis, who, with his wife 
and son, had arrived at the Wigton home 



228 



HISTORY OP BUTLEE COUNTY 



to help him with some hoeing. The alarm 
was given and the entire neighborhood was 
aroused. Suspicion at once pointed to 
Samuel Mohawk, who had passed Joseph 
Kennedy's house that morning and had 
thrown a stone at a young son of Ken- 
nedy's. Pursuit was organized, and the 
murderer was captured, after a struggle, 
at the house of Philip Kiester, of which 
he had taken forcible possession, after 
terrorizing and putting to flight the 
women, there being no men at home. 

After his capture he was taken to the 
Wigton home, where he confessed his 
crime. A determination on the part of 
those present to lynch him was only over- 
come by the strong appeals of a few of the 
cooler headed present. After being 
turned over to Sheriff Campbell, he was 
taken to Butler, lodged in jail, and in the 
course of a few months tried for the mur- 
der, found gTiilty, sentenced, and executed 
in the manner set forth. Although Mo- 
hawk confessed his crime, and made a pro- 
fession of religion before his execution, his 
body was denied burial in any of the ceme- 
teries of Butler, and it was interred in a 
secluded spot near the St. Paul's Orphans' 
Home, in what is now called Oakland 
Place in the northeastern section of Butler 
Borough. 

THE NELLIS MUBDEK. 

In January, 1844, Elijah Nellis was tried 
for the murder of his wife, Margaret, 
whom he had strangled. He was convicted 
of murder in the second degree and sen- 
tenced for twelve years to the penitentiary. 

COTJET OF 1845. 
In June, 1845, Christian Buhl qualified 
as associate judge, and with Judges Bre- 
din and Duffy, composed the court. 

ELECTION OF JXTDGES. 

A Constitutional amendment was 
adopted in 1850, making the office of presi- 
dent judge and associate judges elective, 



and fixing the term of the former at ten 
years, and the latter at five years. This 
amendment was made effective by an act 
of the Legislature approved April 15, 
1851, and providing for the election of pre- 
siding and associate judges. 

Daniel Agnew was appointed judge of 
the district in 1851, and elected under the 
new law in 1853, for a term of ten years. 

THE DUFF MURDER TRIAL,. 

November 5, 1851, John Duff was tried 
for the murder of his twin brother, Will- 
iam. The State was represented by the 
late John H. Negley, then deputy attorney 
general for the county, while Smith and 
Mitchell appeared for the defense. The 
evidence developed the fact that the ac- 
cused had repeatedly made threats against 
his brother's life. A verdict of guilty of 
murder in the first degree resulted, fol- 
lowed by a motion for a new trial, which 
was granted in January, 1852. At the sec- 
ond trial the murderer withdrew his plea 
of not guilty and pleaded guilty to murder 
in the second degree. He was sentenced 
to the penitentiary for a term of eleven 
and one-half years, and served his full 
time. 

CONSTABLE FERGUSON KILLED. 

In 1853 Constable Ferguson was killed 
in what is now Jefferson Township, while 
attempting to arrest Casper Lampartner. 
Lampartner and his wife, Emeranza, were 
tried for the murder at the May term of 
court. The former was convicted, but aft- 
erwards made his escape from jail and was 
never recaptured. His wife was acquitted. 
The state was represented in this case by 
John H. Negley. 

THE COURT IN 1853. 

In June, 1853, the court consisted of 
Hon. Daniel Agnew, president judge, and 
John McCandless and Samuel Marshall, 
associate judges. The particular event of 
this term of court, which is remembered 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



229 



by the older citizens, was the charge of 
Judge Agnew to the jury that tried the 
case of the Commonwealth vs. Francis 
Croft. Croft was indicted for plowing up 
a burial ground, but owing to a defect in 
the act of the assembly of, 1849, providing 
punishment for such desecration, the judge 
directed the jury to bring in a verdict of 
acquittal. This, however, did not prevent 
the learned judge from expressing his 
views on the question of desecrating grave 
yards. 

THE COOPEK MUEDER TRIAL. 

George Cooper, who was the keeper of 
a hotel at Glade Mills, became involved in 
a quarrel with Matthew Ramsey on the 
night of October 9, 1856. A crowd had 
gathered at the hotel on election night, and 
during the evening- Ramsey had become 
boisterous. In endeavoring to preserve 
order in his house, Mr. Cooper attempted 
to eject Ramsey and in the scuffle struck 
him on the left temple. Ramsey died from 
the effects of the blow, and Cooper was in- 
dicted for murder, tried before Judge Ag- 
new, and acquitted. 

A change was made in the associate 
judges in 1856, and Jacob Mechling, Jr., 
and Thomas Stevenson took their places 
on the bench, with Judge Agnew. 

There appears to have been no events 
of importance recorded until June, 1860, 
when a record was made of the first con- 
viction of the county for selling liquor 
without a license. In December, 1861, 
James Mitchell and James Kerr were the 
associates of Judge Agnew. 

m'gUFFIN elected JUDGE. 

In December, 1863, Hon. Lawrence L. 
McGuffin, who had been elected to succeed 
Judge Agnew, presided, his associates be- 
ing Judges Kerr and Mitchell. Another 
change was mkde in the associate judges 
in December, 1866, when Joseph Cum- 
mings and Thomas Garvey qualified. 



the addlington murder trlal. 

The trial of John B. Addlington, charged 
with the murder of Sydney B. Cunning- 
ham and Mr. Teeples at a dance in Por- 
tersville, on the night of December 25, 
1866, was begun March 6, 1867, before 
Judges McGuffin, Cummings and Garvey. 
The state was represented by W. H. H. 
Riddle, E. McJunkin and L. Z. Mitchell, 
and the defendant by C. McCarthy, 
Charles McCandless, John N. Purviance, 
John M. Thompson, and T. E. J. Lyon. 
The trial continued until March 21, and re- 
sulted in a verdict of guilty of murder in 
the first degree. In 1868, upon a rehear- 
ing, Addlington pleaded guilty to murder 
in the second degree, and was sentenced 
to a term of twenty-five years in the peni- 
tentiary. After serving six years, he re- 
ceived a pardon, owing partly to the fact 
that others concerned in the tragedy had 
never been brought to trial. Addlington 
died about 1898 at the Soldiers' Home, in 
Erie, Pennsylvania. 

Cunningham and Teeples, who were the 
innocent victims of this tragedy, were resi- 
dents of New Castle, and were attending 
the dance, which was held at a hotel in 
Portersville. It appeared that Addlington 
was jealous of the attentions paid by one 
of his neighbors to Mrs. Addlington, and 
that he went to the party for the purpose 
of taking vengeance on the destroyer of 
his home. A fight started in the office of 
the hotel, the lights were put out, and in 
the darkness a free-for-all melee occurred. 
When order was restored, Cunningham 
and Teeples were found on the floor, both 
mortally wounded. 

the hockenberry trial. 
The trial of Zachary Taylor Hocken- 
berry for the murder of Nancy Ann Mc- 
Candless, October 3, 1868, took place be- 
fore Judge McGuffin nnd associates, April 
19, 1869. The Commonwealth was repre- 
sented by District Attorney John M. Greer 
and E. McJunkin, and the accused's attor- 



.•50 



HISTORY OB' BUTLEK COUNTY 



ueyK were John M. Thonii)son aud CHiarles 
McCaiidless. A verdict of guilty was re- 
turned April 28, a sentence of death was 
pronounced Septemhcr 10th by Judge Me- 
Guffin, and carried into effect December 
7th, 1869, when Hockenberry was hanged 
at the Butler jail. His crime was caused 
})y jealousy. Intending to disfigure the 
face of Miss McCandless, he tired at her 
with a ritie through a window, while the 
family were sitting at supper. His aim 
was too true, however, and instead of dis- 
figuring the object of his affections, he 
killed her instantly. 

SCHXJGART-MAETIN TRIALS. 

In July, 1869, Philopoena Schugart was 
found guilty of murder in poisoning her 
•husband, Jacob Schugart, of Butler Bor- 
ough. Owing to there being some doubt 
of her sanity, the death penalty was not in- 
flicted, and she was sent to Dixmont Asy- 
hmi. 

In the following January, Joseph Mar- 
tin, charged with being her accomplice, 
was acquitted. The Commonwealth was 
represented in these two cases by District 
Attorney John M. Greer. 

CONSTITUTION OF 1873. 

The Constitution of 1873 provided that 
"whenever a coimty shall contain forty 
thousand inhabitants it shall constitute a 
separate judicial district and shall elect 
one judge learned in the law and the gen- 
eral assembly shall provide for additional 
judges as the business of such district may 
require. Counties containing a ]u)]iulati(>n 
less than is sufficient to constitute separate 
districts shall be formed into convenient 
single districts, or, if necessary, may be 
attached to contiguous districts as the gen- 
eral assembly may provide. The office of 
associate judge not learned in the law, is 
abolished in counties forming separate dis- 
tricts, etc." In accordance with this 
amendment, Butler County having more 
than forty thousand inhabitants, was 



erected into the Seventh Judicial District 
in 1874, with Lawrence County attached. 
Associate judges were elected until 1885, 
when the question arising, the supreme 
court decided that Butler County being a 
separate judicial district and entitled to 
the presiding judgeship, the office of asso- 
ciate judge was abolished in the county. 
The business of the courts of the Seven- 
teenth Judicial District having increased 
to such an extent that an additional judge 
was necessary, the Legislature of 1874 
]iassed an act creating an additional law 
judge for Butler and Lawrence Counties, 
and Hon. Charles ^McCandless was accord- 
ingly appointed additional law judge to 
serve until the next succeeding election. 

In the fall of 1874 Hon. E. Mcjuukin 
and James Bredin were elected judges for 
the district and took their places on the 
bench January, 1875. By casting lots 
Judge McJunkin became president judge 
of the district and Judge Bredin addi- 
tional law judge. Judge McJunkin had 
resigned his seat in Congress to accept the 
office of judge, and Col. .John M. Thomp- 
son was appointed to fill that vacancy. 

THE JUDICIAL CONTEST OF 1884. 

The candidates for judicial honors in 
1884 were James Bredin, John M. Greer, 
Ebenezer McJunkin, of Butler, and John 
McMichael and Aaron L. Hazen, of New 
Castle. The vote of the two counties was 
as follows : John McMichael, 7,252 ; Aaron 
L. Hazen, 7,199; John M. Greer, 7,054; 
James Bredin, 5,345, and Ebenezer Mc- 
Junkin, 3,784. The returns of each county 
showed that James Bredin received 4,457 
and John M. Greer 4,288 votes in Butler 
County alone, and on this showing the for- 
mer claimed to have been elected judge of 
the Seventeenth District in opposition to 
the certificate of the canvassing board, who 
declared John McMichael and Aaron L. 
Hazen, who were the Lawrence County 
candidates, the judges-elect. 

The political canvass that jireceded this 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



231 



election was one of the bitterest in the his- 
tory of Butler County. Judge Bredin was 
a candidate for reelection on the Demo- 
cratic ticket, and Judge McJunkiu, who 
had been a candidate at the Reijublican 
primaries for reelection, was defeated by 
John M. Greer. Judge McJunkin then ran 
as an independent candidate at the fall 
election with the result that all the Butler 
County candidates were defeated. Owing 
to the contention arising that Butler Coun- 
ty alone constituted the Seventeenth Ju- 
dicial District, and that she had a right to 
elect at least one law judge for that dis- 
trict under the act of August 7, 1883, 
Judge Bredin began a contest. The mat- 
ter was heard before a court which con- 
vened at Butler December 22, 1884, and 
which was composed of Hon. Henry Hice 
of the Thirty-sixth Judicial District, Hon. 
James B. Neale of the Thirty-third Judi- 
cial District, and Hon. Samuel S. Mahard, 
of the Thirty-fifth Judicial District. The 
question submitted was, whether Butler 
County alone constituted the Seventeenth 
Judicial District, and her right to elect at 
least one law judge for that district under 
the act of August 7, 1883. In that act But- 
ler Coimty was set apart as the Seven- 
teenth district; Lawrence County was at- 
tached for judicial purposes, and the elec- 
tion of two judges, one of whom must re- 
side in New Castle, was ordered. The 
election of November, 1884, was held under 
this act. Judges Hice and Mahard held 
that Butler County, under the act of 1883, 
did not have the right to elect one judge 
for her courts, but that with Lawrence 
County she should elect two judges, whose 
jurisdiction was equal in both counties. 
Judge Neale dissented from this opinion 
and so the petition of James Bredin was 
dismissed. No appeals having been taken, 
commissions were issued to the Judges 
McMichael and Hazen. Judge Hazen be- 
came the president judge of the district, 
and resided in Butler, while Judge Mc- 



j\lichael became the additional law judge, 
and resided in New Castle. 

THE AKREST OF COUNTERFEITERS. 

During the latter part of the year 1887, 
and the beginning of 1888, a great deal of 
counterfeit money was placed in circula- 
tion in the northern part of Butler County. 
After considerable work on the part of the 
secret service officers, United States Mar- 
shall McSweeney and deputies acting on 
previous information, made a raid in the 
northern part of the county in February, 
1888, and succeeded in capturing a num- 
ber of persons engaged in counterfeiting, 
with the appliances used in their illegal 
business. Several of those arrested were 
well-known residents of Butler County and 
the arrests were the sensation and talk 
of that year. The men were all taken to 
Pittsburg, where their trial took place and 
a number of them sent to United States 
prisons; others against whom there was 
no evidence to connect them with the 
crime, were discharged. 

THE HARBISON-MOJTKS BABY CASE. 

The celebrated baby case got into the 
courts of Butler County in 1887 and was 
not closed until the following year. Rob- 
ert Harbison and his wife were residents 
of the southeastern section of tlie county 
and connected with prominent families. 
Following the birth of their child trouble 
arose between the two, the matter coming 
into the court in August, 1887. On the or- 
der of Judge Hazen, who was on the bench 
at that time, the child was placed in the 
father's care. A few days later, however, 
Mrs. Harbison succeeded in abducting her 
child and fled with him to Kansas. She 
was assisted in getting away by her 
brothers, Martin and John Monks, and 
Wendell Hickey. The abduction was fol- 
lowed by the arrest of the two Monks boys 
and Hickey for contempt of court, but they 
were released on bail so that they could 



232 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



produce the child in court. On the 12th 
of May, 1888, they produced both the in- 
fant and the mother. 

The legal battle that followed was one 
of the most interesting witnessed in the 
courts of Butler County in the last quar- 
ter of the century. The father was repre- 
sented by Hon. Charles McCandless and 
Col. John M. Thompson, while ex- Judge 

E. McJunkin, James M. Galbreath, and S. 

F. Bowser represented the mother, infant 
and young men. After a hearing Judge 
Haze'n discharged the writ of habeas cor- 
pus and remanded the defendants to the 
sheriff's custody, except the infant, which 
was ordered to be placed in the keeping of 
its father. At this point the mother de- 
clared she would never surrender the 
child, which she was holding in her arms 
at the time, and the judge ordered Sheriff 
0. C. Redic to enforce the order. He ac- 
cordingly went to Mrs. Harbison and de- 
manded the child, which she refused to 
surrender. Not wishing to get into a 
struggle with the woman in the courtroom. 
Sheriff" Redic refused to proceed further, 
and the court then authorized him to depu- 
tize some one to carry out its orders. Act- 
ing on this suggestion. Sheriff Redic sum- 
moned the child's father. Having this 
power conferred upon him, Harbison at- 
tempted to grasp the infant from its 
mother's arms, but the frantic mother held 
on stoutly, and he was unable to carry out 
his purpose. At this point in the proceed- 
ings the scene in the courtroom was verg- 
ing on a riot. Public symj^athy was with 
the mother and infant, and a sentiment was 
growing among the large crowd of men as- 
sembled in the courtroom that boded no 
good for the court and the officials who at- 
tempted to carry out the inhumane order. 
Strong men left the court in tears, pitying 
the law that could countenance such bar- 
barity, and even the lawyers for the prose- 
cution became abashed and asked the court 
to direct Mrs. Harbison's brothers to take 
the babe from their sister. Luckilv the 



judge did not respond to this request, and 
for a little while there was calm in the 
courtroom. Another writ was issued or- 
dering the surrender of the child, but the 
brave mother defied the court and was or- 
dered to jail. Along with her they sent 
her two brothers and young Hickey. The 
case was taken up again on Saturday, May 
14th, and when the plaintiff arrived in But- 
ler to continue the case against his wife, 
be met here a crowd of angry neighbors 
and a large crowd of determined citizens 
whose looks portended trouble of a serious 
nature if any attempt was made to force 
Mrs. Harbison to surrender her baby. The 
incarceration of the mother and baby in 
the local jail had been the talk of the 
streets for two days and the angry crowd 
that had assembled were on the verge of 
riot. Harbison's determination to obtain 
his child was somewhat shaken in the fore- 
noon, but his friends and counsel urged 
him on. Mrs. Harbison and her baby were 
again brought into court, and the deter- 
mined woman, hearing the rumor that was 
current that the sheriff would be compelled 
to take the child from her, had procured a 
chain and padlock, with, which she secured 
the child to herself, declaring that if it was 
taken from her it would be over her dead 
body. When court adjourned at noon 
mother and baby were again returned to 
jail while the situation in the courtroom 
and on the streets was most critical. Open 
threats of violence were made and the an- 
gry mob were determined that if Harbison 
sent his wife and baby to prison again 
he would not get out of the town that night 
and that the woman and baby would not 
remain in prison over Sunday. Some of 
the cooler-headed friends of Harbison got 
hold of him at the noon hour and per- 
suaded him to dismiss his counsel, which 
he did, and later he became a client of 
John M. Greer. Mr. Greer became active 
in his endeavors to settle the case and 
when court called at two o'clock he asked 
that his client's petition and all rulings 



i 



llllll 












I 1 1 J 



BUTLER COUNTY COURT HOUSE OP 1S53 



BUTLER COUNTY COURT TIOTiSE 
OF 1S77 




COUNTRY CLUB HOUSE, BUTLER 



BOYDSTOWN RESERVOIR OF THE BUTLER 
WATER CO., BUTLER 




L O. O. F. BUILDING, BUTLER 



BUTLER COUNTY JAIL, 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



235 



under it be set aside, and the mother and 
infant, the two Monks boys and young 
Hickey discharged from jail. It was a wel- 
come denouement for Judge Hazen and 
he did not neglect to express his gratifica- 
tion at the pleasant turn of affairs. The 
baby in this case is now a prominent 
farmer in Clinton Township. 

THE LEE MURDER TRIAL. 

The trial of Thomas E. Lee for the mur- 
der of John McCall at Evans City on the 
night of October 31, 1889, commenced in 
December following. The state was rep- 
resented by Hon. Charles McCandless and 
District Attorney Charles A. McPherrin, 
while Thompson and Son and W. A. For- 
quer appeared for the defendant. The 
evidence showed that McCall was killed 
while participating at a ball given by a 
secret order known as the Junior Order of 
United American Mechanics. Lee was 
found guilty of murder in the second de- 
gree and sentenced to a term of six and 
one-half years of solitary confinement in 
the penitentiary. 

JAIL DELIVERY IN 1892. 

A jail delivery occurred on the night of 
March 4, 1892, during the term of Sheriff 
William Brown, the escaping criminals be- 
ing James F. Mills, the murderer of Peter 
Dugan, with James Brittain and Joseph 
Gibson, colored, and Jesse Smith, T. J. 
Black and Charles Miller. Brittain was re- 
arrested at Callery and Black at Renfrew 
the day after, while Smith was caught on 
March' 6th. The capture of Mills was af- 
fected about a week later after an exciting 
chase through the northern part of the 
state. Mills was returned to Butler where 
his trial took place on March 21st. The 
capture of the other criminals was also 
finally effected. 

THE MILLS MURDER TRIAL. 

Peter Dugan, who was a pumper on the 
Welsh farm in Connoquenessing Township, 
was killed on the evening of December 22, 



1891, while sleeping in his boiler-house. 
Suspicion pointed to James P. Mills, who 
was a pumper on the adjoining lease and 
who had been seen with Dugan late that 
afternoon. The two men had been at Ren- 
frew and had been drinking. A ten-year 
old boy, who was sleeping in the boiler- 
house with Dugan at the time, was awak- 
ened by a noise and saw Mills leave the 
boiler-house. Dugan 's head had been 
crushed by a blacksmith's hammer. Mills 
was arrested on the charge of murder and 
tried at the March term of court, 1892. 
The Commonwealth was represented by 
District Attorney Aaron E. Reiber and S. 
F. Bowser, while Porquer, McQuistion, Mc- 
Candless and Thompson defended the ac- 
cused. The last named lawyer protested 
that the court was not legally convened, 
raising the point that unless a case was in 
progress, at the close of the second week of 
a quarter session's term, the term could 
not be extended beyond two weeks. In 
proof of this claim he presented a ruling 
that was made in 1850, when another mur- 
derer named Mills was brought to justice. 
Attorney Reiber and Judge Hazen opposed 
this logic, and the court ordered the jury to 
be impaneled. Two days were taken up 
in securing a jury, and several days more 
in the trial of the case. The counsel for 
the defense succeeded in saving the pris- 
oner's life, but they could not save him 
from the penitentiary, where he was sent 
for twelve years. Mills' plea in his own 
defense was, that he was drunk and had 
no knowledge of committing any crime, and 
his attorneys set up the plea of "acute al- 
coholic mania," which probably had some 
effect on the jury. Mills completed his 
sentence in the penitentiary and is still liv- 
ing. 

THE MURDER OF MRS. H.iSLER. 

The murder of Mrs. Hasler and her 
daughter Mrs. Flora Martin by Harper 
Wliitmire took place near St. Joe Station 
December 5, 1893. Whitmire was a son- 



236 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



in-law of Mrs. Hasler, and the evening pre- 
vious to the murder had been visiting at 
the Hasler home. After committing the 
crime Whitmire walked to the residence of 
his brother near Greece City, where he told 
what he had done. He then went to the barn 
and committed suicide, thus relieving the 
county of the onus and cost of the prose- 
cution, the only legal action being taken by 
the coroner. 

COURT ORDERS. 

In 1899 Judge Greer made an order 
clianging the time of holding the June term 
of Quarter Sessions Court, from the 1st 
Monday of June to the 3rd Monday of May, 
and the time for the meeting of the grand 
jury and the holding of License Court was 
changed to correspond with the Quarter 
Sessions Court in May. Previous to this 
time the License Court had been held in 
March and the new arrangement caused 
the closing of the hotel bars in the county 
on the 1st of April to the 1st of July in 
that year. Under the new order the hotel 
licenses did not go into effect until the 1st 
of July. This order of court was effective 
until June 11, 1903, when Judge Galbreath 
made an order changing the time of hold- 
ing Quarter Sessions Court back to the 1st 
Monday of June, and the time for holding 
License Court to the March term. 

THE JUDICIAL CONTEST OF 1893. 

The death of Judge McMichael in 1892 
caused a vacancy on that bench and Hon. 
Norman L. Martin of New Castle was ap- 
pointed assistant law judge to serve until 
the next succeeding election. At the elec- 
tion held in November of that year, Judge 
Martin was opposed by John M. Greer, of 
Butler and the latter was elected. In the 
following year, 1893, Butler County alone 
was designated as the Seventh Judicial Dis- 
trict, and Lawrence County as the Fifty- 
third District. Judge Greer thus became 
l>resident judge of Butler County and 
Judge Hazen returned to Lawrence County 
as president judge of that district. 



THE ELECTION OF 1902. 

In the spring of 1902 Judge Greer was 
candidate for the nomination of his party 
and was opposed by James M. Galbreath. 
The campaign will go down in history as 
one of the hardest primary election fights 
in the county. The Democratic nominee 
for judge was Hon. Levingstone McQuis- 
tion, who was opposed for the nomination 
by Everett L. Ralston and J. D. Marshall. 
At the election held in November James 
M. Galbreath was elected. 

THE CATHERINE MILLER CASE. 

For five years following the Mills case 
there were no murder trials in the courts 
of Butler County. On June 9, 1898, Mrs. 
Catherine Miller was indicted for the mur- 
der of her husband, John W. Miller, of Cen- 
ter Township. The case was called for 
trial on the 17th of June before Judge 
Greer and the defendant, through her at- 
torney, J. D. Marshall, entered a plea of 
guilty of murder in the second degree, 
which was accepted by the court. She was 
sentenced to twelve years in the peniten- 
tiary, but only lived about six months after 
her sentence. The circumstances of the 
case are as follows:, John W. Miller was 
a farmer, about seventy years of age, and 
lived with his wife, who was a few years 
his junior, on a small farm in Center town- 
ship. One morning a neighbor called at 
the house on an errand and found Miller 
lying at the foot of the cellar stairs in a 
helpless condition, his head terribly cut and 
other marks of violence upon him. Miller 
died a few hours later from the effects of 
his injuries but before his deatli told that 
Mrs. Miller had pushed him down the cel- 
lar stairs. The arrest of Mrs. Miller fol- 
lowed and a court trial was avoided by the 
defendant entering a plea of guilty of mur- 
der in the second degree. 

THE m'gRADY MURDER TRIAL. 

A murder trial that attracted attention 
and created much sj^mpathy for the defend- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



237 



ant was that of James McGrady in 1902. 
McGrady, who was a policeman in Butler 
Borough, shot John Miller while attempt- 
ing to make an arrest in the Island district 
on the night of December 1, 1902. Miller, 
whose real name was John Bitte, died in 
the hospital the next day and McGrady was 
arrested on the charge of manslaughter. 
The case was called for trial December 10, 
1902, and December 12th the jury returned 
a verdict of guilty. On account of exten- 
uating circumstances in the case Judge Gal- 
breath sentenced McGrady to serve two 
years imprisonment in the county jail. 

THE HOFFMAN CASE. 

One of the most peculiar cases ever tried 
in the county was that of Henry Hoffman, 
of Connoquenessing Borough, who was in- 
dicted on May 21, 1903, on the charge of 
manslaughter. Hoffman is a member of a 
religious sect which believes that disease 
can be cured by the laying on of hands and 
prayer, and that the services of doctors 
and the use of medicines are unnecessary. 
In May, 1903, several children in the Hoff- 
man family were taken ill with scarlet 
fever, and on the 18th of the month Myrl, 
a son, aged two and a half years, died, it 
was alleged, without medical attention, the 
father contenting himself with the laying 
on of hands and prayer. The matter was 
reported to the county authorities who had 
Hoffman indicted and the ease was called 
for trial on the 16th of September. Dis- 
trict Attorney John R. Henninger repre- 
sented the commonwealth and S. F. Bowser 
the defendant. Judge James M. Galbreath 
was on the bench. The case was stubbornly 
contested on both sides, and on September 
19th the jury returned a verdict of guilty 
of manslaughter, as indicted, and recom- 
mended the defendant to the mercy of the 
court. The same day Mr. Bowser, for the 
defendant, made a motion for a new trial 
and the arrest of judgment, pending the 
hearing of the motion. Hoffman was re- 



leased on bail, and on the 4th of x\ugust, 
1904, Judge Galbreath handed down an 
opinion refusing the new trial. Hoffman 
has never been called into coui't for sen- 
tence and the case remains open on the 
docket. 

THE GROUND HOG CASE. 

What is known as the Ground Hog Case 
in the criminal courts of the county orig- 
inated in Venango Township. Newton 
Tannehill, Howard Rumbaugh and Fred 
Hall were out in the fields shooting at a 
mark with a rifle. Tannehill saw an ob-, 
ject moving behind some bushes at a long 
range, whicli had the appearance of a 
ground hog, and fired at it. When the 
party went to look for their quarry, they 
found that the object they had seen was an 
Italian named Ajanto Isabella, and that he 
was fatally wounded. The shooting took 
place on the 5th of September, 1904, and 
the Italian died the same day. On the 9th 
of September the grand jury returned a 
true bill against the hunters on the charge 
of murder, and the case was called for trial 
on the 16th. It became apparent early in 
the trial that the shooting was purely acci- 
dental, and a verdict of acquittal was ren- 
dered. 

A BRUTAL MURDER. 

The murder of Mary Kreditch by her 
husband. Max Kreditch, was one of the 
most brutal crimes ever committed in But- 
ler County. Mrs. Kreditch kept a board- 
ing house in Lyndora and her husband 
spent his time drinking. On the night of 
December 20th, 1906, Kreditch became en- 
raged because his wife reproved him for 
drinking and struck her a terrible blow on 
the head, killing her almost instantly. He 
displayed the greatest indifference when 
arrested and told the officers that the 
woman was his wife, and that he could do 
as he pleased with her. Kreditch was 
placed on trial March 16th, 1907, before 



238 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Judge Galbreath, and the same day the 
jury returned a verdict of guilty of mur- 
der in the second degree. The case for the 
commonwealth was conducted by District 
Attorney Samuel Walker and the defend- 
ant was represented by William H. Mar- 
tin, Harry L. Graham and Howard I. 
Painter, who were appointed by the court. 
The attorneys for the defendant in this 
case received a fee of fifty dollars each 
from the county, which was the first fee of 
the kind paid by the county under the act 
of Assembly, which provided that the com- 
monwealth shall pay a fee of one hundred 
and fifty dollars to the attorneys for the 
defendant in a murder trial, where the de- 
fendant has no means to provide private 
counsel, and the court is obliged to appoint 
counsel to defend the prisoner. Since the 
trial of the Kreditch case the supreme 
court has declared the act unconstitutional. 
Kreditch was sentenced sixteen years to 
the penitentiary and received his sentence 
with the same stolid indifference that he 
displayed at his trial. 

THE m'i.AUGHLIN-HEMPHILL TRAGEDY. 

The trial of John B. McLaughlin for the 
murder of William J. Hemphill in 1905 
was one of the real tragedies of Butler 
County. The two men resided in Clinton 
Township on adjoining farms and were 
close neighbors. Both were prosperous 
farmers, l^seful citizens, and respected by 
the community in which they lived. Hemp- 
hill's farm buildings were separated from 
one of McLaughlin's fields by a public 
road, and it appears that the latter was 
greatly annoyed by his neighbor's chick- 
ens making a running ground of his field. 
On the morning of May 5th, 1905, Mc- 
Laughlin went to the field and shot several 
of his neighbor's chickens that he found 
there. Hemphill was employed with sev- 
eral men repairing his house at the time, 
and when his attention was called to the 
shooting of his chickens, he left his work, 
crossed the public road into the field where 



McLaughlin was. There were no eye-wit- 
nesses to the tragedy that followed. The 
men employed at the Hemphill house 
heard a shot fired, and looking toward the 
men, saw Hemphill lying on the ground 
and McLaughlin walking away, carrying 
a shotgun in his hand. Hemphill was car- 
ried to his home, where he died in a few 
hours from the effects of his wounds. Mc- 
Ijaughlin did not wait to see the results of 
the shooting, but came directly to Butler 
and surrendered himself to Sheriff M. L, 
Gibson. The fact that both men were 
married and had families of small chil- 
dren made the tragedy the more deplor- 
able. 

McLaughlin was indicted on the charge 
of murder and on June 7th the grand jury 
returned a true bill. The trial of the case 
was postponed to the September term and 
on the 18th of September it was taken up 
before Judge Galbreath. The Common- 
wealth was represented by District Attor- 
ney Samuel Walker, S. F. Bowser and 
Levi M. Wise, and the defendant's coun- 
sel were Hon. John M. Greer, William Z. 
Murrin and Joseph B. Bredin. Every step 
of the trial was bitterly contested and not 
since the trial of Mills did a murder case 
attract so much public attention in the 
county. Two days were taken up in the 
selection of a jury and three days in the 
trial of the case. On September 24th the 
jury returned a verdict of guilty of mur- 
der in the second degree and McLaughlin 
was sentenced to fourteen years in the pen- 
itentiary. The terrible ordeal he had gone 
through and the nervous strain he was sub- 
jected to during his trial, impaired Mc- 
Laughlin's health and he died in prison 
within a year after his sentence. 

THE SCHMIDT MURDER. 

One of the most brutal and uncalled for 
murders in the county was committed on 
March 6, 1902, near Cabot Station, in Win- 
field Township. Henry B. Schmidt and 
his wife were an aged couple that resided 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



239 



on a farm a short distance from the sta- 
tion. On the night mentioned, between 
the hours of ten and twelve o'clock, three 
masked men broke into the house, shot Mr. 
Schmidt in cold blood, bound and gagged 
Mrs. Schmidt, and ransacked the house for 
money. Mrs. Schmidt was found in a piti- 
able condition the next morning and while 
she was able to tell what had happened, 
she was unable to identify any of the mur- 
derers; though diligent search was made, 
the men who committed the crime have 
never been apprehended. 

THR BENNET RIOT. 

The Jerry Benuet affair forms an inci- 
dent in the history of the county on ac- 
count of the nature of Bonnet's crime, and 
the serious consequences that followed. On 
the night of September 13, 1902, Bennet, 
who had a bad previous reputation, com- 
mitted a criminal assault on the eight- 
year-old daughter of John H. Wagner of 
Butler. The scene of the crime was near 
the West Penn depot and the criminal was 
caught in the act. Cool-headed citizens 
prevented Wagner from killing Bennet on 
the spot, and with the aid of the police, 
Bennet was hurried to the county jail for 
safe keeping. The affair happened about 
eight o'clock in the evening, when there 
was a large crowd of people on the streets, 
who, fortunately for Bennet, did not know 
the nature of his crime. In a few minutes 
after Bennet was locked up an angry mob 
had surrounded the jail and gathered in 
the streets in front of the courthouse. 
Threats of lynching were made, and the 
leaders of the mob proposed battering 
down the doors of the prison, taking the 
prisoner out by force and hanging him to 
a lamp post. 

Anticipating trouble, Sheriff Thomas R. 
Hoon prepared to resist the mob and pro- 
tect the prisoner. By ten o'clock the mob 
was beyond the control of the local police 
and an assault was made on the residence 
part of the jail. The front door was bat- 



tered down with a piece of heavy timber, 
used as a battering-ram, and every win- 
dow in the front part of the building was 
broken by stones and brick-bats hurled by 
the rioters. Sheriff Hoon, who was a phys- 
ical giant, displayed a courage possessed 
by few men as he stood in the doorway, 
unarmed, vainly attempting to persuade 
the rioters to disperse. He was hit with 
stones and roughly handled, but held his 
ground, and the mob did not get beyond 
the street entrance. A shot fired by one 
of the jail guards had the effect of dispers- 
ing the crowd, and in a few minutes only 
the curious and a small body of the rioters 
remained about the county buildings. 

The attack did not last twenty minutes, 
but in that time the residence part of the 
jail was wrecked and several members of 
the sheriff's family had narrow escapes 
from serious injury. Fearing that the 
leaders of the mob would return and at- 
tempt to carry out their threat to blow up 
the prison with dynamite, Sheriff Hoon se- 
cured rifles and ammunition from the local 
military company and placed a strong 
armed guard about the jail. The rioters 
did not return and at midnight the streets 
were quiet. The guard remained on duty 
at the jail all night and the following day 
(Sunday), but no further attempts at vio- 
lence were made. 

Two days later, September 16th, Bennet 
went into court and entered a plea of Holle 
coiitendre to the charge made against him, 
and was sentenced to fifteen years in the 
penitentiary by Judge Samuel Miller, of 
Mercer, specially presiding. 

THE BENCH. 

Before the organization of Butler Coun- 
ty, when, as previously intimated, her ter- 
ritory was attached to Allegheny County 
for judicial purposes, thus coming under 
the jurisdiction of the court of the latter 
county, the presiding judge of the District 
was the Hon. Alexander Addison, a native 



240 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of Scotland, who, in 1794, aided the authori- 
ties in quelling the "Whiskey Insurrec- 
tion." In performing this service he made 
many enemies. Judge Addison was fear- 
less and determined and in 1802 refused 
to permit an associate judge to charge the 
jury after he had delivered his address. 
For this offense he was summoned before 
the higher courts which dismissed the com- 
plaint against him. His enemies were not 
content, however, with the decision of the 
court and the matter was carried to the leg- 
islature. He was impeached by the House 
of Representatives, tried by the Senate, 
found guilty as charged and sentenced to 
removal from office. His enemies secured 
ample revenge as he was disqualified from 
again filling any judicial position in Penn- 
sylvania. He died in Pittsburg November 
27, 1807. 

The successor of Judge Addison was the 
Hon. Jesse Moore, a native of Montgomery 
County, who was commissioned president 
judge of the Sixth Judicial District of 
Pennsylvania, April 5th, 1803. Previous to 
that time he had practiced law for some 
years at Sunbury, Penna. Judge Moore 
was said to be a solemn, dignified and aus- 
tere man both in his official and private life. 
Dressing after the fashion of the colonial 
days, and punctilious in observing the old- 
time manner, he adhered to the old-time 
dress coat, knee-breeches, buckles and 
stockings as well as the powdered wig and 
buckled shoes which caused him to be long 
remembered by the early settlers of the 
county. He presided over the Courts of 
Common Pleas in Butler County from 1804 
to 1818. His death occurred Deceinber 21, 
1854. 

Hon. Samuel Roberts was appointed 
president judge of the district including 
Butler County in 1818 and held the office 
until his death in 1820. He was born in 
Philadelphia, December 8, 1763, and was 
admitted to the bar in that city in 1793. He 
practiced in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, previ- 
ous to his appointment to the bench. 



Hon. William Wilkins was the successor 
of Judge Roberts. He presided in Butler 
County from April 2, 1821, until July, 1824. 

Hon. Charles Shaler was commissioned 
judge of this district July 5, 1824. His 
term of office was marked by a large 
amount of litigation and his rulings, espe- 
cially in land cases, disclosed an intimate 
knowledge of the intricacies of the law. 

Hon. John Bredin was born in the town 
of Stranorlar, Donegal County, Ireland, in 
1794. He came to Butler County with his 
parents in 1802 and at the age of sixteen, 
he went to Pittsburg and took a position as 
a clerk in a general store. He purchased a 
tract of wild land in what is now Summit 
Township, Butler County, when he was 
eighteen years of age, and in 1817 he was 
employed as a clerk in the prothonotary 
office in Butler. He began reading law un- 
der Gen. William Ayres and the year 1824 
found him in the newspaper business with 
his brother Maurice, combining law and 
journalism until 1830. He was appointed 
president judge of the judicial district in 
1831 and filled the position with marked 
ability until his death in 1851. His associa- 
tion as a student with General Ayres, who 
was a well-known lawyer and land owner, 
gave him an insight into the land business 
and an acquaintance with the early land 
laws that proved of great value to him, not 
only in his practice, but in the discharge of 
his duties on the bench. For more than a 
quarter of a century he was regarded as an 
authority in land title disputes. 

He was married in 1829 to Miss Nancy 
McClelland of Franklin, Venango County. 

The president judge of this district from 
1851 to 1863 was Hon. Daniel Agnew, a son 
of Dr. Agnew, who was one of the early 
practicing physicians in Butler and at Har- 
mony. Judge Agnew was afterwards asso- 
ciate justice and chief justice of the su- 
preme court of Pennsylvania. He was a 
man of eminent ability as a lawyer and a 
jurist and his decisions were very rarely re- 
versed on appeals. After his retirement 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



241 



from the supreme bench he removed to 
Beaver, Penna., where he died. 

Hon. Lawrence L. McGuffin was presi- 
dent judge from 1863 to 1874. His te»m 
was marked by a number of important 
criminal and civil trials, among which were 
the Addlington murder trial from Porters- 
ville in 1867, and the trial of Zachary Tail- 
or Hockenberry for the murder of Nancy 
Ann McCandless in October, 1868. Judge 
McGuffin was deservedly popular, an able 
lawyer and made an excellent record on the 
bench. . 

Hon. Charles McCandless was born in 
Center Township, Butler County, Novem- 
ber 27, 1834. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools of the county and at the old 
Witherspoon Institute in Butler, which was 
then one of the leading academies in West- 
ern Pennsylvania, and after leaving school 
read law in the office of his uncle, Charles 
C. Sullivan. He was admitted to practice 
in June 14, 1858, and became a partner of 
his preceptor. This partnership continued 
until 1860 when Mr. Sullivan died and Mr. 
McCandless succeeded to his large practice. 
He was elected to the State Senate in 1862 
for a term of three years and in 1872 was 
a delegate to the Republican national con- 
vention in Philadelphia which nominated 
Grant and Wilson. Under the constitution 
of 1873 Butler County became a sepai-ate 
judicial district with Lawrence County at- 
tached, and was entitled to an additional 
law judge. Judge McGuffin was president 
judge and Mr. McCandless was appointed 
by Governor Hartranft assistant law judge 
of the Seventh Judicial District to fill the 
vacancy. He was one of the Republican 
candidates for the office at the ensuing elec- 
tion but was defeated. He was appointed 
chief justice of New Mexico in February, 
1878, hj President James A. Garfield, but 
resigned in the following October and re- 
turned to Butler, where he continued to 
practice until his death, March 4, 1893. 

Hon. Ebenezer McJunkin was born in 
Center Township, Butler County, March 



28, 1819, and was the son of David McJun- 
kin, a pioneer settler of that township. He 
was graduated from Jefferson College at 
Canonsburg in 1841 and began the study 
of law in the office of Charles C. Sullivan 
of Butler, being admitted to the bar Sep- 
tember 12, 1843. He was a partner of his 
preceptor until 1849, when he was appoint- 
ed deputy attorney general and began to 
practice on his own account. In politics he 
was first a Whig and afterwards a Repub- 
lican, being one of the organizers of the Re- 
publican party in Butler County. He was 
a delegate to the national Republican con- 
vention in Chicago in 1860 and a member of 
the Electoral College in 1864. He was elect- 
ed to Congress from this district in 1870 
and was reelected in 1872. In 1874 he ran 
as an independent Republican candidate 
for the offi.ce of judge of the Seventh Ju- 
dicial District and was elected, resigning 
his seat in Congress to accept that office. 
He drew lots with his colleague, Hon. 
James Bredin, for the president judgeship 
which he won, filling the position until Jan- 
uary, 1885. After his retirement from the 
bench he devoted himself to the practice of 
his profession until failing health com- 
pelled him to retire. His death occurred in 
Butler, November, 1907. 

Hon. James Bredin was a son of Hon. 
John Bredin and was born in Butler, Penn- 
sylvania, May 9, 1831. He was educated 
at the local schools and at Washington Col- 
lege and in the Naval School at Annapolis. 
He participated in the naval operations in 
the Gulf of Mexico during the Mexican war 
and early in 1850, he resigned and returned 
to Butler, and began reading law in his 
father's office. After his father's death, in 
1851, he continued his studies in the office 
of Hon. Ebenezer McJunkin and was ad- 
mitted to the bar June 14, 1853. He did 
not at once begin practice, but engaged in 
the banking business with James Camp- 
bell, S. M. Lane and others and established 
a bank in Butler and a branch at New Cas- 
tle. He returned to the profession, how- 



242 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



ever, iu 1855 and 1871 removed to Al- 
legheny, where he practiced until 1874, 
when he was elected one of the judges of 
the Seventeenth District and served ten 
years. After his retirement from the bench 
in 1855 he removed again to Allegheny, 
where he continued to practice until his 
death, November, 1906. He was recognized 
as an able lawyer and was held in high es- 
teem by the legal profession and the pub- 
lic, and his record on the bench in Butler 
Cftunty was an excellent one. 

Hon. Aaron L. Hazen is a native of 
Shenango Township, Lawrence Coimty, 
and was born February 19, 1837. He was 
educated in the district schools and in 
Beaver Academy and Jefferson College at 
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, graduating 
from the latter institution in 1861. He en- 
listed April 19, 1861, in the Twelfth Penn- 
sylvania Vohmteers, but being disqualified 
from service in the ranks on accoimt of 
deafness, he became a clerk in the pay- 
master's department in the army and 
served until the close of the war. He was 
admitted to the bar in New Castle in Sep- 
tember, 1855, was elected district attorney 
in 1870, and reelected in 1873. He was 
elected one of the two judges of the Seven- 
teenth Judicial District, then embracing 
Butler and Lawrence Counties, in 1884, and 
after his election took up his residence in 
Butler as president judge. Under the di- 
vision of the judicial district in 1893, Law- 
rence became a separate judicial district 
and Butler County alone became the Seven- 
teenth Judicial District. Judge Hazen 
then became president judge of Lawrence 
County and removed to New Castle. His 
term of office expired in 1895 and since that 
time he has engaged in practice of liis pro- 
fession at New Castle, and enjoys a large 
clientele as well as the confidence of the 
community. 

Hon. John McMichael, a member of the 
Tjawrence County Bar, was elected assist- 
ant law judge in 1884, and served until his 
death in' 1892. 



Hon. J. Norman Martin, a member of 
the Lawrence County Bar, was admitted 
to practice at the Butler Bar, September 
3rd, 1889. He was appointed assistant law 
judge to fill the vacancy caused by the 
death of Judge MeMichael, and served 
until January 1st, 1893. 

Hon. John M. Greer is a native of Jef- 
ferson Township, Butler County, where he 
was born August 3rd, 1844. At the age of 
eighteen, in July 1862, he enlisted in the 
defense of the Union, and remained in the 
service until February, 1866, when "he was 
mustered out. He taught school after his 
return from the army and read law in the 
office of Charles McCandless. He was ad- 
mitted to practice September 23rd, 1867, 
and in 1868 was elected district attorney 
for a term of three years. He was elected 
state senator in 1876 and reelected in 1880. 
In 1882 he was nominated as secretary of 
internal affairs but suffered defeat with 
the entire Republican ticket that year. He 
was one of the two nominees of the Re- 
publican ])arty for judge of the Seven- 
teenth Judicial District in 1884, but failed 
of election, the candidates from the Law- 
rence County end of the district, both be- 
ing successful. He was engaged from 1887 
to 1891 as inspector and examiner of the 
Soldiers' Orphans' School, and in 1892, 
on the death of Judge McMichael, he was 
elected as his successor as additional law 
judge of the Seventeenth Judicial District. 
Under the operation of a special act of the 
legislature in 1893, Butler County alone 
became the Seventeenth Judicial District, 
and Lawrence County was erected into a 
new district, with Judge Hazen as presi- 
dent judge. Judge Greer then succeeded 
to the judgeship of the Seventeenth Judi- 
cial District and served until the expira- 
tion of his term in 1903. Judge Greer 
made an excellent record on the bench and 
was one of the most popular judges that 
have ever occupied that position. Since 
his retirement from the bench he has de- 
voted his time to the practice of his pro- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS' 



243 



fession and has associated with him his 
two sons, Thomas H. Greer and John B. 
Greei". 

Hon. James M. Galbreath is the second 
son of Robert Galbreath and was born in 
Winfield Township, Butler County, Sep- 
tember 27th, 1852. He received a com- 
mon school education and subsequently at- 
tended Slate Lick Academy, Armstrong 
County, and Witherspoou Institute, But- 
ler. He then entered Princeton College, 
where he graduated in 1880, and com- 
menced reading law with W. D. Brandon, 
Butler. He was admitted to the bar, 
March 6th, 1882, and in 1884 he formed a 
partnership with James B. McJunkin, 
which was continued until 1901. He was 
elected president judge of the Seventeenth 
Judicial District in 1902 and has filled the 
position with marked afiility. 

THE BAR. 

John Gilmore was prominent as a law- 
yer and politician in the early years of the 
county's history. He was a son of James 
Gilmore, a native of Ireland, who came to 
Sumerset County, Pennsylvania, prior to 
or during the Revolution, in which county 
John Gilmore was born in 1780. His youth 
and manhood were passed in Washington 
County, Pennsylvania. Admitted to the 
bar at the age of twenty-one years, he 
shortly afterwards began the practice of 
law in Pittsburg, and in 1803 came to But- 
ler as deputy attorney general. He served 
several terms in the legislature from But- 
ler County, was speaker of the House in 
1821, and was prominent in the legal and 
political history of the county during the 
first twenty-five years of his existence. He 
died in 1845, after a long, useful and hon- 
orable career. 

Col. John Purviance was born in Wash- 
ington County, Penna., September 28, 
1781. He came to Butler as a practicing 
attorney in 1804 and was among the first 



attorneys admitted to the Butler Bar after 
the organization of the court of the county. 
He was the legal adviser of the Harmony 
Society from 1805 to 1815, with the excep- 
tion of the time passed on the frontier as 
Colonel of the Second Pennsylvania Mili- 
tia Regiment during the A¥ar of 1812. Col. 
Purviance was a brother-in-law of John 
Gilmore, having married an elder sister of 
Mrs. Gilmore. The family returned to 
Washington, Penna., in 1814, where Col. 
Purviance died December 28, 1820. 

Gen. William Ayres came to western 
Pennsylvania in 1794 with the ti-oops sent 
to quell "the whiskey insurrection" in the 
southwestern part of the state. He began 
the study of law in the office of Judge 
Breckenridge, of Pittsburg, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1809. When Butler 
County was organized Gen. Ayres was ap- 
pointed to the office of prothonotary, which 
at that time included the duties of the clerk 
of courts and of registrar and recorder. 
He became a large land owner and a pow- 
erful factor in the political life of the coun- 
ty. Although a bachelor, he built for him- 
self a comfortable and well-furnished home 
on the site now occupied by the residence 
of the late Judge Ebenezer McJunkin, on 
South Main Street, and lived in what was 
then considered an affluent and luxurious 
life. At his death in 1843 he left an es- 
tate valued at $150,000. 

John Galbraith, who was admitted to 
tlie Butler bar November 10, 1818, was also 
tlie pioneer newspaper man of the covmty. 
He studied law in Butler under Gen. Will- 
iam x^yres and after he was admitted to 
the bar he took up newspaper work and es- 
tablished the Butler Palladium and Repub- 
lican Star, which was the first newspaper 
published in Butler County. In 1819 he 
removed to Franklin and became one of 
the prominent lawyers of Venango Coun- 
ty. He afterwards removed to Erie, where 
he became president judge of the district. 

Hon. Joseph Buffington began his ca- 
reer in Butler as editor of a weekly paper 



244 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



called the Repository. He read law under 
Gen. William Ayres and was admitted to 
the Butler bar July 4, 1826. About a year 
afterwards he moved to Kittanning. He 
was elected to Congress in 1842 and served 
two terras. In 1849 he was appointed 
judge of the Eighteenth Judicial District 
and in 1852 was tendered, but declined, the 
chief judgeship of Utah. He was ap- 
pointed judge of the Tenth Judicial Dis- 
trict in 1855 to fill a vacancy, and was 
elected in 1856 and reelected in 1866. Ow- 
ing to failing health he resigned in 1871, 
and his death occurred February 3, 1872. 
Judge Buffington took high rank as a 
jurist. 

Col. Francis McBride, who kept a hotel 
where the Lowry House now stands, and 
who was sheriff of the county in 1830, 
studied law and became the partner of the 
late Louis Z. Mitchell. He lived for a 
while in the old Walter Lowry residence. 

Hon. Samuel A. Purviance, who became 
a man of national note in his lifetime, was 
born in Butler, January 10, 1809, and was 
the son of Col. John Purviance. He was 
largely self educated and prepared him- 
self for a professional career by reading 
law in the office of Gen. William Ayres, be- 
ing admitted to practice October 2, 1827. 
He began his legal career in Warren Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, where he was appointed 
deputy attorney general, but within a few 
years he returned to Butler County. He 
was' a member of the convention that 
framed the Constitution of 1838, his col- 
league from Butler County being Gen. 
William Ayres. He was a member of the 
House of Representatives from Butler 
County in the General Assemblies of 1838 
and 1839 and in 1844 he was elected a dele- 
gate to the Whig National Convention, 
which nominated Henry Clay for presi- 
dent. He was also a member of the first 
Republican National Convention held in 
1852, and was recognized as one of the 
founders of the Republican party. He 
was elected to Congress from this district 



in 1854 and reelected in 1856, and took a 
prominent part in the Kansas-Nebraska 
debates, opposing with his voice and his 
vote the attempt of slave power to extend 
its dominion over the western territory. 
After the expiration of his term in Con- 
gress Mr. Purviance moved to Pittsburg. 
He was chosen delegate to the Republican 
National Convention in Chicago in 1860, 
which nominated Abraham Lincoln. In 
1861 he was elected attorney general of 
Pennsylvania and in the same year he was 
tendered an important diplomatic appoint- 
ment by President Lincoln, but declined it. 
He was chosen delegate to the Republican 
National Convention of 1864 and aided in 
a nomination of President Lincoln for a 
second term, and in 1868 he was a delegate 
to the convention, that nominated General 
Grant as presidential candidate of the 
Republican party. This convention also 
chose Mr. Purviance as a member of the 
National executive committee. In 1872 
Mr. Purviance was prominently mentioned 
as a candidate for the nomination of vice 
president on the Republican ticket, and in 
1873 he was chosen a member of the con- 
vention that framed the state constitution 
of that year. His public career dosed with 
the discharge of his duties as a member of 
that notable assemblage, and his death oc- 
curred at his home in Pittsburg, February 
14, 1882. From his first appearance in 
public life to the signing of the constitution 
of 1873 Mr. Purviance had given his na- 
tive state over forty years of able, faith- 
ful and distinguished service and had se- 
cured the respect and esteem of her citi- 
zens. His widow died in Pittsburg in De- 
cember, 1891. 

George W. Smith was one of the early 
attorneys at the Butler bar who attained 
prominence in the west. He was born in 
Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in 1806, 
and he came to Butler to work in 
the woolen factory. He began to study 
law in tlie office of Gen. William Ayres and 
was admitted to the bar April 7, 3829. He 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



245 



was elected to the legislature from Butler 
County in 1835 and in 1848 he was the 
Whig candidate for Congress in this dis- 
trict, but was defeated by that popular 
Democrat, Alfred Gilmore, of Butler, who 
carried the district by a very small major- 
ity. In 1855 Mr. Smith went to Kansas 
and subsequently became a prominent fac- 
tor in the politics of that State, at one time 
being speaker in th"e legislature. He died 
in the city of Lawrence, Kansas, Septem- 
ber 28, 1878. 

Walter H. Lowrie, who was admitted 
to the bar July 6, 1830, was a native of 
Butler County and a son of Matthew P. 
Lowrie, of Allegheny Township. His 
grandfather, John Lowrie, was one of the. 
pioneer settlers of the northeastern sec- 
tion of the county. Walter H. Lowrie was 
chief justice of the Supreme Court of 
Pennsylvania from 1857 to 1863. 

One of the ablest members of the Butler 
bar for many years was Hon. Charles Cra- 
ven Sullivan. He was born in Franklin 
Township, Butler County, March 10, 1807, 
and was the son of Charles Sullivan, who 
was a native of Northumberland County, 
Virginia. After graduating from Jeffer- 
son College in 1828 Mr. Sullivan became a 
law student in the office of Gen. William 
Ayres and was admitted to the bar Octo- 
ber 10, 1831. He was elected to the state 
Senate in 1841 and reelected in 1844. Mr. 
Sullivan was an able lawyer and a success- 
ful advocate and his legal practice grew 
to be very large. He died February 27, 
1860. His widow is still living in the old 
Sullivan homestead on West Diamond 
Street. 

David C. Cunningham, a brother of the 
Cunninghams who founded the borough of 
Butler, was admitted to practice in 1804, 
and was well known to the bench and bar 
of the earlier years of the county's history. 

General John N. Purviance, who was 
prominent in the affairs of Butler County 
for more than fifty years, was the son of 
Col. John Purviance and was born in But- 



ler, September 27, 1810. He was educated 
m the old schools of Butler and the But- 
ler Academy and at the age of sixteen filled 
the position of clerk in Foxe's store on 
the. Clarion River. After serving as clerk 
to the county commissioners, he completed 
his law studies in the office of Hon. John 
Bredin, and in 1832 was admitted to the 
bar. Mr. Purviance took an active inter- 
est in the early militia organization of the 
county, and in 1843 he was commissioned 
major-general of the military division 
comprising Butler, Mercer and Beaver 
Counties. In 1861 he was captain of the 
Butler Blues, which was mustered into the 
United States service as Company H of 
the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
and at the organization of the regiment in 
Harrisburg on April 25, 1861, he'was pro- 
moted to lieutenant-colonel. He was audi- 
tor-general of the State from 1845 to 1851 
as well as escheater-general and a member 
of the board of property. His death oc- 
curred in Butler in 1885. 

Edward M. Bredin, who was regarded as 
one of the ablest advisers of the bar of But- 
ler County in the middle of the last cen- 
tury, was a nephew of Hon. John Bredin 
and was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 
1819. He came to Butler when a youth, 
read law in the office of his uncle and was 
admitted to the bar of Butler County Octo- 
ber 2, 1839. His death occurred August 9, 
1887. 

William Timblin, a native of Center 
Township, Butler County, read law in the 
office of Samuel A. Purviance and was ad- 
mitted to the bar September 14, 1841. His 
death occurred in Butler in 1856. 

John Graham was a native of Connoque- 
nessing Township, Butler County, and was 
born in 1821. In 1842 he began the study 
of law in the office of Samuel A. Gilmore. 
He was admitted the bar in 1844, and in 
1845 he was appointed deputy attorney 
general, making for himself a good legal 
reputation. His death occurred in 1860. 

Louis Z. Mitchell was born in Dauphin 



246 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



County, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1824, 
and came to Butler County when about ten 
years of age. He began the study of law 
in the office of Samuel A. Purviance about 
1843 and was admitted to the bar February 
11, 1845. For almost half a century he was 
one of the leading members of the bar in 
Butler County and won an excellent repu- 
tation both as advocate and counsellor. His 
death occurred in Butler August 28, 1904. 

Colonel John McPherin Sullivan was 
born in Butler, August 9, 1822. He was 
educated at the Old Stone Academy at But- 
ler, and at Jefferson College, graduating 
from the latter institution in 184.3. After 
leaving college he became a law student in 
the office of Hon. Samuel A. Gilmore of 
Butler, and was admitted to practice in 
September, 1845. A few months later he 
formed a law partnership with his precep- 
tor, which continued until 1855. He subse- 
quently occupied many public positions, his 
official career closing about 1882, after he 
had filled the position of collector of inter- 
nal revenue of the Twenty-third District 
for nearly fifteen years. He died in But- 
ler in 1899. 

Arcus McDermitt, a native of Butler 
County, studied law under C. C. Sullivan 
and was admitted to practice September 30, 
1850. He moved to Mercer County, Penn- 
svhania, a few years later and in 1874 was 
elortcd judge of that district imder the new 
Constitution. 

Col. Archibald Blakeley was born in For- 
ward Township Jiily 16, 1827. He began 
life as a school teacher, read law with 
George W. Smitli of Butler, and was admit- 
ted to the bar November 10, 1852. In 1853 
he was elected district attorney, and in 1855 
he was chosen delegate from Butler Coun- 
tv to the first Republican state convention 
held at Pittsburg. During the Civil War he 
served as lieutenant colonel and colonel of 
the Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers for three years, and made an excel- 
lent war record. Upon his return to civil 
life he practiced law at Franklin, Pennsyl- 



vania, from 1864 to 1868, when he removed 
to Pittsburg. 

Hon. James Thompson, eminent in the 
legal annals of Pennsylvania, was born in 
Middlesex Township, Butler County, in 
1805, being the youngest sou of William 
Thompson. He entered the active duties of 
life as the first printer's "devil" in the of- 
fice of the Butler Palladium, the pioneer 
newspaper of the county. In 1826 he began 
reading law under John Gilmore, at that 
time a leading member of the Butler bar, 
and he completed his studies at Kittanning 
under Thomas Blair, and was admitted to 
the Butler Bar April 9, 1828. He located 
later at Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he 
resided for thirteen years. He was elected 
to the general assembly in 1832, 1833 and 
1834, and duriug his last term was chosen 
speaker of the House. In 1839 he was ap- 
pointed judge of a special district, created 
to dispose of accumulated business, and in 
1842 he removed to Erie, Pennsylvania. In 
1844 he was elected to Congress and re- 
elected in 1848. He was elected on tlie Dem- 
ocratic ticket associate justice of the su- 
preme court, in 1857, and served the last 
five years of his fifteen-year term as chief 
justice. With the beginning of his term on 
the supreme bench he took up his residence 
in Philadelphia, where he passed the re- 
mainder of his life. One of his sons, Sam- 
uel Gustine Thompson, succeeded his fath- 
er on the supreme bench, retiring in 1893. 

William G. Thompson was a native of 
Brady Township, Butler County, and a 
brother of the late Colonel John M. Thomp- 
son, of Butler. He read law under William 
Timblin, of Butler, and was admitted to 
the bar November 15, 1853. He moved to 
Iowa shortly afterward, settling in Linn 
County. During the Civil War he served 
as major of an Iowa regiment, and later 
represented his district in the Forty-sev- 
enth and Forty-eighth Congresses. 

Colonel William Blakeley was a native 
of Butler County, and was admitted to the 
bar March 24, 1856. He removed to Kit- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



247 



tanning tlie same year and was elected dis- 
trict attorney of Armstrong County in 
1859. In 1862 he resigned his office to be- 
come lieutenant colonel of the Fourteenth 
Pennsylvania Cavalry, and in 1865 was 
brevetted brigadier general in recognition 
of his sei-vices. The same year he formed 
a law partnership with his brother, Col. 
Archibald Blakeley at Franklin, and in 
1868 he removed to Pittsburg, where he be- 
came a leading member of the bar of that 
city. His death occurred in Butler October 
2, 1899. 

Hon. John H. Mitchell was a native of 
Washington County, Pennsylvania, where 
he was born June 22, 1835. When he was 
two years old his parents removed to But- 
ler County, where young Mitchell grew to 
manhood. Completing his literary educa- 
tion at Witherspoon Institute, Butler, he 
entered the law office of Purviance and 
Thompson and was admitted to the bar 
March 22, 1858. In 1860 he went to the 
Pacific Coast and located in California. 
After a brief sojourn in that state he lo- 
cated permanently at Portland, Oregon, 
and soon took rank among tlie leaders of 
the bar of the northwest. He filled many 
important offices, and was a member of the 
United State Senate at the time of his 
death in 1905. 

John H. Negley was a son of the pioneer 
John Negley and was born in Butler Bor- 
ough February 7, 1823. He was educated 
at the old Butler Academy and at Wash- 
ington College, Washington, Pennsylvania, 
and in 1843 he began the study of law in 
the office of Hon. John.Bredin. He was 
admitted to the bar March 25, 1845, and 
three years later was appointed deputy at- 
torney general for Butler County, and un- 
der the new constitution was elected dis- 
trict attorney in 1850. In 1855 he entered 
the field of journalism as editor of the Her- 
ald: In 1861 he was appointed enrolling 
officer of Butler County and in 1863 was 
elected a member of the legislature and was 
reelected in 1864 and 1865. He was en- 



gaged in law practice from 1866 to April, 
1869, when he resumed journalism as edi- 
tor of the Citizen. In 1870 and 1871 he was 
assistant assessor of internal revenue for 
this county, which was the last official po- 
sition he held. He retained editorial con- 
trol of the Citizen until 1888, when his son, 
William F. Negley, became owner. After 
his retirement from newspaper work Mr. 
Negley resimied the practice of law, which 
he continued until a short time before his 
death, which occurred June 17, 1908. 

Thomas Robinson was born in County 
Armagh, Ireland, July 4, 1825. Accom- 
panied by his parents he came to America 
in 1832, and to Penn Township, Butler 
County, in 1835. He entered the office of 
George W. Smith of Butler as a student of 
law and was admitted to the bar Septem- 
ber 25, 1855. Mr. Robinson was by nature 
a politician more than a lawyer and the 
greater part of his life was devoted to pol- 
itics. At first a Whig, he afterwards be- 
came a Republican and was a delegate from 
Butler County to the first state convention 
of the Republican party in 1855. In 1860 
he was elected to the "legislature and for 
more than forty years was one of the local 
leaders of his party. In 1863 Mr. Robinson 
and Major Cyrus E. Anderson established 
the American Citizen, of which Mr. Robin- 
son was political editor, and in 1870 he was 
one of the organizers and directors of a 
company that established the Butler Eagle. 
In 1871 Mr. Robinson became sole owner 
of the Eagle and remained in control until 
1879, when he sold the paper to his son, 
Eli D. Robinson. He was appointed state 
printer at Harrisburg in 1893, a position 
which he resigned on account of ill health. 
Upon his retirement Mr. Robinson re- 
turned to Butler and took up the practice 
of law, which he continued until his death 
in 1907. 

Col. John M. Thompson was born m 
Brady Township, Butler County, January 
4, 1830. and was the eldest son of William 
H. and Jane (McCandless) Thompson. 



248 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



After completing- an acadeniic course at 
Witherspoon Institute lie read law in the 
office of Hon. Samuel A. Purviance and 
was admitted to the bar February 24, 1854. 
He became a partner in the office of Pur- 
viance and Sullivan and soon developed 
marked forensic ability and took a leading 
position in the bar. He was elected to the 
legislature on the Republican ticket in 1858, 
and reelected in 1859, serving as speaker 
pro tern, of the house at the latter session. 
He entered the army in 1862 as major of 
the 134th Pennsylvania Vohmteers, and 
was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He re- 
signed his commission in the army in 1863 
and returned to Butler to resume the prac- 
tice of law. He was delegate to the Repub- 
lican national convention at Chicago in 
1868, which nominated General Grant for 
the presidency, and he was one of the pres- 
idential electors of Pennsylvania in 1872. 
In 1875 he was elected to Congress from 
this district to tilll a vacancy caused by the 
resignation of Hon. E. McJunkin, and he 
Avas again elected in 1870, for a full term of 
two years. Colonel Thompson was one of 
the ablest members of the Butler bar, and 
enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. His 
death occurred in Butler September 8, 
1903. 

John B. Gibson, who was one of the early 
attorneys of Butler Borough, registering 
here in 1804, was afterwards appointed to 
the supreme court bench of the state -and 
became chief justice. 

Hon. Samuel A. Gilmore, who was born 
in Butler Borough, January 21, 1806, and 
died in 1873, was the son of John Gilmore 
and was admitted to the bar in January, 
1828. He was elected to the legislature 
from Butler County in 1836 and 1837, and 
filled the position of secretary of the Con- 
stitutional Convention of 1838. He was 
appointed judge of the district composed 
of Washington, Fayette, and Green Coun- 
ties in 1845, by Gov. Sliimk, and when that 
office became elective, he carried the dis- 



trict and was its president judge at the 
time of his death. 

Hon. Alfred Gilmore was a native of 
Butler Borough and a son of John Gil- 
more. He read law in the office of Samuel 
A. Gilmore, and was admitted to the bar 
March 15, 1836. He was elected to Con- 
gress from this district in 1849 and served 
four years. At the expiration of his term 
he became a citizen of Massachusetts, and 
afterwards of Scranton, Penna., where he 
died in ,1890 or 1891. 

John H. Hopkins was admitted to the 
Butler Bar October 10, 1822, and after- 
wards gave uii the law for the ministry, 
lie entered the Episcopal Church and at 
the time of his death was bishop of Ver- 
mont. 

Moses Hampton, who practiced in But- 
ler in 1846, removed to Pittsburg and be- 
came one of the judges of the district. 

Jedediah Jack, who was admitted to 
the Butler bar in 1840, and was a well- 
known citizen of the town, went to Illi- 
nois and was there killed. 

James W. Kii'ker, a native of Butler 
County, was admitted to the bar in 1856. 
He served one term as district attorney 
of the county, beginning in 1859, and was 
afterwards removed to Pittsburg, where 
he died in 1893. He was commissioned 
provost marshal of the Twenty-third Dis- 
trict of Pennsylvania by President Lin- 
coln, with the rank of captain of cavalry 
on the 18th of April, 1863, and served as 
such until the first of October, 1865, when 
he was mustered out of service by reason 
of the close of the war. 

James Potts, a native of Butler, was ad- 
mitted to practice law on the 11th of June, 
1850, and afterwards removed to Johns- 
town, Cambria County, where he became 
president judge of the independent judi- 
cial district of which Johnstown was the 
center. 

Alexander McBride, a native of Middle- 
sex Township, Butler County, was admit- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



249 



ted to the Butler Bar September 15, 1841. 
He was considered a young man of culture 
and talent, but after he left Butler little 
was known about him. 

Eugene Ferrero read law in Col. Thomp- 
son's office and was admitted to the bar 
in September, 1855. He was elected dis- 
trict attorney in 1857, and county superin- 
tendent of the common schools in 1860. 
He then practiced law in Venango County 
for some time, after which he removed to 
Cincinnati. Mr. Ferrero was a gentleman 
of culture and scholarly attainments. 

Walter L. Graham was born in Butler, 
Pennsylvania, October 25, 1831. He was 
educated at the old Butler Academy, With- 
erspoou Institute, and Jefferson College, 
graduating from the latter institution in 

1854. He read law with Samuel A. Pur- 
viance and Charles C. Sullivan, and was 
admitted to the Butler County Bar in 

1855. With the exception of a few years 
that he spent in California and a short 
time in Pittsburg, Mr. Graham continued 
the practice in Butlei' until the time of 
his death, November 1, 1900. He was a 
Republican in politics and was a delegate 
to the National Convention in 1860 that 
nominated Lincoln for President. During 
his lifetime he took a deep interest, in local 
affairs, served several terms as president 
of the borough council, and held other of- 
fices of trust in the community. Mr. Gra- 
ham enlisted in Company G, Fourteenth 
Pennsylvania Militia, that went out to as- 
sist in repelling Lee's invasion. 

Robert M. MeClure was a native of Pros- 
pect, Butler County, and read law with 
the late Louis Z. Mitchell. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1856, and his death oc- 
curred about 1882. Mr. McClure was a 
gentleman of culture and considerable na- 
tive talent, but a brilliant career was 
ruined by an unfortunate taste for liquor, 
which he could not control. His death oc- 
curred under sad circumstances in Butler, 
and caused universal regret among his ac- 
quaintances. 



Samuel P. Irvin, a native of Adams 
Township, Butler County, was admitted 
to the bar in January, 1858. Previous to 
his admission to the bar he followed school 
teaching for a niunber of years, and for 
many years he was one of the prominent 
characters in the oil country. 

Edwin Lyon was born in Middlesex 
Township, Butler Coimty, and was a son 
of T. H. Lyon of that township. He read 
law with Col. John M. Thompson and in 
1862 he enlisted in the One Hundred and 
Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
and became captain of Company K. He 
was wounded at the Battle of Fredericks- 
burg, and was discharged for physical dis- 
ability J\larch 16, 1863. After his return 
home he took up literature and became 
quite a humorous writer. His health hav- 
ing become impaired, he accepted the con- 
sulship to a Mexican city, where he re- 
mained for a short time only to return 
home and die. 

Isaac Ash, a native of Forward Town- 
ship, read law in the office of Col. John M. 
Thompson, and was admitted to the bar 
in January, 1859. He practiced for some 
time in Butler and afterward located in 
Oil City, Venango County, where he con- 
tinued in the practice of his profession un- 
til his death. Mr. Ash was a lawyer pure 
and simple and attained a leading rank in 
his profession in Venango County. 

John Q. Sullivan was born in Prospect, 
Butler County, April 2, 1839. He was edu- 
cated at Jefferson College and was admit- 
ted to the Butler bar in June, 1861. He 
was afterwards admitted to practice in the 
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He was 
actively engaged in the practice of his 
profession for about twenty-five years, but 
has now retired and is living in Winfield 
Township. 

Lewis K. Purviance, a native of Butler, 
read law with his uncle, John M. Purvi- 
ance, and was admitted to the bar in Sep- 
tember, 1875. He removed to Bradford, 
Pennsylvania, where he is now practicing. 



250 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Hugh C. Graham, a native of Connoque- 
nessing Township, Butler County, read law 
with Col. John M. Thompson, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in March, 1861. The same 
year he formed a law partnership with 
Hon. Chas. McCandless, which continued 
until August, 1863, when he enlisted in 
Company G, 137th Regiment, Pennsylva- 
nia Volunteers, and was mustered out with 
his regiment in 1863. After his return 
from the army Mr. Graham i-emoved to 
Oil City, where he resumed the practice 
of law and became eminently successful in 
his chosen i^rofession. 

Thomas II. Lyon, a native of Middlesex 
Township, Butler County commenced the 
study of law with Col. John M. Thompson, 
of Butler and completed it with William G. 
Thompson (a brother of Col. John M. 
Thompson) of Lynn County, Iowa, where 
he was admitted to the bar in 1868. Re- 
turning to his native state he was admitted 
as a member of the Butler Couuty bar in 
July, 1882, and practiced in Butler until 
1895, when he removed to Middlesex Town- 
ship, where he is now residing. 

George A. Black, a native of Butler 
County, read law with Gen. John N. Pur- 
viance, and was admitted to the Butler bar 
in September, 1865. After practicing his 
profession in Butler for some time he re- 
moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he 
practiced for several years, finally return- 
ing to Butler, where he died of consump- 
tion. 

Moses Sullivan, a brother of Charles A. 
Sullivan, and a son of Charles Craven Sul- 
livan, who was a distinguished member of 
the Butler bar, read law with Hon. E. Mc- 
Junkin, and was admitted to the bar on the 
14th of June, 1869. He commenced the 
practice of his profession in Butler, but af- 
terwards moved to Bradford, Pennsylva- 
nia, where he is now one of the leading 
members of the McKean County bar. 

Samuel H. Pear sol was born in Beaver 
County, Pennsylvania. After acquiring 
a classical and scientific education at 



Mount Union College, Ohio, he read law 
with Hon. Ebenezer McJunkin and was 
admitted to the bar in Butler June 14, 
1869. He was also admitted to the bar of 
the Supreme Court, Pennsylvania. Mr. 
Pearsol continued his practice in Butler 
until about 1899, when he removed to Pitts- 
burg, where his death occurred in 1901. 

Charles A. Sullivan, the eldest son of 
Hon. C. C. Sullivan, was born in Butler 
and received his primary education in the 
public schools of his native town, and 
later took a classical course at West Ches- 
ter, Pennsylvania. He read law with Hon. 
James Bredin and was admitted to the bar 
March 15, 1870. He practiced in Butler 
until 1880, when he removed to Pittsburg. 

Joseph Mitchell, a son of Louis Z. 
Mitchell, read law with his father and was 
admitted to the bar in June, 1870. He was 
a young man of good qualities, and at an 
early date death closed his career. 

Harvey Snyder, a native of Brady 
Township, Butler County, was admitted 
to practice at the Butler bar from the 10th 
of June, 1870. He afterwards removed to 
Kittanning and became district attorney 
of Armstrong Couuty for one term. 

A. J. McCafferty was born in Fairview 
Township, Butler County, August 15, 
1846. He was educated in Witherspoon 
Institute, Edinborough State Normal 
School and Allegheny College at Meadville, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1870. He 
was a young man of promise, but died of 
consumption 1876. 

Michael McBride was the son of John 
McBride, one of the early settlers of Clear- 
field Township. He read law with Hon. E. 
McJimkin and was admitted to the bar in 
1871. Subsequently he attended a course 
of lectures in the University of Michigan 
and from there went to Chicago, 111., where 
he practiced until the great fire of Octo- 
ber, 1871, which destroyed his library and 
effects and caused him to change his loca- 
tion to Paxton, that state. He returned to 
Butler Coimty in 1874 and located at Chi- 



BUTLER COUNTY COURT HOUSE, 
BUILT IN 1807 




M. E. CHURCH, BUTLER 





ff 


'^ n 






^b 


ff 


i 


mi 



Y. M. C. A., BUTLER 



HOTEL NDCON, BUTLER 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



253 



cora, where he continued in practice until 
his death. 

S. S. Avery was admitted to practice at 
the Butler bar on the 14th of June, 1872. 
He was a victim of consumption and died 
a few years later. 

Walter G. Crawford, a native of Alle- 
gheny County, read law in Butler with his 
imcle, Walter L. Graham, and was admit- 
ted to the bar in January, 1874. He is now 
practicing law in the city of Pittsburg. 

R. L. Maxwell was born in Butler Coun- 
ty and was admitted to the bar on the 12th 
of January, 1874. He gave evidence of 
good legal attainments and was building 
up a fine practice when his death occurred 
from consumption. 

Albert C. Johnson, a native of Adams 
Township, Butler County, read law with 
Hon. Charles McCandless, and was ad- 
mitted to practice in the several courts of 
Butler County in March, 1874. He re- 
moved to Pittsburg in 1876 and has resided 
there ever since. 

D. J. Kyle, son of Thompson Kyle, of 
Harrisville, was admitted to practice at 
the Butler bar in December, 1878. 

John H. Thompson read law with Col. 
John M. Thompson, and was admitted to 
the bar in April, 1879. He is now prac- 
ticing in Pittsburg. 

Kennedy Marshall was born in Adams 
Township July 21, 1834. He graduated 
from Jefferson College in the fall of 1857, 
and the same year entered the law office 
of Marshall and Brown in Pittsburg, as a 
student of law. He was admitted to the 
Allegheny County bar in 1859, and in 
October, 1860, he was elected to represent 
Allegheny County in the state legislature 
and served one term. He was subse- 
quently employed by the Pennsylvania 
Railroad Company; his office was in Bos- 
ton, Mass., and in 1872 he removed to 
Butler, where he became a member of the 
Butler bar. In 1904 he removed to Tulsa, 
Oklahoma, where he is now residing. 

James M. Denny, of Winfield Township, 



read law in the office of Col. John M. 
Thompson, and was admitted to the bar 
March 2, 1880. 

John K. Kelley, son of Patrick Kelley, 
Esq., an early settler of Butler, read law 
in the office of Miller Brothers, and was 
admitted on the 2nd of March, 1880. 

William M. Cornelius, a native of 
Worth Township, was admitted to prac- 
tice at the Butler bar, March, 1880. He 
soon afterward located in Nebraska, where 
he still resides. 

D. H. Jack, son of Joseph Jack of But- 
ler, was admitted to the bar June 1, 1880; 
He is now in Bradford, Pennsylvania. 

Joseph T. Timmony studied law under 
Hon. Charles McCandless, and was ad- 
mitted to practice in April, 1874. After 
following his profession for several years 
in Butler he removed to St. Joe, where he 
has since resided. 

L. G. Linn, a native of Butler County, 
and a son of Dr. George Linn, of West 
Sunbury, read law with Hon. Charles Mc- 
Candless and was admitted to the bar on 
the 4th of December, 1874. After prac- 
ticing in Butler for a number of years he 
moved to the west where he engaged in 
mining. 

Edward McSweeney, who became prom- 
inent in legal circles in McKean County, 
read law in Butler with Louis Z. Mitchell 
and was admitted to the Butler bar on the 
4th of November, 1875. During the oil 
excitement at Karns City and Petrolia he 
had an office at the latter place, and about 
] 880 he removed to Bradford. 

Erman B. Mitchell was admitted to 
practice law in the Butler bar, October, 
1875. He went west. 

John M. Roth, of Prospect, was ad- 
mitted to the practice of law at the Butler 
bar in November, 1875. 

L. J. Clevis read law with Col. John M. 
Thompson, and was admitted to the bar 
June" 13, 1876. He went to Colorado the 
same year. 

Eugene G. Miller, a native of Butler, 



254 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



read law with his brother, John M. Miller, 
and was admitted to the Butler bar in 
October, 1876. After practicing a few 
years in Butler he removed to Bradford, 
McKeau County. 

G. D. Hamer read law with Hon. Louis 
Z. Mitchell and was admitted to the bar 
June 6, 1876. 

Frank S. Purviance, a son of Gen. John 
N. Purviance, read law with his father in 
Butler and was admitted to the bar March 
19, 1878. He is now practicing in-.Phila- 
delphia. 

A. M. Cunningham, a native of Butler 
County and a son of Rev. Alexander Cun- 
ningham, deceased, read law with Miller 
Brothers, and was admitted to the bar in 
June, 1878. He was elected district attor- 
ney of Butler County in 1880, and after 
serving his term of office located in the 
west. 

Samuel B. Snyder, a native of North 
Liberty, Mercer County, read law with 
Hon. J. D. McJunkin, and was admitted to 
the bar March 3, 1882. He was elected 
district attorney of Butler County, and 
after serving a term went to the west, 
locating in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Charles A. McPherrin, a native of But- 
ler County, was admitted to the bar 
March, 1883. He was elected district at- 
torney in 1886, serving one term. In 1890 
he removed to Pittsburg, where he prac- 
ticed for a few years and then went west. 

Capt. George W. Fleeger was born in 
Center Township, Butler County, March 
13, 1839, and was the son of Peter and 
Mary (Rider) Fleeger. After honorable 
service in the Civil War as a member of 
the Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserve, he 
entered the office of Col. John M. Thomp- 
son as law student and was admitted to 
the bar in 1866. He was associated in 
practice with George A. Black until 1869, 
and from 1887 to 1889 was in partnership 
with James M. Moore. He was elected to 
the legislature in 1871 on the Republican 
ticket, was chairman of the Republican 



County Committee in 1874, and was the 
delegate to the State Convention in 1882 
and 1890. He was also Deputy Revenue 
Collector of this district in 1869. In 1884 
Captain Fleeger was elected to the United 
States House of Representatives and 
served in the Forty-ninth Congress. His 
death occurred in Butler on June 28, 1904. 

Newton Black, son of James and Nancy 
A. (Russell) Black, was born in Marion 
Township, Butler County, November 22, 
1844, and died in Butler in 1902. He read 
law with the late Charles McCandless and 
Hon. John M. Greer, and was admitted to 
the bar in 1876. In March, 1864, he en- 
listed in Company I, 112th Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, and served until the close of 
the war. He was severely wounded in the 
head in the engagement at Fort Harrison, 
September 29, 1864, and this wound was 
the ultimate cause of his death. Mr. Black 
won his way to a leading rank in his pro- 
fession and was one of the popular mem- 
bers of the bar. He was twice the choice 
of the Republicans of the county for Con- 
gress, but failed to get the nomination in 
the district conference. 

William A. Forquer was born in Wash- 
ington Township, Butler County, March 
19, 1845, and was the son of William and 
Margaret (Murrin) Forquer. He began 
reading law in the office of Col. John M. 
Thompson in 1872. He was admitted to 
the bar in 1874, and in 1877 he was elected 
district attorney, a position he held for 
three years. A Democrat in politics he 
took an active part in the councils of his 
party and was county chairman in 1875. 
He was a delegate from this district to the 
National Democratic Convention at St. 
Louis in 1888 that nominated Cleveland 
and Thurman and was president of the 
Democratic Club of Butler in 1892. He 
was a member of the Town Council from 
1889 to 1892 and was city solicitor for 
several terms. Mr. Forquer was attorney 
for the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg 
railroad and secured the right of way for 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



the company when the road was built 
through Butler County. He made the ex- 
ceptional record of transacting the im- 
mense amount of legal business required 
without involving the railroad company in 
a single law suit in the Butler County 
courts. His death occurred April 9, 1902. 

J. B. Clark, who was admitted to prac- 
tice at the Butler bar in 1864, removed to 
Seattle, Washington, where he died March 
3, 1907. 

W. H. Colbert, a son of William S. Col- 
bert, of Butler, read law with Hon. John 
M. Greer and was admitted to practice 
October 25, 1879. His death occurred in 
Butler in 1885. 

Henry N. Marshall, a native of Porters- 
ville, Butler County, read law with his 
brother, John D. Marshall, of Butler, and 
was admitted to the bar in September, 
1888. He practiced in Butler and EUwood 
City, and in the latter part of the nineties 
went to Colorado. 

Leslie Q. Maxwell, a native of Butler 
Township, was admitted to the Butler bar 
in 1878. He removed to Lincoln, Ne- 
braska, about 1880 and he is now in 
Seattle, Washington. 

0. G. McCandless read law with Hon. 
James M. Galbreath and was admitted to 
the bar in February, 1900. He did not 
follow his profession but engaged in farm- 
ing in Clay Township. 

A. B. C. McFarland was born in Bellaire, 
Ohio, June 20, 1852, and was the son of 
Andrew and Margaret (Marshall) Mc- 
Farland. He was educated at Westmin- 
ster College, New Wilmington, Penna., 
and at Monmouth College, Illinois, gradu- 
ating from the latter institution in 1875. 
He then attended Allegheny Theological 
Seminary, Allegheny City, graduating in 
1878. The same year he was ordained and 
installed pastor of the United Presbyte- 
rian church at Fairview, Butler County, 
by the Butler Presbytery. He remained 
pastor of the Fairview church until 1889, 
when he entered the law office of Hon. 



Charles McCandless of Butler. He was 
admitted to the bar May 25, 1891, and 
practiced until his death, in December, 
1903. 

Thomas M. Baker, who was admitted 
to the bar in September, 1888, gave up the 
law for the banking business and is now 
cashier for the Guaranty Safe Deposit 
Company, of Butler. 

William A. Ralston, a native of Slippery 
Rock Township, read law with his brother, 
E. L. Ralston of Butler, and was admitted 
to the bar in 1894. He subsequently prac- 
ticed in Pittsburg and in Wheeling, but 
finding the practice of law distasteful he' 
gave it up and he is now farming in his 
native township, residing on the old Ral- 
ston homestead. 

Joseph T. Donley, a native of Venango 
County, was admitted to the Butler bar 
April 29, 1874. He was elected to the 
legislature on the Republican ticket in 
1882, his contemporary being Hon. Jacob 
Ziegler, a Democrat. After his term in 
the legislature he practiced in Butler un- 
til 1892, when he removed to Pittsburg, 
where he died about 1901. A few. years 
previous to his death he published a book 
on "Land Titles," which had a large cir- 
culation. 

Frank M. Eastman was admitted to the 
bar April 14, 1873. He served as clerk 
of courts from 1869 to 1872 and was court 
stenographer from 1875 to 1885, and in 
1888 was appointed postmaster of Butler 
by President Cleveland. At the close of 
his term as postmaster he removed to 
Saluda, Middlesex County, Virginia, where 
he is engaged in farming. 

Joseph B. Bredin was the son of Hon. 
John Bredin and was born in Butler. He 
was admitted to the bar in October, 1875, 
and practiced until his death October 17, 
1907. 

A. T. Black is a native of Harrisville, 
Butler County, and was admitted to the 
bar October 19, 1875. Jie practiced in 
Kansas Citv, Kansas, for a few years and 



256 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



was iu that state when the grasshoppers 
devastated the country. Seeing nothing in 
the country at that time but future pros- 
pects of howling desolation, Mr. Black re- 
turned to Butler and has built up a good 
practice in his native county. 

James F. Brittain is the son of Joseph 
Brittain of Butler and was admitted to 
the bar in 1877 and practiced in Butler 
until the middle eighties when he moved 
to Tennessee. 

Paul Cummings, a nephew of Hon. 
James Bredin, read law in Butler and was 
admitted to the bar in June, 1888. He 
spent a number of years in Chicago and 
in Denver in the practice of his profession 
and in 1903 he returned to Butler, where 
he has since resided. 

N. W. Campbell, a native of West Sun- 
bury, was admitted to the bar June 20, 
1900. He died November 6, 1901, aged 
thirty-four years. 

George A. Black, who was admitted to 
the bar in December, 1865, died in Butler 
July 5, 1881. 

William H. Black read law with Capt. 
George W. J'leeger and was admitted to 
the bar June 14, 1869. He died iu Butler 
in 1875. 

B. L. Pollock was admitted to the bar 
Jime 11, 1877. After practicing in Butler 
for a few years he went to the west and 
is now in Denver, Colorado. 

Joseph A. Humphry, a son of James 
Humphry, of Worth Township, read law 
with J. D. Marshall, and was admitted to 
the bar May 4, 1896. He taught in the 
Butler schools for several terms and is 
now practicing law at EUwood City, Penn- 
sylvania. 

George C. Stewart, a native of Butler, 
was admitted to the bar August 22, 1899. 
After his admission he spent a few years 
in Denver, Colorado, after which he re- 
turned to Butler and engaged in the bank- 
ing business. He was one of the organ- 
izers of the Guaranty Safe Deposit 



Company of Butler, and is the present 
secretary of the company. 

THE BAR IN 1908. 

The Butler bar in 1908 consisted of 
eighty-one members, .all of whom with a 
few exceptions are in active practice. The 
oldest member in point of continuous serv- 
ice is Hon. John M. Greer, who began to 
practice in 1867, and has continued since, 
with the exception of ten years spent on 
the bench in the county. He is now at the 
head of the law firm of The Greers, and 
has as his partners his son Thomas H. 
and John B. Greer. 

William H. H. Riddle preceded Mr. 
Greer at the Butler bar three years, but 
he has since retired and is not now in 
active practice. 

Hon. J. David Mcjunkin was admitted 
to the Butler bar in 1863, and is the oldest 
living member, but he practiced in Warren • 
County for ten years before locating in 
Butler in 1873. 

The bar of today compares favorably 
with the bars of any of the county courts 
of western Pennsylvania, both in the per- 
sonnel of its members and in intelligence 
and ability. 

Hon. J. David McJunkin is the oldest of 
the practicing attorneys of the Butler bar 
in 1908, having been admitted June 8, 
1863. Mr. McJunkin was born September 
3, 1839, on the old homestead in Center 
Township, and is the son of William and 
Priscilla McJunkin. His primary educa- 
tion was obtained in the common schools, 
and he subsequently spent four years at 
the Butler Academy, the Witherspoon In- 
stitute, and West Sunbury Academy, and 
pursued the study of law under the late 
Judge Ebenezer McJunkin. After his ad- 
mission to the bar he went to Franklin, 
Venango County, where he was elected to 
the legislature in 1869, and reelected in 
1870 and 1871. Returning to Butler in 
1873, he resinned the practice of law. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



257 



Politically Mr. McJunkin was a Repub- 
lican and in 1880 and 1882 he was the 
choice of the Republicans of Butler County 
for the Congressional nomination. He 
was also choice of his party in Butler 
County for the Congressional nomination 
in 1908, but was set aside by the political 
arrangement that was entered into when 
the district comprised of Butler and West- 
moreland Counties was formed, which 
gave the latter county control of the dis- 
trict. During the Civil War Mr. McJun- 
kin was a member of Company G, Four- 
teenth Pennsylvania Militia, which was 
called out to assist in repealing Lee's in- 
vasion of the State. 

William H. H. Riddle, who is now re- 
tired, is next to Mr. McJunkin in point of 
membershi]i at the Butler bar. He was 
born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 
December 11, 1840, and is the son of Sam- 
uel L. and Mary A. Riddle. He was edu- 
cated in the public schools and at West 
Sunbury and Harrisville Academy, and 
read law with Col. John M. Thompson. 
He was admitted to the bar in 1864 and 
the following year was elected district at- 
torney on the Rei)ublican ticket. 

Washington D. Brandon was born No- 
vember 1, 1847, on the Brandon homestead 
in Connoquenessing Township, Butler 
County, and is the son of John W. and 
Ruth A. Brandon. He was educated in 
the common schools, at Witherspoon In- 
stitute in Butler, and was graduated at 
Washington and Jefferson Colleg.- in 1868. 
He commenced reading law with the late 
Judge E. McJunkin and was admitted to 
the bar in 1871. He continued to practice 
with Judge McJunkin for three .years and 
was next in partnership with Clarence 
Walker, but since 1875 he has practiced 
alone and has built up a large legal busi- 
ness. 

Robert P. Scott was born July 11, 1842, 
at Fairview, Butler Coimty, and is the son 
of John Scott, who was sheriff of the 
countv in 1860. After seeing service in the 



army he became a student of the Wither- 
spoon Institute at Butler, and subse- 
quently read law with Col. John M. 
Thompson. He was admitted to the bar 
in January, 1869, and the following year 
formed a partnership with Colonel Thomp- 
son, which continued until 1881. He has 
been attorney for the Baltimore and Ohio 
Railroad for twenty years and has built 
up a large legal practice. 

Levingston McQuistion was the fourth 
son of William and Mary McQuistion and 
was born in Butler Borough May 16, 1849. 
He was educated in the public schools and 
the Witherspoon Institute, and read law 
in the office of L. Z. Mitchell. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar June 10, 1870, and for 
the past thirty-eight years has been en- 
gaged in the practice of his profession. 
Mr. McQuistion is a Democrat in politics 
and has taken an active part in the affairs 
of his party in Butler County and in the 
state. He was elected district attorney in 
1874 and was twice the choice of his party 
in Butler County for Congress, and twice 
for president judge. In 1880 he was a del- 
egate to the National Democratic Conven- 
tion which nominated General Hancock 
for President, and in ]888 was delegate to 
Denver convention, which nominated Will- 
iam J. Bryan for President, and was 
leader of the Bryan Ring of the Pennsyl- 
vania delegation. Mr. McQuistion is rec- 
ognized as one of the leaders of the Butler 
Bar and has built up a large and lucrative 
legal business. He has associated with 
him in his office his son C. L. McQuistion, 
who is a graduate of Bucknell University, 
and was admitted to the bar June 3, 1901. 

S. F. Bowser was born February 11, 
1842, near Kittanning, Armstrong County, 
and is the son of Matthias and Margaret 
(Williams) Bowser. He received his pre- 
paratory education at Columbia Uni- 
versity, Kittanning, and graduated from 
Washington and Jefferson College in 
1872. He read law with Thompson and 
Scott, in Butler and was admitted to the 



258 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Butler County bar in 1874. He has con- 
tinued in active practice ever since, and 
has taken a leading rank as a counselor 
and an advocate. He has associated with 
him in his office his brother, A. L. Bowser, 
who was admitted to the bar September 1, 
1883. 

Theodore Chalmers Campbell was born 
in Butler in 1848 and is the son of James 
and Rebecca Campbell. He was educated 
in the public schools of the town and sub- 
sequently attended Witherspoon Institute 
in Butler and Phillips Academy at An- 
dover, Massachusetts. He commenced to 
read law with Col. John M. Thompson in 
1866, and completed his studies under 
Hon. Samuel A. Purviance in Pittsburg, 
where he was admitted to the bar in 1869. 
He practiced in Pittsburg until 1872, and 
then located in Butler, where he has since 
engaged in the duties of his profession, 
being now recognized as one of the leading 
memWs, as well as one of the oldest at- 
torneys, at the Butler bar. 

James B. McJunkin is the son of Hon. 
E. McJunkin, and was born in Butler. He 
was admitted to the bar on the 11th of 
March, 1875, and has continued in the 
active duties of his profession with the 
exception of several years devoted to the 
oil business. He was associated with Hon. 
James M. Galbreath as a law partner from 
1882 until 1901, and since then has been 
practicing by himself. He has been elected 
a member of the school board and of the 
city council from his ward, which is 
strongly Democratic, and in 1906 he was 
appointed attorney to the county commis- 
sioners. 

Andrew G. Williams, attorney-at-law, 
was born in Richmond, Virginia, Septem- 
ber 8, 1840, and removed with his parents 
to Etna, Allegheny County, in 1848. He 
saw service in the Civil War and after his 
return home pursued a course of studies 
in Duff's Commercial College in Pittsburg 
and also read law at home. For some 
years he was engaged in working at his 



trade of nail-maker, which he had learned 
in Etna, keeping up his law study during 
the period. Mr. Williams came to Butler 
in 1875 and read law in the office of Hon. 
John M. Greer, and was admitted to the 
Butler bar the same year. Soon after he 
formed a law partnership with Alexander 
Mitchell, which is still in existence, and 
the firm of Williams and Mitchell has 
taken rank as one of the leading legal 
firms at the bar. Politically Mr. Williams 
is a Republican, and has taken a jjromi- 
uent and active part in public affairs. He 
filled the office of notary public from 
January, 1876, to 1891 ; was elected to the 
legislature in November, 1890, for one 
term, and to the State Senate in 1894. 

Joseph C. Vanderlin is the son of 
Stephen and Eliza (Seaton) Vanderlin, 
and was born in Venango Township, But- 
ler County. He commenced i-eading law 
in the office of L. Z. Mitchell of Butler in 
1870, and was admitted to the bar in 1874. 
With the exception of a few years he has 
been in partnership mth Levingston Mc- 
Quistion and has continued an active prac- 
tice up to the present time. Politically 
Mr. Vanderlin is a Democrat, and in 1894 
was the Democratic nominee for Congress 
in the Twenty-fifth Congressional District. 

Alexander Mitchell, attorney-at-law, is 
the eldest son of James Mitchell, who was 
associate judge in Butler County in 1861. 
He received a common school education 
and afterward attended the Witherspoon 
Institute in Butler. He was employed in 
the United States Revenue Department 
during the Civil War, and in 1864 he en- 
listed in Company A, Sixth Pennsylvania 
Artillery, and served until the close of the 
war. After his discharge in the army he 
entered the office of Charles McCandless 
of Butler, under whom he read law, and 
was admitted to the bar in 1869. He then 
accepted the position of cashier in the 
First National Bank, of Butler, which he 
filled until that institution went out of 
existence in 1879, when he formed a law 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



25!) 



partnership with Andrew G. Williams, and 
resumed the practice of his profession. 
Mr. Mitchell is an ardent Republican, and 
takes a deep interest in the success of his 
party, but has never held any public office. 

Henderson H. Goucher was born in 
Richmond, Ohio, May 9, 1847, and was 
admitted to the Venango County bar in 
1873. In April of the same year he located 
in Butler, and with the exception of five 
years spent in the West, has continued in 
the practice of his profession. He has 
been admitted to practice in the Supreme 
Court of Pennsylvania, the United States 
District Court and many of the courts of 
the surrounding counties, as well as the 
courts of the state of AVashington, where 
he resided for several years. He was ap- 
pointed United States register in bank- 
ruptcy in 1878, which office he filled until 
1883. Mr. Goucher has been in active 
practice for thirty-five years and has ac- 
quired a rei^utation as a sound lawyer and 
a safe advocate, and enjoys a lucrative 
practice. 

Alexander M. Cornelius was born in 
Worth Township, Butler County, Decem- 
ber 6, 1844. He was educated at the West 
Sunbury Academy and completed his 
studies at the Witherspoon Institute, But- 
ler, and was admitted to the bar in 1880. 
Previous to his admission he was clerk in 
the prothonotary's office, and at the same 
time completed the study of law under 
W. D. Brandon. His death occurred in 
Butler, December 24, 1903. 

William H. Lusk was the son of Dr. 
Amos and Agnes S. Lusk, and was born in 
Harmony, Pennsylvania. He was edu- 
cated in the Butler schools of his district, 
and at the old Harmony Academy, and 
read law with W. D. Brandon in Butler. 
He was admitted to the bar in the fall of 
1877. His death occurred in Butler, Sep- 
tember 5, 1907. 

Oliver D. Thompson, who was admitted 
to the Butler bar in June, 1880, is the son 
of Col. John M. Thompson, of Butler, and 



was born September 24, 1855. He was 
educated in the common schools of Butler, 
Witherspoon Institute, Phillips Academy 
at Andover, Mass., and at Yale College, 
graduating at the latter institution in 1879. 
In November following his admission to 
the Butler bar he was admitted to the 
Pittsburg bar, where he is now engaged in 
practice. Mr. Thompson was admitted to 
practice in the Supreme Court of Pennsyl- 
vania in 1883 and to the United States 
Court in 1893. 

James N. Moore, attorney-at-law, is the 
son of Thomas and Mary Moore, and was 
born in Worth Township, Butler County, 
August 23, 1859. He was educated in the 
connnon schools of the county, subse- 
quently entered Grove City College, where 
he graduated in 1880. He read law under 
the late Charles McCandless and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in September, 1882. In 
1887 he formed a law partnership with the 
late Capt. George W. Fleeger, which con- 
tinued imtil 1889, and in 1896 he was 
associated with Levingston McQuistion in 
the practice of law. Mr. Moore has always 
been a stanch supporter of the Repub- 
lican party, and has represented the party 
as a delegate in State and County Conven- 
tions and has been secretary of the county 
committee a number of times. He was 
elected to the legislature by the Anti-Quay 
Faction of the Party in 1894, reelected in 
1896, and again in 1898. His last election 
was one of the historical political battles 
in Butler County, but Mr. Moore tri- 
umphed over his enemies by a safe major- 
ity. Mr. Moore was journal clerk of the 
House in the sessions of 1905 and assist- 
ant clerk in the session of 1907. 

James B. Mates, attorney-at-law, is a 
native of Muddycreek Township, Butler 
County, where he was born September 2, 
1859. His early life was spent in Penn 
Township. He pursued the study of law 
under Charles McCandless, was admitted 
to the bar in 1883, and in 1886 he opened 
a law office in Butler where he has since 



260 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



been engaged in the active duties of his 
profession. In 1890 he formed a law part- 
nership with Elmer E. Young which con- 
tinued until 1905. Mr. Mates is one of 
the leading Republicans of the county, has 
served his party as chairman of the county 
committee in 1887, and in 1890 was ap- 
pointed census supervisor of the Tenth 
District, the duties of which office he dis- 
charged in a satisfactory manner. He was 
elected to the legislature in the fall of 1892 
and reelected in 1900. 

Alfred M. Christley was born in Cherry 
Township, Butler County, January 13, 
1860. He read law in the office of Col. 
John M. Thompson of Butler and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1888. He has since 
been engaged in the active duties of his 
profession and has built up a large prac- 
tice. Mr. Christley is one of the active 
Republicans of the county, has served as 
chairman and secretary of the county com- 
mittee, and has always given his earnest 
support to the candidates and measures of 
his party. He was elected district attor- 
ney for one term in 1896, and was chosen 
city solicitor of Butler Borough in 1905. 
Mr. Christley was one of the ardent sup- 
porters of President Roosevelt in 1908, 
and was the delegate from this district to 
the Chicago Convention, which nominated 
William H. Taft for President. Mr. 
Christley was one of the three delegates 
from the Pennsylvania Delegation who 
voted for President Roosevelt when the 
ballot was taken. The other two delegates 
who voted with him were Hon. Thomas M. 
Phillips of New Castle and Mr. Davis of 
Mercer. 

James W. Hutchison was born in Parker 
Township, Butler County, June 17, 1864. 
He is the son of James G. and Susan 
(Daubenspeck) Hutchison and the grand- 
son of William Hutchison, who was one of 
the early settlers of Parker Township. 
He received a common school education, 
entered North Washington Academy in 
1879. and graduated from Westminster 



College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, 
in 1887. The same year he entered the 
office of S. F. Bowser with whom he read 
law, and was admitted to the bar Decem- 
ber 2, 1889; since that time he has been 
engaged in the practice of Ms profession. 
Mr. Hutchison is a Republican in polities 
and at present holds the position of ref- 
eree in bankruptcy in this district. 

John D. Marshall is the eldest son of 
James M. Marshall, and was born in Pros- 
pect, Butler County, June 20, 1860. He 
read law with W. D. Brandon at Butler, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1882. He 
has taken a leading rank among the mem- 
bers of the profession, and in 1908 was 
one of the leaders of the Butler bar. 

William C. Findley was born March 23, 
1864, in Clay Township, Butler County, 
and is the eldest son of Samuel and Sarah 
Findlev. He read law with the late George 
A. Black and A. T. Black of Butler, and 
was admitted to the bar in June, 1878. He 
has taken an active interest in politics, was 
chairman of the Republican County Com- 
mittee in 1888 and was delegate to the 
state convention in 1889. 

Albert T. Scott was born in Kiskiminetas 
Township, Armstrong County, October 21, 
1856, and is the son of Samuel and Mary S. 
Scott. He received a good education and 
in 1886 entered the office of McJunkin and 
Galbreath of Butler as a law student and 
was admitted to the bar in the spring of 
1888. With the exception of a year which 
he spent in the service of the United 
States, he has since been engaged in the 
practice of his profession, and has a large 
clientage. 

Elmer E. Young was born in Summit 
Township, Butler County, April 9, 1864, 
and is the son of Simon P. and Eliza 
Young. He began the study of law in 1887 
in the office of the late Judge Charles Mc- 
Candless and was admitted to the bar in 
June, 1890. He continued in practice until 
1905, when impaired health compelled him 
to give up legal woi-k, and he retired to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



261 



the Young homestead in Summit Town- 
ship, where he is now residing. 

Aaron E. Reiber is the youngest son of 
Martin and Mary Reiber of Butler and a 
brother to Ferdinand Reiber. He was 
graduated at Princeton College in 1882, 
read law with T. C. Campbell of Butler, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1885. He 
was elected district attorney on the Demo- 
cratic ticket in 1889 and served in that 
capacity until 1893. Since leaving that 
office he has devoted his attention to the 
practice of his profession and was one of 
the promoters and secretary of the Butler 
Passenger Railway Company, which be- 
gan business in 1901. 

Porter W. Lowry is the son of Alexan- 
der Lowry of Butler, and was born Febru- 
ary 12, 1855. He read law with Hon. E. 
McJunkin and was admitted to the bar in 
1876. He has since been engaged in the 
active duties of his profession. Mr. Lowry 
was chairman of the Republican county 
committee in 1894, and reading-clerk of 
the Senate in 1903. 

Frank X. Kohler is a native of Butler 
and a son of Gabriel Kohler, deceased. 
He read law with Hon. Charles McCand- 
less and was admitted to the bar in Sep- 
tember, 1882. He has since continued in 
the active duties of his profession and has 
built up a large clientele among the Ger- 
man-speaking residents of the county. 

John R. Henninger is a native of Penn 
Township, Butler County, and is the son 
of Frederick Henninger. He was admitted 
to the bar January 13, 1896, and in 1901 
was elected district attorney on the Demo- 
cratic ticket, a position which he dis- 
charged with acceptability to the people 
of the county and credit to himself, for 
three years. Mr. Henninger is now en- 
gaged in the active duties of his profession 
and is considered one of the rising attor- 
neys at the Butler bar. 

Capt. Ira McJunkin was born in Butler, 
February 13, 1860, and is a son of James 
C. and Martha McJunkin. After he ob- 



tained a common school education and had 
attended Witherspoon Institute at Butler, 
he was appointed a cajiet in the United 
States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, Md., 
by Col. John M. Thompson, who was then 
congressman from this district. He grad- 
uated from the academy in 1881, and after 
spending two years on the Asiatic Station 
in the United States Service, he was hon- 
orably discharged in 1883, and returned to 
Butler. He commenced the study of law 
the same year with Hon. E. McJunkin and 
was admitted to the bar April 10, 1886, 
since which time he has been engaged in 
the practice of his profession. He was 
elected district attorney of Butler Coimty 
on the Republican ticket in 1892, and was 
elected to the legislature in 1906, and was 
one of the Republican candidates for re- 
election in 1908. 

Clarence Walker is the son of Nathaniel 
and Sarah (Slater) Walker, and was born 
in Butler March 24, 1848. He read law 
with Hon. E. McJunkin and was admitted 
to the bar in 1871. He has since been 
actively engaged in the practice of his 
profession and is one of the leading attor- 
neys at the Butler bar. 

Ferdinand Reiber, a son of Martin Rei- 
ber of Butler, was admitted to the bar in 
1869. He was elected district attorney on 
the Democratic ticket in 1871 and filled 
the position for three years. He contin- 
ued to practice law until 1881, when he 
went into the oil business in which he has 
since continued. 

George R. White was born in the bor- 
ough of Butler in 1848 and is the son of 
Rev. William White, deceased, who was a 
prominent Episcopal minister of Butler. 
He received a primary education in the 
public schools and completed his studies 
in the old Butler Academy. He read law 
with Hon. James Bredin and was admitted 
to the bar of Butler County in March, 
1871. 

Francis J. Forquer is a brother of the 
late William A. Forquer and was admitted 



262 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



to the bar in 1879, having completed his 
legal studies under his brother's direction. 
He was associated with AV. A. Porquer un- 
til the latter 's death, and since then has 
been engaged in the active duties of his 
profession by himself. 

William Z. Murrin is a native of Ve- 
nango Township, Butler County, and the 
son of John and Mary (Fielding) Murrin. 
He was educated in the common schools 
of the county and Grove City College, and 
he then stiidied law ■ under William A. 
Forquer, of Butler, and was admitted to 
the bar in March, 1891. With the excep- 
tion of a short time that he practiced in 
Clearfield with his uncle, Francis Fielding, 
he has been engaged in the active duties 
of his profession in Butler. He foi-med a 
law loartnership with Jacob M. Painter 
soon after his admission to the bar, which 
continued until 1902. In that year he 
formed a partnership with his brother, 
John Murrin, Jr., imder the firm name of 
Murrin & Murrin. Mr. Murrin is a Demo- 
crat in politics and takes an active interest 
in his party organization. He has been 
elected a member of the school board and 
on the town council, has served as city 
solicitor, and has been prominently men- 
tioned for higher political honors, which 
he has always declined. 

Harry L. Graham is a native of Con- 
cord Township, and a son of Thomas 
Graham. He was educated at North 
AVashington Academy and at the Uni- 
versity of AVooster, Wooster, Ohio, read 
law in the office of S. F. Bowser, of Butler, 
and was admitted to the bar December 11, 
1895. Mr. Graham is a Republican in 
politics, and has taken an active part in 
local affairs. He was elected school direc- 
tor of his ward and was secretary of the 
board in 1907 and 1908. 

William C. Thompson is the son of the 
late Col. John M. Thompson, of Butler, 
and was admitted to the bar June 29, 
1883. He was associated with his father 
in the practice of law until the latter 's 



death, but since then has devoted most of 
his time to manufacturing interests. 

Everett L. Ralston is a native of Slip- 
pery Rock Township, Butler County, and 
the eldest son of John and Hannah (Mc- 
Coy) Ralston. He received his primary 
education in the common schools of his 
native township and subsequently at- 
tended Mount Union College and Grove 
City College, graduating from the latter 
school in 1881. He read law with the 
late Judge Charles McCandless, was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1883, since which time 
he has been actively engaged in the duties 
of his profession. In 1887 he formed a 
.law partnership with Hon. John M. Greer 
imder the firm name of Greer & Ralston, 
which continued until Judge Greer took 
his seat on the bench in January, 1893. 
Soon after the election of Judge Greer to 
the bench, his son John B. Greer became 
a member of the firm imder the firm name 
of Ralston & Greer. Politically Mr. Ral- 
ston is a Democrat and one of the active 
members of his party. He was promi- 
nently mentioned as a candidate for judge 
in 1902, but was defeated for the nomina- 
tion by Levingston McQuistion. Since 
1902 Mr. Ralston has been practicing alone 
and has a large clientele. 

J. M. Painter is a native of Clay Town- 
ship, Butler County, and a son of Simon 
P. Painter. After receiving a good pre- 
liminary education he followed school 
teaching for several terms and later took 
up the study of law in the office of Col. 
John M. Thompson. He was admitted to 
the bar in 1890, and in 1895 formed a part- 
nership with AVilliam Z. Murrin, which 
continued until 1902. He is a Republican 
in politics, and in 1898 was elected district 
attorney, filling that office for one term, 
and in 1894 he was appointed attorney for 
the county commissioners for three years. 
Mr. Painter has associated with him in his 
office his brother, Howard' I. Painter, but 
he is practicing by himself, and has built 
up a large clientele. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



263 



Howard I. Painter is the son of Simon 
P. Painter, of Clay Township, and was 
admitted to the bar in 1894. He had pre- 
viously obtained a good education and was 
engaged in school teaching in Butler 
County for a number of years after his 
admission to the bar. He was elected 
county superintendent of the public schools 
in 1898, and reelected in 1901. Since his 
retirement from the county superin- 
tendent's ofHce, he has devoted his time to 
the practice of law, and is taking a leading 
rank among the younger members of the 
bar. 

George E. Robinson is a son of the late 
Thomas Robinson, of Butler Borough, and 
was admitted to the bar in 1895. He has 
also been admitted to the Supreme Court 
of Pennsylvania, and has qualified to prac- 
tice in the Department of Interior, at 
Washington, D. C. He inherits a taste for 
politics from his father, and takes an 
active interest in the organization of the 
Republican party in the borough and in 
the county. 

Parker C. Purviance, who was admitted 
to the Butler bar in 1835, was afterward 
appointed deputy attorney-general for 
Butler County. 

Stephen Cummings is a native of But- 
ler borough, and a nephew of the late 
Judge James Bredin. He was admitted to 
the "bar May 31, 1880, and has built up a 
large office practice. Mr. Cummings takes 
an active interest in the Democratic party, 
but has never aspired to any political 
preferment. 

Samuel Atwell is a native of Butler 
County and a son of David Atwell, of 
Marion Township. He read law under 
Hon. James M. Galbreath and was ad- 
mitted to the bar May 23, 1903, and Mr. 
Atwell is a Republican in politics, and was 
the choice of his party as district attorney 
in 1907, but was defeated in the political 
upheavel that occurred that year. 

Frank H. Murphy is the son of Francis 



Murphy and was born in Chicora, Penn- 
sylvania. He was educated in the common 
schools of his district and at Allegheny 
College, Meadville, read law in the office 
of W. A. Forquer, and was admitted to 
the bar June 13, 1893. He has since taken 
a leading rank as a counselor and enjoys 
a large practice. 

William B. Purvis is a native of Butler 
Borough, and is the son of the late Joseph 
L. Purvis. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools of the city, at Washington 
and Jefferson College, and subsequently 
entered the office of Hon. James M. Gal- 
breath as a student of law. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar July 13, 1901. He has 
been secretary of the Butler Driving Park 
and Fair Association since 1906, and is 
rapidly building up a paying practice. 

Albert C. Troutman was born in Butler 
Borough and is the youngest son of Adam 
Troutman, a well-known business man. 
He was educated in the public schools of 
the town, Washington and Jefferson Col- 
lege, and the law department of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania, and was admitted 
to practice at the Butler bar June 1, 1901. 
He at once took a leading rank among the 
younger members at the bar, and in 1907 
was elected district attorney, on the 
Democratic ticket. 

William H. Martin was born in Penn 
Township, Butler County, and is the son 
of John Martin, deceased, who was a well 
known resident of the county. He read 
law in the office of Frank M. Eastman, was 
admitted to the bar September 22, 1882, 
and practiced in Beaver and Westmore- 
land Counties and in West Virginia. Mr. 
Martin was a Democrat in politics until 
1906, when he became affiliated with the 
Prohibition party of Butler County, and 
was chairman of the county committee in 
1908. 

Newton C. McCollough is a son of Peter 
McCollough and a native of Chicora, 
Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the 
bar November 5, 1896, having previously 



264 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



served two terms as county superin- 
tendent of public schools, and taught in 
the schools of the county. In addition to 
his law practice Mr. McCollough is en- 
gaged in the real estate and insurance 
business with Leslie P. Hazlett, Esq., as 
a partner. He is also actively engaged in 
the oil business, and is one of the success- 
ful operators in the local oil fields. 

Hunter E. Coulter is a native of Butler 
County and was admitted to practice at 
the Butler bar, January 21, 1888. Mr. 
Coulter is a Democrat in politics and for 
the past fifteen years has filled the office 
of secretary to the town council. 

John W. Coiilter is a native of Scrub- 
grass, Venango County, and the son of 
Rev. John R. Coulter, deceased, who was 
a well-known Presbyterian minister. He 
was admitted to the bar September 8, 1891, 
and has continued to practice since that 
time. He is a Republican in politics and 
has been a candidate for district attorney 
on several occasions, and run a lai'ge vote. 
Samuel Walker is a native of Butler 
Borough and a son of the late Capt. Sam- 
uel Walker. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools of the borough, at State Col- 
lege, and the University of Pennsylvania, 
at Philadelphia, and was admitted to the 
bar July 15, 1899. He at once took a 
leading rank among the younger members 
of the bar, and in 1904 was the choice of 
the Republican party for district attorney. 
His election at the fall election was a mark 
of his popularity and the esteem in which 
he is, held by the citizens of the com- 
munity. 

Levi M. Wise was born in Jackson Town- 
ship, Butler County, and is the son of 
Jacob F. and Sarah (Moyer) Wise. He 
was educated in the public schools and at 
Edinborough State Normal School and 
was admitted to the bar September 5, 
1888, since when he has continued in the 
active duties of his profession. In 1903 
Mr. Wise embarked in the newspaper en- 
terprise and became part owner of the 



daily and weekly Eagle, of Butler, and 
since has obtained entire control of that 
publication. He is first of all a lawyer, 
however, and gives nearly all of his time 
to his practice. He is one of the active 
Republicans of the county and has taken 
a leading part in the party organization 
for the last fifteen years. 

John H. Wilson is a native of Harmony, 
and was admitted to the bar June 1, 1894. 
He has been associated with Livingston 
McQuistion and J. C. Vanderlin since that 
time, and in 1907 and 1908 was chosen city 
solicitor by the town council of Butler. He 
is a Democrat in politics and has been the 
choice of his party for district attorney 
and for the legislature, but was defeated 
with the rest of his party ticket. 

Theodore C. H. Keck was born in But- 
ler, Pennsylvania, and is the son of Jacob 
Keck, Esq. He was admitted to the bar 
February 26, 1900, and has taken a lead- 
ing rank among the younger members of 
the bar. 

John H. Jackson is a native of Butler 
Borough, and was educated at the public 
schools and at Washington and Jefferson 
College. He subsequently read law with 
Williams & Mitchell, of Butler, and was 
admitted to practice February 26, 1900. 

John C. Graham was born in Butler 
Borough and is the son of the late Walter 
L. Graham. He was educated in the pub- 
lic schools and at Lafayette College, and 
was admitted to practice March 11, 1892. 
Mr. Graham has devoted most of his at- 
tention to real estate, and in 1908 was 
secretary of the Butler Board of Trade. 

William McDowell was born in 1858 at 
Kirkmuirhill, Parish of Lesmahagow, 
Lanarkshire, Scotland. He came to this 
countiy with his parents when a young 
man, attended State College, Pennsyl- 
vania, and afterward the State University 
of Columbus, Ohio, and began life as a 
civil and mining engineer. Later he pur- 
sued his course of studies at the Normal 
University, Ada, Ohio, and in the law de- 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



265 



partment of the University of Indiana, 
and was admitted to practice in the vari- 
ous courts of Indiana, June 20, 1900. Sub- 
sequently he pursued the study of law in 
the office of John L. McCutcheon, of Pitts- 
burg, and took a post-graduate course at 
the University of Pennsylvania, at Phila- 
delphia. He was admitted to the Butler 
bar July 28, 1903, and has since taken a 
leading rank among the yoimger members 
of the bar. 

Edgar H. Negley was born in Butler and 
is a son of the late John H. Negley, Esq. 
He was educated in the public schools, 
read law in the office of his father and was 
admitted to the bar in March, 1899. Pre- 
vious to this he spent one year in the serv- 
ice of the United States in the Spanish- 
American War. Mr. Negley is one of the 
active Republicans of the borough and has 
served as a member of the school board 
from the Third Ward. 

Lewis P. Litzinger is a native of Chi- 
cora, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to 
the bar December 24, 1902. He received 
a preliminary education in the common 
schools and later attended the Georgetown 



University in the District of Columbia, 
graduating from the law department in 
1902. The same year he was admitted to 
practice in the supreme court and the 
court of appeals in the District of Colum- 
bia, of which Washington City is a part. 
The following attorneys have practiced 
at various times outside of Butler Bor- 
ough: At Parker City, J. P. Coulter in 

1872, Wallace Martin in 1874; Slippery 
Rock, Charles C. McCarns in 1890, Clar- 
ence G. McGee in 1900; at Greece City, 
during the oil excitement, J. K. Wallace in 
1873; at Chicora, J. H. Bowman in 1878, 
Joseph H. Cunningham in 1874, Ezra 
Crossman in 1878, M. B. McBride in 1873, 
J. S. McKay in 1873, G. B. McCalmont in 

1873, Mark G. McCaslin in 1873, Joseph 
M. McCracken in 1873, George J. Wolfe in 
1877; at Harrisville, D. J. Kyle in 1878. 

There have also been a few others ad- 
mitted to the Butler County bar who have 
never practiced in the county, either re- 
moving soon after their admission to other 
localities, or entering into other businesses 
or professions, whose names may not be 
here mentioned. 



CHAPTER VIII 



TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES 



The first mention of public roads in con- 
nection with this county is found in the 
transactions of the county commissioners 
of Allegheny County under date of No- 
vember 6, 1802. In December of the same 
year mention is made of a road that had 
been viewed and opened from Voris' cabin 
in Deer Township, Allegheny County, to 
Findley's cabin in the original township 
of Middlesex in Butler County. The sec- 
ond road mentioned is that built from 
Isaac Voris' house in Deer Township, 
Allegheny County, to Robert Galbreath's 
house on Big Buffalo Ci-eek, in Butler 
County. This road was viewed in June, 
1803. In November of the same year 
David Gilliland and four others were paid 
for laying out twelve miles of road from 
the east line of Butler County to the 
county seat. 

From February, 1804, to May 1812, 
ninety-iive petitions for roads were con- 
siidered by the commissioners of Butler 
County. The first was for a road from 
Butler to Freeport on the Allegheny River 
and the last for a road from the point 
where the Pittsburg and Freeport Road 
crossed the Butler- Allegheny line to the 
line between Butler and Armstrong Coun- 
ties near the mouth of Buffalo Creek. All 
of the ninety-tive petitions were not 
granted, but a sufficient number of roads 



were opened to connect the principal set- 
tlements with the county seat. 

A strong plea for additional roads was 
made in 1805 by Dr. Detmar Basse Muller, 
the founder of Zelienople, who, it seems, 
had already gone to some expense on his 
own account in the matter. His petition 
to the commissioners, though published in 
a previous history of the county, is of in- 
terest, both as showing the attention that 
was tlaen being given to this subject and 
also because of the improvements intro- 
duced or proposed at that early date by 
Dr. Muller — in particular his importation 
of fine cattle and sheep, said to have been 
the first of the kind in the county. The 
petition reads as follows : 

"Would humbly show, that your petitioner labors 
under great disadvantage for want of good roads to and 
from the town of Zelienople. I would further state that 
I have been at great expense in cutting roads and mak- 
ing large improvements for the best to this settlement. 
That I procured for this country with great difficulties 
Spanish sheep, which cost 100 dollars per head 700 miles 
from this place, also, the best breed of English cattle 
in the United States, and that it would be necessary to 
have roads for me to accomplish my enterprises as well 
as for the public in general as a people in this settle- 
ment, which is now increasing very fast and probably 
will soon be a town of very considerable circumstance. 
I have now a good sawmill built, and in case the road 
from Pittsburgh to Mercertown can be laid out, opened 
and made through Zelienople, I shall proceed to build a 
merchant mill and furnace. A furnace will be of great 
utility to this country, as it costs as much to transport 
the iron to this country as it cost to purchase the iron 
where it is made. Now it will not be possible to build 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



267 



these works without roads. I am still willing to do 
myself more for the establishment of the road, by build- 
ing a good and substantial bridge across the Connoque- 
nessing Creek, opposite the town of Zelienople, at my 
own expense in case the road shall be laid out and made 
from Pittsburgh to Mercertown through Zelienople. Now 
that the court will confirm this road or appoint some 
proper persons to lay it out as the law directs, for this 
your petitioner will ever pray." 

Robert Morris also, prior to 1803, in- 
structed his agent at Butler to give finan- 
cial aid to road construction whenever 
possible. This led to the establishment, in 
1805, of the state and county road leading 
by Cemetery Hill and known as the Graded 
Road. In 1821 the road passed into the 
control of the Butler and Pittsburg Turn- 
pike Company. An easier route was 
selected and the state aided in the con- 
struction of the road from Butler to Erie, 
making it one of the great highways be- 
tween the forks of the Ohio and the Great 
Lakes. 

THE PITTeBURG AND MERCER ROAD. 

The original Pittsburg and Mercer 
Road, called the Pittsburg and Mercer- 
town Road, as shown by the Muller peti- 
tion, was established in 1805. It passed 
through the western portion of the county 
through Zelienople and Harmony, and is 
the present Franklin Road. It was a 
favorite route with travelers going to the 
northwest from Pittsburg. 

THE EBENSBURG STAGE LINE. 

The Ebensburg and Butler Stage Line 
was established in May, 1825. W. W. Bell 
contracted to carry the mails between the 
two points by way of Indiana and Kittan- 
ning in eighteen hours, and guaranteed 
passengers close connection at Ebensburg 
with the Pittsburg and Alexandria Stage. 
In his advertisement, published in Decem- 
ber, he assured prospective passengers 
that the clay turnpike over which his route 
lay was very much superior to the stone 
roads of the southern route. He made the 
trip between the two points once a week. 



leaving Butler on Sunday and arriving the 
following Wednesday. 

A CANAL PROJECT. 

A canal convention was held at New 
Castle in May, 1826, which had under con- 
sideration the construction of a canal from 
Pittsbui'g to Erie. Butler County was 
represented in this convention by William 
Ayres and Jacob Mechling. 

THE ALLEGHENY AND SUSQUEHANNA CANAL. 

The question of connecting the Alle- 
gheny and Susquehanna Rivers by a canal 
came up in 1825, and on January 29 of 
that year a meeting was held at Neyman's 
Hotel in Butler at which John Potts pre- 
sided, with Jacob Mechling secretary. The 
meeting appointed as a committee to draft 
a memorial to the legislature John Bredin, 
John Gilmore, John Neyman, John Gil- 
christ and William Beatty. This commit- 
tee prepared a lengthy addi'ess to the 
legislature then in session, but there was 
nothing definite in its character. In 
March of the same year John Gilmore, 
Jacob Mechling, Hugh McKee, William 
Gibson and John Bredin were constituted 
a local committee for the purpose of ap- 
pointing delegates to the state convention 
of internal improvement. John Gilmore 
and John Bredin were appointed and at- 
tended the canal convention held at Har- 
risburg in August of that year. This 
movement resulted in nothing so far as 
Butler County was concerned, and is re- 
ferred to merely to show the thought of 
the time upon the important subject of 
internal improvements and upon means 
of communication with the great cen- 
ters of commerce. 

THE PITTSBURG AND ERIE MAIL ROUTE. 

In 1827 A. McGill & Company operated 
a line of mail stages between Pittsburg 
and Erie, the route passing through But- 
ler. The fare from Pittsburg to Butler 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



was $1.50, from Pittsburg to Meadville $4, 
and from Pittsburg to Erie $6.50. The 
stage left Pittsburg every morning, arriv- 
ing in Butler the same evening; it left 
Butler for Meadville the next morning at 
four o'clock, arrived at Meadville the sec- 
ond evening, and at four o'clock A. M. on 
the third day left Meadville for Erie, ar- 
riving at its destination about noon. The 
return trip was made on the same sched- 
ule, thus avoiding the dangers of night 
travel. These old stages were drawn by 
four and sometimes six horses, and their 
arrivals and departures were watched 
with as much interest as is displayed by 
the youngsters of the present day over 
the arrival of the steam cars. 

The Butler and Kittanning Turnpike 
Road was completed in 1828, and opened 
a large territory for Butler's trade. The 
officers of this company were John Gil- 
more, president, and William Hagerty, 
secretary. 

THE BUTLEE AND FEEEPOKT PIKE. 

A new era to the pioneers of Butler 
County was announced in 1828, when the 
first steamboat, which ascended the Alle- 
gheny River, landed at Franklin in 
Venango County and discharged its cargo 
of 150 passengers and thirty tons of 
freight. This boat was known as the 
"William B. Duncan" and was of eighty 
tons measurement. It touched Butler 
County only at Freeport and at Parker's 
Landing, but its arrival on the waters of 
the Allegheny was soon after followed by 
the establishing of a post route from Free- 
port to Butler. The Freeport and Butler 
route was established in May, 1828, and 
during the same year a route was estab- 
lished from Anderson's Creek to Kittan- 
ning, one from Lawrenceburg to Mercer, 
and one from Ilarrisville to Whitestown. 

In March, 1830, the "Allegheny," the 
first stern-wheeler, steamed up the river to 
Franklin, where she arrived on the 18th 
of that month. 



In March, 1849, McElwain & Company 
established a stage line between Butler 
and Freeport, placing two four-horse 
coaches on the route. The schedule of 
arrivals and departures at Freeport was 
arranged in accordance with that of the 
Pittsburg packet-boats. 

In October, 1859, J. W. McKee estab- 
lished a line of coaches from Butler to 
Freeport, making connections at Freeport 
with the Allegheny Valley Railroad, and 
reducing the time of travel to Pittsburg 
to six hours. 

The Butler and Freeport Turnpike was 
constructed in 1833, and in 1845 a turnpike 
was constructed from Butler to Brady's 
Bend (then called the Great Western), the 
commissioners being David Dougal and 
George W. Reed of Butler County and 
William Hart of Armstrong County. 

THE NATIONAL ROAD CONVENTION. 

The National Road Convention which 
favored the construction of macadamized 
roads from Cumberland west and south to 
the Pacific and Gulf coasts, was held at 
Butler January 21, 1844, and was attended 
by 500 delegates. Gen. John N. Purviance 
of Butler was chosen president. Conven- 
tions were also held at Butler in 1845 and 
1846, but nothing of importance appears 
to have been transacted. 

THE BUTLER AND ALLEGHENY PLANK ROAD. 

The question of building a plank road 
from Butler to Allegheny was discussed as 
early as 1848, but not until February, 
1849, was any definite action taken. At 
that time a meeting was held in Butler at 
which John Negley presided, with John 
Duffy and John McKee vice-presidents, 
and James Campbell and Louis Z. Mitchell 
secretaries. This meeting appointed a 
committee to provide for a charter for a 
company authorizing the building of a 
plank road from Butler to Allegheny. 
John Bredin, C. C. Sullivan, J. G. Camp- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



bell, R. McNair, and George Miller were 
chosen members of this committee. 

On April 5, 1849, the legislature passed 
an act authorizing the governor to incor- 
porate the Allegheny City and Butler 
Plank Road Company. In May, 1850, the 
commissioners of Butler and Allegheny 
Counties at a meeting held at Bakerstown 
considered the matter under this act and 
ordered books to be opened at several 
points for receiving subscriptions for 
stock. In February, 1851, the citizens of 
Tarentum, Saxonburg and Butler worked 
for the enterprise and by the close of the 
month the Allegheny and Butler Plank 
Road Company was organized with S. M. 
Lane, president ; William Campbell, David 
Walker, T. H. Lyon of Butler, Charles F. 
Spang and T. W. Shaw, of Allegheny, 
managers, and James Jones, of Allegheny, 
treasurer. Ground was broken June 16, 
1851, by contractor Walker of Butler, and 
the era of plank roads was introduced. 
John N. Purvianee was elected president 
of the company in 1852 to succeed Mr. 
Lane, and Col. A. N. Mylert to succeed 
David Walker as manager. In November 
of the same year Dunlap McLaughlin of 
Butler was chosen treasurer and since that 
time the management of the road has been 
practically in the hands of Butler people. 

The report of the commissioners ap- 
pointed by the governor to inspect the 
road was filed July 7, 1856, and on the 
same date a charter was issued by Gover- 
nor James Pollock and signed by John 
McPherrin Sullivan, Secretary of State. 
The commission that inspected the road 
was composed of John Duffy, Robert Car- 
nahan, and Matthew White. The name of 
James Bredin first appears as secretary of 
the company in 1856, and he contin^^ed to 
hold that position until his death in 1906. 
During the last thirty years of his life he 
was treasurer and general manager of the 
company as well as secretary. The presi- 
dents that succeeded Mr. Purvianee were 
William Campbell, Sr., R. M. Gibson, and 



William Campbell, Jr. Upon the death of 
the latter in 1907, W. D. Brandon of But- 
ler was chosen president and D. H. Sutton 
of Butler was elected secretaiy and man- 
ager to fill the vacancy caused by the death 
of Mr. Bredin. The Butler Savings and 
Trust Company is the present treasurer. 

In the early days of the road about ten 
miles in Butler County was constructed of 
stone and about the same number of miles 
in Allegheny County was constructed of 
heavy flag stone similar to a pavement, 
while the plank part of the road was con- 
structed of split logs that had been dressed 
with a hand axe. About 1880 the entire 
length of the road was rebuilt with sawed 
plank and placed in an excellent condi- 
tion. The Allegheny and Butler Plank 
Road proved a success from its first year 
and has paid its stockholders a neat profit 
on their inveatment. It is now probably 
the oldest plank road in operation in the 
state. In 1905 the commissioners of Al- 
legheny County purchased that part of the 
road from Etna to the Butler County line 
for $65,000.00 and converted it into a ma- 
cadamized county road. About the same 
time an effort was made to have the com- 
missioners of Butler County purchase the 
road from Butler to the Allegheny County 
line, but this movement failed and the 
company still operates the division of the 
road in Butler County. 

THE PEEKYSVILLE PLANK EOAD. 

The Browington and Perrysville Plank 
Road Company was organized March 8, 
1851, when subscription books were oi*- 
dered to be opened. The signers of this 
order were Thomas H. Bracken, David 
Shannon, Jonathan Ransen, M. F. White, 
Joseph McElwain, Henry Buhl, Samuel 
Marshall, Alexander Graham, and John 
Fletcher. The organization was completed 
on the 2nd of July, when Samuel Marshall 
was elected president and Thomas H. 
Bracken vice-president. The legislature of 



270 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1852 authorized the construction of the 
Zelienople and Perrysville Plank Road 
and empowered the company to borrow 
$20,000.00 to build it. This road was in 
use for many years but was abandoned 
after the advent of the Pittsburg & West- 
ern Railroad. 

The Butler and Callensburg Plank Road 
Company originated in the meetings of 
March, 1851, and in the Fairview meeting 
of March 24 of the same year. Nothing 
was ever accomplished by this company. 

The Centerville and New Castle Plank 
Road Company was incorporated in 1852, 
and in November of that year Abraham 
Ziegler was elected president, Francis 
Wallace treasurer, and John Levis secre- 
tary. 

FIRST RAILROADS. 

More than thirty-five years elapsed from 
the first agitation in Butler County on the 
question of railroads until a road was fi- 
nally completed into the borough of But- 
ler. As early as 1836 a survey of the Free- 
port and New Castle railroad was made, 
locating a line through Butler Borough, 
and crossing the county from east to west. 
The preliminary work of this survey was 
made by Dr. Charles T. Whipple, who per- 
formed his work in the field so well that 
his field notes were sought after in later 
years, when the Northwestern Railroad 
Company entertained the idea of building 
a road across the county. 

The question of building a railroad from 
the Pennsylvania Central Railroad 
through Freeport, Butler and New Castle 
to connect with the Cleveland and Mahon- 
ing road near the Ohio line, was agitated 
in 1852 and culminated in a meeting held 
in Butler which was presided over by J. 
G. Campbell, Andrew Cams acting as sec- 
retary. A committee of correspondence 
was chosen, which was composed of C. C. 
Sullivan, John Graham, James Campbell, 
Samuel A. Purviance, and G. W. Smith. 



THE NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD. 

The Northwestern Railroad Company, 
which resulted in financial disaster and al- 
most endless litigation, was chartered 
February 9, 1853, and the first meeting of 
the directors was held at Butler June 1, 

1853, when W. Warner was chosen engi- 
neer. On August 16, the president of the 
company, was authorized to produce the 
Lawrence County subscription of $200,000 
and the Butler County subscription of 
$250,000, the resolutions providing for 
the construction of a road from Blairsville 
to Freeport, thirty-five miles, thence to 
Butler, twenty-three miles, and thence to 
New Castle, thirty-one miles, a total of 
eighty-nine miles. On May 10, 1854, a 
contract was made with Malone, Painter, 
Clark and Gouder, which bound that firm 
to complete the whole line for $3,800,000 
before May 1, 1856. On June 1, 1856, only 
the grading and ballasting of the first di- 
vision from Blairsville to Freeport was 
completed, and this failure to complete the 
whole line warranted the cancellation of 
the old contract. A new contract was 
made which was less favorable to the sub- 
scribers and by the close of 1856 the sub- 
scribing counties were in revolution, for 
their bonds had almost entirely passed out 
of 'official hands and there was little to 
show for the money expended. 

Enthusiasm for this road was at a high 
pitch in Butler in 1854, when on the 22nd 
of February the news reached the town 
that the Common Council of the city of 
Philadelphia had appropriated $750,000 
for the construction of the road. So jubi- 
lant were the Butler people that they cele- 
brated the event by a grand illumination 
of the town. Before the close of August, 

1854, a showing was made on David Wal- 
ker's contract of the Northwestern Rail- 
road four miles west of Butler, in Center 
Township. The big cut which is still in 
existence is 3,000 feet long and 711/2 feet 
deep. One hundred and ninety-seven men 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



271 



and eighty-four horses were employed at 
this cut during 1855 and part of 1856, the 
whole force being under the superintend- 
ence of Smith Agnew. The entire excava- 
tion, part of which is in solid rock, was 
made by hand, and the material carted 
away to the dump in horse carts, a Hercu- 
lean task that would now be accomplished 
with a steam shovel and a train of dump 
cars. In January, 1855, the Summit cut, 
five miles southeast of Butler in Summit 
Township, was being worked by Contractor 
Moorehead. Operations on both of these 
contracts ceased after 1856 and they re- 
sulted in financial disaster to all the par- 
ties concerned with them. 

Col. A. N. Meylert, who was the first 
treasurer of the company, resigned in Feb- 
ruary, 1854, and D. Sankey, of Lawrence 
County, was elected. In October, 1854, a 
petition for an injunction against the pay- 
ment of the Philadelphia subscription was 
filed in the Supreme Court of Pennsylva- 
nia, and considered at the session held in 
Erie. Hon. C. C. Sullivan and John Gra- 
ham of Butler represented the railroad 
company, and on their argument the peti- 
tion was dismissed. The pent-uj) discon- 
tent of the people of Butler and Lawrence 
Counties about the management of the 
Northwestern Railroad Company found 
expression in the local newspapers, and 
the coimty commissioners were strongly 
urged to resist further payment toward the 
road. Prior to March, 1858, a sequestrator 
had charge of the company's affairs and 
in March the anxiously awaited report was 
issued which had the effect of increasing 
the discontent heard on all sides and de- 
termined those in authority to resist pay- 
ment of the county bonds. 

The trial of the Butler County Bond 
Case in the United States Circuit Court at 
Pittsburg was heard in May, 1859. The 
case is on the records as Jacob C. Curtis 
vs. The County of Butler. The county was 
represented by John N. Purviance, James 
Bredin, and John Graham, of Butler, and 



Thomas M. Marshall and A. M. Brown, of 
Pittsburg. The point was made that the 
commissioners of Butler County agreed 
only to pay interest on the bonds until the 
railroad would be completed. The con- 
tract for construction made with Malone, 
Painter, Clark and Gouder in May, 1854, 
provided that the road was to be completed 
in June, 1856. Little or nothing was done 
in Butler County, so that in August, 1856, 
a new contract was made which provided 
that the contractors would return to the 
company $331,000 in Butler and Lawrence 
County bonds, and take in lieu $50,000 in 
cash, $31,000 in tlie company's notes, and 
$250,000 in first mortgage bonds. This ex- 
traordinary proceeding was denounced by 
the Butler men, but Lawrence and Butler 
Counties were compelled to pay the bills. 
The commissioners of Butler County fi- 
nally compromised with the holders of the 
county bonds issued to the Northwestern 
Railroad Company, the consideration be- 
ing sixty per cent, of the face value. Six- 
ty-five thousand dollars' worth of bonds 
were thus disposed of, and in May, 1865, 
$13,000 worth of these bonds were still 
outstanding. The county did not finally 
get free from the debt until about 1870. 

THE ALLEGHENY VALLEY BAILKOAD. 

The advantages of railroad connection 
with the outside world were obtained in 
a limited way by the construction of the 
Allegheny Valley Railroad from Pittsburg 
to the mouth of the Kiskiminetas River. 
The company was organized February 12, 
1852, and the road completed in October, 
1855. The people of Butler patronized 
this road by using the old stage line from 
Butler to Freeport. 

THE WEST PENN EAH^ROAD. 

The Western Pennsylvania Railroad 
Company, commonly called the "West 
Penn," was incorporated March 22, 1860, 
and works under that and the special act 
of April 27, 1864, together with the sup- 



272 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



plemental acts of March 9, 1865. March 
22, 1865, April 17, 1866, April 10, 1867, 
February 25, 1870, and March 25, 1871. 
One of the provisions of the act of 1864 
is of special interest to Butler County peo- 
ple and reads as follows: 

"Provided, that the right to use and operate the road 
by said Western Pennsylvania Railroad between Free- 
port and Allegheny City shall not be enjoyed until con- 
tracts are entered into with responsible parties for the 
completion of a railroad from Freeport to the town of 
Butler; And provided, that said contract shall be entered 
into within one year and the road completed within five 
years. ' ' 

The late John H. Negley of Butler, who 
was a member of the legislature in 1864-65 
contributed some history in regard to the 
above quoted proviso a few years before 
his death. Butler County had been dis- 
appointed a number of times in regard to 
the building of the Butler branch of the 
Western Pennsylvania Railroad, and the 
patience of the county's representatives 
in the legislature with Col. Thomas A. 
Scott, who was the political manager of 
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, was 
well nigh exhausted. At the session of the 
legislature in the winter of 1865, Col. Scott 
wanted Mr. Negley and William Hazlett, 
the other representative from Butler 
County, to vote for some special legisla- 
tion that was desired by the city of Phila- 
delphia. It so happened that the two But- 
ler County representatives were in a po- 
sition to either pass or defeat the bill, and 
Mr. Negley was quick to see the advantage 
he was placed in. When Col. Scott ap- 
proached him in regard to the Philadel- 
phia legislation Mr. Negley called his at- 
tention to the above proviso in the act of 
1864. Mr. Scott did not want to enter into 
a contract or agreement to build the But- 
ler branch at once, and resorted to all kinds 
of subterfuges to avoid the issue. Negley 
and Hazlett "stood pat" and the reluct- 
ant railroad magnate finally came to their 
terms and signed his name to the agree- 
ment. The contract was carried out on 
the part of Col. Scott, and in September, 



1869, twenty-one sections of the Butler 
Branch Railroad from Butler to Freeport 
were placed in the hands of contractors. 
Shortly after work began on the Freeport 
end, and in February, 1870, ground was 
broken at Butler. The work was prose- 
cuted with vigor and the road formally 
opened January 18, 1871. The event was 
made the occasion of a great celebration 
in Butler and along the line of the road, 
the festivities lasting two days. An ex- 
cursion over the road was indulged in, the 
number of excursionists leaving Butler be- 
ing 180. At Saxon Station, the number of 
excursionists was increased to 200, and on 
the return of the train to Butler in the 
evening a banquet was given which was 
patronized by 134 subscribers. The pro- 
ceeds of the banquet, including the sum 
realized from the sale of dishes, knives and 
forks, muslin, etc., amounted to $622.98, 
the expenses being $520.01. The remain- 
ing amount was distributed among the 
poor by Henry C. Heineman of Butler, 
who was appointed a committee for that 
purpose. The first train run into Butler 
consisted of five coaches, a baggage car, 
and locomotive. W. B. Thompson was the 
conductor in charge and Jack Adams was 
the engineer. 

MOCK FUNERAL OF THE STAGE COACH. 

Perhaps the most interesting feature of 
the festivities in Butler was the mock fu- 
neral of the Butler and Freeport Stage 
Coach. The leading spirit in this affair 
was D. L. Walker, the superintendent of 
the old stage line, and he was assisted by 
many of the well-known citizens of the 
town who acted as mourners and pall- 
bearers. The old coach was draped in 
black, while the trappings of the horses 
were of the same character. The mourn- 
ers were all dressed in black clothes, silk 
hats and wore white gloves, and the pall- 
bearers were given the place of honor in- 
side the old coach. Walker acted as driver 
and, escorted by the Butler militia, made 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



273 



a round of the town. The old stage was 
deposited in a building in a back alley, 
where it remained for thirty years, and 
was finally resurrected in 1900 and took 
part in the civic parade in Butler held in 
commemoration of the centennial anniver- 
sary of the county. Alexander M. Hays, 
who was one of the drivers on the old stage 
line from Freeport to Butler, and is now 
one of the few surviving members of that 
interesting race of "Jehus" which long 
ago furled their whips and dismounted 
from the box forever, was a visitor at the 
centennial celebration and upon seeing the 
old stage coach, dedicated the following 
lines to its memory : 

"It stands in the stable yard, under the 

eaves. 
It leans to one side and is covered with 

leaves ; 
It once was the pride of the gay and the 

fair. 
But it has now gone to ruin — that old stage 

there. 

"It is battered and tattered, and it little 

avails 
That once it was varnished and glistened 

with nails ; 
The varnish is cracked now, crooked and 

square. 
Like canvas on top of that old stage there. 

"See! Here is the thorough-brace, and 

here is the place 
For the pole for the horses — but gone is 

their race. 
It was cushioned with plush, it was wadded 

with hair. 
As the birds have discovered in that old 

stage there. 

"It was built in Troy. Here, under the 
seat 

Is a nestful of eggs; 'tis the favorite re- 
treat 



Of an old speckled hen, who has hatched, 

I dare swear, 
Quite an army of chicks in that old stage 

there. 

"I remember when I drove it on the But- 
ler Plank Road, 

The elite of Butler was often its load. 

When we dashed o'er the bridge and on 
through the square, 

All Butler Town welcomed that old stage 
there. 

' ' Oh, the scandal it knows ; oh, the tales it 

could tell 
Of the young and the old, the rake and the 

belle ! 
But those tales of the times which would 

raise up your hair 
Will ne'er be revealed by that old stage 

there. 
"But here is a thing that remains to be 

said — 
It deserves better fate than an old stable 

shed ; 
It should be painted and varnished with 

greatest of care, 
And sent back to Butler — that old stage 

there. 

"But as years roll around I suppose 'twill 

stand where 
'Tis a home for the fowls and birds of th( 

air ; 
But the mem'ry of the days when I drove 

it will e'er 
Still cling, fondly cling, to that old stage 

there. ' ' 

The construction of the twenty-one miles 
of this road cost $400,000, and was car- 
ried out under the authority of the act of 
April 27, 1864, containing the proviso 
above quoted. In 1888 the road was leased 
to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for 
a period of forty years, and the latter com- 
pany still continues to operate the line. 



274 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The completion of this railroad marked a 
new era in the history of Butler Borough 
and of the county, and was the beginning 
of a period of growth and improvement 
which has since been realized in a notable 
increase in population and many other evi- 
dences of progress and prosperity. 

The only serious accident that has oc- 
curred on this line happened on August 
16, 1889, when a wreck occurred one mile 
west of Sarver Station which resulted in 
the death of William J. Powers of Pitts- 
burg, and Katie, a four-year-old child of 
Mrs. M. Far r ell, of Butler. Twenty- four 
persons were injured, among whom were 
George Spang, Mrs. David Gossei-, Joseph 
Gray, and Mrs. Helen McJunkin, of But- 
ler. 

THE CONNOQUENESSING VALLEY EAILKOAD 
COMPANY. 

In March, 1865, bills were passed in the 
legislature chartering the Connoquelness- 
ing Valley Railroad Company and the 
Bear Creek Railroad Company. The Bear 
Creek Road was to run from Sharpsburg 
on the Pittsburg and Erie road to Martins- 
burg in Butler County, and among the in- 
corporators of the company were Messrs. 
Bredin and Kerr of Butler. The commis- 
sioners named in the act of March 22nd 
were J. G. Campbell, J. N. Purviance, J. 
G. Muntz, E. McJunkin, R. C. McAboy, 
Thomas Robinson, A. Lusk, J. Levis, A. 
Ziegler, W. Irwin, J. M. McKinney, W. G. 
Rose, S. Griffith, Vance Stewart, J. R. 
Hanna, D. L. Imbrie, J. J. Cuthbertson, 
J. Ferguson, and J. W. Blanchard. Work 
was commenced on this road in Butler 
County in the fall of 1872, when the right 
of way for twelve miles was cut through 
the forest. Operations were then aban- 
doned and the road was never completed. 

THE PAEKER AND KABNS CITY ROAD. 

The narrow-gauge railroad from Par- 
ker's Landing to Karns City was promoted 
by S. D. Karns, who was elected temporary 



president at the meeting held August 20, 
1872. The company was formally organ- 
ized on the 27th of the same month, Mr. 
Karns presiding. At this meeting the 
committee on stock reported a subscription 
of $22,750. By May, 1873, the stock was 
increased to $100,000 and in August of the 
same year the work of construction was 
begun. Five miles of the road were graded 
by the end of October, five hundred men 
being engaged on grading the remaining 
five miles to Karns City. At this time 
the officers of the company were S. D. 
Karns, president, Charles P. Badger, su- 
perintendent, W. C. Mobley, secretary, and 
they, with Fullerton Parker, Robert L. 
Brown, and William Phillips, formed the 
directorate. The capital was increased to 
$150,000 and contracts were made for the 
rolling stock. The high viaduct, four hun- 
dred feet long and seventy-five feet high, 
over the north branch of Bear Creek, was 
completed in December, and on Chi-istmas 
day four passenger trains were run south 
to Martinsburg, and four north to the 
Parker junction with the Allegheny Val- 
ley Railroad. The road was opened to 
Karns City for regular traffic in April, 
1874. 

In April, 1876, the Karns City and But- 
ler Railroad Company was organized by 
the same parties interested in the Karns 
City and Parker Road, the citizens of But- 
ler and Millerstown subscribing for its 
bonds. This road was constructed and 
opened for business in November, 1876, 
and continued in successful operation un- 
til June 10, 1881, when with the Parker 
and Karns City Railroad, it was consoli- 
dated with the Pittsburg and Western 
Railroad. The old narrow-gauge road 
from Butler to Parker had a good patron- 
age, paid its projectors a handsome profit 
upon their investments, and demonstrated 
the practicability of narrow-gauge rail- 
roads in the oil regions. Much sport was 
made of its rolling stock, and it was a com- 
mon remark among the patrons of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



275 



road that there was no danger of being 
hurt by the train leaving the tracks, as 
that part of the road never had a serious 
accident to its passenger trains, and never 
killed anybody. 

THE PITTSBUBG AND WESTERN EAILEOAD. 

The Pittsburg and Western Railroad 
Company was originally organized Sep- 
tember 7, 1877, under the name of the 
Pittsburg, New Castle and Lake Erie Rail- 
road. The original projectors of this road 
were Austin Pierce of Harmony, and Gen. 
James S. Negley, of Pittsburg. The road 
was opened between Etna and Zelienople 
in December, 1878, and was at first a nar- 
row gauge. During the summer of 1879 
the company became financially embar- 
rassed on account of the general want of 
confidence in railroad enterprises and their 
inability to market their bonds and meet 
their obligations. The road was sold at 
sheriff's sale August 27, 1879, and pur- 
chased by Major A. M. Brown of Pitts- 
burg, who organized the Pittsburg -and 
Western Railroad Company, with James 
Callery of Pittsburg as its president. Un- 
der the new management the road was 
completed from Zelienople to Allegheny 
City and from Zelienople west to Wurtem- 
burg. 

In June, 1881, ' the Parker and Karns 
City, the Karns City and Butler, the Red 
Bank and Youngstown, and the Pittsburg 
East and West Railroads were consoli- 
dated with the Pittsburg and Western. 
James Callery was president of this com- 
pany, Solon Humphreys, vice-president, A. 
J. Thomas, treasurer, W. K. Hyndman, 
manager, and W. C. Mobley, of the Karns 
City and Pai-ker road, general agent. The 
road was extended from Wurtemburg to 
Youngstown, Ohio, and from Hiawatha 
Station, or Callery Junction, to Butler, in 
1881, and the following year the main line 
from Youngstown to Allegheny City was 
changed to the standard gauge. In 1887 
the branch from Callerv Junction to But- 



ler was changed to a standard gauge, and 
in 1904 the old narrow-gauge division from 
Butler to Poxburg was changed to the 
standard gauge. In the fall of 1881 the 
Pittsburg and Western was a link in the 
Wabash chain from Wurtemburg to Alle- 
gheny, and in 1882 the road was leased by 
the Baltimore and Ohio Company, and in 
1893 the latter company secured complete 
control of the Pittsburg and Western sys- 
tem. 

THE BESSEMER BAH,E0AD. 

The Bessemer Railroad had its begin- 
nings in the construction of the old Pitts- 
burg, Shenango and Lake Erie Railroad, 
which was constructed from Shenango to 
Pardo in Mercer County in 1869, and com- 
pleted to Harrisville in Butler County in 
July, 1872. The Pittsburg, Shenango and 
Lake Erie Company had its inception in 
the charter of the Bear Creek Railroad 
Company, which was granted March 20, 
1865. The name was changed by a legis- 
lative act. in April, 1867, to the Shenango 
and Allegheny, which name it bore until 
February 11, 1888, when a reorganization 
occurred and the title Pittsburg, Shenango 
and Lake Erie Railroad Company was 
adopted. Originally intended as a coal 
feeder to the Atlantic and Great Western, 
which ran north of Butler County, its pur- 
pose was to reach the coal field in the 
northern part of this county. In January, 
1876, the road was extended to Hilliard in 
Washington Township, Butler County, and 
several branches were built in 1880, 1882 
and 1883, tapping the coal fields in Butler 
and Mercer Counties. 

In February, 1882, the Connoquenessing 
Valley Railroad Company was chartered 
to construct a road from Butler north- 
ward to the Shenango and Allegheny Rail- 
road, connecting with the latter at Branch- 
ton. J. T. Blair, who was superintendent 
of the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad, 
was one of the principal promoters and 
stockholders of the new railroad, and he, 



276 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



with Thomas P. Fowler and A. H. Steel, 
finaueed the enterprise. The contract for 
building the branch from a point within one 
mile of Coal Town to Butler was let to W. 
W. Eeed in August, 1882, and the work 
was completed August 9, 1883. Reed's 
contract provided that he should complete 
the road before six o'clock on August 9th. 
His hopes were suddenly dashed to earth 
on the morning of that day by some thirty 
of his laborers striking and refusing to go 
to work. Other laborers were quickly 
pushed into the field, and the contract was 
completed on time. On August 27th an 
excursion train was run from Greenville 
to Butler, carrying about nine hundred 
passengers from various points along the 
line, who were given the freedom of the 
town and entertained by the citizens of 
Butler. 

The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad 
was organized in 1897 and is the succes- 
sor of the old Pittsburg, Shenango and 
Lake Erie, which was completed from She- 
nango to Butler in 1882. The financial 
backers of this road were the Carnegie in- 
terests of Pittsburg, which at that time 
were seeking an outlet from the mills at 
Homestead and Braddoek to the ore docks 
at Conneaut Harbor on Lake Erie. After 
the old Shenango and Lake Erie Road had 
been purchased, the lines were' extended 
from Girard, Pennsylvania, to Conneaut, 
Ohio, and the old line from Shenango to 
Butler was rebuilt, making it a double 
track road. At the same time an extension 
of the road was built from Butler to North 
Bessemer in Allegheny County, which is 
used principally as a freight road. The 
consti'uction of the Bessemer road placed 
Butler on a through line from Pittsburg to 
the lake, and gave the northern portion of 
the county an outlet for its coal and lime- 
stone. 

BUFFALO, ROCHESTER AND PITTSBURG. 

In 1899 the Buffalo, Rochester and Pitts- 
burg Railroad Company, which had pre- 



viously been operating in Jefferson and 
Indiana Counties, invaded Butler County 
and extended their line from Mosgrove on 
the Allegheny River through Clearfield 
and Summit Townships to Butler. This 
company had made traffic arrangement 
with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to 
reach Pittsburg and New Castle, and un- 
der this agreement the Harmony cut-off 
was constructed which leads from Riebold 
Station on the Butler division of the road 
to Harmony Junction on the main line. 
This cut-off is used for freight traffic west 
and the passenger trains on the B. R. & 
P. R. R. use the B. & 0. tracks from But- 
ler to Pittsburg. The advent of the B. R. 
& P. Road marked an era in the internal 
improvements of the county, and gave the 
town of Butler the advantages of a trunk 
line I'oad from east to west. 

THE WESTERN AND ALLEGHENY RAILROAD. 

Following the organization of the Great 
Lakes Coal Company and the taking up 
of a large amount of coal land in the 
northern part of Butler County and in 
Armstrong County, the Western and Alle- 
gheny Railroad Company was organized 
for the purpose of giving the coal com- 
pany an outlet to the lakes. In 1903-4 the 
company constructed a road from Queens 
Junction on the Bessemer Railroad in 
Clap Township through Concord and Fair- 
view Townships to the Butler County line 
at Kaylor, and thence to Brady's Bend in 
Armstrong County. Subsequentl.y the line 
was extended from Queens Junction west 
to New Castle, following the Muddy Creek 
Valley to the county line. One of the prin- 
cipal promoters of the enterprise was 
Thomas Liggett of Pittsburg, who is vice- 
president of the company. This road 
opened up extensive coal fields in Concord 
and Fairview Townships, and also fur- 
nished an outlet for the residents of Brady, 
Franklin, Muddy Creek and Worth Town- 
ships that had previously been shut out 
from railroad communication. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



277 



WINFIELD BRANCH. 

The Winfield Branch is a tributary of 
the West Penn Railroad and was first pro- 
moted about 1890 by Joseph Brittain, of 
Butler, who, at that time, was developing 
the limestone and other mineral deposits 
of Winfield Township. The road was con- 
structed from Monroeville in Buffalo 
Township to West Winfield in Winfield 
Township. At the time the road was pro- 
moted West Winfield was known as Rough 
Run, and Butler parties were engaged in 
manufacturing salt and developing the 
limestone in that district. 

TgE ARGENTINE AND EAU CLAIRE KOAD. 

On May 14, 1906, Harry A. Kinsey, Nor- 
man Sebrig, John Forsythe, and Edward 
Lloyd filed articles of association in the 
recorder's office of Butler County for the 
Argentine and Eau Claire Railroad Com- 
pany, with a capital stock of $30,000. The 
company proposed to build a road from 
Argentine in Washington Townsliip to 
Eau Claire in Venango Township, a dis- 
tance of about three miles. The purpose 
of the road was to reach the coal fields in 
the tw-o townships, but nothing has been 
done towards its construction. 

In 1903 the Pennsylvania Lines con- 
structed a road from Volant in Lawrence 
County to Redmond Station on the John 
Tate farm in Slippery Rock Township. 
This liite was built for a coal road and an 
outlet for the mines located at Redmond. 

A branch of the Bessemer Road was 
constructed in 1907 to the Goff-Kirby 
mines in Venango Township, and in 1908 
passenger trains were run on tliis branch 
to Began Station, which is also the name 
of the postoffice at that point. 

ELECTRIC PASSENGER RAILWAYS. 

While many companies had been char- 
tered for the purpose of building electric 
railroads in Butler County and in Butler 
Borough, nothing definite was accom- 
plished until 1899, when J. V. Ritts, A. L. 



Reiber, James B. McJunkin, Charles Duffy 
and John Berg, all Butler parties, formed 
an association to be known as the Butler 
Passenger Railway Company. In Septem- 
ber of the same year the company was duly 
incorporated with a capital stock of $50,- 
000. The following were the officers of the 
company: President, A. L. Reiber; vice- 
president, John Berg: treasurer, James B. 
McJunkin; secretary, A. E. Reiber. The 
above named officers and J. V. Ritts and 
Charles Duffy constituted the board of di- 
rectors. 

On the 3rd day of October, 1899, a fran- 
chise was obtained in the borough of But- 
ler for its principal streets, and in the 
spring of 1900 construction was com- 
menced on its tracks on Main Street and 
on Jefferson Street, which was completed 
and cars operated the first week of Sep- 
tember, 1900. Extensions of track were 
made and continued until about five miles 
of track were laid within the borough limit. 
In 1903 the company purchased a tract of 
sixty acres of land about two miles west 
of Butler, and opened the resort called Ala- 
meda Park. In December, 1905, the com- 
pany sold their plant to Pittsburg capital- 
ists who are now operating the road. 

THE PITTSBURG AND BUTLEE ELECTRIC RAIL- 
WAY COMPANY. 

In 1905 Pittsburg capitalists organized 
and promoted the Pittsburg and Butler 
Railway Company and the same year be- 
gan construction of a line in both Alle- 
gheny and Butler Counties. The road was 
completed from Etna to Butler in Janu- 
ary, 1907, and cars were running as far as 
Etna the same month. By an agreement 
made with the Pittsburg Traction Com- 
pany, the Butler cars are now run into 
Pittsljurg and passengers are delivered on 
Penn Avenue and Sixth Street. The com- 
pany built extensive car barns at Mars in 
Adams Township, and a large power plant 
at Renfrew in Penn Township, and has 
l)een the means of developing a vast 



278 



HISTORY OP BUTLEK COUNTY 



amount of real estate between Butler and 
Pittsburg. 

In December, 1905, the Pittsburg and 
Butler Railway Company purchased the 
franchises and plant of the Butler Passen- 
ger Railway Company, and has been oper- 
ating the local line since that time. 

THE PITTSBUHG, HAEMONY, BUTLER AND NEW 
CASTLE RAILWAY COMPANY. 

An electric railway system that has had 
much to do with the development of the 
southwestei-n portion of the county, brings 
Butler, New Castle and Pittsburg into 
close communication, and is one of the 
most important factors in the internal de- 
velopment and improvement of Butler 
County, had its inception at a meeting 
held in Pittsburg on the 9th of March, 
1905. At this time the organization of the 
Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and New Cas- 
tle Railway Company was considered, and 
the officers and directors elected at that 
time were D. B. Magley, president; M. Gr. 
Hibbs, L. E. McKain, James K. Magley 
and S. C. Vickers, the latter being secre- 
tary. The promoters of this enterprise 
were principally Butler County men, the 
originators being W. A. Goehring and Ed- 
ward Winters of Zelienople, and R. H. 
Boggs, of the Northside, Pittsburg, who 
is a member of the firm of Boggs & Buhl, 
of that city, and a native of Butler County. 
The Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and New 
Castle Railway Company was cliartered 
under the laws of Pennsylvania with the 
following officers : R. H. Boggs, president; 
Mark H. Hibbs, secretary and treasurer; 
W. A. Goehring, vice-president, and these 
with James Bryan, and Edward Winters 
constituted the directory. James Bryan 
is the chief engineer and Harry Ethridge, 
general superintendent. The same year 
the company entered into an agreement of 
consolidation and merger between the 
Pittsburg and Harmony Street Railway 
Company, the Thorn Hill Street Railway 



Company, the Callery and Evans City 
Street Railway Company, the Evans City 
Street Railway Company, the Butler and 
Harmony Street Railway Company, the 
Ellwood City and Hazeldell Street Rail- 
way Company, the Wayne Electric Rail- 
way Company, the Ellwood City Electric 
Railway Company, and the New Castle 
and Harmony Street Railway Company. 
The Union Trust Company of Pittsburg 
became the guarantor of the bonds of the 
company and the work of construction was 
commenced in Allegheny County in the fall 
of 1905. Work was continued the follow- 
ing year along all the divisions of the line 
in Butler and Lawrence Counties, and in 
July, 1908, the Butler and New Castle di- 
vision was completed and opened for traf- 
fic on the 26th of July. The division of 
the road from Evans City to Northside, 
Pittsburg, was not completed until Novem- 
ber, and was opened for traffic about the 
15th of the month. By an agreement with 
the Pittsburg Railway Company the P. H. 
B. and N. C. Co. reaches Sixth Street and 
Penn Avenue, Pittsburg, over the lines of 
the former, and delivers its passengers in 
the heart of the city. 

The company erected a large power 
plant at Eidenau Station in Jackson Town- 
ship, and also has car barns located at that 
point. 

THE NORTH PITTSBURG REALTY COMPANY. 

The North Pittsburg Realty Company, 
which was organized in 1905, controls 
twenty-five hundred acres of land along 
the lines of the Pittsburg, Harmony, But- 
ler and New Castle Railway and controls 
a large block of land at Eidenau which has 
been laid out in building lots. Already a 
large number of houses have been erected 
at this point for the accommodation of 
the employes of the railroad. The officers 
of the North Pittsburg Realty Company 
are R. H. Boggs, president; Mark H. 
Hibbs, secretary and treasurer; W. A. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



279 



Goehring, vice-president; and these with. 
James H. Moore and Edward Winters con- 
stitute the board of directors. 



LEECHBUEG AND TABENTUM EOAD. 

The Leechburg, Freeport and Tarentum 
Street Railway Company, which was char- 
tered November 7, 1901, filed an extension 
of route in Butler County the same year. 
This company proposed to build a line 
from the Freeport and Tarentum road in 
North Buffalo Township, Allegheny Coun- 
ty, to Butler by way of Saxonburg and Jef- 
ferson Center. This branch line was to 
connect with the main line of the road from 
Tarentum to Leechburg. The main line 
was never built and the extension into But- 
ler was abandoned. 



THE COTTAGE HILIi STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. 

The charter for the Cottage Hill Street 
Railway Company of Butler was granted 
June 4, 1903. This company proposed to 
build a line from the center of the town to 
the Cottage Hill Plan of Lots, which had 
been platted for sale by the Cottage Hill 
Land Company. The incorporators of the 
Street Railway Company were a number 
of Butler business men. John N. Muntz 
was president of the company and Charles 
Ritter, secretary. This line was never 
built. 



THE CITIZENS STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. 

A number of Pittsburg capitalists who 
were interested in the development of real 
estate at West Butler organized the Citi- 
zen's Street Railway Company, of which 
Joseph A. Langfit was president and C. 
A. Bailey was secretary. An extension of 
their charter was secured on September 
18, 1903, and the company did a large 
amount of work grading the road on the 
Marshall farm west of the borough. This 
enterprise was backed financially by the 
Standard Trust Company of Butler and 
Pittsburg capital, and after the trust 
company went into the hands of a re- 
ceiver, the road was abandoned. R. W. 
Harvey of Pittsburg was the superintend- 
ent of construction and had charge of the 
work done at West Butler. 

THE SAXONBURG STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. 

The Butler, Saxonburg and Tarentum 
Street Railway Company was an enterprise 
promoted in 1907 by c number of Saxon- 
burg citizens who filed articles of associa- 
tion and began the work of securing fran- 
chises and rights of way. The articles of 
association, which were filed on July 3rd, 
were signed by James Cirigliano, Emil F. 
Rudert, Edward C. Rudert, John E. Mu- 
der, and Otto W. Rudert, all of Saxon- 
burg. The company failed to get the fran- 
chises they wanted and the enterprise was 
abandoned. 



CHAPTER IX 



AGRICULTURE 



Pioneer Methods — Primitive Appliances — Butler County Farmers Progressive — 
Agricultural Societies — The Butler Driving Park and Fair Association — Millers- 
toivn Fair Association — Chicora Dairy Park and Fair Association — North Wash- 
ington Agricultural Society. 



Agriculture in the pioneer days required 
of its followers physical strength, great 
endurance and a sublime patience. Along 
with these qualities were combined a 
greater independence and self-reliance 
than is possessed by the husbandman of 
the present generation. These qualities 
were possessed, too, by the women and 
children of the pioneer homes in the forest 
to a certain degree, for disappointment 
and obstacles were always presenting 
themselves. 

PIONEER METHODS. 

To the farmer of the present day the 
clearing of the land of the primitive for- 
est appears a Herculean task and a wilful 
waste of valuable timber. To the first set- 
tlers it was an ordinary duty. Felling the 
trees in winrows, logging and burning the 
piles of timber, was the work of this class 
of men, who were noted for their strength 
and giant physique. When the clearing 
had been made the work of cultivation be- 
gan. Plows with wooden mold-boards 
were used at this time, and the harrow was 
an ordinary drag made by the farmer and 
supplied with wooden pegs for teeth until 
iron could be olitained from Pittsburg. 
The old "Western" plow with metal mold 



board came into use in the middle of the 
century and another product made at the 
local foundries was called the "Bull" 
plow on account of the difficulty experi- 
enced in handling it and the amount of 
horse power it took to run it. These gave 
way in time to the chilled mold-board plow, 
the sulky plow, and the modern inventions 
that make this part of the farm labor com- 
paratively easy. The old spike-tooth drag 
harrow has given way to the spring-tooth 
harrow and the rotary disk harrow, while 
a weeding machine, run by horse power, 
has taken the i:)lace of the old hand hoe in 
cultivating the corn and potato field. 

In harvesting the crops the first settlers 
used the sickle to cut the wheat and rye 
and the scythe for the grass. Hand rakes 
were used and, in the harvest time, the 
women and children were obliged to work 
in the field and assist the men in putting 
up the crops. Then, the harvest season 
lasted from about the first of July until 
the first of September, and the long days 
were utilized from sunrise to sunset. The 
hand cradle for cutting grain was the first 
improvement in the way of harvesting im- 
plements, and may be seen at the present 
time, but is not in common use. Mowing 
machines and reapers were introduced into 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



281 



Butler County about 1850, but were not 
in common use for many years, partly on 
account of their cost and partly because 
they could not be operated successfully in 
fields that were full of stumps. The last 
quarter of the century has seen marked 
changes, however. The fields full of 
stumps have disappeared; the old side- 
di'op reaper has been replaced by the self- 
binder, and the two-horse hay rake, the 
hay tedder, and the hay loader are doing 
the work that was once done by hand. The 
potato crop is planted by machinery and 
harvested by machinery, and the old-time 
"husking-bee" that was once an event in 
the neighborhood in October, has gone the 
way of the harvest "frolic" and other in- 
dustrial events that had social sides to 
them. The steam corn-husking machine 
has invaded the corn fields of Butler 
County, and a task that at one time was 
laborious and lasted several weeks, is now 
accomplished in a day or two. 

No less marked is the advancement made 
in threshing the grain. In pioneer days 
and even in the middle of the last century, 
this task was saved for the winter months. 
The threshing was done with hand flails, 
or by using horses to tramp the grain out 
on a large threshing floor. This was fol- 
lowed by separating the grain from the 
chaff, which was done by winnowing and 
later by hand windmills. The old "ehaff- 
piler" threshing machines were the first 
improvement in this line, and the name of 
the "Champion" and the "Bastian" are 
familiar to the older residents of the dis- 
trict. These were operated by treadle 
power run by one horse, the power being 
set on the barn floor alongside of the ma- 
chine. The four and eight-horsepower 
machines came in a few years later and 
these have been supplanted by the modern 
threslier and separator operated by steam. 

BUTLER COUNTY FAKMEBS PROGRESSIVE. 

The farmers of Butler County adopted 
progressive and modern methods at an 



early date and the use of machinery be- 
came general as the conditions of the 
county would permit. Agricultural socie- 
ties, societies for the improvement of live 
stock, farmers' institutes and agricyitural 
exhibitions were organized at an early day 
and exhibits of farm implements at the 
county fairs were made as early as 1850. 
Much sport has been indulged in over that 
three-cornered cereal called buckwheat, 
which was a staple crop in the early day 
and served a double purpose. It not only 
tamed the rank, virgin soil after the tim- 
ber had been removed and prepared it for 
the raising of the more pretentious grains, 
but served as an excellent article of food. 
And on more than one occasion when other 
cereal crops had failed because of Jime 
frosts, or extended droughts, an abundant 
yield of buckwheat in the fall caused the 
Butler County farmer to smile at the ex- 
pense of his more pretentious neighbors. 
Tlie growth of the county in cultivated 
farms and material wealth has been phe- 
nomenal and its present extent may be es- 
timated from the statistics compiled in the 
county commissioner's office in 1908. The 
amount of cleared land returned for tax- 
al)le purposes was 398,903 acres, divided 
into over five thousand farms. The 
amount of timber land in the county after 
all the years of destruction and waste 
amounts to 77,316 acres. The value of 
horses and mules is $557,000, and that of 
cattle $207,773. There are twenty-five 
thousand taxables in the county, 15,984 
voters, and an estimated population of 
79,000. The amoimt of money at interest 
returned in 1908 was $6,500,000, which 
speaks wonderfully for the industry and 
thrift of the people of the community. 

AGRICULTURAT, SOCIETIES. 

The first society in Butler County hav- 
ing, in part at least, for its object the pro- 
motion of agriculture, was organized at 
Butler April 7, 1830. William Ayres pre- 
sided, with John Parker and John Zieg- 



282 



ITISTOBY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ler, vice-presidents, and Alexander Mc- 
Bride and James Bovard, secretaries. The 
organization was termed "The Butler 
Comity Agricultural and Domestic Manu- 
facturing Society," and a committee was 
appointed to prepare by-laws. Another 
committee, of twenty-eight persons — two 
from Butler and two from each township 
— was appointed to secure members and 
100 subscribers were enrolled to assist the 
president in pushing forward the inter- 
ests of the society. 

The North Butler Agricultural Club, an 
organization of farmers, was founded in 
1846, and was the successor of the old ag- 
ricultural organization. 

The Butler County Agricultural Society. 
In the spring of 1852, a meeting to organ- 
ize an agricultural society was held at the 
home of Henry Kohlmeyer, being presided 
over by Samuel Anderson, of Venango 
Township, with John Say, vice-president, 
and Henrj^ Kohlmeyer, secretary. A con- 
stitution was submitted by Samuel Hal- 
derman and T. J. Layton, in which the 
name "Butler County Agricultural So- 
ciety" was used. This was adopted and 
sig-ned by twenty-seven members. This 
organization accomplished very little, ex- 
cept to arouse an interest in the matter. 

The Butler County Agricultural and 
Horticultural Society was founded March 
30, 1853, on the ruins of the former one. 
John Murrin was chosen president; Sam- 
uel M. Lane, treasurer; Archibald Blake- 
ley, William Campbell and Thomas Brac- 
ken, correspondents, and C. E. Purvianee, 
secretary. There were twenty-six vice- 
presidents. The first fair was held at 
North Washington, October 13, 1853, at 
which prizes were awarded. The second 
fair was held at North Washington, in 
September, 1854, and, in one or other of 
the northern boroughs, fairs were held in 
1855 and 1856. The fifth annual fair was 
held at North Washington, in September, 
1857. The society, in November, 1857, 
elected Robert Ray, president ; Allen Wil- 



son, treasurer; Henry Kohlmeyer, corre- 
spondent; William C. Adams, recorder; 
and S. G. Meals, librarian. It struggled 
on some time, but the societies at the coun- 
ty seat won the battle for precedence. 

Tlie Semiconan Agricultural Society 
held the first annual exposition at School- 
house Number 1, East Connoquenessing, 
October 19, 1852. John Martin was then 
secretary. In 1853 the second fair was 
held, and in October, 1854, Prospect was 
honored with the third annual meeting. 
Soon after, the society merged into a 
broader organization. 

Tlie Butler Agricultural Association 
was organized in March, 1856, as the Fair 
Society, with John Anderson, president; 
James G. Campbell and George W. Cro- 
zier, secretaries; Archibald Blakeley, re- 
corder: Eugene Ferrero, correspondent; 
James Campbell, librarian, and thirty- 
seven vice-presidents. This society held 
its first fair at Butler in September, 1856, 
and in December, Joseph Douthett was 
elected president, and J. B. McQuistion 
secretary. 

The people of Butler borough and others 
from the southern townships held their 
second annual fair at Butler in Septem- 
ber, 1857. In 1858 a successful meeting 
was recorded. During the war there was 
little attention given to such matters, so 
that from 1861 to 1863, inclusive, no fairs 
were held. The sixth fair was held Octo- 
ber 4 and 5, 1864. The name of the so- 
ciety in November, 1866, was the "Butler 
County Agricultural and Stock Associa- 
tion." James Bredin was president, and 
H. C. Ileineman, secretary, who held that 
position three or four years, or until its 
end. 

"In 1866 the association leased five or 
six acres of the Thomas Stehle farm, 
where fairs were held for several years, 
or imtil twenty-one acres, near the pres- 
ent fairgrounds, were purchased and 
fenced in. Fairs were held there for sev- 
eral years until the old society dissolved 




Ul. WALTER AND GRAHAM. MILL 
(Photograph taken about 1S75) 




BUTLER ROLLER MILLS 
(Geo. Walter and Sons) 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



285 



and the land was sold by the sheriff. Dur- 
ing the hey-day of this association, farm- 
ers' horses were entered for races, but no 
other horses were permitted to run. For 
several years there was no organization, 
and indeed, until 1877, there was no so- 
ciety. 

"Prior to 1857 trotting horses were not 
considered in the community, although 
horse racing took place at intervals. It 
was the wild gallop in which the people 
delighted and on this gallop bets were of- 
fered and taken. The era of trotting 
matches in this county was introduced in 
May, 1857, when Thomas Fawcett, of Bir- 
mingham, and John Vensel, of Clarion 
County, bet $300 each on their respective 
horses, 'Bobb' and 'Jack.' The course 
was the plank road from Stewartstown to 
Zimmerman's Inn (now the Willard), at 
Butler, a distance of twenty-seven miles, 
and the time made was two hours and ten 
minutes. This extraordinary race drew 
the attention of the people to trotting 
matches, and scarcely a year has passed 
since in which races of this description 
have failed to draw a large crowd." 

The Emlenton Agricultural Society was 
organized March 27, 1858, by citizens liv- 
ing in the northern part of the county, 
with others from Venango, Clarion and 
Armstrong Counties. Among its mem- 
bers were many who had belonged to the 
old Butler County Agricultural Society of 
1853. Henry Kohlmeyer, of Butler Coun- 
ty, was elected president. The first fair, 
held at Emlenton in the fall of 1858, was 
successful, but interest in the project then 
subsided and the organization disbanded. 

The Butler County Colonization Society 
was organized January 25, 1860, with 
Rev. Loyal Young, president; Rev. Isaiah 
Nibloek, and Rev. William A. Fetter, vice- 
presidents; and John Graham, secretary. 
"Robert R. Reed, agent of the State Col- 
onization Society, was the organizer, and 
the object was to obtain an appropriation 
of $5,000 to be applied to the colonization 



of free negroes in Pennsylvania, which it 
was believed would benefit the agricultural 
interests of the State, as well as the ne- 
gro." 

The Wool Grotuers' Association of Slip- 
pery Rock Township, was organized in 
April, 1866, with David McKee, president; 
Dawson AVadsworth, vice-president; John 
Bingham, secretary, and Lewis Patterson, 
treasurer. This organization soon merged 
into the Agricultural Society and lost its 
identity. 

The Butler County Farmers' Club held 
its first meeting in April, 1869, when the 
following named officers were elected: 
John Q. A. Kennedy, president; John Q. 
A. Sullivan, recording secretary; Edwin 
Lyon, corresponding secretary; Hugh 
jNlorrison, treasurer; AV. H. Black, libra- 
rian, and ten vice-presidents. The follow- 
ing year this organization was merged into 
the Farmers' Institute. 

The Farmers' Institute held its first 
fair at Butler in September, 1870. The In- 
stitute succeeded the Farmers' Club and 
the officers were simply the men who would 
have been selected by the club had it con- 
tinued its organization. John Q. A. Ken- 
nedy presided in 1870, with Herman J. 
Berg and A. Cuthbert, vice-presidents ; W. 
H. H. Riddle, secretary ; Edwin Lyon, cor- 
respondent; Hugh Morrison, treasurer, 
and G. W. Shaffer, superintendent. The 
Institute has, through the passing years, 
grown into a profitable and most deserv- 
ing organization. It is an educational so- 
ciety, important in its aims and successful 
in its workings. Meetings are held at 
stated intervals to which all agriculturists 
are invited, and at which ideas relating to 
farms and farmers are expressed and dis- 
cussed. W. H. H. Riddle is the founder 
of the Institute in this county. 

The Connoquenessing Valley Agricul- 
tural Association was organized in 1874, 
with Abraham Moyer, president; Dr. 
Amos Lusk, secretary, and Ira Stauffer, 
treasurer. For many years fairs were 



286 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



held regularly, and at length the associa- 
tion dissolved. 

The Patrons of Uusbrndry attained 
great strength in this county during the 
seventies, Pomona Grange being the name 
of the county organization. A number of 
local granges exist in various parts of the 
county, though some of the earlier organi- 
zations have dissolved.* 

THE BUTLEB DRIVING PAEK AND FAIR ASSO- 
CIATION. 

The Butler Driving Park Association 
was organized October 15, 1877, with the 
following named officers: G. J. Cross, 
president ; Joseph L. Purvis, James H. Te- 
bay and G. A. McBride, vice-presidents; 
P. W. Lowry, recorder; W. P. Roessing, 
correspondent; Joseph L. Purvis, treas- 
urer; L. M. Cochran, G. A. McBride, W. 
H. H. Riddle, and the president, treasurer 
and correspondent, directors. In October, 
1877, this society leased a tract of twenty- 
three acres, just east of the old fair- 
grounds, from Mrs. Nancy Bredin, and 
transformed it into an excellent race track. 
In June, 1878, a race meeting was held, and 
a fair in the fall. The officers named, with 
J. S. Campbell and R. P. Scott, were the 
first stockholders. Under date, June 5, 
1879, a motion providing for a fourth day 
races, and such telling references as "l3an 
Mace's Hopeful to beat 2:18 for $500," 
recorded. Later in June, a resolution to 
hold a fair in the fall was carried, and the 
original idea of confining the business of 
the corporation to racing and trotting, 
without regard to farm exhibits, was found 
to lack support. 

In November, 1879, W. P. Smith, of Cen- 
ter Township, was elected president; E. 
A. Helmbold, Samuel Bolton and G. J. 
Cross, vice-presidents; W. P. Roessing, 
secretary, and John S. Campbell, treas- 
urer. The success of the fall fair and the 
election of a farmer as president, abolished 
the original idea, and, in May, 1880, the 
association was reorganized. 



llie Butler Agricultural Association 
adopted a constitution in May, 1880, but 
there is no minute of the election of offi- 
cers. The fact that W. P. Smith was pres- 
ident, Joseph L. Purvis vice-president, and 
John S. Campbell, W. H. H. Riddle, J. H. 
Tebay and W. P. Roessing, directors, 
shows that changes wei'e made in the 
board of the old association. Other 
changes were subsequently made from 
year to year. 

In December, 1889, the lease of five acres 
from Charles Duffy and seven acres from 
H. C. Heineman was reported. The lease 
of five acres from the Thomas Stehle heirs, 
with the other leases, form the present 
grounds. 

The officers of the association in 1895 
were W. H. H. Riddle, president; Jacob 
Keck, vice-president; Joseph Rockeustein, 
vice-president; W. P. Roessing, secretary: 
John S. Campbell, treasurer. The only 
changes in officials made from that time 
until 1902, when the association went out 
of business, were in the office of vice-presi- 
dent. The last officers elected were chosen 
in 1901, and consisted of William H. H. 
Riddle, president; Jacob Keck and Jo- 
sejjh Rockenstein, vice-presidents; W. P. 
Roessing, secretary; and John S. Camp- 
bell, treasurer. The board of directors 
were Joseph L. Purvis, J. Henry Trout- 
man, John S. Campbell, Jacob Keck, Dr. 
J. ]\I. Leighner, Robert D. Stevenson, and 
Alfred Wick, the latter being superintend- 
ent of grounds for several years previous 
to the dissolution of the association. After 
the organization of the first association in 
1877, the groimds were increased from the 
original fifteen acres to almost fifty acres. 
When the Standard Steel Car Company lo- 
cated in Butler in April, 1902, the land 
purchased by the company for the site of 
their big mill included the ground occu- 
pied by the Butler Agricultural Associa- 
tion and held by the latter under a lease. 
The association disposed of their lease 
and plant to the Standard Steel Car Com- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



287 



pany, and a month later the business af- 
fairs of the association were brought to a 
close and the organization disbanded. 

The Butler Driving Park and Fair As- . 
sociation was organized in Butler August 
4, 1903, when sixteen business men and 
horsemen of the town met at the Lyndora 
Hotel for the purpose of considering the 
advisability of organizing a driving club 
and building a race track at some i^oint 
convenient to the town. The meeting was 
attended by Burgess William Kennedy, R. 
W. Hervey, Joseph Manny, I. J. McBride, 
Charles Wendell, James Maxwell, Christ 
Steichner, Charles H. Gies, AV. D. AVinters, 
D. A. Slater, William J. Marks, Leon 
Schloss, M. W. Mays, H. J. Connelly, 
George Schaffner, and A. J. Frank. Will- 
iam Kennedy presided at this meeting and 
A. J. Frank acted as clerk. A permanent 
organization was effected by the election 
of George A. Schaffner, president; A. J. 
Frank, secretary; and E. W. Bingham, 
treasurer; with the following board of di- 
rectors : Wm. J. Marks, I. J. McBride, C. 
H. Gies, Christ Steichner, and D. A. 
Slater. 

On the 17th of October a charter was 
secured under the title of The Butler 
Driving Park and Fair Association, cap- 
italized at $15,000.00, divided into six hun- 
dred shares of $25.00 each. In the mean- 
time sixty acres of land lying on the top 
of the hill west of the borough between 
the New Castle and Whitestown road, had 
been leased from Charles Duffy for a 
period of twenty years, dating from April 
1, 1904, and a contract had been awarded 
to the Butler Construction Company, of 
Butler, for the construction of a half-mile 
track. This piece of work proved more 
expensive than was at first anticipated, 
and on the 1st of March, 1904, the asso- 
ciation decided to increase their capital 
stock to $25,000.00, and increase the mem- 
bership of the board of directors from five 
to fifteen, and secured an amendment to 
their charter for that purpose. The addi- 



tion of directors chosen to serve until the 
annual meeting were: Peter E. Duffy, D. 

F. McCrea, J. A. Klein, A. H. Sarver, 
Herman Leibold, Dr. W. C. McCandless, 
Dr. J. M. Leighner, John Younkins, John 

G. Jennings, and W. S. Dixon. On the 5th 
of May an executive committee was ap- 
pointed consisting of J. M. Leighner, I. J. 
McBride, A. H. Sarver, John Younkins, 
and Dr. W. C. McCandless. About this 
time the association decided to hold an 
agricultural fair and race meeting in Sep- 
tember, and for that purpose entered the 
Coal and Iron Fair circuit, securing on. 
September 4-7 as the dates for their first 
fair. Dr. J. M. Leighner was appointed 
general superintendent, a position he still 
holds, and in June, Willis E. Rhodes and 
Joseph L. Purvis were elected directors 
to fill vacancies caused by the resignation 
of Peter E. Duft'y and Christ Steichner. 
A. J. Frank resig-ned as secretary in the 
same month, and I. J. McBride was chosen 
to fill the vacancy. The race track, which 
was completed the 1st of July at a cost of 
over $10,000.00, is considered one of the 
best half-mile tracks in the state, and the 
other improvements on the ground cost 
the association an additional $15,000.00. 

At the annual meeting held in Decem- 
ber, 1904, the old officers and directors of 
the association were re-elected for 1905, 
and the only change in officials in 1906 
was the election of John G. Jennings, vice- 
l)resident in the place of William Ken- 
nedy. The board of directors for 1906 
consisted of Jas. R. Kearns, W. M. Starr, 
W. S. Dixon, I. G. Smith, C. H. Gies, 
Frank Hildebrand, W. E. Rhodes, Dr. W. 
C. McCandless, D. F. McCrea, A. H. Sar- 
ver, G. A. Schaffner, John G. Jennings, J. 
M. Leighner, J. L. Purvis, and John Youn- 
kins. The executive committee for 1906 
were J. M. Leighner, C. H. Gies, John 
Younkins, A. H. Sarver, and J. L. Purvis. 

On December 4th, 1906, the death of 
Isaiah J. McBride, secretary of the asso- 
ciation, is noted on the minutes, and AVill- 



288 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



iam B. Purvis, who had been acting as as- 
sistant secretary, for the previous six 
months, was elected secretary to fill the 
vacancv, a position which he still holds. 

On the 29th of April, 1907, the minutes 
of the association note the death of Joseph 
L. Purvis, a member of the board of direc- 
tors, and of the executive committee. At 
the same meeting W. M. Kennedy was 
elected a director to till the vacancy, and 
I. G. Smith was chosen to fill the vacancy 
on the executive board. Joseph L. Pur- 
vis, whose death is noted above, was one 
of the organizers and directors of the old 
Butler Agricultural Association, and was 
a leading spirit in that society for twenty- 
five years. 

With the exceptions of the changes 
above noted, the officers and official boards 
of the association were the same as for 
the previous year. The board of directors 
for 1908 is composed of George A. Schaff- 
ner, president; John G. Jennings, vice- 
president; D. F. McCrea, James R. 
Kearns, Dr. W. C. McCandless, Dr. J. M. 
Leighner, W. S. Dixon, William Kennedv, 
Frank Hildebrand, I. G. Smith, W. M. 
Starr, Marion Henshaw, John Younkins, 
L. M. Brown, and 0. K. Waldron. Will- 
iam B. Purvis is secretary and E. W. 
Bingham treasurer. The executive com- 
mittee is composed of John Younkins, Dr. 
J. M. Leighner, I. G. Smith, Frank Hilde- 
brand, and W. M. Starr. 

The association has been successful 
from its first year and now takes a leading- 
rank among the agricultural societies of 
the state. The aim- of the management 
has been to give the people of the county 
a good, clean exhibition, free from all ob- 
jectionable features, and they have proved 
to the satisfaction of the public and their 
own pecuniary gain, that such an exhibi- 
tion will be liberally patronized. The first 
two years the association expended the 
surplus earnings in improvements on the 
fair grounds, and in 1906 a dividend of 



eight per cent, was paid to the stockhold- 
ers, while in 1907 a dividend of fourteen 
per cent, was paid in addition to retaining 
a surplus in the treasury for improve- 
ments. The fair of 1908 broke all records 
in the county for attendance, and the divi- 
dend realized by the stockholders was 
equal to that of previous years. This is a 
record equalled by no fair association in 
western Pennsylvania. 

While the association has paid particu- 
lar attention to the agricultural display 
and stock exhibits at the annual fairs, they 
have also expended a large amount of 
money and effort on the race meetings, 
which are held in connection with the 
fairs. In addition to the annual meeting in 
August, matinee races have been held 
every year by the horsemen of Butler, and 
in 1908, three successful matinees were 
held. 

On January 20, 1905, the representa- 
tives of the Coal and Iron Fair Circuit 
held a meeting at the Willard Hotel in 
Butler at which a new organization was 
effected and a schedule of dates fixed for 
the fairs in the circuit. In this schedule 
the Butler Fair was put back to the last 
week in August in 1905, and has held that 
date ever since. The new circuit was or- 
ganized as the Coal, Iron and Oil Circuit, 
with the following towns represented: 
Pimxsutawny, Kittanning, Butler, Brook- 
ville, Stoneboro, Tulaski, Clarion, and 
Rimersburg. The officers elected were: 
President, JBen. Record, of Punxsutawny: 
vice-president, J. S. Wood, of Tulaski; 
secretary, W. E. Noble, of Kittanning; 
treasurer, J. S. Laughlin, of Clarion. 

The Millerstown Fair Association was 
the successor to The Millerstown Driving 
Park and Agricultural Association, which 
was organized in 1883, and chartered 
April 7, 1884, with a capital stock of 
$5,000, divided into five hundred shares. 
The Millerstown Fair Association was 
chartered in 1888 for twenty years, and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



succeeded the first organization. The 
permanent officers elected on March 11, 
1884, were: S. D. Bell, president; Henry- 
Moore, vice-president; W. A. Dennison, 
vice-president; H. J. Myers, acting secre- 
tary; P. A. Bell, permanent secretary; H. 
J. Hoyt, treasurer; C. H. Johnson, J. C. 
Nevills, Dr. Foster, Owen Brady, J. J. 
Westerman, R. K. Sutton, S. F. Showal- 
ter, H. C. Litzinger, and W. P. Turner, 
trustees. Fourteen acres of ground were 
purchased from Owen Brady and Fetzer 
and Myers at forty dollars an acre, and 
the improvements were made at once. A 
fair was held in the fall of 1884 and con- 
tinued until 1891. Dr. S. D. Bell was 
elected president in 1885, William P. Tur- 
ner in 1886, and C. H. Johnson in 1887. 
The association was reorganized and a 
new charter obtained in 1888, and C. H. 
Johnson was elected president. C. F. 
Pierce succeeded Johnson in 1889, and J. 
J. Westerman was president of the or- 
ganization from 1890 to 1894. P. A. Bell 
was secretary in 1885 and 1886, but was 
succeeded by J. C. Gaisford in 1887, who 
filled the position until the association 
went out of business. The last agricul- 
tural fair was held on the grounds in 1890, 
and race meetings were held from time to 
time by the old association until 1907, 



when the charter of the association 
expired. 

The Chicora Driving Park and Fair As- 
sociation. The charter of the old fair as- 
sociation having expired, a number of 
business men of Chicora organized in 
June, 1908, The Chicora Driving Park and 
Fair Association, with a capital stock of 
$4,000, divided into eighty shares of $50.00 
each. The officers of the association are 
C. H. Johnson, president; C. C. Ferguson, 
secretary; G. J. Myers, treasurer; and 
they, with C. L. DeWolf and S. H. Kam- 
erer, form the board of directors. The 
new association took over the grounds of 
the old association, and conducted several 
race meetings during 1908. 

The North Washington Agricultural 
Association, composed chiefly of farmers 
and business men in Washington and the 
surrounding townships, was organized in 
the spring of 1908, and the first fair of the 
association was held in September of that 
year, at North Washington. The first ex- 
hibition of the association proved a suc- 
cess in every particular, and the society 
has decided to continue its organization. 
The officers of the association are J. P. 
Harper, president; and H. T. Stewart, 
secretarv. 



CHAPTER X 



MILITARY HISTORY 



Early Militia Organizations — Butler Invincibles—War of the Revolution — Butler 
County's Line of Descent — Military Organizations to loMch the First Settlers Be- 
longed — Revolt of the Pennsylvania Line — A Hero of Stony Point — The Critch- 
low Brothers and Thomas Scott at Saratoga — War of 1812 — Butler Volunteers at 
Erie — Organization of the Second Infantry — The 138th Infantry — Rough Treat- 
ment of a Tory — Mexican War — Civil War — The Various Commands — Bounty 
Act — Balaam Association — Jubilee Meeting — Soldiers' Monuments — Spanish- 
American War — Departure of 15th Regiment — Death of Private Walters — Patri- 
otic Societies — Roster of Company E, 15th Regiment — Names of Volunteers — 
National Guard^Roster of Company L, 16th Regiment — Company G, 21st Regi- 
ment. 



The pioneers of the county brought with 
them a military spirit that was kept alive 
after the Revolution by the organization 
of the militia of the various states, under 
the laws providing for their organization 
and equipment and discipline. Pennsyl- 
vania had an organized militia previous 
to the Revolution which did gallant service 
during the struggle for independence, 
both in the field and in protecting the bor- 
der from Indian raids. Provision was 
made for the organization of the militia 
under the new government and they were 
expected to be ready at all times to take 
the field against a foreign foe or protect 
the frontiers against the Indians. The 
organization and discipline were crude 
compared with the compact organization 
of the National Guard of today; yet they 
were a most effective body of men, bring- 
ing with them into the ranks a skill with 
the rifle, and the craft of the woodsman. 



hunter, and frontier scout that made them 
ideal soldiers. 

Up until the Civil War muster days 
were appointed, when the soldiers of each 
district were required to meet for exer- 
cises and drill in the manual of arms and 
go through the evolutions of the company 
and battalion. These muster daj^s are 
pleasantly remembered by the older citi- 
zens and were considered great events in 
the lives of the early settlers of the county. 
"Fun, jollification, and hilarity generally, 
ruled; and the exercises of the drill man- 
ual were of minor consideration. The 
amusements often consisted of feats of 
strength, wrestling, and throwing the 
shoulder stone, and sometimes in a contest 
of physical endurance in which the con- 
testants used bare fists and stripped to the 
waist. . Rough and tumble rules governed 
these fights and they were conducted un- 
der an unwritten law of the land that was 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



291 



absolutely fair to both sides of the contest. 
Sometimes these contests arose between 
rivals of the same community over real or 
fancied grievances, and sometimes a bully 
or a strong man from a neighboring town 
or township would "butt in." He was 
always given a chance to prove his prow- 
ess and, whether defeated or the victor, 
was treated magnanimously after the af- 
fair was over. The muster, which usually 
lasted two days, closed with a banquet, the 
tables groaning with good things eatable 
and drinkable and enough of the latter 
on the side to lend enthusiasm to a long 
list of toasts. 

Since muster day ceased to be observed 
the country passed through a civil war 
which added to her citizenship a large 
body of veterans who acquired military 
training on hard-fought fields and who 
have fostered and kept alive the military 
spirit among the people, in their regi- 
mental reunions and the state and na- 
tional encampments. Largely through 
their aid and influence the National Guard 
of today owes its existence. The state 
militia was re-organized after the Civil 
War, in 1874, as the National Guard, and 
its officers and enlisted men were com- 
posed largely of old soldiers. The first 
encampments by regiments were held in 
1874, and while these encampments were 
a force in so far as military discipline was 
concerned, they served a good purpose. 
And from an organization that was at first 
cumbersome, undisciplined and ill- 
equipped there has been developed one of 
the best organized, the best equipped and 
most efficient bodies of citizen soldiers in 
the United States. 

"Wlien the second war with Great Brit- 
ain broke out in 1812, Butler County was 
included in the Sixteenth Militia District, 
commanded by Major-General David 
Mead, of Meadville. When the British 
fleet on Lake Ei'ie indicated a ])UV]iose of 
the enemy to invade Pennsylvania, the 
militia of Butler County resiionded to the 



call sent out by General Mead, and many 
of them subsequently enlisted in the vol- 
unteer regiment raised by Col. John Pur- 
viance of Butler. 

A re-organization of the militia appears 
to have taken place in 1814, when Gov. 
Snyder commissioned John Duffy of But- 
ler County a captain, on August 1st of 
that year. Captain Duffy commanded the 
third company of the Twenty-fourth Regi- 
ment. This commission is now in posses- 
sion of Charles Duffy of Butler, a nephew 
of Captain Duffy. 

In 1820 the officers of the Twenty-fourth 
Regiment met at the house of Captain 
Beatty in Butler to attend to regimental 
affairs. At this meeting Capt. Robert 
Storey and Capt. James McKee were ap- 
pointed auditors to make a settlement of 
the quartermaster's accounts. 

On April 12, 1823, the Butler Light In- 
fantry, commanded by Capt. Robert T. 
Lemmon, assembled in Butler for train- 
ing. 

It appears that in 182.3 Butler had a 
Volunteer Battalion commanded by Major 
Abraham M. Neyman, and the Second 
Battalion of the Twenty-fourth Regiment 
commanded by Major Jacob Mechling. 
The Butler Light Infantry assembled un- 
der Capt. Robert T. Lemmon "for train- 
ing" on April 23d. In obedience to an or- 
der of Major Neyiiian, the Center Greens 
met for training at the house of John Tim- 
blin, on May 6th. Major Jacob Mechling 
ordered the Second Battalion, Twenty- 
fourth Regiment, to assemble at Butler on 
May 29th, 3823, for training. The Butler 
Rifle Company met in Butler, May 6th; 
thev were commanded by Capt. William 
Beatty. On the 28th. 29th and 30th of 
May, "1823, the training at Butler was in- 
spected by Samuel Powers, inspector of 
the First Brigade, Sixteenth Division, 
Pennsylvania Militia. Four companies 
appear to have been represented from tlie 
western part of the county. 

The Butler Hornets were from Pros- 



292 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



peet, the Harmony Blues were commanded 
by Captain Goll. The Connoquenessing 
Rangers were commanded by Captain 
Davis; and the Connoquenessing Rifle 
Company by Captain Boston. 

In 1825 the Bonny Brook Artillery, or- 
ganized April 25th of that year, was com- 
manded by Capt. Abraham Bunker. The 
Butler Light Artillery was commanded by 
Capt. William Beatty, and the Center 
Greens by Capt. John Glenn. These com- 
panies were leading attractions at the fete 
held in Butler on July 4th of that year 
and joined in thirteen cheers by which the 
toast — "Our militia and volunteers — the 
only bulwark of the Nation," was re- 
ceived. The Harmony Blues met the same 
day at Beam's Tavern in Harmony, the 
Buffalo Rifle Company at the house of 
Phillip Burtner, the Connoquenessing 
"Republicans" at Martins. 

A re-organization of the Twenty-fourth 
Regiment, First Brigade, Sixteenth Divi- 
sion, took place March 20th, 1829. Major 
Jacob Mechling had been promoted to 
colonel. The staff comprised James 
Thompson, adjutant; J. L. Maxwell, quar- 
termaster; John N. Purviance, sergeant 
major; George Linn, surgeon; A. Spear 
and James Graham, assistant surgeons. 
The eleven captains commissioned were 
Alexander McBride, Jacob Doudhiser, 
Thomas Dodds, Johnson White, Samuel 
Dodds, George Frazier of the First Bat- 
talion, and Alexander Craig, John Wier, 
Thomas Jolly, J. B. McConnell and 
George Wolf of the Second Battalion. The 
first and second lieutenants commisioned 
at that time were Eli Balph, Thomas Sul- 
livan, James Sutton, Isaac Robb, James 
Glenn, and Edward Kennedy. 

In May following the First Battalion, 
commanded by Major Graham, met for 
drill at Prospect. The Second Battalion 
under Major Sumney, met at Butler, and 
the Volunteer Battaliou under Lieutenant- 
Colonel Haggerty and Colonel Cobert at 
Butler. A battalion commanded by Colonel 



Goll, of the One Hundred and Fourteenth 
Regiment, drilled at Harmony. The same 
year the Washington Battalion, command- 
ed by Major John Welsh, met at the house 
of John Davis in Middlesex Township. 
Patrick Graham was adjutant of this bat- 
talion. 

The organized militia in 1845 consisted 
of The First Rifle Battalion of Prospect, 
the Washington Volunteers and the La- 
fayette Battalions, meeting at the house 
of William Logan; the McDonald Volun- 
teers, Major Brewster, meeting at Shoe- 
maker's Old Stand; the Union Volunteers 
of Harrisville, Major Harris; the Second 
Battalion, Second Regiment (formerly 
115th Regiment) at Brownington's Cross 
Roads; the Marion Volunteers of North 
Washington, Major Adams; the Second 
Battalion of the First (formerly 24th) 
Regiment; the First Battalion of the 
First; the First Battalion of the Second 
Regiment, and the Jackson Volunteer Bat- 
talion meeting at Harmony. The Porters- 
ville Volunteer Battalion met at Porters- 
ville; the German Guards, Captain Wise- 
man; the DeKalb Greys, Captain Ziegler, 
and the Butler Cavalry, Captain Evans, 
met at Butler. 

The militia elections held in 1854 re- 
sulted in the choice of James B. Donald- 
son of Zelienople for inspector of the 
First Brigade, Nineteenth Division; 
Thomas McLaughlin Brigadier-General, 
and George W. Reed, W. C. Adams, R. E. 
Graham, J. E. Cornelius and E. A. Helm- 
bold, majors of the Butler, Marion, Jack- 
son, Prospect and the Lafayette Battal- 
ions respectively. The brigade was com- 
posed of the Saxonburg Light Infantry, 
the Butler Hornets, the DeKalb Greys, 
Middle Lancaster Guards, Connoquenes- 
sing Whites, Jackson Greys, Clearfield 
Blues, Centerville Artillery, German 
Guai'ds, Republican Blues, Portorsville 
Guards, Marion Guards, Invincible 
Guards, Washington Cavalry, Venango 
Blues, Middlesex Guards and the Slippery 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



293 



Rock Light Infantvv, seventeen commands 
in all. 

Under the new militia law the Butler 
Scott Guards was organized in May and 
June, 1858. The following year the com- 
panies voting for brigade inspector, June 
6, 1859, were the Counoquenessing Whites, 
Prospect Guards, True Americans, Wash- 
ington Rifles, Portersville Guards, Sun- 
hury I>]u('s, Jackson Greys, Venango 
!>lucs, M.irion Guards, American Guards, 
Fairvicw (iuards, Centerville Artillery, 
and Saxonburg Light Infantry. 

The DeKalb Greys (new) was organ- 
ized in June, 1859, with Samuel Coll, cap- 
tain; Joseph B. Mechling and Prof. A. J. 
Rebstock, lieutenants; J. A. Sedgwick, 
John Lawall^ John R. Denny, Benjamin 
W. Bredin were sergeants, and Samuel F. 
McBride, Hugh W. McBride, William 
Bowers, and Enoch Fields, corporals; 
John Cress and George Bowers, ensigTis, 
and AVilliam Glenn, bandmaster. 

In September, 1859, a new company 
known as the Butler Guards was organ- 
ized, but its existence was short. These 
oi-ganizations kept alive the military s])irit 
until the W^ar of the Rebellion, when they 
were merged into the volunteer commands 
that went to the defense of the nation. 

The last in the independent militai-y 
companies was organized in 1865 with W. 
A. Lowry as captain; W. E. Moore, lirst 
lieutenant, Thomas F. Parker, second 
lieutenant, and J. T. Shirley, first ser- 
geant. It was named the Butler Greys 
and its purpose was to go to the field as 
a volunteer company. The sudden termi- 
nation of the war interfered with this 
plan, and the organization, which was 
cora]iosed of men who had seen previous 
service in the war, soon disbanded. 

One of the prominent characters in the 
early history of the militia was Major 
George W. Reed, who was first captain, 
then brigade inspector in 1835, for Butler 
and Beaver Counties and in 1842 for But- 



ler County alone. He was elected briga- 
dier-general in 1848, and subsequently 
held commissions as major and adjutaut 
of a battalion. Thomas Dodds, who was 
appointed captain of a company in 1829, 
was subsequently promoted to major. 

BUTLER IKVINCIBLES. 

The Butler Invincibles, afterwards 
called the Butler Blues, were organized in 
1833. A copy of the constitution signed 
by the original members is in the hands 
of Capt. A. J. Cumberland of Butler. 
There is no date to this document but the 
accompanying record sheets of the com- 
pany show that on July 4th, 1833, Capt. 
James Potts issued a United States mus- 
ket to each member and took a receipt for 
the same with bail for the return of the 
musket in 1835, when called for. The 
value of the musket was $16.00. The arti- 
cles of the constitution fixed the number 
of drill days at six for the year, the dates 
being selected by a majority of the com- 
])any on the day of parade for the next. 
The fines imposed for failure to attend 
parades on ])ublic days were $2.00 for a 
commissioned officer and $1.00 for a non- 
commissioned officer or private. For non- 
attendance on training days the fine was 
unc-lialf the above. The uniform pre- 
si'vih-d for the company was a citizen's 
blue coat, red belt, white b'-aid trimming 
on the coat, white pantaloons, a black 
stock or cravat, and a black citizen's hat, 
with white cords, black rosette at the left 
side and a white phune, with red top. 
John Potts, Anthony Faller and William 
Truxall composed the board of appeals 
that sat in Butler on November 2, 1835, 
and heard the cases of twenty memliers 
who had lieen reported by First Sergeant 
R. D. McKee for failure to attend a pa- 
rade of the company on the 10th day of 
September of that year. In 1836 John N. 
Purviance succeeded Capt. James Potts as 
(■a]itain. 



294 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 

BUTLER COL'NTy's LINE OF DESCENT. 

It may be of interest to the student of 
local his'tory to study the line of descent 
of Butler County in order to fully under- 
stand the part that the early settlers took 
in the War of the Revolution. As has been 
stated in previous chapters, the first set- 
tlers of the county came from Westmore- 
land, Washington, Allegheny, Payette and 
Lycoming Counties. Many of them had 
been soldiers in the frontier wars and in 
the War of the Revolution, and their fam- 
ily names are found among the military 
records of these counties. Originally there 
were only three counties in the Province 
of Pennsylvania. They were Bucks, Phil- 
adelphia and Chester, and were created in 
1682. Lancaster County was created in 
1729 from part of Chester; Cumberland 
County was created January 27. 1750, 
from Lancaster; Bedford was formed 
from part of Cumberland County March 
9th, 1771; Westmoreland County from 
Bedford February 26, 1773; Allegheny 
County from Westmoreland and part of 
Washington September 24, 1788, and But- 
ler County from Allegheny March 12, 
1800. Chester County originally included 
all of the territory southwest of the 
Schuylkill River to the extreme limits of 
the province. As the settlements grew 
and the exigencies of local government de- 
manded, new counties were formed on the 
west in the order named. 

REVOLT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA LINES. 

When the Colonies declared their inde- 
pendence in 1776, Westmoreland County 
comprised all western Pennsylvania from 
Bedford County on the east to the Ohio 
line on the west. The territory north of 
the Ohio River and west of the Allegheny 
River was Indian lands and unsettled. 
Hence it is that Butler County has no mili- 
tary organization to the credit of the War 
of the Revolution, but the names of the 



first settlers are identified with the First, 
the Second, the Sixth, the Seventh, the 
Eighth, the Ninth Pennsylvania Regi- 
ments, the Light Horse Troop, the Mary- 
land, New Jersey and Delaware Regi- 
ments and the Bedford Rangers. Most of 
the Pennsylvania regiments belong to the 
Division of the Colonial Army known as 
the "Pennsylvania Line," and were com- 
manded by Gen. Anthony Wayne. These 
soldiers are described by Thatcher as 
"hardy yeomen, ' frontiersmen, remark- 
able for the accuracy of their aim." That 
they were remarkable for their patriotism 
and loyalty to the cause of liberty is em- 
phasized by the conclusion of the incident 
mentioned in history as the Revolt of the 
Pennsylvania Line. The condition of Gen- 
eral Wayne's troops in camp at Morris- 
town at the close of the year 1780 was 
most deplorable. The soldiers were 
we-aried out with the year's campaigns 
and privations and indignant at their of- 
ficers for not properly representing their 
situation to Congress. The fault, how- 
ever, was with Congress and not the 
officers. To make matters worse the 
treason of Arnold and the execution of 
Major Andre had a depressing effect on 
the colonies. The Pennsylvania Line had 
enlisted under the ambiguous terms of 
"three years or during the wax*," and con- 
siderable discontent had taken place on 
account of deficiencies of clothing, arrear- 
ages of pay, and depreciation of the cur- 
rency, which as yet extended no further 
than private complaints and murmurs. 
New Year's day, 1781, the soldiers, in- 
flamed by rum, and their real and imag- 
inary grievances, broke forth into outrage 
and disorder. All attempts to quell the 
mutiny failed and at length the "Line" 
left their camp and marched to Princeton, 
where they fixed their quarters. 

Relying on the repeated statements of 
the mutineers that there was not the least 
tincture of disaffection or that they had 
anv intention of deserting to the enemv. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



295 



General Wayne set about to discover the 
truth of the situation so that redress 
might be had if the complaints were well 
founded. A committee of sergeants — one 
from each regiment — was appointed, who 
met with General Wayne and represented 
the grievances of the mutineers. So fair 
were the proposals made by the committee 
of sergeants that General Wayne reported 
the whole matter to the Committee of Con- 
gress in Philadelphia and urged that im- 
mediate steps be taken to settle the un- 
happy affair. President Reed of the State 
and a Committee of Congress arrived at 
Princeton on the 6th of Januaiy. 

TEEATMENT OF SPIES. 

In the meantime information of the 
mutiny had reached the British at New 
York, and there was great elation among 
the enemy. Four or live thousand troops 
were dispatched to New Jersey under the 
impression that the Line was only waiting 
the opportunity to join them. A spy from 
New York, attended by a guide, appeared 
before the board of sergeants with a letter 
intimating that if the Line would march 
toward North River, the British troops 
would be ready to receive them and prom- 
ising large emoluments to every soldier 
who would desert his country's cause. No 
sooner did the emissary make his errand 
known but the board of sergeants rejected 
the proposal and sent the spy and his com- 
panion under arrest to General Wayne, 
with a reserve, however, that they should 
be re-delivered to the board, if demanded. 

The correspondence between the Board 
of Sergeants and the Committee of Con- 
gress lasted several days. The substance 
of the final agreement being: That no sol- 
dier should be detained longer than the 
time for which he had voluntarily enlisted. 

That auditors would attend as soon as 
possible to settle the depreciations of pay 
with the soldiers and give them certifi- 
cates. Arrearages of pay to be made up 
as soon as the circimistances would admit. 



A pair of shoes, overalls, and shirt 
should be delivered to each soldier in a 
few days. Those who were discharged 
would receive the above articles at Tren- 
ton. 

Pursuant to the order of General 
Wayne of January 2nd, "no man was to 
be brought to trial or censured for what 
had happened on New Year's day, but all 
matters were to be buried in oblivion." 

Upon the conclusion of the articles of 
agreement General Wayne informed his 
Excellency, President Reed, that he had 
promised the two soldiers who conducted 
the British spies a reward of fifty guineas 
each for their fidelity. He accordingly 
sent for the men and offered them the 
gratuity. This, the two soldiers refused 
to accept, saying that they had only 
obeyed the orders of their superiors, the 
Board of Sergeants. The hundred guin- 
eas were then offered to the Board of Ser- 
geants, who returned this remarkable an- 
swer: Agreeably to the information of 
two sergeants of our board who waited on 
your Excellency, that in consideration of 
the two spies, they informed the re- 
mainder of the board that your Excellency 
had been pleased to offer a sum of gold as 
a compensation for our fidelity; but as it 
has not been for the sake of or through 
any expectation of receiving a reward, but 
for the zeal and love of our country, that 
we sent them to General Wayne, we, there- 
fore, do not consider ourselves entitled to 
any other reward, but the love of our 
country, and do jointly agree that we shall 
accept no other." 

The two spies were tried on the 10th of 
January and, being duly convicted, were 
executed on the 11th, agi-eeable to their 
sentence. 

Following the above incidents, the com- 
missioners appointed by Congress settled 
with the discontented troops, man by man, 
and carefully inquired into their enlist- 
ments. Those whose time had not expired 
remained with their regiments, while the 



296 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



remainder almost to a man re-enlisted 
and served with General Wayne's army in 
the battles of the South up to the surren- 
der of Cornwallis at Y''orktown. 

BEVOLUTIONABY SOLDIERS ^VHO SETTLED IN 
BUTLER. 

Many of the sturdy men who fought in 
the Pennsylvania Line and in other regi- 
ments during the Revolution became set- 
tlers in Butler County and they proved no 
less true to the duties of manhood in the 
pursuits of peace than in battling for lib- 
erty and independence. Among these men 
and their descendants have been found 
citizens that have reflected honor upon 
Butler County, and have contributed to 
her upbuilding in every department of 
human effort, and have given her a high 
place among the counties of the Common- 
wealth. 

Among the names that are familiar to 
the student of local history are the follow- 
ing: 

William Spear, the ancestor of a not- 
able family of that name in western Penn- 
sylvania and in Ohio; enlisted five times 
during the War of the Revolution and was 
with the army at Valley Forge. 

John Harbison, whose wife, Massy Har- 
bison, was captured by the Indians in 
1792, and after terrible suffering escaped 
from the savages. He was a noted scout 
and spy and served under St. Clair 
against the Indians in 1791. 

William Harbison served in Colonel 
Hand's regiment, later Broadhead's, and 
in 1779 served in Captain Jack's company, 
Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. 

John Galbreath, a native of Ireland, 
served in the Pennsylvania Line. He set- 
tled in Center Township in 1796 or 1797. 

John Rankin served in William Hus- 
ton's company of Colonel Watts' Rifle- 
men, from Cumberland County. 

John Slator was a pioneer of Donegal 
Township. He was a soldier in the army 
of Count de Rochambeau; arrived with 



the fleet off Rhode Island in 1780; was in 
the battle of Wliite Plains ; was present at 
the surrender of Cornwallis and honor- 
ably discharged at Wilmington, Delaware, 
May 19, 1783. 

John Johnston enlisted in Boston in 
Colonel Craine's Artillery and served un- 
til the surrender of Cornwallis. 

John Ransom enlisted in 1776 in Cap- 
tain Talbot's company of the Sixth Penn- 
sylvania Regiment and served three years. 
In 1779 he was ensign in the Seventh 
Pennsvlvania Regiment. 

Samuel Porterfield served eighteen 
months in the troop of Light Horse of the 
Second Pennsylvania Regiment. 

Andrew Dunn enlisted in Ca^jtain Mor- 
gan's Company of Virginia troops under 
Col. John Gibson in 1777 and was dis- 
charged at Pittsburg in 1783. 

James Burnsides served in the Eighth 
Pennsylvania Regiment in Captain 
Lloyd's company, under Colonel Bayard. 

Hugh Murrin of Venango Township 
served in a New Jersey regiment. 

Daniel Graham Sr. enlisted in the Cum- 
berland Valley in Capt. Francis Negley's 
company, Ninth Pennsylvania Regiment, 
Col. Richard Butler. His discharge pa- 
pers bear the signatures of General Butler 
and General Wayne. 

Jacob Rudolph served as a ranger un- 
der Capt. Matthew Jack in 1779, and 
aided in destroying the Indian towns at 
Muncie in 1780. He was stationed for nine 
months at Kittanning and subsequently 
enlisted in the Eighth Pennsylvania Regi- 
ment. 

John Bell enlisted in 1777 in the Sixth 
Maryland Regiment in Captain Giesland's 
company and was discharged at the close 
of the war. 

George Dobson of Slippery Rock Town- 
ship, enlisted in the Continental Army in 
1777 in ^^irginia under Captain Yates. In 
1781 he joined the Bedford County 
(Penna.) Rangers under Captain Walker 
and Colonel Davis and served until Sep- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



297 



tember, 1781. The command was em- 
ployed against the Indians. 

James Glover, one of the first settlers in 
Adams Township, served in a New Jersey 
regiment during the entire war. 

Thomas McKee, who settled in Butler 
Township in 1797, served in Captain Clug- 
gage's company, First Regiment, Penn- 
sylvania Line. 

Peter Peterson settled in Butler Town- 
ship in 1800. He was one of the six sur- 
vivors of a company of eighty men who 
were in the hottest of the fight at Brad- 
dock's defeat in 1753. He served in the 
Revolution in one of the western regi- 
ments. His daughter, Jane, mari'ied Da- 
vid Pierce and became the founder of one 
In-anch of the Pierce family in the county. 

William Gill, of Mercer Township, 
seived under Gen. Anthony Wayne and 
was wounded at Paoli. 

Andrew Cruikshank, a native of Ire- 
land, came to America prior to the Revo- 
lution and served in an eastern regiment. 
He died in Butler County in 1824. 

John Kennedy, a native of Ireland, 
served in the Colonial Army and after- 
wards settled in Winfield Township. 

Thomas Watson, a native of Ireland, 
was taken prisoner at Brandy wine while 
fighting in the ranks of the Colonial Army. 
He settled in Clinton Township. 

John Green, a native of Ireland, enlist- 
ed in Colonel Hartley's regiment, Penn- 
sylvania Line, in 1776 and was discharged 
at Sunbury, Penna., in 1781. 

Nathaniel Stevenson, who was a resi- 
dent of Center Township in 1827, Served 
in Captain Rippey's company of Colonel 
Irwin's Pennsylvania regiment. 

John Jameson, of Parker Townshi]), 
served in Colonel McCoy's Eighth Penn- 
sylvania Regiment. He enlisted at Han- 
nahstown, Westmoreland County, and was 
discharged at Pittsburg in 1779. 

Peter McKinney, for whom the town of 
Petersville was named, was a fifer in Cap- 
tain Black's company. Eighth Pennsyl- 



vania Regiment. He entered the army as 
a mere boy and served six years and six- 
months. He settled in Forward Town- 
ship in 1792 and was probably the first 
settler in the Connoquenessing Valley. 

Charles Sullivan, the ancestor of the 
Sullivan family in Butler County, served 
under AVashington in the Continental Line 
and was with the army at Valley Forge. 

Alexander Bryson, a native of Ireland, 
and a soldier in the Revolution, settled in 
Butler Township. 

George Byers served in Colonel Cook's 
Pennsylvania regiment. 

Philip Hartman, of Donegal Township, 
served in Colonel Ogle's regiment. 

John Pier('e, who settled in Butler 
Township in 1796, served in the New Jer- 
sey Line. 

Among the other soldiers of the Revolu- 
tion who became residents of the county 
may be mentioned: 

Michael 'Hara, who served under Gen- 
era 1 Anthony Wayne. 

Andrew Orr, John Vanderlin, Patrick 
McDowell, James Shields, Luke Covert of 
Brady Township, and WiUiam Carson of 
Marjon Township saw service in the Con- 
tinental Army. James Critchlow, James 
Byrne, who came to Butler County in 
1800; Abram Leasure, who settled in Win- 
field Township; John Allen, who settled in 
Allegheny Township; Enoch Varnum, who 
was in St. Clair's army, settled in Wash- 
ington Township; John Moser, who set- 
tled in Oakland Township ; William El- 
liott, who served two years in the militia 
aud five years in the Continental Army; 
David Russell, a pioneer settler of Butler 
County; William Spear, who settled in 
Franklin Township; and Jacob Hilliard, 
who settled in Washington Township. 
General Campbell, who settled in Marion 
Township. 

Joseph Snyder, of Worth Township, 
served in the Pennsylvania Line. 

Thomas Martin, a native of Ireland, 



298 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



served from 1776 to 1781 ; settled in Mid- 
dlesex Township. 

Abdiel MeClure, served in the Colonial 
Army from Westmoreland County. He 
came to Connoquenessing Township in 
1796. He served as a wagonmaster in the 
War of 1812. 

Enos Graham, who settled in Conno- 
quenessing Township about 1800, served 
in the Continental Army in a Delaware 
regiment. 

John Welsh, a pioneer of Connoquenes- 
sing Township, served in the Seventh 
Pennsylvania Regiment under Colonel 
Greer. At the battle of Brandywine he 
was shot through the abdomen by a mus- 
ket ball and thought to be fatally wound- 
ed. The surgeons drew a white silk hand- 
kerchief through the wound as a test for 
perforation of the intestines. The test 
was satisfactory and Welsh was given a 
chance to get well. Students of antiseptic 
surgery would stand aghast at such a pro- 
ceeding today. 

CAPTURE OF STONY POINT. 

John McCleod, another pioneer of Con- 
noquenessing Township, enlisted in Cap- 
tain Patterson's company, Second Regi- 
ment of the Pennsylvania Line. He was 
an aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. An- 
thony Wayne at the battle of Stony Point 
and was with General Wayne at the bat- 
tle of Fallen Timbers. The assault at 
Stony Point was made a little after mid- 
night. Muskets were unloaded, flints 
taken off, and bayonets fixed; not a shot 
was fired. The conflict was short, sharp 
and decisive. General Wayne was wound- 
ed on the head and was carried to a place 
of safety by McCleod. Happily for the 
cause of liberty, General Wayne's injury 
consisted of a scalp wound that bled pro- 
fusely, but was not dangerous. 

One of the frontier commands that were 
noted for their daring, bravery and the 
deadly accuracy of their aim, was Col. 
Daniel Morgan's Sharpshooters. At the 



battle of Saratoga, General Gates' men 
were much annoyed by the skillful man- 
oeuvering of one wing of the British 
troops under the direction of an officer, 
who could be seen stationed on a knoll 
that gave a commanding view of the firing 
lines. General Gates requested Colonel 
Morgan to pick this officer oft" with his 
Sharpshooters. General Morgan detailed 
six men for this duty, among whom were 
James Critchlow, William Critchlow and 
Thomas Scott. These men chose a posi- 
tion in an abandoned house, but were still 
out of effective firing range. The ground 
lying between the knoll and the Sharp- 
shooters was covered with a rank growth 
of weeds almost as high as a man's head. 
Resolving on a desperate move, William 
Critchlow crawled on his hands and knees 
until he was within easy range of the Brit- 
ish officer and his staif. Waiting his op- 
portunity Critchlow arose and fired. There 
was a commotion on the knoll and a regi- 
ment of infantry fired into the patch of 
weeds, but Critchlow made his escape back 
to his command without injurj'. After the 
battle it was learned that the officer shot 
by Critchlow was General Frazier, who 
was second in command to General Bur- 
goyne. 

James and William Critchlow and 
Thomas Scott, above mentioned, were 
among the first settlers of Connoquenes- 
sing Township, and many of their de- 
scendants still reside in the county. 

Henry Kuhn, of Center Township, was 
with the Continental Army at the battle 
of Bunker Hill. 

James Maxwell, of Jefferson Township, 
one of the early sheriffs of the county, was 
a soldier of the Revolution. 

David Studebaker, who came into 
Worth Township as early as 1890, had 
been an Indian captive for years, when a 
boy. He served under General Washing- 
ton in the Revolution and died in Butler 
County in 1815. 

Thomas Cross, another pioneer of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



299 



"Worth Township, was at the battle of Lex- 
ington. 

Thomas Clark Sr., a pioneer of Worth 
Township, served from 1777 to the close 
of the war. He died in Butler County at 
the age of ninety-five. 

Christopher McMichael, a Scotch-Irish 
man, was taken prisoner at the battle of 
Brandj-wine, while in the Continental 
Army. After his release he served as a 
scout in the Indian wars. 

Thomas Martin, who first came to Mid- 
dlesex Township in 1793, and was driven 
off by the Indians, was a native of Ireland. 
He saw service in the Revolution and be- 
came a settler of Middlesex Township in 
1797. 

Silas Miller, who was a pioneer of Mid- 
dlesex Township, came originally from 
New Jersey. He served in a Westmore- 
land Coimty regiment in the Revolution 
and in a Butler Couutv command in the 
War of 1812. 

John Shir a came to Washington Town- 
ship from Berks County in 1798. He 
served three terms of enlistment in the 
Continental Army. 

Thomas Means, a Revolutionary soldier 
from Westmoreland Coimty, settled in 
Franklin Township at an early date. 

Samuel Robb and John Lowe, early 
pioneers of Oakland Township, were sol- 
diers of the Revolution. 

Robert Stewart was a corporal in Cap- 
tain Evans' company, Third Pennsylvania 
Regiment, in Westmoreland County. He 
came to Butler County in 1796 and took up 
a large tract of land near the present 
town of Portersville. 

Stephen Brewer, who was an early set- 
tler in Clinton Township, served in the In- 
dian wars under General Wayne, and was 
a scout and frontiersman. 

William Kiskaddon, an Irishman by 
birth, served seven years and six months 
in the Colonial Army. He settled in Buf- 
falo Township near Monroeville, about 
1797. 



-Philip Hartman, the progenitor of the 
Hartman family in Donegal Township, en- 
listed in Captain Ogle's company from 
Westmoreland County. His brother, 
^lichael, served in the Continental Army 
and settled in Armstrong County. 

In 1830 the Pennsylvania legislature re- 
fused a contribution to James Elliott, 
above mentioned, although his claims to 
recognition were strongly urged by Will- 
iam Purviance, of Butler, who was then 
a member of the House. In 1852 the legis- 
lature granted a pension of $40 a year to 
James McElvain, a soldier of the Indian 
War, and to Catherine Monks, widow of 
another soldier of the war. In 1840 there 
were twenty-six revolutionary pensioners 
residing in Butler County. 

THE WAB OF 1812. 

Smarting for thirty years over the loss 
of her North American colonies, England 
precipitated a second war by sending a 
fleet to our Atlantic coast and Great Lakes 
and threatening to invade the northern 
frontier with her army. The pioneers of 
Butler County were yet engaged in sub- 
duing the wilderness to the uses of civiliz- 
ation, but the call to arms aroused the 
patriotic sires of 1776 and their no less 
]»atriotic sons and they forsook the paths 
of peace to take up arms against the in- 
vader. In the ranks of the Butler County 
comi^anies were found the survivors of 
many a hard fought field in the Revolu- 
tion under General Wayne and in the In- 
dian wars under St. Clair, and their sons 
proved their value on many a bloody field 
in the war that followed. It is not an un- 
common thing to find on the muster rolls 
of the county in the War of 1812 the name 
of a father, followed by two, three, four 
and five sons. The struggle that followed 
was brief and forever settled the suprem- 
acy of the United States on this continent, 

in July, 1812, the appearance of British 
and Indian forces off the harbor at 
Presque Isle, now Erie, caused alarm 



300 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



along the border, and under an order of 
the governor of the state dated July 15th, 
the Sixteenth Division of the State Militia 
was organized by General Kelso. This 
Division included Butler County. In his 
message to the legislature, December 3rd. 
of the same year Governor Snyder made 
use of the following language: "In the 
War of the Eevolution our fathers went 
forth, as it were, with a sling and with a 
stone, and smote the enemy. Since that 
period millions of her sons have grown to 
manhood, and, inheriting the principles of 
their fathers, are determined to preserve 
the precious heritage which was pur- 
chased by their blood and won by their 
valor." 

Acting on the suggestion of Governor 
Snyder, the legislature passed an act for 
an additional monthly allowance to the 
Pennsylvania militia, and energetic ef- 
forts were made to place Lake Erie in a 
state of defense. 

In the spring of 1813 Commodore Perry 
was building his fleet at Erie harbor and 
the third detacliment of 1,000 Pennsyl- 
vania militia was ordered to the defense 
of the Union, to protect the vessels of war 
building at Erie. At this time the British 
evinced a determination not only to de- 
stroy Commodore Perry's unfinished fleet 
but to invade Pennsylvania. Appreciat- 
ing the gravity of the situation. Commo- 
dore Perry sent a courier to Meadville for 
reinforcements, and Gen. David Mead, 
commander of the Sixteenth Division of 
the State Militia, ordered his command to 
report at Erie with all possible haste. 
Butler County furnished her full quota of 
men for this expedition and they assisted 
in protecting public property and in get- 
ting the squadron over the bar at the 
mouth of the harbor and in the events that 
preceded the famous engagement of Sep- 
tember 10th of that year. 

Shortly after war was declared Col. 
John Purviance of Butler raised a regi- 
ment which was known as the "Second 



Kegiment of Infantry," and formed part 
of the brigade commanded by Gen. Adam- 
son Tannehill. Five companies of this 
regiment were recruited in Butler County. 
Under the call of 1813 the men of Colonel 
Purviance 's regiment re-enlisted and 
served at Erie and northern posts. In 
1851 Gen. John N. Purviance, a son of 
Col. John Purviance, secured from the 
War Department at Washington, D. C, 
copies of the roster of this regiment, 
which were published in the.Democratir 
Herald of that year. 

During the struggle Pennsylvania soil 
was never invaded by hostile foot, yet at 
one time, the state had more militia and 
more volunteers in the service than were 
at any time from any other state in the 
Union. A noteworthy fact that Pennsyl- 
vania's sons may remember with pride is 
that when General Van Eensellaer's bri- 
gade of 4,000 New York militia arrived at 
Buffalo in 1814 they refused to cross the 
line into Canada on the pretext that they 
Avere not obliged to, even to fight their 
enemies. Two days later General Tanne- 
hill 's brigade of 2,000 Pennsylvania mili- 
tia arrived at Niagara, promptly crossed 
the line and gallantly met the foe. 

Pennsylvania militia also helped man 
Commodore Perry's fleet, and for this 
service were awarded silver medals by the 
legislature of the state. Among those who 
served in Commodore Perry's command 
was John Waldron, a pioneer of Forward 
Township. 

It is a matter of history that the war of 
1812 met with a lukewarm support for a 
time in some of the New England states, 
especially those bordering on Canada, but 
such lukewarmness cannot be attributed to 
Western Pennsylvania. The pioneers were 
ardent patriots and had no time nor use 
for Toryism. An illustration of this is 
o-iven in the treatment of Andrew Mv- 
Clure, at Zelienople, in 1812. McClure 
was accused, unjustly, however, of having 
Torv affiliations, and was taken out one 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



301 



night by a party of militiamen, who 
ponred tar over him and then gave him a 
coat of feathers. 

There were five full companies that went 
from Butler County to the War of 1812, 
forming a part of a regiment of twelve 
companies raised in the district by Col. 
John Purviance and known as the Second 
Regiment of infantry. The five companies 
above referred to were those of Captains 
Abraham Brinker, Robert Storey, Robert 
Thompson, Samuel Jordan, and James 
Stewart. The Second Regiment formed a 
part of the brigade commanded by Briga- 
dier-General Adamson Tannehill and saw 
service at Erie and other posts in North- 
ern Pennsylvania. In response to a call 
issued in July, 1813, the men of Colonel 
Purviance 's regiment re-enlisted. 

In addition to the companies above men- 
tioned there was also Captain Martin's 
company, which formed a part of the bat- 
talion commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel 
Miller, known as the One Hundred and 
Thirty-eighth Regiment. 

MEXICAN WAR. 

Butler County had no regular military 
organization in the war with Mexico. The 
Slippery Rock Guards, one of the militia 
organizations of the county, assembled at 
the house of Lieut. John Brackney at 
West Sunbury on June 13, 1846, and on 
motion of Capt. John Louden tendered 
their services to the Governor of the State 
as a rifle company. A similar tender of 
services was made bv the Washington 
Cavalry of Butler February 13, 1847. The 
c^uota of voh;uteers having been filled, the 
offers of these organizations were not ac- 
cepted. A number of young men from the 
county enlisted in various commands and 
served through the war. 

So far as known the only survivor of the 
Mexican War in the county at this writing- 
is James Graham of Butler. Graham is 
a native of Butler Countv, but enlisted at 



Pittsl)urg, in Company G, Eleventh Penn- 
sylvania Infantry, which was organized 
at Carlisle and was on its way to the 
front. Mr. Graham also sei'ved three 
years in the Civil War and is probably the 
oldest living veteran of the two wars in 
the state. 

Charles Hoffman, who died recently in 
Saxonburg, enlisted in Pittsburg in the 
DeKall) Greys and served during the war. 
He was also a veteran of the Civil War. 

Henry Hartung and Casper Hartung, 
two brothers of Butl.er Township, enlisted 
at Pittsburg and served during the war. 

John Hoffman of Connoquenessing 
Township, enlisted from Beaver County 
and served in an artillery regiment. 

Andrew G. Marshall, Richard Crozier 
and George L. Glenn returned to their 
homes in Butler from the war in 1848 and 
met with a warm welcome by their friends. 

E. G. Smith, a returning soldier, en 
route to his home in Crawford County, 
died on the Pittsburg-Butler stage, and 
was buried in Butler with militarv honors, 
July 31, 1848. 

Lafayette Sullivan, of Butler County, 
was a sergeant in Company E, Eleventh 
United States Infantry, of General James 
Shields' brigade. He died at the City 
of Pueblo, Mexico, in January, 1848. 

James Bredin, ex-judge of this district, 
served on the U. S. Ship. Ohio along the 
Mexican coast and was in the actions at 
Vera Cruz and Sus])an. 

Lafayette Kerr, of Sli]:)))ery Rock 
Township, died on the field of honor. 

James Reed of Oakland Township, was 
a wagonmaker in the employ of the Gov- 
ernment. 

John Kirkpatrick, a resident of Clinton 
Township, was killed in battle. 

Samuel Patterson, who died in Butler in 
January, 1903, served in the Eighth Penn- 
sylvania Regiment through the war. He 
also served in a West '\"irginia artillery 
regiment through the Civil War. 



302 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



THE CIVIL WAK — 1861-1865. 

The first organization to take the field 
during the War of the Eebellion was The 
Butler Count}^ Blues, a company organ- 
ized in Butler, April 22, 1861, at a public 
meeting held at the court house. The com- 
missioned and non-commissioned officers 
chosen were : John N. Purviance, captain ; 
Alexander Gillespie, first lieutenant ; John 
Gr. Vandyke, second lieutenant; John B. 
McQuistion, first sergeant; Edwin Lyon, 
second sergeant; Oliver C. Redic, third 
sergeant; Samuel Mucket, fourth ser- 
geant; Thompson Campbell, Jr., Andrew 
Cams, John P. Orr and Joseph B. Mech- 
ling, corporals. 

Leaving Butler on the forenoon of April 
22nd, the company proceeded to Freeport 
and thence to Pittsburg, arriving at the 
latter point the same evening. It re- 
mained at Pittsburg until April 24th, 
when, with other volunteer companies, 
and General Negley in command of the 
battalion, it proceeded to Harrisburg. On 
the 25th of April, the Butler County Blues 
were mustered into the United States 
sei"vice for three months by Capt. S. G. 
Simmons, and became Company H of the 
Thirteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers. In the regimental organization 
Thomas A. Rowley was commissioned 
colonel, and Capt. John N. Purviance, 
lieutenant colonel. Jacob Ziegler was 
elected captain of Company H, to succeed 
Captain Purviance, promoted to lieuten- 
ant colonel. Captain Ziegler resigned, 
however, on the 11th of May, and First 
Lieutenant Alexander Gillespie was pro- 
moted to captain, and George W. Smith to 
first lieutenant. 

On the 26th of April the regiment pro- 
ceeded to Camp Scott, near York, Penn- 
sylvania, and went into camp for instruc- 
tion, remaining there until June 4th. The 
command then moved to Camp Rowley, 
near Chambersburg, and on the 11th of 
June to Camp Brady, about three miles 



south of Chambersburg, where it reported 
to Col. Dixon S. Miles, commanding the 
Fourth Brigade, First Division, Patter- 
son's Corps. Two days later the regiment 
was fully equipped, and, with five days' 
cooked rations and forty rounds of ammu- 
nition, started on the march southward. 
The first stop was at Camp Lee, two miles 
south of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and 
on the 15th of June, the regiment proceed- 
ed to Camp Riley, a point two miles north 
of Williamsport, Maryland. The follow- 
ing day the Thirteenth was assigned the 
advance of the column and passing- 
through AVilliamsport, crossed the Poto- 
mac River, camping that night on A^ir- 
ginia soil at a point called Camp Hitch- 
cock, three miles from the river, thus be- 
ing the first northern men to reach Vir- 
ginia on this line. 

From the 18th of June to the 2nd of 
July, the Thirteenth Regiment was en- 
gaged on the Maryland side of the river in 
constructing field work or redan for the 
use of Captain Doubleday's battery and 
repelling the attacks of enterprising bod- 
ies of the enemy on the picket lines. When 
Patterson's army of 20,000 men crossed 
the Potomac on the 2nd of July, the Thir- 
teenth and the Eighth Regiments were 
left to garrison Williamsport. The next 
duty performed by the Thirteenth was to 
escort the Rhode Island battery of Colonel 
Burnside's command to Martinsburg, Vir- 
ginia, on July 4th. This was followed by 
two weeks of picket and fatigue duty, 
when the regiment joined the main column 
and moved to Bunker Hill village, and on 
the 17th proceeded to Charleston, where 
it remained until the 21st, the day the 
First Battle of Bull Run was fought. 
From Charleston the regiment proceeded 
to Harper's Ferry and thence to Hagers- 
town, Maryland, arriving at the latter 
place on the morning of July 23d. On the 
25th of July the command proceeded by 
rail to Harrisburg and thence to Pitts- 
burg, arriving at its home station the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



303 



moruiug of July 28tli. The citizens of 
Pittsburg handsomely entertained the re- 
turning soldiers, and on the 6th of August, 
the regiment was mustered out of the 
service by First Lieut. John B. Johnston, 
of the Third United States Cavalry. The 
only otlier change made in the commis- 
sioned officers of Company H was the ap- 
pointment of Second Sergeant Edwin H. 
Lyon to be first lieutenant. 

Immediately after the muster out of the 
Thirteenth, Colonel Rowley set about the 
reorganization of his regiment for the 
three-year service and a full companj- was 
organized in Butler County. Many of the 
men who served in the old Thirteenth re- 
enlisted, and the new organization became 
known as the One Hundred and Second 
Pennsylvania Volunteers. This change in 
number happened through a dispute be- 
tween Colonel Rowley, who wanted to re- ■ 
tain his old regimental number, Thirteen, 
and the adjutant general, who positively 
declined to use the "hoodoo" number. 
Wlien the dispute was settled, all the num- 
bers under 102 had been taken, and that 
became the number of Colonel Rowley's 
new regiment. 

When Company H, Thirteenth Regi- 
ment, was mustered out many of the mem- 
bers re-enlisted in other volunteer organ- 
izations that were leaving for the field in 
the summer of 1861, and made gallant 
records. 

fortieth pennsylvania volunteers. 

(eleventh reserve.) 
Under the first call for troops in April, 
1861, three full companies were organized 
in Butler County, but only one had been 
accepted — Company H, Thirteenth Regi- 
ment — when the quota for the county was 
filled. The other two companies pre- 
served their organization and were mus- 
tered in as Companies C and D, Eleventh 
Pennsylvania Reserve, in May, 1861. Com- 
pany C was recruited at West Sunbiiry. 
this county, in April and May, and was 



named the Dickson Guards in honor of 
Rev. W. T. Dickson, who was principal of 
the AVest Simbury Academy at that time. 
A large number of the members of this 
company were students of the academy, 
and were fired by the patriotic zeal of 
their teacher, who followed the command 
to the front, and served as chaplain of the 
regiment from August 28th, 1861, to No- 
vemlier 28tli, 1862. The first captain of 
this company was John Louden. 

Company D was organized in the west- 
ern ])art of the county as the Connoque- 
nessing Rangers by Capt. William C. 
Stewart. On June lOth the two companies 
reported at Camp Wright, near Pitts- 
burg: on July 1st, the regimental and 
staft' officers were elected and on July 29th 
the regiment was mustered into the United 
States service for thre years at Washing- 
ton, D. C. To rehearse the story of the 
arduous campaigns and hard fought bat- 
tles of the Eleventh Reserve, is to repeat 
the deeds of the Army of the Potomac, 
and the fallen heroes of the two Butler 
County companies were left on the great 
battle fields in Virginia, Maryland and 
Pennsylvania. During its three years of 
service the regiment participated in the 
battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' Hill, 
Charles City, Cross Road, second Bull 
Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Freder- 
icksburg, Gettysburg, Falling Waters, 
Culpepper, Bristoe Station. Rappahan- 
nock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, 
Spottsylvania, North Anna, and Bethesda 
Church. 

Of the 108 men whose names appear on 
the roll of Company C, twenty were killed 
in battle; forty-three were wounded; nine 
died from disease, two of whom died in 
l)rison, and from disease contracted while 
in prison. Eighteen were discharged on 
account of wounds and thirteen on account 
of disability. 

Company D paid almost as heavj^ a toll. 
Of 125 men on the roll, eighteen were 
killed in battle; fifteen died from wounds 



304 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



received iu battle or from disease; two 
were missing after battle, and thirty were 
discharged because of wounds or disabil- 
ity on surgeon's certificates. 

THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT. 

The Seventy-eighth Regiment was or- 
ganized at Camp Orr, Kittanning, in Au- 
gust and September, 1861. William Sir- 
well of Armstrong County was its colonel, 
Archibald Blakeley of Butler County, 
the lieutenant colonel, and Augustus Bon- 
affon of Allegheny County, major. 
Company H was recruited in Butler 
County under Captain William S. Jack. 
The regiment was brigaded with the 
Seventy-seventh and Seventy-ninth Regi- 
ments, and Muchler's battery under 
Brig. (xen. James S. Negley at Pittsburg, 
and ]>r()cct'ded at once by boat to Louis- 
vilie. and thence to Nolan's Station on the 
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, where 
it was attached to Gen. A. McDowell Mc- 
Cook's Division of the Army of the Cum- 
berland. From that time until August, 
18()2, it was engaged in guarding lines of 
communication in Tennessee and Ken- 
tucky, and was engaged in a number of 
skirmishes with guerrillas and cavalry. 
From August to December of the same 
year it was on garrison duty at Nashville 
with General John F. Miller's Brigade of 
Negley 's Division. On October 17th the 
regiment assisted in the routing of Ander- 
son's rebel camp, and the capture of the 
Thirty-second Alabama Regiment. Sub- 
sequently the regiment engaged in the bat- 
tles of Stone River, on December 3, 1862, 
and Januarv 1, 1863; at Chickamauga, 
September 19-20, 1863, and at Lookout 
Mountain, November 23-24 and 25, 1863. 
During the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, it 
participated in the engagements at Tun- 
nel Hill, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Dallas 
and Kenesaw Mountain. 

At the battle of Stone River the regi- 
ment lost 190 men in killed and wounded. 
Among the mortally wounded was Capt. 



William S. Jack, Company H, who died in 
the hospital at Nashville, February 5, 
1863. In this battle the flag of the Twenty- 
sixth Tennessee Regiment became the 
ti'ophy of the Seventy-eighth. 

Company H of this regiment was com- 
posed entirely of Butler County men. 
William S. Jack was its caj^tain. After 
his death, February 5th, 1863, Hugh A. 
Ayres was promoted from first lieutenant 
to captain. The lieutenants were Joseph 
B. Mechliug, Samuel J. McBride, and 
Frederick F. Wiehl. 

On October 17th the time of the regi- 
ment expired and it was ordered back to 
Pittsburg to be mustered out. On the way 
home through Tennessee it was mounted 
and sent in pursuit of Wheeler's rebel 
cavalry. After more than three years of 
service the regiment arrived in Pittsburg 
on November 4th, 1864, and was mustered 
out. 

Many, however, re-enlisted and new 
companies were organized to serve until 
the close of the war. Among these was 
Company E, recruited in the southwestern 
section of the county. Its captain was 
Rol)ert I. Boggs, and the lieutenants were 
Alexander Gillespie and Lewis Gansz. In 
addition to Company E, about twenty men 
from the eastern section of the county en- 
listed in Company F. 

In April, 1863, Colonel Sirwell was pro- 
moted to brigade commander and Lieuten- 
ant Colonel Blakeley was made colonel of 
the regiment. 

The final muster out of the regiment 
took place September 11th, 1865, several 
months after the surrender of Lee's army 
at Appomattox. 

The chaplain of the regiment was Rev. 
Richard C. Christy, who was at the out- 
break of the war pastor of St. John's 
Roman Catholic Church, at Coylesville, in 
Clearfield Township. He resigned his pas- 
torate to accept the commission as chap- 
lain of the Seventy-eighth Regiment, and 
he was tireless and fearless in the dis- 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



305 



charge of his duties. He uot only minis- 
tered to the sick and wounded in the camp 
and the hospital, but where the battle 
raged the hottest he was found speaking- 
words of comfort to the wounded and the 
dying, and encouraging all by word and 
example. Because of his courage and de- 
votion he was known throughout the Army 
of the Cumberland as the "Fighting- 
Chaplain." His portrait occupies a place 
of honor in the Hall of Encampment, 
Number 45, IT. V. L., of Butler. 

ONE HUNDREDTH REfilMENT "kOXIND 

HEADS." 

The One Hundredth Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers was recruited in the southwestern 
counties of the state, with the exception of 
one Company, C, which was recruited in 
Butler County. The captains of this com- 
pany were James E. Cornelius, of Porter- 
ville, afterwards promoted to colonel, Da- 
vid Critchlow, and George W. Fisher. The 
lieutenants were: Philo S. Morton. Rob- 
ert W. Weller, Matthew Stewart, Isaac W. 
Cornelius, and William Smiley. The regi- 
ment was sworn into the United States 
service at Camp Wilkins, August 31, 1861, 
and on September 2nd proceeded to Wash- 
ington, D. C, where Company L was 
transferred to the 105th Regiment. 

From the fact that the make-up of this 
regiment was principally the descendants 
of Scotch-Irish Covenanters, and of the 
Round Heads of the English Revolution, 
it became known as the "Round Head 
Regiment. ' ' 

The tield and staff officers of the regi- 
ment were: Colonel, Daniel Leasure; lieu- 
tenant colonel, James Armstrong; major, 
David A. Leckey; chaplain. Rev. Albert 
Audley Brown; quartermaster, H. H. Les- 
lie ; surgeon, Horace Ludingtou ; assistant 
surgeon, Abraham Maas; adjutant, 
George Leasure. 

At Washington the "Round Heads" 
were brigaded with the Eighth Michigan 



and the Fiftieth Pennsylvania, and the 
Seventy-ninth New York Highlanders, 
with Colonel Leasure as commander of 
the brigade, and ordered to South Caro- 
lina as part of the land forces sent against 
Port Royal. The regiment participated in 
the battles of Port Royal, Port Royal 
Ferry, and in the unsuccessful attempt to 
take Charleston in June, 1862. In July, 

1862, the regiment was assigned to the 
Ninth Corps of the Army of the Potomac, 
and participated in the battles of Second 
Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, An- 
tietam, and Fredericksburg. In March, 

1863, the Round Heads were transferred 
to the Deijartment of the Ohio, and in 
June assisted in the siege and capture of 
A'icksburg. They also participated in the 
battles of Jackson, Miss.; Blue Springs, 
Campbell's Station, and the siege of 
Knoxville, in Tennessee. 

In January, 1864, all of the regiment, 
with the exception of twenty-seven men, 
re-enlisted for a second term of three 
years and were granted a veteran fur- 
lough. Upon their return to the field the 
Round Heads were again assigned to the 
Army of the Potomac, and participated in 
the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsyl- 
vania Court House, North Anna, Cold 
Harbor, Petersburg, Mine Explosion, 
A\'eldon Railroad, Poplar Grove Church, 
Hatcher's Run, Fort Steadman, and the 
final assault on Petersburg. After a serv- 
ice of nearly four years the regiment was 
mustered out of service July 24th, 1865. 
The record of the Round Heads is one of 
valiant service and brilliant achievements, 
both officers and men distinguishing them- 
selves by great personal bravery. 

ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND REGIMENT. 

Immediately after the Thirteenth Regi- 
ment was mustered out in 1861, Col. 
Thomas A. Rowley began recruiting its 
memliers for the three years' service. The 
dispute that arose over retaining the old 



306 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



number, Thirteen, was not settled until 
all the numbers up to one hundred and 
two had been taken, and that became the 
number of the new regiment. The old 
number stuck, however, and the regiment 
was known throughout its service as the 
"Old Thirteenth." Company H of this 
regiment was a Butler County company. 
Its captain was Thomas McLaughlin, who 
was promoted to major, June 1, 1863. His 
successor was Robert W. Lyon, who was 
commissioned major, June 25, 1865, and 
promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel. 

The lieutenants were William Crooks, 
Charles Bartlay, Armstrong Renison, Ad- 
dison J. Brinker, and Isaac C. Stewart. 
The company was mustered into the serv- 
ice August 20, 1861, one hundred and thii-- 
teen strong. Prom 1861 to June 28, 1865, 
two hundred men served in its ranks. Of 
this number thirty-eight were killed or 
mortally wounded in battle, seventy-two 
were wounded, and twelve died of disease. 

The regiment was engaged in the ad- 
vance on Richmond, and the advance on 
Fort Magruder. It was afterwards en- 
gaged in the battles of Seven Pines, Fair 
Oaks, Chantilly, Antietam, Fredericks- 
burg, Maryl's Height, Salem Church, 
Rapahannock Station, Mine Run, West- 
minster and Funkstown. Early in 1864 
the regiment veteranized by re-enlisting 
and was given thirty days' furlough. The 
same year it was again in the field and 
took jiart in the engagements at Peters- 
burg, Opequon, Winchester, Five Forks, 
Sailor's Creek and Appomattox. The 
total losses of the regiment were one hun- 
dred and seventy-one killed in action, a 
much larger number wounded; eighty-two 
died from disease, and one hundred and 
forty reported captured or missing. 

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD REGIMENT. 

The One Hundred and Third Regiment 
was recruited in January, 1862, and em- 
braced two full companies from Butler 



County and a part of the third. Company 
E was recruited in the western part of 
Butler County. Its captains were Samuel 
Martin and Eli G. Cratty. The lieuten- 
ants were Christian M. Otto, Robert R. 
Bryson and Peter Weisenstein. 

Company I was recruited in the north- 
western section of the county, and had for 
its captains, William C. Maxwell and Will- 
iam Fielding. The lieutenants were W. 
C. McCrum, W. H. Kiester and G. K. 
Crawford. 

Company B was recruited from Butler, 
Armstrong, Clarion and Venango Coun- 
ties. The captains of the company were: 
George W. Gillespie, Joseph Rogers and 
Daniel Coe. Captain Gillespie was killed 
in the battle of Fair Oaks and Captain 
Rogers resigned. 

The regiment was organized at Harris- 
burg, February 24, 1862, with T. F. Leh- 
man, colonel, and Wilson Maxwell (cap- 
tain of Company I) as lieutenant colonel. 

This regiment participated in the siege 
of Yorktown, where it lost eighty-four in 
killed and wounded at Fair Oaks and in 
the entire Peninsular campaign. In the 
latter campaign it lost fifty per cent, of 
its original members. After Foster's ex- 
pedition in North Carolina the regiment 
went into camp on the Neuse River. In 
1863 the regiment accompanied Wessell's 
Brigade to Plymouth, where the Confed- 
erates attacked liy land and sea, compell- 
ing the surrender of the Federal troops on 
the 20th of A]iril. The horrors of the An- 
dersonville and Florence prisons followed, 
and of the one hundred and thirty-two 
men of this command who died in these 
prisons, thirty-four were from Butler 
County. During the months of March and 
April, 1865, eight new companies were 
added to the regiment, but they were car- 
ried on the rolls as unassigned men. When 
the command was mustered out June 25, 
1865, but eighty-one of the original men 
were pi'esent. 




ORPHAXS' HOME, ZELIEXOPLE 



M. E. CHURCH AND PARSONAGE, 
CONXOQUENESSIXG 




SARNHART MILL, CHICORA 



PUBLIC SCHOOL, ZELIEXOPLE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



309 



■OXE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH REGI- 
MENT. 

This regiment was orgauized at Camp 
Cui'tin under a call issued in July, 1862, 
by Governor Curtin for men for nine 
months' service. The organization was 
mustered into the United States Service in 
Augaist following with the following offi- 
cers : Matthew S. Quay, of Beaver County, 
colonel; Edward O'Brien, of Lawrence 
Coimty, lieutenant-colonel ; and John M. 
Thompson, of Butler, major. Colonel Quay 
resig:ned earh' in December, and on the 
8th of that month Lieutenant Colonel 
O'Brien was promoted to colonel, Major 
Thompson was promoted to lieutenant- 
colonel, and Capt. William H. Shaw was 
promoted to major. Alfred G. Reed, who 
went out as lieutenant of Company C, was 
promoted to adjutant, and on February 
17, 1863, Capt. Cyrus E. Anderson was 
promoted to major. AJfred G. Reed was 
wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, De- 
cember 13, 1862, and died fourteen days 
later. Alfred G. Eeed Post, G. A. R., of 
Butler, was named in his honor. Sergeant 
Major George Purviance was i^romoted to 
adjutant on January 1, 1863, to till the va- 
cancy caused by the death of Reed. This 
regiment participated in the battle of 
Fredericksburg, and in the battle of Chan- 
cellorsville, and was mustered out at Har 
risburg May 26, 1863. Among those who 
were killed at Chancellorsville was Capt. 
John Brant, of Company B. The loss of 
the regiment during its term of service was 
thirty-eight officers and privates killed, 
and sixty-seven who died from disease. 

Four companies of this organization 
were recruited in Butler County. The first 
company recruited was Company C, which 
had for its Captains Cyi'us E. Anderson, 
and John F. White. The lieutenants were 
Alfred G. Reed, and Peterson P. Brown. 
Captain Anderson's company was one of 
the largest taken from the county during 
the war. The well known character of the 



leader brought in n'cruits from all over tiie 
county and by the time the organization 
reached Harrisburg they had many more 
men on the roll than the quota required 
for a company. 

Comiiany F was recruited in Butler 
County, and its captains were W. 0. Breek- 
enridge, and Winfield M. Clark. The lieu- 
tenants were John J. Kellej', Samuel Hil- 
liard, and James Timblin. 

Company G, recruited in Butler County, 
had for its captains Alfred G. Riddle, and 
James M. Clark. The lieutenants were 
Sterns E. Tyler, and James P. Hall. 

Company K, recruited in Butler County, 
had for its captains, Edwin Lyon, and 
William ( ). Campbell. The lieutenants 
were J. A. Millinger, Daniel McMillen, and 
William B. Lyon. 

H. W. Koonce 'of Butler County served 
in Company H of this regiment, and Wil- 
liam Curry, Robert Richeal, and William 
J. Stoner, as privates in Company B. 

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTH REGI- 
MENT. 

In addition to the four companies fur- 
nished for the 134th Regiment, Butler 
County furnished three companies for the 
137th Regiment, which was organized at 
Camp Curtin, at Harrislnirg, August 22, 
1862, with the following officers : Henry M. 
Bossert, of Clinton Coimty, colonel; Jo- 
seph B. Kidder,' of Allegheny County, 
lieutenant-colonel; and Charles B. Win- 
gert, of Clinton County, major. The regi- 
ment entered active service September 12, 
as a member of Smith's Division of Han- 
cock's Brigade, and was soon after en- 
gaged in the battle at Crampton's Gap in 
the South Mountain. It was present at 
the battle of Antietam, and later was sent 
in pursuit of J. E. B. Stewart, the rebel 
cavalry general, who had made a raid into 
Pennsylvania. It took part in the Burn- 
side's second campaign, and subsequently 
went into eamji at Belle Plain. Tn April, 



310 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1863, it crossed the Eappabannock at 
Franklin's crossing under a heavy artil- 
lery tire, and was present at Chancellors- 
ville, where it was assigTied the extreme 
right of the line. Its terms of enlistment 
having expired, it was ordered to Harris- 
burg and mustered out on the 25th of Mav, 
1863. 

Company D of this regiment was or- 
ganized in Butler County, and had George 
W. Hays for its captain. The lieutenants 
were William Harvey, John B. McNair, 
and JNIatthew N. Greer. 

Company F was recruited in the west- 
ern part of the county by Capt. Henry 
Pillow. The lieutenants were Origen G. 
Bingham, Cyrus O. Kingsbury, and John 
Lemmon. 

Comj^any G was recruited by Capt. 
Allen Wilson, and has for its lieutenants 
Robert Storey and David Conn. 

George H. Graham of this company was 
promoted to quartermaster of the regi- 
ment August 28, 1862. W. H. McCandless 
of Butler County served in Company B of 
this regiment. 

one hundred and ejj'ty-ninth regiment, 
(fourteenth cavalry.) 

The Fourteenth Cavalry was recruited 
in August and September, 1862, as a three 
years' service regiment, and was mus- 
tered into the United States service No- 
vember 24th, with James M. Schoonmaker, 
colonel ; William Blakeley, lieutenant-colo- 
nel; Thomas Gibson, Shadracli Foley, and 
John M. Daily, majors. The regiment 
consisted of twelve full companies. Com- 
pany L being recruited in Butler County. 
The captains of this company were Will- 
iam H. Tibbies, R. M. Kiskaddon, and 
Saml. D. Hazlett. The lieutenants were 
David C. Bcalc .md bN.hcrl Wilson. Cap- 
tain Tip])l(>s icsi-iicl X(,v.MnluT 14, 1862, 
and Captain Kisivjiddon resinned March 
18, 1865. 

At the close of December, 1862. the 
Fourteenth Cavalrv formed the advance 



post of General Kelley's Division in the 
Shenandoah Valley. It rendered valuable 
services in Virginia from that time until 
June 11, 1865, when it was ordered to pro- 
ceed to Fort Leaveuwovth, Kansas, where 
it was consolidated into* a six-company 
battalion. On August 24, five companies 
were mustered out and Company A re- 
mained at Leavenworth until November 
2, 1865, when it was mustered out. 

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINTH REGIMENT. 

Butler County furnished one company 
for the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth 
Regiment, which was recruited by Capt. 
John G. Bippus, and was mustered into 
the United States' service as Company E. 
The lieutenants of this company were 
P^rederick Burry and James M. White. 
The oi-ganization of the regiment was com- 
Itleted November 28. 1862, with the fol- 
lowing field officers: Lewis W. Smith, of 
Allegheny County, colonel; Emanuel W. 
Wickenshaw, of Allegheny County, lieuten- 
ant colonel ; and William Smyth, of Butler 
County, major. This regiment was called 
out for nine months' service and was mus- 
tered out -Inly 27, 1863. This organization 
was known as drafted militia. On the 1st 
of December the regiment started for 
Washington and upon its arrival was or- 
dered to Fortress Monroe, where it re- 
])orted to General Dix. On the morning of 
the 7tli it was sent to Yorktown and the 
following day to Gloucester Point. Near 
the close of the month it was transferred 
to Fort Keyes, which it garrisoned and in 
addition performed picket duty in its 
front. On the 9th of July, 1863, the regi- 
ment was removed to Washington, and 
thence marched through Frederick City 
and Boonsboro to Funkstown, Maryland, 
where it rejiorted to the headquarters of 
the Army of the Potomac on the 14th of 
July, and was assigned to the Eleventh 
Army Corps. The regiment joined in the 
pursuit of Lee's army after the battle of 
Gettvsburg, and made a forced march to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



311 



Williamsport, Maryland, where it arrived 
in time to receive a few jiarting shots and 
see the last rebel baggage wagon disappear 
on the Virginia side of the Potomac. A 
few days later it proceeded to Harrisbiirg, 
Pennsylvania, where it was mustered out 
on the 27th of July, 1863. 

two hundred and twelfth regiment, 
(sixth artillery.) 

The Sixth Artillery of the Two Hmi- 
dred and Twelfth Regiment Pennsylvania 
Volunteers was organized at Camp Rey- 
nolds, near Pittsburg, in August and Sep- 
tember, 1864. The organization was re- 
cruited in western Pennsylvania and con- 
tained many veterans who had served in 
ot,her regiments during 1862-3, and had 
been discharged on the expiration of their 
enlistments. The organization was com- 
pleted on the 15th of September by the se- 
lection of the following lield officers: 
Charles Barnes, colonel ; Joseph B. Cope- 
land, lieutenant-colonel ; Robert H. Tjong, 
Joseph R. Kemp, and Prank H. Wite, 
majors. The regiment left Pittsburg on 
the 17th of Sci>tcinber for Washington, 
D. C, and was jissigncd to the Second Bri- 
gade of Dv Ifusscy's Division. On the 
29tli of September it was detailed to guard 
the Orange and Alexandria Railroad over 
which supplies were transported for Sher- 
idan's army, and in November it was oi-- 
dered back to Washington. Up to this 
time the regiment had served as infantry, 
but it was afterwards drilled and detailed 
for duty as an artillery regiment. It 
served at Forts Marcy, Renno, Craig, 
Ward, Albany, Lyon and otheis, and was 
mustered out at Fort Ethan Allen, June 
13, 1865. The loss of this regiment was 
slight, being two men killed, while forty- 
four died from disease. Batteries A and 
B were almost wholly recruited of Butler 
County men. The captain of Battery A 
was William R. Hutchison, and the lieuten- 
ants, Thomas H. McElvain, William H. 
McCandless, James Harvey, and Milton 



Wolford. The captain of Battery B was 
(lustavus L. Braun, and the lieutenants, 
W. H. H. Wason, John M. Kelsey, Robert 
O. Shira, and William C. Rudyai'd. 

Butler County men served in other l)at- 
teries in this regiment, as follows: Reuben 
("arapbell, Battery C; James Atkinson, Fe- 
lix H. Negley, Gotfried Reinhold, Samuel 
Schaffner, and William Watson, Battery 
D; John W. Brown, Battery H; William 
Lutz and Alexander C. Weller, Battery I; 
John Day, Battery K; Amos McCamant, 
.lohn A. Hutcliins, and Robert Hutchins, 
from Butler County, also served in this 
regiment. 

fourteenth militia regiment. 

After the second liattle of Bull Run, 
when General Lee threatened an invasion 
of Pennsylvania, an emergency was creat- 
ed which made it necessary to call into the 
service a force of the state militia to co- 
ojierate with the troops already in the field 
in repelling the invader. Butler County's 
res])onse to this call was prompt. A com- 
jiany organized at Butler was mustered 
into the Fourteenth Militia Regiment as 
Company G, and was one of the first to re- 
])ort for duty. Many of the leading citi- 
zens of Butler Borough and of the county 
were members of this organization, and 
by reason of the large number of lawyers 
who joined, it was known as the "Black- 
stone Guards." Two Butler men were also 
numbered among the field and staff officers 
of the regiment. These were Major 
Charles McCandless and Assistant Sur- 
geon Newton J. McCandless. 

The Fourteenth Regiment was organized 
September 12 and 16, 1862, its colonel be- 
ing R. B. McComb. It was immediately 
sent to the front to jierform such services 
as might be demanded of it, but the battle 
of Antietam fought on Seiitemher 16-17, 
resulting in the defeat of General Lee and 
his retreat into Virginia, relieved Pennsyl- 
vania from the danger that threatened her 
liorders. The further services of the 



;J12 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



enu'riii'iK'y iiu'ii were not needed, and they 
were acconlingly mustered out Sejitember 
26 and 2s. 'I'lie captain of Company G was 
James Gilmore Campbell, and the lieuten- 
ants, Ehenezer MoJunkin and Charles 
Duffy. 

EIGHTEENTH MILITIA REGIMENT. 

The Eighteenth j\Iilitia Regiment was 
also organized to meet the emergency aris- 
ing from Lee's threatened invasion of 
Pennsylvania. It was with the army at 
South Mountain and Antietam, though it 
did not actively participate in those bat- 
tles. It was mustered out of the service 
September 27, 1862, after the defeat of Lee 
at Antietam. Company C of this regiment 
was recruited in Butler County by Capt. 
William R. Hutchison, and the lieutenants 
were John Brown and Henry Flick. 

FIFTY-SIXTH MILITIA REGIMENT. 

The second advance made by General 
Lee's army and the threatened invasion of 
the state in 1863 created an emergency for 
which the state militia were called out in 
June of that year. The Fifty-sixth Regi- 
ment was mustered in from June 27th to 
July 5th for the defense of the state and 
served until August 13th, when the com- 
mand was mustered out. Company F was 
recruited in Butler County by Capt. Will- 
iam R. Hutchison, who had recruited a 
company the previous year, and the lieu- 
tenants were Baxter Logan and John 
Brown. 

FIFTY-EIGHTH MILITIA REGIMENT. 

This command was organized in July, 
1863, and mustered into service the same 
month under Col. Geoi-ge H. Bemus. On 
the 24th of July at the time of Morgan's 
raid, the regiment, with others, was or- 
dered to hold the fords on the Ohio River 
between Steubenville and Wheeling, the 
Fifty-eighth occupying La Grange, oppo- 
site Wellsville. The watchfulness of this 
regiment led Morgan to seek a way of es- 



cajie through Salineville, where he was at- 
tacked by ^Michigan cavalry and lost about 
three hundred of his men in killed, wound- 
ed and captured. The Fifty-eighth then 
took charge of the prisoners until they 
were placed in the Ohio penitentiary. 
After this duty was performed the regi- 
ment returned to Pittsburg and was mus- 
tered out August 14th and 15th, 1863. Com- 
l)auy G of this regiment was raised in But- 
ler County by Capt. Alexander Gillespie. 
The lieutenants were James G. Guthrie 
and John S. Brown. Company I was also 
recruited in Butler County by Captain 
William M. Clark, the lieutenants being 
William E. Moore and S. L. Daubenspeck. 

THE FOURTH PENNSYI.VANIA CAVALRY. 

The Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalrj' was 
organized in October, 1861, and served un- 
til July 1, 1865, when it was mustered out. 
This regiment saw some of the hardest 
service of the war and lost ninetj^-eight 
men killed in action, while two hundred 
and sixty died from disease. Butler 
County did not have a full company in this 
reo-iment, but a number of men were in its 
ranks. 

MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS. 

In addition to the foregoing companies 
and parts of companies credited to But- 
ler Comity, a large number of her citizens 
and young men claiming the county as 
their home enlisted in other counties of 
Pennsylvania and in regiments raised in 
other states. 

Col. James Cooper McKee, M. D., of 
Butler, was appointed and commissioned 
assistant surgeon of the United States 
Army in 1858. At the second battle of Bull 
Run he served as assistant medical direc- 
tor of Pope's army, and at Antietam as 
assistant medical purveyor of the Army of 
the Potomac. In 1863 he was in-omoted to 
captain in the regular army and jilaced in 
charge of Lincoln United States Hospital 
at Washington, D. C, in which position he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



313 



continued until the close of the war. After 
the war he was transferred to New Mexico, 
serving there as chief medical officer of the 
army, and afterwards as medical director 
of the Department of Arizona. He also 
served in the same capacity at Vancouver 
Barracks, Department of Columbia. In 
1891 he was retired from active service, 
with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, by rea- 
son of injuries received in the discharge 
of his duty. 

Dr. Samuel Graham, of Butler, after 
serving three months in Company II, Thir- 
teenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, complet- 
ed a course of medicine in Jefferson Medi- 
cal College, Philadelphia, and entered the 
service as assistant surgeon of the One 
Hundred and Seventy-fourth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. He was subsequently appoint- 
ed surgeon of the Eighty-first Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers. 

BOUNTIES AND DRAFTS. 

In the early days of the war patriotism 
ran high in Butler County and the enlist- 
ments were rapid. Later on, though there 
was no diminution in the patriotic spirit, 
the burdens of war began to be heavily felt. 
The county was drained of its young men 
and extraordinary taxes were levied in or- 
der that the war might be prosecuted to a 
successful issue. The men in the field liad 
to be encouraged and made to feel that the 
people at home were back of them and that 
the call for more troops would be promptly 
responded to. This imposed a duty of 
vital importance on those at home, de- 
manding many sacrifices, and much pa- 
triotism in order that the county might 
acquit itself with credit to the state, and 
with honor to the Union cause. 

When more troops were needed enlist- 
ments were encouraged by the aid of boun- 
ties and other inducements. In 1862 a re- 
lief tax amounting to $3,154.00 was col- 
lected, and in 1863, $9,752.18 were paid in 
bounties. The same year, under the draft 
of July, the county furnished 323 men. 



^lany of those drafted furnished substi- 
tutes. The plan adopted in Butler County 
appears to have been for a niunber of those 
subject to draft to subscribe to a fund to 
pay substitutes, and after the requisite 
number of substitutes had been secured, to 
divide up the surplus, if any, among the 
subscribers. 

In January, 1864, Capt. Henry Pillow, a 
United States recruiting officer, announced 
the extension of the time for paying boun- 
ties, and asked for volunteers. At this 
time the quotas requii-ed from the counties 
comprising the Twenty-third district were 
liublished, showing the quota of Butler 
County to be 316, to be secured from 2,320 
men of the first, and 1,317 men of the sec- 
ond class. The borough of Butler fur- 
nished fourteen recruits, and was clear of 
the draft. In order to accomplish this ob- 
ject, the local committee collected $3,070.00, 
of which $1,770.00 was paid for the four- 
teen substitutes. The sum of $35.00 was 
charged to the expense account, leaving 
$1,265.00 to be returned to the subscribers. 
Under the call of February 1, 1864, for 
500,000 men, Butler Borough filled its 
quota and had a surplus of money to re- 
turn to the subscribers. 

BOUNTY ACT OF 1864. 

A call for two hundred thousand men 
was made ]\larch 15, 1864, and the general 
bounty was paid until A]iril 1, 1864. On 
the 14th of April an act providing for the 
payment of bounties in Butler County was 
a))proved by Governor Curtiu. Power was 
given to the school directors to levy a tax 
sufficient to pay a bounty of $300 to each 
volunteer enlisted and credited to the 
school district making the levy. They 
were'also empowered to levy a per capita 
tax not exceeding $25 from each taxable 
citizen subject to the draft, and to repay 
to subscribers moneys advanced to aid in 
raising volunteers. 

A prompt response was made to the call 
of March 15, 1864, and when the draft was 



314 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



made, June Srd, ouly nine districts in the 
county were behind with their quotas. In 
tliose nine" districts, ninety-one men were 
called out liy the |)rovost marshal. A sup- 
lilemcntal draft was ordere(i for Jime 27th, 
when sixty-five men were called out. Ten 
of the ninety-one men drafted on June 3rd 
failed to appear. Forty-four paid a com- 
mutation of $300 each, thirty-three were 
exempted, and two were reported dead. A 
call for another draft was made July 18, 
1864, and it took place September 19th. 
On the 30th of November the number of 
men subject to draft in the county was 
placed at 2,780, which estimate included a 
large number of soldiers who had served 
two years or more, and had received their 
discharges. 

The drafts of 1864 were made necessary 
cliiefly for the reason that during that year 
the terms of a large number of those who 
had enlisted in 1861 for three years had 
expired, and new men had to be obtained 
to fill their places. It should be borne in 
mind that a majority of these men re- 
enlisted in the field and that volunteers 
were constantly coming forward in every 
township. 

THE BALAAM ASSOCIATION. 

While so large a portion of the sturdy 
manhood of the county was at the front 
battling for the preservation of the Union, 
an urgent duty devolved upon those at 
home to care for the dependent widows and 
orphans of those who had fallen in battle, 
and also a necessity to care for the sick 
and wounded in the hospitals and in their 
homes. For the former purpose a relief 
tax was ordered in addition to the volun- 
tary contributions. For the latter purpose 
a society was formed in 1864 known as 
"The Balaam Association," which had 
active working members in the different 
townships. 

PITTSBURG SANITARV FAIR ASSOCIATION. 

Butler County people became liberal 



contiibutors to the Pittsburg Sanitary 
Fair Association and in the spring of 1864 
committees to solicit subscription of money 
and clothing were aj^pointed in each town- 
ship in the county. On June 1, 1864, the 
collections amounted to $2,606.51 in cash, 
including $160.00 received from the 
Balaam Association. Clothing and pro- 
visions were also contrilnited to the 
amount of $736.14. 

JUBILEE MEETING. 

The success of the Union cause, as an- 
nounced by the fall of Richmond and the 
surrender of the Confederate forces under 
General Lee, and the final return of peace, 
caused much rejoicing throughout the 
North. In Butler the joy of the people 
found voice at a "Jubilee Meeting" held 
at the court house, April 7, 1865. This 
meeting was presided over by Hon. Law- 
rence L. McGuffen, the vice-president be- 
ing Capt. Samuel Louden, William Camp- 
bell and William Stoops, and the secre- 
taries Col. John M. Thompson, Capt. 
George W. Fleeger, Jonathan Clutton, and 
James Bredin. After a number of patriotic 
speeches were delivered the following reso- 
lution, offered by John Negley, was 
adopted : 

"Eesolved, That we learu with irrepressible joy of 
the success of the armies of the TTnion ; the downfall 
of the rebel capital, and the surrender or capture of the 
rebel hosts. Victory and peace have come through war. 
and, God be praised, the RepubUe lives." 

These exuberant manifestations of joy 
were interrupted by the sad news of the 
assassination of Abraham Lincoln. For 
the iDurpose of giving fitting expression to 
their sorrow, a meeting of the people of 
Butler Borough was held on the afternoon 
of Wednesday, April 19th, 1865. Gen. 
John N. Purviance was chosen iiresident, 
James Gilmore Campbell, William Stew 
art, Charles McCandless, E. McJunkin, 
and E. M. Bredin, vice-presidents, and 
Wm. S. Ziegler, Thos. Robinson and James 
Bredin, secretaries of this meeting. Ad- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



315 



dresses in English were delivered by Rev. 
White, Tibbes, Niblock and Limberg, and 
in German by Rev. Myser. William Stew- 
art, the chairman of the conuiiittee on reso- 
lutions, reported a preamble and a series 
of resolutions expressive of the general 
sori'ow of the eommunitv. 



SOLDIERS MONUMENTS. 

A suggestion for the ere(Hion of a monu- 
ment to the memory of the Butler Couuty 
soldiers who had fallen in l)attle or died in 
the hosi)itals or prisons of the South, was 
made not long after the elose of the war, 
but owiug to a lack of organized effort, the 
matter failed at that time to take a prac- 
tical form. It was not until September 15. 
1892, that any practical stej) was taken, 
wiien a meeting of soldiei-s and citizens 
was held in Butler at the suggestion of 
Col. .lolm ^I. Sullivan. A board of direc- 
tors was ai)i)ointed at this meeting and in 
oi'der to give it the proper authority, it 
was duly incorporated as the Butler 
County Monument Association, and a 
board of directors was elected, of which 
(i. I). Swain of Harmony was chairman; 1. 
.1. McCandless, of Butler, secretary; and 
Charles Duffy, of Butler, treasurer! This 
board named connnittees to solicit funds 
in each voting district in the couuty, and 
in December of 1892, the collections iiad so 
far advanced that the board deemed it safe 
to advertise foi- bids and the i)resentation 
of designs. The (-((utract was sul)sc(|ueutly 
awarded to Cami)l)ell and Ilarrigau, of 
Pittsburg, for $:],50().()0. The monument 
was completed, placed and ready for the 
dedication by July 4, 1894. The dedicatory 
ceremonies which took place on that day 
were appropriate and impressive, and 
were ])articipated in by the old soldiers 
and citizens from all parts of the county. 
An address turning over the moiunnent to 
the old soldiers and to the peo])le of But- 
ler County was deliveied liy G. D. Swain, 
president of the Monumeut Association. 



The address accepting the monument was 
delivered by Capt. George W. Fleeger, of 
Butler. 

The monument is of Barre granite, 
twelve feet square at the base and forty- 
eight and one-half feet high. The shaft "is 
surmounted by an infantry soldier in full 
dress standing at ease. On the sides of 
the shaft are emblazoned crossed muskets, 
sabers, cannon, and one anchor, represent- 
ing the four branches of the service, and 
at the base are these words: "Our Silent 
Defenders." The monument stands on the 
public park facing the court house, and is 
one of the first objects that attract the at- 
tention of the visiting strangers. 

The soldiers' monument at Evans C-itv 
was dedicated August 29, 1894. It was 
ei'ected to the memory of the brave men 
who went into the service from Jackson, 
Foi-ward, ('onnoquenessing, Lancastei-. 
Cranberry, Adams, Middlesex and Penn 
Townships, who sleep in unknown and un- 
marked graves in the South. The ])ro.tect 
was started by Capt. William Stewart Post 
No. 573, G. A. R., of Evans City, in 1892. 
The committee ap))ointed to take charge 
of the work consisted of D. B. Douthett, 
.John Rohner, Dr. Wm. Irvine, Edward 
Dumbaugh, Enos Barkey, Capt. J. P. 
Boggs, II. C. Boggs, and George Marbur- 
ger. On December 6, 1893, the contract for 
the erection of the moimment was let to J. 
B. P]vans of Evans Citv, and cost when 
com])leted about $1,400.00. The monument 
stands in the center of a iilot donated to 
Stewart Post, G. A. R., by the Evans City 
Cemetery Association. It is of Quincy 
granite, nineteen feet three inches high, 
and is surmounted by the figure of an eagle 
standing on a globe. On one side is a 
wreath and crossed swords, and on the 
four sides of the die are inscribed the 
names of the dead w^hose memory the 
monument is designed to perpetuate, the 
number forty-five in all. There is also in- 
scribed on one side these solemn and ap- 
tuot)riate lines: 



516 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The mufflea drum's sad roll has beat 

The soldier's last tattoo; 
No more on life's parade shall meet 

That brave and fallen few. 
On fame's eternal camping-ground 

Their silent tents are spread, 
But glory guards, with solemn round. 

The bivouac of the dead. 

From first to last Butler County sent 
into the field twenty-five full companies, 
besides parts of companies. In addition 
to the organizations that are identified as 
belonging to the county, a large number of 
men claiming Butler County as their home 
enlisted in other volunteer regiments of the 
state and in other states, as well as in the 
United States regiments. The names of 
Butler County men are found on the mus- 
ter rolls of fifty of the regimental organ- 
izations of Pennsylvania, and seventeen 
representing other states in the Union. 
For the roster of the Butler County com- 
panies reference may be had to Bate's His- 
tory of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
which gives a record of each man enlisted. 

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 



STIKRING SCEN 



Es OF 1898. 



Butler County had but one military or- 
ganization when war was declared against 
Spain in 1898— Company E, Fifteenth 
Regiment of the National Guard. Upon 
the first call for troops this organization 
promptly tendered its services and was ac- 
cepted with the other National Guard com- 
panies of the state. For three days before 
the departure of the command for the 
point of mobilization the military spirit of 
the town rivaled that of 1861, when the 
first company left for the front in the Civil 
War. Blue-coated guardsmen on the street 
were the admiration of the girls and the 
envy of the less fortunate boys who wanted 
to enlist but did not have the opportunity. 
On Sunday, April 24th, the services in all 
of the churches partook of a patriotic na- 
ture and were attended by many soldiers in 
uniform. A mass meeting was held in the 
Y. M. C. A. hall in the afternoon which 



was attended by the old soldiers and the 
members of Company E, and a patriotic 
address was made by Col. John M. Thomp- 
son, who had delivered a similar address 
to the first company that left Butler for 
the front in 1861. 

DEPAKTUKE OK THE FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 

The greatest military pageant in the his- 
toi-y of the town took place on Wednesday, 
April 27th, when the entire Fifteenth Regi- 
ment passed through Butler on the way to 
the point of mobilization of the" state 
troops at Mt. Gretna, and were the guests 
for three hours of the citizens of Butler. 
The train left Erie at 10 o'clock a. m. with 
Companies A and C, picking up Comjjany 
B at Meadville; regimental headquarters 
and Com]iauy K at Greenville ; Company F 
at Grove City, and arriving in Butler at 
5 o'clock p. m. At this point Company E 
of Butler, Company D of Clarion and Com- 
pany G of Sharon were picked up. 

The regiment was met at the -station by 
a committee of citizens, the G. A. R. and 
the U. V. L., and escorted to the court 
house, where lunch was served to the men 
by the young ladies of the town and the 
regimental officers were entertained at one 
of the hotels. At 7 o'clock the regiment 
formed at the court house and marched to 
the train. The line of march for more than 
half a mile was one continuous ovation, the 
entire po]nilatiou of the town turning out 
to wish the departing soldiers godspeed. 

Tlie command arrived at Mt. Gretna 
about noon on April 28th and remained in 
camp there until the 11th of June. In the 
meantime Lieut. A. T. Scott and Sergeant 
O'Donnell returned to Butler early in i\Iay 
and enlisted twenty-six recruits and the 
company was mustered into the United 
States Volunteer Service along with the 
other companies of the Fifteenth Regiment 
on the 10th and nth of May. At this time 
the muster roll of the company contained 
seventy-five enlisted men and three offi- 
cers, which was later increased to 106 en- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



317 



listed men and three officers. Three of the 
men who left Butler with the original com- 
pany were sent home by the examining 
surgeons because of physical disability, 
and one on account of sickness in his fam- 
ily. Two of these men assisted in tlie or- 
ganization of the Butler Volunteers, one 
enlisted in another volunteer command and 
the fourth enlisted later in the United 
States regulars and was killed in action 
in the Philippines. 

On June 19th the Fifteenth Regiment 
proceeded to stations at Sheridan Point, 
Virginia, and Ft. Washington, Maryland. 
Regimental headquarters and four com- 
panies were stationed at Sheridan Point 
and four companies, including Company 
E, imder Lieut. Col. William T. Mechling, 
were stationed at Ft. Washington. Com- 
pany E was assigned the care, preserva- 
tion and drill of Emplacement C, having 
two ten-inch guns mounted on disappear- 
ing carriages. The inspection drill given 
by the company at Emplacement C was 
highly commended by Major Crozier and 
Major Greenough of the regular army, 
who were the inspecting officers. 

The signing of the Protocol August 12th, 
1898, destroyed any hope the Fifteenth 
Regiment had of getting into the field and 
the service performed thereafter was gar- 
rison and camp duty. On September 9tli 
the regiment was united and inoccedcd to 
Camp George S. ^leade at ^liddletown, 
Penna., and was assigned to the First Bri- 
gade, Second Division of the Second Army 
Corps. The regiment did provost guard 
duty until October 7tli and participated in 
the Peace Jubilee at Philadelphia October 
27th. Company E proceeded with the regi- 
ment to Camp Haskill, at Athens, Ga., on 
November 11th, and remained in camp 
there until mustered out of the volunteer 
service January 31, 1899. 

DEATH OF PRIVATE WAITERS. 

During the service of nine months Com- 
pany E lost but one man — Private Charles 



A. Watters, who died from typhoid fever 
in the hospital at Ft. Washington, August 
9th, 1898. Private AVatters had the dis- 
tinction of being the only colored soldier 
enlisted in the Pennsylvania volunteer 
regiments. He was born in Liberty Town- 
ship, Maryland, in 1860, and had been as- 
sociated with Company E, Fifteenth Regi- 
ment, National Guard, since 1881. 

Tlie body of Private Watters was 
brought to his home in Butler and on Au- 
gust 12th was buried with military hon- 
ors. Funeral services were held at the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and that 
large auditorium could not hold half of the 
people who assembled to pay their respects 
to the dead soldier. All of the ministers 
in town were present and many from the 
coimtry. The funeral pageant consisted of 
the Germania Band, A. G. Reed Post, No. 
105, G. A. R. ; Camp 45, U. V. L. ; Company 
G, Twenty-first Regiment National Guard ; 
ex-members of Company E, Fifteenth 
Regiment National Guard, and members of 
the Fire Department. He rests in the 
North Cemetery, on a beautiful hillside 
facing the Southland which he loved, and 
there awaits God's reveille when he shall 
answer the last roll call with his comrades 



PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES. 

Patriotic feeling ran high in Butler 
County after the departure of the troops 
for the field and immediate steps were 
taken to sustain the troops in the field and 
look after the comfort of the soldiers in 
camp and of their families at home. 

Among the first organizations was the 
Butler Volunteers, mentioned in the militia 
chapter. 

On May 28th, under the auspices of the 
W. C. T. U., a meeting was held at the 
home of Mrs. Levi M. Wise on North Main 
street for the purpose of making comfort 
bags for the soldiers and providing liter- 
ature for their use in camp. The counnit- 
tee appointed consisted of Mrs. Levi M. 



318 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Wise, Mrs. U. M. IJnsst'll aud Mrs. C. A. 
Bailey. These ii-o<><l women did work that 
was much appreciatetl by the boys in camp. 

Meanwhile the Men's Patriotic League 
was formed for the purpose of looking 
after the material needs of the families of 
the soldiers in the field. 

The general committee met on May 31st 
and elected Alex. Mitchell, president, and 
William C. Findlcy, s.-cretary. AVard com- 
mitteemen wei'e named as follows: First 
wai-d, D. H. Sutton; Second ward, J. D. 
Jackson; Third ward, William H. Ritter; 
Fourth ward, A. B. Richey; Fifth ward, 
James N. Moore. 

■ The following composed a finance com- 
mittee : J. V. Ritts, Chas. Duffy, William 
Campbell, .losepli L. Purvis, L. C. Wick, 
IL H. Boyd, Major R. J. Phipps, Geo. J. 
Stamm, J. J. Leidecker, W. C. Thomjison, 
Wm. (J. Douthett and Calvin G. Christie. 

An event of importance on June 25th 
was the presentation of a handsome silk 
field flag to Company E, Fifteenth Regi- 
ment, at Ft. Washington. The flag was 
the gift of the people of Butler, who were 
represented on the occasion by Wm. C. 
Thompson and a delegation of Butler 
ladies. 

Flag raisings were events throughout 
the community and were attended liy 
masses of people, school children and the 
patriotic societies. 

The news that the Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers had been mustered out at Athens. 
Ga., January 31, 1899, caused gladness 
throughout the land and Butler got ready 
to give the members of Company E a rous- 
ing reception. The company was met at 
the railroad station the morning of Feb- 
ruary 2nd by a rccciirKin committee of rep- 
resentative citizens, mcmlxTs of the Grand 
Army, the Union X'etcran Ijcgion, Com- 
pany G, Twenty-first Regiment, National 
Guard, and the Germania Band. The 
route of the jiarade to the court house was 
lined with thousands of people, who braved 
zero weather to welcome the soldier boys 



home again. In the evening at the opera 
house an address of welcome was deliv- 
ered by Col. John M. Thompson, and re- 
sponded to by Capt. Ira McJunkin. Secre- 
tary .]. B. Carrothers, representing the 
Y. M. C. A., presented each soldier with 
a free membership ticket for one year. The 
events of the day closed with a bancpiet 
tendered the members of the company in 
the armory. 

The services performed by Company E 
in the Spanish War has none of the glory 
of the battlefield and is without any event 
of importance. But to the young men of 
the county who so promptly offered their 
services at the call of their country must 
be given the credit of a faithful perform- 
ance of every duty assigned them and pa- 
triotic zeal that is the lasting heritage of 
a great nation. 

IKII.L OK COMPANY E, FIFTEENTH PENNSYL- 
VANIA VOLUNTEERS. 

C'aptain — Ira McJunkin. 

First. Lieutenant- (Irnio,. s. Mecbling. 

Second Lieutr-iKiiM \I1mii T. Scott. 

First Sergeant- N:i;ir Xinhcws. 

Quartermaster S,r^. nut- Horatio S. Vamlerlin. 

Sergeants — Jolm W. Alexander, Charles Collins, 
Francis .J. O'Donnell, Joseph F. Moore, .Tohn J. Mratin, 
Charles A. McElvain. 

Corporals — William J. .Jackson, Frank D. Pierce, 
William J. P. ColUns, Ebner P. Kuhn, Hardie H. Hepler, 
Thomas McK. McKee. Howard C. Hazlett, Oscar C. 
McClung, Joseph A. Heineman, Clifford W. Fenton, 
Harry O. Krug, William H. Eebuhn (company clerk), 
Clyde C. Green. 

'Musician.s— John A. Kelley, Alfred E. Black. 

Hospital Corps — Harry A. Cook. 

Artificer — Harry H. McFann. 

Wagoner — Vance Stroup. 

Privates— Bobert .J. Adams, Charles A. Allshouse, 
Cullen Armstrong, Lewis L. Beatty, Harry H. Boston, 
John M. Brown, Charley J. Burkhalter, Roy I. Burtner, 
Verne F. Caldwell, Charley L. Campbell. John H. 
Christy, Harry E. Core, CJharles A. Cummings, Harry 
S. Dersheimer, Walter T?. Puncan, Samuel V. Eckelber- 
ger, Russell C. K.'kinan, <'arl M. Eisler, Charles C. 
Elliott, David H. Kiisiiiiiigrr. Harvey A, Evans, Ernest 
r!. Faber, William (i. Faber, Charles F. Fisher, William 
N. Foulis, Clarence E. Graham, Thonia.s D. Greer, 
Charlie E. Harrington, Euffis D. Hindman, John F. J. 
Huselton, John H. Jackson, Charles E. Kalb, Marcus 
B. Levingston, Marcus B. Mechling, Han'y W. Metzgar, 
Charles E. Miller, Ralph H. Minks, James T. Morgan. 
Augustus S. Morrison, Ira A. Murphy, Josiah M. Mc- 
Candless, .James R. McClymonds, Walter F. McCormick, 



AND RP^PRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



319 



Henry F. McCullough, Louis A. McDonald, Laureuce H. 
McDowell, Robert B. Mclntyre, Edgar H. Negley, John 
A. Pierce. George A. Rae, Walter S. Reynolds, Jacob A. 
Riiiici, \Villi;ir)i II. Ritter, Jr., Fred T. Roessiug, Charles 
Iv Slink. •^. Snimiel S. Scott, George W. Shaifer, Oscar 
A. sli.illii. I'lcilerick E. Shetter, Charles E. Smith, 
.laiiHs L. Smith. Paul P. Smith, Neal Strawicli, Harrv 
E. Suinney, William D. Sutton, Edward E. Thomas 
Andrew J. Thompson, Earl D. Thompson, George W. 
Thompson, Milton 8. Tyler. Walter V. Tyler, James C. 
\'ogley. Charles A. Watters, Aubrey B. Williams, Ben- 
jamin' R. Williams, John G. Williams, Charles H. Wilson, 
Charles M. Wise, Alphons Wanlin, Thomas W. Watson. 

Private Fi'ederiek E. Shetter was pro- 
moted to Pir.st Lieutenant and Regimental 
Quartermaster and was mustered out with 
the regiment. 

Lieut. A. T. Scott performed tlie duties 
of regimental ordnance otificer in addition 
to his duties in the line. 

In addition to the roster of Company E 
the following volunteers from Butler 
County served in other commands: 

In addition to the ro.ster of Com})any E, 
the following volunteers from Butler 
County served in other commands: 

William T. Meehling of Butler served as lieutenant- 
colonel of the Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers. 

Harry H. Morrison of Butler in Company D, Fif 
teenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

James L. Barton of Butler in ("ompany H, Eighteenth 
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Robert M. Little of Butler in Company A, Eiglitcentli 
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

William A. Caldwell of Butler in the Seventeenth Regi- 
ment IT. S. Infantry. 

William E. Double in Company L. Nineteenth U. S. 
Infantry. 

William A. Wade of West Sunbury in Company K. 
Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Bert L. Wiseman of Butler in Company H, Fiftli 
CJhio Volunteers. 

Peter Cummings of Butler in (ompany U. Fifth oiiio 
Volunteers. 

Harley McClellan in Company (i. Fifth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. 

William J. Curley in Company H. Ninth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. - 

Fred Wigton in Company K. Sixteenth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. 

Cameron G. Brandon in Company F, Fifteenth Penn- 
.sylvania Volunteers. 

Edward McKnight in Company T. Tenth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. 

FuUerton Parker in Company H. Tentli Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. 

George Gibson of Glade Mills in Company B, Eight- 
eenth Pennsvlvania Volunteers. 



Fleming Hepler of Clinton Township in Company li. 
Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Joseph C. Hutchinson of Butler in Company II. 
Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Charles H. Otterman of Zelienople in Company C, 
Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

William E. Stevenson of Harrisonville in Company B, 
Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Claude C. Ziegler of Butler in Company C, Eighteenth 
Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

William J. Sterritt of Downieville in Company B, 
Fourteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

William H. Miller of Parkers Landing in Company ( . 
Fourteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Charles E. Bartley of Mars in Company B, Si.\teenth 
Pennsvlvania Volunteers. 

Howard C. Harper of Butler in Company B, Sixteenth 
Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Alton G. Say in Company G. Sixteenth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. 

Peter Dunkle in Company G, Sixteenth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers. 

Bernard Gallagher of Butler in Company G, Eight- 
eenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Martin L. Walters of Clinton Township in Eighteenth 
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Edward Westerman of Clinton Township in a United 
States regiment in the Philippine service. 



Forty-first V 
Light 



S. V( 



Battery B, 



Four 



the Rough Rider 



Fred Dickey of Butler 
teers Philippine service. 

George A. Gill of Monro 
Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Alfred Jennings of Petr 
A rtillery. 

Charles Henry of Butler ii 

Hale T. Plants in Company G, Fourteenth Pe 
vania Volunteers. 

William Hunter of Builer in the Seventeenth U. S. 
Infantry. 

Frank Killen of Butler in the Fourth U. S. Artillery. 

Wallace O. Rimer of BuHer in the Fourth XJ. S. 
Artillery. 

Ira A. Murphy of Butler serveil two years in a United 
States regiment in the Philippines. 

The following were enlisted in Company 
F, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers : 

Sergeant — Clarence Imbire. Harrisonville. 

Privates— Edward Cliiistl.y. sli|ipery Rock; L. M. 
Daubenspeck. North AV,ishiiii;inii ; V.. P. Storey, Evans 
City; James Orr. .1. H. hum; 0. F. Thompson, 
Harrisville; Frank Bovar.l. Harrisville; Joseph H. 
Bovard. Harrisville: Wilbur L. Brandon, Butler; 
Charles B. Fuhrer. Harrisville; Robert W. Frishkoen. 
Evans City; James Love. Butler; Herman Pond, West 
Sunbury; John M. Roth, Prospect; Charles C. Starkey, 
Zeno; John B. Storey, Baldwin. 

Ernest Koen of Butler served as a private in Company 
C, Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Hugh G. SprouU of Boyer served as a private in Com- 
pany C, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Charles A. Cummings, who served as a private in Com- 
pany E, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was com- 
missioned First Lieutenant in the Forty-seventh U. S. 
Volunteer Regiment and served in the Philippines. 



320 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



■William S. Barr of Butler, who volunteered with 
Company E, Fifteenth Regiment, National Guard, enlist- 
ed in Company C, First U. S. Infantry, in the Philippine 
service and was instantly killed on the firing line in one 
of the battles in which the regiment was engaged. 

William A. Teague of Butler served as a private in 
Company G, Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, in the war with Spain, and enlisted in Company 
B, Twentj--eighth United States Volunteers in the Philip- 
pine service. 

George R. Graham of Butler served as a private in the 
Fourth United States Artillery. 

William C. Faber of Butler enlisted in the Philippine 
service and served in one of the regular regiments. 



N.-iTIONAL GUARD. 

Followiug the indepeudeut commauds 
after the Civil War came the organization 
of the National Guard of Pennsylvania. 
In 1873 Butler Borough had two military 
organizations, Captain George W. Flee- 
ger's company, and Captain John M. 
Greer's company, the latter organization 
being known as the Aaron Sullivan Guards. 

Some rivalry existed as to which organi- 
zation would be taken into the new guard, 
and in 1874 F. A. Cochran of Apollo, who 
was on the staff of General Harry White, 
came to Butler and inspected the compa- 
nies. On his recommendation the Aaron 
Sullivan Guards were selected for a place 
in the new organization, and were mus- 
tered in the state service as Company A, 
Thirteenth Regiment, Eighth Brigade, of 
tlie Ninth Division. The officers of the 
company were John ]\I. Greer, captain; 
AVilliam Burton, first lieutenant; John 
Rosenberg, second lieutenant. In 1877 the 
officers of the company were: Captain 
J. B. Storey; first lieutenant, William H. 
Ensminger; second lieutenant, William A. 
Stein. The same year the company did 
service at the riots in Pittsburg. 

Following the riots a reorganization of 
the National Guard took place and the But- 
ler Company was transferred and became 
Company E, of the Sixteenth Regiment. 
Captain Storey was jn-omoted to major 
and later to lieutenant colonel. William 
H. Ensminger was ])ronioted to captain of 
the company; William T. Mechling to first 



lieutenant, and Eli D. Robinson to second 
lieutenant. This arrangement lasted until 
1882, when the Butler company was again 
transferred and became Company E, Fif- 
teenth Regiment of the Second Brigade. 
AVilliam T. Mechling was promoted to cap- 
tain; Eli D. Robinson to first lieutenant, 
and John B. Brown, second lieutenant. 
The company went to the Homestead riots 
in 1892 with Ira McJunkin as captain; 
Alexander Borland first lieutenant, and 
George S. Afechling second lieutenant. 
Captain William T. Mechling had been 
]n'omoted to lieutenant colonel and John 
W. Brown to battalion adjutant. 

When President McKinley called for vol- 
unteers for service in the war against 
Spain in 1898, every man on the roll of 
Company E volunteered — a record equaled 
by but one other company in the state. 
The command left Butler on the 27th of 
April for Mt. Gretna and on the 10th and 
11th of Ma J" were mustered into the United 
States volunteer service. The officers of 
the company were Ira McJunkin, captain ; 
George S. Mechling, first lieutenant; Al- 
bert T. Scott, second lieutenant. 

For roll of company, see muster roll of 
Company E, Fifteenth Regiment, Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers, Spanish War. 

When the volunteer organizations re- 
turned from the war in 1899, they were as- 
signed their old places in the National 
Guard. At the reorganization of the Fif- 
teenth Regiment, William T. Mechling of 
Butler was elected colonel. Captain Ira 
]\rcJunkin was promoted to regimental 
adjutant, and Ben R. Williams to first lieu- 
tenant and battalion adjutant. The com- 
pany officers were J. F. Moore, captain; 
John J. Martin, first lieutenant, and Oscar 
McClung, second lieutenant. 

The following year, 1900, there was an- 
other reorganization of the guard which 
affected the Butler company. The Fif- 
teenth regimental headquarters at Butler 
were disbanded and the officers placed on 
the retired list. Companies A, B, E, F, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



321 



and K were transferred to the Sixteenth 
Regiment and the other companies were 
mustered out of the state service. In the 
new organization the Butler company is 
designated as Company L, Sixteenth Regi- 
ment. In 1901, John J. Martin was elected 
captain of the company, Thomas M. Mc- 
Kee first lieutenant, and Arda J. Cumher- 
land second lieutenant. Captain Martin 
resigned in 1902 and James A. McKee was 
elected to fill the vacancy. On the 7th of 
October of the same year the company was 
ordered to the anthracite coal regions and 
did duty for twenty-eight days at Mt. Car- 
mel and Shenandoah. The present officers 
of the company are : Arda J. Cumherlaud, 
captain; Andrew J. Thompson, first lieu- 
tenant; Roy J. Burtner, second lieutenant. 
In the thirty-five years of its existence 
the company has been called out into the 
service of the state three times and into 
the United States service once, and on each 
occasion has responded with a full quota 
of men in record-making time. It has been 
recognized as one of the most efficient com- 
mands in the state by the inspecting offi- 
cers, and has taken both regimental and 
brigade honors. In 1907 it led the regi- 
ment in the number of expert rifle men. 

EOSTER OF COMPANY L, SIXTEENTH REGI- 
MENT, NATIONAL GUARD. 

First Sergeant — William J. P. Colling. 

Quartermaster Sergeant — Robert A. Brookliart. 

Sergeants— William M. Teague, James F. Pollock, 
William A. Cappeau, James E. Fisher. 
■ Corporals — Merrill W. Shawky, Earl R. Ellenberger, 
Charles R. Harding, Lewis F. Euhy, Lewis M. Cumber- 
land. 

Musician — George Brookhart. 

Artificer— Oliver B. Holt. 

Company Clerk — Harry L. Kelley. 

Cooks — Samuel McCulloiigh, Daniel A. Kamerer. 

Privates— Joseph T. Black,. Claire Burtner, Arthur 
Deimling, Fred F. Eichelberger, Grover C. Fredley, How- 
ard H. Hutchison, Arba A. Humes, William C. Jackson, 
George Kelley, Lewis C. Kelley, William C. Lampton, 
Frank Montgomery. Samuel J. McCall, Cecil N. MeCand- 
less, William C. McCandless, Raymond McCullough, Wil- 
bert McCullough, John R. McCracken, David M. Orr, 
Paul R. Robb, Ben P. Sherman, Frederick Shoupp, 
Harry A. Smith, Eddie E. Starr, Don R. Urquhart, Ed- 
ward Zimmel, .Tames W. Wilson, Frank O. Wilson, Clyde 
Ramsey. Raymond S. Anchors, Findley E. Hartley, Harry 



L. Condron, Charles A. Mattern, Earl Ralston, Harry 
Mosher, Frank Eenshaw, R. Bracken, Leo Bradley, 
Emory D. Baker, William L. Walker. 

Captain — Arda J. Cumberland. 

First Lieutenant — Andrew J. Thompson. 

Second Lieutenant — Roy I. Burtner. 



THE SIXTEENTH REGIMENT BAND. 

About the first of July, 190.3, Col. Willis 
J. Hulings of Oil City, commander of the 
Sixteenth Regiment, National Guard, 
found that he had no regimental band for 
camp that year. He communicated with 
the Germania Baud of Butler through 
Capt. James A. McKee, who was in com- 
mand of Company L, Sixteenth Regiment, 
at that time, with the result that the local 
musical organization was recruited up to 
twenty-eight men and mustered into the 
state service a few days before the annual 
encampment of the guard. The organiza- 
tion at once took a leading place among the 
military bands of the state, and has been 
highly commended by both the state and 
regular army officers. The officers are: 
Principal musician, Eugene Morrison ; 
chief musician, A. Judson Bowser; drum 
major, Ben Christley. 

COMPANY G, TWENTY-FIRST REGIMENT. 

When Company E, Fifteenth Regiment, 
left for the war with Spain the patriotic 
siiirit ran high in Butler County. It was 
understood at the beginning that only tlie 
organized militia would be taken in the 
100,000 volunteers called for by the Presi- 
dent, and that when the National Guard 
companies were fully recruited the quota 
of Pennsylvania would be filled. Few, in- 
deed, thought there would be no further 
call for troops. Capt. Ira McJunkin, com- 
mander of Company E, urged several for- 
mer members of the company to organize 
a second company, so that there would be 
no delav in furnishing troops if further 
calls were made. On April 27th, 1898, 
after the departure of Company E, and the 
Fifteenth Regiment from Butler for the 
point of mobilization at Mt. Gretna, a mass 



322 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



meeting was held in the armory to organ- 
ize a military (•<)in])any. Fifty-two names 
were enrolled that night and at a meeting 
held two nights latei- the number had been 
increased to 103. The company was named 
the Butler Volunteers, .lames A. McKee 
was elected captain; James M. Maxwell, 
first lieutenant, and John C. Graham, sec- 
ond lieutenant. All of the officers had 
served six yeai's in the i-anks of Company 
E, Fifteenth Regiment, of the National 
Gruard. Drilling was commenced at once 
and the services of the company tendered 
to the governor of the state and the War 
Department. When the second call came, 
the new organizations were taken from 
coimties which had no representation in 
the Guard previous to the war, and the 
Butler Volunteers were placed on the wait- 
ing list. 

The efficiency of the Butler organization 
was recognized by the military authori- 
ties of tiie state, however, and it was 
tendered a place in the provisional guard, 
oi-ganized to take the place of the old 
organization. The company was mus- 
tei-ed into the state service July 8th, 
1898, by Major John Penny, of the 
staff of General Charles Miller, as com- 
j.any G, Twenty-first Regiment, Col. E. V. 
D. Seldon. During its short existence the 
company furnished many drilled recruits 
to the organization in the field, both vol- 
unteer and regular, and in the Philippine 



service. It jiasscd two creditable inspec- 
tions and was imi>t('r('d out of the state 
service March H, l!i()(), ak)ng with the other 
companies of the provisional guard, to 
give place to the old guard, which had been 
promised reinstatement upon their return 
from the volunteer service. The career of 
Company G was short and the service in- 
glorious, but its members are entitled to 
the consideration of iiaving i)ifpared them- 
selves for active lield serxice at a time 
when it was tho light that their services 
would be needed. The roster of the or- 
ganization is as follows : 

Cajitain — .Tames A. McKee. 

Kiist Lieutenant — James M. ilaxwell. 

Second Lieutenant — John C. Graham. 

Sergeants — Alex. G. Kelley, Eobert H. McCutcheon, 
.r. O. Mitchell, Clarence Kelley, William F. Parker. 

Corporals — John G. Dunn, Arda J. Cumberland, 
William B. Eastman, F. E. Kelley. Philip Coulter, Haz- 
zard H. Jackson, Herman Liebold, .James A. McDowell. 

Company Clerk — Alfred J. Weigaud. 

Privates^Bobert J. Allen, Joseph M. .Atchison, Plum- 
mer L. Bellis, William M. Briner, Edward B. Black, 
Willia.n B. Bowser, W'illiam K. Bathgate, Albert Bow- 
ers, Jacob Bowers, Ira Benninger, Philip Coulter, .\udlev 
Campbell, Horace G. Christy. Harrv Cumberland, E. K. 
Campbell, William Dufford," Michael L. Pin is. William 
J. Dunbarr, .John H. Dickey, Albert Duwcli. I'l.-.l [i,., k.v. 
.Alfred Fullerton, Theodore Fair, Georo.- I'ir.lliv. .1. I;. 
Floyd, William Hunter. S.imuel .lacks., ii. I^k.nt \V. 
Kaib, Warren E. Kirk. Fr.-ink Kill,-!, AIImmI (I. Kcttircr, 
William J. Lee, Frank Lewis. Wilii.ini .1. :Sl:niny, Jo- 
seph M. Miller, .John C. MnithiiHl, llmrv .Mangel, Ed- 
ward Mahood, Robert M. McCullough, Stewart J. Me- 
Marlin, William MeCall, Charles Maxler, E. L. Marshall, 
Paul Oesterling, Patrick Babbit, Wallace Bimer, J. h. 
Ralston, Charles W. Stroup, George B. Slentz, William 
•v. Smith, Cornelius Snodgrass, .A. B. Swanev, H. G. 
Smith, John D. Sharp, Miles F. Wraver. Ira A. Wilsi.n, 
Elmer E. Wise, John W. Zeigler. 



CHAPTER XI 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 



The Old Doctor — Some Borough and County Physicians — Homeopaths — Osteopathy- 
Registered Physicians — Butler Medical Association — Typhoid Fever Epidemic — 
Belief Society Organized — Ladies' Auxiliary Committees — Dr. Bait's Work- 
Hospital Established — Supply Booms— Diet Kitchen — Clara Barton's Visit — Re- 
lief Fund — History of the Water Supply— Financial Beport— Butler County Gen- 
eral Hospital — Nurses' Training School. 



The first physioians to come witliiu the 
limits of Butler County were those con- 
nected with the Rapp settlement at Har- 
mony in 1705. Previous to that the leech 
or the "blood letter" was the physician of 
the comnmnity, and in fact for many years 
after, the practice of bleeding for many ail- 
ments was common among the people and 
was not despised by the old-time physi- 
oians as late as the middle of the last cen- 
tury. Midwifery was then practiced by 
tlie women, though in serious cases a doc- 
tor would sometimes be called from 
Oxreensburg or Pittsburg. 

The pioneer physician was an educated 
man for his day, but he was illy equipped 
with instruments and the remedies he used 
were few and simple. In waging an un- 
equal war against disease he was com- 
pelled to depend largely upon his common 
sense, thereby establisliing an individual- 
ity that was always marked and occasion- 
ally peculiar and eccentric. He learned 
to know the people and to treat their com- 
plaints with as fair a degree of success as 
could be ex})ected, and he left behind him 
when he died an honorable name as the 
l)rincipal heritage of his descendants. 



THE OLD DOCTOE. 

No better pen picture of the "Old Doc- 
tor" could be given than is contained in 
the following sketch taken from a paper 
read by Dr. A. M. Xeyman, retired, of But- 
ler before the Butler County Medical As- 
sociation at the annual banquet in 1900. 
Dr. Neyman is now in his eig-hty-third 
year and as he knew personally nearly all 
of the doctors of the old school, as well as 
those of the new, mentioned in this work, 
he is s]ieakiiin- as an old-time doctor about 
the doctors „f is;;() to 1850. 

"The 'Old Doctor' of my earliest recol- 
lection — of sixty to seventy years ago, as 
I remember him — was quite in contrast 
with the medical man, even with the old 
doctors, of to-day. Ditferent in appeai'- 
ance, manner, and especially in methods. 

"I hope to be altogether impersonal or 
uncritical in anything I may say of liim, as 
the remembrance of his general demeanor 
compares very favorably with the average 
physician of the present, and as I might 
myself be considered as 'dragging my 
slow length along' in professional work 
to an unreasonable extent. 

"He was almost universallv a general 



324 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



practitioner — physician, surgeon, dentist, 
obstetrician. Specialists were rare in those 
days. In appearance lie was not so par- 
ticular as to personal adornments as in 
dignity of manner. He had usually enough 
clientele and was not tempted to resort to 
unprofessional terms to increase it. 

"He spent much of his time on horse- 
back, and was usually an expert horseman. 
The country being thinly populated, 
wheeled vehicles were few and often im- 
practicable. Everybody got about on 
horseback; even the women showed expert 
horsemanship, and captivated many a 
heart among the sterner sex by ther man- 
agement of a proud charger. The doctor's 
horse was bred for the saddle; high with- 
ers, short back, round barrel, compact in 
loins, pliant neck, ears well set up on bony 
head, and pasterns long and elastic. They 
were often from strains of Rappa- 
hannocks, bred in Virginia or Kentucky. 
"When a doctor mounted a horse of this 
kind, with saddle-bags of the pattern of 
the day, open on one side, laced with a 
leathei-n strap, leggings enveloped his 
nether limbs down to the toes, spurs at 
heels, and a top coat rolled up like a knap- 
sack on tlie saddle cloth, he commanded 
the admiration of the whole community. 

"In manner the Old Doctor was more 
dignified than his successor of to-day. The 
age required it. He was an educated man 
usually, and was accor(lc(l n high place in 
the community. His deportment in the 
sick room would perhaps be considered 
brusciue in the present day. 

"I have known him, off and on, for some 
seventy years ; have sympathized with him 
and hated him periodically all these years. 
I began to know him most thoroughly when 
about five years old, and when ill with the 
croup. He was invited in, and like doc- 
tors of to-day, ever ready to obey such in- 
vitations, he promptly appeared. Short, 
stout and active, Kris Kingle-like with a 
portmanteau, but not suggestive of Christ- 
mas things at all. His appearance and 



manner impressed and helped my breath- 
ing somcwliat at once, and when he put me 
into a tub of hot water and stirred a large 
yellow powder in a cup of warm water 
with a thick, dumpy finger and forcibly as- 
sisted me in swallowing it — I felt sick, paid 
tribute in fact, until there was no more 
croup or anything else. I became deeply 
impressed with the thoroughness of his 
methods. Tlie next time I met him was 
some years later when I had a tooth to 
pull. I found him, the doctor, this time a 
fine-looking gentleman, easy and quiet in 
manner. After investigating the tooth he 
went in tlie same easy manner to a drawer 
and secured a piece of iron armed with a 
cant-hook at one end and a cork-screw han- 
dle at the otiier, and — my toothache was 
gone. He insisted, however, on my seating 
myself on the floor while he, sitting behind 
me, his knees clasping my head, forced the 
liook on the offender and twisted it out. If 
there be any sudden torture equal to that, 
language fails me. 

"His methods and medical armament 
were in that day crude, comparatively. AVe 
now wonder how he got along with his cal- 
omel and jalap, emetics and clysters, blis- 
ters and lancets. Blood flowed in those 
days and invalids who rose from under his 
care felt that they had been having "a spell 
of sickness." And they often did rise to 
commence life anew, and indeed everything 
in them had to be made new. All the vi- 
talities went to work so vigorously that 
convalescence from acute attacks was has- 
tened and pronounced. In fact, I think a 
little of the 'old doctor's' decisive method, 
if applied to-day in some medical matters, 
might be of benefit. But it would be un- 
fair to criticize him in his day in compari- 
son with the practitioners now. He had 
no sugar-coated pellets or alkaloids — not 
even morphine; no fluid extracts, nor elix- 
irs, nor other desserts. Drugs were in 
bulk in his time, pharmacy was in its in- 
fancy; hence doses were large and often 
nauseous. He had no cocaine to relieve 



AND REPRP]SENTATIVE CITIZENS 



325 



pain; no hypodermic syringe; no anes- 
thetics, no ether, no chloroform. Sickness 
is a comfort now compared with then. Doc- 
tors of medicine now extract the active 
]irinciples of the old crude materia medica, 
and prescribe them in diminutive pellets, 
sugar-coated, or they cover up the objec- 
tionable qualities witli the aronaatics to 
suit the modern taste, as the doctors of 
divinity now talk of doing with the old 
Westminster Confession of Faith. 

"In one characteristic, however, the Old 
Doctor resembled the medical man of to- 
day. He never, or i-arely, accumulated 
wealth — rarely acquired more than a good 
living for himself and family through all 
his toilsome life. His life work educated 
him away from money-getting. He lived 
too constantly at the hearth-stone of the 
sick and distressed. His mind was too 
constantly occupied with the emotional and 
sympathetic side of life to study finance or 
Wall Street. 

"As one grows old he grows far-sighted 
— presbyopic, as oculists call it; that is, 
he sees more clearly objects at a distance. 
So in his mental eye the Old Doctor is in- 
clined to l)e far-sighted, and loves to re- 
call the incidents that came into his for- 
mer life." 

SOME BUTLER COUNTY PHYSICIANS. 

The pioneer ]iliysiciau of the county out- 
side of those who came to Harmony with 
the Rapp community, was Dr. George Mil- 
ler. He was the son of Prof. Samuel Mil- 
ler, who filled the chair of mathematics and 
natural sciences at Jefferson College in 
Canonsburg. Dr. Miller graduated from 
Jefferson College in 1813 and immediately 
began the study of medicine under Dr. 
Letherman of Can»nsburg, a man of ac- 
knowledged ability in his profession. Hav- 
ing completed his studies he came to But- 
ler and is said to have been the only physi- 
cian in Butler County at the time of the 
agrarian troubles on the Maxwell farm, 
which took place in 1815. In October of 



that year, when Maxwell was wounded, Dr. 
Miller came to his aid, while a messenger 
was sent to Pittsburg for Dr. Agnew, who 
arrived the evening of the day of the trag- 
edy. Dr. Miller practiced in Butler about 
eight years, removing in 1823 to Ohio, 
where he died prior to 1830. He married 
Martha, daughter of William Anderson, 
who resided near Warren, Trumbull Coun- 
tv, Ohio, who with four children survived 
liim. After the death of Dr. Miller his 
family returned to Butler and lived here 
many years. Dr. Miller was a member of 
the first Borough Coimcil in 1817, and was 
treasurer of the old Butler Academy. 

Henry C. DeWolfe was second resi- 
dent physician of Butler and a native of 
Hartford, Conn. He was a graduate of 
Yale College, and shortly after coming to 
Butler in 1817 or 1818 'he married Miss 
Jane McQuistion. He was chosen trustee 
of the academy in 1821 and treasurer of the 
borough in 1825, and filled many other of- 
fices of trust during his long residence 
here. His death occurred July 24th, 1854, 
in his seventy-third year. His son, T. E. 
DeWolfe, practiced here from 1851 to Au- 
gust 24th, 1859, when death removed him 
in his thirty-fifth year. He was born in 
1824 and was a graduate of Jefferson Col- 
lege and the Cleveland (Ohio) INIedieal Col- 
lege. 

Dr. George Lynn came to Butler from 
]\Iercer Coimty in 1823 and was one of the 
two physicians here that year. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Gibson in 1825 and was mak- 
ing rapid progress in his profession when 
called away by death in 1833. He was one 
of the pioneers of the temperance move- 
ment in Butler County. 

Dr. James Graham came here soon after 
the death of Dr. L^mn and shared the i^at- 
ronage of the people with Dr. DeWolfe 
untiUiis death in 1845. Dr. Graham was a 
native of Ireland and studied medicine be- 
fore coming to this country. Shortly after 
his arrival here he opened school in a 
building on Mclvean Street, opposite what 



326 



IfrSTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



has beeu known as tlu' Rink, and on the 
site of the residence of Captain Thomas 
Hayes. He brought with him from the old 
country some of the old methods of school 
teaching, and it is said that he was a past 
master in the use of the cat-o '-nine-tails. 
He was, however, a thorough physician 
and a scholar and in his sober hours was 
popular, but the use of drink led to his 
death. 

Some other physicians who practiced 
here between the periods of 1834 and 1835 
were Drs. Donnell & McQuaid, partners. 
Dr. George W. Getty s, and Dr. Goodall. 

De. GoTLEiB Miller, a graduate of Mar- 
burg University, Gei'many, came to Butler 
in 1841, and enjoyed a prosperous prac- 
tice imtil his death, which occurred in 
1849. 

H. C. Lynn, a nephew of Dr. George 
Lynn, began to practice in Butler in 1833. 
In 1835 he removed to West Sunbury, 
where he practiced until 1878, when he re- 
turned to Butler and entered the drug busi- 
ness. 

Dr. Isaiah McJunkin began to pra<'tice 
in Butler in 1844. He was born in Cen- 
ter Township, Butler County, in 1817 and 
received his education at the old Jefferson 
College at Canonsburg. He studied medi- 
cine under Dr. 0. D. Palmer of Zelienople, 
in 1841, and later in the Louisville Medi- 
cal College. He removed in 1860 to Chi- 
cago, and at once took a leading place 
among the physicians of that city. His. 
death occurred in 1863. 

Dr. Agnew practiced at Butler for a 
short time as the partner of Dr. McJun- 
kin. He practiced at Harmony after the 
Rapp community left and afterwards re- 
moved to Zelienople. He was the father of 
the late Judge Daniel Agnew, who was 
president judge of the district in 1851 to 
1863, and who in later years tilled an hon- 
orable career on the Supreme Bench of the 
State. 

Dr. Charles Stein, a graduate of the 
University of Bonn, Prussia, practiced in 



Butler and at West Sunbury from 1850 to 
1870. In the latter year he removed to 
AVheatland, where he died in: 1876, at the 
age of seventy-one years. 

Dr. Theodore Frickenstein practiced in 
Butler from 1864 to 1868. He removed to 
Brooklyn, N. Y., where he died recently. 

Dr. Charles Emmerling, who was one 
of the ablest nu'inl)ers of the profession in 
western Pennsylvania, came to Butler 
about 1854 and remained until 1865. He 
attained a large practice, but was even 
more successful in Pittsburg, where he 
went from Butler. 

Dr. George M. Zimmerman, who prac- 
ticed in Butler from 1869 to 1900, was the 
son of John Michael and Mary Barber 
Zimmerman, and was born in Butler No- 
vember 18, 1842. He graduated from Jef- 
ferson College, now Washington & Jeffer- 
son College, of Washington. Penna., in 
1867, and read medicine with Dr. Ste])hen 
Bredin. He attended the College of Phys- 
icians and Surgeons in New York City dur- 
ing the winter of 1867 and 1868 and tlie 
Jefferson Medical College of Philadel])hia 
the winter of 1869 and 1870. After his 
graduation he practiced in Winona, Minn., 
for a short time and in Hubbard, Ohio, re- 
moving from the latter i>lace to his native 
toAvn in 1872, where he continued to prac- 
tice until his death. 

Dr. a. ^r. Neymax, who is now living in 
Butler, is in liis ciglily third year, and is 
the oldest living jjliysician in the county. 
He was the son of Abraham Markel and 
Eleanor (McClearv) Nevman, and was 
born in Butler February 6, 1826. He re- 
ceived his education in the old Butler 
Academy under the late Rev. William 
White, who was at that time cojisidered 
one of the finest linguists in the State. 
Subsequently he taught school in the coun- 
try and clerked in the office of justice of 
the i)eace, but conceiving a fondness for 
the study of medicine, he went to Zanes- 
ville, Ohio, in 1845 and began reading med- 
icine with Dr. Washington Morehead of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



327 



that place. lu 1847 he returned to But- 
ler and again resorted to school teaching 
and other occupations to sustain himself 
and provide means for future study. In 

1849 he was associated with Rev. William 
White and taught the English branches in 
the old Butler Academy. In the spring of 

1850 ho again resmned the study of medi- 
cine under Dr. W. J. Randolph, who was 
then a successful jthysician of Butler. He 
attended the AVestern Hescrvc .Medical Col- 
lege of Cleveland, graduating from that in- 
stitution in 1853. Immediately after his 
graduation he returned to Butler and 
opened the practice which he has followed 
very successfully imtil a few years ago, 
when the infirmities of his advanced age 
compelled him to retire. There is perha])S 
no member of the medical profession in 
Butler County with a wider reputation 
than Dr. Neyman, as his many years of 
practice has made him known to every 
household. What he has done in the sev- 
eral branches of surgery and medicine can- 
not be detailed here, but one case that is 
worthy of mention, and has been little 
heard of is told with his permission. It 
was Cesarean section done by Dr. Emmer- 
ling and him in the summer of 1860, both 
mother and child surviving. It was the 
first authenticated operation of its kind 
west of the Allegheny Mountains, with a 
result of which any surgeon might feel 
justly proud. Dr. Xeyman is a doctor of 
the old school, but has kept thoroughly 
abreast of the times, not alone in medi- 
cines, but in the arts and sciences; a thor- 
ough gentleman, his code of professional 
ethics is, and always has been, above re- 
proach; modest, honest, dignified and just 
in all his dealings with all his fellow men, 
his daily life and acts are surely worthy 
of emulation. 

Dk. Samuel Grahaji practiced in Butler 
from 1865 to 1897. He was born in But- 
ler, January 31, 1836, and was the son of 
John B. and Sarah (Gilkey) Graham, and 
grandson of Robert Graham, one of the 



first settlers of the borough. He was edu- 
cated in the public schools and in the old 
Witherspoon Institute, Butler. He com- 
menced the study of medicine with Dr. L. 
R. McCurdy, of Butler, and entered the 
National Medical College of Washington, 
D. C, where he remained two years. In 
]861 he answered the call of liis country 
and enlisted in Company H, Thirteenth 
Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served thi-ee 
months. He then entered Jefferson 2iledi- 
cal College, Philadelphia, from which he 
graduated in March, 1862. He again en- 
tered the service of the United States as 
assistant surgeon of the 174th Pennsylva- 
nia Volunteers, with which he remained un- 
til 1863. In 1864 he joined the United 
States Medical staff in Emory Hospital, 
Washington, D. C, and was subsequently 
appointed surgeon of the Eighty-first 
Pennsylvania Volunteers, with which regi- 
ment he remained until the close of the 
war. Dr. Graham was president of the 
County and State Medical Society and a 
member of the U. S. Pension Board in this 
district for ten vears previous to his death, 
June 10, 1897. " While Dr. Graham was a 
skillful physician, he was preeminently a 
surgeon, in which branch he acquired a 
greater popularity than usually comes to 
the life of the all-around doctor. His death 
was lamented by a large clientele, and he 
is missed liy tiie ])r()fessi(.n, not only for 
his ])rofessional attainments, but for his 
amiable and happy influence in councils. 

De. W. J. Randolph was one of the suc- 
cessful surgeons in Butler from 1850 to 
1853. He was afterwards in the army and 
when the war closed engaged in cotton 
raising in North Carolina, where he resided 
until his death. 

Dr. DuPanchell, a French physician, 
was here in the thirties. He is said to 
have been a polished and learned gentle- 
man, a skillful physician and surgeon. One 
of the stories told about his skill in sur- 
gery concerned a hostler employed at Pat- 
rick Kellv's hotel, who was of somewhat 



328 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



delifieut mental powers. It is .said that Dr. 
DuPanchell trepanned the hostler's skull 
with success as to render him a sensihle 
mortal. 

Dr. John Cowden, the founder of a fam- 
ily that was noted for tlie number of its 
physicians, was a native of Butler County. 
He read medicine in Ohio and established 
himself as a physician at Portersville as 
early as 1818. After n labor of fifty years 
among the first settlers of the northwest- 
ern township and their children and gi-and- 
children, he removed to AUenheny City, 
where he died February j.jth, 1880, in his 
eighty-third year. 

Dr. William R. Cowpen, of Middle Lan- 
caster, was the son of Dr. John Cowden 
above mentioned, and was born in Por- 
tersville in 1820. He graduated from Jef- 
ferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 
the spring of 1846 and began practicing 
in his native town. With the exception of 
three years spent in West Sunbury and a, 
few years in Worth Township, he was en- 
gaged in active duties of his profession 
for nearly fifty years at Portersville, re- 
moving to Middle Lancaster about 1893, 
where he died in April, 1897. 

Dr. William Rush Cowden and Dk. 
John Victor Cowden of Butler are sons 
of William R. Cowden, M.D., above men- 
tioned. William R. is a graduate of the 
Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville . 
in the class of J894. He practiced at Ze- 
lienople and Renfrew before he came to 
Butler. Dr. John Victor Cowden is a grad- 
uate of West Penn Medical College of 
Pittsburg, in the class of IS!)^). and tlie 
Philadelphia Polyclinic in 1902, and prac- 
ticed at Middle Lancaster and Renfrew be- 
fore moving to Butler in 1902. 

Dk. Gleason, a Philadelphian, attained 
some prominence as a lecturer on medical 
and sanitary subjects, and was here in the 
forties. 

Henri DeColiere was a French physi- 
cian who located in Butler in the forties 
and obtained much notoriety. He had his 



office on Main Street, adjoining Anthony 
Rockenstein, and near the Col. John M. 
Sullivan residence, now occupied by the 
Schultis and Koch buildings. A tire in 
1859 destroyed the Rockenstein building 
and the one occupied by Dr. DeColiere, and 
when it became known that the French doc- 
tor had his property heavily insured, many 
looked upon him as the incendiary. Owing 
to his fondness for using the knife he was 
generally feared by the people, though he 
was believed to be a skilled i)hysician and 
surgeon. Owing to this })roi)ensity he was 
once placed on trial for nuinslaugiiter, but 
escaped the jail. On another occasion he 
was called to attend a case of delirium 
tremens in Butler. After diagnosing the 
case, he declared that the patient would 
die "in three minutes" and it was said 
that, to make his prediction good, he ad- 
ministered a poison which killed the man 
within the time specified. 

Dr. George K. McAdoo began the prac- 
tice of medicine in Butler County in 1892. 
He was the sou of W. F. and Maria (Du- 
mars) McAdoo of Sugar Grove, Mercer 
County, Penna., and was born July 21. 
1866. He was educated at Thiel College, 
Greenville, and Grove City College, and 
graduated from the West Penn Medical 
College, Pittsburg, in the class of 1892. 
He practiced at Anandale and at Slippery 
Rock from 1892 to 1898, when he removed 
to Butler. He went to Europe in 1900 and 
took a post-graduate course and was en- 
gaged in special work in Butler when his 
death occurred on December 23, 1903, from 
typhoid fever, being one of the victims of 
the epidemic in Butler that year. 

Dr. John E. Byers was born in Siunmit 
Township, Butler County, June 15th, 18-18. 
He was educated at Withersi)Oon Institute, 
Butler, and entered the office of Dr. A. M. 
Ne\nnan as a student of medicine in the 
early seventies. He. graduated from the 
Medical University of New York C'ity in 
1878 and located in Butler the same year. 
He was a member of the County Medical 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



329 



Society, the State Medical Society and the 
National Association of Railway Surgeons. 
At the time of his death he had been sur- 
geon for the Pennsylvania Railroad at But- 
ler for over twenty years. AVhen the ty- 
phoid fever epidemic broke out in Butler 
in the winter of 1903-1904 Dr. Byers was 
a member of the Butler Board of Health. 
Although suffering from impaired health 
he performed Herculean labors in taking- 
care of the sick and the distressed in the 
dark days of November and December and 
literally died at his post of duty. While 
visiting a fever patient on February S, 
1904, he suddenly collapsed and in a few 
hours a life of noble sacrifice had ended. 

Dr. John F. Turner of Hooker regis- 
tered in Butler County in 1893. He is now 
in charge of the Govei'nment Sanitarium 
for the care of Indians in South Dakota. 

Dr. Fr.^nk Crawford was born in Cran- 
berry Township, Butler County, and was 
the son of Dr. Elder Crawford, who is 
now a resident of Mars. He graduated 
from the AVest Penn Medical College of 
Pittsburg, in 1896, and practiced at Glade 
Mills, AlIcghciiN- City and Mars. His sud- 
den dt'iilli in l!Mi(l cut short a promising ca- 
reer and (iuiscd genuine sorrow in the 
community. 

Dk. McCitrdy Bricker was liorn in Buf- 
falo Township, Butler County, on April 2, 
1868, and was the son of John Bricker. He 
began the study of medicine in the West- 
ern University of Pennsylvania at Pitts- 
burg and completed his studies at the Med- 
ical College at Indianapolis in 1894. He 
bemme associated with Dr. A. M. Hoover 
of Butler, the same year, and a year later 
opened an office himself. At the time of 
his death January 10, 1908, he had a large 
practice and was one of the leading physi- 
cians of Butler. 

Dr. Sylvester D. Bell was one of the 
leading physicians of Butler at the close 
of the last century. He was born in Arm- 
strong County in 1847 and was the grand- 
son of Samuel Bell, an earlv settler of 



Washiugton Township, Butler County. 
His parents were Samuel S. and Margaret 
(McClymonds) Bell. His preceptor in the 
study of medicine was Dr. T. M. McMillan 
of Fairview Township, and he graduated 
from the Western Reserve Medical College 
at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1874. He practiced 
at Chicora (Millerstown) until 1890 when 
he removed to Butler and continued his 
practice until 1901, when he removed to 
Pi-escott, Arizona, wliere he died Janu- 
ary 14, 1902. Dr. Bell was a member of 
the Butler County Medical Association and 
the State Medical Society. He was vice- 
])resident of the latter society for one term, 
president of the Butler County Medical So- 
ciety for one term, and secretary and 
treasurer for three successive terms. He 
was a Republican jiolitically, and was 
elected to the State Legislature on the Re- 
publican ticket in 1881. He served one 
term as county chaii'man and was one of 
the presidential electors in 1892. 

Dr. Harry A. Bell was born in Chicora 
(Millerstown), Butler County, and was the 
son of Dr. Sylvester D. Bell of Butler. He 
received his preliminary education in the 
high schools of Butler and in Washington 
and Jefferson College, graduating from the 
latter institution in 1894, and from the 
medical department of the University of 
Pennsylvania in 1897. He succeeded to 
the practice of his father in Butler and 
continued to jiractiee here until 1902, when 
he removed to Arizona, where his death 
occurred November 17th of that year. 

Dr. C. F. McBride, a native of Butler, 
graduated from Jefferson Medical College, 
Philadelphia, in 1875. He practiced at 
Butler, Harrisville and Fairview until 
1882, when he removed to Youngstown, 
Ohio. 

Dr. Stephen Bredin, second son of Hon. 
John Bredin, l>egan the ]>ractice of medi- 
cine in Butler in 1861. He had graduated 
from the medical department of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 
1856 and practiced several years in the 



330 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



AA'est before locating in Butler. He oou- 
tiuued practicing- in Butler until 1885, 
when he removed to P^rauklin, Penna. He 
is now living in New Jersey. 

Dr. Walter Scott Patterson was born 
in Beaver Count j', Pennsylvania, and is a 
graduate of the Jefferson Medical College, 
Philadelphia, in the class of 1901, and of 
the Ada (Ohio) School of -Pharmacy in 
the class of 1898. He located in Butler in 
1902 and has built up an extensive prac- 
tice. He takes an active interest in polit- 
ical affairs, and was elected county coroner 
on the Republican ticket in 1905. He has 
associated with him, in his practice, his 
wife, Dr. Ella A. H. Patterson, who is a 
physician of recognized ability. 

Dr. Frank Ij. Hazlett was born in Con- 
noquenessing Township, Butler County, 
April 24, 1878, and is a son of Leslie P. 
Hazlett, Esq., of Butler. He was educated 
at Grove City College, class of 1898, and 
at JelTerson Medical College, Philadelphia, 
graduating from that institution in 1903. 
He practiced in Butler from 1903 until 
1906, when he removed to Bruin, Butler 
County, where he died on July 24, 1907. 

Dr. Leslie R. Hazlett is the son of 
Thomas Hazlett, of Butler, and was born 
in Butler Township September 1, 1868. He 
graduated from Edinboro (Penna.) Nor- 
mal School in the class of 1890, and fol- 
lowed the profession of school teaching for 
several years before taking u]) the study 
of medicine. He graduated from the Jef- 
ferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 
the class of 1896, and the same year lo- 
cated in New Galilee, Penna., where lie 
practiced for six years. After completing 
a ]30st-graduate course in Philadelphia in 
1902, he located in Butler. He has built 
up a large general practice, besides a line 
of special work, and is one of the leading- 
physicians of the town. 

Dr. John Wesley Flick Moore was a 
native of Armstrong County. He gradu- 
ated from the Jefferson Medical College 
in 1894 and located in Butler in the same 



year. He was a man of exceptional social 
qualities and an able iihysician. On June 
14, 1903, he met with an accident which 
caused his death. 

Dr. Warren E. High was a native of 
Reading, Penna., and a graduate of the 
medical department of the Western Uni- 
versitv of Pennsvlvania, Philadelphia, in 
the class of ]894." He entered the Ignited 
States Navy and saw service in the S]ian- 
ish American war and in the Phiiii)iiines. 
Ill health caused him to leave the navy and 
he registered in Butler as a practicing 
phvsician in 1906. His death occurred in 
Biitler in May, 1907. 

Dr. Nicholas N. Hoover, who is now a 
resident of Butler, was born in Armstrong 
County in 1836, and is the son of David 
and Mary (Myers) Hoover, who were both 
descendants of German families of the 
eastern part of the State. He was edu- 
cated at the old Freeport Academy and 
began the study of medicine with Dr. 
Thomas McGill of Freeport. He attended 
lectures at the Cleveland Medical College 
in 1S(i()-lS(n, and the summer of ISlil found 
him enlisted in his country's defense and 
a private soldier of the Sixty-first Regi- 
ment of Ohio Volunteers. He served with 
much credit until the expiration of his time 
in July, 1864, having participated in vari- 
ous campaigns and battles through the 
states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee 
and Georgia. During the battle of AVau 
Hatchie, Ga., fought at night between Gen- 
eral Hooker's troops and the rebel Gen- 
eral Bragg 's, he was slightly wounded. 
With the close of his first term of military 
service, he again turned his attention to 
medieal work and attended a course of lec- 
tures at Jefferson Medical College at Phil- 
adelphia, graduating from that institution 
in March, 1865. He was immediately com- 
missioned assistant surgeon of the Eighty- 
seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, and at once assumed his duties, re- 
maining in the field until the close of the 
war. In the fall of 1865, he located at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



331 



North Washiugtou, where lie practiced un- 
til 1888, when he removed to Butler. He 
continued in the active duties of his pro- 
fession until 1903, when ill health com- 
pelled him to retire. 

Dk. James Cooper McKee, lieutenant- 
colonel and surgeon of the United States 
army, was born in Butler Borough May 
18, 1830, and died at his residence in But- 
ler. December 11, 1897. He was the son 
of Hugh McKee, a pioneer manufacturer 
of Butler, and the grandson of Thomas 
McKee, a soldier of the Revolution, who 
settled in Butler Township in 1777. He 
was educated at the public schools and at 
the Butler Academy and in 1848 he at- 
tended Duquesne College at Pittsburg. He 
began the study of medicine under Dr. 
William Thompson, of Indianapolis, and 
attended lectures at the University of 
Pennsylvania, at Phi!adeli)liia, graduating 
from that institution in 1852. Dr. McKee 
liegan practice at Altoona, where he con- 
tinued until 1856 and for the next year 
he )ir;i(tii'('(l in HoUidaysburg. He was 
(■(iiiiiiii--inM('d assistant surgeon in the 
I'liitcd States army in 1858, and his iirst 
duty was in charge of a body of recruits 
across the plains from Ft. Leavenworth, 
Kansas, to Ft. Union, New ^Mexico, a march 
of 800 miles. He participated in the cam- 
paign against the Navajo Indians in New 
^fexico in 1858 and 1859, and in the cam- 
paign against the Ajiache Indians in Ari- 
zona in the winter of 1859 and 1860. In 
September, 1860, he was ordered into the 
Xavajo Indian country under (}eii. Canby, 
a winter campaign ensued, and the party 
did not get back to Fort Filmore until the 
following June. The Rebellion having 
broken out. Dr. jNIcKee was taken prisoner 
liy Major Baylor, who commanded the 
Texas militia, was paroled aiKl returned 
to Fort Leavenworth, and thence to Jef- 
ferson Barracks, Missouri. He was soon 
afterward relieved from parole by ex- 
I'hange and was assigned to duty in the 
annv. He w^s ordered to Fort Waviie an.'. 



thence to Camp Butler, Illinois, where he 
had charge of the rebel prisoners of war. 
He was next ordered to Chester, Penna., 
where he organized a hospital; thence to 
join Gen. Pope's army at Second Bull Run, 
where he served as assistant medical di- 
rector of the army. x\.t the battle of Antie- 
tam he was made assistant medical pur- 
veyor and was stationed at Frederick City, 
.Maryland, after the liattle. He was next 
sent to Baltimore and to Pittsburg, where 
he established hosjjitals, and in 1863 he 
was promoted to the rank of captain and 
placed in charge of Lincoln United States 
Hospital, Washington, whei'e he i-emained 
until the close of the war. 

Dr. McKee was next ordered to New 
Mexico, where he served as chief medical 
otHcer. Subsequently he was medical di- 
•rectoi' of the (lei)artment of Arizona and 
of the department of the Columbia, with 
headquarters at ^^ancouver Barracks, 
^^'ashington. He was also stationed at 
Fort Wadsworth, New York Harbor, and 
at Watertowu Arsenal. He was finally re- 
tired in 1891 for disabilities received in the 
line of duty, with the rank of lieutenant 
colonel. Colonel McKce was a man of dig- 
nified characer, fine literary tastes, and a 
skillful surgeon. While on the frontier 
he performed the first operation on the 
I)eritoneum recorded by the medical de- 
])artment of the army. The case was that 
of a young soldier who had swallowed a 
shingle nail and the jtiece of iron had 
lodged in the groin. Colonel M<d\ee was 
the author of a panqihlet giving the details 
of the surrender of his connuand at Fort 
Fillmore, which ran through several edi- 
tions and was highly prized by military 
men. At the time of his death Colonel Mc- 
Kee had a valuable library, which he left 
to the high school of Butler. 

Hon. Joseph B. Sho Walter was born in 
^^ayette Township, Penna., February 11, 
•1851, and is the youngest in the family of 
Levi and Elizabeth Showalter. He ob- 
tained his education in the public school 



332 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and at Georges Creek Academy at Smith- 
field. When sixteen years of age he began 
teaching school in Preston County, W. Va., 
and followed this vocation for several 
years in West Virginia, Indiana and Illi- 
nois. He came to Millerstown, now Chi- 
cora, with his brothers in 1873, and began 
operating in the oil field. These opera- 
tions were extended tlirough various fields 
until the Showalter brothers were rated 
among the extensive producers of the state. 
While teaching he began reading medicine 
and spent the year of 1883 at Long Island 
College Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y. Later 
he entered the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons, Baltimore, Md., where he was 
graduated March 4, 1884. He at once com- 
menced practice at Chicora and continued 
his professional duties until 1890, when he 
retired. Dr. Showalter was elected to the 
legislature on the Republican ticket in 
1886, and to the State Senate in 1888, and 
served his constituents with ability and 
fidelity. AVhile he was in the Senate, he 
was chosen chairman of the committee on 
health and sanitation, and introduced and 
secured the passage of the Medical Exam- 
ination Bill, for which he received a vote 
of thanks from the Pennsylvania State 
Medical Society. 

By the death of Congressman J. J. Dav- 
idson of Beaver County, January 2, 1897, 
a vacancy occurred in the Twenty-fifth 
District, and at a special election held 
April 20, 1897, Dr. Showalter was elected 
to fill the unexpired term. He was re- 
elected for the full term in 1898 and again 
in 1900. The reapportionment of the con- 
gressional districts in ]901 jilaced Butler 
in the district with Westmoreland County 
and at the succeeding election Col. George 
P. Huff was elected to succeed Di\ Sho- 
walter. Upon his retirement from his pub- 
lic duties in W^ashington City in 1904, Dr. 
Showalter removed to Butler, where he re- 
sided until 1907, when he removed to Pitts- 
burg. 

Dr. Thomas M. Maxwell is a son of Dr. 



J. K. Maxwell of Worthington, Armsti-ong 
County, and was born April 19, 1878. He 
gTaduated from Grove City College and 
from West Penn Medical College in 1903 
and located in Butler the same year. He 
is a member of the Butler County Medi- 
cal Association and the present secretai'y 
of the society. He is also a member of the 
State Medical Society, secretary of the 
Board of Health of Butler Borough, and 
local registrar of vital statistics for the 
district com^josed of Butler, Center, Sum- 
mit, Clearfield and Penn Townships and 
Butler Borough. He is assistant examiner 
of the State Tuberculosis Dispensary No. 
15, located in Butler. Dr. Maxwell was 
married June 2, 1904, to Miss ]\Iary B. 
Claypool, daughter of James E. Claypool 
of AVorthington. They have one daughter, 
Elizabeth. The family are mem]>ers of 
the Second Presbyterian Church. 

Dr. Harvey D. Hockenberry was born 
in Centerville, Butler County, October 
17, 1850. He received his primary educa- 
tion in the public schools and took an aca- 
demic course at the West Sunbury Acad- 
emy, after which he attended lectures at 
the medical department of the Wooster 
University, Cleveland, Ohio, and after- 
wards took a post-graduate course at Jef- 
ferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He 
located in West Sunbury in 1879 and has 
continued in the active duties of his pro- 
fession. Dr. Hockenberry is a member of 
the State ^Medical Society, and of Butler 
County. Medical Society, of which he was 
president in 1893 and in 1899. He is medi- 
cal examiner of the State Tuberculosis Dis- 
pensary No. 15, and county inspector for 
the State Board of Health. Since locating 
in West Sunbury he has Ijuilt up an ex- 
tensive practice, and is one of the well- 
known physicians of the county. 

Dr. George H. Scott was born in Butler, 
April 3, 1879, and is the son of Mr. and 
Mrs. Robert Presley Scott, of this city. 
He received his education in the high 
schools of Butler, and at Lafayette Col- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



lege, Eastou, Peuua., and was graduated 
from the medical department of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania at Pliiladel])hia in 
June, 1902. He was eonnnissioneil first 
lieutenant and surgeon of the medical eorp 
of the United States army, September, 27, 
1902, and promoted captain, September 27, 
1907. He saw three years' service in the 
Philippines and is at present located at 
Port Logan, Colo. He is a successful phy- 
sician and surgeon and has a bright oilt- 
look for the future. 

Dr. George D. Thomas began practicing 
medicine in Chicora in 1890 and contiimed 
until 1908 when he removed to Meadville, 
Penna. 

Dr. H.\ery M. Davis is a son of I. H. 
Davis and was born in Franklin, Penna. 
He graduated from "West Penn Medical 
College in Pittsburg in 1897 and took a 
post-graduate course in the New York 
Post-graduate College in 1905. He prac- 
ticed in New Lebanon, Mercer County, for 
seven years, and at Cochranton, Crawford 
County, for two years coming to Butler in 
July, 1908. He succeeded to the practice 
of the late Dr. ^McCurdy Bricker. 

Dr. James C-. Boyle was born at New 
Hope, or Bovard's Mills, Butler County, 
November 14, 186-1-, and is the son of 
Thomas and Jane (Stoughton) Boyle. His 
boyhood days were spent in AVorth Town- 
ship, where he attencled the public schools 
of the district, and subsequently he at- 
tended Edinboro State Normal School, 
graduating from the latter institution. He 
taught in the public and graded schools of 
the state for eight years and at the same 
time pursued a course of studies in medi- 
cine, graduating from the West Penn Med- 
ical Ciillfgc at Pittsburg in 1892. He first 
])ractic('(l with Dr. Beatty at Deeper, Clar- 
ion County, and for a short time at Marion- 
ville, Jefferson County, and then estab- 
lished himself at Taylorstown, Washing- 
ton Coianty, Pennsylvania, where he re- 
mained for four years. Dr. Boyle located 
in Butler in 1896 and at once built up a 



large private practice. In 1902 and 1903 
he took a special course in the Philadelphia 
Polyclinic and College for graduates in 
medicine, and in 1905 he attended the Royal 
London Ophthalmic and Westminster Oph- 
thalmic Hospitals, and the Central Lon- 
don Ear and Throat Hospital, of London, 
England, where he made a special study of 
the eye, ear, nose and throat. Upon his 
return to Butler he gave his entire time to 
special work, and in 1908 established an 
eye and ear hospital in Butler, which is the 
first institution of the kind in Butler 
County. The hospital is thoroughly 
equipped and has a capacity of ten to fif- 
teen beds. Dr. Boyle was married in 1894 
to Miss Kathleen McNair of Butler and 
they have one son, James C, Jr. The fam- 
ily are members of the Episcopal Church. 
Dr. Boyle is a member of the ^lasonic or- 
der, the Maccabees, the Protected Home 
Circle and the Home Guards of Airierica. 
Politically he is an independent Repub- 
lican. 

Dr. R. L. McCurdy, who recently died in 
Freeport, was a well-known physician in 
Bntler in the sixties. His son, Dr. Redick 
Coulter McCurdy, practiced in Butler in 
1885. " . 

COUNTY PHYSICIANS. 
HARRISVILLE. 

Dr. James Owens. The first resident 
physician of Harrisville was Dr. James 
Owens, He came from New York State 
and after about ten years' practice went 
West about 1850. Dr. James McConnell 
practiced in Harrisville in the early fifties. 
He sold his practice to Dr. Ellrick and went 
to California, where he died. 

Dr. Jackson McMillan, who was re- 
garded as a very competent physician, 
practiced in Harrisville from about 1845 
to 1860 when he went to Kansas, where he 
died. 

Dr. J. H. Elrick located in Harrisville 
in 1856 and practiced until the latter part 



•334 



HISTORY OF BUTLP:K COUNTY 



of the eighties, wlieii lie retired to private 
life. He is still living iu Harrisville, and 
is lorobably one of the oldest physicians in 
the county. 

The physicians practicing in Harrisville 
in 1908 were Dr. Walker W. McConnell 
and Dr. Wilbert B. Campbell. 

BREAK NECK, OK EVANS CITV. 

The first physician at Break Neck, now 
Evans City, was Dr. Sample, who located 
there in 1844, lint left in 1845. He was suc- 
ceeded by Di-. \Mlliain Sterrett, who prac- 
ticed from 1848 until 1855, when he moved 
to Allegheny County, where he died a year 
later. 

Dk. William Irvine. The successor of 
Dr. Sterrett of Evans City was Dr. Will- 
iam Irvine, a graduate of the Jefferson 
]\[edical College of Philadelphia, in the 
class of 1855. He was the son of Samuel 
Irvine, an early settler of Adams Town- 
ship, and was born in 1828. From 1855 to 
1868 he was the only practicing phj'sician 
in the village. He was examining surgeon 
in 1862 and in 1876 was a member of the 
State Legislature. 

The contemporaries of Dr. Irvine at 
Evans City were Dr. Theodore Kirstiug, 
who located there in 1867, Dr. Joshua M. 
List in 1875 and Dr. Flovd B. Brooks in 
1877. 

The resident phvsiciaus in 1908 were: 
Dr. Y. F. Thomas, Dr. Leo A. Dombart and 
Dr. Hairy J\I. Wilson. 

AVEST LIBERTY. 

Dr. Albert A. Kelly was the first set- 
tled physician at West Liberty. He was 
a graduate of the Cleveland Medical School 
in 1873 and came to Butler County in 1876. 

Dr. Edwin C. Thompson located in West 
Liberty in 1891. 

The first ]ihysici;m at Mechanicsburg 
was Dr. George Kirki>atrick, who also kept 
a general store at that yilace for six years. 
He died at Noith Liberty in 1841, and was 



succeeded by one Dr. Steen, who was a 
"water doctor." 

Dr. Abernathv was one of the piiysi- 
cians in Mechanicslnug community in 1872. 
He was a graduate of the .lefferson Medi- 
cal College, and also of the School of Med- 
icine in New York City. 



Among the early physicians of Chicora 
were Dr. Marks, who remained but a 
short time; Dr. McLaughlin, who lived iu 
the borough about two years; and Dr. Get- 
tes, who remained about an equal length of 
time. 

Dr. Josiah McMichael, a native of 
Meadville, began the practice of medicine 
in Venango County when twenty-six years 
of age. He located at Chicora in 1858 and 
was prominent in professional and local 
affairs until his death January 12th, 1880. 

Dr. R. L. Patterson located at Chicora 
about 1872. He was a native of Mercer 
County and was born in 1852. He gradu- 
ated from Allegheny College at Meadville 
and from the Cleveland Medical College in 
1872. After his graduation he engaged in 
the hospital ])ractice in Cleveland for six 
months and then attended a course of lec- 
tures in the University of Pennsylvania in 
Philadelphia. He began to practice at 
Greece City, then a flourishing oil town, 
and following up the oil excitement, 
changed his residence to the now defunct 
village of St. Joe, where he practiced but 
a short time until he again changed to Chi- 
cora. Dr. Patterson was numbered among 
the successful ]»liysicians in the county, and 
the reputation was worthily liestowed. 



During a period of ten years, from 1872 
to 1882, the town of Petrolia had as many 
as fifteen physicians. The first was Dr. 
Lyman Willard, who located in the town 
in 1872 and removed to New York State 
in 1878. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



335 



Dr. F. C. Cluxton, a man of education 
and an accomplished gentleman, succeeded 
Dr. Willard, and removed to Bradford, fol- 
lowing the oil excitement in 1880. 

Dr. J. H. SuTHERUiND, originally of Can- 
ada, practiced in the town from 1874 to 
1881. He went to Richsburg, N. Y. 

Dr. E. p. Squire was a partner of Dr. 
Sutherland from 1876 to 1880 and in the 
latter year removed to New York State. 

Dk. Stew.4BT, now of Bradford, came to 
Petrolia during the first oil excitement and 
remained until 1878. 

Dr. (i. Reno, Dr. John Mechlinu and 
Dr. Deitrick were among those who prac- 
ticed from one to three vears between 1872 
and 1880. 

Dr. AV. C. Foster located in Petrolia in 
1876. He was a graduate of the Jefferson 
Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1874, 
and practiced two years in New Betlilehem, 
Clarion County, before coming to Butler 
County. 

Dr. C. C. Rumberoer, who ))racticed for 
ten years in the community, was the son 
of Col. W. P. Rumberger. and was born in 
Slippery Rock Towiisliip, Butler County, 
in 185l! He griuhuitcd liom the I'niver- 
sity of Pennsylvania at IMiiia(leli)hia in 
1872, and first practiced at Buena Vista, 
where he remained until 1881, when he re- 
moved to Petrolia. Subsequently he gave 
up the practice of medicine and entered the 
ministrv of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church! 

KARNS CITY. 

The members of the medical fraternity 
who practiced at Karns City in the days of 
the oil excitement were Dr. S. H. Petti- 
grew, who located there in 1872 and re- 
moved to DuBois, Penna., in 1881 ; Dr. 
Blinckard practiced about one year, com- 
mencing about 1874, and Dr. William F. F. 
Mahueke for two vears, commencing in 
1878. 

Dr. David Harper, a graduate of the 
Cniversitv of Michigan, located in Karns 



City in 1873 and ))ra<-ti('ed for about ten 
years. 

BRUIN AND FAIRVIEW. 

The early physicians of Bruin were Dr. 
Samuel Wallace and Dr. Goe, both of 
whom were residents of Armstrong Coun- 
tj . The first resident physician was Dr. 
David Fowler, who moved to that place 
from Fairview about 1845. Dr. Fowler 
also practiced in North Washington and 
Harrisville. 

Dr. B. E. Dennisox located in Bruin in 
1872. He was educated at Hiram College, 
Ohio, under President (Jarfield, and sub- 
sequently graduated from Harvard Uni- 
versity. He graduated from the Louisville 
iMedical College in 1860 and at the break- 
ing out of the rebellion was practicing in 
Missouri. He entered the I'nion Army as 
a surgeon and in 1864 and 65 was one of 
the staff of the assistant surgeon general 
at Louisville, Ky. 

Among those who have practiced in 
Bruin for from one to three years each 
since 1872 have been Dr. S. H. Pettigrew, 
Dr. J. W. Kellev, Dr. A. Brvan, Dr. C. M. 
C. Campbell, Dr. S. H. Kerr. Dr. Thomas, 
and a Dr. iVdair. 

Dr. H. C. Burchard, who was a graduate 
of the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, 
T^ew York Citv, ]iracticed in Fairview in 
1873. 

Dr. J. W. Beattv, who settled in Fair- 
view in 1855 or 1856, practiced in that field 
until his death in 1881. 

Henry Bullard, who died in Fairview in 
1850, was a contemporary of Dr. Beattv 
and Dr. Fowler and of Dr. A. Barnhart. 
who becan to practice in that communitv 
in 1840. 

farminoton. 

The physicians located at Farmington 
in the last quarter of the century were Dr. 
T. B. Rliodes, from Ohio, who began prac- 
ticing in 1875, and Dr. Albert Richey, who 
liegan in 1881. 



336 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



De. R. J. McMicHAEL, who is one of the 
present physicians, is a native of Clay 
Township, Butler County, and began to 
practice at Sunbury in 1879. He located 
in Farming-ton in 1881. 

HABMONY AND ZELIENOPLE. 

The first physician to practice at Har- 
iiony and Zelienople after the departure 
)f the Rapp community was Dr. Agnew. 
^e was succeeded by Dr. J. McHenry, who 
practiced from 1815 to 1823. Dr. McHenry 
yas a man of literary tastes and the au- 
hor of several books, mostly novels and 
)oetry. He was the father of the McHenry 
vlio was a well-known railway magnate in 
he eighties. He removed to Philadelphia 
In 1823 and died in that city. 

De. Oetn D. Palmee practiced in Zelie- 
lople from 3836 to 1860. He was a worthy 
e])resentative of the medical profession 
nd was esteemed both in his professional 
apacity and as a citizen. 

De. Loring Lusk, who practiced in Har- 
lony and Zelienople at various times from 
823 to 1878, was born in Ontario County, 
lew York, in 1799. He studied medicine 
. 1 Mercer, Pennsylvania, with his brother- 
a-law. Dr. Cossett, and married Miss 
•mith, daughter of Joseph Smith of Mer- 
er. He practiced in Harmony from 1823 
-) 1829 and then went to Beaver County, 
fliere he remained for a few years. He 
ext became an extensive contractor on the 
tate works on the Ohio River to Lake 
Irie, and was thus engaged until 1844, 
^hen he returned to Harmony and re- 
amed practice. In 1854 he went to Can- 
)n, Missouri, and was practicing in that 
lace when the Civil War broke out in 
861. He was elected surgeon of the Twen- 
r-first Regiment of Missouri Volunteers, 
ad after serving one year, he returned to 
elienople and engaged in the drug busi- 
3SS. His death occurred in 1878. 
Dr. Joseph S. Lusk was born in Har- 
ony in 1826 and was the son of Dr. Lor- 
[g Lusk above mentioned. He received 



his education at the Mercer Academy, and 
graduated from the Western Reserve Med- 
ical College, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1850. The 
same year he began to ])ractice at Har- 
mony and continued until 1887, when he 
removed- to Butler, and practiced until his 
death, February 3, 1889. Dr. Lusk was es- 
pecially a physician, a medical adviser of 
high order, and commanded the respect 
and admiration of his fellows of the pro- 
fession. He was elected a member of the 
Legislature on the Republican ticket in 
1870 and served in the session of 1871-74- 
76. 

De. Amos Lusk began practice in his na- 
tive town in 1849. He was the son of Dr. 
Loring Lusk and a brother of Dr. Joseph 
L. Lusk, before mentioned. He located at 
Zelienople in 1851 and in 1853 was ap- 
pointed in charge of the United States Ma- 
rine Hospital in Pittsburg. He moved to 
Missouri in 1857 and returned to Zelie- 
nople in 1861, where he practiced until his 
death, November 17, 1891. Dr. Lusk at- 
tained eminence in the profession for his. 
learning and successful management Of 
disease. He studied many languages and 
was a lover of books. It has been said that 
he had mastered thirty-five languages. 

The code of ethics prohibiting a physi- 
cian from advertising was not in force in 
1828. If it existed at all it was not ob- 
served by Dr. Beriah Magoffin, who set- 
tled at Harmony in that year. In the "Re- 
pository" of 1829, Dr. Magoffin publishes 
a card in which he offers his services in 
the various branches of his profession, set- 
ting forth that he had studied both at 
Europe and Transylvania, Kentucky. His 
office was at the house of John Flemming, 
Esq., of Harmony. Dr. Magoffin afterward 
removed to Mercer where he Iniilt up a 
large practice. 

MroOLE LANCASTER. 

The first practicing physician to locate 
at Middle Lancaster was a Dr. Brothers, 
who located there in 1853. He removed to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



337 



Ohio some four years later, and was suc- 
ceeded by a Dr. White and a Dr. Acre. 
None of these remained more than five 
years, Dr. White removing to Harlens- 
burg, where he was practicing in the lat- 
ter part of the eighties. 

Dr. a. H. Metz was a native of Middle 
Lancaster and a graduate of Jefferson 
Medical College of Philadelphia. He prac- 
ticed in the village from 1871 to 1875, when 
he left the county. 

Dr. George A. McCandless, a native of 
Center Township, Butler County, and a 
graduate of the Louisville Medical Col- 
lege, succeeded Dr. Metz at Middle Lan- 
caster. 

WHITESTOWN. 

In the Whitestowu settlement the first 
doctor was Dr. Andrew Spear and his 
brother, Matthew W. Spear, both of whom 
practiced in Prosj^eet later. After the 
death of Dr. Andrew vSpear there was no 
settled physician in AVhitestowu until the 
arrival of Dr. Wilson N. Clarke, who set- 
tled there in 1867. Dr. Clarke was a na- 
tive of Meadville, Pa., and a graduate of 
the University of Michigan and the Cleve- 
land Medical College. Dr. Clarke was suc- 
ceeded in 1883 by Dr. Thomas Dunn Mc- 
Connell, who is now practicing in Pros- 
pect. 

PROSPECT. 

Dr. Matthew W. Speer, who studied 
medicine with Dr. Andrew Speer of 
Whitestown and Dr. DeWolfe of Butler, 
began practicing in Prospect about 1830 
and was the first resident physician of 
that place. 

Dr. B. H. B. Brower, who was a member 
of the legislature from Butler County in 
1849-50, settled in Prospect as a practicing 
physician in 1838. He was burgess of the 
borough, captain of the military company 
and an orator of no mean ability. He was 
a man of literary and scholarly tastes and 
was tlie editor and publisher of the Pros- 



[jcct Record which was published for six 
months and then moved to New Brighton. 
Dr. Brower removed to Danville, Penna., 
where he resided until the time of his 
death. After leaving Prospect Dr. Brower 
established twelve newspapers in various 
parts of the state. 

Dr. James P. Alchorn, a native of In- 
diana County, practiced at Prospect for 
five or six years and removed to Ohio. 

Dr. Walter Barber practiced in Pros- 
pect in 1883. The resident physicians of 
the town in 1908 were Dr. Thomas D. Mc- 
Connell and Dr. James B. Thompson. 

SAXON BURG. 

Dr. F. Schmidt was the pioneer physi- 
cian of Saxonburg. He arrived early in 
the thirties but left the settlement prior 
to 1840. His successor was Dr. August 
Koch, who practiced iu the village for ten 
years or more and then removed to Mis- 
souri. The next physicians to locate in 
that community were Drs. Sweet and 
Bleiholder. All of these physicians were 
Germans and were educated iu their native 
country before coming to America. Their 
successors in the seventies were Dr. J. H. 
King, who located in Saxonburg in 1872, 
Dr. E. N. B. Mershon in 1877, and Dr. 
H. L. Mershon in 1880. 

Dr. W. W. Lasher, the present physi- 
cian of Saxonburg, located there iu 189:!. 

CONNOQUENESSING BOROUGH. 

Dr. George Welsh was the first settled 
physician in Connoquenessing. He came 
in 1853 . remained a few years, and then ' 

went to Saxonburg, where he practiced for 
three or four years. He returned to Con- 
noquenessing where he died in 185^ . His 
successors at Connoquenessing were -Dr. 
N. M. Richardson and Dr. Covert, who 
each practiced for a short time. Dr. Por- 
ter succeeded to the practice of Dr. Welsh 
but only remained for a few years when 
he removed to Prospect. 

The next physician to practice in Con- 
noquenessing was Dr. C. A. McCaskey 



338 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



who was .succeeded iu 1877 by Dr. J. L. 
Christy, who is the present pliysician of 
the town. Dr. Cliristy was born in Con- 
cord Township, Butler County, and re- 
ceived his education at tlie old Wither- 
spoon Institute in Butler and at the Pine 
Grove Academy, now Grove City College. 
He graduated from the Miami Medical 
College at Cincinnati in the spring of 1877 
and began practicing the same year. 



Dk. N. M. Richardson began his profes- 
sional career in Prospect in 1859. He was 
born in Connoquenessing Township, But- 
ler County, in 1830, and studied medicine 
with De. 0. D. Palmer of Zelienople. He 
graduated from the Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege iu 1853. For fifty years he was one 
of the most successful physicians in the 
western part of the county. 

Dr. Davto Fowlek jtracticed in what is 
now A\'asliingt()n Township and at Mar- 
tinshurg in 1S45. He removed to Engle- 
wood. 111. 

SLIPPERY ROCK. 

Dr. Lyman L. Howarij, a native of 
Ithaca, N. Y., located at Slippery Rock 
about 1835, but a year later removed to 
Harrisville, where he practiced until 1854 
wlien he removed to Indiana. Dr. How- 
ard's contemporaries at Harrisville were 
Dr. James Owens, who left the settlement 
for the western country the latter part of 
the fifties, and Dr. James McConnell, who 
moved west in 1856. 

Dr. Samuel Marks, who died at Slip- 
])ery Rock about 1S55, located in that place 
in 1847. Dr. McMillian practiced in the 
same phice in 1874. 

Dr. G. W. Coulter, a native of New Lis- 
bon, Ohio, located in Slippery Rock in 
1862, where after eleven years of success- 
ful practice, he died in 1873. He was sec- 
retary of the County Medical Society at 
the time of his death. 



Dr. Eli G. De Wolfe moved from Ohio 
to Slippery Rock in 1825. He married 
Miss Sarah A. Harris of this county, and 
for over twenty-two years was one of the 
most progressive men of the village. His 
death occurred in 1847. 

Dk. Benjamin Pearson, a graduate of 
Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 
began to i)ractice in Slippery Rock in 1862, 
where he remained until 1866, in which 
year he removed to Tionesta, Penna. In 
1868 he returned to Slipjiery Rock, where 
he has been engaged in continuous prac- 
tice for the i)ast tiiirty-eight years. 

Dk. a. M. Patterson was the successor 
of Dr. Coulter and began to practice in 
Slippery Rock in 1873. He was educated 
in Butler and Sunbury Academies and 
graduated from the medical depai-fment 
of the University of Wooster at Cleveland 
in the year in which he began to practice. 

Other physicians who practiced in the 
village at an early date were : Dr. Dodds, 
Dr. Gamel, Dr. Gettis, Dr. James B. Liv- 
ingstone. They covered iicriods from 1850 
to 1872. A Dr. Smitii was in jiractice with 
Dr. Coulter for a slmrl time and also with 
Dr. Livingstone. 

X^NIONVILLE. 

Dr. Josiah McCandless was engaged in 
the practice of medicine in Center Town- 
ship from 1839 to 1875. He was the son 
of William and Nancy (Fish) McCandless 
and was born in Center Township, Butler 
County, March 6, 1816. He pursued a 
course of studies for three vears undei- 
Di-. J. AVhittaker of Allegheny City, after 
he began to practice in his native township 
and some ten years later moved to Union- 
ville, where he remained until his death 
January 5, 1875. His son. Dr. William C. 
McCandless practiced at Glade Mills, But- 
ler County from 1881 to 1895, when he 
removed to Butler and is now one of the 
leading iJiysicians of the county seat. 




iiltai 



C H BARNHART'S HOUSE AND SHOP, BUTLER ST. PAni;l( IxS ( 1 11 RCH, SUGAR CREEK, DON- 

i:i; \l. TOWNSHIP 



TfTTT 


9 

T 




■-fift^ 


■ 




iRjS^!|,rf^ 



CONCORDIA HOME, MARWOOD 



TEL, ZELIENOPLE 




AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



341 



I)e. Mary E. Harper. The first woman 
physician to register in Butler County was 
Mrs. Mary E. Harper, who located in Bald 
Ridge, now Renfrew, in 1883. 

Dr. Eliza Grossman was the next. She 
registered in 1890 and was associated with 
her hiisl)and. Dr. R. J. Grossman, in But- 
ler, until her death. 

Dr. Louisa M. Shryock, a native of But- 
ler County, graduated from the University 
of Wooster, Ohio, and the West Penn 
:\redical College of Pittsburg, in 1893. She 
first practiced at North Hope, Butler 
County, and later moved to Butler where 
she continued to ])ractice until her death. 

Dr. Jasmine McAlpin was born in Well- 
and, Ontario, and is the daughter of the 
late Dr. Volney McAlpin, deceased, of 
Butler, who was a prominent dentist. She 
graduated from the Woman's Medical Col- 
lege of Baltimore, Md.. and began to prac- 
tice in Butler in 1896. 

Dr. Mary Louise Jones is a native of 
Pittsburg and a graduate of the class of 
1903 of the Woman's Medical College of 
Baltimore, Md. Dr. Jones was associated 
with Dr. McAlpin for three years, and 
moved to Pittsburg in 1907. 

Dr. Eli,a Averill Hackett Patterson is 
a native of \Vashingt<ni, D. C. She is a 
graduate of the Pliiladeli)hia Xoi-mal and 
the Women's Medical College, of Philadel- 
])hia, in the class of 1901. She registered 
in Butler County in 1903 and is associated 
with her husband. Dr. Walter Scott Pat- 
terson of Butler, in an extensive practice. 

Dr. Nannie Bell Drake, a native of 
Tjawrence County, registered in Butler 
County in 1907 and is practicing at Por- 
tersviile. She is a graduate of the Ohio 
Medical University. 

Tlie school of Homeopathy does not have 
a large representation in the county, al- 
though physicians of that school of medi- 
cine have been practicing here for many 
years. 

Dr. p. S. Duff appears to have been 
the first doctor of the new school who 



practiced in Butler County. He located 
in Jefferson Township in 1863 and was 
])racticing at Great Belt as late as 1890. 
Tie was a man of education, a successful 
l)hysician and a useful citizen. 

Dr. E. N. Leake, son of Rev. D. N. 
Leake, a prominent Methodist Episcopal 
minister, located in Butler in 1881. He 
was born in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1855, and 
graduated from the New York Homeo- 
l)athic College in 1880. He was successful 
as a physician and surgeon and had a 
large practice. He went to Nebraska in 
1897, where he is still practicing. 

Dr. W. R. Titzel located in Butler in 
1888 but only practiced for two or three 
years. 

Dr. Jesse E. Mann, a graduate of the 
Hahnemann ^Medical C'ollege in Chicago, 
came to Butler in 1890 and was associated 
with Dr. Leake until 1897, when he went to 
the West. 

Dr. William H. Brown was I)orn in 
Penn Township, Butler County, and was 
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam K. Brown. 
He graduated from the Hahnemann Med- 
ical College, of Chicago, in 1893 and 
located in Butler in 1894. He continued 
his ]>ractice in Butler until May, 1904, 
when he was compelled to relinquish his 
work on account of failing health. Dr. 
Brown was one of the medical fraternity 
who did noble work in Butler during the 
winter of 1903 and 1904, made memorable 
by the typhoid fever epidemic. The ex- 
posure of the winter brought on a fatal 
disease that caused his death in June, 1905. 

Dr. Edward H. Harris is a native of 
pjellefonte, Penna., and a graduate of the 
Hahnemann Medical College, of Philadel- 
phia, in the class of 1900. After a year's 
work in St. Luke's Hospital, Philadelphia, 
he located in Butler and has built up an 
excellent practice. 

Dr. Olin a. Williams is a native of 
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and a 
graduate of the Hahnemann Medical Col- 
lege, of Chicago, HI., in the class of 1890. 



342 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



He practiced in Union City Penna., until 
December 21, 1897, when he removed from 
Butler and succeeded to the practice of 
Drs. Leake and Mann. Dr. Williams has 
a large practice and is one of the most suc- 
cessful physicians in western Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Dk. John C. Sutton was horn in Butler, 
Pennsylvania, and is the son of Mr. and 
iVIrs. John H. Sutton. He graduated from 
the Hahnemann Medical College in Phila- 
delphia in 1903 and practiced in Butler for 
a short time. He is now in New Brighton, 
Penna. 

Like all teachers of a new philosophy, 
the pioneer osteopaths of the county were 
much scoffed at. With the exception of 
one or two itinerant practitioners, who re- 
mained bi;t a short time, there were no 
recognized osteopaths in the county until 
1901, and the first to enter the field was 
Dr. Smith, the first teacher at the Kirks- 
ville school. There are now four recog- 
nized osteopaths in the borough of Butler 
and the community has turned out a num- 
ber of students who are successful jn-acti 
tioners in other localities. 

Dr. William Smith. The pioneer prac- 
titioner of Osteopathy in Butler C*ounty 
was Dr. William Smith, a graduate of a 
regular school of medicine in Scotland. 
He came to America to take up the prac- 
tice of medicine, but instead became inter- 
ested in Osteopathy, and became the first 
teacher of Anatomy, Physiology and Sur- 
gery in the first school of Osteoi>athy in 
Kii'ksville, Missouri. He suliseciuentiy lec- 
tured at the American Scliool of Osteop- 
athy, and at the Atlantic School of 
Osteopathy at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, 
until the early part of 1901, when he came 
to Butler and opened an office for general 
jiractice. He only remained in Butler a 
few months, when he gave up liis work here 
for the lecture room and is now a member 
of the facultv of the American School of 
Osteopathv at Kirksville. iMissonri. Dr. 



Smith was the first recognized osteopath 
to practice in the county. 

E. H. jMerklev, D. ()., was boin in 
Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and graduated 
from the 'American School of Osteopathy, 
Kirksville, Mo., in 1900. He came to But- 
ler in 1901 after Dr. Smith left and was 
the real pioneer osteopath of Butler. 
Pioneer work was no obstacle to him, how- 
ever, for he soon needed an assistant, who 
came in the person of his brother. Dr. 
W. A. Merkiev. In June. 1902, Dr. E. II. 
Merkley sold liis ])ractice to Dr. Julia E. 
Foster and removed to Pittsburg, Penna. 

W. A. .Merkley, D. O., was born in 
Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and graduated 
from the American School of Osteopathy, 
at Kirksville, Mo., in 1901. He came to 
Butler as assistant to his brother. Dr. 
E. H. Merkley, in 1901, and in the follow- 
ing year went to New York city, where he 
is now practicing. 

Dr. R. B. Powel and Dr. Anna H. Powel 
graduated from the American School of 
Osteopathy in 1900 and first located in 
Colorado. They came to Butler in 1902 
and practiced here until September of that 
year, when they returned to Colorado. 
They are now located in Denver. 

Dr. Julia E. Foster was born at Royal- 
ton, ^^ermont, and graduated from the 
Atlantic School of Osteopathy, in 1902. 
She came to Butler the same year to suc- 
ceed to the practice of the Drs. Merkley. 
She now has a suite of ofiflces in the Stein 
building and has a large clientele. In 1903 
she was assisted l)y Dr. C. M. Lowe, and 
since IDlKi her assistant has been her son. 
Dr. J. C. Foster. 

Dr. Clara E. Morrow was born at 
Branchton, Butler County, and is the 
daughter of George Alorrow of Slippery 
Rock Township. After completing the 
course of study in the connnon schools of 
the county she attended Sli|i])erv Rock 
State Normal School at Slippery Rock. 
Penna., and subse(|iientiy taught in the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



343 



common schools of the county. She went 
to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1897, and 
entered a training- school for nurses, and 
after completing the course she entered 
the Boston School of Osteo]iathy, graduat- 
ing in 1902. She came to Butler in Sep- 
teiiil)er of the same year and succeeded to 
the jiractice of the Drs. Powel. She is now 
located in the Boyd Building and has an 
extensive ]:)ractice in tiie town and county. 

Dk. E. E. Harden was born in Meadville, 
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, May 25, 
1875, and after completing his education 
entered a business career at Conneaut, 
Ohio. He gave up a i)aying business to 
enter the American School of Osteopathy, 
where he graduated in June, 1901. He 
first located in Columbia City, Indiana, 
where he practiced i;ntil April, 1905. when 
he removed to Butler and located in a suite 
of rooms in the Younkins Building on 
South Main street, where he still has an 
office. While a resident of Conneaut Dr. 
Hardin married Miss Lida Sharpe, of that 
place, on August 23, 1897. 

Dr. Gracy F. Pi'rvis was born in Butler, 
Pennsylvania, September 6, 1882, and is 
the son of Samuel L. Purvis, of West 
Pearl street. He was educated in the 
Common and High schools of Butler and 
at the Staunton, Virginia, Military school, 
and graduated from the Atlantic School 
of Osteopathy (a branch of the American 
School) in February, 1906. He located in 
Butler the same year and continued to 
practice until July, 1907, when he removed 
to Buffalo, New York, where he is en- 
gaged in his chosen work. Dr. Purvis was 
married July 26, 1907, to Miss Florence 
Leidecker, of Butler. 

Dr. J. C. Foster was born at Royalton, 
Vermont, February 3, 1884, and came to 
Butler with his parents in 1902. He grad- 
uated from the Butler high school in the 
class of 1904 and went directly to the 
American School of Osteopathy at Kirks- 
ville, Missouri, where he graduated in the 
class of 1906. After completing his studies 



he returned to Butler and took up active 
practice in the office with his mother. Dr. 
J. E. Foster, in the Stein Block, on South 
Main Street. He lives at the family home 
on North Main Street. 

Dr. Raymond W. Bailey was born in 
Chicora, Butler County, in July, 1882, and 
is the son of Charles A. Bailey. His boy- 
hood days were spent in Butler, where he 
attended the common and high schools, 
graduating from the latter in the class of 
1902. He graduated from the Atlantic 
School of Osteopathy in 1904 and the same 
yeai- located in Butler, where he practiced 
for six months. He then removed to Phila 
delphia, where he is now practicing. 

REGISTERED PHYSICIANS. 

The physicians registered in the protho- 
notary's office of Butler, as required by 
the law of June 8, 1881, together with the 
location at the time of the registration and 
the date of beginning practice, are as 
follows : 

■ George G. Aitken, Great Belt, 1871. 
S. D. Bell, Chicora, 1874. 
H. C. Birchard, Fairview, 1855. 
Stephen Bredin, Butler, 1861. 
Floyd V. Brooks, Evans City, 1877. 
John E. Byers, Butler, 1878. 
C. L. Campbell, Brownsdale, 187fi. 
C. M. C. Campbell, Bruin, 1881. 
George H. Chandler, Karns City, 1865. 
.T. L. Christy, Petersville, 1877.' 
William K. Cowden, Portersville, 1846. 
W. N. Clarke, Whitestown. 1867. 
Elder Crawford, Mars, 1878. 
B. L. Davis, Petrolia, 1863. 

A. V. Cunningham, Zelienople, 1863. 
•Tohn Deitrick, Petrolia, 1870. 

B. E. Dennison, Bruin, 1860. 

W. L. DeWolfe, Coalville, now Chicora, 1879. 

P. a Duff, Great Belt, 1863. (H) 

Andrew J. Edmunds, Martinsburg, 1873. 

.Toseph Eggert, Parker Township, 1848. 

George L. Eggert, Parker Township, 1881. 

.1. H. Elrick, Harrisville, 1856. 

Robert Everett, Prospect, 1879. 

William C. Foster,, Petrolia, 1876. 

Samuel Graham, Butler, 1862. 

David Harper, Karns City, 1870. 

B. A. Henlon, North Washington, 1875. 

Harvey D. Hockenberry, West Sunbury, 1879. 

James A. Holman, Unionville, 1879. 

Albert Holman, Unionville, 1881. 

N. N. Hoover, North Washintrton, now in Butler, 1865. 

William Irvine, Evans Citv, 1853. 



344 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Albert A. Kelly, West Liberty, ]872. 

Clinton S. Kerr, Byron Center, 1876. 

Theodore Kersting, Evans City, 1867. 

John H. King, Saxonburg, 1872. 

E. N. Leake, Butler, 1880. (H) 

H. C. Lynn, Butler, 1833. 

Joshua M. List, Evans City, 187.5. 

Amos Lusk, Harmony, 1849. 

Joseph F. Lusk, Harmony, 1850. 

C. F. McBride, Fairview. 1877. 

George A. McCandless. Middle Lancaster, 1877. 

W. C. McCandless, Glade Mills, 1880. 

C. A. McCaskey, Chieora, 1874. 

Samuel E. McClymonds, Portersville, 1877. 

W. B. Marquis, Glade Mills, 1881. 

Samuel H. Matheson, Slippery Rock, 18.54. 

E. B. Mershon, Saxonburg, 1877. 

Homer L. Mershon, Saxonburg, 1878. 

A. N. Neyman, Butler, 1851. 

Asa M. Patterson, Slippery Eock, 1873. 

E. L. Patterson, Chieora, 1872. 

Benjamin Pearson, Slippery Rock, 1862. 

Eavmond H. Pillow, Whitestown, now in Butler, 1876. 

O.'P. Pisor, Harrisville, 1881. 

Thomas B. Rhodes, Farmington, 1875. 

C. C. Rumberger, Petrolia, 1872. 
J. M. Scott, Cabot, 1871. 

S. O. Sterritt, Valencia, 1880. 
S. L. Strain, Harrisville, 1858. 

D. J. Washbaugh, Anandale, now in Grove City, 1876. 
David W. Webster, Harrisville, . 

Adam Weiser, Zclienople, 1848. 
H. E. Wilson, Portersville, 1873. 
W. E. Wilson, Portersville, 1881. 
Frank Winters, Zelienople, 1878. 
George M. Zimmerman, Butler, 1870. 
Those registered in 1882 are: 
.Tames M. Blaine, Sarversville. 
Oroville A. Rhodes, West Sunbury. 

B. L. Davis, Petrolia. 

T. W. Hopkins, Millerstown. 

David J. Jones, Foreatville. 

H. S. George, Cabot. 

James E. Montgomery, Clinton Township. 

Those registered in 1883 are: 

Thomas Dunn MeConnell, Whitestown, now in Prospect. 

Walter Barber, Prospect. 

N. M Eichardson, Prospect. 

Thomas Hayes Donley, Mars. 

Mrs. Mary E. Harper, Eenfrew. 

Those registered in 1884 are: 

Joseph G. Irvine, Forward Township. 

Samuel M. Bippus, Butler. 

J. B. Showalter, Chieora, now in Pittsburg. 

A. J. Pyle, Zelienople. 

Those registered in 1885 arc: 

Harry Navigo, Karns City. 

G. W. Sloan, Butler. 

J.. C. Barr, Mars. 

Redick Coulter McCurdy, Butler. 

Those registered in 1886 are: 
Daniel W. Fiedler, Harmony. 



Edward P. Logan, Saxonburg. 
George W. Beane, Butler. 
Those registered in 1887 are: 
John F. Moore, Butler. 
Andrew Edmunds, Bruin. 
William Linnenbrink. Zelienople. 
D. Elmer Wiles, Butler. 
Charles T. W. Seidel, Harrisville. 
Those registered in 1888 are: 
M. B. Cullinan, Petrolia. 
W. R. Titzel, Butler. (H) 
Walker W. McConnel, Harrisville. 
George M. Silvers, Evans City. 
John Charles Hoye, Jaeksville. 

Those registered in 1889 are: 

John Calvin Cort, Renfrew. 

W. J. Kelly, Parker Township. 

M. E. Headland, Zelienople, now in Butler. 

W. H. McCafferty, Sarver Station. 

Robert W. Waterson, Zelienople. 

Samuel E. Ralston, Harmony. 

Joseph L. Campbell, Chieora, now in Renfrew. 

Those registered in 1890 are: 

Charles L. Tilton, Evans Citv. 

William H. Wallace, Butler. " 

George D. Thoinas, Chieora. 

Jesse E. Mann, Efutler. (H) 

J. L. Axtell, Chieora. 

Lysander Black, Butler. 

V. F. Thomas, Fairview, now in Evans City. 

Mrs. Eliza E. Grossman, Butler. 

George J. Peters, Butler. 

Arthur Foster, Saxonburg, now in Pittsburg. 

Levi M. Eeinsel, Butler. 

Those registered in 1891 are: 

Harry M. Wilson, Evans City. 

.Joseph Forrester, Butler, now in Chicago. 

Joseph W. MiUer, Butler. 

Albert G. Price, Evans City. 

Horace S. McClymonds, Brownsdale. 

George G. Shoemaker, Butler. 

Edwin C. Thompson, West Liberty. 

Those registered in 1892 are: 
William J. Grossman, Coaltown. 
James B. TTiompson, Prospect. 
Charles J. Stein, Zelienople. 
Edwin J. Fithian, Portersville. 
Thomas H. Newcome, Karns City. 
George K. McAdoo, Anandale. 
M. C. Smith, Zelienople. 
.1. C. Wilson, Evans City. 

Those registered in 1893 are: 

William R. Cowden, Middle Lancaster, now in 

Walter N. Humphrey, Portersville. 

James A. Wallace, Petrolia, now in East Brady 

R. Lee Brush, Slippery Eock. 

W. W. Lasher, Saxonburg. 

Charles E. Beck, Middle Lancaster. 

(ieorge L. Fife, Saxonburg. 

William Phunmcr McHroy, Butler. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



345 



John Franklin Turner, Hooker, now in Dakota. 
Physicians registered in Butler County in 1894: 
Simeon N. Andre, Petrolia. 
Benjamin Harris Brewster, Euclid. 
McCurdy Bricker, Butler. 
William H. Brown, Butler. (H) 

Those registered in Butler County in 1895: 
John Wesley Flick Moore, Butler. 
Adam Clark Davis, Buffalo Township. 
Louisa May Shyrock, Butler, North Hope. 
Joseph James Schultis, Butler. 
Lawrence H. Stepp, Glade Mills. 
Joseph Clarence Caldwell, Emlenton, now in Butler. 
William Griffith Pennyhiel, Slippery Rock. 
Thomas Kerr McKee, Chicora. 
H. G. Deane, Butler. (H) 
Charles E. B. Hunt, Butler. ' 
L. A. Barber, Mars. 

George B. McClelland Eeese, Glade Mills. 
Those registered in Butler County in 1896: 
Charles S. Shoaff, Jacksonville. 
Jasmine McAlpine, Butler. 
James Clyde Boyle, Butler. 
William Plummer Mcllroy, Allegheny City. 
Leon Vance Grove, Annandale. 
Robert Henderson Warnock, Portersville. 
A. A. Bancroft, Butler. 
Robert J. Greer, Eau Claire. 
Jesse L. Black, SarversvUle. 
Those registered in Butler County in 1897: 
Harrv A. Bell, Butler. 
W. F. Hall, Butler. 
Everett Miner Baker, Brownsdale. 
A. L. Howe, Petrolia. 
Willard B. Campbell, Harrisville. 
William Rush Hockenberry, SUppery Rock. 
Charles Stewart McClelland, Glade Mills. 
William Beame Clarke, North Hope, now in Butler. 
Frank Hamilton Crawford, Glade JUlls. 
George W. Kennedy, Portersville. 
OUn A. WiUiams, Butler. (H) 
Those registered in Butler County in 1898: 
E. J. McMichael, West Sunbury. 
James Ambrose Osman, Harmony. 
J. C. Atwell, Butler. 
Walker W. McConnell, Harrisville. 
Elgie L. Wasson, Callery Junction, now in Butler. 
Harry E. Gray, Zelienople. 
Boyd B. Snodgrass, Butler. 
Edward A. RusseU, Butler. 
Robert J. Greer, Eau Claire. 
Those registered in Butler County in 1899 : 
John Victor Cowden, Middle Lancaster, now in Butler. 
John L. Halstead, Clinton Township. 
Eobert J. Grossman, Cherry Township, now in Butler. 
Those registered in Butler County in 1900: 
Robert Todd Post, SUppery Rock. 
Charles S. McGeorge, Mars. 
George Thomas McNish, West Winfield. 
Those registered in Butler County in 1901 : 
A. Kamerer, Butler. 



Harry S. Lake, Portersville. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1902: 

Nicholas Dombart, Evans City. 

Herman H. Dight, Middle Lancaster. 

Edward H. Harris, Butler. 

Leslie R. Hazlett, Butler. 

Harry E. Wilson, Callery. 

Charles L. DeWolfe, Chicora. 

Alfred E. Ewing, Lyndora. 

Walter S. Patterson, Butler. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1903: 

Eobert B. Elrick, Petrolia. 

Mary Louise Jones, Butler. 

Frank Hugh Smith, Kaylor. 

Eoy L. Stackpole, Butler. 

Ella Averill Hackett Patterson, Butler. 

Leo Fink Elstein, Butler. 

Thomas McVay Beatty, Butler, now in Chicora. 

Arthur W. Heilman, Butler. 

Frank L. Hazlett, Butler. 

John C. Sutton, Butler. (H) 

Eaymond A. Thompson, Butler. 

WilUam McCurdy Scott, Cabot. 

C. D. B. Eisaman, West Moreland County. 

Thomas McCoUough Maxwell, Butler. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1904: 

James H. Ealston, Harmony. 

L. Leo Doane, Butler. 

Eobei-t Spear Lowry, Butler. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1905: 
Eiehards Shields Keilcr, Butler. 
Franklin N. Straub, Butler. 
Arthur H. Straub, Chicora. 
William C. McCord, Mars. 
Ernest Hugh Snyder, Portersville. 
Francis W. Halstead, Butler Township. 
Francis Wallace Cunningham, Zelienople. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1906: 

Arthur E. Allen, Mars. 

RusseU A. Reid, Zelienople. 

Charles B. Painter, Bruin. 

Charles F. Perry, Butler. 

Warren E. High, Butler. 

Guy A. Brandenberg, Butler. 

E. E. Campbell, Butler. 

John Fife McCullough, Lyndora. 

Henry Swartz Crouse, Butler. 

John S. Campbell, West Sunbury. 

James F. Minteer, Lyndora. 

Harrison Allen Kitchen, Butler. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1907: 

Harry P. St. Claire, Butler. 

Francis E. Long, Uilliard. 

Charles C. Boss, Sarver Station. 

Nannie Bell Drake, PortersvLUe. 

Alfred H. Zeigler, Butler. 

George Hoskins Scott, Butler. 

Those registered in Butler County in 1908: 
Harper Ancel Wright, West Winfield. 
James Rhea McDowell, Sarver Station. 



346 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



THE BUTLEB COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 

The Butler County Medical Association 
was organized November 3, 1866, to co- 
operate more effectually with the State 
and National Associations in the work of 
advancing the knowledge of medicine and 
the status of the physician. The first 
officers were Amos Lusk, president ; A. M. 
Neyman, vice-president; Stephen Bredin, 
secretary ; William Irvine, treasurer ; W. S. 
Huselton, corresponding secretary ; W. E. 
Cowden, Joseph S. Lusk, Josiah McMichael 
and "William Irvine, censors ; W. R. Cow- 
den, Amos Lusk, Stephen Bredin, N. M. 
Richardson and A. M. Neyman, committee 
on constitutions. 

The Articles of Association, dated Janu- 
ary 3, 1867, were signed by the following 
physicians: J. B. Livingstone and G. W. 
Coulter of Slippery Rock, E. F. Anderson 
of Coultersville, S. H. Matheson of Saxon- 
burg, T. J. Blackwood of Glade Mills, 
Theodore Frickensteiu of Butler and N. M. 
Hoover of North Washington. 

The first Act of the new Association was 
the adoption of a Fee Bill. 

The presidents of the society since its 
organization are as follows: Amos Lusk, 
1867 ; Stephen Bredin, 1868 ; W. R. Cow- 
den, 1869 ; Stephen Bredin, 1870 to 1875 ; 
Samuel Graham, 1876; S. D. Bell, 1877; 
W. N. Clarke, 1878; David Harper, 1879; 
Josiah McMichael, 1880; Joseph S. Lusk. 
" 1881 to 1883 ; William Irvine, 1884 to 1885 ; 
R. H. Pillow, 1886; W. L. DeWolfe, 1887; 

F. V. Brooks, 1888; John E. Byers, 1889; 
N. M. Hoover, 1890; A. M. Neyman, 1891; 
J. C. Barr, 1892 ; H. D. Hockenberry, 1893 ; 
Samuel Graham, 1894; J. L. Christy, 1895; 

G. D. Thomas, 1896; A. Holman, 1897; 
M. E. Headland, 1898; H. D. Hocken- 
berry, 1899; A. C. Davis, 1900; J. W. F. 
Moore, 1901 ; George J. Peters, 1902 ; J. E. 
Bvers, 1903; W. Rush Hockenberry, 1904; 
E^ L. Wasson, 1905; J. C. Atwell, 1906; 
R. B. Greer, 1907 ; R. J. Grossman, 1908. 

The office of secretary has been filled by 
the following named physicians : Stephen 



Bredin, 1867; A. M. Neyman, 1868; G. W. 
Coulter, 1870; S. S. Towler, 1875; S. D. 
Bell, 1876; C. F. McBride, 1877; R. H. Pil- 
low, 1878-79; John E. Byers, 1880; J. L. 
Christy, 1881-89; S. D. Bell, 1890-94; 
Joseph Forrester, 1894-96; George J. 
Peters, 1897-99; J. C. Atwell, 1900-02; 
W. B. Clarke, 1903-04; T. M. Maxwell, 
1905-08. 



THE TYPHOID FEVER EPIDEMIC. 

The typhoid fever epidemic during the 
winter of 1903 and 1904 has gone down 
in history as the greatest epidemic of 
typhoid, in point of numbers according to 
population, of which we have any record. 
Prom the 1st of November to the 29th of 
January 1,348 persons were stricken and 
111 died, according to the official report 
made to the State Board of Health. The 
number of cases recognized by the relief 
committee from November 1 to April 1 
when the work was closed was 1,587 and 
the number of deaths 127. 

Previous to 1903 the town had but few 
cases of typhoid fever, as the record of 
vital statistics will show. From January 1 
to October 1, 1903, two cases had devel- 
oped in the town and seven deaths had 
occurred, the latter being of persons who 
had been infected elsewhere. During the 
latter part of October forty-seven persons 
sickened, but no serious alarm was felt 
and the local physicians were in some 
doubt as to whether it was really typhoid. 
During the first week of November new 
cases developed to such an extent that the 
attention of the Board of Health was 
called to the matter and these officials be- 
gan to look for the cause. The idea that 
the source of water supply of the town 
might be polluted with typhoid fever 
germs was scoffed at by some people and 
statements were published in the daily 
papers to the effect that the water was up 
to the standard of purity. A meeting of 
the Board of Health was held on Saturday 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



347 



night, November 7, at which the situation 
was talked over and before daylight the 
next morning Health Officer Robert B. 
Fowser, and Dr. John E. Byers, county in- 
spector, made a trip to the Thorn Run dam 
and inspected a house where typhoid fever 
had been reported. Here they found three 
cases of typhoid fever and also that the 
drainage of the house and yard ran into 
Thorn Run and thence into Connoquenes- 
sing Creek. 

It was also found that the water for the 
town was at that time being taken from an 
intake on the creek above the pump sta- 
tion. Subsequent inspections of the water 
sheds of the Thorn Run and Boydstown 
dam revealed the fact that in the summer 
of 1903 eight or nine cases of typhoid had 
developed in the Connoquenessing Valley 
north of Butler, and below Bo.ydstown. 
An adjourned meeting of the local board 
of health was held on Sunday afternoon, 
the 8th of November, which was attended 
by Dr. M. E. Headland of the First Ward, 
Dr. J. C. Atwell of the Second Ward, Dr. 
J. M. Lieghner of the Third Ward, Ber- 
nard Kemper of the Fourth Ward, and 
Robert B. Fowser of the Fifth Ward. The 
report of the inspecting officers was heard 
and on the following day the board issued 
an official proclamation advising the citi- 
zens of the town to boil all water used for 
domestic purposes. 

From November 10 to November 20 516 
cases were reported and by the end of the 
month the number had increased to the 
astounding proportions of 976. During 
the worst period of the epidemic 710 cases 
were reported to the relief committee in 
seventy-two hours. By this time the alarm 
was widespread. Bacteriological tests of 
samples of water taken on the 8th of 
November showed the existence of typhoid 
germs and settled the question of the cause 
of the epidemic. Worse things were in 
store for the people of Butler. The work 
of the Board of Health was interrupted by 
the illness of Health Officer Fowser, who 



was stricken with fever, and every member 
of the board had one or more cases in his 
family. In this dilemma the local board 
called on the State Board of Health for 
assistance, which was readily granted. On 
the 23rd of November the school board 
closed the public scjiools and they re- 
mained closed until the first of January. 
A canvas of the different wards was made 
to ascertain the number of cases and the 
necessities of the families where fever ex- 
isted and the situation was found to be 
truly appalling. At least one house in 
every five on every street in the town had 
from one to five cases of fever. The in- 
fected houses were not confined to any 
particular street or district. The First 
Ward, however, was the one that was the 
least effected. The local doctors were 
working night and day and it was found 
that there was general suffering from the 
lack of medical attention, proper nursing, 
and sick-room necessities, and even neces- 
sities of life among families who were 
imder ordinary circinnstances considered 
among the well-to-do classes. In many in- 
stances the bread winner of the family was 
stricken and along with him three or four 
children or probably the mother. It was 
not imusual to find four or five cases of 
fever in a house of four rooms, and even 
two and three cases in one room. In one 
instance the committee found a grand- 
mother almost eighty years of age trying 
to nurse her sick son and his wife, and at 
the same time cook for a familv of small 
children. Rev. Father Carroll of St. 
Paul's Catholic Church called for volun- 
teer nurses from among his people, and 
for financial assistance, which was met 
with a prompt response; and similar ef- 
forts among the other churches were made 
to relieve the siiffering and destitute 
among their own people. 

Wlfile the Board of Health, the School 
Board, and the state authorities were in- 
vestigating the causes of the fever, active 
steps were taken to relieve the suffering 



348 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and the destitute, and to this end a mass 
meeting was called at the courthouse on 
Sunday, Novembei* 28, at which a plain 
statement was made by those who con- 
ducted the investigation, and the tem- 
porary organization of a relief society was 
effected. At this meeting subscriptions 
were called for and the contributions to 
a relief fund amounted to $7,100.10. 

The Executive Committee met the fol- 
lowing day and began the relief work, 
which was continued until the last of 
March in 1904. The General Relief Com- 
mittee had headquarters in the council 
chambers in the Duffy Block, and the ward 
committees and the ladies' auxiliary com- 
mittees rejjorted to the General Committee 
every day. Those were dark days that fol- 
lowed the inauguration of the work of the 
Relief Committee. It will be seen from the 
list published below that there were 115 
people connected with the relief associa- 
tion, who gave of their time and services 
voluntarily and there was probably not one 
of the entire number that did not have 
sickness in their own family. Many of the 
committeemen after laboring night and 
day for weeks succumbed to the dread dis- 
ease themselves, and their places were 
filled by others. Night after night the 
members of the general and executive com- 
mittees held their meetings and received 
reports at which some of their personal 
friends or some member of the committee 
perhaps was reported ill or dying. People 
who were afraid of the fever and could get 
away left the town. Strangers traveling 
avoided the place as though it were in the 
grasp of a pestilence equal to the black 
plague. Indeed, so many exaggerated 
stories were published throughout the land 
about the nature of the epidemic in Butler, 
that it was not much wonder a stranger 
was afraid to enter the gates of the city. 
Business houses in the town were prac- 
tically paralyzed and the whole community 
had the appearance of being smitten with 
a blight from which it would never recover. 



The wealth of sympathy and the gener- 
osity of the American people for a sister 
town in distress soon made itself manifest, 
in the contributions to the relief fund that 
poured in from towns and cities and pri- 
vate individuals all over the country and 
in the voluntary assistance that came in 
the way of physicians, trained nurses, and 
others who gave of their time without re- 
muneration. The relief committee em- 
ployed from first to last two hundred and 
eight trained nurses, and forty-eight do- 
mestics, while the number of physicians 
who came here voluntarily and rendered 
assistance cannot be estimated. 

The kindness of the people in the sur- 
rounding towns made itself noticeably felt 
at Christmas time, which was probably the 
most gloomy period of the epidemic. Part 
of the work of the ladies' auxiliary com- 
mittee was to make personal visits to the 
homes of families where fever existed and 
to provide any of the comforts and necessi- 
ties needed, and to look after the sick chil- 
dren. A day or two before Christmas, 
contributions of such articles as make the 
hearts of the children happy during the 
holiday season began to pour in from all 
sources, and by Christmas eve there was a 
sufficient supply on hand to provide a 
Christmas present for every sick child in 
the town, as well as many others whose 
parents were left in such a position by the 
epidemic that they were unable to supply 
Christmas reminders for the little ones. 
One of the most notable contributions to 
this purpose was a box from a wholesale 
house in Pittsburg containing several 
gross of dolls. There were big dolls and 
little dolls, dolls that could talk, and dolls 
that opened and shut their eyes, and they 
were distributed without favor until every 
little girl whose family was numbered 
among the fever victims, was the recipient 
of one of these beautiful presents. 

KELTEF SOCIETY OBGANIZED. 

On Sunday afternoon, the 28th of 







'"^ili,.: "'~ 


^% 




•*".l 


ppp, 



RESIDENCE OP J. C. KBLLEY, BTJTLER 




RESIDENCE OF E. E. ABRAMS, BUTLER RESIDENCE OF WILLIAJI B. McGEARY, BUTLER 




TITE RETBKR HOME. BUTLER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



349 



November, a mass meeting was held at 
the courthouse at which the relief society 
was organized. Rev. L. A. Carroll, assist- 
ant pastor of St. Paul's Roman Catholic 
Church, called the meeting to order. C. M. 
Heineman was elected chairman pro-tem, 
and Harry T. Rattigan and Raymond 
Locke, secretaries, and T. J. Shufflin, 
treasurer. An executive committee was 
chosen as follows: I. G. Smith, C. M. 
Heineman, E. G. Caughey, Marion Hen- 
shaw, Hon. A. G. Williams, Rev. L. A. 
Carroll, Dr. R. B. Greer, Hon. James N. 
Moore, Alexander Mitchell, J. V. Ritts, 
William F. Rumberger, Hon. James M. 
Galbreath, Harvey H. Boyd, Isaac Hauck, 
and W. A. Cowan. To the above list of 
members of the Executive Committee, the 
following gentlemen were elected from 
time to time : T. J. Shufflin, W. H. Pape, 
John W. Brown, Charles H. Oliver, Dr. 
Wilbur R. Batt (state quarantine officer), 
Blair Hooks, J. D. Jackson, Dr. J. E. 
Byers, Dr. J. M. Leighner, Dr. J. C. At- 
well. Dr. M. E. Headland, Bernard Kem- 
per, and R. B. Fowser. 

The chairmen of the ward committees 
were as follows: 

First Ward, Blair Hooks ; Second Ward, 
W. Z. Murrin; Third AVard, E. H. Negley; 
Fourth Ward, A. W. McCollough; Fifth 
Ward, T. C. H. KecS. 

Finance Committee: A. C. Troutman, 
John H. Jackson, AV. H. Pape, Charles A. 
Douglass. 

The Ministerial Committee consisted of 
all the clergymen of Butlei-. 

From time to time changes were made in 
the ward committees, and new chairman 
were substituted as follows : Second Ward, 
Theodore D. Pape, in the place of Mr. Mur- 
rin; Fourth Ward, George A. Evans, in 
the place of A. W. McCollough; Fifth 
Ward, Ed. McShane succeeded Mr. Keck 
who was stricken with fever, and Robert 
Lowry succeeded McShane. The ward 
chairmen were assisted by the following: 
Thomas Robinson, Jr.. First Ward; J. D. 



Jackson, Second Ward; James Hayes, 
Third Ward ; A. W. McCollough, Fourth 
AVard; Charles Reiber, Fifth Ward. 

The first meeting of the Executive Com- 
mittee was held in the council chambers at 
seven o'clock on the evening of November 
29, at which time the actual work of relief 
began. James N. Moore was chosen chair- 
man of the General Relief Committee, 
Richard H. Broadhead was elected secre- 
tary, Miss Louise DeHaven stenographer 
and typewriter, and T. James Dodds, An- 
drew Williams, Jr., and James 0. Camp- 
bell clerks. I. G. Smith was elected 
treasurer. 

THE I;ADIES' AUXILIAEY COMMITTEES. 

The chairmen of the ward committees 
appointed the following Ladies' Auxiliary 
committees in the different wards: First 
AVard, chairman Mrs. 0. H. Heiner, Mrs. 
M. L. Armstrong, Miss Adelaide Robinson, 
Mrs. George Lambert, Miss Joe Harper, 
Airs. AVilliam Sloan, Airs. G. A. Spang, 
Aliss Charlotte Heiner, Airs. Richard H. 
AA'^ick, Miss Maud Hooks, Aliss Frances 
Harper. 

Second Ward: Chairman Miss Isabel 
AVhite, Airs. Charles Abrams, Mrs. Charles 
Duffy, Mrs. C. N. Boyd, Airs. Samuel 
AVoods, Aliss Loretta Alurrin, Airs. Rev. 
Barlow, Mrs. J. W. McKee, Mrs. J. J. Don- 
aldson, Aliss Madge Douglass, Mrs. W. J. 
AIcDowell, Miss AVhite. 

Third Ward: Chairman Mrs. William 
Campbell, Mrs. James Hayes, Mrs. Vogan, 
Airs. Clara Starr, Mrs. J. W. Wagon, Mrs. 
A^. K. Phillips, Miss Catherine Stewart, 
Aliss Alary Bowser, Miss Eleanor G. 
Graham. 

Fourth Ward: Chairman Miss L. E. 
Young, Aliss Mary McBride, Miss Lizzie 
Evans, Aliss Vera Younkins, Aliss M. S. 
Smith, Miss Clara Alitchell, Mrs. J. S. Mc- 
Kee, Mrs. C. E. Herr, Mrs. J. D. Mc- 
Junkin, Mrs. E. E. Abrams, Mrs. Laverne 
Butler. 

Fifth Ward : Chairman Miss Frances G. 



350 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Wick, Mrs. George Enterline, Mrs. Isaac 
Hauck, Mrs. James Miller, Mrs. McClure, 
Mrs. James Thompsou, Mrs. W. A. Slater, 
Mrs. Speilman, Mrs. Matthews, Miss 
Blanche Wick. 

On the 11th of December the ladies were 
called together and arrangements made 
for assigning workers to the different por- 
tions of the wards they represent. As the 
relief work progressed additional commit- 
tees were authorized as follows : 

Committee on Supplies: C. G. Christie, 
T. J. Shufflin, I. G. Smith. 

Case Committee : James N. Moore, I. G. 
Smith, W. A. Rumberger, C. N. Boyd, 
A. W. McCollough, Richard H. Broadhead. 

Coal, Water and Domestic Committee: 
Charles H. Olliver, chairman. 

Laundry Work: John W. Brown, C. 
Ball, Carl Bilenfeld. 

Supply Room : Harry Grieb, manager ; 
Miss Maude Sutton, Miss Fay Thompson. 

Manager of supplies for Red Cross of 
Pittsburg: Miss Mabel Graham. 

Ambulance drivers : James Stewart and 
Robert Girard. 

Ambulance physician : Dr. Sullivan. 

Committee on Nurses : James N. Moore, 
C. G. Christie, T. J. Shufflin. 

Nurses in charge of dispensary: Miss 
Lydia E. Betz and Miss Jennie Randall. 

The total number of workers connected 
with the Butler Relief Association was 
115. Number of nurses employed, 208; 
number of domestics, forty-eight. 

DR. batt's work. 

Dr. Wilbur R. Batt, quarantine officer at 
large, came to Butler on the 1st of Decem- 
ber, and with the other officers of the State 
Board of Health assisted the local board in 
taking care of the epidemic. Under the 
direction of the State board. Dr. Batt in- 
stalled a destructor for the destruction 
of typhoid fever excreta at the Butler 
County General Hospital, and built three 
sedimentation or filtration beds at the out- 
let of the sewage system of Lyndora. He 



also established a dispensary in rooms in 
the Duffy Building at the corner of Main 
and North streets, where a complete sup- 
ply of disinfectants and chemicals was 
kept, and a skilled nurse was placed in 
charge to instruct the people how to use 
them. These supplies were distributed 
free of charge. Dr. Batt remained in But- 
ler until the close of January, 1904, when 
his services not being needed longer, he 
returned to Philadelphia. He was assisted 
from time to time by Dr. Thomas N. ]\Ic- 
Kee of Kittanning, Dr. Adams of Philadel- 
phia, and other members of the State 
board. 

HOSPITALS ESTABLISHED. 

Six hospitals were established and in 
operation from December 1 to March 1. 
Five of these hospitals received and cared 
for typhoid fever patients, the sixth con- 
fined its work to the preparing of delica- 
cies of all kinds which were distributed 
gratuitously and for furnishing sleeping 
quarters for homeopathic nurses only. 

The City of Brotherly Love Hospital 
was established through the generosity of 
Earl D. Clinton, proprietor of the Stand- 
ard Hotel, on Fairground Avenue, who 
volunteered the use of his property, and 
through the Citizens' Permanent Relief 
Society of the city of Philadelphia, who 
sent Doctors French and Houston, Miss 
Lane as head nurse, and twenty-five other 
nurses, five from each of the five principal 
hospitals of Philadelphia. The local Re- 
lief Committee furnished all the supplies, 
paid all the domestics and employes con- 
nected with the hospital with the exception 
of the doctors and nurses sent by Phila- 
delphia. This hospital was in operation 
forty-five days, from December 3 to Janu- 
ary 18, during which period forty typhoid 
patients were received and treated, and 
four other patients, not typhoid, making a 
total of forty-four. Wlien the hospital was 
closed by Drs. McKinney and Fox, all 
medicinal supplies sent by the Philadelphia 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



351 



Relief Society were donated to the Butler 
County General Hospital. 

The Wagner Hospital was established 
through the generosity of the Misses 
Bertha and Lena Wagner, who volunteered 
the use of their residence on South Mc- 
Kean Street. This hospital was put into 
actual operation on December 1, and closed 
on March 28. Twenty-nine patients were 
received and treated, ten of whom were 
nurses. The Relief Committee furnished 
the supplies and paid all the nurses, who 
were under the leadership of Miss Durkin. 
On account of being centrally located, this 
hospital was of the greatest possible bene- 
fit, and was the last institution to be closed 
when the epidemic had run its course. 

The Emergency Hospital was donated 
through the kindness of the county com- 
missioners, who turned over all of the 
available room in the County Home to be 
used for hospital purposes. The county 
authorities furnished one nurse and the 
Relief Committee three nurses in this in- 
stitution. The portion of the County 
Home utilized as an emergency hospital 
was opened December 6, 1903, and closed 
February 27, 1904. The number of pa- 
tients admitted was twelve. 

The Lyudora Hospital was established 
through the individual efforts of Mr. E. G. 
Caughey, who was then assistant general 
manager of the Standard Steel Car Com- 
pany. This hospital was used almost en- 
tirely for the care of the employes of the 
Standard Steel Car Company, and received 
the personal attention of Mr. Caughey. 
The hospital was opened November 28, 
1903, and was closed January 16, 1904. 
The doctors in attendance were R. B. 
Greer and E. L. Wasson. Seventeen pa- 
tients were received and treated at this 
institution. 

The Homeopathic Nurses' Home was 
established on East Jefiferson Street 
through the efforts of Mr. J. C. Say, and 
the Homeopathic Hospital of Pittsburg, 
assisted by Mrs. Dillworth and Mrs. Will- 



iam Thaw. It was the intention of Doctors 
McClellan and Willard and Mr. Childs of 
the Pittsburg Hospital to establish a 
homeopathic hospital, but on account of 
their being so few homeopathic doctors 
and nurses in Butler, the project was aban- 
doned, and the Say Building on East Jef- 
ferson Street was used as sleeping quar- 
ters for homeopathic nurses. It was also 
used for the preparation of delicacies for 
the sick which were distributed by the 
nurses in charge, and for the distribution 
of supplies which were furnished by the 
ladies of the Homeopathic Hospital of 
Pittsburg. 

The importance of a well established 
and well equipped hospital was demon- 
strated in the early days of the epidemic. 
The Butler County General Hospital had 
opened wide its doors to the Relief Com- 
mittee before the emergency hospitals were 
established, and in all forty-nine relief 
committee patients were treated free at 
this institution, including the services of 
staff physicians. Sixty-nine cases were 
treated from December 1, 1903, until the 
close of March, 1904. 



THE SUPPLY KOOMS. 

The basement of Snaman's furniture 
store on North Main Street was rented by 
the Relief Committee as a supply room. 
Here was received an endless variety of 
clothing for men, women, boys and girls, 
bedding of all kinds, eatables, etc., which 
were contributed by people and societies 
from towns and cities from all over the 
country. One of the most acceptable dona- 
tions of this kind was received the first 
week of December from the people of New 
Castle, who sent a carload of woolen blan- 
kets and bedding. As the weather was ex- 
tremely cold there was in many eases 
suffering caused by the lack of proper 
bedding in families where there were sev- 
eral cases of fever to be taken care of. 
This department was in charge of Harry 



352 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Grieb, who was assisted by Miss Fay 
Thompson, Miss Sutton and Miss Stewart. 
The Pittsburg Red Cross Society repre- 
sented by Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Jones, and 
Mrs. Vandergrift, also contributed a large 
amount of supplies which were stored in 
the basement of the Snaman building in 
part of the room occupied by the Relief 
Committee, which was in charge of Miss 
Mabel Graham. The records of the society 
show that a total of 4,038 pieces were dis- 
tributed by the Red Cross, and 9,600 pieces 
by the Relief Committee. The Relief 
Committee received a total of 12,200 
pieces, four-fifths of which were donated. 
The balance of these articles at the close 
of the epidemic were donated to the proper 
officers of the Children's Aid Society of 
Butler. 

HISTORY OF THE WATER SUPPLY. 

On the 1st of December, 1903, Dr. Wil- 
bur R. Batt, quarantine officer at large, on 
duty in Pittsburg, investigating the out- 
break of the smallpox in that city, was 
directed by the State Board of Health to 
come to Butler and investigate the water 
supply at this place. He was accompanied 
by Dr. John W. Adams, veterinarian to 
the State Board of Health of Philadelphia, 
who investigated the milk supply, and Dr. 
Thomas N. McKee, quarantine officer of 
Armstrong County, who is a member of 
the State Board of Health. These officers 
met with the members of the local board of 
health, the representatives of the School 
Board and representatives of the Town 
Council, and a thorough investigation was 
made of the water sheds at Thorn Run and 
Boydstown. 

The water supply of Butler at this time 
was obtained from two sources. The 
Mutual Water Company of the Southside 
supplied a large area in the First Ward 
from five wells which were drilled at the 
top of the hill south of the town, in 1891. 
The main supply for the old part of the 



town was obtained from the Butler Water 
Company, which had a storage dam at 
Boydstown, and was then constructing a 
second storage dam on Thorn Run in Oak- 
land Township. A brief history of the 
water supply of the town was given by Dr. 
Batt in his report on the typhoid fever epi- 
demic at Butler, on the 31st of January, 
1904, and may be of interest. 

Previous to 1877 the water supply of the town was 
obtained entirely from drilled wells. The Butler Water 
Company was chartered November 1, 1877, and built a 
reservoir at the top of the hill near the old St. Paul's 
Orphans' Home property, which had a capacity of 
3,000.000 gallons of water. The supply was taken "from 
an intake on the Connoquenessing Creek near the pump 
station. In 1896 the water company experienced some 
difficulty on account of salt water pollution, which was 
caused by pumping oil wells along the Connoquenessing 
Creek Valley below Boydstown. In order to obviate this 
pollution of the water, the water company built the 
Boydstown dam, which has a drainage area of 9,000 
acres. In July, 1897, the Butler Water Company dis- 
posed of their plant to the American Water Works and 
Guaranty Company, who are the present owners. Dur- 
ing the summer of 1903 the company purchased a large 
tract of land on Thorn Run in Oakland Township and 
built the Tliorn Run Dam, which was completed the last 
of October. 

The consumption of water in the town increased from 
one and a quarter million gallons in 1901 to three mil- 
lion gallons daily in 1903. This sudden increase in con- 
sumption was caused by the erection of the Standard 
Steel Car Plant and the rapid increase in population 
that followed. In 1902 the Water Company installed a 
large filter plant at the pump station, and the con- 
sumers were thereafter supplied with filtered water. A 
succession of heavy rains and consequent high water de- 
stroyed the Boydstown dam on the 28th of August, 1903, 
and from that time until the 15th of November the 
water supply of the town was taken from an emergency 
intake on the creek above the pump station. This water 
was filtered and was of a fairly good quality until about 
the 20th of October, when the filter beds were out of 
commission for a few days on account of repairs. Dur- 
ing this time the water supply was taken from the 
creek and pumped into the reservoir unfiltered. The 
officers of the State board found on examination of the 
water sheds of the Boydstown dam, the Thorn Kun 
dam, and the valley of the creek below the Boydstown 
dam, that a number of typhoid fever cases had existed 
in farm houses and that the excreta from these dwellings 
was thrown into the runs that were tributary to the 
creek. It was also discovered that during the few days 
that the water supply had been taken from the bed of 
the creek, unfiltered, the water had been sufficiently con- 
taminated with typhoid fever germs to cause the fearful 
epidemic that began about the first of November. 

As further evidence of this fact Dr. Batt 
shows in his report that from 1876 to 1896 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



353 



the water supply of the town was taken 
from the Connoquenessing Creek and 
pumped into the reservoir untiltered. 
From July, 1896, to July, 1897, the supply 
was obtained from Boydstown dam un- 
tiltered. From July, 1897, to December, 
1897, the supply again was taken from the 
Connoquenessing Creek untiltered. From 
July, 1902, to August 28, 1903, the supply 
was taken from Boydstowu dam and 
filtered. From August 28, 1903, to October 
20, 1903, the supply was taken from the 
emergency intake on the Connoquenessing 
Creek and filtered. From October 20 to 
November 2 the supply was taken from 
the Connoquenessing Creek and the filter 
beds being out of commission at this time 
the water was furnished to the consumers 
imfiltered. From November 2 to Novem- 
ber 15 the supply was taken from the creek 
and the filter beds having been repaired 
the water was filtered before it went to the 
consumers. On November 15, the Thorn 
Run dam, which had been completed, was 
placed in conmaission and the supply 
was taken from that source and the 
water filtered before it was pumped into 
the reservoir. The result of the investiga- 
tion proved the contention of the local 
board of health that the fever was caused 
by contamination of the water supply. 

The conclusion of Dr. Batt's report on 
the subject of pollution of the water is as 
follows : 

"That following the destruction of the Boydstown 
dam August 28, 1903, the water for distribution to the 
people of Butler was taken from Connoquenessing Creek 
through an emergency intake. An examination of the 
water of the creek showed that it maintained a fairly 
constant evidence of pollution and that at various periods 
the operation of the filter plant was particularly or 
entirely suspended and that as a result of this polluted 
water being used for domestic purposes, 1,348 persons 
were stricken with typhoid fever between October 1, 
1903, and January 29, 1904, with 111 fatalities." 

The previous records of typhoid fever 
epidemics were broken at Butler. In 1885 
a similar epidemic occurred at Plymouth, 
Pennsylvania, a town of 8,000 population. 
The number of cases reported at that time 



was 1,104, and the deaths 114. At Ithaca, 
New York, an epidemic occurred, in May, 
1903, in whicli there were 1,300 cases re- 
ported, and seventy-eight deaths, among a 
population of 13,000 people. 

George R. Harlow, of Philadelphia, en- 
gineer and inspector of the State Board of 
Health, made an official visit to the Boyds- 
town dam and water shed on the 12th of 
December, 1903, and reported that eight 
cases of typhoid fever had been located in 
the vicinity of Boydstown from the first 
of August to the date of his visit in that 
year. This inspection confirmed the belief 
that the fever epidemic was caused by pol- 
luted water, and that the cause of the 
pollution came from the infected houses 
along the creek valley north of Butler. 

In justice to Superintendent M. F. 
Wright and the American Waterworks & 
Guaranty Company it is recorded that the 
company, through its officials in Butler, 
did everything within its power to assist 
the State and local boards of health, and 
spared no expense in their efforts to rem- 
edy the evils that existed at that time, and 
to safeguard the health of the community 
in the future. 

FINANCIAL REPORT. 

The financial report of the executive 
committee of the Relief Society which was 
audited and filed with the other reports of 
the epidemic show that the committee re- 
ceived from first to last a total of 
$65,567.48. The total amount expended by 
the Relief Society was $58,415.90. The 
balance of $7,151.58 was turned over to 
the Butler County General Hospital when 
the Relief Society closed its books. To the 
above amount may be added the donations 
of grocers, and other supplies by mer- 
chants amounting to $1,039.41, and a large 
amount of clothing, bedding and other sup- 
plies on which no value was placed, but 
which approximates $10,000 or more. 

In addition to the above amounts must 
be considered the report of Burgess Will- 



354 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



iam Kenuedy. The Burgess received from 
all sources $12,021.28. Of this amount 
$9,527.20 was turned over to the Relief 
Society, and the balance of $2,494.08 was 
disbursed by him on vouchers, a report of 
which is on file in the office of the secretary 
of the town council. This makes the total 
amount of cash contributions $68,061.56. 
No account is taken in the financial state- 
ment of the $3,038 in the hands of the 
Mayor of Pittsburg, which the Relief 
Society did not receive, nor is any account 
taken of the discounts on bills allowed by 
the grocerymen, the merchants, and the 
gas companies. Nor is any account taken 
of the discount amounting to 33 1-3 per 
cent, allowed by the real estate owners on 
rentals paid by the relief committee. 

THE DIET KITCHEN. 

On November 29 the use of the kitchen 
and dining-room of the Second Presbyte- 
rian Church was offered by the jaastor as 
a place in which food might be prepared 
for fever patients. This idea was aban- 
doned when it became known that there 
was some difficulty in providing meals for 
the professional nurses who had come 
from various parts of the country in re- 
sponse for help, and under the direction 
of the Relief Committee this work was un- 
dertaken at the church. The supervision 
of the work was committed to the pasto'- 
Rev. E. R. Worrall, Hon. Thomas Hayes, 
a member of the session, Mrs. C. E. Mc- 
Intire, president of the Ladies' Aid Soci- 
ety, and Miss Maude Hayes. About one 
hundred and forty ladies of Butler partici- 
pated in this work and all the necessary 
help was gratuitous with the exception of 
the cook and errand boy, who were paid 
by the committee. Meals were served to 
nurses at the church during a period of 
seventy-three days, from December 4, 
1903, to February 14, 1904, during which 
time the average number of meals served 
daily was seventy-one. The average for 
the first week was fifty-three, and the third 



week, one hundred and eigliteen, wliich was 
the highest average during the time the 
institution was open. 

CLAEA barton's VISIT. 

On the 14th of December, 1903, Butler 
was visited by Miss Clara Barton, of the 
National Red Cross Society, accompanied 
by Gen. W. H. Sears, J. B. Hubbell and 
Dr. A. W. Hitt. She was also accompanied 
by Mrs. J. L. Anderson and Mrs. Mary 
Chalfant McKee, of the Pittsburg Red 
Cross. Miss Barton and her staff made a 
thorough examination of the hospitals, the 
diet kitchen, the supply department, and 
the method of conducting the relief work 
by the relief committee, and expressed 
themselves so well pleased with the work 
being done that they thought it was not 
necessary for the officers of the Red Cross 
Society to remain in the field. Miss Bar- 
ton was especially complimentary on the 
manner in which the relief work was or- 
ganized in Butler, and said it was the 
equal of the work done at Galveston and 
other places where the National Red Cross 
Society had taken charge. 

the RELIEF FUND. 

Acting on the advice of Miss Clara Bar- 
ton, who said that it would probably take 
one hundred thousand dollars to meet the 
expenses of the Relief Committee, the Ex- 
ecutive Committee held a meeting on the 
night of December 15, and prepared a 
statement wiiich was given to the Asso- 
ciated Press and published in all the news- 
papers in the United States the following 
day. As the result of this appeal for aid, 
the committee received from all sources 
the sum of $65,567.48. Money poured in 
from all parts of the country, from towns 
and cities, from lodges and benevolent 
societies, and from private individuals. 
The smallest donation was ten cents from 
a private individual at Tacoma, Washing- 
ton, and the largest was $5,000 from a 
gentleman who had been a former resident 
of Butler County, but withheld his name. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



355 



On January 11, 1904, a meeting of the 
genera] relief and executive committees 
was held at which a complete and exhaus- 
tive discussion relative to the funds re- 
ceived up to that time, took place, and a 
second statement was given to the Asso- 
ciated Press for publication stating that 
the relief committee felt satisfied that with 
the funds received up to that time they 
would have siifficient money to pay all 
debts contracted for, and which might be 
incurred thereafter, providing no unfore- 
seen contingencies occurred; and that fur- 
ther contributions on the part of the pub- 
lic would be unnecessary. 

About the time the second statement 
was given out setting forth that the Relief 
Committee had sufficient funds in hand to 
finish the relief work in Butler, there re- 
mained in the hands of the Mayor of Pitts- 
burg, $3,067.20, which had been sent to him 
as custodian of the Butler Relief fund, 
and which had not been forwarded to But- 
ler. About this time tlie frightful disaster 
at the Harwick mines in Allegheny County 
took place, in which one hundred and sev- 
enty men lost their lives. At a meeting of 
the executive committee, a motion was 
unanimously adopted instructing the sec- 
retary to wire the Mayor of Pittsburg as 
follows: 

"Hou. W. B. Hayes, Mayor of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania: 
"J ha^e been authorized to wire you as follows: That 
it is the sense of this executive- committee and the gen- 
eral relief committee that the officers of both com- 
mittees, while still claiming their legal and moral right 
to the balance of the funds in your hands, we now re- 
quest that it be transferred to the proper authorities for 
the benefit of the Harwick sufferers; and in addition we 
wish to sny to you that, notwithstanding the fact that 
we are still in the throes of the typhoid fever epidemic 
here, this relief committee and the citizens of Butler 
generally stand ready to aid in any way they can in this 
disaster of our sister county." Signed, R. B. Broad- 
head, secretary. 

The work performed by the Relief Soci- 
ety of Rutler in connection with the epi- 
demic of typhoid fever was of such great 
importance and so effective in its results 
as to play a very important part in secur- 
ing the rapid abatement of the disease as 



well as relieving suffering and want. The 
work was of such magnitude that the de- 
tails cannot be given here. The manner 
in which the affairs of the Relief Society 
were ackninistered testify eloquently to 
the intelligence and integrity and the un- 
selfishness of those who devoted both of 
their time and substance to the relief of 
the stricken fellow towns-people. 

Nor should the personal sacrifices of in- 
dividuals be passed unnoticed. Dr. John 
E. Byers, county medical inspector, had 
an extensive practice in Butler. While vis- 
iting a fever patient in January, 190-1-, he 
was stricken with cerebral hemorrhage 
and died in a few hours. Dr. William H. 
Brown contracted a disease from exposure 
during the winter that caused his death in 
June, 1905. Miss Gertrude Vanderlin, 
daughter of Attorney J. C. Vanderlin, of 
Butler, who was one of the first volunteer 
nurses, attended a poor family where 
there were four children ill with fever. 
She became infected with the disease and 
died in December when the epidemic was 
at its height. For performing deeds of 
valor on the field of battle and in time of 
war, men and women have had their names 
written on marble and bronze. The men 
and women who faced the Grim Reaper 
during the long weeks of the epidemic, 
nursing the sick and comforting the dying 
to be themselves stricken and finally give 
up their lives, are of heroic mould, and 
their memories will long be cherished by 
a grateful people. Of them it can be writ- 
ten : "Greater love hath no man than this, 
that a man lay down his life for his 
friends." 

BUTLEB COUNTY GENERAL HOSPITAL. 

The movement to build a hospital in 
Butler as a public charity and also for the 
care of private cases, had its inception in 
the fall of 1896. The deaths of two young 
men from fever under circumstances that 
were particularly sad, and a number of 
serious railroad accidents of the previous 



356 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



summer, attracted public attention to the 
matter of taking care of the sick strangers 
in our midst and enlisted the sympathies 
of the women of the town who were en- 
gaged in charitable work. As in every good 
cause, the women were the first to make a 
move. Mrs. Elizabeth McCandless, now 
deceased, Mrs. Harriet Cooper and Mrs. T. 
J. Steen prepared a letter setting forth the 
needs of the town, which they sent to An- 
drew Carnegie, and was the means of se- 
curing from him the promise of a check 
for $1,500.00 for the building of a hospital 
whenever the people of Butler showed 
their good faith by affecting an organiza- 
tion and raising a fund for the enterprise. 
Following this a meeting of the women of 
the town who were interested in the hospi- 
tal movement was held in the Y. M. C. A. 
building on November 17, 1896, at which 
Mrs. W. D. Brandon presided, with Mrs. 
C. E. Herr as secretary. This meeting 
was attended by about eighty women, rep- 
resenting all of the churches of the town, 
and the various women's societies. Mrs. 
M. S. Templeton, Mrs. J. B. Black, and 
Mrs. W. C. Thompson were appointed a 
committee to pi'ej^are a constitution and 
by-laws, and present them for adoption at 
the next meeting. 

At a meeting held on the 24th of Novem- 
ber a regular organization was atfected by 
the election of Mrs. W. D. Brandon, presi- 
dent; Mrs. J. S. McKee, vice-president; 
Mrs. C. E. Herr, secretary ; and Mrs. John 
S. Campbell, treasurer. A committee on 
finance was appointed consisting of Mrs. 
John S. Campbell, president; Mrs. N. B. 
Jacobs, Mrs. R. P. Scott, Mrs. William 
Aland, Mrs. J. V. Ritts, Mrs. William 
Cooper, Mrs. H. W. Christie, Mrs. Alfred 
Wick, Mrs. W. C. Thompson, Mrs. A. W. 
McCullough, Miss AUie Collins, and Miss 
Mary McKee. 

At the same time a board of manage- 
ment was elected, consisting of two repre- 
sentatives from each of the churches in the 
town. This board was as follows: 



Baptist Church— Mrs. W. H. Collins. 

St. Paul's Catholic Church — Mrs. 
Charles Duffy, Mrs. Joseph Vanderlin. 

St. Peter's Catholic Church — Mrs. 
Harry Grieb, Mrs. William Aland. 

Church of God — Mrs. J. W. Davis. 

Grace Lutheran Church — Mrs. Eli Mil- 
ler. 

Free Methodist Church — Mrs. L. C. 
Wick. 

First Presbyterian Church — Mrs. D. B. 
Campbell, Mrs. R. C. McAboy. 

United Presbyterian Church — Mrs. Jos. 
L. Purvis, Mrs. R. H. Pillow. 

St. Peter's Episcopal Church — Mrs. J. 
B. Black. 

First English Lutheran Church — Miss 
Lena Reiber, and Mrs. Elizabeth Smith. 

St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church 
— Mrs. Theodore Vogeley, and Mrs. Jacob 
Lawall. 

Bethany Reformed Church — Mrs. T. 
Klingensmith. 

St. Paul's Reformed Church — Mrs. D. 
N. Harnish. 

Members at large — Miss Isabelle White, 
Mrs. J. M. Greer, Mrs. J. H. DeWolf, Mrs. 
J. S. McKee, Mrs. J. Henry Troutman, 
Mrs. J. S. Campbell, Mrs. Chas. E. Herr. 

Committee on site — Mrs. J. Henry 
Troutman, Mrs. R. C. McAboy, and Mrs. 
L. 0. Purvis. 

The title adopted was the Ladies' Hospi- 
tal Association. 

There have been few changes in the offi- 
cers of the association since its first organ- 
ization. Mrs. R. P. Scott was appointed 
donation secretary after the hospital was 
opened, and Mrs. J. B. Black succeeded 
Mrs. C. E. Herr as recording secretary. 
In 1908 the association had over fifty mem- 
bers who were working for the interests of 
the hospital through the various commit- 
tees. The officers were as follows: 

President, Mrs. J. Henry Troutman; 
vice-president, Mrs. C. G. Christie; dona- 
tion secretary, Mrs. B. C. Huselton; re- 
cording secretary, Mrs. J. B. Black. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



357 



The following committees were fully or- 
ganized and doing excellent work : 

Executive committee: Mrs. R. C. Mc- 
Aboy, Mrs. R. P. Scott, Miss Isabel White. 

Purchasing committee: Mrs. R. C. Mc- 
Aboy, . Mrs. N. M. Hoover, Mrs. W. D. 
Brandon. 

Entertainment committee : Mrs. Jno. S. 
Campbell, Mrs. R. P. Scott, Mrs. C. N. 
Boyd. 

Flower committee: Mrs. W. H. Goeh- 
ring, Mrs. W. C. Thompson, Mrs. Frank 
Beidenbach, Mrs. W. H. Miller, Mrs. J. B. 
Black, Miss Anna White. 

Needle-work committee: Miss Isabel 
White, Mrs. Louis B. Stein, Mrs. Chas. E. 
Herr, Mrs. T. C. Campbell, Mrs. Alfred 
Wick, Mrs. J. D. McJunkin, Mrs. Jas. Hey- 
drick, Mrs. W. H. Heydrick, and Miss Allie 
Harper. 

The first advisory board consisted of L. 
0. Purvis, John S. Campbell, Alfred Wick, 
Joseph Hartman, J. M. Galbreath, W. 
T. Mechling, Dr. A. M. Neyman, L. R. 
Schmertz, and Daniel Younkins. 

In January, 1897, a joint meeting of the 
Ladies' Hospital Association, the advisory 
board, and others interested in the project 
was held in the Y. M. C. A. Building at 
which an organization was formed, the 
object of which was to maintain a general 
hospital, as a public charity at Butler, 
Pennsylvania, to be known as ' ' The Butler 
County General Hospital." In order to 
carry out the purposes and object of the 
corporation, it was decided to apply for a 
charter, which was granted on the 18th day 
of January, 1897, and the following 
board of directors was named for the first 
year: William T. Mechling, president; 
Thos. J. ShufHin, vice-president; J. V. 
Ritts, treasurer; A. E. Reiber, secretary; 
and L. 0. Purvis, Amos Steelsmith, Jos. 
W. Aland, Watt Tait, L. R. Schmertz, 
Mrs. Theodore Vogeley, Mrs. C. D. Green- 
lee, Mrs. N. M. Hoover, Mrs. T. J. Steen, 
Mrs. Harry Grieb, Mrs. J. Henry Trout- 



lu addition to the above directory, the 
following committees were appointed : Ex- 
ecutive committee, A. E. Reiber, W. F. 
Tait, Amos Steelsmith, Mrs. J. Henry 
Troutman, Mrs. N. M. Hoover. 

Finance committee, J. V. Ritts, L. R. 
Schmertz, T. J. Shufflin, Mrs. C. D. Green- 
lee, Airs. T. J. Steen. 

Auditing committee, Jos. W. Aland, Mrs. 
Theodore Vogeley, Mrs. Harry Grieb. 

Building committee, L. 0. Purvis, A. E. 
Reiber, Mrs. J. H. Troutman. 

At the annual meeting held on January 
20, 1898, the above named committees were 
continued, and in 1899 T. J. Shufiiin suc- 
ceeded W. T. Mechling as president, and 
Mrs. J. Henry Troutman was elected presi- 
dent. The secretary and treasurer were 
continued. There were no changes in offi- 
cials until the annual meeting of 1901, 
when W. F. Rumberger was chosen secre- 
tary to succeed Mr. Reiber. In July, 1905, 
Mr. Rumberger resigned as secretary and 
L. B. Stein acted as secretary until the an- 
nual meeting in 1906, when Jos. W. Aland 
was elected. 

In 1908 the board of directors consisted 
of T. J. Shufflin, president; Mrs. J. H. 
Troutman, vice-president; Louis B. Stein, 
treasurer; Jos. W. Aland, secretary; and 
Miss Isabella White, Mrs. N. M. Hoover, 
Mrs. J. S. Campbell, Capt. Thos. Hays, A. 
E. Reiber, J. V. Ritts, L. S. McJunkin, and 
M. F. Wright. 

In 1897 the building committee secured 
a site from the John Muntz estate south of 
the Connoquenessing Creek at the foot of 
Main Street, and the contract was let for a 
two-story brick building that would meet 
the needs of the time. The building was 
erected and equipped at a cost of about 
.$25,000. With the exception of the dona- 
tion made by Andrew Carnegie, the money 
for this purpose was contributed by the 
people of Butler and Butler County. For 
several years after the hospital was 
opened it was maintained by the benevo- 
leuce of the people of the community, but 



358 



HISTOEY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



in 1902 State aid was secured and the leg- 
islature of 1907 made an appropriation of 
$10,000 for building purposes, and a sim- 
ilar amount for maintenance for the two 
succeeding years. 

When the building was ready for occu- 
pancy the Masonic order of Butler fur- 
nished and equipped the dining-room, and 
the four private rooms were furnished by 
the B. P. 0. E., the Woodmen of the 
World, the I. 0. 0. F., and the C. M. B. A., 
respectively. 

The hospital takes a leading rank among 
the public institutions of the State, and has 
performed a noble work in the community. 
During the typhoid fever epidemic of the 
winter of 1903-4 the institution received 
and cared for sixty-five patients from No- 
vember until the first of March. At the 
time of the explosion at the carwheel foun- 
dry on the night of October 8, 1907, forty- 
one of the victims were taken to the hospi- 
tal and properly cared for, although the 
capacity of the institution was only twenty 
beds. 

On the anniversary of this catastrophe 
in October, 1908, the Standard Steel Car 
Company through their treasurer, Mr. Gil- 
lespie, sent the Hospital Association a 
clieck for $5,000 as a donation in apprecia- 
tion of the services rendered at the time 
of the accident at the mill. 

The first matron and superintendent of 
the hospital was Miss Emma Walker; she 
was succeeded by Miss Emma Limberg; 
and Mrs. A. M. Eeinhardt, the present 
superintendent, came to the institution in 
November, 1902. Miss Cook and Miss 
Anderson filled the position of matron for 
short periods during 1901 and 1902. 

THE NUKSES' TRAINING SCHOOL. 

The training school for nurses was es- 
tablished in 1901, and the first class was 
graduated in 1903. The graduates that 
year were Miss Elizabeth Amnion, and 



Miss Lue Donaldson. The latter died dur- 
ing the winter of the epidemic in Butler. 

The class of 1904 was composed of Miss 
Anna Pifer, Mrs. Jennie Murphy, Miss 
Mabel Campbell, and Miss Florence Hal- 
derman. 

The class of 1905 consisted of Miss Jes- 
sie Rav, Miss Amy Pifer, and Miss Sara 
Kline. ' 

The class of 1906 was composed of Miss 
Margaret Walter, Miss Susan Borford, 
Miss Carrie Kline, Miss Stella Campbell, 
Miss Emma Fuhrer, Miss Rachel Zufall, 
Miss May Soper. The class of 1907 was 
composed of Miss Anna Brown, Miss Alice 
McQuillan, Miss Stella Gilson, Miss Rose 
Wliitney and Miss Phoebe Pasch. 

Eleven nurses were in training in 1908 
of whom five were on probation. 

The alumni association was formed in 
October, 1908, with eleven members and 
the following officers: Mrs. Jennie Mur- 
phy, president ; Miss Florence Halderman, 
secretary ; ]\liss Amy Pifer, treasurer ; and 
Miss Stella Campbell, vice-president. 

The official staff of the hospital in 1908 
was composed of Mrs. A. M. Reinhardt, 
superintendent; Miss M. E. Foster, head 
nurse; Miss Ruth Woodworth, dietician; 
and Miss Margaret Annaeker, of Pittsburg 
instructor in massage. 

The location of large industrial plants in 
Butler and the increase in population since 
1902 has caused a corresponding increase 
in hospital cases, and has created the 
necessity of enlarging the building. In 
1904 a two-story brick addition was built. 
The first floor is used as a laundry, and the 
second floor as living apartments for the 
help. In 1908 the south wing was erected 
at a cost of about $15,000, which increased 
the capacity of the hos]Mtal to about sixty 
beds. The Hospital Association has in 
contemplation the erection of a west wing, 
that will further increase the capacity of 
the institution to about one hundred beds. 



CHAPTER XII 



BANKS AND BANKING 



First Banking Institution — First National Bank — John Berg S Co. — Butler Savings 
Bank — Butler Savings and Trust Co. — Butler County National Bank — Farmers' 
National Bank of Butler — Guaranty Safe Deposit S Trust Co. — Standard Trust 
Co. — First National Bank of Earrisville — First National Bank of Zelienople— 
Citizens' National Bank of Slippery Rock — First National, Slippery Rock — Mars 
National Bank — First National Bank of Bruin — Citizens' National Bank of Evans 
City — Lyndora National Bank — Harmony Savings Bank — Commercial Bank of 
Harmony — Prospect Savings Bank — Miller stown Savings Bank Association — Mil- 
lerstoivn Deposit Bank — Butler County Bank — Fairview Banks — Argyle Savings 
Bank, Petrolia. 



There were no banking institutions in 
Butler County previous to 1854. The 
merchants did a credit business, or issued 
scrip and the people throughout the coun- 
try districts often had difficulty in getting 
ready cash for their immediate uses. The 
merchant, mechanic, doctor, and preacher 
were paid in the product of the farm, and 
they in turn, were compelled to trade for 
the things they needed. If there was any 
balance coming to the farmer when he had 
completed his trading with the merchant, 
he received the merchant's scrip or due 
bill, but rarely any money, or at the most 
he would receive half cash, and the balance 
would be taken in trade at some future 
date. The currency issued by the state 
banks of that day had an imcertain value 
and the correction of the bank note list in 
the newspapers was one of the features of 
the financial columns that was closely 
watched by the dealers and merchants. 
The insecurity of the bank notes made 
gold and silver the only safe money for 



the people in the country districts to han- 
dle, and this was hoarded in old stockings 
and various places of security about the 
farm house. Bank notes were looked on 
with suspicion, as the possessor usually 
had to refer to the latest published list to 
see whether the note was good, and then 
take chances on the institution failing, 
which often happened, before the paper 
could be presented to the bank of issue for 
redemption. This condition of things made 
the country people naturally suspicious of 
banks in general, and for many years after 
banks had been established in Butler Bor- 
ough and elsewhere in the county, the 
country people preferred trusting their 
savings with their local merchant to de- 
positing their money with the banks. This 
custom led to private banking in the 
smaller towns, which prevailed to a con- 
siderable extent until the beginning of the 
present century. 

From 1854 to 1867 the only banks in the 
county were in Butler Borough. In the 



360 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



latter year a bank was organized and es- 
tablished at Harmony, and in 1872, banks 
were established at Fairview and Petrolia. 
The following year two banks were estab- 
lished at Millerstown, which was then a 
booming oil center, and in 1874 a bank was 
organized and established at Prospect. A 
year or two later the Prospect bank went 
into private hands and it has been contin- 
ued as a private bank since that time. In 
1892 but one of the oil country banks re- 
mained, and that was the Millerstown De- 
posit Bank, which is still in existence, but 
under private management. Private bank- 
ing enterprises were carried on in the last 
decade of the nineteenth century by W. 
Henry Wilson at Slippery Rock, J. H. Mc- 
Clure at Prospect, James M. Marshall at 
Porter sville, Jacob and Edward Dambach 
at Evans City, and the Gelbach brothers at 
Zelienople, but these concerns with one or 
two exceptions have given way to the na- 
tional banks that have been organized dur- 
ing the past ten years. In addition to the 
three banking houses and two trust com- 
panies in Butler Borough in 1908, there 
were nine national banks and two private 
banks doing business in the county. The 
combined capital of these institutions is 
about $2,000,000.00, and they are rated 
among the leading financial institutions of 
western Pennsylvania. 

THE FROST BANKING INSTITUTION 
or BUTLEB. 

The transactions of the county commis- 
sioners during the first half of the century 
show that the moneys of the county were 
kept in Pittsburg banks, and the mer- 
chants of Butler and other points in the 
county were compelled to do their banking 
business in that city. A good deal of un- 
certainty surrounded dealings with outside 
banking concerns, so that in the year 1854 
James Campbell, James Bredin, Samuel 
M. Lane, Dr. Isaiah McJunkin and A. N. 
Meylert determined to found a bank here. 
James Bredin was selected president or 



manager, and Isaac J. Cummings as cash- 
ier. A year later Mr. Cummings became 
sole owner, and continued so down to the 
organization of the First National Bank 
in 1864. Besides attending to his duties as 
a banker Mr. Cummings was financial edi- 
tor of the Butler newsj^apers, and cor- 
rected the bank note list weekly. 

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BUTLER. 

The First National Bank of Butler was 
chartered January 27, and organized Feb- 
ruary 2, 1864, with the following officers: 
James Campbell, president, I. J. Cum- 
mings, cashier, John Berg, Jr., Louis Stein, 
John N. Purviance, H. Julius Kling- 
ler, James Bredin, B. McJunkin, John 
M. Thompson, R. C. McAboy, and James 
Campbell, directors. Charles McCandless, 
Charles Duffy, Thomas Stehle, Jacob Zieg- 
ler, John M. Zimmerman, Mary A. Reed, 
John A. Graham, Christian SeilDert, Jacob 
Walter and William Campbell, were un- 
official stock-holders. The business of the 
institution was carried on in the old build- 
ing, later the property of Thomas Stehle, 
until 1875, when the bank was removed to 
their new building on the corner of Main 
and Jefferson Streets, now occupied by 
John Berg & Company. Some years pre- 
vious to this event Charles McCandless 
succeeded James Campbell as president 
and filled that position until 1878, when he 
resigned to accept the appointment of 
chief justice of New Mexico, and Charles 
Duffy was elected his successor as presi- 
dent. Mr. Duffy was succeeded as presi- 
dent by W. H. H. Riddle, who filled the 
office when the bank closed its doors in 
1879. Edwin Lyon succeeded I. J. Cum- 
mings as cashier and he in turn gave place 
to John Berg, Jr. In 1870, Alexander 
Mitchell who had previously been teller of 
the bank was elected cashier, which office 
he held until the bank was closed by Exam- 
iner Hugh Young July 18, 1879. The re- 
ceiver appointed was Henry C. CuUom, 
who served until January, 1880, when he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



361 



was succeeded by John N. Purviance. Not- 
withstanding the depreciation of secui'ities 
Mr. Purviance succeeded in winning for 
the depositors a large percentage of their 



THE PRODUCERS BANK OF BUTLER COUNTY. 

This bank was established in Butler 
May, 1873, and about the same time a 
branch was opened at Greece City, which 
was then a booming oil town. The officials 
of the company were J. W. Irwin, presi- 
dent, J. E. Ray, cashier, of Butler; H. 
Howe, assistant cashier; J. Stambaugh, 
James Adams, William Miller, Samuel A. 
Woods, H. McWalters, Lewis P. Walker 
and the above officials, were the directors. 
The business was conducted until 1875, 
when J. W. Irwin appears to have pur- 
chased the stock and later entered the But- 
ler Savings Bank as a stockholder. 

JOHN BERG & COMPANY. 

The banking house of John Berg & Com- 
pany was established in 1870 by John 
Berg, Sr., and John Berg, Jr., and 
was carried on by them until the death 
of the senior partner in 1884. By the 
terms of the will of John Berg, Sr., 
the title and system of business were to be 
observed for five years or until 1889. In 
that year the company was re-organized 
with John Berg, Henry A. Berg and Louis 
Berg as partners under the style and title 
of John Berg & Company. John Berg, Jr., 
died in November, 1906, and since that 
time the business has been carried on by 
Henry A. Berg and Louis Berg. The first 
banking office was at the corner of Main 
and Cunningham Streets, and in 1883 the 
firm jiurchased the First National Bank 
building on the corner of Main and Jeffer- 
son Streets, where for the past twenty-five 
years they have transacted a large and 
constantly increasing business. 

THE BUTLER SAVINGS BANK. 

The Butler Savings Bank was organized 



January 29, 1868, and opened its doors for 
business February 3d of that year, with 
•lames Bredin, president, Edwin Lyon, 
cashier, Adam Troutman, J. C. Reddick, 
Eugene Ferrero, William Dick, E. A. 
Heimbold, Gabriel Etzel, R. A. Mifflin, 
David Kelly, and Samuel Marshall, trus- 
tees. The company received a state char- 
ter by a special act of May '20, 1871, and 
under that charter John M. Thompson was 
elected president October 30, 1871, and 
served until February 21, 1877, when 
William Campbell, Sr., was elected as his 
successor. The latter served until Febru- 
ary, 1880, when J. W. Irwin was elected. 
William Campbell, Sr., was again chosen 
president January 12, 1886, but resigned 
December 27, 1887, when Joseph L. Purvis 
was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Purvis 
continued as president until 1901, when he 
resigned and William Campbell, Jr., was 
elected president. At the same time Louis 
B. Stein, who had been teller, since 1885, 
was )iromoted to cashier. 

Edwin Lyon, the first cashier of the 
liank, resigned in 1871, and William Canij^- 
bell, Jr., was appointed and filled that po- 
sition until 1901, when he was elected 
president, and Louis B. Stein, who had 
been appointed teller in 1885, was chosen 
cashier to succeed Mr. Campbell. In Janu- 
ary, 1891, the bank was re-chartered for 
twenty years, to date from May 20, 1891. 
In the summer of 1902, the company was 
reorganized under the title of the Butler 
Savings and Trust Company, and the capi- 
tal stock increased from sixty thousand to 
two hundred thousand dollars. A charter 
was granted on the 4th of September, 1902, 
and the old Savings Bank as an institution 
went out of existence on the 31st of Decem- 
ber of that year. The Savings Bank was 
dominated largely by the Cami)liell, Stein 
and Troutman families of Butler and had 
on its board of directors the most conser- 
vative business men of the town and 
county. It was the main support of many 
of the public imi)rovements of the town. 



362 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



among wliicb were the electric lighting sys- 
tem of the town and the Home Natural 
Gas Company, and was one of the princi- 
pal factors in the organization of the Stan- 
dard Plate Glass Company. It was also 
instrumental in bringing the Standard 
Steel Car Works to Butler, which inaugu- 
rated a new era in the commercial and 
industrial growth of the town. 

THE BUTLER SAVINGS AND TRUST COMPANY. 

The Butler Savings and Trust Company 
is the old Butler Savings Bank reor- 
ganized under a new charter. The com- 
pany was organized in 1902, the charter 
granted September 4th of that year, and 
its doors were open for business on Janu- 
ary 1, 1903, in the building formerly occu- 
pied by tlie Butler Savings Bank. The 
first officers of the company were William 
Campbell, Jr., president; J. Henry Trout- 
man, first vice-president ; W. A. Stein, sec- 
ond vice-president; Louis B. Stein, secre- 
tary and treasurer; C E. Cronenwett, as- 
sistant treasurer; W. D. Brandon, solic- 
itor; and the following Board of Directors: 
"NVm. Campbell, Jr., J. Henry Troutman, 
^\. D. Brandon, W. A. Stein, John S. 
Campbell and Louis B. Stein. 

William Campbell, Jr., died on July 27, 
1907, and J. Henry Troutman was elected 
president, a position which he still holds. 
John S. Campbell was elected first vice- 
president to fill the vacancy, and Dr. R. H. 
Pillow was chosen a member of the board 
of directors to fill the vacancy. The other 
officers of the institution are Gardner C. 
Lowry, general bookkeeper; John W. 
Brandon, C. DeWitt Breaden, H. S. Ehr- 
man, Frank W. Christy, individual book- 
keepers ; J. Hervey Murtland, correspond- 
ing clerk. 

The company conducts a general bank- 
ing department, savings department and 
trust department, and the l)usiness is con- 
ducted along the safe and conservative 
line established by the founders of the old 
Savings Bank and successfully cari'ied on 



for forty years. The statement of the re- 
sources and liabilities of the institution 
sliows a capital of $200,000.00, a surplus of 
.+!'()( ),()( 1(1.00, imdivided profits of $158,- 
G3!I..j9, and deposits of $1,562,056.13. The 
amount of trust funds invested and unin- 
vested are $261,404.17. 

BUTLER COUNTY NATIONAL BANK. 

From 1879 to 1890 Butler was without 
a National bank and the only banking in- 
stitutions in the town were the Butler Sav- 
ings Bank and John Berg & Company. 
Several bankers and capitalists had pro- 
posed from time to time the organization 
of a new bank, but nothing definite was 
done until early in 1890, when J. V. Ritts, 
a banker well known in AVestern Pennsyl- 
vania, representing a number of business 
men, joined R. B. Tavlor, E. E. Abrams, 
C. D. Greenlee, I. G. Smith, 0. M. Russell, 
and others, in i:)romoting the enterpi'ise 
and held a formal meeting in the office of 
Mr. Abrams April 1, 1890. The title se- 
lected was "The Butler County National 
Bank," and upon application to the comp- 
troller of the currency, a charter was 
granted July 19, 1890'. The bank was 
opened for business on August 18th of the 
same vear, under the following organiza- 
tion: "R. B. Taylor, president; J. V. Ritts, 
vice-president; David Osborne, cashier, 
and Charles A. Bailey, assistant cashier. 

Including the president and vice-in-esi- 
dent, the directory was composed of the 
following: Leslie P. Hazlett, E. E. Abrams. 
0. M. Russell, C. D. Greenlee, I. G. Smith, 
C. P. Collins, and Heniy McSweeney. 

Mr. Taylor resigned the presidencv on 
September 3d, 1890, and Mr. Ritts assumed 
that position until the election of Hon. 
Joseph Hartman on September 30th fol- 
lowing. Mr. Hartman continued in the 
office of president until his death in 1904, 
when Leslie P. Hazlett was elected to fill 
the vacancy, and at the next annual meet- 
ing of the stockholders and directors, he 
was re-elected and continues to hold that 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



363 



position. Mr. Osborne resigned his posi- 
tion as cashier about one year after the 
bank began business, and C. A. Bailey was 
promoted to the position of eashier, and 
John (i. i\rc']\rarlin to assistant cashier. In 
1900 Mr. I'.ailey resimu-d u, accept a posi- 
tion with a new bank tlien being organized, 
and Mr. McMarlin was promoted to the 
position of cashier, which he now holds. 
At the same time, Albert G. Krug was ap- 
pointed to the position of assistant cashier. 

The original capital of the bank was 
$100,000.00, which was increased in 1900 
from $100,000.00 to $200,000.00, and in 
1904 the capital was again increased from 
$200,000.00 to $300,000.00. At the close of 
1908 the bank had a full paid up capital of 
$300,000.00, and surplus and undivided 
profits amounting to over $475,000.00. The 
bank at present is the largest in Butler 
Countv, and has assets aggregating 
$2,500^000.00. It has always maintained 
full currency payments without notice, and 
in addition to doing a general banking- 
business conducts a savings department, 
which is also backed by the ])ank's large 
capital and surplus. It pays interest on 
time deposits, compounded semi-annually, 
and carefully looks after the interests of 
its patrons in this branch of the business. 

The first home of the Butler County Na- 
tional Bank was in a three-story brick 
building, jmrchased in 1890, that occupied 
part of tlie site of the present building. 
In 1902 the bank purchased the pro])erty 
of John H. Negley and Col. John Thomp- 
son on Diamond Street and the McQuistion 
property on Main Street and began the 
erection of the present six-story banking 
and office building, which was completed 
and occujiied in August, 1903. The total 
cost of this improvement was about $200,- 
000.00. One of the features of the equip- 
ment of the banking room is the safe de- 
posit vaults which are considered among 
the best in this part of the country. 

The following constitute the board of 
directors in 1908: Leslie P. Hazlett; Al- 



phonse Krause ; Harry Heasley; Joseph 
Hartman, Jr.; Dr. W. C. McCandless; H. 
C. Litzinger; H. McSweeney; Blair Hooks; 
A. E. Russell ; C. P. Collins ; W. H. Larkin ; 
H. C. Keasey; A. L. Reiber; T. P. Mifflin; 
Dr. J. J. Schultis; I. G. Smith; Marion 
Henshaw; M. N. Heinzer; R. A. Marks; 
and J. V. Ritts. 

The officers of the bank are: Leslie P. 
Hazlett, president ; A. L. Reiber, vice-pres- 
ident; T. P. Mifflin, vice-president; J. V. 
Ritts, vice-president; John G. McMarlin, 
cashier ; Albert C. Krug, assistant cashier ; 
W. S. Blakslee, assistant cashier; W. A. 
Ashbaugh, assistant cashier; George W. 
Hazlett, general book-keeper; W. A. Ritts- 
teller; S. R. Hill, proof clerk; R. H. Mc- 
Clester, corresponding clerk; G. K. Haz- 
lett, individual book-keeper; George D. 
Smith, individual book-keeper; J. H. 
Forcht, discount clerk; .1. H. Stewart, col- 
lector. 

The bank has been prosperous, aggres- 
sive and progressive and has had a phe- 
nomenal growth from its first year. It is 
the largest banking house in Butler 
County and is rated one of the most solid 
institutions in western Pennsylvania. It 
has always taken an active interest in the 
promotion of the industrial welfare of the 
town and county, and has been the finan- 
cial backing of a number of the most im- 
portant business enterprises that have 
been established in this district in tlie last 
eighteen years. 

THE farmers' NATION.^L BANK OF BUTLER. 

The Farmers' National Bank of Butler 
was organized early in 1900, with a capital 
of $100,000.00, and" began business July 2d 
of that year in the building now owned by 
the company on South Main Street. The 
first officials of the company were John 
Younkins, president; John Humphrey, 
vice-president; Charles A. Bailey, cashier, 
and the following directors : Daniel Youn- 
kins, Henry Miller, E. E. Abrams, Thomas 
Havs, Levi M. AVise, D. L. Cleeland, W. F. 



364 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Metzger, i). B. (^aiiiphell, C. N. Boyd, A. J. V. Ritts, Dauiel Younkius, aud \V. D. 
H. Sarver. In 1905, A. H. Sarver was Brandon, all of Butler. A. E. Reiber was 
elected vice-president to fill the vacancy president of the first organization and W. 
caused bv the death of John Humphrey, D. Brandon, secretary. A charter was 
and John Henninger was elected to fill the granted by the State department on the 
vacancv on the board of directors. In 19th of April, 1901, and the company op- 
1903, C. A. Bailey resigned as cashier to ened offices in the old Park Theatre build- 
accept a position with another banking in- ing on East Diamond Street. George C. 
stitution and E. W. Bingham was pro- Stewart succeeded W. D. Brandon as sec- 
moted to cashier. In 1906,' James F. Hutz- retary and treasurer, aud Wayne Walker 
ler was elected cashier to succeed Mr. Bing- was choscu for the ])08itiou of liook-keeiicr. 
ham, who had resigned, and R. W. Dixon On Sc].tciiilici' 1.'). 1901^. the capital stock 
was promoted to the position of assistant of the company was increased from ^lli.'),- 
cashier. With the exceptions of the change 000.00 to $250,000.00. The comiiniiy jiur- 
in the vice-presidency and in the board of chased the business block owned by .1. F. 
directors above mentioned, the officials of Bali)h on South Main Street, and liad it 
the bank are the same as when it was first remodeled aud fitted for a banking house, 
organized. The officers in 1908 are John The building is equipped in modern style, 
Younkins, president, A. H. Sarver, vice- in-ovided with metal furniture, and in all 
president, James P. Hutzler, cashier, R. respects is one of the most comi)lete liuiid- 
W. Dixon, assistant cashier, A. R. Wil- ings of its kind in western Pennsylvania, 
liams, teller, C. B. McMillen, book-keeper, The doors were opened for business on 
and Robert P. Scott, clerk. This institu- Ji^ly 1, 1903, and the company has contin- 
tion has always conducted a safe and con- ned to conduct a general banking business, 
servative business, and has won a leading savings department, trust department, and 
rank among the financial institutions of real estate department. The officials of 
western Pennsylvania. The following the company are A. E. Reilier, president ; 
statement of the condition of the bank was W- H- Brandon, first vice-incsHlcnt : W . 
made September 23d, 1908. G. Douthett, second vice-president ; (ieorge 
RESOUBCE.S f '■ l^tewart, secretary ; T. ^vl. Baker, treas- 

Loans and discounts V $453,081.97 ^^er ; Wayue Walker, assistant treasurer ; 

United States bonds 104,000.00 W. F. Rumbergei", manager of the real es- 

Banklng House and other real estate 24,952.62 i. i. Heiiartmeut- PlumiUer Beio'llleV and 

United States treasurer 5,000.00 l^^^, aepaiiiuenT , r-iumuiei DCl^lliex au(l 

Cash and due from banks 221,757.53 Nettie Frazier, clerks. 1 lie official board 

of directors are A. E. Reiber, W. G. Dou- 

$808,792.12 ^,^^^^^ J y jj.^^^^ ^ j^ Reiber, William 

Capital !'.'■'"."'."'■ $100,000.00 Watson, W^ D Brandon T ^I. Baker, 

Surplus and profits 86,423.90 George A. Schaftner, W. H. I^arkin, Dan- 

cireuiation J^°'''°'^'S° lel Youukius, and George C. Stewart. The 

^^'"'^^'^ j^22^368.22 (.Qj^-^pjj^y ji^s been successful from the 

$808,792.12 start and has won a leading rank among 
the institutions of its kind in western 

GUARANTY SAFE DEPOSIT AND TRUST COMPANY. Pennsylvania. It has paid 6 per cent. 

The pioneer trust company in Butler dividends on its capital stock from tlie fiust 

Countv is the Guarantv Safe Deposit & yi-iH'. :"i<^ 'ts last statement of resources 

Trust" Companv of Butler, which began inid liabilities shows a capital of $2.)0,- 

business in Butler July 1, 1903. The ])ro- 000.00, surplus and profits amounting to 

moters of the com])any were A. E. Reiber. +123,792.49; de]iosits of $505.40().81 ; and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



365 



iuvestments of $80,000.00. Tlu* trust dc- 
pai'tment show.s trust funds held to tlie 
amount of $181,-1:87.40, and the corporate 
trusts amount to $2,437,000.00. Among the 
institutions tiuanced hv tliis (■onii)anv is 
tlie T. \V. I'liillips Oil and (ias ( 'omi'.any 
for $1,500,000.00. 

The first treasurer of tlie company was 
Louis Berg', who resigned July 1, 1904, and 
was succeeded by T. ^I. Baker, wlio is the 
present treasurer. 

THE STANDARD TRXTST' COMl'ANV. 

During the early part of 1903 a number 
of Pittsburg i)romoters who had real es- 
tate interests in Butler organized The 
Standard Trust Company, and apjdied for 
a state charter, with the following named 
officers: C. D. Greenlee, formerly of But- 
ler, president, W. D. Wiley, of Pittsburg, 
vice-j)resident, and Charles A. Bailey, of 
Butler, secretary and cashier. These ofH 
cers with .1. A. liangfit, and K. W. ilervey. 
of Pittsburg, composed the board of di 
rectors. Tlie capital stock was $150,000.00 
and the stockholders comprised a number 
of Butler citizens as well as Pittsl>uig cap 
italists. The company secured (luarteis in 
the Wm. A. Forquer building on South 
Main Street, and began luisincss in May, 

1903, and continued to do a general hank- 
ing and trust business until March 2.">d, 

1904, when it was closed. Harry A. Stauf 
fer of Butler was appointed temporar.\- re 
ceiver, and on the 31st of March he w;is 
continued as a permanent receiver. Mr. 
Stauffer made a record nevei- before 
e(|ualled in the state in closing up the af 
fairs of the company. In four months' 
time he had collected all the assets of the 
coni])any, and inside of nine months from 
the date of the appointment of the receiver, 
all the depositors and other creditors were 
paid in full with interest. Mr. Stauft'er 
applied for his discharge as receiver in 
March, 1905, but at the solicitation of some 
of the stockholders, who were dissatisfied 



with the way the directors had managed 
the affairs of the company, the court con- 
tinued Mr. Stauffer as receiver, and he is 
still holding that position. Suits were in- 
stituted in court by the receiver at the in- 
stance of the dissatisfied stockholders 
against the directors of the company, and 
some of these suits are still i)ending. 

HAREISVILLE. 

The First National Bank of Hai ri.srilh' 
was organized and began business in 1903, 
with a capital stock of $25,000.00. The of- 
ficers of the company are Robert L. 
Brown, president; Dr. W. B. Campbell, 
vice-president; and J. M. Elrick, cashier. 
The board of directors including the above 
officers are E. E. Wick, J. II. Morrison, E. 
W. Humphrey, W. W. McConnell, T. V. 
Porter, and J. V. Ritts. The company has 
transacted a safe and conservative busi 
ness, and is one of the ])ros))erous country 
banks. Its statement issued at the first of 
the year shows a suri>lus of $20,890.27, de- 
]wsits amounting to $2,520,()4().70, and 
loans, bonds and securities amounting to 
$200,000.00. 

ZELIENOPLE. 

The First National Dank of Zelieiiople 
is the successor to the ])rivate bank estab- 
lished by M. Dambach & Son in 1881. The 
Dambach bank was succeeded by Amos 
Lusk & Son, and thev in turn by Lusk & 
(lelbach in 1887, and 'in 1888 the business 
was conducted by Gelbach Brothers. The 
P'irst National Bank which took over the 
business of (lelliach Brothers was organ- 
ized in 1902, with the following officers and 
official board of directors: J. A. Gelbach, 
])resident; Edwin Meeder, vice-president; 
VV. H. Gelbach, cashier; H. Kloffenstein, 
assistant cashier; Josie E. Gelbach, book- 
keeper. The directors were A. Sitler, C. S. 
Passavant. P. D. Gelbach, J, A. Prauen- 
heim, H. M. AVise. S. ( ). Wright, and C. B. 
Harper. In 1904 the company erected a 



366 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



handsome brick blQck on Main Street, in 
whicii they have a banking room that is 
complete in all its equipments, and which 
is a credit to the enterprise of the directors 
and an ornament to the town. The bank is 
one of the conservative and well conducted 
financial institutions of the county, and 
has made an excellent record. It has paid 
four per cent, dividends semi-annually 
since its organization, and its surplus at 
the close of 1907 was $22,000.00. Ira S. 
Ziegler succeeded J. A. Gelbach as presi- 
dent. He has recently been succeeded in 
that ofiSce by H. M. Wise, with Fred Zeh- 
ner, C. S. Passavant, and C. B. Harper, 
vice presidents; W. H. Gelbach, cashier; 
and H. Kloffenstein, assistant cashier. 

Believing that there was a field for a 
second banking institution in Zelienople, a 
number of business men organized the 
People's National Bank in 1904, with the 
following officers and directors: C. J. D. 
Strohecker, president; \V. J. Lamberton, 
vice-president; A. B. Crawford, cashier; 
and E. P. Young, assistant cashier; J. S. 
McNally, W. C. MoKee, William Eiolioltz, 
N. B. Duncan, J. G. Lamberton, A. Seaton, 
A. B. Crawford, J. H. Shiever, directors. 
The institution is capitalized at $50,- 
000.00 and its statement in 1908 showed 
handsome earnings and a surplus of 
$6,000.00. The men at the head of the in- 
stitution are among the progressive and 
enterprising element of the Connoquenes- 
sing Valley, and the People's National 
Bank has a bright outlook for the future. 
The present officers are C. J. D. Strohecker, 
president; W. J. Lamberton, vice-presi- 
dent; A. B. Crawford, cashier; and E. P. 
Young, assistant cashier. 

SLIPPERY ROCK. 

The Citizens' National Bank of Slippenj 
Roch was organized in 1904 with a capital 
of $25,000.00. The officers are William 
Humphrey, president; B, Pearson, vice- 
president; and H. R. Stnith, cashier. This 
bank is doing a good business and is one 



of the progressive financial institutions of 
the county. 

The First National Bank of Slippery 
Rock is the successor to the private bank 
of W. Henry Wilson, which was estab- 
lished in 1887. The First National was or- 
ganized in the latter part of 1902, and be- 
gan business January 1, 1903. The offi- 
cers and directors are W. Henry Wilson, 
president; J. E. Bard, vice-i^resident ; J. 
A. Aiken, cashier; Ray P. Wilson, as- 
sistant cashier; and the directors are, J. 
E. Bard, J. V. Ritts, J. A. Gelbach, W. 
Henry Wilson, and John Aiken. The cajii- 
tal of the company is $25,000.00, and the 
statements published in 1908 sliow a sur- 
plus of $15,000.00. 

MARS. 

The Mars National Bank was organized 
and began business November 7, 1900. S. 
J. Irvine of Evans City was one of the pro- 
moters, and the first president of this bank. 
The officers of the bank are Christ Gel- 
bach, president; J. E. Hosack, vice-presi- 
dent; E. P. Sutton, cashier; and the fol- 
lowing directors : L. H, Hamilton, William 
Fowler, P. D. Gelbach, and H. W. Sutton. 
The bank is capitalized at $25,000.00 and 
has paid six per cent, dividend since the 
first year. The financial statements pub- 
lished in 1908 show that the institution has 
a surplus of $27,000.00; deposits of $243,- 
000.00; cash on hand, $42,000.00; and 
loans, bonds and securities amounting to 
$•_':)! ),i)(l(».i 10. It is one of the staple insti- 
tutions of the southern part of the county 
and is making an excellent record. 

BRUIN. 

The town of Martinsburg or Bruin was 
without banking facilities until 1908, when 
the First National Bank was oi-gani/.cd and 
opened its doors for business llic 1st of 
January. The officers of the institution 
are, J. F. Shiever, president ; C. M. Myers, 
vice-president; and M. M. Lockwood, cash- 
ier. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



367 



The Lyndoia National Bank was organ- 
ized and began business in 1907 at Lyn- 
dora with a capital of $25,000.00. The of- 
ficers are Frank X. Kohler, president; 0. 
K. Waldron, vice-president; and Elias 
Ritts, cashier. This bank is doing a pros- 
perous business in the little steel town just 
outside of Butler Borough, and at the close 
of 1908 had adopted plans for a handsome 
brick and stone banking house, which will 
be erected early in the coming years. The 
board of directors is composed of 0. K. 
Waldron, I. G. Smith, J. V. Ritts, F. X. 
Kohler, Andrew Christianson, and W. J. 
McKee. 

EVANS CITY. 

The Citizens' National Bank of Evans 
City was organized in 1897 with a capital 
of $50,000.00 and is the successor of the 
private banking establishment of Jacob 
Dambach and Son, which was established 
in 1880. Jacob Dambach, who was the pio- 
neer banker of the town, opened an office 
about the year above mentioned and about 
two or three years thereafter formed a 
partnership with his son Edward and John 
Rohner. This partnership lasted until 
1894, when they with some others took out 
a charter for a state bank and called it 
' ' The Citizens ' Bank of Evansburg. ' ' The 
officers of this bank were Edward Dam- 
bach, president, and John Rohner, cash- 
ier. Mr. Rohner died in 1897 ancl S. J. 
Irvine, who had been employed by Edward 
Dambach at his planing mill in Evans City 
as office man, was elected cashier. Mr. Ed- 
ward Dambach 's health failed, and he died 
in California, ^^fay 25, 1905. 

On the 3d of September, 1907, the bank 
surrendered its charter as a state bank 
and entered the national system by con- 
version and took the title of "The Citi- 
zens' National Bank" of Evans City. The 
officers of the institution are Dr. J. M. List, 
president; Dr. H. M. AVilson, vice-presi- 
dent; S. J. Irvine, cashier; and C. H. 



Behm, assistant cashier. The board of di- 
rectors are Dr. J. M. List, Dr. H. M. Wil- 
son, Jacob Dambach, P. D. Gelbach, J. D. 
Fowler, L. N. Burry, and S. J. Irvine. The 
financial statement published in Septem- 
ber, 1908, shows a capital of $50,000.00; 
circulation and undivided profits, $47,- 
(304.00; circulation, $25,000.00; and depos- 
its amounting to $238,296.00. 

Jacob Dambach, the pioneer in the bank- 
ing business in the southern part of the 
county, still lives in Cranberry Township, 
and although past eighty years of age 
takes an active interest in the affairs of 
the bank, of which he is a director. 

HARMOXY. 

Tlie Harntuni/ Savings Bank was incor- 
porated in 1867, and oi'ganized a few 
months later, in 1868, with Alfred Pearce, 
president, R. H. Palmer, treasurer ; George 
Beam, George Enslen, Henry Goehring, 
Joseph Schwartz, J. C. Scott, and the offi- 
cials named, as directors. In 1877 Henry 
Goehring was elected president and 
George Beam treasurer. They, with 
-Messrs. Pearce, Goehring, Enslen, Jacob 
Sleppy, David Ziegler, E. F. Winter, and 
J. C. Scott, were the directors. William 
Wilson presided in 1882, with H. M. Wise, 
cashier, who held the office from 1878 to 
1884. ira Stauffer, Abraham Stauffer, 
and Alexander Stewart served on the 
board of directors subsequent to 1884, 
while Henry Goehring served as president 
of the institution. 

The Harmony National Bank was organ- 
ized in 1876, with W. H. H. Riddle of But- 
ler, president, and H. J. Mitchell, cashier. 
John Dindinger was one of the promoters 
of this bank, and for a long time the prin- 
cipal stockholders and directors were But- 
ler men. Edward Mellon was elected presi- 
dent of the bank in 1882, and a few years 
later the institution closed its doors and 
quit business. 

The last banking enterprise promoted in 
Harmonv was The Commercial Bank es- 



368 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tablished by S. E. Niece, March 1, 1892. 
Ml". Niece was one of the early oil oper- 
ators in Harmony and well known in bank- 
ing circles, and the new bank was estab- 
lished for the accommodaton of the oil 
operator and the business men of the com- 
munity, but it only lasted for a brief 
period. 



1'lir I'lns/iccf Savings Bank was open 
for liusiiicss May 1, 1874. David Marshall 
was president and J. M. Leighner, cashier. 
The directors were David .Marshall, 
George Beam, John Enslen, William Dick, 
William R. Riddle, John Martincourt, and 
Joseph Allen. They carried on the insti- 
tution for a number of years, when J. M. 
Leighner became the sole owner and eon- 
ducted it as a private bank. He was suc- 
ceeded in 1893 by J. H. McClure, who is 
tiie ])resent ]iroprietor. 

MILLERSTOWN. 

TJie Millerstown Savings Bank Associa- 
tion was organized June 6, 1873, with 
Charles Duffy, president, G. W. Stoughton, 
vice-president, J. C. Scott, cashier, and the 
following directors: Andrew Barnhart, 
Martin Hoch, Henry L. Westerman, 
Charles McCandless, John M. Thompson, 
and W. G. Stoughton. The stockholders 
were the foregoing officers and Andrew 
Barnhart, Jacob and Henrj' Frederick, W. 
H. H. Riddle, John G. Myers, B. B. Seibert 
and G. F. Fetzer. During the year 1874, 
John Walker was appointed cashier, and 
he held that ]iosition until The German 
National Bank was established. 

In 1875 the Savings Bank Association 
was reorganized under a charter dated 
May 1 of that year, and the new organiza- 
tion was given the title of "The German 
National Bank." In the busy oil days of 
the Millerstown field, the weekly deposits 
of this bank averaged three hundred thou- 
.sand dollars, and the institution became 



famous throughout the State and well 
known in American banking circles. 
Charles J. Westerman was the first teller, 
holding the position until 1880, when 
Henry J. Myers succeeded him. Myers 
was promoted to cashier and when the 
bank went into voluntary liquidation in 
1885, he was appointed liquidating officer 
by the National bank commission. 

The Millerstown Deposit Bank was or- 
ganized in 1887 by John G. and Henry J. 
Myers, with the latter as cashier, and 
Charles L. Myers, teller. It is the succes- 
sor of the old Savings Bank, and until 1907 
was the only banking institution in the 
northeastern part of Butler County. It is 
conducted as a private bank, and does a 
aood and safe business. 

Tlw Butler County Bank was organized 
at .Millerstown in 1873, with John Satter- 
field as ] (resident, George G. Stiles, cash 
ier, and H. J. Hoyt, teller, under the firm 
name of H. L. Taylor & Company. Six 
years later H. J. Hoyt took the place of 
Stiles as cashier, and E. C. Evans, who 
died in April, 1894, was appointed teller. 
In 1880, Patrick and Thomas Dorsey, H. 
J. Hoyt, and others, purchased the interest 
of H. L. Taylor & Company, and on Aug- 
ust 1st of that year assumed control witli 
Thomas Dorsey, president, H. J. Hoyt, 
cashier, and C. A. Bailey, teller. With the 
stockholders named were Hon. Joseph 
Hartman, A. H. Simpson, and Owen 
Brady. The bank was quite prosperous 
for several years, and finally H. J. Hoyt 
purchased all the stock and became sole 
proprietor. He conducted the business 
until January 29, 1892, when he assigned 
it to Francis Murphy, and the business 
was suspended. John Satterfield, who 
was the first president of this bank, was a 
member of the firm of Sattei'field & Tay- 
lor, who were prominent oil operators in 
the Millerstown field in the seventies. He 
died in Paris, France, in April, 1894. 

The Fairview Deposit and Savings Bank 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



369 



was established in August, 187l!, by Ral- 
ston. McQuade & Company, to transact a 
general banking and exchange business. 
The firm had also an office at Karus City 
and transacted business at both places for 
some time, with I). A. Ralston, ])iesident, 
and R. W. McKee, cashier. Duiing the 
busy days of the oil excitement about 
Karns City and Pairview, the bjink did a 
good business, but later it met with finan- 
cial reverses, and on March 15, 1882, the 
concern closed its doors, leaving nominal 
assets and liabilities aggregating $"225,- 
000.00. which represented the savings of a 



thousand people, and tiie cajutal of many 
oil o])ei'ators and merchants. 

PETROLIA. 

The Argifh' Sdiliujs BaiiJ: was an insti- 
tution estai)lisluHl August 22, 1872, at Pe- 
trolia. The company completed an office 
building at Petrolia in 1873, and for sev- 
eral years transacted a large business with 
H. A. Taylor as president and E. A. Tay- 
lor as cashier. The firm transferred its 
interest to a new company in the latter 
part of the seventies, under whose man- 
agement the institution susjieiuled. 



CHAPTER XIII 



THE PRESS 



Newspapers and Editors of ihe Past and of the Present. 



Journalism had its inception in western 
Pennsylvania July 29, 1786, when John 
Scull 'founded The Pittsburg Gazette, 
which was the first newspaper published 
west of the Allegheny Mountains. Butler 
County had not then been organized and 
there were no settlers within its limits. 
North of Pittsburg the first newspaper en- 
terprise was the Crawford County Weekly 
Messenger, published at Meadville, in 1805, 
and this was followeil three years hiter by 
The Mirror at Erie, wliicli was j'nnuded by 
George "Wyeth. The M'csfi'in Pr<'ss was 
founded in" 1811 at Mercer liy Jacob Her- 
rington, and it probably had some circula- 
tion in the northern part of Butler County. 
After a checkered career of almost one 
hundred years, the Press is still in exist- 
ence, and is one of the leading weekly 
papers of Mercer County. Its present 
editor is Captain Whistler, who is one of 
the well-known journalists of western 
Pennsylvania. 

The pioneer newspaper of Butler County 
— the Butler Palladium and Republican 
Star — was issued in 1818. Previous to this 
time the transactions of the county com- 
missioners show that Butler Covinty de- 
pended on Pittsburg for enlightenment on 
current events and ]iolitical information, 
and that all the legal notices of the county 
were published in the Pittsburg papers. 



Journalism in the early days was a pre- 
carious way of earning a living and a 
thorny path to public favor. The men who 
entered the profession did so from the love 
of it and a strong adherence to principles 
for party, and they usually iui])ressed tlieir 
individuality on the journals they pub- 
lished. Thus it happened that the patrons 
of the old time weekly newspaper often 
subscribed for it because it was "Uncle 
Jake's" paper, or Tom Robinson's paper, 
or Clark Wilson's journal, and they 
wanted to know what these particular edi- 
tors had to say on the political questions 
of the day, whether they belonged Ho the 
same party or not. Some of the pioneer 
editors and those who came on the scene 
fifty years later, are worthy of special 
mention in this chapter. John Galbraith, 
who was the pioneer editor of the county, 
afterwards gave his attention to the law, 
and at the time of his death in 1860, was 
president judge of the courts of Erie 
County. 

Joseph Butfington, who was associated 
with William Stewart in the publishing of 
the Sentinel in 1824, afterwards removed 
to Kittanning, became a prominent lawyer, 
and filled the position of judge of the court 
in that district. George W. Smith, who 
was a lawyer of local reputation in 18.30, 
was associated with Parker C. Purviance 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



371 



in the publisliiug of the Sentinel, and af- 
terwards went to Kansas where he took an 
important part in the political affairs of 
that state. 

James W. Thompson, who learned the 
])rijTter's trade and was the first printer's 
devil in the office of the old Butler Palla- 
dium in 1818, afterwards became chief jus- 
tice of the Supreme Court of Pennsyl- 
vania. 

J acob Ziegler entered the office of the 
old Democratic Herald as pi'inter's devil 
in September, 1831, and from that time 
until his death in 1888 he was identified 
with the publication of the Herald as 
printer, editor and manager, with the ex- 
ception of a few years that he was engaged 
in public duties. Mr. Ziegler was born in 
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Sei^tember 19, 
1813, son of George and Gertrude Eliza- 
beth Zieglei". Subsequently the family re- 
moved to a farm some three miles from 
Gettysburg, where he assisted his parents 
in the work on the farm. Finding agricul- 
tural pursuit uncongenial, he concluded to 
seek his fortune elsewhere, and leaving 
home without his parents' knowledge, and 
with a capital of but ^1.12 in his pocket, he 
went to Gettysburg, thence to Pittslnirg, 
and from the latter city came to Butler, 
traveling the whole disance afoot, and liv- 
ing on the scantiest of fare during the 
journey. He arrived at William Beatty's 
Tavern on Main Street, on the evening of 
August 21, 1831, with only twelve cents of 
his capital left. William Beatty, the pro- 
prietor of the hotel, became interested in 
the young traveler, and after learning the 
circumstances, gave him his supper and a 
night's lodging. During the evening he 
met David Agnew, an old school-mate, and 
the following day he took up his abode at 
Mr. Agnew's home. About a month later 
he entered the Repository office for the 
purpose of learning the printer's trade. 
James McGlaughlin, one of the editors, 
asked him to take the place just made va- 
cant by the death of his former apprentice. 



Neil McBride, and in his personal biog- 
raphy Mr. Ziegler says: "I agreed to do 
so on condition that I was to eat at the 
same table with the family. He said, ' Cer- 
tainly, but I would find the victuals d n 

poor.' " 

He remained faithful to his agreement, 
sei'ved his full time, and continued to work 
in the office as a journeyman. About this 
time his parents learned of his where- 
abouts, and came to see him. His father 
was so well pleased with the record that 
the young man had made, that he pur- 
chased an interest for him in the office. In 
May, 1842, he became a partner of Mc- 
Glaughlin and established The Democratic 
Herald, which was the successor of the old 
Repository, and which in later years be- 
came widely known as Ziegler's Herald. 

In the meantime Mr. Ziegler became 
l")rominent in public affairs, and began to 
wield a great influence in the councils of 
the Democratic party. From 1835 to 1838 
he served as clerk of the board of county 
commissioners, and in the latter year he 
was appointed prothonotary by Governor 
Porter. The office of prothonotary becom- 
ing elective in that year he was elected his 
own successor at the October election, and 
served for three years. During this period 
he had studied law under Hon. John 
Bredin, and was admitted to the bar April 
18, 1836. He jiracticed for a few years, 
after his admission, hut soon gave up the 
law for his chosen profession of journal- 
ism and politics. In 1843 he was chosen 
transcribing clerk of the state senate, serv- 
ing in that cajiacity for two years, and 
afterward was chosen assistant clerk of 
the same body for one year. In 1847 he 
was elected a member of the legislature, 
served one term, and was then apjiointed 
a clerk in the pension department at 
Washington, D. C. Civil service had not 
then been established in the departments 
in Washington, and when General Taylor 
became president, Mr. Ziegler's head was 
one of tlie first that fell under the official 



372 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ax. He returned to Peuusylvauia and in 
the spring of 1849 joined the Argonauts, 
and went to California where he spent 
fourteen months in the mines of the 
Golden State. Returning to Pennsylvania 
in 1851 he was apjiointed chief clerk in 
the office of the secretary of the common- 
wealth, and served in tliat capacity during 
the administration of Governor Bigler. 
He was appointed assistant clerk in the 
House of Rejn'esentatives in 1857, and 
served as chief clerk from 1850 to 1860. 
In 1861 he was again elected chief clerk 
of the Senate and served one term. ^Yhile 
acting as chief clerk of the House Mr. 
Ziegler wrote a book on Parliamentary 
Law, which embraced the rules and laws 
governing the general assembly and vari- 
ous other matters of interest. This work 
became known as " Ziegler 's Manual" and 
was the foundation of what is now 
"Smull's Legislative Hand Book." He 
was a recognized authority on parlia- 
mentary law and few men of his time 
possessed so thorough knowledge of the 
rules governing legislative bodies. 

It may not be generally known- that Mr. 
Ziegler was the originator of the Credit 
Mobilier, and that from ins fertile brain 
sprung the i)lan to raise funds for the 
construction of tiie Tnion Pacific Railroad. 
So wide was Mi'. Ziegler 's reputation for 
some years succeeding the rel)ellion that 
the Neic Yorh Herald once mentioned his 
name among the prospective presidential 
candidates. He was again elected to the 
legislature in 1882 and was the recognized 
leader of the Democratic party in the 
House. Mr. Ziegler was a fluent and 
forcible speaker, a celebrated story teller, 
and the life of every political and social 
gathering. For fifty years he was con- 
nected in various ways with the public life 
of the community and state and had ac- 
quired a knowledge and acquaintance with 
the leading men in state and national poli- 
tics that gave him a re))utation that was 
almost international. 



His title of captain was derived from 
his connection with the DeKalb Grays, a 
celebrated military company of Butler 
County prior to the Rebellion. He organ- 
ized, equipped and drilled this company 
and was its leading spirit during its exist- 
ence. When Fort Sumter was fired on, 
Captain Ziegler took a firm stand in the 
defence of the Union and became a volun- 
tary recruiting officer in raising men for 
the service and did all in his power to 
assist the government dixring the four 
long years of civil strife. I^pon his return 
to Butler he served as Imrgcss several 
terms and also in the lioroiii;!! cnuiicil. In 
1867 Captain Ziegler became the owner of 
the Herald and took his son Alfred G. 
Ziegler into partnership. He continued as 
editor and publisher to the time of his 
death, which occurred at Butler June 19, 
1888, in the seventj-fifth year of his age. 
As a distinguished mark of respect, all 
jilaces of business in Butler were closed 
during the funeral, and the whole town 
assumed an appearance of mourning. His 
sterling character endeared him most to 
those who knew him best, while the affec- 
tionate and familiar title of "Uncle Jake" 
given to him by young and old alike was 
but anothef tribute to his kindness of 
heart and fatherly bearing from the ])eoi)le 
among whom he had lived for more than 
half a century. 

Captain Ziegler was married June oO. 
1835, to Sarah Brinker, a daughter of 
Capt. Abraham Brinker, a pioneer tavern- 
keeper of Butler, and later an honored 
resident of the Bonny Brook settlement in 
Summit Township, now East P>utler. He 
and his wife were the parents of three 
sons and four daughters, namely: Amelia; 
Geoige AV. ; Julia E. ; Annie L., wife of 
W. A. Lowry; Mary A.; Alfred G. ; and 
Henry. All are now dead excepting Mrs. 
liowry, who resides in the old Ziegler 
homestead on East Diamond Street, and 
(Jeorge AV., who is a resident of (California. 
The familv were zealous members of St. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



373 



Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church and 
for many years ^Nlr. Ziegler was a vestry- 
man and warden in that society. 

Wiiliani JIazlett, w1k> was a conteui- 
]K)rary of "Uncle Jake" Ziegler, was one 
of the well known newspa])er men of the 
county. He estahlished the Butler County 
Whiq in 1846 and in later years was con- 
nected with The Butler American and The 
h'utler Countfi Press. He was also prom- 
inent in local politics and was elected to 
the legislature in 1844 and to the state 
senate in 1849, and again in 1863. 

Dr. D. H. B. Brower, who established 
the Beeord at Prospect in 1853, afterward 
removed to the eastern part of the state 
and engaged in newspaper enterprises and 
before his death had established twelve 
newspapers. 

Rev. A. S. Thome, who was principal 
of the West Snnbnry Academy in 1872, 
established the Item at Greece City, and 
a paper under the same name at Karns 
City during the oil excitement, and also 
established the Reviciv at Millerstown. 
None of these enterprises were successful, 
I - and Rev. Thorne finally removed to Kan- 
sas where he became one of the ])ioneer 
]niblishers of that state. 

Col. Sam. Young was one of the well 
known characters in the newspajjer tield 
in Butler County for more than a quarter 
of a century. He founded The Reporter 
at Fairview, in 1872, when Fairview was 
a booming oil town and subsequently went 
to East Brady where he established a 
jiaper and remained for a few years. His 
last newspaper work was at Zelienople 
where he established the Neirs, which is 
now the leading weekly of the (*onnoqne- 
nessing Valley. 

George N. Ifft is one of the Butler boys 
who has made good in the field of journal- 
ism in the present generation. He was 
born in Butler, received a preparatory 
education at "Withersjwon Institute and 
subsequently entered college at Lancaster, 
Pennsylvania. After com))leting his col- 



lege course he entered a university at 
Heidelberg, Germany, and took up the 
study of political science. He subsequently 
attended lectures on the same subject at 
Paris, France, after which he returned to 
America and engaged in newspaper work. 
He was employed as Washington corre- 
spondent of the Pittsburg Gazette for a 
time, and then went to the west where he 
became part owner and manager of the 
Times, an evening paper of Salt Lake City. 
He disposed of his interests in Salt Lake 
City and removed to Pocatello, Idaho, 
where he became owner and editor of a tri- 
weekly paper, which he published until 
about 1903. AYhile in the latter place he 
became identified with the political inter- 
ests of Senator Duboise and later took a 
pi'ominent part in the Re])ublican politics 
of that state. About this time he received 
an appointment to the consular service, 
and was sent to Canada and later to Ger- 
manj-, where he is now i-esiding. 

The Butler Palladium and Bepiihlican 
Star was the pioneer ])apei' of the town 
and coimty and was tirst issued August 17, 
1818, by John Galbraith. Old copies of 
this journal still in existence show it to 
have been a four-page folio of four col- 
umns to the page. The local news is con- 
fined almost exclusively to the advertising 
columns and the foreign news is from a 
month to six weeks old. The subscription 
rate per annum was $2 in advance, or $2.50 
if paid within the year, and the advertising 
rate $1 per s(]uare for three insertions. 

.lohn Galbraith, the founder of the 
f'dlladiuni, was a son of John Galbraith, 
Sr., a native of Ireland, who served in the 
War of the Revolution as a soldier in the 
Pennsylvania line, under General Wayne. 
The family came to Butler County in 1796, 
where the sons, John, Alexander W. and 
blames, became well-known jjioneers. The 
mother was a daughtei- of Matthew White, 
after whom Whitestown in this county is 
named, and brought from Huntington 
Countv a female slave who became free 



374 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



before the emancipation act of Pennsyl- 
vania was passed, but remained with the 
Galbraith family until her death. John 
Galbraith read law with William Ayres, 
and was admitted to practice November 
10, 1818. Having established the Pal- 
ladiuiii he devoted liis attention to his 
newsjiaper until his removal to Franklin, 
Venango County, in 1819. He soon after- 
ward married Amy Ayres, a daughter of 
Rev. Robert Ayres, an Episcopal minister 
of Franklin. He was elected to Congress 
in 1832, and reelected in 1834. Previous 
to his election to Congress he served four 
vears in the state legislature, beginning in 
1828. He removed to Erie in 1837, and in 
the following year was again elected to 
Congress from that disti'ict. In 1851 he 
was elected president judge of the Erie 
district, a position he held until his death, 
June 15, 1860. 

The successor of the PaUdd'uitii was the 
Butler Ci'iitinel, which was cstablisiied in 
October, 1820, by Moses and John Sulli- 
van, who were the editors and owners. 
This journal espoused the cause of the 
Federalist party, and in 1824 was intensely 
anti-Jacksonian. The editors of the Centi- 
tiel adopted.as the motto of their journal 
the following phrase of Washington : 
"AVatching with zealous anxiety for the 
preservation of your National Union, and 
discountenancing whatever may suggest 
even a suspicion that it can in any event 
be abandoned." The Sullivans who were 
prominent factors in the pioneer history 
of Butler County published the Centinel 
for about four years and made the journal 
a fair news])ai)oi' for the time and place. 
The Ceniinrl was the same size as its pre- 
decessor, being a folio of four pages of 
four columns each and printed in old time 
small pica. The news was generally for- 
eign and little attention was given to local 
matters. 

W^illiam Stewart and Joseph Buffington 
bought the plant in the fall of 1824 and 
changed the name to Sentinel; thev en- 



larged the paper and extended its line of 
news. Joseph BufBngton retired from the 
firm on the 14th of April, 1826, and 
Stewart continued the publication. In his 
salutatory he says: "Taught from the 
cradle to revere tlaose principles for which 
the fathers of the Revolution pledged their 
lives and sacred honors; educated where 
alone Republicanism in its purity is to be 
found, in the cabin; it need not nor will it 
be thought strange that my predilections 
are strongly in favor of the Democratic 
party." 

In May, 1826, the office was moved to 
the house then occupied by Rev. Isaiah 
Niblock, formerly used as a printing office 
by John Sullivan, on the corner of Wash- 
ington and West Streets. The prices 
which Stewart paid for type and jorinters' 
supplies in 1829 form an interesting com- 
])arison with the jj rices of the same mate- 
rial in 1908. 

In 1830 Parker C. Purviance and George 
W. Smith purchased tlie Sentinel, cleared 
the office of all Democratic tendency, and 
being true Whigs gave battle without quar- 
ter to the Democrats. The Anti-Masonic 
movement which had been gathering some 
force throughout the country had reached 
Butler in February of 1830 and found 
Smith among its stioiigest advocates. The 
new editors of the Sn/fiiirl not only made 
their paper strongly Whig, but also fiercely 
opposed the Masonic order. The Sentinel 
finally discontinued publication in 1840. 

The Repository. March 14, 1823, Mau- 
rice and John Bredin established a news- 
pa])er in Butler called The Be posit mi). 
The ])ublishers as Democratic Republicans 
claimed the right of expressing their 
opinion on public men and affairs, but de- 
clared that the columns of The Repository 
should be open to the opinions of all. The 
journal was issued every Friday at the 
rate of $2 per year. In size and make-up 
it compared with its contemporary, The 
Sentinel, and in addition to the usual 
European and Asiatic news, which occu- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



375 



pied uearly two pages, a half a page or 
more was devoted to state politics. The 
sjnrit of rivalry and competition was at 
work even at that early date, as appears in 
the following editorial item under date of 
December 3, 1824 : 

"We have understooil tliat Messrs. Stewart and P.ufi'- 
inuton, to whom the Btilhr Sriiliinl h;is licni Iraiis- 
ferred, have enlarged their |ia|H r. Altihrnyh tlir -^iiiipcit 
that a new country like this can all'.. id a iii\\s|,a]iir 
will scarcely meet the expenses incident tu tin/ puldica- 
lion of a paper on a super-royal sheet, yet, being desir- 
ous that our readers shall have no reasonable cause of 
complaint, as to the size of our jiaper, we will make 
arrangements immediately for publishing The depository 
on a larger sheet, and expect that in two or three weeks 
at farthest The Sepository will appear in a new dress." 

The promise was carried into effect on 
December 17, 1824, when four five-column 
pages printed in long primer were pre- 
sented to its readers. With the exception 
of four advertisements and the announce- 
ment of the enlargement of the paper, the 
new issue did not contain a reference to 
Butler County affairs. 

John Bredin was commissioned judge of 
the new Seventeenth Judicial District in 
1831, and his retirement from journalism 
took place the pi-evious year. Maurice 
Bredin also retired at the same time, and 
the office became the projiertv of James 
:\Jc(ilaugiilin and .John ^b-Clcllan.l wli.. ap- 
pear to have carried on 'flic Ihpiisitoiii 
until June, 1835, when it bears the imprint 
of ]\Ic(}laughlin and Ziegler. Shortly after 
David Shamion and John Little became 
owners and they carried on its publication 
down to May, 1842, when The Repo.'^itori/ 
simk its identitv in the new Deiuocraflc 
Herald. 

The Butler Herald. Ueorge W. Smith. 
who was a member of the bar and one of 
the publishers of The Sentinel, in July. 
1829, issued the prospectus of a new paper 
to be called The Butler Herald. He pro- 
posed to make the new journal the organ 
of the anti-Masonic and anti-int('iiii>ciaiicc 
people of Butler, as well as of the cnldiiiza 
tionists. The editor designed it as a semi 
monthly periodical, then as a weekly, but 



seeing the two papers already in the field, 
he concluded to alnxndon his proi)osed en- 
terprise. 

The Freeman's Jowiial. In 1830 Peter 
Duffy proposed the publication of The 
Freeman's Journal, and issued a pros- 
pectus which appeared in the two local 
papers of the town under date of May 25 
of that year. His object, or one of them, 
was to teach the dangers of class govern- 
ment, and he looked upon the opposition 
to the Masons as based largely upon selfish 
foundations. His newspaper project was 
not carried out as he concluded to use the 
columns of the two journals then published 
in Butler for the dissemination of his 
political ideas. 

• The Democratic Herald was founded in 
1842 by James McGlaughlin and Jacob 
Ziegler, and was the successor to the old 
Repository established in 1823 by the 
Bredin brothers. McGrlaughlin and Zieg- 
ler contijiued to publish the journal until 
November 19, 1845, when James Mc- 
Glaughlin retired as a publisher and Sam- 
uel G. Purvis became associated with 
Jacob Ziegler in its management and 
issued his salutatory. On June 27, 1848, 
the names of Samuel G. Purvis and Joseph 
^re]\lu]-try appear as publishers, and so 
continued until February 3, 1849, when 
James McGlaughlin again became owner 
with Cornelius Coll as a partner. On 
January 12, 1850, the name of Andrew E. 
Marshall was substituted for that of Mc- 
Glaughlin and the firm name was changed 
to Marshall & Coll. On March 15, 1851, 
Jacob Ziegler resumed his place as owner 
in the place of Coll and announced that 
"as long speeches are never read, we shall 
snaji them short off by saying: We are 
Democratic in thought, word and deed, and 
shall endeavor to be as honorable to polit- 
ical opponents as their conduct deserves." 
In April of the same year the office was 
moved to the house formerly occupied by 
R. and J. Cunningham, on Main Street, 
where it was issued for some vears. On 



376 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the 5th of July, 1854, the editor charged 
that the Know Nothing journals were 
edited by foreigners and asserted that 
Know Nothing! sm was not a conviction but 
a pretense used conveniently by dema- 
gogues. The Whig suffered defeat and 
the editor stated that said party rarely, 
if ever, obtained victory, except by some 
kind of an "ism," or an unnatural and 
unhealthy excitement built on some "ism." 

Another change took )ilac(' in the man- 
agement of the )l,'nihl on March 21, 1855, 
when Jacob Zieglei- retired as editor and 
Joseph P. Patterson assumed the duties of 
that office. The new editor continued the 
policy of his predecessor, but his career as 
editor did not last long. On November 28 
of the same year John N. Negley assumed 
control of the Herald and continued until 
July 3, 1858, when he retired and Samuel 
and John C. Coll became the editors and 
iniblishers. Under date of December 4, 
18(il, it was announced that the Herald 
would be mailed to the subscribers of the 
Butler Union, according to arrangements 
made with Mr. S. P. Irvine. In the issue 
of Deceml)er 11, Mr. Irvine announced his 
retirement and the consolidation of the 
Butler Uiiidii with the Herald under the 
title The Union Herald. On the last given 
date the new title appeared at the head of 
the old Herald with the firm name of J. C. 
Coll & Company as publishers. In 1867 
Jacob Ziegler again became editor and 
publisher of the paper and with his son 
Alfred G. Ziegler purchased the ])lant 
from Coll & Company. In 1872 and 1873 
the paper was called Ziegler's Democratic 
Herald, but this title was soon changed to 
the original name, The Democratic Herald. 

Mr. Ziegler continued to publish the 
Herald from 1867 up to his death in May, 
1888. During that time the jtaper enjoyed 
a fair share of prosperity and its pages 
bore the imprint of the originality of its 
editor. After his death Judge Bredin and 
Stei)hen Cummings, the administrators of 



the estate, were the actual managers of the 
paper until October 26, 1888, when the 
office was sold to William (}. Ziegler. a 
nephew of "Uncle Jake," and James A. 
McKee, who were its editors and publish- 
ers until June, 1889. Messrs. Ziegler and 
McKee sold the office to P. A. Rattigan & 
Sons, of Millerstown, who combined The 
Democratic Herald and The Millerstoivn 
Herald and removed the plant of the latter 
paper to Butler. Soon after this change 
was made the title of the paper was 
changed to The Butler Herald. P. A. 
Rattigan, who was the editor and senior 
member of the firm, died on the 25th of 
January, 1901, and since that time the 
paper has been published by P. A. Ratti- 
gan 's sons, Harry T. Rattigan and W. J. 
Rattigan. The paper continues to be the 
organ of the Democratic party of the 
county and enjoys a fair share of patron- 
age. Since Jacob Ziegler 's time the office 
has experienced four removals, first from 
the old Beatty Hotel building on Main 
Street, now the present site of J. G. & W. 
Campbell building, to the frame, building 
at the rear of Troutman's stoie, formerly 
the postoffice kept by Thonuis White; and 
again in August, 189;?, to the brick Demo- 
cratic Herald building on West Cunning- 
ham Street, in rear of Troutman's store. 
In 1901 the office was removed to a frame 
building on East Cunningham Street in the 
rear of the old Heineman store building, 
and again in 1905 to its present quarters 
on the second floor of the Geis building 
adjoining the Majestic Theatre. 

The Butler County Whig. William Haz- 
lett revived the old Sentinel in 1846, and 
imder date of June 24, issued The Butler 
County Whig as its successor. The Whig 
was opposed to Know Nothingism and to 
secret and oath l)ound societies. October 
10, 1850, J. L. Bredin became associate 
publisher and editor, and this partnei-ship 
was continued until August 25, 1852. In 
Aiiril, 1855, Mr. Hazlett sold the TF/iu/ to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



377 



"William B. Lemmon aud the paper eventu- 
ally lost its identity in The Butler Amei- 
ican. 

The Butlei- Awericaii. The new editor 
of the Whig appeared to have diilerent 
opinions from Mr. Hazlett, for he had no 
sooner purchased the ]]']iig when in April, 
1855, he bought The Star Spangled Ban- 
ner, the organ of the Know Nothing party, 
from Johnston, its publisher. The title of 
the Whig had been changed to The Butler 
American and the two papers were con- 
solidated under the title The Butler Amer- 
ican and Siiir of Lihcrfy, and Mr. Lemmon 
doc-larod the combination ready to espouse 
Know Nothingism in any shape. Edwin 
Lyon became part owner in 1859, and in 
1861 ^Ir. Hazlett again got control of the 
paper and was its editor and publisher. 
Hazlett continued to publish the American 
up to October, 1865, when the plant was 
purchased by Thomas Robinson, and the 
material removed to the office of the 
Citizen. Two years after disposing of the 
American, Mr. Hazlett established the But- 
ler County Press, and continued its pub- 
lication until the spring of 1869, when he 
sold it to John H. Negiey, and retired 
permanently from the newspaper held. 
__ The Star S/i,iiigled Banner was a small 
paper pnhlislicd in 1853 to 1855 by a man 
named Johnston, and was known for the 
viciousness of its editorials and the mis- 
statements of its news cohunns. As a 
"yellow journal" it would compare with 
some of the later day productions about 
which there is so much complaint. The 
Butler American and Star of Liberty was 
much the same kind of a sheet while under 
the control of W. B. Lemmon. 

The Butler Union was suggested late in 
1860 by Samuel P. Irvine, who was the 
editor and publisher of the paper until 
December 11, 1861, when the Union was 
merged into the Deniocraflc Jh raid, and 
the title changed to Thf Union Herald. 
The Union Herald was puhlisli.'d by J. C. 
Coll & Company, and on January 21. 186.S, 



its volume number was 21, and issue num- 
ber 29, showing it to be The Democratic 
Herald of 1842 under a new name. Clark 
Wilson was then the editor and publisher. 

The American Citizen was established 
by Thomas Robinson and Maj. Cyrus E. 
Anderson and issued December 9, 1863. 
Owing to his duties in the provost mar- 
shall 's office requiring all his attention. 
Major Anderson retired in April, 1865, and 
Mr. Robinson assumed sole control. On 
October 11, 1865, William Hazlett closed 
his connection with the Butler American, 
and the office became the property of the 
American Citizen. Major Anderson again 
l)ecame owner and editor of the paper on 
December 12, 1866, when he purchased the 
interest of Mr. Robinson, and continued to 
publish the paper until April 14, 1869. On 
April 7, 1869, John H. Negiey purchased 
the Citizen from ]\Iajor Anderson, and in 
the following iiionth he bought the office 
of the Butler Count if Press, which had been 
established by William Hazlett in 1867. 
and combined the two papers, as the But- 
ler Citizen. 

The Butler Citizen is the lineal descend- 
ant of the C en tin el of 1820, and all the 
Federal, AVliiu. Amciican and Republican 
newspapoi > imlilisiicd here prior to 1870. 
In its ftnuidntidii are found the old 
Centinel, the Butler County Whig, the 
American Citizen, the Press, the Butler 
County American, and the Star Spangled 
Banner. Mr. Negiey, the first owner and 
))uliUsher of the paper purchased the plant 
of the American Citizen and that of the 
11 u tier County Press in 1867, and issued 
the two ]iapers under the title of The But- 
ler Citizen. In 1872 he took his son, 
William C. Negiey, into the office as his 
])artner, and the firm continued until 1888, 
when William C. Negiey became sole 
owner. During its career of almost forty 
years the Citizen has been noticeable for 
its attention to pioneer matters such as 
deaths of old residents and historical 
notices. Tlie office has ex]ierienced two or 



378 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



three changes in its location since first 
established, having been moved from the 
Reiber Building on Jefferson Street to the 
old Negley Building on Diamond Street, 
and again in 1901 to its present quarters 
in the building formerly occupied by the 
Eagle on Main Street. On the 1st of 
November, 1908, the plant, subscription 
list and good will of the Citizen was sold 
to A. M. Christley and L. E. Christley, who 
are the present owners, the latter being the 
editor and manager. The new firm erected 
a handsome brick building on South Mc- 
Kean Street to which the office was re- 
moved on the 1st of March, 1909. William 
C. Negley, who had been the previous 
owner for twenty years, retired from the 
newspaper business on the 1st of January. 

Laurell E. Christley, editor of the Citi- 
zen, was born in Cherry Township. Butler 
County, October 31, 1872, and is the son of 
Thomas F. and Anna C. (Hill) Christley, 
both deceased. He was educated in the 
common schools of the county, at West 
Sunbury Academy, and at Slippery Rock 
State Normal School, and subsequently 
taught school in the county for several 
terms. During the summer of 1893 he was 
engaged in business in Chicago, and in 
1894 he returned to Butler County and en- 
gaged in teaching in the public schools. 
He taught several terms at Callery Junc- 
tion, was principal of the Mars schools for 
two years and held the same position in 
the Evans City schools for two terms. 
During the summer months he was em- 
ployed by the American Book Company. 
He was elected clerk of courts in Butler 
County in the fall of 1905, and in 1906 was 
elected school director from the second 
ward of Butler borough, of which he is a 
resident. After the completion of his term 
as clerk of courts he was employed by the 
American Book Company until the fall of 
1908, when he formed a partnership with 
his brother, A. M. Christley, and pur- 
chased the Butler Citizen. 

Mr. Christley was married October 11, 



1905, to Miss Effie M., daughter of George 
S. and Sarah M. Mason of Rocky Grove, 
Venango Cduntv. Thev attend the Metho- 
dist EpixdiKil ('Imrch'of Butler, ami take 
an active interest in the work of the ditfer- 
eut church societies. Mr. Christley is a 
member of the Odd Fellows and the 
Masonic Order, and of the Woodmen of 
the World. In politics he is a Republican, 
and for the past ten years has taken an 
active part in the affairs of his party in 
the town and county. 

Tlie Butler Coimty Press was established 
l>y William Hazlett, August 14, 1867, and 
was carried on by him until its suspension 
in 1869. In the latter year the office was 
purchased by John H. Negley, as stated 
previously, and a short time afterward the 
publication ceased. 

The Fair and Festival. The first daily 
paper issued in Butler was offered for sale 
December 26, 1868, and continued publica- 
tion until January 14, 1869. The paper 
was called The Fair and Festival, and was 
suggested by Maj. J. B. Butler for benevo- 
lent purposes. Though only a one-column 
daily, it showed the editorial, advertise- 
ment, and news divi.sion of a modern jour- 
nal. The little paper Avas devoted entirelj^ 
to the interests of the Ladies' Fair and 
Festival which was being held that winter 
for the benefit of St. Paul's Catholic 
Church. Major Butler, with whom the 
idea originated, was the editor of the 
})aper. He died in 1893, and his remains 
rest in the Catholic Cemeterv north of the 
city. _ 

Tlte Northivestern Independent was a 
monthly paper edited by Clark Wilson, the 
first number of which appeared in July, 
1869. The life of the Independent was 
brief, and it appears that the editor aban- 
doned his enterprise in Butler in the latter 
l^art of the year to establish the Oil Man's 
Journal at Parker. 

The Butler Eagle. In 1870 a company 
was organized the leading spirit of which 
was Thomas Robinson, with the object of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



379 



providing the eonnty with a newspaper 
which would expound the ideas of the sol- 
dier or military element of the Republican 
party and inculcate lessons of patriotism 
from their point of view. The directors 
of the com]3any were Walter L. Graham 
president, Hugh Morrison, F. M. Eastman, 
J. B. Clark and Cyrus E. Anderson, all 
veterans of the Civil War. The Eagle was 
established in February, 1870, and was 
issued at first from the old George W. 
Smith building on the corner of the 
Diamond on the site of the Y. M. C. A. 
building. The editorial statf consisted of 
Thomas Robinson, i^olitical editor; John 
M. Greer, local editor ; Edwin Lyon, agri- 
cultural editor; and Frank M. Eastman, 
business manager. Owing to differences 
of opinion Mr. Robinson resigned and 
Hugh Morrison and J. B. Clark were ap- 
Ijointed his successors. Changes in the 
management did not prove satisfactory, 
and in 1871 the company disposed of the 
office to Mr. Robinson, who became the sole 
owner. Mr. Robinson continued to edit 
and manage the paper until January 1, 
1879, when he disposed of his interests to 
his son, Eli D. Robinson, who had been 
associate editor for some time previous. 
In February, 1881, James M. Carson pur- 
chased an interest in the plant and as- 
sumed the position of associate editor, and 
in 1885 the quarters of the paper were 
changed from the old George Smith build- 
ing on Diamond Street to the brick building 
on Main Street, now occupied by the Citi- 
zen. Under the new management the 
Eagle prospered financially and took a 
leading rank among the country news- 
papers of western Pennsylvania. Prof. 
P. S. Bancroft held a position in the local 
department of this paper from March, 
1888, to October, 1889. In February, 1895, 
Mr. Robinson purchased the interest of 
Mr. Carson and again became sole pro- 
prietor. The same year George W. Shie- 
ver, who had previously been foreman of 
the printing-room, purchased an interest 



in the paper and became associate editor, 
filling that position until May, 1902. 

The Daily Eagle, an evening paper, was 
established in May, 1902, by Robinson & 
Shiever, who were then owners of the 
Weeldy Eagle, and it was issued from the 
brick building on East Cunningham Street, 
to which the plant had been removed the 
previous year. Shortly after the Dully 
Eagle was established, George W. Shiever 
disposed of his interests in the daily and 
weekly Eagle to Mr. Robinson, who con- 
tinued as sole proprietor until the 29th of 
January, 1903, when The Butler County 
Observer was merged with the Eagle. At 
this time a stock company was organized 
and capitalized at $25,000, of which Eli D. 
Robinson was president, Raymond Locke, 
secretary, and Levi M. Wise, treasui-er. 
These officers, with A. L. Weihe, and Ber- 
tha L. Wise, composed the board of direc- 
tors. The company took over the plant of 
the daily and weekly Eagle, and the plant, 
subscription list, and good will of The But- 
ler County Observer at Evans City. The 
publication of the Observer was discon- 
tinued, and the Weekly Eagle thus ob- 
tained the largest subscription list, with 
a few exceptions, of any country weekly 
paper in western Pennsylvania. On the 
21st of October, 1903, Mr. Robinson dis- 
posed of his interest and stock in the plant 
to Levi M. Wise, who then became the 
principal owner, and the business is now 
carried on under the title of The Eagle 
Printing Company. The officials of the 
company were Levi M. Wise, president and 
treasurer ; Bertha L. Wise, secretary, and 
Willis Briggs, managing editor. On tlie 
1st of April, 1904, the plant was removed 
to the Wise Building on West Diamond 
Street, which has been enlarged and fitted 
up for a first-class printing office. About 
the 1st of January, 1907, George I. Woner 
succeeded Willis Briggs as managing- 
editor, and Ben. Courtney was employed 
as local editor. The Daily Eagle is a 
seven-column eight-page paper, well 



380 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



printed and edited, and lias a circulation 
of over four thousand, which is still in- 
creasing. The Weekly Eagle also has a 
large circulation, and occupies a leading 
rank among the Republican newspapers 
of western Pennsylvania. 

The Oil Man's Journal. Clark Wilson, 
who was interested in a number of news- 
l)aper enterprises in Butler as editor and 
promoter, established the Oil Man's Jour- 
nal at Parker in 1869. In November, 1872, 
his son, H. C. Wilson, was admitted as a 
partner in the business, and in January, 
1877, the office was moved to Butler, where 
the journal was issued from the old office 
of the AmerivdH C'lthcii on Jefferson 
.Street, opposite llif Hotel Lowry. While 
the journal was ])ul»lislie<l in Butler, Clark 
Wilson was the editor and proprietor. 
Finding that the newspaper field in Butler 
was already well occupied, the publication 
of the journal was finally suspended, after 
an existence of a few years, which were 
full of trouble. 

The Butler County Record, formerly the 
Petrolia Record, was founded October 27, 
1877, at Petrolia by Charles E. Herr, who 
carried on a job printing establishment 
there. In April, 1878, the size was in- 
creased from the original folio of twenty 
columns to the folio of twenty-eight col- 
umns, and in every respect the Record was 
made worthy of the busy oil center which 
Petrolia then was. Among the reporters 
and associate editors employed on the 
paper at Petrolia were D. W. Moorehouse, 
now a preacher of the Gospel at Newbury- 
port, Massachusetts; Dr. B. L. Davis, 
F. F. Herr, W. P. Jordan, and L. H. Pat- 
terson. On the 6th of June, 1888, the office 
was removed to Butler and the title of the 
])aper changed to The Butler County Rec- 
ord. It was first issued from the building 
occupied by Colonel Thompson's law offices 
on Diamond Street, and when that building 
was torn down in 1902, to give way to the 
present Butler County National Bank 
Building, the Record office was removed 



to the old Park Theatre building on East 
Diamond Street. L. H. Patterson was 
associate editor for several years after the 
Record was established in Butler, and on 
October 1, 1889, Prof. B. S. Bancroft, for- 
merly of the Witherspoon Institute, and 
later of the local department of the Eagle, 
was engaged as associate editor, a position 
he still holds. The office was burned out 
in the great fire of November 23, 1903, 
which destroyed the Park Theatre and a 
number of buildings on Main Street, and 
the entire plant was a total loss to its 
owner. With characteristic energy Mr. 
Herr went to work immediately after the 
fire, secured a new location in the Herald 
Building from W. G. Ziegler, on West Cun- 
ningham Street, purchased a new outfit 
and issued his paper with scarcely a 
week's delay. The form of the paper has 
been changed from an eight-column folio 
to a six-column quarto, and it is neatly 
printed and carefully edited. 

The Times. The semi-monthly Times 
was established in Septemlier, 1881, by 
C. M. and W. J. Heineman as a magazine 
and was issued from the office in the Heine- 
man Building until 1884. Two or three 
other little papers were published at inter- 
vals but never for any length of time. 

The Daily Times, an evening paper, was 
founded Ajn-il U, ]884, by Charles M. and 
W. J. Heineman and W. G. Ziegler as The 
Times Publishing Company, the object be- 
ing to furnish the public of Butler the 
cream of the daily news and the details of 
the oil field. The beginnings of the paper 
were small, but not to be despised. It was 
at first a four-page journal, neatly printed, 
each page being eleven by eight inches. 
On January 1, 1885, it was enlarged to 
eleven by fifteen inches and on August 3, 
1885, it was again increased to twenty-two 
by fifteen inches, being a four-column folio. 
About the close of 1885 W. G. Ziegler sold 
his interest in the paper to the Heinemans, 
since which time the brothers have carried 
it on with good success. The size of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



381 



paper has been iucreased from time to 
time until it is a seven-column quarto, and 
the circulation has increased from less 
than five hundred in 1885 to three thou- 
sand in 1908. 

The Weekly Times was established in 
August, 1884, as a seven-column four-page 
journal, and is now an eight-page paper of 
forty-eight columns. In 1894 a qew two- 
story printing-office was erected on East 
Cunningham Street, which is thoroughly 
equipped with linotype machine, duplex 
printing-press, and all the equipments of 
a modern newspaper office. The job print- 
ing department of the office is also very 
complete, and the patronage large. In 
1903 the WeeJdy Times was changed to a 
semi-weekly edition. 

The Orphan's Friend is a periodical 
jiuhlished in the interest of St. Paul's 
Orjihan's Home, and is edited by the super- 
intendent and the faculty of that institu- 
tion. Its first editor was T. F. Stauffer, 
who was superintendent of the home pre- 
vious to 1882, and he was succeeded by 
Rev. 'P. C. Prugh. The present editor is 
Rev. Leader. 

The Tidings was a denominational paper 
published by Rev. J. Q. Waters of tlie Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church and was issued in 
April, 1883. Its life was not of long dura- 
tion and the publication was aliandoned 
the same year. 

Tlte Magnet was a semi-monthly maga- 
zine published bv the students of the But- 
lei- itigh School" from 1892 to 1897. 

EVANS CITY. 

The record of newspaper enterprises in 
Evans City is that of a few years and 
much trouble. About 1895 John R. Young, , 
who liad previously been associated with 
his fatlier. Col. Samuel Young, in the pub- 
lication of the Connoquenessing Valley 
News, at Zelienople, moved to Evans City, 
and founded the Evans City Times. The 
first editions of the paper were published 
in a magazine form, and showed consider- 



able enterprise and originality in their 
make-up. The form of the publication was 
afterward changed to a six-column quarto 
with a patent inside. Young sold the plant 
to J. S. Spence, who in turn disposed of it 
to a stock company, of which the leading 
movers were J. C. Dight and H. W. Bame. 
History repeated itself in so far as the 
stock company was concerned, and in 1901 
the plant was disposed of to Levi M. Wise 
of Butler, who became the sole owner, with 
A. L. Weihe as editor and manager. The 
title of the paper had been changed in 1900 
to The Butler Conntii Observer, and the 
publication was continued under that name 
until the plant was merged with the Butler 
Eagle in January, 1903. The Observer en- 
joyed a fair share of patronage during its 
existence, but the business of the commiin- 
ity did not justify the owners of the paper 
in continuing it. 



The history of journalism in Prospect is 
not a record of brilliant successes. The 
first newspaper published in the place was 
the Prospect Record, established in 1852 
or 1853 by Dr. D. H. B. Brower, and edited 
by John S. Fairman. It was a good-sized 
i:)aper, all printed at home and ably edited, 
but it expired after one year's existence, 
not from lack of patronage, but for want 
of good management. 

The Mirror and Neivs was issued at 
Prospect, September, 1854, by Spear and 
Fairman, in the form of a six-column folio. 
Like the pioneer venture, twelve months of 
"love's labor lost" convinced the editors 
that their hopes of establishing a news- 
paper were futile, and the publication was 
suspended. 

Two years after the suspension of the 
Mirror and Neivs a new paper was issued 
in Prospect called The Trump. It led a 
precarious existence for three months and 
went the way of its predecessors. 

The Camp Meeting Register was a daily 
morning paper issued at Prospect in 



382 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



August, 1859, by John S. Pail-man. It was 
a part and parcel of the great camp meet- 
ing which was organized there by Rev. 
Samuel Grouse, and the local _ preachers. 
There appears to have been no issue of the 
paper after August 26 of that year. 

The last newspaper enterprise in Pros- 
pect grew up in the job printing office of 
S. B. Martincourt. It appeared in Decem- 
l)or, 1879, as a four-column eight-page 
])aper, and was continued until the begin- 
• iiing of April, 1880. This paper was called 
The Prospect Leader. It became evident 
to the publisher after four or five months 
that the town would not support an enter- 
jnise of that kind and the enterprise was 
abandoned. 

ZELIENOPLE. 

The first newspaper published in the 
county outside of the borough of Butler 
was the Zelienople Recorder, published 
about 1847, which is said to have had a 
short and precarious existence. 

In October, 1878, the late Col. Samuel 
and J. R. Young established the Con- 
noquenessing Valley News, and in the 
salutatory the publishers promised that 
nothing of a sectarian or political charac- 
ter should occupy its columns, but that the 
purpose of the paper should be "to ad- 
vance the varied local interests of the 
region and advocate every idea that is cal- 
culated to benefit them." On July 10, 
1879, Samuel Young became sole proprie- 
tor and published the paper until his death 
which occurred March 27, 1891. Editor 
Young was a man of marked individuality 
of character and was known throughout 
the western part of Pennsylvania as 
"Colonel." After his death his son J. R. 
Young succeeded him as editor and pro- 
prietor until 1895 when he disposed of the 
plant to Ira Ziegler. Mr. Ziegler carried 
oil the business for a number of years and 
tlion sold it to J. E. Kocher, who is the 
l>rpsent editor and proprietor. Tlie News 
continues to be an influential factor in the 



Counqueuessing valley and is one of the 
prosperous weekly papers in the county. 

SLIPPERY EOCK. 

The Centerville Casket was the title of 
a paper published in Slippery Rock for 
some time prior to August, 1879, and was 
edited by W. S. Fulkman, known as Stan- 
ley Fulkman. who afterward moved to 
Beaver, Pennsylvania, and established an 
office in that place. The career of this 
paper was short and uninteresting, and the 
last number was published on the 8th of 
August, 1879. 

After the opening of the State Normal 
School at Slippery Rock the Signal was 
established by R. D. Young, February 12, 
1892. He carried on the paper until the 
close of the summer of that year, when a 
stock company took chax'ge, and Young 
went to New Castle whei-e he engaged in 
the publication of the Neiv Castle Courant. 
In January, 1894, Albert L. Weihe, for- 
merly of the Netv Wilmington Globe, pur- 
chased the office and published the paper 
for about a year. R. C. McClymonds suc- 
ceeded Weihe as editor of the paper, and 
in 1897 publication was suspended for 
want of patronage. 

The Saxonhurg Herald was first issued 
in 1888 by Paul F. Voigt, and was an eight- 
page weekly journal of forty-eight col- 
umns. The paper was not printed in the 
borough, but the local columns were usu- 
ally well filled. Charles Hoffman was the 
local manager and reporter at Saxonhurg, 
the main office of the paper being at 
Natrona. The discovery of the Saxonhurg 
oil field and the consequent influx of people 
to that community led to the establishing 
of the Herald, and when the excitement 
died out the patronage of the paper fell 
off to such an extent that its publication 
was abandoned. About 1895 Albert L. 
Weihe, who had formerly published the 
Signal at Slippery Rock, made an attempt 
to revive the Herald at Saxonhurg, but 
was unsuccessful. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



383 



PETKOLIA AXD VICISITY. 

During the clays of the oil exoitemeut at 
Petrolia, Karns City and Fairview, no 
less than eight newspapers were estab- 
lished in a period of ten years — from 1872 
to 1882. The first newspaper to enter the 
field was the Advertiser, which was pub- 
lished at Buena Vista in December, 1873, 
as a tri-weekly. Its editor was J. T. 
Springstead. Old newspaper men of But- 
ler do not remember tliis paper, but yet it 
is on record and is recalled by the early 
operators of the Buena Vista oil field. 

The Item was established at Greece City 
in March, 1873, and after a brief and tem- 
pestuous existence, went the way of that 
phantom oil town. The editor of the paper 
was Eev. A. S. Thorne, a Presbyterian 
preacher, and principal of West Sunbury 
Academy. AV. AV. McQuistion and Andrew 
Fitzsimmons of Butler were the typos and 
assisted him in the office. They called the 
place "Grease City," and said other dis- 
agreeable things about this extraordinary 
little oil town tliat did not make the paper 
or its editor mniiy friends. 

The Fairvii ir l!i iimicr was founded in 
1872 by Col. Sjinnn'l ^.'oung and continued 
publication for about twelve months. The 
enterprise wasn't a success and Colonel 
Young suspended publication after about 
twelve months and sought a more promis- 
ing field, finally locating in Zelienople. 
Among the aids of Colonel Young in the 
publishing of the Reporter was E. W. 
Criswell, who afterwards became a re- 
porter for the 0(7 Citjj Derrick and in later 
years became a humorous writer of na- 
tional reputation and v^^as employed on the 
leading papers of New York City. 

The pioneer journal of Petrolia borough 
was the Advertiser, which was published 
by Lerch and Mapes in 1877 and ante- 
dated the Petrolia Record by a few 
months. The history of this journal was 
uneventful and its ]->ub]ication was soon 
abandoned. 

In 1878 Lerch and :\!ai)es established tlie 



Producers' Free Press as a journal wholly 
devoted to the interests of the Petrolia oil 
field. To insure the success of their sec- 
ond venture they engaged P. C. Boyle as 
editor, and while he edited the Free Press 
it met with a fair measure of success. Sub- 
sequently the owners made the way clear 
for The Record, finding the battle for 
l>recedent to be against them. 

The first newspaper issued at" Karns 
City was the Item. It may have been the 
saniie as that of Greece City with the title 
changed to suit Karns City, or vice versa. 
Publication ceased after a year. 

The successor of tbi Item at Karns City 
was the Telephone, which was established 
in 1878 by Dr. J. Borland, and was regu- 
larly published until 1882, when the office 
was moved to Grove City, Mercer Coimty. 

The first paper publislied in the oil re- 
gion in the interest of labor was Labor's 
Voice, which was founded at Martinsburg 
or Bi-uiu in 1877, by Patrick C. Boyle. 
Boyle was born in Donegal County, Ire- 
land, and came to the United States in 
1846, settling with his parents at Brady's 
Bend in Armstrong County. He entered 
tlie Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers 
in January, 1862, and re-enlisted in 1864. 
From 1868 to 1874 he was connected with 
wells and pipe lines in the Butler and Arm- 
strong County fields and in the latter year 
entered the domain of journalism. Want 
of patronage caused the early demise of 
Labor's Voice, and Boyle was subse- 
r|uently engaged as editor of the Pro- 
ducers' Free Press at Petrolia. Shortly 
after leaving Petrolia he became editor 
and manager of the Oil City Derrick at Oil 
City, and has become one of the best 
known journalists in the counti^y. 

MILLEESTOWN. 

The Sand Pump was issued at Millers- 
town in August, 1873, by 0. H. Jackson. 
The first number was a trial issue to learn 
lioTT far the editor could depend on the oil 



384 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



meu and business connnunity for support 
in publishing a daily journal. The paper 
was issued regularly during the month of 
September, 1873, and at first met with 
some encouragement. It was an eight by 
ten inch sheet filed with news of the oil 
fields and advertisements. The people 
tired of it, however, in a little while, and 
The Sand Piimp went the wav of the oil 
field. 

Rev. A. S. Thorne, who had attempted 
to establish a paper at Greece City and at 
Karns City, began the publication of the 
Millerstoum Review in 1875. This paper 
was published with some degree of regu- 
larity until 1879, wheji Tliorne removed to 
Atwood, Kansas. 

The Millerstown Herald was founded l)y 
S. J. Small, in 1876. On May 19, 1877, he 
sold his interest in the paper and material 
to P. A. Eattigan, who made it a photo- 
graph of the oil field as well as a stanch 
supporter of the Dem.ocratic party. The 



Herald became a popular vehicle of news 
for the oil fields, and obtained a large cir- 
culation in the county. In June, 1899, Mr. 
Rattigan removed his plant to Butler, 
where he had purchased the Democratic 
Herald from Ziegler and McKee, and con- 
solidated the two papers under the title of 
The Butler Herald. Shortly after the re- 
moval of the Herald another paper was 
started in Millerstown by R. C. McCly- 
monds in the office formerly occupied by 
Mr. Rattigan. This plant was burned out 
January 25th, 1901. 

A coincidence connected with the fire 
was the sudden death of P. A. Rattigan, 
its former owner, in Butler on the same 
day. 

After the fire the paper was revived by 
R. C. MeClymonds, who sold it to William 
R. Brown, the jiresent owner and pub- 
lisher. The new Herald is a neatly printed 
eight-page paper and its editor enjoys a 
liberal patronage from the community. 



CHAPTER XIV 



EDUCATION 



The siibject of educatit)n was one to 
which the pioneer settlers of this region 
ooiild give but little attention, whatever 
degree of importance they may have at- 
tached to it. Doubtless there were among 
them here, and there, men possessing some 
degree of scholarship, but as in every new 
country, in its early stages of develop- 
ment, material wants take precedence over 
everything else, and the axe and the plow 
go before the spelling-book. Not that 
our forefathers were unmindful of the de- 
sirability of furnishing educational oppor- 
tunities to their children. They yielded 
simply to necessity in at first subordinat- 
ing the cultivation of the mind to the 
taming of the soil. As soon as a fair start 
had been made in the latter direction, and 
white settlements had begun to appear, 
scattered through the primeval forest, 
they installed the schoolmaster, who 
thenceforth became a nmn of intiuence in 
every community. 

The latter 's position at tirst .was no 
sinecure. In most communities school was 
held only during what may be tei'med the 
winter months, or during that part of the 
year when there was comparatively little 
work to do on the farm. When the spring 
]ilowing began, not only the male pupils, 
many of whom were grown-up young men, 
hut the teachers also, rolled up their 
sleeves, cast all thoughts of books aside 
and went foiih into the lields to do battle 
with the soil; and thereafter there was 
little intermission in the regular routine of 



fni-m drudgery until well on in the fall 
when all the crops had been liai'vested and 
everything made snug for the coming- 
winter. 

The cost of supporting the early schools 
was usually met by a sort of regulated 
subscription of the patrons, each one con- 
tributing in amount according to the num- 
ber of pupils he furnished to the school. 
These pupils, as already intimated, were 
in many cases grown-up young men and 
women, who thus sought to make up in 
some degree for their lack of earlier op- 
portunities. It often happened that they 
were inclined to be unruly, and upon such 
occasions it took a firm will and wise 
judgment, and not infrequently a stal- 
wart arm, to deal with them, especially 
with the older boys who found the re- 
straint of the schoolroom irksome to them. 
For this reason physical prowess was con- 
sidered a desirable and often indispens- 
able qualification in a pedagogue, and it 
may be said that in this respect, at least, 
the pioneer schoolmasters were seldom 
found lacking. As to their ability to im- 
part knowledge, much was not required 
of them. To be able to spell correctly, to 
know the arithmetic to the "single rule of 
three," and to write a good hand, .were 
deemed sufhcient in most districts. Writ- 
ing was the accomijlishment on which they 
chiefly prided themselves, and he who 
wrote a good hand was often taken to be 
educationally proficient without much fur- 
ther inquiry lieing made. (Jrammar did 



386 



]11ST()RY OF BUTLEB COUNTY 



not come until later and was a study at 
fii-st undertaken by few, while the ambi- 
tious pupil who wished to go beyond the 
rule of three in arithmetic had to tread the 
thorny path of higher mathematics alone. 
Some among the early teachers — especially 
the Scotch and Irish — were better edu- 
cated, and as a rule all did their work 
well, as is sufficiently attested by the great 
statesmen, writers and orators of the mid- 
dle of the nineteenth century, many or 
most of whom were graduates of the pio- 
neer schoolhouse. 

The first schoolhouses were rude log 
structures, very similar to those in which 
the majority of the settlers were then liv- 
ing. One end of the schoolhouse was al- 
most entirely occupied by the huge chimney 
where great roaring wood tires were kept 
in the winter time. The best of these had 
a single horizontal row of panes of glass 
to serve for a window. Against the wall 
beneath this window, a long board sup- 
ported by wooden pegs driven into the wall 
served as a desk for the older pupils who 
were learning to write. Schoolhouses of 
this form substantially continued to be used 
for many years imtil ■ the region became 
more thickly settled, and a better grade 
of schoolhouses came into vogue. One of 
the latter, which flourished early in the 
fifties in a neighboring county, was thus 
described a few years ago by one who liad 
leai-ned in it his first lessons in reading 
and writing. 

"It was built of hewcl logs and contained three -nin- 
dows, each having eight small panes of glass. Instead 
of the huge fireplace, a coal stove stood in the middle 
of the room. The board for a desk still decorated three 
sides of the wall, and between these desks and the stove 
were three long low benches, on whicli the smaller schol- 
ars sat and very often ro;isti-.l, rs|n-.i:illy if the weather 
was very cold. The chinks li.'iwrcn ihc logs were filled 
with mud from the road, wlii.li IkmI lici'ii thoroughly 
kneaded by horses and vcbiiKs, and uue of the tasks 
which the boys especially enjoyed was that of patching 
up the walls and filling the crevices, on some mild winter 
day, when the road had been thawed. The only ventila- 
tion in this room was caused by the accidental breaking 
of a window-pane, and as the schoolhouse was a long 
way from town, it usually happened that two or throe 
such apertures were to be seen: In extremely cold 



weather these. were sometimes stii|ipi'cl up "ilh a liat 
or a piece of paper." 

The school law of 1790 relating to sub- 
scription sjchools was first obsei-ved in the 
limits of Butler county about 1799 or 1800, 
when a school was opened south of Coyles- 
ville in Clearfield Township. This school 
was presided over by John Smith in 1807. 
Subscription schools were multiplied under 
the act of 1802, the people giving more 
than ordinary attention to making pro- 
vision for the education of their children, 
and as early as 1810 this interest culmi- 
nated in the establishment of an academy 
at Butler. 

Under the provisions of an act passed 
on March 29, 1824, providing for the educa- 
tion of poor children, Robert Cunningham, 
a school teacher of Buffalo Township, pe- 
titioned the court in October, 1825, to ap- 
point school men for that district. The pe- 
tition stated that his action was inadc ikm-- 
essary by the number of poor chiidicii sent 
to him to be educated, and tiic nonexist- 
ence of any authorized person to pay him 
for such service. The court thereupon ap- 
pointed Francis Anderson, William Hes- 
selgesser and Robert Elliott, school men. 
The transactions of the county commission- 
ers show that at various times sums of 
money were paid in the different towiishii)s 
for the education of poor ciiildren under 
this act. The act of 182-1 proved so bene- 
ficial generally that a desire was created 
among the people for laws giving greater 
educational advantages to the poor of the 
state, and led to a movement having for 
its purpose the passage of a common school 
law. With this object in view "an Asso- 
ciation for the Promotion of Education" 
was organized in Philadelphia, which soon 
had branches in all parts of the state, one 
being organized in Butler County in 1827. 

The common school system was adopted 
in Pennsylvania in 1834,, but met with a 
strong opposition and was not will- 
ingly acquiesced in by many of the 
districts of Butler County until sev- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



;87 



eral years later, the people not be- 
ing able or willing to see its many advan- 
tages over the old system. In October, 
1834, public meetings were held to de- 
nounce the law, which was declared to be 
unjust and impolitic, it being asserted that 
the Constitution never intended that the 
education of other than the children of the 
poor should be at public expense. The 
landed interests were especially hostile to 
the new measure, because the principal l>ur- 
den of taxation necessary to carry its pro- 
visions into effect was borne by the laud. 

FIRST TAX LEVY. 

The first tax levy under tiie new law for 
school purposes was made iu 1835 and tlie 
amounts collected in each township were 
as follows : Butler Borough. $122.19 ; But- 
ler Township. $108.14; Cifintre Township, 
$214:47; Slippery Rock, $191.84; Mercer, 
$69.77 ; Venango, $57.32 ; Parker, $103.37 ; 
Donegal, $128,43; Clearfield, 63.13; Buf- 
falo, $106.15; Middlesex, $175.51 Cran- 
berry, $123.52; Connoquenessing, $264.29; 
and Muddy Creek, $204.41. The total was 
$3,113.63. 

Gradually, however, the people grew rec- 
onciled to the new law, and in 1854, twenty 
years after its adoption, there were in 
Butler County no less than 175 school 
buildings, most of them a decided improve- 
ment upon the log cabins of the suliserip- 
tion school days. 

The committee appointed by -the court 
in 1853 to re-district the county into town- 
ships found' a number of objections urged 
in connection' with the arrangement of the 
school districts, and in their report they 
quote from the report of the superin- 
tendent of common schools for the j'ear 
ending June, 1852. The number of school- 
houses then in the coimty was found to ))e 
225, and thirteen school districts were not 
yet provided for. Of the 225 schoolhouses, 
less than fifty had the conveniences req- 
uisite for school purposes, and the re- 
mainder were dilapidated, lieing mostly 



log buildings put up for temporary pur- 
poses immediately after the passage of the 
school law. The amount of tax levied for 
school purposes in the county at that time 
was $11,668.14, and the amount received 
from the state, $2,934.06. The average 
term of school in the county was five 
months. Under the new arrangement- of 
townships the number of school districts 
was reduced to 132, and two years later 
the number of school houses reported in 
the county was 175. The report of Isaac 
Black, the first county superintendent of 
common schools, made in 1856, shows that 
there were 182 schoolhouses, eighty-four 
of which were unfit to enter. Forty-one 
could be made tolerable, and 57 were tol- 
erable. Eighty of the buildings showed 
ceilings not over seven feet in height, sev- 
enty-nine were log structures, 108 were 
destitute of furniture (save the backless 
benches so high that the pupils' feet could 
not reach the floor), while only fourteen 
had suitable furniture. An era of school- 
house building followed, from 1854 to 1860, 
and many of the new schoolhouses were 
built in .the shape of an octagon with 
benches and desks built in a circle around 
five sides of the room, and facing the cen- 
ter. The number of schools reported in 
January, 1861, was 212, and the number of 
]uipils, 6,585. In 1872 Superintendent 
(xlenn stated that of the 220 schools in op- 
eration in the county, not one failed in 
reaching the statutes standard. In 1875 
modern furniture was i)rovided in a few 
of the schools in the townships and in But- 
ler Borough, and this matter was made the 
subject of a satisfactory report of Super- 
intendent Young. In 1876 and 1877 there 
were 246 schools in existence which were 
open for an average of 5 65-100 months 
that year. There were 177 male and 175 
female teachers, employed, the average 
salarv being $38.12 for the former, and 
$30.01 per month for the latter. The total 
number of pupils enrolled was 13,251, and 
the average attendance was 9,583, while 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the average cost per month was $0.70 per 
capita. The tax levied for school purposes 
and building purposes that year was $69,- 
912.02, and the state appropriation, $11,- 
829.64. Fairview Township then had eleven 
schools exclusive of two in Fairview Bor- 
ough, two in Karns City and three in Pe- 
trolia. Butler Borough had nine schools; 
Greece City, one; Harmony, two; Harris- 
ville, two; Millerstown, six; Portersville, 
one; Prospect, two; Saxonburg, one; West 
kSuubury, one; and Zelienople, one. 

In 1881 there were 260 schools in opera- 
tion, with 169 male, and 168 female teach- 
ers employed, at an average salary far ex- 
ceeding that of 1876. The total revenue 
that year was $82,245.56, and the total 
value of school property, $235,304.00. 

The report for the year ending June 6, 
1892, eleven years later, showed 289 school 
houses, 137 male and 211 female teachers, 
employed at an average salary of $37.20 
for the former, and $33.24 for the latter. 
The total tax levj' for school purposes that 
year was $87,384.98. The state appropria- 
tion was $22,204.48, and the total receipts 
from all sources, $123,894.50. Seventeen 
new public schoolhouses were built during 
this year. 

The official report of the state superin- 
tendent of public instruction issued in Jan- 
uary, 1908, credits Butler county with 368 
schools, ninety-four male teachers and 273 
female teachers. The enrollment of schol- 
ars for the previous years was 12,952, and 
the average attendance was 10,104. The 
cost per capita per month was $1.71, and 
the length of the school year ranged from 
seven months in the country districts to 
nine months in the borough of Butler, an 
average of 7 26-100 months. The aver- 
age salary paid male teachers was $52.55 
per month, and that of female teachers, 
$41.66 per month. The amount received 
from taxes and all sources was $211,387.86, 
and the state appropi-iation amounted to 
$54,246.00. The diiferent districts expend- 
ed $30,912.00 for new buildings, and $1.35.- 



029.64 on teachers' salaries. The total ex- 
penditures of the county were $243,751.43, 
leaving a balance of $21,883.23. The re- 
sources in excess of the liabilities was 
$129,903.79. 

The law requiring instruction in physi- 
ology and hygiene and the effects of alco- 
holic drinks in the pupil schools went into 
effect in 1885. This was followed by the 
free school-book law which went into effect 
in July, 1893. Under this law it is the 
duty of the directors to make provision for 
furnishing and equipping the schools with 
the text books and supplies generally need- 
ed by i^upils for daily use in the schools. 
An act was passed in 1895 making attend- 
ance upon the public schools compulsory 
for children under the age of thirteen. The 
same year an act was passed authorizing 
the school board to provide libraries for 
the public schools and the high schools. 

THE MINIMUM S.\L.\EY ACT. 

The teachers' minimum salary bill was 
passed in May, 1907, fixing the minimum 
salary of teachers in the common schools 
of the state. This act provides that the 
salary of teachers holding professional, 
permanent, or normal school certificates 
shall not be less than $50.00 per month, and 
that 'the minimum salary of teachers hold- 
ing certificates of less grade, shall not be 
less than $40.00 per month. Under the act 
of 1893 providing for the establishing of 
high schools in cities, and boroughs, high 
schools were established in Butler Bor- 
ough, Mars, Evans City, Zelienople, and 
Bruin. 

TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOLS. 

Under the act of 1895 and the supple- 
mentary act ofl907 authorizing the school 
board in the townships to establish high 
schools, there have been six high schools 
established in Butler County. The first 
district to take advantage of this act was 
Penu Township, and this was followed by 
Franklin, IMuddvcreek, Concord, IMiddle- 





ST. PAUL'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL BUTLER FIRST BRICK SCHOOL BUILDING. BUTLER 




:\V HIGH SCHOOL, BUTLER 



imOAD STREET SCHOOL. BUTLER 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



391 



sex, and Fairview Townships. The bor- 
oughs having high schools organized un- 
der this act are Mars, Harmony, Evans 
City, Zelienople, Harrisville, Chicora, and 
Bruin. 

COUNTY SUPERINTEIJDENTS SINCE 1856. 

The acts of 1854 provided for the elec- 
tion of county school superintendents to 
serve for a term of three years. The first 
election was held in June of that year, at 
which Isaac Black was elected, and a sal- 
ary fixed at $300.00 per year. The names 
of those who have been elected since that 
time are as follows : Thomas Balph, 1857 ; 
Eugene Ferrero, 1860; Asa H. Waters, 
1863; John Cratty, 1866; Samuel Glenn, 
1869; Robert H. Young, 1872; J. B. Mat- 
thews, 1875; David F. McKee, 1878; J. H. 
Murtland, 1881; W. G. Russell, 1884; J. L. 
Snyder, 1887 ; W. G. Russell, appointed in 
1888 to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Snyder's 
resignation. N. C. McCollough, 1890, re- 
elected in 1893; S. M. Cheesman, 1896; 
Howard I. Painter, 1899, re-elected in 
1902; E. S. Penfield, 1905, re-elected in 
1908. 

The committee of Butler County on per- 
manent certificate appointed in 1907 for 
three years was composed of G. P. Weigle, 
of Prospect; Isaac M. Dyke, of Conno- 
quenessing Townshijo; and Miss Marv C. 
O'Brien, of Butler. 

BUTLEE COUNTY TEACHERS ' INSTITUTE. 

On November 19, 1855, the Butler Coun- 
ty Teachers' Institute was organized with 
Isaac Black, county superintendent, presi- 
dent; A. J. Rebstock and Matthew Greer, 
vice-presidents; Thomas Balph, recorder: 
Jacob P. Myers, treasurer; and Isaac 
Black, Samuel P. Irvine, Mary McTag- 
gart, M. Louisa Butler, and Emma Pros- 
ser, executive committee. The Institute 
recommended as school books, McGuflfey's 
pictorial primer, spelling book, first, sec- 
ond, third, fourth and fifth readers. Ray's 



mathematics, McNally's geograph, and 
Pineo's series of grammars. Early in 
1856 a movement, started to abolish the 
office of county superintendent, was defeat- 
ed by a small majority. Ever since the or- 
ganization, teachers' institutes have been 
held with more or less success, and in the 
])ast twenty years the Butler County insti- 
tutes have taken a leading rank among 
those in the state. The fifty-fourth annual 
session was held in Butler in December, 
1908, and was attended by 368 teachers. 

In 1908 the surviving teachers who at- 
tended the first institute, held in Butler 
County in 1855, were Enos McDonald, of 
Prospect; J. Christy Moore, of Slippery 
Rock; Matthew Greer, of Buffalo Town- 
ship ; and Rev. Thos. Balph, of St. Clairs- 
ville, Ohio. 

In addition to the annual institute held 
in 1907, Superintendent Penfield held sev- 
enteen local institutes during the school 
year that closed June 30, 1908, and an 
equal number will be held during the year 
which ends in June, 1909. 

BUTLER COUNTY TEACHERS ' ASSOCIATION. 

The Butler Cormty Teachers' Associa- 
tion was organized May 26, 1881, with 
Prof. J. C. Tinsman, president; T. F. 
StaufPer, vice-president; Louise McClure, 
recording secretary; P. S. Bancroft, cor- 
respondent and treasurer; J. C. Brandon 
and 0. P. Cochran, enrolling secretaries. 
This oj-ganization was short-lived and fi- 
nally gave way to the county institute which 
was more practical, and had a broader field 
to work in. 

February 22, 1877, an "Intellectual 
Fair" was held at the court house in But- 
ler for the purpose of discussing educa- 
tional and scientific topics. Great inter- 
est was taken in the proceedings on ac- 
count of its novelty, and the meetings were 
largely attended. It was presided over by 
D. B. Douthett, with Leander Wise sec- 
retary. The judges were L. J. Levis, H. 
H. Goucher, J. J. Mclllvar, J. H. Sutton. 



392 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



R. C. McAboy, Walter L. Graham, W. I. 
Brugh, Samuel McClymonds, S. H. Pear- 
sol, Mrs. Coun, and Miss N. McJunkin. 

Besides the opportunities afforded by 
the public schools of the county, for the in- 
struction of the children of her citizens, in 
the ordinary English branches the cause of 
education has been still further advanced 
by the maintenance of other schools, acad- 
emies, and colleges of either a secular or a 
denominationar cliara.tcr. Among the 
more prominent nT llicsc may be mentioned 
the old Butler Academy, Witherspoon In- 
stitute, St. Peter's and St. Paul's Catholic 
Schools, and St. Paul's Orphan Home at 
Butler, St. Mary's College in Summit town- 
ship, the Academies at West Suubury, 
Prospect, and North Washington, the Se- 
lect and Manual Labor Schools at Har- 
mony, the Select School, the Academy, 
and the Lutheran Orphans' Home at 
Zelienople, the Normal School carried on 
by the auspices of the State at SUppery 
Rock, the Academy at Eau Claire, Cabot 
Institute at Cabot Station. Renfrew Acad- 
emy, and the Evans City Academy. Many 
of the older institutions have served their 
purpose and gone out of existence, but all 
of the various schools, academies and col- 
leges are eloquent witnesses of the interest 
taken in the cause of education by the peo- 
ple of the county. 



THE SCHOOL DIBECTOBS ASSOCIATION. 

From the holding of the first teachers' 
institute in 1856 to the present time, the 
school directors of the county have taken 
an active interest in the proceedings of 
the annual institutes held in Butler, and 
for many years at least one day of the 
institute was devoted to the discussion of 
topics of interest to the school iboards. 
This led to the organization in 1902 of the 
School Dii'ectors' Association of Butler 
county, and the holding of annual meetings 
in Butler at which all of the directors in 
the county are in attendance. The officers 
of the association for 1908 were Rev. Hugh 
Leith, of Zelienople, president ; Rev. A. H. 
Ginder, of Evans City, secretary; Robert 
Irwin, of Forward Township, and E. H. 
Pyle, of Muddycreek Township, vice-presi- 
dents; and John S. Jamison, of Fairview 
Township, treasurer. 

jrEMBEES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF BUTLER 
BOBOUGH FOB 1908. 

President, Philip W. Ruff; secretary, 
Harry L: Graham ; treasurer, John Rausch- 
enbei-ger ; Thomas A. Frazier ; Dr. . Rob- 
ert J. Gi-ossman; W. W. Robinson; A. C. 
Krug ; W. G. Douthett ; Edgar H. Negley ; 
Norman J. Boyer; Frank L. Wiegand; 
Thomas H. Greer; James L. Garroway; 
Col. Wm. T. Mechling; C. E. Cronenwett. 



CHAPTER XV 



PUBLIC UTILITIES 



s — Trlcjiltone and Telegraph — Bell Telephone — 
[ilr's Trir phone Co. — Speechley Telephone Co. — 



Roads and Bridges — Electric Rail an 
Postal Telegraph Compain/— I'l 

Butler and Coylesville Telcpliouv Co.— Burton Telephone Co.— Slippery Rock Tele 
phone Co.—Saxonburg Telephone Co.— Butler County Telephone Co.—Harrisville 
Telephone Co.— Pittsburg and Butler Telephone Co.—Portersville Telephone Co. 



Closely following the individual im- 
provements by the pioneers, came the lu}-- 
ing out of public roads and the building 
of bridges. The building of county roads 
was followed'by the construction of State 
Highways, the town of Butler being on one 
of the main roads from Pittsburg to Erie. 
Another main thoroughfare traversed the 
western section of the county and was the 
principal route of travel from Pittsburg 
to the northwest. The subject of public 
ro;ids will he found treated more at length 
in the chapter on Transportation, wherein 
also mention is made of steam and electric 
railroads. 

Bridges were almost as necessary as 
]niblic roads, and their construction con- 
stitutes a large part of the transaction of 
the commissioners in the early days of the 
county. The first bridge built in the coun- 
ty was across the Connoquenessing Creek 
south of Butler, on the Pittsburg and But- 
ler road, and was constructed in 1805. The 
next bridge built was in 1809, at the Kearns 
farm northeast of Butler, on what was 
then called the Bear Creek Road, now 
known as the "Transfer" in Butler Town- 
ship. The same year a bridge was built at 
Harmony and the following year a peti- 
tion for a bi'idge by the peo])le of Sli])pery 



Rock was considered, but the bridge was 
not built until 1812. In 1814 a bridge was 
built at Anderson's on the Connoquenes- 
sing Creek, where the Franklin road 
crosses that stream. In 1814, Wolf Creek 
was spanned by a bridge where the stream 
is crossed by the Butler and Mercer Road. 
On the petition of Detmar Basse Muller, a 
bridge was built at Zelienople in 1815, and 
in 1817 the Little Connoquenessing Creek 
was spanned by a bridge at Christy's mill. 
These were the most important bridges 
built in the first twenty years of the coun- 
ty, and were placed at such points along the 
streams as to be of advantage to the larg- 
est number of people. 

The era of turnpike roads began in 1820 
and was followed by the plank roads in the 
fifties, but the advent of the railroads in 
1871 called a halt in the building of pike 
roads for more than thirty years, when 
the building of macadamized roads began 
under the direction of the State Highways 
Department. The first macadamized road 
completed in the county by the state was 
a section of the Three Degree Road in But- 
ler Township from the toll gate at the 
Plank Road to Bredinville. This was fol- 
lowed liv a section of four miles of the old 
Butler and Erie Pike north of Butler to 



394 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Center Township, wliicli was built in 
1906-7. In 1907 a section of the old Bear 
Creek road was jjaved with brick from 
the borough line to Kearns's Crossing in 
Butler Township. In 1908 a section of 
road was macadamized from Sarversville 
Station in Buffalo Township to the Arm- 
strong County line. In Mercer Township 
a section of the old Franklin Road was 
macadamized from Harrisville Station to 
the town of Harrisville, and another sec- 
tion of the Grove City Road from the town 
of Harrisville to the Mercer County line. 
In the southern part of the county a sec- 
tion of road was macadamized from the 
boi-ough of Valencia to the Allegheny 
County line, and in Butler Township three 
miles of the New Castle Road were ma- 
cadamized from the borough line to the 
top of the hill at Cranmer's Mill. The first 
half mile of this road leading up the Duf- 
fytown hill past the fair ground was paved 
with brick. 

Improvements in tlie way of road build- 
ing are no less noted than in bridge build- 
ing. Steel construction and re-inforced 
concrete have taken the place of the old 
wood bridges, and the county now expends 
annually several thousand dollars in 
bridge repairs, while in 1906 and 1907 the 
amount expended for new bridge work was 
about forty thousand dollars. 

In addition to the road improvements 
in the county the state also built the Al- 
len bridge at Zelienople, and the Buhl 
bridge on the Evans City and Butler Road 
at Connoquenessing Creek. 

Good roads and bridges have not only 
brought the people of the county into closer 
communication with each other, but with 
the surrounding counties, and have been 
the means of establishing the rural free 
mail delivery routes which bring the farm- 
er in daily touch with the cities. 

ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. 

luterurban electric railways did not 
reach Butler County until the beginning of 



the new century, just one hundred years 
after the organization of the county. The 
first electric line built in the county was 
the Butler Passenger Railway, and this 
was followed by the Pittsburg and Butler 
Line which was completed in 1907, and the 
Pittsburg, Butler, Harmony and New Cas- 
tle Line which was completed in 1908. 
Other lines north and east of Butler are 
being promoted and will doubtless be built 
within the next few years. 

When Maxwell was shot at the meeting 
of the United States marshal and the 
settlers on the DutTy farm west of Butler 
Borough in 1815, a special messenger rode 
to Pittsburg, 35 miles, on horseback for 
Dr. Agnew. It was almost twenty-four 
hours Ijefore the doctor arrived at the 
scene of the tragedy. In 1908 the same 
feat could be accomplished in two hours. 
The long distance telephone would take 
the place of the messenger on horseback, 
and a special car on the interurban elec- 
tric railway would do the rest. 

TELEPHONE. 

Probably no public improvement has 
done more to liring the urban and country 
population into close touch with each other, 
and mitigate the isolation of country life 
in the rural counties of western Pennsyl- 
vania than the telephone. The first tele- 
graph office was opened in Butler in 1861, 
and was a long stride toward rapid com- 
munication, but it did not reach the coun- 
try districts. The first telephone system 
was established in Butler Borough about 
1888, and since that time there have been 
established twelve independent companies, 
all of which with but one exception, were 
established in the country towns and dis- 
tricts and some of them being owned and 
operated exclusively by farming communi- 
ties. 

TELEGRAPH LINES. 

Rapid communication was unknown to 
the citizens of Butler County previous to 
1861, and the only way of reaching the out- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



395 



side world was by means of the mail car- 
rier wlio made his trips once a week or in 
case of great haste, a special messenger 
was employed who was compelled 4;o ride 
on horse-back over country roads that 



were soiuelimes almost 



mipi 



md 



often through liliud trails through the for- 
est that were little better than cattle jiaths. 
The daily stage line between EutUn' and 
Pittsburg, which was established in 18:27, 
was a great advantage for the people of 
Butler, but did not materially affect the 
residents of the country districts. In 1861, 
three years after the successful laying of 
the Atlantic Cable, a telegraph line was 
carried through Butler County from Pitts- 
burg to Franklin. It preceded the first 
railroad just ten years, and was the first 
line of telegraphic commimication between 
Pittsburg and the oil regions of Venango 
County. It was called the Oil Valley Tele- 
graph Line and was built by an English- 
man named Coldstream Barry. There was 
no office between Pittsburg and Franklin, 
and at Butler a box was fixed on one of 
the poles and Henry Zimmerman of But- 
ler was employed to test the current daily. 
In 1862 an office was opened iif the Lowry 
House by A. B. Gildersleeve of Franklin, 
who was the pioneer telegraph operator (if 
the oil region. This was the first telegi'ai»!i 
office in Butler County, and David Potts 
of Butler was placed in charge as its oper- 
ator. 

The Oil Valley Telegraph Line was sn<' 
ceeded by the AVestern Union Telegraph 
Company, which had as its first operatoi- 
Charles Rebhun. He was succeeded by 
Ed. Duncan, and about 1873 John A. 
Hauck of Butler was placed in charge as 
manager. When the Trunk Line telegraph 
was constructed by the Western Union 
Company from New York to Chicago and 
St. Louis, the main line crossed Butler 
County; Butler became one of the repeat- 
ing stations, and it is now one of the most 
important relay stations outside of Pitts- 
burg. Hauck was succeeded as manager 



by William McCandless, and he in turn by 
W. A. Hauck and Jack Gall. The present 
manager of the office is George Elliott, 
Miss Josephine Smith is wire chief, Bar- 
ney McKeown is electrician, and W. A. 
Hauck is night chief. The company's lines 
reach every important town and village in 
the county, and for the past fifteen years 
has given to the people of Butler the ad- 
vantages of an all night service that is not 
enjoyed by cities of much larger popula- 
tion. The most important piece of busi- 
ness handled by the local office was on the 
first of February, 1902, at the time the 
Biddle brothers were shot in this county, 
and brought to the Butler jail to die. Dur- 
ing the first night of that eventful affair, 
over three hundred thousand words were 
sent out of the local office to all parts of 
the United States. The operators worked 
in relays and, for forty-eight hours, were 
driven to the point of exhaustion. 

THE BELL TELEPHONE. 

The Bell Telephone Company estab- 
lished a local exchange in Butler in 1889, 
with Miss Maggie Harrington and Miss 
Angie Slater in charge of the central. The 
]ilant was installed by Barney McKeown, 
who was the electrician and also manager 
of the district for six or seven years. The 
first 'phones established by the company 
did not always prove successful and the 
district manager had his own troubles in 
collecting his rentals and pacifying the ir- 
ritable tempers of his patrons. During 
the first j'ears of the local office there were 
not more than a dozen 'phones on the line, 
and these were in the offices of the most 
important business houses and factories. 
The rental of $60.00 a year for each 'phone 
made the price almost prohibitive for pri- 
vate residences, and it was not until a 
competing company entered the field that 
the rates were reduced to a reasonable 
figure. 

The Bell Company has met the require 
ments of the town and community and at 



396 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the present time it reacbes almost eveiy 
town in the county as well as affording its 
patrons the advantages of long distance 
telephone commimication to all parts of 
the country. In addition to a long list of 
patrons in Butler Borough, the company 
has over one thousand 'phones in the coun- 
ty, many of which are in farm houses, 
thus bringing the farmer in close touch 
with the merchant and the business men 
of the town. The company has under sub- 
lease the local lines at Princeton, Conno- 
quenessing, Saxonburg, Mars, Porters- 
ville, Parker, and the short lines at Lan- 
caster and Jackson Townships. The di- 
vision superintendent for the district north 
of Allegheny County is J. H. Clune, who 
has an office in Butler. 

THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH COMPANY. 

The Postal Telegraph Company estab- 
lished an office in Butler about 1881 or 
1882, with Harry Walker as operator. A 
line was built to Butler from Pittsburg by 
Samuel Kidd, who had formerly been a 
district lineman for the Westei'u Union 
Company. The company now has an office 
with the American Express Company in 
the Byers Building on South Main Street. 

THE people's TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The People's Telephone Company of 
Butler had its inception in September, 
1893, when J. E. Forsythe and Thos. J. 
ShutHin, of Butler, constructed a line from 
Butler to the Cooperstown oil field. This 
line consisted of a single wire and had but 
two 'phones, one in the office of Thos. J. 
Shufiflin and J. E. Forsythe in Butler, and 
one at Cooperstown. The success of this 
line induced its builders to branch out and 
in 1895 the People's Telephone Company 
was organized by a number of Butler busi- 
ness men, of which Forsythe and ShufHin 
were the leading spirits. At a meeting 
held on August 19th of that year the fof- 
lowing officers were chosen: President, 
John Younkins; vice-president, T. J. Shuf- 



flin; treasurer, J. V. Ritts; secretary and 
manager, J. E. Forsythe. The directory 
consisted of the above officers and Daniel 
l^ounkins, W. J. McDowell, W. H. Larkin, 
D. D, Buck, A. L. Reiber, T. P. Klingen- 
smith and J. G. Stamm. Work was com- 
menced in October, 1895, and the local 
plant was completed and ready for busi- 
ness Jamiary 1, 1896, with a list of one 
hundred subscribers. This was the first 
competition that the Bell Telephone Com- 
pany met in Butler, and the telephone war 
that ensued is a bit of history that result- 
ed to the financial benefit of the people of 
the town, but is something that the man- 
agers of the new enterprise do not like 
to think about. The new company had to 
fight for its existence, and fight hard, with 
the result that it now has one of the most 
complete systems in western Pennsylvania, 
and numbers among its patrons many 
thousands in Butler and the surrounding 
towns. 

In January, 1898, the name of the com- 
pany changed to the People's Telephone 
Company, Limited, and articles of associa- 
tion were filed in the recorder's office of 
Butler County, showing the capital of the 
company to be $20,000.00. The articles of 
association were signed by William Green, 
Marion Heushaw, T. P. Klingensmith, W. 
H. Larkin, William J. Marks, W. J. Mc- 
Dowell, J. E. Forsythe, A. L. Reiber, J. 
George Stamm, Daniel Younkins, T. J. 
Shuffliu, John Younkins, J. V. Ritts, J. 
Henry Troutmau, and J. D. Marshall. 

The plant was reconstructed during 
1902-3, and on August 16, 1904, a charter 
was secured under the title of "The Peo- 
j)le's Telephone Company of Butler." The 
ofiScers of the company at that time were : 
John Younkins, president; A. L. Reiber, 
secretary; T. J. Shufiflin, treasurer; and 
these with J. V. Ritts, and Marion Heu- 
shaw, composed the directory. The officers 
in 1905 were A. L. Reiber, president; 
Marion Henshaw, secretary; and T. J. 
Shufiflin, treasurer, with the board of di- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



397 



rectors remaining the same as the previous 
year. No change was made in the ofBcers 
in 1906, except that J. H. Troutman was 
elected a director to till a vacancy. In 
January, 1907, A. L. Reiber was elected 
president ; J. H. Troutman, vice-president ; 
T. M. Baker, secretary ; and T. J. Shufflin, 
treasurer and manager, and these officers 
were continued in 1908. J. E. Forsythe, 
who superintended the construction of the 
first line from Butler to Cooperstown, in 
1893, has been the general superintendent 
of the People's Telephone Company since 
its organization. The manager and super- 
intendent have been assisted in building up 
this splendid enterprise by an able board 
of directors, who have given their best ef- 
forts to the construction, equipping and op- 
erating the large plant. 

The company began to branch out in 
business in 1902, when a line was con- 
structed from the central office in Butler 
to the Speechley oil field in Washington 
Township. The Speechley Telephone Com- 
pany was then organized, which is now con- 
trolled as a branch line of the People's 
Telephone Company. The company is 
now operating exchanges at Mars, Evans 
City, Zelienople, Conuoquenessing, North 
Hope, Bruin, and Chicora, and controls by 
a lease or otherwise, the Speechley Tele- 
phone Company, the Butler-Coylesville 
Telephone Company connecting line, the 
Burton Telephone Company of Penn Town- 
ship, the Eau Claire Telephone Company, 
the Slippery Rock Telephone Company, 
and connecting lines with the Emlenton 
Telephone Company in Venango County, 
the Plain Grove Telephone Company in 
Lawrence County, and the Ridge Tele- 
phone Company in Cherry Township. 

In 1904 the Pittsburg and Butler Trunk 
Line was built, which connects the cen- 
tral office at Butler with the central of- 
fice of the Pittsburg aod Allegheny Tele- 
phone Company at Pittsburg, which is one 
of the largest independent lines in western 
Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. This con- 



nection gives the People's Company long 
distance connections with the towns south 
and southwest of Pittsburg, while a similar 
arrangement with Kittanning gives coii- 
nections with the towns in the east. 

Prom 1896 until 1906 the company was 
quartered on the second floor of the brick 
building on West Jefferson Street, now 
owned by Robert Kirkpatrick, but in the 
latter year the offices were removed to 
the present quarters at the corner of West 
Jefferson and Washington Streets. The 
People's Telephone Company of Butler is 
an enterprise of which the people of the 
county may feel justly proud. It was pro- 
moted, financed and built by Butler peo- 
ple under difficulties which would have 
made the faint-hearted quit. It now has 
the largest patronage of any company in 
the district, and is constantly growing in 
strength and usefulness. 

THE SPEECHLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The oil developments in the Speechley 
field in Washington Township led a num- 
ber of oil operators and business men who 
were interested there to organize the 
Speechley Telephone Company and build 
a line from Butler to North Washington. 
There were forty-six subscribers to the 
articles of association and the capital 
stock and the formal organization was ef- 
fected June 9, 1902, by the election of T. 
J. Shufflin, president; A. L. Reiber, sec- 
retary, and John Younkins, treasurer. 
These with J. F. Harper and B. M. Stein- 
dorf composed the directory. This com- 
pany was sub-leased and is now a part of 
the plant of the People's Telephone Com- 
pany. 

THE BUTLER AND COYLBSVILLE TELEPHONE CO. 

The Butler and Coylesville Telephone 
Company was organized in 1904 by the 
business men of Kittanning, and a line 
built from Kittanning to Coylesville. A 
charter was taken out by the company on 
the 13th of March, 1905, extending the line 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



to Butler. The officers of this companj- and 
incorporators are K. B. Schotte, John G. 
Ayers, F. M. Monks, and C. J. Jessop, all 
of Kittanning. 

THE BURTON TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The most extensive rural line built iu 
the county was the Burton Telephone Com- 
pany's line, which was built in 1906. The 
directors of the company were "W. J. Bur- 
ton, of Penn Township; Robert J. Marks, 
of Glade Mills; Joseph L. Campbell, of 
Renfrew ; Langdon S. Riley, of Penn Town- 
ship, and Thos. J. Shuffliu, of Butler. This 
company constructed a line from Renfrew 
to Zelienople by way of Brownsdale to 
Evans City and Harmony; a line from 
Renfrew to Prospect by way of Conuo- 
quenessiug and Whitestown; to Mars by 
way of Valencia; to Saxonburg by way of 
Cooperstown and to Butler. This company 
was eventually taken over by the People's 
Telephone Company of Butler. 

SLIPPEBY ROCK TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The Slippery Rock Telephone Company 
was organized in 1905 and the cliarter 
granted on July 11th of the same year. The 
incorporators were J. E. Bard, H. P. Grif- 
fith, AVilliam Christie, John P. Castor, F. 
P. Bingham, A. L. Cooper, John P. Bu- 
chanan, and F. W. Prouty. The charter 
called for the construction of a line from 
Slippery Rock to Butler by way of West 
Liberty and Prospect, a line from Slip- 
pery Rock to Branchtou, West Sunbury 
and Annandale, a line to Grove City, and 
one to New Castle. 

THE SAXONBURG TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The Saxonburg Telephone Company was 
chartered July 9, 1907, by Samuel Moore, 
Thomas Kennedy, Wadsworth Ekas, Mar- 
tin Monks, Dr. W. W. Lasher, G. O. Ham- 
mer, and T. G. Wilhelm. This line was 
constructed and is now oj^erated under a 
lease by the Bell Telephone Company. 



THE BUTLER COUNTY TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The Butler County Telephone Company 
was chartered Deeemlier 126, 1906, its in- 
corporators being Harry Hamilton of 
Grove City, W. T. McDonald of Eau Claire, 
A. 0. Miller of Eau Claire, and Thomas H. 
Greer of Butler. Its charter provides for 
the construction of a telephone line from 
the central office at Eau Claire to Parker 
and in the counties of Armstrong, Butler. 
Crawford, Clarion, Mercer, Lawrence and 
Beaver. 

THE HARRISVILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The Harrisville Telephone (Company was 
chartered January 2, 1907, with the fol- 
lowing directors: W. A. Mc Williams, H. 
A. Kelley, W; B. Campbell, E. E. Wick, J. 
C. Buchanan and H. L. Johnson. The 
company operates in the northern i^art of 
the county and has its central office at 
Harrisville. 

THE PITTSBURG AND BUTLER TELEPHONE CO. 

The -Pittsburg and Butler Telephone 
Companv was chartered August 18, 1904, 
with a capital of $25,000.00 for the pur- 
pose of constructing a line from Pittsburg 
to Butler to connect with the People's 
Telephone Company of the latter place. 
The directors of this companv were J. G. 
Splane of Pittsburg, J. W. Weller of Pitts- 
burg, and Thos. J. Shufflin of Butler. The 
effect of the organic.. Hon of this company 
and the building of the line to Butler was 
to give the local patrons of the People's 
Telephone Company the advantage of di- 
rect communication with Pittsburg 
through the Pittsburg and Allegheuy Com- 
pany of that city. 

•|T{E PORTERSVILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY. 

The Portersville Telephone Company, 
with a central office at Portersville, But- 
ler County, was organized in 1905, with 
the following officers: James McConnell, 
president; Edwin W. Hiunphrey, treas- 
urer; and N. L. Gardner, secretary. This 



AXl) REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 399 

company operates in Muddyereek, AVortli, Short lines that are in operation in the 

Brady and Franklin Townships in Butler country districts are the Jackson line, the 

County, and in Lawrence County, and is Lancaster line, and the Ridge line in 

now under lease, being operated by the Cherry Township, the latter having a cen- 

Bell Telephone Company. tral office at Amos Hall's. 



CHAPTER XVI 



BUTLER BOROUGH 



Founders of Butler — The County Seat — First Sale of Lots— Original Maps— Dispute 
about Title — First Settlers — Incorporation of the Town — First Public School Tax 
— Fire Department Considered — Extension of Borough and Street Lights — Light 
and Fuel Companies — Fire Insurance Companies — Water Companies — Railroads 
— Telegraph Lines — Board of Trade — Business Men's Association — Grocers' As- 
sociation — Chamber of Commerce — Public Buildings — Taverns and Hotels — Man- 
ufactures — Machine Shops — Brick-yards — Building and Loan Associations — 
Churches — Schools — Religious and Charitable Societies — Graveyards and Ceme- 
teries — Postmasters. 



The borough of Butler doubtless owes 
its origin to the foresight and shrewdness 
of the Cunningham brothers, a family 
which has passed away leaving no de- 
scendants in the town or county, but leav- 
ing its name and the marks of its energy 
fixed upon both. There were three broth- 
ers in this family, viz. : John, Samuel and 
James, and they came originally from the 
Conestoga valley in Lancaster county. 
James Cunningham was a surveyor and 
surveyed the lands in wliat is known as 
Cunningham's district of the Depreciation 
lands. 

Robert Morris, the Revolutionary patri- 
ot, was the owner of the ground upon 
which the borough of Butler has been 
built and of at least 80,000 acres more 
within the limits of the county. He had 
three hundred and eleven warrants made 
out in the name of Lancaster County citi- 
zens, but assigned by them to him, and 
these warrants, which were each good for 
1^50 acres of land or more, he caused to be 
located by his agent James Cunningham, 



who was also the surveyor of what is 
known as Cunningham's district. A num- 
ber of these warrants had been taken out 
in the name of John Tressler and Andrew 
Reighert, and by them assigned to Morris. 
The patent on the Tressler tract was not 
received by Samuel J. Cunningham until 
May 13, 1805. It sets forth that it was 
granted in consideration of moneys paid 
by John Tressler into the receiver gen- 
eral's office at the granting of the warrant 
and of the sum of $158.00 paid by Samuel 
J. Cunningham, and also in said Samuel 
J. Cunningham having made it appear that 
he made or caused to be made an actual 
settlement, and continued his residence 
agreeable to the settlement law of 1792 on 
a tract of land called Butler. These war- 
rants were located several years before 
Butler County was organized. The war- 
rants for the tracts of land on which it was 
destined a thriving city should arise, 
passed into the possession of John and 
Samuel J. Cunningham in 1805, and the 
land adjoining upon the north became by 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



401 



settlers' right tlie ijrojierty oi' Robert Gra- 
ham, who located in 1707, where tlie resi- 
dence of John Berg now stands, on North 
Main Street. 

THE COUNTY SEAT. 

AMien Butler County was ei'ected l)v the 
act of March 12, 1800, it was provided that 
the place for holding courts should lie iixed 
at any place distant not more than four 
miles from the center of the county. The 
Cunningham brothers doubtless were 
aware, a considerable time previous to 
March 12, 1800, where the l)ouudaries of 
the county would be established, and an- 
ticipated that the seat of justice would be 
located approximately in the center. They 
owned the most available site for a town 
within the prescribed radius of four miles 
and profited by their shrewdness or good 
fortune in having secured it. Other loca- 
tions were proposed, one near the present 
site of Boydstown and another on Slip- 
pery Rock Creek. 

One of the commissioners under date of 
June 7, 1802, writes of the land proposed 
by the Cunninghams for county seat as 
follows : 

The situation is beautiful, being on au eiuiuente nUic-li 
descends in all directions; the land sean-e of timber, but 
sufficiently dry, and large bodies of meadow ground near 
the seat. This site will have the a<lvantage of the creek 
with sundry springs of water, and coal banks near, lime- 
stone and freestone quarries partly adjoining the site. 
The ridges, all pointing into the little valley, will be con- 
venient for roads from every (lirectii)ii. 

The commissioner who wrote the above 
paragraph in his diary was favorably im- 
pressed, and his impressions were doubt- 
less strengthened during the evening by a 
conversation with one of the Cunningham 
brothers. That night Isaac Weaver, John 
Hamilton and Presley Car l^ane of the 
committee lodged with Samuel Cunning- 
ham at the millhouse near the site of Wal- 
ter's mill, and tlie other two commission- 
ers, Thos. Morton and James Brady, 
lodged at the cabin of Robert Cunningham 
near the Salt Lick, about two miles nortb 
of Samuel Cunningham's place. All of the 



commissioners that night were guests at 
the millhouse, which was probably kept by 
John and Samuel J. Cunningham, who had 
built a mill about two years previous. The 
Cunninghams and Robert Graham pro- 
])Osed to lay out in town lots three hun- 
dred acres of land, five acres of which 
should be devoted to the use of the coun- 
ty of Butler, should their location be made 
the seat of justice. 

How well they succeeded in their pur- 
pose was first made known to the general 
public when the legislature upon the 8th 
of March, 1803, passed an act of which 
the following are the important sections : 

Section 1. "Be it enacted by the Senate and House 
of Kepresentatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- 
vania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted 
by the authority of the same, that John MoBride, Esq., 
William Elliott, Esq., and John David, be and hereby 
are appointed trustees for the county of Butler, and the 
said trustees, or a majority of them, are hereby author- 
ized and required to survey, or cause to be surveyed, 300 
acres of land situate on the north side of Connoqueness- 
ing Creek, near Samuel Cunningham's mill, agreeably to 
a description given of the situation and boundary thereof 
expressed ia the grant and obligation of Samuel Cun- 
ningham, John Cunningham and Kobert Graham, made 
by them to the Governor for the use of the county of 
Butler, and the said trustees are hereby authorized and 
required to lay out a convenient lot or lots of land with- 
in the said- 300 acres not exceeding five acres, whereon 
the public buildings shall be erected for the ose of the 
county of Butler, and (he surplus or residue of said 300 
acres of land, which shall remain after the sites for the 
jiublie buildings are set apart and determined, shall be 
laid out for a town, with suitable town lots, at the dis- 
cretion of the trustees, with necessary reservations for a 
quarry, streets, lanes, alleys and roads or highways; pro- 
vitled, however, that no outlots shall exceed five acres, 
anil the town herebv directed to be laid out shall be called 
Butler." 

Section 2. "And be it further enacted by the author- 
ity aforesaid. That it shall be the duty of the said trus- 
tees, or a majority of tlnni, io si-ll bv piiblir an. -Hon the 
said town lots ;iii.l mnloi-, ;d sii.-h liiiir-; ris ilu'x- may 
judge most ;hI\ :nit:i-.MUv i,, ili,' munlv, \\lnrli vjlr sliall 
be held at th.- -.nn ( 'hhm ,-Ii.mm \lili, in ilir -jui r.niiity, 
previous to \' luMi ilh -,i.[ irii-.!.',- shall .mIm-iIisc the 
same three tini' ,i ^ i ; "]\:- or niMir iiruspa|H-is pub- 
lished in I'itl-I'i 1^, I'l ' :; lilUL; :nhl \\:isliill;;t.iii one 
month before tiir .ia;. .ii.|MaiiU'.l fuv siuli sale; j.iuvided, 
that before the said commissioners proceed to the dis- 
charge of the duties herein enjoined and required, they 
shall demand and receive from the aforesaid Samuel Cun- 
ningham, John Cunningham and Eobcrt Graham suffi- 
cient deeds in fee simple of the above-described 300 
acres of land in trust for the use of the said county of 
Butler, agreeably to the grant thereof heretofore made 
to the Governor for the use of the county of Butler by 



402 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Kobert Graham, and shall procure the same to be reoordea 
in the office for recordiug of deeds iu Allegheny County, 
and when the said trustees shall have so done they shall 
have authority, and it shall be their duty, to make out 
and grant sutficient deeds in fee-simple for the town and 
outlets by them sold in pursuani'p of this aet." 



FIRST 



LOTS 



lu August, 1803, lilt" village was duly 
laid out, the plot eoutaiuiug seventy-six 
acres aud seveuty-uiue perches. This was 
deeded to AVilliam Elliott, John David and 
John McBride, as trustees for the county, 
and the sales of the lots were made through 
them at a public auction, August 10th. 
David Dougal purchased lot No. 1 on the 
northeast corner of the Diamond foi- 
$100.00, which was the highest price paid 
for lots in that locality. This is the prop- 
erty now owned by C. N. Boyd. Other lots 
were sold along Main Street at prices 
ranging from $20.00 to $12(5.00, which in 
1908 were valued at $1,000.00 per foot 
front regardless of the improvements. 

The fact that the new town was to be 
the seat of justice held out great promises 
of tinancial returns to the ])eople, and the 
lots were readily sold. The pioneer vil- 
lagers then entered upon the humble be- 
ginnings of what, as a rule, were to l)e suc- 
cessful careers. The promise of prosperity 
was realized by almost everyone except 
John Cunningham, one of the founders of 
the town. His financial affairs became in- 
volved, and it was said that he was hur- 
ried to his grave by the disappointments 
he met with. He died in 1805, and was 
buried in the cemetei-y which he aud iiis 
brothel- had donated to the borough of 
Butler. 

The deed of release, which describes the 
ground now occu]iied by the court house, 
was executed in favor of John Cunning- 
ham by his creditors Simon Gratz and 
Heyman Gratz, trading under the firm 
name of Simon & Heyman Gratz; William 
Wistar, John Price, and John AViijtar. 
trading under the name of Wistar, Pric(> 
& Wistar; John Wistar and his private 
)-ight; Joseph Karrick and Jnslnia Porci- 



val, trading under the name of Karrick & 
Percival; and Thomas Ryerson, all of 
Philadelphia, and is the first recorded in- 
strument in the recorder's office in But- 
ler. The deed was executed in Philadel- 
phia on the 5th of October, 1803, aud re- 
coi'ded on the 23d of Januaiy, 180-t-. 

John Cunningliam was a brother of Sam- 
uel and James ( unningham, aud was a na- 
tive of Lancaster county. In all probabil- 
ity he was engaged extensively in business 
elsewhere than in the village of Butler, 
and was the victim of the fever for land 
speculation that had ruined Robert Mor- 
ris and other prominent men of that time. 
When he became financially embarrassed, 
his share in the 300 acres set apart for the 
town of Butler was seventy acres. Judg- 
ments were laid upon his proj^erty by the 
creditors living in Philadelphia, and it be- 
came necessary in order to give perfect 
title to have a deed of release for the prop- 
erty included in the town site. Such a deed 
was made. It recites that the release was 
granted in consideration of the fact that 
.lohn Cunningham had other lands adjoin- 
ing the town which were bounded by judg- 
ments which his creditors had obtained, 
and that these lands were so materially 
increased in value by the location of the 
county seat as to make them ample secur- 
ity for his creditors. 

David Cunningham, another brother of 
John and Samuel, resided- in Butler in 
180-1, and was one of the first attorneys 
registered at the Butler Bar. He is said 
to have been a lawyer of ability, but noth- 
ing is known of his career after he left 
Butler. Samuel Cunningham lived and 
died in Butler, and was buried in the old 
cemetery with his brother John, but the 
graves of these two pioneers were never 
maiked, and all trace of them was lost 
many years ago, When the high school 
building was erected on the site of the old 
cemetery a tablet was placed on the wall in 
the corridor to the right of the AlcKean 
Street entrance, which bears the names of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



403 



John and Sannu'l 
founders of Bntler 



("nnuins'ham, the 



THE OBIGINAL, MAPS. 

The original survey of the town lots of 
Butler made in 1803 exists, and a map of 
the town made by Harvey Boyd in 1828, 
which was taken from a plat of J. E. 
Bi'own, is in the possession of John S. 
( 'am))bell, of Butler. This old map is made 
(in ]iarchmeut and is an excellent example 
of the work done by surveyors of that day. 
According to the boundary lines shown on 
the map, the northern limit of the town 
was an alley which is now Penn Street, 
and the southern limit was the quarry re- 
serve which began at the alley south of 
Wayne Street and extended to the creek. 
The western limit was the first alley west 
of AA'ashiugton Street, and the eastern 
limit ended at Franklin Street. All of the 
territorj' lying east of Main Street and 
north of North Street, now in the fourth 
waid, was known as the outlots, and the 
territory lying south of Jefferson Street 
and east of McKean street as far as the 
creek was placed in the same class. Jef- 
ferson Street extended west to the first 
alley west of Washington Street, and Mif- 
flin Street extended to Walker's brick 
yard, which lay between Bluff and Chest- 
nut Streets. The main road leading to the 
west and northwest at that time left the 
AYilhird House corner and followed Wayne 
Street and what is now Water Street to 
the junction of New Castle and Mercer 
Street. This point was then known as the 
, forks of the New Castle and Mercer roads. 
The cemetery lot was located on the site 
of the High school building on North Mc- 
Kean Street, and the academy building 
was marked on the corner of McKean and 
Jefferson Streets, now occupied by the 
Jefferson school building. The millhouse 
is marked on the banks of the creek out- 
side of the quariy r-eserve. The quarry 
reserve was so called because of the exist- 



ence of a stone quarry, where the early in- 
habitants secured stone for building pur- 
poses. 

On August 14, 1804, the trustees made 
the terms of sale more liberal, giving one 
year for second payment, and two years 
for third payment. Under this I'ule fifty- 
seven lots were sold August 14, 15, and 16, 
1804. the total sum realized being $1,612.25. 

DiSPrTK ABOl'T TTTLE. 

It would appear from the events that fol- 
lowed the laying out of the town lots and 
the public sale that Robert Graham and 
the Cunninghams donated lands to which 
they had no legal title. Following the set- 
tlement with the creditors of John Cun- 
ningham, another cloud arose in 1807 
which threatened to affect the title of 
every lot owner in the town. In the early 
part of that year the effects of Robert 
Morris were sold at the Merchant's Coffee 
House in Philadelphia at United States 
marshal's sale to satisfy some of his for- 
eign creditors. Stephen Lowry of Mary- 
land and other land s[)eculators purchased 
the Butler County warrants. The John 
Tressler warrant and the Adam Reighert 
warrant came into the possession of Lowry 
and on December 12, 1807, Thomas Col- 
lins, attorney for Lowry, notified the com- 
missioners of Butler County of his claims 
on the land comprising tlie town site of 
Butler. It will be noticed that Robert Gra- 
ham claimed ownership of the Adam 
Reighert warrant by right of settlement, 
and that John and Samuel Cunningham 
did not secure their patent for the Tresslei' 
warrant until 1805. The attorney for 
Lowry threatened to bring suits of eject- 
ment, and after a correspondence of more 
than two years, the matter was finally 
compromised. The commissioners released 
their claims to the lots in the original plan 
that had not been sold at that time, and 
Lowry executed quit claim deeds to the 
commissioners for the lots that had been 



404 



IIISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



sold up to that date in both the tracts do- 
nated by the Cunninghams and Robert 
Graham, thus confirming the titles made 
by the trustees of Butler county at the first 
sale of lots. These deeds were executed on 
the 12th day of February, 1810. 

In the original plan of lots, Jefferson 
Street is the dividing line between the 
Tressler warrant owned by the Cunning- 
hams, and the Adam "Reighert, Sr., war- 
rant, upon which Robert Graham had 
made a settlement. The eastern limits of 
these warrants was Monroe Street, and 
the western limits was Bluff Street. The 
present limits of the city now comprise in 
addition to the two warrants mentioned 
the Adam Reighert, Jr., warrant in the 
Institute Hill district, the George Slough 
warrant in the first ward, the Christian 
Stake warrant and the John Greaff war- 
rant comprise all that part of the town 
west of Bluff Street known as Duffytown, 
and part of the property now owned by 
the Standard Steel Car Company, and 
Charles DufTy. The Tressler warrant ex- 
tended from Jefferson Street to the top of 
the hill south of town, and the Adam 
Reighert, Sr., warrant extended from Jef- 
ferson Street north to the foot of cemetery 
hill, and was designated on the early docu- 
ments as "Warren Point." 

FIRST SETTLEKS. 

The first settlers within tlie orginal lim- 
its of Butler were among those who pur- 
chased lots at the first sale, and who began 
immediately to erect buildings on their 
new possessions. James Thompson, a 
blacksmith, erected the first building on 
the Diamond. Other houses were built in 
their order by William Young, William 
Neyman, Abraham Brinker, and Jacob 
Funk. The Neyman house stood next to the 
Boos building on South Main Street. Abra- 
ham Brinker 's house was on the other side 
of the street, and the Funk house stood 
on the ground now occupied by the resi- 
dence of A¥. A. Lowrv on East Diamond 



Street. John Potts built a log house on 
the corner now occupied by A. Troutmau 
& Sons' store. He resided in this house 
for two or three years, and then built a 
substantial hewed log house upon the op- 
posite side of the street on ground now oc- 
cupied by the store of Alf. M. Reiber. This 
log house was considered one of the fine 
]-esidences of the town, and stood until 
1892 or 1893, when it gave way to the pres- 
ent 1)rick building. Other houses were built, 
all of a very primitive character, by John 
Emfrey, George Powers, and Stephen 
Crawford. 

While the foregoing men were the first 
settlers within the original limits of the 
town, John Negley had settled in 1800 
south of the creek, opposite the Cunning- 
ham Mill, now the Walters Mill, and in 
the third ward of the city. Robert Gra- 
ham and his family had also settled in 
Butler Township in what is now the Fifth 
Ward. Robert Graham's son William was 
the first child born in the district, and 
made his advent in December, 1803. The 
first female child was Sarah, daughter of 
John and Jane Potts, who was born at the 
Potts residence on Main Street in March. 
1805. She married Squire Robert Carna- 
hau, and resided in Butler all her life, her 
death occurring near the close of the cen- 
tury. 

The winter of 1803 and 1804 was a 
dreary one. The only means of communi- 
cation with the outer world was by means 
of a bridle path leading straight over the 
hills to Pittsburg. Among the new resi- 
dents of the town who came at the begin- 
ning of 1804 was William Ayres, Esq., the 
first prothonotary of Butler County, and 
his clerk, Henry M. Brackenridge, son of 
Judge H. H. Brackenridge, of Pittsburg. 
The young clerk affci'wards became a not- 
ed lawyer and a distingiiisliod member of 
the bench of Pennsylvania, and the author 
of a History of Western Pennsylvania, 
which bears his name. In his "Recollec- 
tions of the West," he savs of his first 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



405 



visit here: "Ou my arrival at Butler 
there were a few log houses just raised, 
but not sufficiently completed to be occu- 
pied. It was not long before there were 
two taverns, a store, and a blacksmith 
shop. It was then a town. The country 
around was a howling wilderness with the 
exception of a few scattered settlements 
as far removed from each other as the 
ki-aals in the neighborhood of the (_!ape of 
Good Hope." 

The first public assembly for social and 
patriotic purposes was held on the Fourth 
of July, 1804, when the natal day of 
American independence was celebrated in 
an appropriate manner. The meeting was 
held at the P^ederal Spring at the foot of 
Main Street, now on the property of John 
McQ. Smith, and it is from this circum- 
stance that the spring was so named. A 
table about one hundred feet long had been 
prepared, which was supplied with the 
best the country afforded, to which all 
present did ample justice. After the din- 
ner William Ayres was appointed i)resi- 
dent and John McCandless, then sheriff, 
vice-president. Patriotic toasts suited to 
the occasion were read by the j^resident at 
the head of the table, and repeated by the 
vice-president at the foot. Then followed 
the drink, the cheers, the firing of mus- 
ketry, and the music of drum ancT fife play- 
ing the old Revolutionary tunes of "Yan- 
kee Doodle" and "Hail Columbia." The 
entire population of the town was repre- 
sented at this meeting as well as represen- 
tative citizens from the surrounding coun- 
try. 

INCOKPOKATION OF THE TOWN. 

It was not until some fifteen years later 
that the inhabitants of Butler began to 
think of taking steps towards the forma- 
tion of a corporate government. The 
question was finally brought before the leg- 
islature, on February 6, 1817, by an act 
entitled "An act to erect a town of Milton 
in the county of Northumberland, and the 
town of Bntler in the county of Butlei-, 



into boroughs." This act was passed Feb- 
ruary 26, and the charter was issued May 
2, 1817, by Governor Snydei', and Butler 
at once assumed its new duties as an in- 
corporated town. The section of the act 
relating to the incorporation of Butler is 
given herewith : 

"Sectiou 10. And be it further enacted, etc., That 
the town oi Butler in the county of Butler shall lie and 
the same is hereby erected into a borough which shall 
be called the 'Borough of Butler,' and contained within 
the following metes and bounds: The original plat or 
draft of the town of Butler, beginning at a black oak on 
the bank of the mill dam; thence north seventy-eight 
ilegrees west seven perches; thence south 52 degrees west 
eight perches; thence south eleven degrees west seven . 
perches, south three degrees east ten perches, south 36 
degrees east eight perches, south 73 degrees west eleven 
perches, north ten degrees west fourteen perches, north 
ten degrees east fourteen perches, north 40 degrees west 
12 jiei-ches, west sixteen pen-lies, south 59 degrees west 
23 perches; thence south olovcii dcijrees 13 perches, south 
25 degrees east five | 'iih.'^, snnth twenty degrees west 
14 perches; thence smiili 1> piKlies; thence south 52 
degrees west 26 pevchi s, ^.mlh 41 degrees west six 
perclirs. sniith sixty-one degrees west 13% perches, south 
57 (li'^r.is wrsi 7'^ perches to a hickory; thence leaving 
the d:iiii iimtli 77 degrees west nine perches, thence' north 
57 d('i;rcc.s uest 57 perches to two hickory trees ou the 
banks of the treek; thence north fifteen degrees west 40 
perches, north three degrees west 152% perches; thence 
north 87 degrees east 173 perches; thence south three de- 
grees east 133.2 perches to the place of beginning." 

The part of the city included in the above 
description is bounded approximately by 
Monroe Street on the east, Penn Street on 
the north. Bluff Street on the west, and the 
Connoquenessiug Creek on the south. The 
population of the town in 1820, two years 
after the borough was erected, was 250. 

It was also provided by the act in sec- 
tion 17 that the inhabitants of the borough 
entitled to vote for members of the legis- 
lature having resided within the limits of 
the borough at least six months preceding 
the election, should "on the Friday imme- 
diately preceding the third Saturday of 
March next" have jiower to cast their 
votes between the hours of one and five in 
the afternoon for one chief burgess, one 
assistant burgesa, and seven citizens to be 
a town council, also one high constable. 

Under this act the first election for bor- 
ough officers was held May .30, 1817, at the 



406 



HISTOKY OF BL'TLEE COUNTY 



dwelling house of Adam Funk, and for 
subsequent years the elections were mostly 
held at the house of Jacob Mechling, who 
was chosen one of the first couucilmen to 
aid in shaping the destinies of the infant 
borough. 

The new borough officers were prompt 
to organize and discharge their functions, 
as is shown by the fact that they entered 
upon their duties the very day that they 
were elected. The first minute book of the 
borough council under date of May 30, 
]817, noted the fact that William Ayres, 
Esc{., had been duly elected chief burgess, 
and John Gilmore, Esq., assistant burgess. 
William Campbell, John Potts, Dr. George 
Miller, Hugh McKee, David Dougal, and 
James Stephenson, duly elected members 
of the town council for the borough of But- 
ler, met at the house of Adam Funk and 
took the oath of office before Robert Scott, 
Esq., a justice of the peace, as directed by 
the act of Assembly passed the 26th day 
of February, A. D. 1817, creating the town 
of Butler in the county of Butler, into a 
borough. At this meeting John Potts was 
duly elected president of council, John 
Bredin was appointed clerk, James Hill 
was appointed borough treasurer, and 
Maurice Bredin was elected collector of 
the borough taxes. 

Jacob Mechling qualified as councilman 
at the meeting held July 7, 1817, and voted 
with the other members for levying a bor- 
ough tax as well as for the adoption of the 
seal of the Circuit Court as the seal of the 
borough. 

In 1819 an ordinance was adopted estab- 
lishing a regular market day, and also 
rules were adopted for preventing sheep 
and swine from running at large, and iier- 
sons from galloping on the streets. In 
1820 a tax levy of four mills was made for 
the borough expenses, which was consid- 
ered sufficient to justify the borough offi- 
cials in fitting up a ])ound or pen on Will- 
iam Beatty's lot for hogs and a place in 
Eli Skeer's stable for the keeping of sheep, 



and thereafter all stray animals of this 
kind found roaming on the streets were 
taken into custody by the high council. 

In 1820 the building used as a market 
house ajjpears to have served its purpose, 
and in September its sale was reported 
and $18.00 for brick paid into the treasury. 

In 1821 street improvements were de- 
cided on and in December the street com- 
missioners were ordered "to cut the Dia- 
mond as much as may be necessary, the 
side walks on the Diamond level or nearly 
so, with the turn-pike (Main Street), and 
that West Street be dug and filled, so that 
the ascent thereof would not exceed seven 
degrees of a horizontal line." 

During this year the extension of Mc- 
Kean Street as far as the inlots extended 
was ordered. 

The first vote recorded by the borough 
of Butler for state and county officers was 
that of October 14, 1817. For governor 
William Findley received twenty and Jo- 
seph Heister, sixteen votes. For State 
Senate John Gilmore received twenty-nine 
and AValter Lowrie, eight votes. For rep- 
resentative to the State legislature, Sam- 
uel Douglass received twenty-seven, Will- 
iam Marks, twenty-seven, John AVilson, 
ten, Andrew Christy, twenty-one, William 
Ayres, twenty-nine, William Wilkins, six- 
teen, John Robinson, nine, and John Ross, 
nine votes. For county commissioner 
Francis Fi-yer received twelve votes, Ab- 
raham Brinker, fourteen, David Dougal, 
eight, and Mosen Hanlen, three. For audi- 
tor, John Bredin received thirty-six votes, 
and David Dougal two. For trustees of 
the Butler Academy Jacob Mechling re- 
ceived twenty-three votes, John Galbraith, 
thirty-six, and Thomas Lyon, thirteen. 
Samuel Glass was elected inspector, Rob- 
ert Scott, judge, and Moses Sullivan and 
J. Williamson, clerks of the election of the 
boi'ough. The total vote ))olled at this elec- 
tion would indicate a population of about 
two hundred. 

The assessment list of 1821 shows that 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



407 



there were but thirty-four houses iu tlie 
borough not iuckidiug the county, school 
and church buildings. There were forty- 
nine owners of lots that had improvements 
on them, and twenty-five vacant lots were 
assessed against their reputed owners. 

JNIore importance was attached to the of- 
fice of high constable than at the ])resent 
day. At a meeting of council held March 
16, 1822, it was resolved that Samuel John- 
son, the newly elected high constable, 
should give security in the sum of $400.00 
for the faithful performance of his duty. 
Adam Filnk became his bondsrhan. With 
the duties of this office and the responsi- 
bilities increased two hundred fold, all the 
security demanded now is $200.00. 

John McQuistion was appointed lior- 
ough treasurer, in 1822, and an ordinance 
was passed directing that the owners of 
property on Main Street who desired to 
build side-walks in front of their property 
should construct such side-walks nine feet 
wide. 

In 1823 John Reed was elected high con- 
stable, John Welsh was appointed clerk, 
and Samuel Johnson, collector. One of the 
important items of business this year was 
the opening of Franklin Street, paralleling 
McKean. 

At a meeting held the 8th of April, 1824, 
a resolution was introduced by Mr. Bredin 
directing that a committee of three l)e a\)- 
pointed to draft an ordinance and employ 
an artist to fix the corners of lots, streets 
and alleys. Under the authority of this 
ordinance David Dougal, the famous sur- 
veyor, was employed, and he resurveyed 
the town and reestablished the corners and 
lot lines. 

The subject of fire protection was dis- 
cussed by council in 1825, and a motion 
that the sum of $25.00 be appropriated 
towards the erection of an engine house 
on the public square, and toward furnish- 
ing it with engine, hooks and ladders, was 
voted down. The fire-fighting api^aratus 
was purchased two years later by the sub- 



scription of private citizens and was the 
inception of the present volunteer fire de- 
]Kirtment. In July, 1827, the county com- 
missioners agreed to assign to the borough 
council a judgment to be ajiplied on the 
purchase of an engine and other fire ap- 
paratus, and on the 28th of that month 
Mr. Gilmore reported that he had pur- 
chased an engine for $400.00, of which 
half was to be paid within six months, and 
half in twelve months. This report was 
accepted by council, and a resolution was 
passed ordering the erection of an engine- 
house in the rear of the court house. 
This building was erected by R. Strain for 
the contract price of $60.00. 

In January, 1828, N. Foltz transferred 
lot No. 152 to the borough for cemetery 
purposes, and the council adopted meas- 
ures for fencing in this lot with the old 
cemetery. 

In the same year Samuel Gilmore, the 
clerk, was paid $8.00 for his services. In 
18.35 the salary of this official had been ad- 
vanced to $15.00 per year, in 1895 it was 
$250.00, and in 1908 it was $750.00. 

FIRST QUARTER CENTURY. 

The population of Butler in 1828, twen- 
ty-five years after the founding of the 
town, numbered between four and five 
hundred, and the village had begun to as- 
sume the airs of i)rosperity. The streets 
had been graded and side-walks laid, and 
the primitive log cabins were gradually 
giving way to the more substantial brick 
dwellings. The most pretentious mansion 
of that time was the dwelling of William 
Ayres on the corner of South Main and 
Wayne Streets, opposite the Hotel Wil- 
larci. It was built of logs, and was three 
stories high. Brick houses were built in 
the town as early as 1812, and the old Sul- 
livan residence in the rear of the court 
house is the only one of these structures 
that is now in existence. The whole num- 
ber of dwellings in 1828 was about seventy, 
of which twentv-one were brick. 



408 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



In May, 1829, the borough contained 
three blacksmiths, four shoemakers, three 
tailors, two tanners, two saddlers, two pot- 
ters, two plasterers, two brick layers, 
three cabinet makers, four carpenters, two 
farmers, two hatters, one wagon maker, 
one i^ainter, one cooper, and one chair- 
maker. The professions were represented 
by seven lawyers, two physicians, two resi- 
dent clergymen, four school teachers, and 
two or more editors. There were also four- 
teen merchants, and two printing houses. 
The public and semi-public buildings com- 
prised the court house and jail, the Butler 
Academy, while there were two stone 
churches owned respectively by the Catho- 
lics and the Presbyterians. 

August 14, 1828, it was resolved by the 
council that the court house bell be rung 
from the 1st of April to the 1st of October 
on the Lord's day at the hours of nine and 
eleven A. M., and one P. M., and at no 
other hour on that day. Also from the 1st 
of October to the 1st of April to be rung 
at the hours of 10 A. M. and 12 M., and at 
no other time. 

In 1830 Dr. DeWolf, Francis McBride, 
and Hugh McKee were appointed a com- 
mittee to inquire into the water supply and 
examine the springs adjacent to the bor- 
ough. The paving of side-walks, grading 
of streets and removal of fences off the 
streets and public grounds also occupied' 
the attention of the council during this 



THE FIRST PTIBLIC SCHOOL TAX. 

In the meanwhile the question of educa- 
tion was not neglected, and at a public 
meeting held June 29, 1835, it was resolved 
that the sum of ■ $2150.00 be levied on the 
borough of Butler for school purposes in 
addition to the sum already levied for that 
year, the monej' to be a^iplied by the di- 
rectors according to the act of Assembly. 
General William Ayres presided at this 
meeting, and William Stewart acted as 
secretary. After some months of discus- 



sion the action of the meeting was officially 
laid before the council March 9, 1836, and 
at a subsequent meeting held on the 11th, 
the clerk was ordered to add $250.00 to the 
duplicate. This was the practical begin- 
ning of the public school system in Butler 
borough. 

In March, 1838, the citizens of the town 
exercised their right of petition against 
the erection of blacksmith shops within 
sixty feet of High Street, or the Diamond. 
This petition was referred to a committee, 
who, after due consideration and investi- 
gation of the subject, reported that they 
were decidedly of the opinion that the citi- 
zens had a right to construct on their own 
property any building they may deem 
proper, being responsible to any persons 
they may annoy in the enjoyment of their 
property. 

While the committee found that the 
question of removing the blacksmith shops 
was one over which council had no control, 
they respectfully recommended to the citi- 
zens generally "not to construct shops or 
other improvements so as to disturb their 
neighbors or retard the improvement of 
the place." 

In 1838 the water supply question was 
revived, when council authorized the clean- 
ing out and walling up of Federal Spring 
at the foot of Main Street. In January, 
1839, the original quarry reservation ly- 
ing between Wayne Street and the creek 
was vacated and the survey of the ground 
into town lots was authorized; the pro- 
ceeds of sale of such lots between Wash- 
ington and McKean Streets to be appro- 
priated to the aid of the female seminary 
in Butler, should the legislature agree to 
such proposition. 

An ordinance was passed in 1846 to pre- 
vent the quarrying of stone on the reserva- 
tion, but in January of the following year 
permission was granted to the building 
committee of St. Peter's Catholic churcli 
and Samuel Lane, the contractor, to take 
out the stone for the new church and paro- 



AND fiEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



409 



•chial residence, on the condition that the 
committee should till up tlie space between 
Duffy's and tlie opposite property. 

FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERED. 

During tlie ensuing twenty , years the 
care of the streets and alleys appears to 
have been the ijriueipal business of the 
council. The organization of a fire depart- 
ment was considered in 1859, and in Feb- 
ruary, 1S()2, a joint celebration was held of 
Wasliiniiton's birthday and the fall of 
Fort Donaldson. 

In 1864 the present system of council 
committees was adojited, and the appoint- 
ments made. 

EXTENSION OF BOROUGH AND STREEL- LIGHTS. 

An important transaction in 1869 was 
the extension of the limits of the borough 
to take in annexed territory, and a new 
survey of the town which was made by 
James Dunlap. The cjuestion of street 
lights also came up in 1869 and in October 
a petition was presented to council de- 
manding the erection of street lamps along 
Main Street. The council appointed Ga- 
briel Etzel and Jacob Keck a committee 
to ascertain the cost of lighting the streets. 
Previous to this time the only street lights 
provided were those of the merchants, in 
their store windows, and the inhabitants 
of the back streets were obliged to carry a 
lantern when they left their homes after 
night-fall. Some propositions by Colonel 
Sirwell were considered, but when it was 
found that the cost of the street lights 
would exceed the whole tax levy for bor- 
ough purposes, the subject was summarily 
disposed of, and the borough remained in 
darkness for another decade. In Novem- 
ber, 1877, the proposition of Henry C. 
Heineman, manager of the Butler Gas 
Company, to place burners on lamp posts 
and keep them lighted each evening as the 
council determined, at a cost of $3.50 per 
lamp, was accepted, and on December 8th 
of that year the streets of the town were 
lighted. Natural gas was substituted for 



the manufactured product in 1885, and in 
1890 the present system of lighting Ijy elec- 
tricity was adopted. 

In 1890 council considered a sewerage 
system for the town and after some con- 
sideration adopted the Waring plan. Work 
on the construction of the trunk sewers 
was commenced that year, and the plant 
has been extended from time to time as 
the necessities of the town demanded. The 
same year a petition was presented for the 
paving of Main Street with brick. This 
work was commenced in the summer of 
1890, and completed in 1891. Jefferson 
Street was paved in 1891 and other streets 
have followed, until the town at tlie pres- 
ent time has about fifteen miles of paved 
streets, including Pierce Avenue, which 
connects the main town with Lyndora. 

H. E. Coulter, the present secretary of 
council, was elected in 1893, succeeding T. 
M. Baker, and has served continuously 
since that time. 

The treasurer of council in 1890 was 
Peter Schenck and he has been succeeded 
in turn by Harry Grieb, John Lawall, and 
W. F. Rumberger. the latter being the in- 
cumbent in 1908. 

The borough officials in 1908 were Elmer 
E. Bell, burgess; Ellsworth Miller, presi- 
dent of council; William F. Eumberger, 
treasurer; H. E. Coulter, secretary of 
council; Jno. H. Wilson, solicitor; Archie 
Davidson, tax collector ; Ed. Kramer, high 
constable; Jasper Eitzert, street commis- 
sioner; H. B. Graves, borough engineer; 
John W. Vogel, sewer ins]iector; and the 
following auditors : V. W. Parker, Harry 
Forcht, T. James Dodds. 

The members of council were from the 
First Ward: John C. Clark, Thos. H. 
Brown, Joseph E. Schnitzer. Second 
Ward, Geo. ]\lellinger, Saml. L. Irvine, 
Geo. E. Sherman. Third ward, John G. 
Dunn, Lewis E. Ruby,' A. C. Moxie. Fourth 
Ward, Ellsworth Miller, Jos. Ball, Geo. H. 
Limberg. Fifth Ward, A. M. Aiken, Geo. 
Armbuster, E. R. Maxwell. 



410 



IITSTURY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Ou account of the records of the trans- 
actions of the town council being de- 
stroyed by fire, on the night of November 
20, 1903, the organization of the council 
from 1894 to 1908 is omitted. Under the 
new division of the borough into five 
wards, the council is composed of fifteen 
members, one being elected from each 
ward every year. The names are given in 
the numerical order of the wards and are 
only of the members elected for tliat year. 

LIGHT AND FUEL COMPANIES. 

As early as 1865 a movement was .start- 
ed in Butler to light the town with manu- 
factured gas. A stock company was or- 
gaiii/od and a gas plant was erected on 
gioimd now occupied by the Bottle Glass 
Works near the West Penu Depot. But 
little is known about the organization of 
this company. The plant appears to have 
been erected by John Goetz, who also 
erected a jjlaut at Freej^ort, and was man- 
ager of both concerns until 1875, when he 
came to Butler and gave his time to the 
local plant until 1883, when he engaged in 
the planing-mill and lumber business. The 
streets of the town were piped and the 
jirodnct of this plant was used for ligiiting 
the houses and the streets. About 1883 or 
1884 the plant came into the hands of 
David Kirk, who organized the Home Mu- 
tual Gas & Fuel Company and supplied the 
town with natural gas. Subsequently the 
old gas plant was dismantled and the Bot- 
tle AVorks were erected on the site. 

Charles Duify, who is a life-long resi- 
deTit of the town, has some interesting rec- 
ollections concerning the organization of 
the first gas company and the use of nat- 
ural gas as a fuel. In the early part of the 
eighties David Kirk, who was then a young 
man oi)erating in the oil fields of Butler 
County, was talking to Mr. Duffy about 
utilizing the gas at the Burns Well on the 
Duffy Farm in Clearfield townshii), when 
the latter suggested that the fuel of the 
future was natural gas, if the manufac- 



turers and business men of Pittsburg and 
the large cities could be made to see its 
value. At that time the Burns well on the 
Duffy farm was wasting niillions of feet 
daily, and the owihms were getting nothing 
in return for the iimncy expcmlcd in drill- 
ing the well. Mr. Kirk was a man of ac- 
tion, and he at once proceeded to Pittsburg 
where he interested the Chalfauts, Dil- 
worth, Joseph Over and others in the 
Burns Well, and made arrangements to 
have them come to Butler and visit this 
natural gas wonder. The trip was ai'- 
ranged so the visitors arrived here on the 
evening train, where they Avere met with 
carriages and driven to the well. It was 
very dark when they reached the Duffy 
farm, and Mr. Kirk had planned an orig- 
inal surprise for them. In the woods near 
the well a large sign had been erected and 
gas pipe bearing the words "Gas, the fuel 
of the future." The well was under con- 
trol by this time, and the sign was so ar- 
ranged that it could be lighted with the 
opening of a throttle and the touch of a 
torch. When the Pittsburg parties alighted 
from the carriages, the place was so dark 
they could scarcely see each other's faces. 
Ill an instant the woods were aflame with 
a bright light, and the immense sign could 
be seen with the words illuminated as 
above quoted. The originality of the sur- 
})rise delighted the Pittsburg party, and 
upon their return to Butler that night a 
banquet was spread at one of the hotels at 
which the principal topic of conversation 
was the ]iossibilities of natural gas as a 
fuel for domestic and manufacturing pur- 
lioses. The iiiping of gas from the Burns 
Well to Freeport soon followed, and may 
be said to have been the beginning of an in- 
dustry in the county that is only second to 
the ]n'oduction of petroleum. 

Incidentally it may be said here that the 
famous Burns gas well is still producing 
gas, and ]iays the owner of the farm a i"oy- 
alty of $40,000 a year. Originally the own- 
ers of the well allowed the gas to go to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



411 



waste because they did not know how to 
handle it or did not know its value. 

The Home Natural Gas Company was 
first organized by David Kirk in 1885 as 
tlie Home Mutual Gas & Fuel Company. 
This company supplied the town with nat- 
ural gas until 1888, when dissatisfaction 
arose among the consumers over a pro- 
posed raise in the price. This led to a pub- 
lic meeting held in the old skating-rink on 
South McKean Street, and the subsequent 
organization of a new company, which ob- 
tained a charter under the name of Home 
Natural Gas Company. The officers of the 
company at that time were H. J. Klingler, 
]n-esident; J. Henry Troutmaii. A\'ilTiam 
Campbell, Perd Reiber and H. H. Clark, 
directors. The new company ])urchased 
tlie interests of David Kirk & Company, 
and operated the plant until the fall of 
1891, when it was sold to the Eastern Oil 
Company, of which George Y. Foreman 
was president. John F. Anderson then be- 
came secretary and local manager of the 
conijiany, and continued in that position 
until the fall of 1894, when the plant was 
sold l)ack to the Butler Company. The 
officers of the new company were John S. 
Campbell, president; A. E. Reiber, treas- 
urer: John F. Anderson, secretarv; and 
these with J. H. Troutman and V. K. Phil- 
lips composed the board of directors. In 
1904 the plant was again sold to the T. W. 
Phillips Gas & Oil Company, the present 
owners. 

The T. ^Y. Phillips Gas £ Oil Cowpanij 
was chartered in July, 1904, with a capital 
of $2,000,000. T. W. Phillips is president 
of the company; Clarence Walker, vice- 
president; and T. W. Phillips, Jr.. secre- 
tary and treasurer. Previous to the or- 
ganization of the new company the Phil- 
lips Oil Company had been supplying gas 
to a large number of consumers in the 
county, and were the largest producers of 
gas operating in this territory. In Aug- 
ust, 1904, the company purchased the plant 
of the Home Natural Gas Company of But- 



ler, and have since operated it. They also 
own plants at Freeport, Punxsutawney, 
New Kensington, Braeburn, Slate Lick, 
West Kittanning and in addition supjjly 
many of the small villages throughout the 
county. 

The Independent Natural Gas Company 
was organized February 1, 1888, with 
Henry Reiber, president, George L. Reib- 
er, treasurer, and Edward Reiber, secre- 
tary. It was the first natural gas com^jany 
incorporated in Butler for the purpose of 
supplying fuel to the town, and the gentle- 
men named are the present owners of the 
plant. This company has over fifty miles 
of pipe supplied by their own gas wells 
"within a radius of ten miles of Butler, and 
has a fair share of the local patronage. 
This company has furnished gas to the 
consumers at a lower rate than any other 
home company in the field, and has been 
the last to advance jirices to the consum- 
ers. 

Tlie People's Gas Company had its in- 
ception in the fall of 1890, when Blair 
Hooks purchased a gas well from the Stan- 
<Iard Plate Gas Company, located on a lot 
ill Siiringdale, and obtained a permit from 
(•(umcil to pipe that part of the borough. 
During the winter of 1890-91 he supplied 
aliout forty families, and subsequently he 
drilled another well. In 1892 he organized 
tlie People's Gas Company, the incorpo- 
rators lieing Blair Hooks, Otto Limberg, 
and William H. Larkin. The eom]3any 
continued to extend their plant until 1895, 
when it was purchased by the Home Nat- 
ural Gas Company. 

Citizens' Gas Coiiijhiiiij. — Dissatisfac- 
tion over the pro])osed raise in prices by 
the Home Gas Company in 1892 was the 
means of bringing a new organization into 
the field. At a meeting held on December 
14, 1892, the Citizens' Gas Company was 
organized with Peter Schenck, president; 
H. H. Goucher, vice-president; Joseph 
Rocksenstein, treasurer ; and T. M. Baker, 
secretary. This company obtained a ]ier- 



412 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



mit to pipe the town, and having secured 
a large number of contracts for fuel, began 
business iniiiitMliatcly. The supply of gas 
was olitaiiictl fidni wells east of Butler, 
and the (■()nii)any continued in business for 
several years when it suspended. 

The Butler Electric Light and Power 
Company was first chartered July 21, 1885. 
The incorporators were R. H. McBride, 
John S. Campbell, Chas. H. Tavlor, W. C. 
McCandiess, and A. 11. Daniels. The offi- 
cers were R. H. McBride, president, John 
S. Campbell, secretary and treasurer, and 
W. C. McCandiess, superintendent. The 
capital stock of the company at that time 
was $10,000. The power house was located 
on South Washington Street, and was 
started running October 4, 1885. 

The original plant was operated until 
1890, when it was sold to the present com- 
pany, which was chartered March 7, 1890, 
under the title of The Butler Light, Heat 
and Motor Company. The incorporators 
of the new company were John S. Camp- 
bell, J. Henry Troutman, W. D. Brandon, 
William Cam])l)ell, Jr., L. R. McAboy, and 
B. H. Jack. The capital stock was $50,000. 
The same year the comi)any located in a 
brick building on the corner of East Cun- 
ningham and Monroe Streets, and in- 
stalled two 300 horsepower engines to run 
the machinery of their plant. 

In 1902 the present building on Spring 
Street was erected and a 1,000 horsepower 
light and power plant was established. 
From September, 1900, to Fcbinary 26, 
1907, the company furnished the j)ower for 
the Butler Passenger Railway Company in 
addition to furnishing the street lights for 
the town and supplying a large number of 
private consumers. The officers of the 
company in 1908 were John S. Campbell, 
president, W. D. Brandon, vice-president, 
J. Henry Troutman, secretary, and L. R. 
McAboy, treasurer. John H. Humphrey, 
.the general manager, has been with the 
com])any since 1890 with tlie exception of 
about one vear in 1902-3. 



The Butler Ice Company was incorpo- 
rated in 1902 for the manufacture of ice 
and was promoted by John S. Campbell, 
W. D. Brandon, J. Henry Troutman and 
others who are connected with the Butler 
Light, Heat and Motor Com])any. A plant 
having a capacity of twenty-five tons daily 
was erected on Spring Street adjoining 
the Electric Light Plant and has been in 
operation ever since. The present officers 
of the company are W. D. Brandon, vice- 
jiresident; J. Henry Troutman, secretary 
and treasurer, and J. E. Flack, manager. 

MT^TU.\L FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES. 

(Borough and County.) 

The mutual fire insurance companies of 
Butler County have been uniformly suc- 
cessful and at the present time there are 
seven of these comjianies in existence car- 
rying fire insurance aggregating $10,000,- 
000. One of the oldest companies in point 
of continuous service is the German Mu- 
tual Fire Insurance Company, of Zelien- 
ople. This company was incorporated 
April 4, 1866, and the present officers are 
Tobias Meeder, president, and J. Laderer, 
secretary. 

The Glade Mills Mutual Fire Insurance 
Company was incorporated June 2, 1873, 
and is at the present time carrying policies 
amounting to about $1,000,000. The offi- 
cers are 1). H. Sutton, president; W. W. 
Hill, secretary; and Rev. A. Kilpatrick, 
treasurer. The home office is at Valencia. 

The Worth Mutual Fire Insurance Coin- 
pany, which has offices at Slippery Rock, 
was incorporated January 13, 1875, and at 
the present time has about $1,500,000 in- 
surance on its books. The officers are 
James Humphrey, president ; and S. J. 
Taylor, secretary. 

The Farmers' Mutual Insurance Com- 
pany of Hannastown was incori)orat('(l 
March 23, 1860. F. W. Witte is president 
of the company and Alphonse Krause, sec- 
retary. The offices of the company are at 
Marwood. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



413 



The Excelsior Mutual Fire Lisurauce 
Company was incorporated November 19, 
1878, and has ofiices at North Washington. 
The president of the company in 1908 was 
Norman Glenn, and J. Harvey Bel! was 
seci-etary. 

The Butler Patrons' Mutual Fire Insur- 
ance ComiMuy was incorporated July 15, 
1904, and is located in an agricultural com- 
munity. The home office is at Euclid, and 
the officers of the company are R. C. 
Thompson, president, and 0. G. McCand- 
less, secretary. 

The Butler County Merehaitts' Mutual 
Fire Insurance Coiupauy was organized 
September 17, 1902, by a number of mer- 
chants in Butler borough and the sur- 
rounding towns who rebelled against the 
high rate of insurance exacted by the old 
line companies. The leading spirit in the 
movement was G. D. Swain of Harmony, 
who was also the first president of the 
company. The first officers elected by the 
company in addition to the president, were 
Jacob Boos, of Butler, treasurer; and Har- 
vey Colbert, of Butler, secretary. The 
company has been sueres>t'ul fmin the 
start, and now has about $l,li()(),()(H) of in- 
surance on its books. It has made but three 
assessments since its organization, the last 
one being for one-fourth of one per cent., 
in 1908, which met all of the expenses for 
that year. The present officers of the com- 
pany are: J. H. Harper of Butler, presi- 
dent; M. M. Heinzer, of Butler, treasurer, 
and Harvey Colbert, secretary. The board 
of directors is composed of James Barr of 
Prospect, Edwin Meeder of Zelienople, A. 
L. Reiber, J. H. Harper, and M. ^I. Hein- 
zer, of Butler, A. Krause of Marwood, H. 
C. Litzinger, of Chicora, T. P. Mifflin, of 
Noi-tli AVashington, D. W. Humphrey of 
Harrisville, .1. F. Shiever of Bruin, and J. 
E. Strooiis, of Slippery Rock. 

WATER COMPANIES. 

Previous to 1877 the water su]>ply of the 
town was obtained from springs and 



drilled wells. J)uring that year Cluirles 
Duffy and Samuel G. Purvis were the 
prime movers in the project to form a 
water company, the former subscribing 
for eight hundred and ninety-two shares 
of the stock. On the 1st of Novemlicr, 
1887, a charter was granted for the Butler 
Water Company, with a capital stock of 
$49,000.00. The Company then contracted 
with James McCollough, Jr., of Kittan- 
ning, to construct a plant for $49,000.00, 
payable partly in cash and the balance in 
bonds and stock of the company. Mr. Mc- 
Collouiiii thus i)ecame the principal owner 
of stock, and liad a controlling interest in 
the company until the time it was sold to 
the present owners. The company built 
a dam on the Connoquenessing Creek 
above the old Reiber mill dam, from wliich 
the water was pumped to the reservoir 
constructed on the hill north of the Or- 
phans' Home. The reservoir had a cajiac- 
ity of 3,000,000 gallons, which at that 
time was sufficient to last the town for s'v- 
eral days. The plant was completed and 
the water turned in the lines in the fall of 
1 878. The officers of the company were W. 
D. Brandon, of Butler, president, and W. 
B. Meredith of Kittanning, general su])er- 
intendent, and J. H. Conard, manager. In 
1896 the company had trouble with the 
supply of water, on account of the drilling 
operations carried on in the Boydstown 
oil field, and the consequent pollution of 
the water by salt water piunped in the oil 
wells, and in order to obviate this difficulty 
an impounding dam was constructed above 
Boydstown. This dam held a large su]v,)ly 
of water which was sufficient for the re- 
quirements of the town at that time, and 
continued to be the sole source of supjily 
for a number of years. In July, 1897, the 
plant was purchased by the American 
Water Works & Guaranty Company, who 
are the present owners. In order to meet 
the new conditions arising in the town 
from the erection of the large steel ear 
lilant. the water company constructed the 



4U 

Tliorn Run dam in 1903. In 1902 large 
filter beds were constructed and the water 
supply for the town was filtered. The con- 
sumption of water daily in the town since 
1902 is about 3,000,000 gallons daily. Since 
the typhoid fever epidemic in 1903-4, which 
was caused by extraordinary circum- 
stances, the company has had monthly 
tests made of the water supply from both 
the Boydstown and Thorn Run dams, and 
the water lias proved to be of a quality su- 
perior to any of the towns in the surround- 
ing country. J. H. Conard, who was the 
first manager of the local ^lant, died in 
1895, and was succeeded by M. F. Wright,, 
who continued as manager until the 1st of 
October, 1908, when he was succeeded by 
the present manager, Mr. Watt. 

The Mutual Water Company. — The 
South side of town is independent in re- 
spect to its water supply. In 1891 a num- 
ber of residents of the first ward associ- 
ated themselves together as the Mutual 
Water Association, organized for the pur- 
pose of building a reservoir and sinking 
wells. The capital stock of the concern 
was $12,000.00, and the official board con- 
sists of three trustees, and nine directors. 
Two wells were drilled at the top of the 
hill, and a strong supply of pure water was 
struck at 250 feet. The reservoir has a 
capacity of 3,000 barrels, and is supplied 
by the use of two hot-air pmnps for rais- 
ing the water from the wells. The asso- 
ciation started with sixty-five consumers 
and about two miles of six-inch and four- 
inch water main, and the cost for the ordi- 
nary family has averaged about $1.00 per 
month. The first officers of the association 
were Prof. E. Mackey, president, and John 
Findley, secretary. The officers of the 
company in January, 1909, were C. C. 
Cochran, president ; R. L. Aiken, secretary 
and manager; Dr. M. E. Headland, L. C. 
AVick and Philip Grouse, trustees. The 
company has a plant valued at about $40,- 
000.00, and at the present time supplies 
o^'er three hundred customers. 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



llie East Oakland Mutual Water Asso- 
ciation was organized in the fall of 1908 
with the purpose of supplying the resi- 
dents of Institute Hill and in the vicinity 
of the Orphans' Home property. Wells 
were drilled and over one hundred houses 
are supplied, tlie owners of which are sub- 
scribers to the association. Tlie president 
of the association is J. H. Gibson; and the 
secretary, W. S. McKee. 

The McGeary Water Plant is a private 
concern established by W. B. McGeary in 
the west end of town about 1895. The" 
water is supplied from drilled wells, and 
the business had grown from a half a 
dozen consiuners in 1895 to over one hun- 
dred and fifty in 1899. The plant is located 
on Fourth Avenue and supplies that part 
of the town lying east of Fourth Avenue 
to First Avenue. 

Another private water plant that sup- 
plies about two hundred consumers is lo- 
cated in Duffytown north of New Castle 
Street. It is owned by S. B. Cross who 
first began supplying a few houses in his 
neighborhood from a private well, and in 
the course of four or five years had ex- 
tended the plant to the present dimen- 
sions. 

The Citzens' Mutual Water Company of 
the Fifth Ward was organized in the sum- 
mer of 1908, and established a water plant 
by drilling wells on the hill north of the 
town, and supplying a large ninnber of 
customers in the Fifth and Third Wards. 
The directors of the company elected foi- 
1909 were as follows : For three years, C. 
E. Cronenwett, John H. Robb, Charles 
Barnhart and J. E. Forsythe; for two 
years, C. R. Miller, Daniel Lardin, Theo- 
dore Schenck and Jacob Painter; for one 
year, George Heckart, John Murrin, Dr. 
Thompson and Milton Miller. The presi- 
dent of the company is J. E. Forsythe, 
John Murrin was vice-president, Daniel 
Lardin, secretary, and C. E. Ci'onenwett, 
treasurer. 



AND KEPHESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



415 



KAILROADS. 

The history of the railroad systems of 
Butler appears in the chapter on Trans- 
portation, and need be but briefly referred 
to here. The first railroad to enter Butler 
borough was a branch of the Pennsylvania 
built from Freeport to Butler. Its open- 
ing for travel January 12, 1871, was made 
the occasion of a memorable demonstra- 
tion. How near the con.strucliDii of this 
road came to changing the rdinplixiou of 
the old town of Butler was it'latol not long- 
ago by Charles Duffy, who was one of the 
young business men of the town at that 
time, and took an active part in bringing 
the road here and locating the depot. Some 
difficulty was encountered in getting a site 
for the do) lot. as the owners of the real 
cst.-ili' (lciii;in(l(_'i| liigh prices. One morn- 
ing it was discovered that the chief en- 
gineer had received orders to locate the 
depot on the south side of the creek on 
land offered by William S. Boyd. This 
meant business disaster for the merchants 
of Main Street north of the Court House, 
wlio liad aiiticiiiated makiu- the ci ner of 
l\Iain and .lerfersini Streets the business 
center of the town. Mr. Duffy and others 
innnediately got busy, raised sufficient 
money to purchase the present site of the 
depot on East JeiTerson Street, and Mr. 
Duffy donated a right of way between that 
and the creek, thereby securing the ter- 
miniis of the road for the old ]iart of the 
town. 

The troubles of the early merciuiuts 
were not ended wtih the completion of the 
railroad. Being sole owners and posses- 
sors of everything in sight, the railroad 
company charged such high tariffs and 
acted so independently about accommodat- 
ing the ]niblic that the town was little bet- 
ter off" than it was in the days of the Plank 
Road freighters and stage coaches. An 
additional hardship was the fact that the 
freight house was closed at four o'clock in 
the afternoon, thus compelling the country 
morcliants and others coming in from a 



long distance, to remain over night, unless 
they could get away before that hour in 
the afternoon. 

Eealizing that something had to be done, 
a nmnber of business men made overtures 
to the officials of the Karns City and 
Parker Railroads, who were then contem- 
plating extending their line to Millers- 
town, and thence to Great Belt. The result 
of this conference was that the company 
agreed to extend their line to Butler in 
consideration that Butler business men 
would subscribe to $50,000 of the railroad 
company's bonds. The required amount 
was subscribed after many delays and dilli- 
culties had been overcome, one of the busi- 
ness men becoming personally responsi')le 
to a number of subscribers for $15,()i)0 
worth of bonds. The completion of tliis 
road led to the extension of a branch of 
the Pittsburg, New Castle & Lake Erie 
Narrow Gauge Road from Gallery Junc- 
tion to Butler, and resulted in the long 
hoped for advantages in freight rates and 
railroad accommodations. The next road 
to enter the town was the Shenango & Al- 
legheny, now the Bessemer, which was 
built from Branchton to Butler in 1882. 
The extension of the Bessemer Road south 
from Butler to North Bessemer was built 
in 1896-7, and tliis was followed in the next 
two years by the construction of the Buf- 
falo, Rochester and Pittsburg Road from 
Punxsutawney to Butler. 

The construction of the lines of the But- 
ler Passenger Railway Company was com- 
menced in 190t), and the electric railway 
from Butler to Pittsburg was completed iii 
1906. The Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler 
and New Castle Electric Railway entered 
Butler in July, 1908, and other electric 
lines are being promoted which in the 
course of a few years will connect the 
town with the principal cities north and 
east. 

TELEGRAPH OFFICES, ETC. 

Tlie tirst teUgra])h office was opened in 
Ihitler in 1861. It was a crude affair and 



416 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



merely used as a testing- station on the line 
between Pittsburg and Franklin. The first 
rei^ular office to i^eceive and transmit mes- 
sages was opened in 1862 in the Lowry 
Hotel. This was also the first telegraph 
office to be opened in the county. 

An office of the Postal Telegraph Cable 
Colli pany was established in Butler in 
1SS4, and is still in successful operation. 
Tliis line was worked in connection with 
the McCabe-Bennett Cable Company and 
transmits messages to Europe. 

The Bell Telephone Company estab- 
lished an exchange in Butler about 1888, 
and the People's Telephone Company had 
its inception in 1893. For a history of 
telephone companies in Butler and Butler 
county the reader is referred to the chap- 
ter on Public Utilities. 

With the opening of the Butler Branch 
Railroad in 1871, the Adams Express 
Company opened an office in Butler. This 
was followed by the Wells Fargo, the 
United States and the Ameriean Express 
( 'ompanies. 

BOARD OF TRADE, ETC. 

The Butler Board of Trade was organ- 
ized December 9, 1896, for the purpose of 
lielping along any industries then in But- 
ler, and to make an effort to secure new 
ones of a desirable nature that would aid 
in building up the town. As a consequence 
of this eiTort on the part of Butler's busi- 
ness men, the town has grown from a po])- 
ulation of about 10,000 until it now has a 
population in the neighborhood of 25,000. 

The first regular meeting of the board 
was held December 22, 1896, when the fol- 
lowing officers and directors were elected' 
for that year : President, J. Henry Trout- 
man; vice-presidents, Joseph Hartman 
and Peter Schenk; secretary, Ira McJun- 
kin ; treasurer, William Campbell, and a 
board of directors composed of one mem- 
ber from each ward. At the annual meet- 
ing held on January 28, 1898, the board of 
directors was increased to fifteen, being 



three from each ward. The officers chosen 
that year were: President, J. M. Leigh- 
ner; vice-presidents, C. N. Boyd and J. 11. 
Troutman; treasurer, W^illiam Cami)bell; 
secretary, George W. Shiever. On Janu- 
ary 26, 1899, W. G. Douthett was chosen 
president; A. G. Williams and W^illiam C. 
Thompson, vice - presidents ; John W. 
Bi'own, treasurer; and W. F. Rumberger, 
secretary. In January, 1900, the old offi- 
cers were re-elected with the exception of 
W. J. McDowell being elected first vice- 
president in the place of A. G. Williams. 

In January, 1901, W. C. Thompson was 
elected president, T. J. Shufflin and Daniel 
Younkins, vice-pi'esidents ; John C. Gra- 
ham, secretary ; and C. N. Boyd, treasurer. 
From 1901 to 1905 there were few impor- 
tant changes made in the organization of 
the board. In the latter year W^illiam H. 
Miller was elected president; H. B. Sna- 
man, vice-president; John C. Graham, sec- 
retary, and Peter Duffy, treasurer. In 
January, 1906, the officers chosen were Ij. 
B. Stein, president; C. A. Abrams, vice- 
president ; John C. Graham, secretary, and 
H. B. Snaman, treasurer. The officers of 
1907 were those of the previous year. The 
organization at the close of 1908 was as 
follows : President, L. B. Stein ; vice-pres- 
idents, M. E. Headland, J. H. Whiteside; 
secretary, John C. Graham; treasure!', 
Elias Ritts. 

During the thirteen years of its existence 
the board has done excellent work in se- 
curing manufacturing plants and advertis- 
ing and promoting the interests of the 
community. It has also been watchful of 
the interests of the public, and has been 
the means of i>reventing the peoj)le of the 
town from being im]iosed ui)on by pro- 
moters of fake enterprises and s]ieculative 
schemes. In so far as they have been able 
they have assisted financially and other- 
wise legitimate manufacturing enterprises 
in locating in Butler, and have promoted 
in every way possible the business inter- 
ests of the town. One of the first enter- 



AND REPHESKNTATIVE CITIZENS 



417 



prises brought liere l)y tlio Iward was the 
Amerioaii Minor Works located ou the 
Southside in 1896. This plant is still in 
operation, employing a large number of 
men. The National Cigar Cominmy, which 
employed a large number of people for 
several years, w^as brought here in 1898. 

In 1899 the board secured the location 
of the Davis White Lead Works, (-harles 
DufCy donated the land needed on Fair- 
ground Avenue, and the Bessemer and 
Lake P^rie Railroad laid the switch. One 
fourth of the capital stock of .$1(K),()U0 was 
subscribed by Butler people, and the four- 
story brick plant erected, whieli employed 
about 100 men until the company was ab- 
sorbed by the trust and the factory closed. 

During 1900 the board purchased three 
and a half acres of land from .hulge 
Bredin for the location of a pickle factory. 
Considerable stock was subscribed by But- 
ler people, and a large factory erected at 
the junction of Pierce Avenue and the Bes- 
semer Railroad. The ground and factory 
was purchased in 1902 by the Standard 
Steel ('ar C'ompany. The same year an 
eastern concern came before the board 
with a proposition to establish a silk mill. 
After some consideration the i)roposal of 
the eastern parties w^as turned down, and 
members of the board afterwards took the 
matter up themselves and organized the 
company that is now^ operated as the But- 
ler Silk Mill on First Street. The same 
year the board secured the machine shojjs 
of George A. Spang, which were moved 
from Renfrew and located on Etna Street, 
and have since developed a large plant 
operated by George A. Spang & Company. 

Through the efforts of the board in ad- 
vertising the advantages of Butler as a 
maiiuracturing center, the .'securing of 
Pittshuig freight rates at this point, the 
attention of manufacturers was turned in 
this direction in 1 901-2, and resulted in tlie 
establishing of the large plant of the Stan- 
dard Steel Car Com]ianv in Butler in the 
spring of 1902. In 190.i the board closed 



their contract with the Pittsburg Dry 
(Joods Company, which was operating a 
shirt factory on South Washington Street, 
and in its place secured the plant of Becker 
P)rothers, which is still in operation and 
t'Hiiiloying about fifty people. 

During the past six years the board has 
assisted a number of small manufacturing 
concerns in the way of securing leases, 
manufacturing sites and along other lines 
that would help benefit the town indus- 
trially. No large lionuses have been paid 
for the location of plants, and the matter 
of subscribing to the capital stock of the 
various plants brought here has been left 
to the judgment of the people after the 
concern has decided to locate. The board 
opened the year in 1909 with an increase 
of membership, and a number of ]iroposi- 
tions before it for consideration. 

T]ie Business Men's Association of But- 
ler borough was organized in 1906 and in- 
corporated in 1908. It comprises practi- 
cally all of the business houses of the town, 
as well as members of the professions. The 
purpose of the association is the mutual 
protection of its members as well as the 
promotion of the business interests of the 
town and community. The officers of the 
association in 1908 were W. A. Stein, presi- 
dent; A. C. Krug, vice-president; B. H. 
Jack, secretary; and W. G. Douthett, 
treasurer. The advisory board was com- 
posed of C. A. Templeton, W. A. Fisher, 
A. :\r. Reiber, Dr. W. S. De Wolfe, H. S. 
Klingler, George Whitehill, P. W. Ruff, 
L. G. Moore, H. B. Snaman and W. A. 
Stein. 

The Grocers' Association was organized 
in 1899, and has enrolled as its members 
all of the groeerymen of the borough and 
Lyndora. The association meets once a 
week and arranges a schedule of prices 
and attends to such other business as may 
come before it. A social feature of the or- 
ganization is the annual outing, which has 
))een held in August of each year since 
1900. The ]iresent officoi's of the associa- 



418 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tiou are Howard Reiber, president ; and 
William Kirkpatrick, secretary. 

Tlie Butler Chamber of Cornmene is a 
new organization of' business men that liad 
its inception in the fall of 1908. The ofiQ- 
eers elected in January, 1909, were A. M. 
Christley, president; D. K. Albright, vice- 
president; Daniel Youukius, vice-presi- 
dent; Newton T. McCollough, secretary; 
and D. A. Sutton, treasurer. Ward com- 
mittees were appointed, and the new soci- 
ety started out with a membership of over 
one hundred. The new organization does 
not conflict with the old Board of Trade, 
and hopes to accomplish a great deal for 
the town along lines which the old organi- 
zation was not able to ])ursiie. 

PUBLIC BUILDIK(iS. 

The first public building erected in the 
borough was the Court House of 1807, 
which was followed by a new court house 
in 1853, and the present edifice, wliich was 
erected in 1884. A history of these various 
edifices and views of the same appear in 
another chapter. The Butler County Ueu- 
eral Hospital, the County Home, and Pub- 
lie School Buildings and the various 
<'hurches are also elsewhere described. The 
first steps towards procuring a city build- 
ing liave been taken by the town council 
in the purchase of a lot on West North 
Street, and the proposition to issue bonds 
for the purpose of erecting a suitable 
building will soon be submitted to the citi- 
zens of the town. In 1902 the government 
purchased a lot on the corner of Washing- 
ton and West Jefferson Streets to be used 
as the site for a federal building. 

In the early days public meetings were 
lield in the court house or in some one of 
the churches. Public places of amusement 
were out of the question, as only a few 
halls could be found in the town and they 
were not suited for theatrical purjioses. 
About 1881 T. J. McCandless. W. C. 
Thompson, and others, secured the old Lu- 
theran church. iiro]iorty on tlic corner of 



East AVayne and South McKean Streets, 
now occupied by the Evans Manufacturing 
Company and the McDowell Steam Laun- 
dry, and I'emodeled the building for theat- 
rical purjioses. This answered the pur- 
poses of the town until Sei)tember, 1891, 
when it was destroyed l)y fire. In the 
meantime it had ]iassed through several 
hands and at the time it was burned the 
propertv was owned bv Andrew Root of 
Butler. " 

TUl' Aniiuiij Uu'iliVuig, also known as 
Park Theater, had its inception March 11. 
1891, when the Armory Building Associa- 
tion was incorporated by John W. Brown, 
president. AA'. T. ]\Iechling, secretary, S. H. 
Huselton, treasurer, and Ira McJunkin. 
The building was erected the same year, 
but before its completion the old opera 
house on McKean Street was burned and 
the company converted the new Armory 
building into a theater. This was accom- 
plished by the erection of an addition to 
the rear and placing the armory on the 
third floor, thus serving, the double pui'- 
pose of an armory and an opera house. 
The opera house was on the first floor, the 
second floor was used for offices, and the 
third floor was occupied by Company E, 
Fifteenth Regiment, and later by Com- 
panv L, Sixteenth Regiment. On Julv 30, 
1894, the Park Theater Company of But- 
ler were granted a charter with a capital 
. stock of $45,000. The officers of the com- 
pany were Jno. W. Brown, president; 
George Schenck, vice-president; W. T. 
Mechliug, secretary; Peter Schenck, treas- 
urer; Ira ]McJunkin, George Ketterer and 
William H. O'Brien, directors. November 
120, 1903, the Park Theater building was 
destroyed by fire and for the year follow- 
ing the town was without a public place of 
amusement or a large hall in which to hold 
public meetings other than the coiut bouse. 

TJic Majestic Theater C'onipaiiij was in- 
corjiorated bv George A. Troutman, Jacoli 
Keck. T. C. H. Keck, George Burkhalter. 
and !'. L. King, in January, 1904. and the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZEN: 



419 



.■sanif mouth the Byerly and Krug proper- 
ties on the t'oruer of East Cunningham and 
McKeau Streets were purchased and prep- 
arations were commenced for the erection 
of a theater. The plans for the building 
were prepared by Porter & Gaisford of 
Butler, and th.e contract awarded to the 
Builders' Supply Company. The work 
was rushed as rapidly as possible, and the 
theater part of the building was formally 
opened on the 16th of November, the same 
year. The building is 64x123 feet, and in 
addition to the theater, which is on the 
ground floor, has a large hall that is used 
as an armory by the local military com- 
pany and for public assemblies. The build- 
ing is an imposing-looking structure, mod- 
ern in architecture, thoroughly equipped, 
and represents an investment of about 
$85,000.00. The present officers of the 
company are George A. Troutman, presi- 
dent; T. C. H. Keck, secretary and treas- 
urer; and George Burklialter, manager. 

TAVERNS AND HOTELS. 

In the winter of 1803-4 there were only 
two taverns in the village of Butler. At 
the February session of court held in 1804 
by Judge Moore, licenses were granted to 
AVilliam Ay res and James Thompson to 
keep pul)lic houses. As the granting of a 
license implied the right to sell liquor, it 
is to be inferred that these two were the 
iirst regularly authorized landlords in 
the town. At the May term of court in 
1804, tavern licenses were granted to John 
Moser, Robert Graham, George Bowers 
and AVilliam Brown. Thus within one year 
from the building of the first houses, But- 
ler had six taverns. From that time to the 
present many persons have been engaged 
in the business. 

Among the oldest was Adam Funk, who 
kept a log tavern facing the Diamond, for 
which he got a license in 1805. This house 
stood on the present site of the Nixon 
Hotel, and is said to have been the build- 
ing in which the first courts were held. 



"The Buck" was a famous old tavern 
that occupied the present site of the Park 
Hotel. Its proprietor was Patrick Kelley, 
who was famous as a landlord. A stately 
buck with branching antlers was painted 
on the sign of this hotel, and it was from 
this sign that the tavern got its name. This 
tavern was the favorite resort of the local 
militia on muster days, and also a place 
for holding political meetings. 

The sign of "The Ri-sing Sun" on South 
Main Street was a noted hotel kept by 
David Scott. This hotel occupied the site 
of the present Arlington Hotel, and was 
erected at an early date, previous to 1820. 
Scott was a man noted for kindness (^f 
heart, and his guests often took advantage 
of him. He was succeeded by Abraham 
M. Neyman. The latter, with his son 
Thomas, was killed by the falling of a tree 
April 12, 1827. This accident was one of 
the tragedies of the early days. Neyman 
and his wife and two children, one an in- 
fant in its mother's arms, were returning 
from the country in a wagon when they 
were overtaken "by a storm. A tree fell 
across the road, crashing into the wagon 
and killing Mr. Neyman and his son. The 
mother and the infant escaped miracu- 
lously. The infant grew to manhood, and 
is known today as the venerable Dr. A. M. 
Neyman, living in retirement on Oak 
Street. 

"The Rising Sun" afterwards passed 
through several hands, in 1848 William 
^"ogeley becoming the projarietor. The 
name was changed to the Vogeley House. 
In 1867 Mr. A'ogeley retired and William 
II. Ensminger became the lessee to the 
l^roi^erty. He was succeeded in turn bv 
Jacob Fiedler, Geo. W. Campbell, Beck & 
Faubel and C. Snodgrass. In July, 1892, 
the liouse was ]mrchased by Capt. Herman 
Leibold from the A\igeley heirs, and he 
conducted the hotel until 1907, when the 
property was purchased by A. Rocken- 
stein, who is the present jiroprietor. The 
present brick building was erected in 1833. 



420 



HTSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The Mansiua House. — Soon after the 
town was laid out, Abraham Brinker, who 
was one of the notable pioneers, erected a 
log building which stood on the site of the 
old Citizen and Record offices on South 
Diamond, facing the court house. He was 
granted a hotel license in 1805, and con- 
tinued as proprietor of "The Mansion 
House" until 1809, when he sold the prop- 
erty to Jacob Mechling, one of the leading 
citizens of the town. Under the latter 's 
administration this hotel obtained a wide 
reputation, and was a stopping place for 
many distinguished citizens of the country 
travelling on their way from Pittsburg to 
Erie. It was at this house that Gen. La- 
fayette was entertained on June 1, 1825, 
while enroute from Pittsburg to Erie and 
Canada. 

Andrew Biirns was the successor of 
Jacoli Mechling as proprietor of the Man- 
sion House. He conducted the place for a 
number of years, when it was closed as a 
place of public entertainment. 

First Temperance House. — One of the 
first taverns of the town was huilt liy AVill- 
iam Brown on the site of Miss Sarah Mc- 
Quistiou's residence on South Main Street, 
recently purchased by the Masonic order. 
The house now standing was the rear part 
of the old hotel building. Brown was 
granted a license in May, 1801, and ran the 
business until succeeded by Samuel Mar- 
quis, Rudolph Kelker and John M. Zim- 
merman. Bennett Dolibs came later and 
converted it into a temperance house, the 
first in the town. The old building came 
into possession of the late John Negley 
about 1850, when the front part of it was 
torn down. 

The Willard Hotel. — A log building was 
erected on the site of the present Willard 
Hotel at an early date, which was used for 
tavern purposes, but the early i)r()piietors 
are not now known. Jacob Ihinker, a son 
of Abraham Brinker, erected the first 
brick building about 1834 or 18.35, and car- 
ried on the hotel business for a loiin' 



period. He was succeeded by several otli 
ers, among them W. J. Reihing, wiio re- 
modeled tlie building and enlarged it to its 
present capacity. He conducted the house 
until his death in 1890, after which his 
widow continued the business for a short 
time. George "VV. Cam])lK'll jnirchased the 
property and conducted the hotel for two 
or three years, when Mrs. Mattie Reihing 
ag'ain became the owner. Kemp and Kline 
were the lessees until 1903, when Mrs. 
Reihing took charge, remodeled the build- 
ing, and is at present conducting the busi- 
ness. 

The lilack Horse.— One of the noted 
hotels previous to the Civil War was "The 
Black Horse," which stood on the corner 
of Cunningham and Main Streets, and was 
owned by Patrick TIamicrfy ))revious to 
1S2G. Haggertv wa,-- snci-cc(ic(l bv his sons 
William and Alexando-. and after the Civil 
War a hotel was conducted at this place 
by Patrick Kelley, until 1872 or 73, when 
John Hackett became the lessee Jind con- 
ducted the business imtil 1884. The i>n)i>- 
erty was then sold to A. & H. Reiber, who 
erected the Reiber block. 

The Beatty House. — Another famous 
tavern that existed about the middle of the 
last century was "The Beatty House," 
which stood on the site now occupied by 
the Troutman Block and J. G. & W. Camp- 
bell's store. The sign was an American 
eagle with extended wings surrounded by 
thirteen stars. In some respects the 
"Eagle" was the leading public house of 
its day. It was in successful operation as 
early as 1828 and continued to be one of 
the leading hotels until after the advent of 
the railroads and the old stage line from 
Butler to Erie had been abandoned. Mr. 
Beatty, the first pro]^rietor, was a man of 
dignity and high iniciirity. who would al- 
low no disorderly rli.n Meters about tiic 
premises. In 184S lie >ol(l the hotel proi>- 
erty to Jacob Reiber, and in 1850 Col. 
Alexander Lowry became the owner and 
conducted the house until 1863, when he 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



421 



sold the itvoperty to Beujamin Jack, who 
couducted it for a few years, and then dis- 
continued the business. 

The Lowry Hotel. — Previous to 1820 a 
log building was erected on Jetferson 
Street near the corner of Main, which was 
afterwards clapboarded and given the ap- 
pearance of a frame house. In 1820 Col. 
Francis McBride opened tlie place as a 
tavern, and gave it the name of the 
"United States." Subsequently a frame 
addition was built on the corner. In 
1849 the property was purchased by 
H. Julius Kliuger, who, in 1852, re- 
moved the old log and frame build- 
ing and erected the tirst three-story brick 
hotel building in the borough. Plum- 
mer Jack became the owner in 1864, and he 
in turn sold the property to Col. Alexander 
Lowry, who changed the name of the hotel 
to the Lowry House. Col. Lowry and his 
son, John F. Lowiy, carried on the busi- 
ness until 1890, with the exception of a few 
years that Cross & McOmber were the pro- 
prietors. In the latter year the property 
was sold to Thompson & Brown, after 
building an addition to the Jefferson 
Street side of the building. The new own- 
ei-s built another addition to the Main 
Street side of the building, involving an 
expenditure of about $20,000, and conduct- 
ed the business until August, 1894, when 
W. J. McCafferty and D. W. McCrea be- 
came the lessees of the property. Morgan 
and Phillip Davis next l)ecame the owners 
of the property and the lessees under them 
were Louis Weisberg and W. A. Kemp. 
Charles H. Hosford purchased the ])ro))- 
erty from the Davis brothers in 1904 and 
conducted the business until February, 
1907, when Ralph Gregg, the ]iresent 
owner and proprietor, took charge. 

The Butler Hotel on South Main Street 
dates back to 1840, when it was known as 
the Swaney House. At this period Chris- 
tian Otto was the proprietor, and contin- 
ued to run the jilace for a number of years. 
Subsequently the building was converted 



into offices and a dwelling, and was used 
for that purpose until about 1887, when 
Henry Eitenmiller established a hotel. He 
was succeeded by Harry Faubel and An- 
drew Root, and they in turn by the present 
proprietor, D. F. McCrea. 

Park Hotel. — The building now occupied 
as the Park Hotel was originally the 
dwelling house of Maurice Bredin, who also 
conducted a store in the same building. It 
was converted into a hotel by Henry Eiten- 
miller in 1873, who conducted it for a num- 
ber of years and then sold it to .lames 
Sellers. Sellers was succeeded by Frank 
Clark, and he in turn by T. B. Humes, Jo- 
seph Shirley, Ralph (iregg, William Ken- 
nedy, and Louis Weisberg, the latter being 
the present proprietor. 

The old Schieiber House on North ]\lain 
Street, kept by Adam Schreiber, was one 
of the well known taverns in the days of 
the early oil excitement at the beginning 
of the seventies. William Boyd erected a 
large hotel building at the corner of Zeig- 
ler Avenue and Center Avenue on the 
Southside, which was used for a hotel in 
the seventies, but after the decline of the 
Greece City oil boom the building was con- 
verted into a dwelling. 

The Roue House was one of the old time 
taverns that existed in the days of the 
stage coach, but went out of business with 
the advent of the railroad. The building- 
is still standing at the foot of South Main 
Street, opposite the hospital. 

Nixon's Home was a place of public en- 
tertainment that had a wnde reputation in 
the last decade of the nineteenth century. 
The building was located on the site of the 
Afethodist Episcopal parsonage on North 
McKean Street, and the proprietor of the 
place for years was Simeon Nixon. 

The name tavern is no longer applied to 
public houses, and such places are now 
known only as hotels. In their equipment 
and style the modern hotel is far superior 
to the tavern of seventy-five years ago, and 
it is doubtful if there is anv more good 



422 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



cheer dispensed today or a guest received 
with more genuine cordiality than he was 
by the inn-keepers of the fifties. Butler 
has not suffered from the transition from 
the tavern to the modern hotel. The hotels 
of today have kept pace with the improve- 
ments of the town, and take rank with the 
cities of larger and more pretentious con- 
ditions and surroundings. The old time 
taverns and hotels above enumerated are 
all the creations of the past century. The 
beginning of the new century has marked 
a number of modern hotel buildings which 
are in keeping with the new conditions and 
surroundings of the town. In enumerat- 
ing the hotels of 1909, the Lowry, Willard, 
Arlington, Park and Butler Houses may 
be said to belong to the past decades, but 
their proprietors have kept pace with the 
times, and these hotels are numbered 
among the leading places of public enter- 
tainment in this section. The following 
list comprises hotels that have been erect- 
ed in the present decade, and mark a new 
era in hotel building in Butler. 

The New Nixon faces the public square 
from the south, and occupies the site of 
one of the first taverns of the town — the 
Adam, Funk house. Subsequently the 
property was occupied by a dwelling house 
until 1892, when the Park Theater and 
Armory were erected. The fire of Novem- 
ber 20, 1903, destroyed the theater and Ar- 
mory and the following year Nixon Broth- 
ers bought the plot of ground fronting 65 
feet on Diamond street and running 
through to the alley in the rear, 200 feet. 
The present hotel building is a buff brick 
structure, five stories high, including the 
basement, and covers the entire plat 200x 
65 feet. One of the features is the roof 
garden, overlooking the Park and giving 
an excellent view of the town. The build- 
ing is equipped with steam heat, elevators, 
private baths in each of the 125 bed rooms, 
telephones and all of the conveniences of 
the modern hotels of the big cities. 

The new hotel is the successor of the 



Centi'al Hotel, which was established by 
Mrs. Jennie Nixon on the southside of the 
Diamond about 1896. Subsequently the 
business was conducted by her sons, Sim- 
eon and J. B. Nixon, until the new hotel 
was completed in 1906. The New Nixon is 
at the present time under the management 
of Simeon Nixon. . 

The Hotel Bowman is the only public 
house on the Southside. It is located on 
Center Avenue and was erected in 1898 by 
Jacob Bowman, who conducted the busi- 
ness for several years, when G. C. Ha- 
worth became the proprietor. The hotel 
is a three-story brick structure, containing 
thirty rooms with all modern improve- 
ments. Mr. Haworth conducted the busi- 
ness until October, 1907, when C. C. 
Reeder, the present proprietor, took 
charge. 

The New Monroe Hotel on East Jeffer- 
son Street opposite the West Penn Depot, 
occupies the site of the old West Penn 
House, which was a noted place of public 
entertainment during the palmy days of 
the oil excitement in Greece City and 
Chicora. The new hotel is a three-story 
pressed l)rick building, containing fifty- 
two bed rooms, and represents an invest- 
ment of about $80,000. It is equipped with 
electric lights, gas and steam heat, tele- 
phone service, and is in every way modern 
in all its appointments. The property is 
owned by J. H. Harvey, who for five years 
was proprietor of the old Monroe Hotel on 
the corner of Monroe and East Jefferson 
Streets. The new hotel was erected in 
1908, and was opened to the public the first 
of March, 1909. 

The Atlas Hotel at the corner of Center 
Avenue and McKean Street was erected 
by C. H. Geis and Joseph Franklin in 
1907. It is a splendid brick building con- 
taining twenty-two bed rooms, a commo- 
dious dining room, and is equipped with 
gas and electric lights, steam heat, tele- 
))hone service, and baths. The present 
proprietor of the hotel under lease is ex- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



423 



Sheriff A. M. Campbell, who took charge 
in January, 1909. 

The Keystone Hotel at the corner of 
Center Avenue and Cliff Street, was 
erected in 1906, by Hugh A. McNamee, 
who is the present proprietor. It is a 
three-story brick building, containing 
forty-tive bed rooms, and all of the modern 
conveniences. It has been run as a tem- 
perance house since it was opened. 

TJic Hotel Cliuton on the corner of Race 
Street and First Avenue was erected in 
1906 by Earl D. Ciliuton, who previous to 
that time had conducted the Standard Ho- 
tel on Fairground Avenue. The building 
is three stories high, constructed of Shaw- 
nee mottled l)rick, and brown stone trim- 
mings. It contains thirty-five bed rooms, 
and is ecpiipped with steam heat, gas and 
electric lights, telephone service, and 
baths. The interior is finished in hard 
wood, and the floor of the office is laid in 
tile. This hotel is conveniently located to 
the P. H. B. & N. C. and P. & B. Electric 
Railways, and besides earing for a liberal 
transient trade, makes a specialty of ban- 
quets and receptions. 

The Comviercial Hotel on West Jeffer- 
son Street was established in 1906 by J. C. 
Moser, who purchased during that year 
the Steelsmith building and the property 
of John Lefevre. The buildings on the 
Lefevre property were torn down, and an 
addition was built to the three-story brick 
building on the Steelsmith lot. The hotel 
was opened to the public about January 
1, 1906, and has since that time enjoyed a 
large share of the public patronage. It 
is equipped with all modern conveniences, 
and is noted for the excellence of its table. 
This hotel is much patronized by the thea- 
trical profession. 

The Lyndora Hotel, located at the junc- 
tion of Pierce Avenue and the lower But- 
ler Road in the edge of Lyndora, was 
erected during the summer of 1902, by C. 
H. Geis, P. A. McCool and F. X. Kohler. 
The building is a frame structure three 



stories high, containing twenty-five bed 
rooms, a large dining I'oom, and a bar in 
the basement. The first proprietor of the 
hotel was Charles Geis, who operated it 
under a lease. Subsequently the property 
was purchased by P. A. McCool, and in 
1907, C. D. Shreiner became the owner of 
the property, and has since conducted the 
hotel business. 

The Waldron. The building occupied by 
tlie Waldron Hotel in Lyndora was first 
erected in 1903 and occupied for a short 
time as a theater. In 1906 the building 
was remodeled and constructed into a ho- 
tel by J. Brown Nixon, who is the pres- 
ent proprietor. The building is two and a 
half stories high, contains fifteen bed 
rooms, steam heat, gas and electric lights, 
and baths on each floor. The hotel has a 
large dining room on the first floor, and a 
bar in the basement. 

The Wick House, the Waverly and the 
Williams House are well known public 
houses run on the temperance plan, that 
have a large share of the public patronage. 

EARIA" MANUFACTUKES. 

The first manufactory in the present 
limits of Butler Borough is what is now 
known as the Walter Mill on the Conno- 
quenessing Creek, at the foot of Wash- 
ington Street. The original mill was a 
log building erected in 1802 by Samuel 
and John Cunningham, and it may be 
mentioned as a historical fact that the 
title to the land can be traced back to Rob- 
ert Morris, of Revolutionary fame. The 
Cunninghams had a cabin near the mill 
called the mill-house on the early maps 
of the town and it was at this cabin that 
the commissioners were entertained who 
came to Butler to locate the county seat. The 
Cunningham brothers sold the mill to John 
Negley, one of Butler's pioneers, who in 
later years was the promoter of a num- 
ber of the industries of the town. At the 
time of this purchase the mill property 
was in Butler Township outside of the 



424 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



limits of the borough, ^fr. Negley owned 
and carried on tlie mill for nearly thirty 
years. During this time he added to it a 
large woolen mill which was operated by his 
brother-in-law, Malachi Ricliardson. A 
cabinet-making sliop was also one of the 
enterprises promoted by Mr. Negley, and 
in 18;!2 he established a salt manufactur- 
ing plant between the mill site and South 
Main Street, which was operated for a 
number of years. Between 1816 and 1826 
Mr. Negley lived in the log house near 
the mill which had been built by the Cun- 
ninghams. The primitive mill was operat- 
ed by water power and was rudely 
equipped, the machinery consisting of a 
set of old-fashioned stone buhrs which 
served the settlers well at that time. In 
1833 Mr. Negley sold the mill to Robert 
McNair and Brothers, who carried it on 
for fifteen years. The old building was 
torn down and a new mill erected in 1840, 
which was 0]3erated by steam. In 1842 
a tire destroj'ed the entire plant, but tlie 
flouring part of it was immediately re- 
built and is a )mrt of the present struc- 
ture. In 1848 it became the property of 
William Beatty, who in turn sold it to 
.John McCarnes, who carried it on until 
1856. In 1857 the interests of McCarnes 
and Beatty were conveyed to Jacob Wal- 
ter and John C. Grohman, who carried it 
on until the death of Mr. Walter in 1865. 
At this time the mill had a capacity of 
about forty barrels of flour per day. Mr. 
Walter was succeeded by his son, George 
Walter, and the firm became Walter & 
Grohman. Jacob Boos bought the inter- 
ests of John C. Grohman in 1872, and the 
firm then became Walter & Boos. In 1890 
Mr. Walter became the sole owner, and as- 
sociated with him his sons, J. A. and C. 
E. Walter, the firm becoming George Wal- 
ter & Sons. The ])resent building is 44x 
60 feet, four stories in height and operated 
entirely by steam. The old mill dam, which 
was a feature of the town for almost a cen- 
tury, has been abandoned. The roller sys- 



tem is now in use in the mill, which has a 
capacity of sixty barrels of wheat flour, 
three hundred bushels of buckwheat per 
day, and two tons of chop per hour. Mr. 
AValter remained in charge until his death 
in 1902, and since that time the business 
has been carried on by the sons under the 
old firm name. This firm has an extensive 
country trade and also does a large busi- 
ness in builders' supplies. Buckwheat 
flour from this mill is shipped all over the 
United States. 

The Reiber Grist Mill on the Conno- 
quenessing Creek, north of the Walter 
Mill about one mile, was built in 1842 by 
Archibald McCall, a wealthy Philadelphia 
merchant and land agent. He sold it to 
Thomas Frazier who ran it for a short 
period and the property then passed into 
the hands of Clymer and Mylert. In 1856 
the property was purchased by George 
Reiber who operated the plant up until 
1895. During this period the mill was re- 
modeled and improved three times and in 
addition to the buhr system it contained 
the full roller process and had a daily ca- 
pacity of one hundred barrels of flour. 
Mr. Reiber also carried on a distillery in 
connection with the mill for a few years, 
and later he erected a distillery closer to 
the railroad which he operated until 1873. 
About 1890 Mr. Reiber took into partner- 
ship with himself his three sons, Edward, 
George L. and Henry Reiber, under the 
firm name of George Reiber & Sons. The 
construction of the Bessemer & Lake Erie 
Railroad in 1897 and the extension of the 
railroad yards in the vicinity of the mill 
pro]:»erty was the means of destroying the 
large country patronage of this mill and 
the plant was finally closed. 

The Oriental Mills. In 1867 H. J. Kling- 
ler erected a mill on Mifflin Street known 
as Klingler's Mill. In 1883-4 the mill was 
remodeled and enlarged when the present 
title, the Oriental Mills, was adopted. The 
capacity of the first mill was sixty barrels 
])er day. The old buhr system operated 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



425 



by steam power was in use until 1884, 
when the roller system was adopted. The 
present building is 40x45 feet, three 
stories high, with cupola and iron roof, 
and an annex of 28x80 feet. The capacity 
of the mill is 150 barrels per day. In 
1886 the firm name was changed to II. J. 
Klingler ite Company, Harry S. and Fred 
J. Klingler becoming partners with their 
father. In 1897 Fred J. Klingler retired, 
and since that time H. J. Klingler and 
Harry S. Klingler have composed the firm 
of H. J. Klingler & Comjiany, of which 
riarrv S. Klingler is the general uiaiiager. 
In 188!) the liim built the Siu'rialtv 1-Jnller 
Mills near the West Penn depot, and have 
since carried on both mills very success- 
fully. In 1903 the building at "the West 
Penn depot was enlarged by the addition 
of a grain elevator, which is fully ('(|nipped 
with modern machinery, and the Mittlin 
Street mill was also imin'oved by the in- 
stallation of a co]nplete new roller proc- 
ess which increased the output of the mill 
and enhanced the value of the product. 

EARLY TANNERIES. 

One of the earliest and leading indus- 
tries of the town was the tanning business. 
A pioneer tannery was located on the cor- 
ner of East Jefferson and Franklin 
Streets, and started soon after the town 
was laid out. The second tannery was es- 
tablished by Hugh McKee on the site of 
Berg's bank, on the corner of Main and 
Jefferson Streets, and was an extensive 
plant for those days. It was the largest 
manufacturing institution in the town for 
many years. 

In 1841 Conrad Roessing opened a tan- 
yard on North Washington Street, be- 
tween Clay and Pearl, which he operated 
until 1886, when the property was pur- 
chased by Henry Wagner. Soon after the 
buildings were removed and dwelling 
houses took the place of the tanner}'. 

For many years William McQuistion op- 
erated a tanuerv on South Washington 



Street (ui the property now owned by Lev- 
ingston Mc(^uistion and Mrs. L. Beau- 
mont. Abdiel Martin Carried on the tan- 
ning business in Butler about the same 
time, on West Cunningham Street on the 
Jacob Lawall property. William Mardorf 
commenced the tanning business about 
1870 at the foot of West Cunningham 
Street and continued the business until 
about 1888. 



The pioneer woolen-mill and carding 
factory was established by John Negley 
about 1810, and was operated by Malachi 
Richardson. About 1833 0. (r. Croy and 
George W. Smith operated a woolen mill 
which stood on the north side of Jeft'erson 
Street, Ijetween Main and McKean Streets, 
in the neighborhood of the Weisner prop- 
erty. This mill was the first of the kind 
in the limits of the borough, and the power 
was furnished by a horse-tread mill. What 
was long known as the Union Woolen 
Mills on the south side of the creek, was 
erected in 1842 by William J. Ayres. 
After conducting it a few years he sold it 
to William P. Mackey, who used a part 
of the liuilding for a grist-mill. John H. 
Thomi)son was the next owner, and in 
1861 the plant was purchased by Hugh 
Fullertou who operated it as a woolen- 
mill until his death in 1892. The mill was 
operated for about a year after Mr. Ful- 
lerton's death bv James Fullerton, and in 
1894 the building was sold to J. B. Sher- 
man who converted it into a machine shop. 

In 1812 John Gilmore brought a carding 
nuichine to Butler, which was operated for 
many years and was of great utility to the 
people of the community. It was the cus- 
tom of the farmers to bring their wool to 
the carding machine and have it carded 
into long rolls. It was the duty of the 
women during the long winter evenings 
to spin the yarn from which socks and 
woolen garments were made for the use 
of the familv. This was also the custom 



426 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



in the towu as well as iu the coimtry and 
nearly all of the woolen goods were man- 
ufactured in this way. 

PIONEER FOUNDRIES. 

The pioneer foundry was established by 
John and Alfred McCarnes about 1840 or 
1841. They carried on the business until 
1847, when James G. and AVilliam Camp- 
bell purchased an interest and tive years 
later became sole owners of the plant. In 
the early days the foundry manufactured 
plows, stoves, and did a general line of 
work that met the requirements of the 
community. The plant is still operated by 
the heirs of the Campbell estate, and does 
a general line of foundry work. The fore- 
man iu charge of the plant, who is one of 
the oldest foundrymen in the town, is 
Philip Crouse. 

A few years after the Campbell foundry 
was started, Cai'ns and McJuukin estab- 
lished a foundry at the corner of North 
Washington and West Clay Streets. This 
property was purchased by H. J. Kling- 
ler and Martin Eeiber in 1859, and after 
passing through a number of ownerships, 
ceased operations about 1875. 

About 1850 S. Tinker established a foun- 
dry and shops for the manufacture of 
farm implements and threshing machines 
on Mifflin Street, adjoining the Klingler 
Mills. About 1865 the plant was purchased 
by William Bauer, who manufactured 
farm implements for many years. Orig- 
inally the shops extended from Mifflin to 
North Sti-eet and a large number of men 
were employed. The shops have long 
since been abandoned, but the foundry 
part is still operated on a sniall scale by 
Mr. Bauer. 



The first large manufacturing enter- 
prise of importance to be started in Butler 
was the Standard Plate Glass Works on 
the Southside, which were opened July ,30, 
1887, when the first pot was taken from 



the furnace and cast into the molds. Ten 
plates, each 9-16 of an inch thick, 12 feet 
long and 6 feet wide, were cast and tem- 
pered, and within the ensuing week twenty 
pots were rolled and tempered daily, and 
a force of 140 men were employed. The 
first large plate ]iroduced here was pur- 
chased by D. 11. W'uller for the window of 
his store on South Main Street, now known 
as WuUer's Pharmacy. 

The local stockholders and originators 
of this industry were J. H. Shields, H. J. 
Klingler, Eev. William A. Nolan, William 
A. Stein, J. Henry Troutman, AVilliam 
Campbell, Jr., and John Kirkpatrick, 
while the non-resident stockholders were 
E. C. Sehmertz, W. A. Schmertz, A. F. 
Chandler, J as. A. Chambers, H. S. Mc- 
Kee, Simon Cameron, Morton McMichael, 
and B. K. Jamison. A. C. Boyd, who wa& 
the first manager of the plant, was also 
one of the first stockholders. The first 
officers were H. J. Klingler, president ; E. 
C. Schmertz, vice-president; A. F. Chand- 
ler, secretary and treasurer. E. Brock- 
man, who introduced glass-grinding ma- 
chinery in France, was manager, and un- 
der his dii'ection there were four hundred 
workers from France, Belgium and Ger- 
many. 

Since the inauguration of this industry 
many changes have been made in the offi- 
cial board. James A. Chambers succeed- 
ed Mr. Klingler as president the second 
year, and in January, 1893, J. T. Hamilton 
of Pittsburg, was elected i3resident, a po- 
sition which he still holds. A. F. Chand- 
ler, the first secretary, was succeeded by 
E. J. Howard, and he in turn by J. Henry 
Troutman of Butler. Mr. Chandler was 
also the first treasurer, and when he re- 
tired from the secretaryship, AY. A. 
Sclmiertz of Pittsburg was elected to po- 
sition of treasurer. Subsequently these 
two offices were united, and at the present 
time J. Henry Troutman is the treasurer 
and secretary. The office of manager was 
first filled by A. C. Boyd, next by E. 



AND KEPKESEXTAXn E CITIZENS 



427 



Brockman, and subsequently by 1). E. 
Wheeler, Edmund Brown, H. A. Tiltou, 
and George F. Neale. The latter was suc- 
ceeded in July, 1907, by Daniel K. Al- 
l)ri8ht. In 1891 the office of su])erin- 
tendent was abolished, being- merged into 
that of general manager. 

The railroad privileges enjoyed by the 
company are all that can lie desired. 
Tracks lead to every large buildiug, where 
machinery for handling and delivery of 
raw material and loading the finished 
product is of modern design. The com- 
pany owns its own gas plant, and one of 
the wells drilled by this concern is the 
deepest exploration for gas or oil in But- 
ler County. At the beginning of the in- 
dustry, the fire-clay for the manufacture 
of pots was obtained from Missouri, while 
the melting-sand was taken from Maple- 
ton, Pennsylvania. Today much of the 
melting-sand is procured in Butler Coun- 
ty, and nearly all of the material, much 
of which was im]5orted a few years ago, is 
now obtained within the State, with the 
exception of sulphate of soda, which is 
secured at Syracuse, New York. AVheu 
the works were first operated the build- 
ings covered three and i)ne-half acres of 
ground, They have been extended from 
time to .time, imtil today they cover an 
area of about ten acres. The orginal out- 
put has been increased from one million 
feet per year to four million feet. I)ui'- 
ing the winter of 1908-9 a large addition 
was built to the main factory, and new 
machinery installed that materially in- 
creases the output. At the present time 
the plant is emploving five hundred men, 
and the pay roll "aggregates $350,000.00 
a year. The present officer- of tlie com- 
pany are James T. Hamilton, of Pittsl)urg, 
president; John F. Anderson, of Butler, 
vice-president; J. H. Troutman, secre- 
tary and treasurer; and D. K. Albright, 
general manager. The above officers with 
the following compose the directors : Hon. 
John :\r. Kennedv, of Pittsburg: A. M. 



Imbrie, of Pittsburg; George A. Kim, of 
Pittsburg; and John S. Campbell, of But- 
ler. . 

The quality of glass produced by this 
factory is superior to that of the major- 
ity of the factories in the United States, 
and the local concern finds a ready mar- 
ket for all the glass it can produce, and 
has kept the works running night and day 
for the past ten years. 

One of the feats performed by this fac- 
tory was the casting of the big lens for the 
obsei'vatory at Washington, D. C, in 1898. 
This lens is the largest glass reflecting 
lens in the world, and the work of casting- 
it was accomplished with much difficulty. 

hamilto:n bottle wokks. 

The Hamilton Bottle Works had their 
beginning in the fall of 1882, when Dom- 
ini ck Ihmsen established an eight-pot fur- 
nace on the site of the present jjlant. About 
a year later the Butler Flint Bottle Com- 
pany, Limited, was organized, embracing 
ten glass workers, and the Ihmsen plant 
purchased. The company was composed 
of the following persons: D. Ihmsen, 
president; W. J. McKee, secretary and 
treasurer; Conrad Smith, John Smith, 
John Fai-rel, James J. Haves, John AV. 
Vogel and A. P. McKee. In June, 1888, 
the works were burned, and on August 30th 
following, the Butler Glass Company, Lim- 
ited, was organized. Charles Duffy was 
l)resident and Thomas H. Gallagher, sec- 
retary. They, with John W. Vogel, James 
J. Hayes, Peter Vogel, John F. Lowry, 
Jacob Faller, Michael Buechle, Mrs. E. 
Grieb, William Aland, Albert Hannen, 
Frank Simiio-, John Kiehn, Peter Kiehn, 
John Kapiilcr mikI .1. 11. Troutman, were 
the stocklioiders. A building was erected 
on the oi-iginal site and the works were 
carried on about one year and then sold 
to the Hamilton Brothers, who have since 
operated the plant very successfully. In 
October, 1893, the buildings were partially 
burned, but thev have since been rebuilt 



428 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and equipped in first class order. Tlie 
works contain one twelve and one eight- 
pot furnace, and all kinds of flint prescrip- 
tion bottles are manufactured. The fuel 
used is natural gas, supplied by the firm's 
wells in Center Township, whence the 
fluid is piped to the works. 

The Standard Steel Car Compani), 
which has been an important factor in the 
development of Butler, was iucor]>orated 
January 2, 1902, with a capital of $3,000,- 
000. This was subsequently increased to 
$4,000,000. The incorporators and princi- 
pal stockholders of the company are resi- 
dents of Pittsburg, and the officers of the 
corporation at the time of its organiza- 
tion were J. M. Hansen, jiresident; A. R. 
Fraser, vice-president and treasurer; and 
A. S. Valentine, secretary. In April, 1902, 
the company purchased a tract of land in 
the Third Ward of Butler Borough, lying 
between Fairground Avenue and the 
Pierce Road, and extending from Pillow 
Street to the Creek, for a manufacturing 
site, and at the same time purchased the 
John McElroy farm southwest of the bor- 
ough in Butler Township, for a town site. 
The manufacturing site in the borough in- 
cludes the properties owned by J. Geo. 
Stamm, on which the brick factory stood, 
Charles Uuffy, Mrs. Caroline Pillow, 
James Bredin, the Butler Savings Bank, 
the heirs of Thos. Stehle, Mrs. Ellen Mc- 
Shane. and T. J. Shufflin. The latter pur- 
chase was a tract of three and one-half 
acres that belonged to the Butler Pickle 
Factory. The company also purchased the 
leases and plant of the old Butler Fair As- 
sociation, and occupied the old fair 
grounds as the site, for their first build- 
ings. The erection of the jtlant was accom- 
plished in rccoid hrcakiiig time. Ground 
was broken for the large i>hnit on the 20th 
of April, and the works were completed 
and the first cars turned out on the 1st of 
October, 1902. The excavation was done 
by David Winters & Son, of Pittsburg, 
the foundation work was done by Hugh 



Ferguson, and the structural iron work 
by the McClintock-Marshall Company of 
Pittsburg. The main building erected at 
that tune was sixteen hundred feet long 
and four hundred feet wide. A large i)ow- 
er-house and machine shops were also 
erected at the west side of the main build- 
ing, and the paint shops and the main of- 
fice at the east side, on Fairground Av- 
enue. The entire plant was completed, the 
machinery installed, and the first steel cars 
turned out on the 1st day of Octol)er, 1902. 
At that time the capacity of the ])lant was 
from fifty to sixtj' cars a day, and employ- 
ment was furnished to about 2,500 men. 

An extension was built to the main 
building in 1903, and other additions have 
l)een made since that time until the pres- 
ent capacity of the works is from 100 to 
125 cars per day. When running full time 
the plant employs about -1:,(K)() men. and its 
pay-roll amounts to over $300,000 a mouth. 
The i)resent officers of the comjiany are J. 
M. Hansen, president; J. B. Brady, vice- 
president ; William Bierman, secretary ; T. 
H. Gillespie, treasurer; and W. Fletcher, 
assistant treasurer. 

The first manager of the plant was P. F. 
McCool, who superintended the erection of 
the building and turned out the first cars.~ 
He was succeeded by E. G. Caughey in 
1903, and the latter in turn by J. H."AU 
man, the present manager, who took charge 
in 1905. The chief engineer is A. Chris- 
tianson. 

For the first two or three years after 
the organization of the company the main 
offices and the auditing department were 
kept in Pittsburg. In 1905 a frame build- 
ing was erected on the west side of the 
plant on Pierce Avenue, and the auditing 
department and all of the officers, except 
that of the president, were removed to 
Butler. 

The Standard Steel Car Company has 
Ijeen called the young giant of the steel 
car indu.stry, and in the short space of 
seven years it has doubled the capacity of 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



its plant, and taken a front rank among 
the manufacturing industries of the coun- 
try. Among the subsidiary comj^ianies con- 
trolled by the Standard are the Butler 
Bolt & Rivet Works, the Butler Car Wheel 
Foundry, located at Butler, the Steel Car 
Plant at New Castle, Pennsylvania, and 
the large plant at Hammond,. Indiana. The 
Standard was one of the last concerns to 
be ati'ected by the financial depression of 
]yU8, and the plant here was in operation 
long after the other car-manufacturing 
plants in the country had closed down. 
After work was suspended here, the eom- 
l)any employed a large number of men in 
making repairs, and placing the plant in 
first-class condition to resume business, 
and also ke]it their organization intact. 

The Fdif/ol Stfcl ifliri'I Cniii/Hnii/ was 
incorporntiMl .luiif Lid, 1 !)(!(;. Iiy ;i number 
of Pittshiu-g capitalists wIki arc also in- 
terested in the steel car business. The 
|)resident of the company is J. M. Hansen, 
and T. H. Gillespie is the treasurer. A 
large plant was erected south of the town 
of Lyndora on the property of the Stand- 
ard Steel Car Company, and heavy ma- 
chinery installed for carrying on the work. 
Forged steel wheels were at first an ex- 
pei'iment, and the plant erected here was 
considered an experimental plant. The 
last couple of years has demonstrated the 
practical ability of the new wheel, and the 
resumption of the iron and steel business 
will mean the employment of a large num- 
ber of men at the new factory in Butler. 

The Butler Bolt and Rivet Company is 
a subsidiary company of the Standard 
Steel Car Company, and was incorporated 
June 28, 3906, with a capital of $200,000. 
The plant was erected on Pierce Avenue 
north of the main plant of the car works 
in 1906, and gives employment to about 200 
men. 

The Butler Car Wheel Foundry was in- 
corporated December 22, 1905, with a cap- 
ital of $300,000. This company is also sub- 
sidiary to the Standard Steel Car Com- 



panj'. The plant was erected in the win- 
ter of 1905-6, and adjoins that of the Bolt 
and Eivet Works. It has a capacity of 
about 800 cast car wheels a day, and fui- 
nishes employment to about 300 men. 
When running full time the work distrilt- 
utes about $35,000 a month with its i)av 
roll. 

WAGON" FACTORIES. 

The manufacture of wagons was com- 
menced in 1848 by John Lawall, Sr., who 
established the business in the rear of 
Reiber Brothers' blacksmith shop on West 
Cunningham Street. He conducted" the 
factory at this point until 1860, when he 
removed to South Washington Street, ad- 
joining his residence. In 1872 he began 
tlie manufacture of buggies and carriages, 
which he continued until his death in 1877. 
The business was then carried on by his 
sons, John and Jacob Lawall, until about 
1885. At this time the growth of great 
carriage factories (m| nipped with the most 
improved machinery iciidered the manu- 
facture of wagons and carriages by the old 
process an unprofitable business, and de- 
stroyed the industry in the smaller towns. 

The Thompson. Brothers were pioneers 
in the same line, opening a factory on West 
Cunningham Street in 1857. This factory 
was located on the corner of Church Street 
and W^est Cunningham Street, and was 
quite an extensive affair for its day. The 
Thompsons sold the plant to Geo. C. Eoes- 
sing and removed to Prospect, where they 
established a factory. Mr. Roessing con- 
ducted the business of manufacturing bug- 
gies and wagons in connection with the 
undertaking business until 1888, when the 
factory was closed and the undertaking 
business was removed to West Jefferson 
Street. 

George C. Roessing established a cab- 
inet-maker's shop in 1847 on the Pattoii 
Kearns property on West Jefferso)i 
Street in the rear of what is now the Zim 
merman store. It was the bu.siness of the 



432 



HISTOBY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



furniture makers of those daj's to make 
coffins for the burial of the dead, and the 
business of undertaker was usually asso- 
ciated with that of cabinet-making. In 
1860 Mr. Eoessing purchased the wagon 
and carriage works of Thompson Broth- 
ers on West Cunningham Street, which he 
conducted in connection with the under- 
taking business until 1888. The introduc- 
tion of factory -made work made the wagon 
and carriage business unprofitable to the 
small operators, and Mr. Eoessing closed 
this branch of his business and removed 
the undertaking department to the Odd 
Fellows building on West Jefferson 
Street. At this time Mr. Eoessing had as- 
sociated with him his son, W. P. Eoessing, 
under the firm name of George Eoessing 
& Son. 

Martin, and George Reiher were engaged 
in the wagon manufacturing business in 
the fifties, having a shop on West Cun- 
ningham Street on the McQuistion prop- 
erty. 

MACHINE SHOPS. 

Butler first attracted attention as a cen- 
ter for the manufacture of oil well tools 
and supplies in 1880 about the time the 
Bald Eidge oil field was opened up. Pre- 
vious to that time there were no shops of 
importance in the town and nothing out- 
side of a small line of repair work was 
attempted. 

William Kesselman S Company estab- 
lished their shops here in 1881 for the 
manufacture of drilling and fishing tools, 
heavy forgings, and the repairing of en- 
gines. Their plant was located along the 
B. & O. Eailroad tracks on the south side 
of the creek, the main building being olx 
87 feet, with a machine shop 28x40 feet. 
Steam hammers were used in this shop 
for the first time in Butler, and the firm 
has since kept pace with all the modern im- 
provements. 

The shop now operated by W. H. Lar- 
kin (£■ Company on Center Avenue was 
founded in 1885 by Thomas and W. G. 



Hays. Their business consisted of the 
manufacture of drilling and fishing tools, 
as well as dealing in oil well supplies. In 
1887 the Hays brothers disposed of their 
interests to Larkin, Warhus and Company, 
and in 1890 Mr. Warhus disposed of his 
interest in the i5artnerslii]i in .Inlm Feigel. 
Since that time the busill(■^^ has been car- 
ried on under the firm name of \V. H. Lar- 
kin & Company. In addition to carrying 
on a general manufacturing business the 
firm manufactures gas engines, and has an 
extensive trade throughout the entire oil 
country. 

The BxUler Boiler Works were estab- 
lished about 1888 by Mr. Kane, who after- 
wards sold the plant to James Meehan. In 
1891 they were purchased by Hughes 
brothers, and for many years they were 
one of the valuable acquisitions to the 
manufacturing industries of the town. 

The Butler Manufacturing Company, 
Limited, was established in 1888 with a 
capital stock of $20,000, and the incorpora- 
tors of the company were J. W. McKee, 
president; H. S. Gibson, secretary and 
treasurer; and D. W. Younkins and J. E. 
Russell, directors. The plant was located 
on Monroe Street opposite the old Elec- 
tric Light plant, and for a number of years 
an extensive business was carried on in 
the manufacture of engines, boilers, and 
general foundry work. Originally the 
plant was erected at Bradford for the man- 
ufacture of ball engines and in the year 
above mentioned it was removed to But- 
ler and enlarged. 

F. H. Bole established a machine shop 
foi- the manufacture of oil well and fish- 
ing tools in 1884 at the corner of South 
McKean & Quarry streets. He carried on 
the business until 1895, when he disposed 
of his property and removed to Pittsburg. 

The Star Iron Works were first estab- 
lished at Karns City by Sherman & John- 
son. In 1894 they purchased the old Ful- 
erton Woolen Mill property on Etna Street 
and removed their plant to Butler. They 



AND REPRESKXTATIVE CITIZENS 



433 



manufacture engines, jjumps, casing cut- 
ters, fishing tools of all kinds, and make 
a specialty of tte manufacture of brass 
goods. 

Spang d; Company. The large estab- 
lislunent on Etna Street occupied by 
(ieorge A. Spang & Company had a small 
beginning. In 1893 George A. Spang es- 
tablished a small machine shop on the site 
of the present building and engaged in the 
manufacture and repair of fishing tools. 
The working force consisted of the pro- 
prietor and one or two helpers. In the 
fall of that year the shop was removed to 
Glade Mills, then the heart of an oil ex- 
citement, where the business was enlarged 
and conducted till 1896. In 1897 the slioi^s 
were removed to Eenfrew, and in the fall 
of 1900 a limited partnership was organ- 
ized with D. B. Campbell as chairman, 
Emery Brandon secretary and George A. 
Spang, manager. The firm engaged in 
the manufacture of drilling and fishing 
tools, oil well packers and machine work. 
That year the plant was removed to But- 
ler, and the shops established on Etna 
Street at the present. location. The busi- 
ness grew rapidly and soon recjuired an 
additional capital to carry it on, and 
larger quarters, and in 1907 the company 
was incorporated as George A. Spang & 
Company, the officers being John F. An- 
derson, president; J. W. Brandon, secre- 
tary, and George A. Spang, treasurer and 
manager. The same year the concrete 
building now occupied by the com- 
pany was erected. This building has 
a floor space of 15,000 square feet, 
and the different shops of the con- 
cern occupied the floor space of 34.000 
square feet. In January, 1909, the com- 
pany purchased the plant and business of 
the Etna Manufacturing Company of But- 
ler, and consolidated the two plants. They 
employ about fifty men, all skilled me- 
chanics, and make a specialty of fishing- 
fools and oil well packers. The fishing 
tools and ])ackers manufactured by fjiis 



concern are shipped to aU parts of the 
United States and to the oil fields of Eu- 
rope. In addition to the shops in Butler 
the company carry on a branch shop in 
Coffej^ille, Kansas. 

The Evans Manufacturing Company 
owes its inception to Evan Evans, who 
first began with a small shop at Chicora, 
where he made a specialty of brass fittings 
and valves. The shop was removed to 
Butler in 1893 and established on Center 
Avenue, where the business was enlarged 
and a general line of oil well supplies was 
manufactured. Mr. Evans was a man of 
inventive turn of mind and began experi- 
menting with the clutch pulleys and gas 
engines, and in 1896 the present building 
was erected on the corner of South Mc- 
Kean and East "Wayne Streets, where the 
manufacture of these inventions was com- 
menced. In 1898 Mr. Evans formed a 
])artnership with C. A. Templeton, under 
the firm name of the Evans-Templeton 
Company. This firm continued for about 
two years, when the present company was 
organized under the title of the Evans 
Manufacturing Company. Mr. Evans con- 
tinued in the active management of the 
Inisiuess until his death in 1906, and since 
that time his son, H. A. Evans, has been 
the superintendent and manager. The 
jiresent officers are Daniel Younkins, chair- 
man; George M. Jacobs, secretary and 
treasurer, and H. A. Evans, superinten- 
dent. In addition to the machine shop the 
■company has a brass and metal foundry 
and manufactures castings of all kinds for 
the oil well trade. They also manufacture 
gas and gasolene engines, clutch pulleys, 
and a general line of oil well supplies, and 
employ from forty-five to fifty men. 

The Masseth Packer and Machine 
Works on West Wayne Street are the suc- 
cessors to Benjamin Masseth, who estab- 
lished the business in Butler in 1889. Mr. 
Masseth owned the patents for oil and gas 
well packers and other valuable inventions 
in use in the oil country and, previous to 



434 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Homing to Butler, had followed the for- 
tunes of the oil field from Pithole in 1862 
to Butler in 1889. He established a ma- 
chine shop on Wayne Street with J. B. , 
Sherman as a partner, and later he took 
in D. W. Black, who is a practical machin- 
ist and inventor. After-wards Mi-. Mas- 
seth purchased the interest of Mr. Sher- 
man and the firm of Masseth & Black op- 
erated the machine shop until the death of 
Mr. Masseth on June 30, 1903. The busi- 
ness of Mr. Masseth was carried on sep- 
arate from the machine shops. After his 
death J. N. Hyle became the owner of Mr. 
Masseth 's interests, and the business is 
now carried on under the title of the Mas- 
seth Packer and Machine Works, D. W. 
BJack being the other partner. The com- 
l)any manufactures Masseth 's patent self- 
supporting wall packers and all kinds of 
machinery for oil, gas, and artesian wells, 
gas i:)umps, engines, etc. 

The Butler Engine and Foundry Com- 
pany is the successor of the Butler Man- 
ufacturing Company, having purchased 
the plant of the latter concern on Monroe 
Street in October, 1904. The officers of 
the company are H. B. McKinney, presi- 
dent; John J. McKinney, secretary; M. 
M. McKinney, treasurer; J. C. Thompson, 
vice-president; and these, with Thos. G. 
Eussell, compose the board of directors. 
The company is capitalized at $45,000.00, 
and does an extensive business in steam 
and gas engines and foundry work. In 
addition to the machine shops, the com- 
pany operates an iron and brass foundry. 

Tlie Phillips Machine Shops were first 
located at Great Belt, where their princi- 
pal work was in the line of repair of oil 
well machinery for the Thomas W. Phil- 
lips Oil Company. The shops were moved 
to Butler aboi;t 1897, and engaged in the 
manufacture of oil well tools and gas en- 
gines. On April 11, 1907, the T. W. Phil- 
lips Manufacturing Company was incor- 
porated with T. W. Phillips, president; 
Thomas W. PMllips, Jr., H. C. Phillips, 



and Clarence AValker. Since that time the 
company has been extensively engaged in 
the manufacture of steam and gas engines 
and oil well tools, and has employed a 
large force of men night and day operat- 
ing the extensive plant. 

The machine shops of C. W. Heeter & 
Son are located on Etna Street, and are 
engaged in the manufactm-e of drilling 
tools, fishing tools and oil well packers. 
The company was incorporated in 1905, 
and at the present time furnishes employ- 
ment to thirty to forty men. 

The machine shops of George Palm on 
Kittanning Street, the Campbell Machine 
Shop on East Wayne Street, and Pool's 
Brass Foundry on the same street, com- 
plete the list of shops of this class. 

SILK MILL. 

The Butler Silk Mill was first organized 
in 1900 as an association. Previous to 
that time parties representing an eastern 
silk manufacturing company had made a 
proposition to the local Board of Trade to 
establish a mill at Butler. The proposi- 
tion of the eastei-n people was not satis- 
factory, and after their departure local 
parties took up the matter with the result 
that a company was organized and capi- 
talized in Butler. The old Institute Build- 
ing on First Street was secured for the 
site, and the factory opened the same year. 
In 1902 the company was incorporated, 
and in 1908 the following were the officers 
and managers : Wm. C. Thompson, presi- 
dent; Alf. M. Reiber, treasurer; Wm. H. 
Miller, secretary; Alf. M. Reiber, W. J. 
McDowell, and L. C. Wick, managers. The 
factory employs from forty to fifty peo- 
]-)le and has a daily capacity of five hun- 
dred yards of broad silk. 

PLANING MILLS. 

The first i>laning mill established in the 
borough of Butler is still in operation. In 
1832 Samuel G. Purvis came to Butler and 
engaged as a carpenter with the local con- 



AND KEPHESKNTATIVE CITIZENS 



435 



tractors of that period. In 18o4 he coiii- 
meueed contractiug and bnilding, and 
continued until 1867, when the lirni of S. 
G. Purvis cB Company was organized, his 
son Josepli L. becoming- a partner. In 
1869 they embai'ked in the ])hining-inill 
and lumbei- business, wliich they carried 
on in connection with contracting and 
building. In 1876 Levi (). Purvis was 
taken into the firm as a partner, and in 
1879 tlie tirm commenced tlie manufac- 
ture of sash, doors, and blinds, since wliich 
time they have gradually increased the 
business to its present capacity. After 
the death of Samuel (t. Purvis in 1879 
the business was conducted by the sons 
under the old tirm name until 1907, when 
the partnership was dissolved, and the 
business is now conducted by Levi (). Pur- 
vis. The plant is located on the corner 
of Franklin and North Streets, and is 
equip])ed with machinery of the latest and 
most im])roved kind. ' From 125 to 200 
hands are furnished employment. 

Bauer's Mill. About 1860 Henry, Ben- 
jamin and Philip Bauer engaged in the 
manufacture of farm implements, and had 
sho](s on West Jefferson Street at the cor^ 
ner of I:>luft' Street. They subsecpiently 
built a saw-mill on the opposite side of 
Jetferson Street, which they operated for 
a number of years, and about 1872 they es- 
tablished a ])laniug mill in connection with 
the saw-mill. In the early part of the 
eighties the business outlook of Butler did 
not justify two i)laning-mills, and the 
Bauer's mill was removed to Allegheny 
County. 

L. C. Wick Liiinhrr Yards. The lumlier 
yards of L. C. Wick, located on Spring 
Avenue and the Baltimore & Ohio Hail- 
road, Southside, were estal)lished in 1S82. 
Subse<|U('ntly Mr. Wick erected a brick 
building south of Center Avenue near the 
creek, and established a planing-mill, which 
he operated for a number of years, and 
then sold the building and machinery to 
the Daugherty Manufacturing Company. 



The latter concern manufactured church 
furniture for a short time, when the plant 
again came into the possession of Mr. 
Wick. The mill has been standing idle for 
the past year, Mr. Wick giving his sole 
attention to the lumber business. 

W. E. Wick (& Co. The lumber yards 
of W. E. Wick & Company on Monroe 
Street were established in the early part 
of the nineties, and are the successors of 
Hewitt & Company. They deal entirely 
in builders' supplies, rough and dressed 
1 umber. 

The Cornelius Lumber Company was or- 
ganized in 1902, and opened yards on Kit- 
tanning Street. Early in 1908 the tirm was 
dissolved, and Raymond S. Cornelius be- 
came owner and manager of the business, 
■^Vliich has continued as the ("ornelius Lum- 
ber Company. 

The J. C. Thorn Lumber cC Planing Mill 
Company was incorporated and chartered 
in 1906, and erected a large brick planing- 
mill in the island district on Negley Av- 
enue. The enterprise was not successful 
and the business was abandoned in 1907. 
The buildings are now used as a factory 
by the Butler Concrete Manufacturing 
( 'onipany. 

W. H. Miller Planing Mill. William H. 
^filler, a native of Germany, located in 
Butler in 1834 and established the furni- 
ture-making business on North Main 
Street, on the property now owned by the 
Masonic Order. He continued in the busi- 
ness until his death in 1875. In 1870 
Wm. F. Miller, who had learned his trade 
with liis father, established a factory on 
North Washington Street and engaged in 
the manufacture of scroll work, stair rails 
and fanc5' wood work. He conducted a 
l)laning-mill in connection with his factory 
and in 1890 he established a chop and feed 
mill which was operated for a few years. 
This mill has not been in operation since 
1900. 

-v. G. Purvis cC Co. The lumber vards 
of S. G. Purvis & Co. were established bv 



436 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Samuel G. and Joseph L. Purvis al)out 
1875, and were operated in connection 
with the planing mill. AVlien the firm of 
S. G. Purvis & Co. dissolved in 1906, 
Joseph L. Purvis retained the yards and 
continued in the lumber business under 
the firm name of S. G. Purvis & Co., 
taking into partnership with him his sons, 
S. H. and Willis Purvis. Since the death 
of Joseph L. Purvis in 1907 the business 
has been conducted under the old firm 
name, with S. H. Purvis as manager. 

John Goetz Planing-Mill. John Goetz 
erected a planing-mill on Spring Avenue 
in 1883, and conducted a general contract- 
ing and building business in connection 
with his mill until about 1895, when he dis- 
posed of his plant. The site of the mill 
is now occupied bv the L. C. AVick lumber 
yard. 

EAELY BRICK YARDS. 

The manufacture of brick was an im- 
portant industry in the early history of 
the town and at one time several factories 
were in existence within the present limits 
of the borough. As early as 1823 William 
Borland established a brick yard on the 
site of the present car wheel foundry of 
the Standard Steel Car Works on Fair- 
ground Avenue. The brick used in the 
erection of the first brick houses in Butler 
were manufactured at this site, and it is 
probable that the brick for the first court 
house came from the same locality. 

The second brick yard was opened liy 
the Brackney Brothers on the property 
of Moses Sullivan. This was about 1827. 
and the brick used in the erection of the 
old United Presbyterian Church in that 
year were manufactured at this yard. 

The third yard was opened by John 
Graham on the corner of North Main and 
Fulton Streets. This yard finally sup(M-- 
seded the Brackney and Borland yards, 
and was operated for many years. 

The next to embark in the business was 
David Walker, wlio ojkmkmI a yard on 



]\liHhn Street near the corner of what is 
now Cliestnut. This was one of the larg- 
est enterprises in the town. Mifflin Street 
at that time was a twenty-foot alley which 
ended at the brick yard, and in order to 
get an outlet for his yard, Mr. Walker 
opened out Mifflin Street to its present 
width as far as Main Street, at his per- 
sonal expense. Mr. Walker was succeeded 
in the business in 1817 by his brother, 
Nathaniel AValker, who conducted it for 
many years. The Walker brick yards 
were considered the most extensive opera- 
tions of the kind in the county. 

After the establishment of the Walker 
yards, Franklin Fisher operated a brick 
yard on West Cunningham Street, and in 
later years on West Penn Street, the lat- 
ter yard being in operation about 1880. 

J. George Stamm began the manufac- 
ture of brick in 1881 on the site of the old 
Borland yard at the corner of Pillow 
Street and Fairground Avenue, which he 
continued down until 1902, when he dis- 
posed of his property to the Standard 
Steel Car Company. Stamm 's yard cov- 
ered seven, and three-quarter acres of 
ground, and his factory had a capacity of 
.■]0,000 l)ricks per day. Natural gas foi' 
burning purposes was used in this yard 
for the first lime in the coimty. 

The brick yard's of ShuU & Badger on 
the south side of the creek were estab- 
lished aliout 1902. These yards were es- 
tablished Ity Reed Brothers, and were sub- 
sequently sold to the present owners. The 
concern furnishes employment to about 
thirty men the year round, and is one of 
the substantial industries of the town. 

The Bnfler Brick and Tile Company was 
organized in 1896 as a limited partnership 
and established a plant at the Transfer on 
the P)esseiner Railroad. The capital of 
the company was $11,000, which was after- 
ward increased to $15,000. The concern 
employs twenty men" and has a capacity 
of about f(Mir million brick |)er year. Thi' 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



437 



iiiauager and treasurer of the eonipany is 
George E. Howard. 

George Miller ran a cabinet-maker's 
shop and furniture factor}' on the site of 
the building now occupied by the Pure 
]\rilk Company on South McKean Street, 
which was an extensive enterprise for its 
day. Steam power was used and a large 
number of men employed. Mr. Miller 
eame to Butler ahout 1826 and soon after 
established the business that for almost 
half a century was one of the leading in- 
dustries of the town. 

MISCELLANEOUS EXTERPKISES. 

The manufacture of plows furnished 
emploj'ment for a number of shops previ- 
ous to the civil war. William Balph man- 
ufactured wagons and plows at a shop on 
East A\'ayne Street and Gabriel Closer 
manufactured i3lows and farm implements 
on West North Street. Wooden beams 
and plow handles were worked out by 
hand at these shops and the local foun- 
dries furnished the metal parts. 

Sebastian's cooper shop located on the 
site of Dillon's meat market and Philip 
Lilian's shop on South Washington Street 
furnished the barrels and kegs for the en- 
tire county, while Henry Wagner's pottery 
on North Street supplied the dairymen 
with crocks and the rest of the community 
with earthenware. The site of this old pot- 
tery was recently purchased by the bor- 
ough for a public building. 

The first white lead factory in Butler 
was established some time prior to 1840, 
by Campbell E. Purviance. This factory 
stood on the bank of the Connociuenessing 
Creek at the foot of AVest Diamond Street. 
Mr. Purviance afterwards became asso- 
ciated with his uncle William Purviance 
in the manufacture of gun powder in Con- 
noquenessing Township. The powder fac- 
tory was located on what is now known as 
tlie Reiber farm on Powder-mill Run, and 
was considered an important .industry of 



its time. The owners carried on the in- 
dustry for a nimiber of years when an 
explosion demolished the plant and it was 
never rebuilt. 

The Davis White Lcud M'orks were es- 
tablished, in Butler in 1899 through the 
influence of the local Board of Trade. The 
officers and princi]ml stockholders of the 
company were Pittsburg capitalists, and 
one- fourth of the stock was held by Butler 
])eople. The plant was known as the 
Davis White Lead Works, and consisted 
of a feui'-story bi'ick building on Fair- 
ground Avenue, besides a number of 
smaller buildings used as power house, 
wave room, and other purposes. The com- 
pany employed from fifty to one hundred 
men until 1906, when the concern was 
taken over by the AVhite Lead Trust, and 
the plant closed. 

The American Minor Works on the 
Southside is one of the growing industries 
of the town, and at the present time em- 
ploys from fifteen to twenty people. The 
plant was established in 1896 by John B. 
Snell, who is the present manager. 

A large distillery was built on the site 
of the bottle works in the seventies, and 
during its existence it was one of the most 
extensive distilleries in western Pennsyl- 
vania. 

One of the first breweries established in 
the town was erected by Andrew ^filler 
on what is now known as the ]\[cClymonds 
l)roperty on Morton Avenue, and east of 
the South Cemetery. The building used 
was a log affair, and one of the induce- 
ments for establishing the plant at that 
point was the existence of an excellent 
spring of water. Subsequently Mr. Miller 
erected a brewery in the rear of the build- 
ings on South Main Street now owned by 
his heirs, and conducted the business here 
at that point for a long time. Part of 
this old brewery is still in existence, but 
the plant has not been operated for more 
than a quarter of a century. 



438 



HISTORY OF EUTLEE COUNTY 



AiK.thci- l.ivwciy that was wd! known to 
the oldci- ifsi(lciit> of till' town was (it-oruc 
Knii^lit's cstahlislinicnt on \h\cr Street, on 
the banks of the C'onuoqueuessiug Creek. 
This brewery was established about the 
same time that the Miller brewery was 
erected south of the creek, and was oper- 
ated for many years. The plant was 
closed down aliout 1880. and the buildings 
have long since been torn down and the 
plant dismantled. 

The Butler Bieni)ig Coiupauy was in- 
corporated in May, 1902, by H. W, Kline, 
David Smith, Frank Peffer, George Mc- 
Lean and L. A. Thompson. The present 
plant was erected on Negley Avenue near 
the Bessemer Railroad the same year at 
a cost of about $50,000.00. The company 
which was composed of Pittsburg and 
Tarentum cajDitalists who operated the 
plant until 1905 as an independent con- 
cern, but in the latter year it was taken 
over by the Trust. The plant employs 
from forty to fifty men and is still in 
operation. 

McDowell & Co. Lainidr/j. The pioneer 
in the steam laundry business in Butler 
is W. J. McDowell, who came here from 
Mercer County and established the busi- 
ness on Center Avenue in 1891. The com- 
pany is a limited partnership of which 
W. J. McDowell and Rev. J. Q. A. :SU-- 
Dowell are the ]nincipal owners. In 1896 
the ]3lant was moved into the present 
quarters adjoining the Evans Manufactur- 
ing Company on South McKean. Street, 
and since that time has been enlarged un- 
til it is now one of the best equipped 
laundries in the country. The company 
has a large local patronage, and also has 
an extensive business in the surrounding 
towns. The present su]ierintendent is 
W. J. McDowell. 

The Butler Steam Lauiulnj was incor- 
porated in 1899 by N. C. 'McCoUough, 
A. M. Christley, E'. E. Bell, and otheTs. 
and the business was commenced on West 
Cunningham Street in the building for- 



merly occupied by George C. Roessiug's 
wagon and carriage shops. In 1906 the 
company erected the present brick build- 
ing on West Cunningham Street which is 
equipped with modern machinery and em- 
ploys about twenty people. The superin- 
tendent and manager of the laundry since 
its beginning is George Ketterer. 

The Lyndora Land and Improvemeiit 
Company was incorporated May 26, 1902, 
with a capital of $200,000. Its" officers at 
that time were J. M. Hansen, president; 
A. R. Frasier, vice-president and treas- 
urer; and A. S. Valentine, secretary. The 
company purchased the John McElroy 
farm just outside the borough of Butler 
and laid out the town of Lyndora. During 
the summer of 1902, two hundred separate 
dwelling houses were erected in LjTidora, 
and eleven blocks of tenements were 
erected on Pierce Avenue for the use of 
the employes of the works. Subsequently 
the tenements were increased to twenty- 
two, having one hundred and thirty-two 
dwellings. The individual dwelling houses 
at Lyndora erected by the company are 
each sujiplied with natural gas, hot and 
cold water, and bath, and are rented to 
the emi)loyes of the works at a nominal 
figure. The class of houses erected by the 
company for their employes is the best to 
be found in the United States. The town 
of LjTidora has thii-ty two Inisiness houses, 
a number of brick business blocks, a bank, 
two hotels, two churches, and is in every 
way a flourishing suburb town. The town 
is not incorporated, although it has the 
population reqiiired for a city of the third 



clas 



PIONEER MERCHANTS 



The pioneer merchant of the town was 
.John Potts, who established a store on the 
southeast corner of Main and Cunningham 
Streets, in 1804, and continued the busi- 
ness imtil his death in 1838. This store 
building occupied the present site of the 
Odd Fellows Temple. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



439 



Maurice and John Bredin kept a store 
on the south side of the Diamond about 
1820. Subsequently Maurice Bredin con- 
ducted the business in the Imilding now 
occupied by the Park Hotel on tlie north 
side of the Diamond. 

David Dougal, who was tlie pioneer sur- 
veyor of the county, conduct cd a small 
store for many years on the noi tlicast cor- 
ner of the Diamond, on the site of Txiyd's 
drug store. 

The public square appears to have been 
the center of business during the tirst fifty 
years of the town's existence. William 
Purviance and Samuel Hill conducted a 
store on the south side of the Diamond. 
Adam Punk, who appears to have been an 
early hotel keeper, also had a store. Wal- 
ter Lowrie conducted a store at the west 
end of the square. He was succeeded by 
John Sullivan in 1827, who carried on the 
business until 1831, when Clark McPhei'riu 
succeeded him. 

Robert and James Cunningham canic on 
the scene about 1832, and conducted a store 
at the corner now occupied In- the I hitler 
County National Bank. 

John and Peter Duffy commenced busi- 
ness on the Diamond as early as 1823. 
John Dutfy retired in 1840, when he be- 
came associate judge of the county. The 
store was carried on by his brother, Peter 
Duffy, until 1863, when he was succeeded 
by his son Charles, who is still a prominent 
merchant of the town. Subsequent to 18(53 
the business was removed to the present 
location on North Main Street. The Duffy 
store is the oldest mercantile etsablishmeut 
in the town. 

Oliver David opened a store on the Dia- 
mond about 1828, and subsequently re- 
moved it to South Main Street neai- the 
corner of Jefferson. It was continued in 
succession through the terms of David & 
Lane, David & Campbell and others, when 
it ceased. 

Daniel Coll was another old-time store 
kee]ier who was in l)usiness on the corner 



of Cunningham and Main Streets as early 
as 1830. William Haggerty was an early 
merchant on Main Street, as were also 
Harry Mitchell and Parker & Donley. The 
location of the latter store was on the 
present site of Stein's dry-goods store. 
James Frazier and Jonathan Plummer 
conducted a general store opposite the 
Hotel Dowry at an early date. 

The present firm of J. G. & W. Campbell, 
dealers in hardware, dates back to 1835, 
when William Campbell, Esq., engaged in 
general merchandise, taking into partner- 
ship with him his sons James Gilmore and 
William, under the firm name of William 
Campbell & Sons. The father retired at 
the end of ten years, leaving the sons in 
control of the business. They continued as 
J. G. & W. Campbell for a number of years, 
when they changed the general character 
of the business, in 1877, to farm imple- 
ments and hardware. About 1882 oil well 
sui^plies wore added, but this branch of 
tlic business lias since been discontinued. 
.lames (iiliiiorc Campbell died in 1885, and 
his brother William in 1893. Subsequently 
the business was conducted by William 
Campbell, Jr., and John S. Campbell, sons 
of William Campbell, Sr., under the old 
firm name. William Campbell, Jr., died in 
1906. The store is still carried on rmder 
the firm name of J. G. & W. Campbell, the 
manager being John S. Campbell. 

James Campbell, who married a daugh- 
ter of Oliver David, was one of the old 
time merchants of the town. He became 
the partner of Oliver David in the mer- 
cantile business, and when the latter re- 
tired the firm was changed to Campbell & 
Yetter. Mr. Campbell finally retired from 
the firm and went to Allegheny City, where 
he engaged in business for a number of 
years. Subsequently he returned to But- 
ler and died here. 

The hatting business was regarded as 
very iinportant in pioneer days. Paul 
Bratton was the pioneer in this business, 
who set up a shop in Butler Township, just 



440 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



south of the town. John Gilchrist and 
Robert Gilchrist were engaged in the busi- 
ness on Main Street in 1820. Isaac Col- 
bert began the manufacture of hats in But- 
ler Township in 1835, and the following 
year moved into the borough. He carried 
on the business until his death in 1872, and 
since that time the business has been car- 
ried on by his son, Harvey Colbert, who 
now conducts a hat store on South Main 
Street. 

John Berg, Sr., was one of the early 
merchants of the town, coming here in 
1835. He was engaged in the mei'cantile 
business for years at the corner of Main 
and Cunningham Streets, and in 1872 he 
engaged in the hardware business with 
George A. Cyj^her as a partner, in the 
Berg block on South Main Street. He con- 
tinued this business until his death in 1884. 
He was also the founder of the banking 
iiouse of John Berg & Company, which 
in later years was conducted by John 
Berg' Jr., and is now conducted by Henry 
and Louis Berg. 

Herman J. Berg, a brother of John Berg, 
Sr., was engaged in the mercantile busi- 
ness with his brother for a number of 
years, and in later years was identified 
with a number of manufacturing and mer- 
cantile interests of the town. 

Thomas Stehle was an early merchant 
and gunsmith, who conducted a business 
on South Main Street, in the building now 
occupied by his daughter, Mrs. William 
Aland. He came to Butler in 1832 and 
continued in business imtil his death. 

The dry goods store of Louis Stein's 
Sons on North Main Street was established 
by Louis Stein and Bernard Roessing in 
1840. The firm of Roessing & Stein car- 
ried on a general store for more than thirty 
years, when Mr. Roessing retired and the 
business was continued by Mr. Stein. Sub- 
sequently he took into partnership his son, 
AV. A. Stein, and after the death of the 
father in July, 1894, the business was con- 



tinued by Wm. A., Louis B., and Albert C. 
Stein, as Louis Stein's Sons. 

Anthony Rockenstein came to the town 
in 1841 and opened a merchant tailoring 
establishment. The tailors prior to him 
were John Welsh, James Glenn, Mark Mc- 
Candless and David A. Agnew. 

Another successful merchant of this pe- 
riod was William S. Boyd, afterwards the 
founder of Springdale. He first began 
business as a druggist on the Diamond, but 
early in the forties he' established a dry 
goods store at the corner of Main and 
Jefferson Streets. 

Joseph McQuistion was one of the pio- 
neer shoemakers, and in 1840 a shoe-shop 
was opened on Jefferson Street by Philip 
Bickel and Adam Schenck. 

The jewelry store now conducted by 
Harry Grieb on North Main Street was 
first opened by Francis X. Grieb in 1849. 
Three years later he purchased the prop- 
erty on North Main Street now owned by 
his heirs, and established the first jewelry 
store in the borough. He continued in 
business until his death in 1865, and since 
that time the store has been conducted l)y 
his son Harry. 

J. J. Sedwick was the pioneer harness 
maker of the town and one of the early 
postmasters. He was followed in this line 
of business by William Criswell and Major 
George W. Reed, who were among the 
prominent citizens of the town during the 
middle period of the century. 

MODERN BUSINESS HOUSES. 

Among the modern merchant houses, 
there are only a few existing today that 
date back to the pioneer days of the town. 
These have been enumerated under the 
caption of pioneer merchants. In 1804 
there was but one merchant on Main 
Street north of the court house, and the 
number of business houses located on the 
pulilic square might have been counted on 
tlie fingers of one hand until as late as 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



441 



1820. The mercantile appraisers' list for 
1908 credits the borough of Butler with 
232 mercantile houses, including hotels, ex- 
clusive of the town of Lyndora. In the 
latter town there are thirty-nine such 
houses, making the total for the district 
271. Among the oldest houses on Main 
Street are the dry goods establishment of 
Charles Duffy, Louis Stein's Sons, J. G. 
& -W. Campbell's hardware store, and 
Harry Grieb's jewelry store. These stores 
were all established previous to 1850. 

The firm of A. Troutman's Sons, dry 
goods merchants, was established by Adam 
Troutman in 1861 at the corner of Main 
and Mifflin Streets. About 1876 Mr. Trout- 
man took his son, J. Henry, in as a part- 
ner, and the business was continued under 
the firm name of A. Troutman & Sou. In 
1890 the business was removed to the 
Troutman block at the corner of Main and 
Cunningham Streets, which hed been com- 
pleted that year. Adam Troutman retired 
in 1897, and the business has since been 
conducted under the firm name of A. Trout- 
man 's Sons, the partners being J. Henry 
Troutman, Wm. J. Troutman, and Geo. A. 
Troutman. 

Alf. M. Reiber established a dry goods 
business in 1888, in a room in the Reiber 
block, now occupied by Dothett & Gra- 
ham's clothing store. Subsequently he re- 
moved to the present location, No. 205 
South Main Street, where he carries on a 
large business. 

The pioneer shoe merchant of the town 
was John Bickel, who first started in the 
shoe manufacturing business about 1872. 
Subsequently he engaged in the boot and 
shoe business at the corner of Main and 
Mifflin Streets, with Al. Ruff as a partner. 
The busines was carried on here for a 
number of years, when the partnership 
was dissolved, and Mr. Bickel established 
a store in an old building on the site of 
the present Bickel block on South Main 
Street, which was erected in 1897. 

Al. Rutf engaged in the boot and shoe 



business with John Bickel as a partner at 
the old corner of Main and Mifflin Streets, 
and when the partnership was dissolved, 
he established a store at the present lo- 
cation on South Main Street. The store 
has been enlarged until it now extends 
from Main Street to Jackson Street in the 
rear. Philip Ruff was taken into the store 
as a partner in 1898, and the business is 
now conducted under the firm name of 
A. Rutf & Son. In addition to carrying a 
large line of goods for the retail trade, the 
firm does a wholesale business in rubber 
and felt goods. 

The shoe house of B. C. Huselton is also 
one of the pioneers in that line of trade, 
and was one of the first established after 
the merchants of Butler began to change 
from the general store to the special line. 
Other firms that have been established 
since 1890 are C. E. Miller, Ketterer Bros., 
and Walker & Young. 

Campbell's furniture house was estab- 
lished in Butler about 1892 by A. A. Camp- 
bell and C. A. Templeton, who removed 
their store from Brady's Bend and located 
first in the old Troutman building on North 
Main Street. Subsequently the Campbell 
block was built on South Main Street, and 
the business removed there. C. A. Temple- 
ton retired from the firm in 1899, and the 
business has since l:)eon coiiducted l)y A. 
A. Campbell. The estahlishmi'iit occupies 
three floors of the building and basement, 
and is one of the largest furniture houses 
in this part of the country. 

George Ketterer first began the furni- 
ture business in rooms at the corner of 
Main and Mifflin Streets in the early part 
of the eighties. He conducted a repair 
shop in connection with the business, and 
in 1887 he erected the business block on 
South Main Street which is now occupied 
by him and by Ketterer Bros.' shoe store. 

In 1908 the principal merchants in the 
dry goods trade were Charles Duffy, Louis 
Stein's Sons, Mrs. J. E. Zimmerman, 
AVliitekettle & Morgan, Mrs. Lizzie M. 



442 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Young, A. Troutman's Sons, Alf. M. Rei- 
ber, Joseph Colin, and Eisler & Mardorf. 

The furniture dealers were George Ket- 
terer, A. A. Campbell, Patterson Bros., 
and Snaman Bros. 

The druggists were Reddick & Grohman, 
Louis A. Jamison, R. A. Reed, the Crystal 
Pharmacy, Wuller's Pharmacy, Bell's 
Pharmacy, S. G. Purvis, Boyd's Phar- 
macy, Dixon's Pharmacy, the Southside 
Pharmacy, the West End Pharmacy, and 
Robert Girrard on East Jefferson Street. 

The jewelry houses were represented by 
Harry Grieb, D. L. Cleeland, Ralston & 
Smith, Carl Leighner, and R. L. Kirkpat- 
rick, G. F. T. Rape. 

The boot and shoe trade were repre- 
sented by B. C. Huselton, A. Ruff & Son, 
Walker & Young, John Bickel's Sons, C. 
E. Miller, and Ketterer Bros. 

The hardware dealers were Joseph Rook- 
enstein, Niggel Bros., L. G. Moore, Koch 
Bros., J. G. & AV. Campbell, Henry Biehl, 
and Joseph Rockenstein. 

The clotliiim' luuiscs were rcprest'iitcd liv 
Doullictt cV- (;i-nl:;uii, (iivcii X' Wnwj;. Wili 
iam Kcckciisli.in, Leon Scliloss, the Ideal 
Clothing Parlors, Schaul & Levy, J. S. 
Wick & Son, J. G. Runkle, Harry V. Kidd, 
Harvey Colbert, and Samuel Cohn. 

The general stores are conducted by C. 
A. Templeton & Company in the Stein 
Block on South Main Street, DeArme in 
the Cypher Block. 

The principal grocery and provision 
houses, are conducted by G. Wilson Miller 
and A. A. Marshall on East Jefferson 
Street, W. A. Kamerer in the West End, 
W. A. Kirkpatrick, J. G. Moore, C. Koch 
& Sons, and Ed. Graham on North Main 
Street, A. & H. Reiber, W. A. Fisher, W. 
W. Miller, Henry Miller & Son on South 
Main Street, Harper Bros, and J. C. Hocli 
on Center Ave., C. A. Ellenberger and 
Barnhart & Geyser on Second Street, Bor- 
land & Wigtoii on Carbon Street, C. C. 
Shira and R. G. Ferguson on T^ocust 
Street, Quigley & Myers, New Castle 



Street; Raisley & Whiteside, New Castle 
Street; J. H. Robb, W. Jefferson St.; N. 
M. Heinzer, Zeigler Ave.; C. Hinchberger 
on Franklin St.; R. Parkin, Center Ave.; 
W. F. Limberg, W. Penn St. 

The harness and buggy business is rep- 
resented by Joseph Rockenstein, B. E. 
Roesing, Martincourt & Daugherty, J. G. 
& W. Campbell, and Kemper. 

The wholesale business is represented 
by the Atlantic Refining Company, the 
Oil Well Supply Company, the Leedom & 
Worrall Grocery Company, the Lloyd Con- 
fectionery Company, B. F. Shannon, flour 
and feed; George Walter's Sons, feed and 
builder's supplies; H. J. Klingler & Com- 
l)any, flour and feed; the Cudahy Packing 
Company, and Goehring & Richards, prod- 
uce house. 

The Leedom & Worrall Company, 
wholesale grocers, was organized in 1904, 
and chartered on February 24th, 1905. The 
company purchased a lot at the corner of 
Center Avenue and the Baltimore & Ohio 
Railroad, and erected a four-story brick 
ItTiilding, which it now nccupics. The presi- 
dent and principal stncklHilder of the com- 
pany is Nelson Moore, the secretary is P. 
W. Leedom, and the treasurer and man- 
ager is George Worrall. A large amount 
of Butler capital is invested in this enter- 
prise, which is taking a leading rank 
among the wholesale houses of Western 
Pennsylvania. 

The Lyndora Building and Loan Asso- 
ciation was chartered September 10, 1907, 
and has its office at Lyndora. The sub- 
scribers to the charter are residents of the 
town of Lyndora and Butler, and the asso- 
ciation has done a jarosperous business, 
notwithstanding the fact that it was con- 
fronted with a panic the first year of its 
existence. The subscribers to the charter 
are Jos. Criswell, B. Wendel, John Buccos, 
P. J. Chroust and H. A. Kitchen. 

THE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY. 

The Butler Co-operative Association 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



443 



was orgauized in the latter part of liX)?. 
and began bnsinesis on the 1st of .lamuny. 
1908. Articles of association were filed at 
that time showing a capital of .$1(),()()(I.IH) 
and 122 subscribers. The directors were 
C. R'. Watson, president, D. H. Lardin, 
secretary and treasurer, Charles N. Rush, 
G. F. Ptiester and L. A. Garfield. The 
association purchased the store of A. F. 
Eisler & Companj' on the corner of Jelfer- 
son and IMcKean Streets, and engaged in 
the grocery and provision business. The 
association met with success from the 
start, and is now contemplating the en- 
largement of the business by establishing 
a boot and slioe department, as well as 
furnishings and dry goods as soon as a 
desirable location can be secured. 

BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCLXTIONS. 

The Building and Loan Aasoviatioii of 
Butler, organized March 4, 1876, and in- 
corporated March 31, 1876, received bids 
as high as forty per cent, for loans. When 
the panic of that period was over, the asso- 
ciation began buying stock, and continued 
this policy until November, 1881, when 
some dissatisfied stockholders applied to 
the attorney general to have the legal 
status of the institution defined. The 
stated number of shares at the beginning 
was 2,500, valued at $200 each. The firs't 
officers were G. C. Roessing, president ; G. 
Etzel, vice-president; J. S. Campbell, sec- 
retary; Louis Roessing, treasurer, and 
John M. Miller, solicitor. The directory 
comprised H. C. Heineman, J. M. Miller. 
Jacob Ziegler, Jacob Boos, Dr. Stephen 
Bredin, Casper Rockenstein, Joseph L. 
Purvis and William Ensminger. The effect 
of the petition of 1881 was simply to hasten 
the dissolution of the association. 

The People's Building and Loan Asso- 
<iation was organized April 6, 1886, with G. 
Wilson Miller, president; Chas. M. Heine- 
man, secretary ; Joseph S. Gray, treasurer, 
and Williams & Mitchell, solicitors. The 
directors were Charles Rehbun, A. Park 



McKee, S. D. Purvis, Dr. (J. M. Zinimer- 
nian, Jacob Boos, J\'ter Scheuck and Frank 
Shepherd. 

The Enn ka lliiililiiig and Loan dissocia- 
tion was incorporated in May, 1886, with 
W. G. Hays, Jacob Ziegler, Dr. George M. 
Zimmerman, A. Frank, J. W. Ziegler and 
R. C. McCurdy, directors. 

TIic }L:c]ia)iies' Building and Loan Asso- 
eiution was organized in February, 1889, 
when 1,000 shares were subscribed. The 
officers were Dr. Samuel GrahauK ])resi- 
dent; 0. M. Russell, vice-president; C. A. 
Abrams, secretary, and L. W. Zuver, treas- 
urer. David E. Dale succeeded Dr. Gra- 
ham as president in 1892, and J. N. Moore 
succeeded 'Mr. Al)rams as secretary in 
1893, when the last named was eleQted 
treasurer. 

Chautau([\ia Xafioiial Building and Loau 
Association was organized October 25, 
1893, with D. Carmondy, president; G. M. 
Zimmerman, secretary - treasurer ; John 
West, Jose]>li Xi-gel and J. W. McDowell, 
appraisers, who formed the board of di- 
rectors, with William Keeselman, Jr., Will- 
iam Harless, Josei:)h Low and J. F. Jewell. 
W. C. Findley was chosen solicitor. 

INSURANCE COMPANIES. 

Butler Countg Mutual Insurance Com- 
pany was organized September 5, 1853, 
with Samuel A. Purviance, president; 
John T. Bard, S. M. Lane, J. T. McJunkin, 
J. G. Campbell, Francis McBride, Emil 
Maurhoff, William Haslett, A. N. Meylert, 
Herman J. Berg, Ebenezer McJunkin, An- 
drew Cams and John M. Sullivan, mana- 
gers ; Ebenezer McJunkin, secretary ; An- 
drew Cams, treasurer, and Emil Maurhoff. 
general agent. The company ceased worlc 
prior to 1859. 

The Bxitler County Mutual Fire Insur- 
ance Company was incorporated by the 
legislature in April, 1859. In May, Saml. 
G. Purvis was elected president; I. J. 
Cummings, treasurer; Edwin Lyon, secre- 
tary; William Campbell, E. IMcJunkin, Dr. 



444 



HISTOBY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



W. R. Dowden, James Campbell, Abraham 
Ziegler, Jacob Walter, E. Kingsbury, E. 
Maurlioff, W. S. Boyd, and John Murrin, 
directors. Henry C. Heineman was elected 
secretary in 1860, and has held the posi- 
tion down to the present time. After the 
death of Saml. Gr. Purvis, Geo. C. Eoessing 
was elected president, and served until his 
death, when Jas. Stephenson was elected 
to fill the vacancy. 

The Farmers' and Breeders' Mutucd 
Live Stock Insurance Association was or- 
ganized in 1883, with A. D. Weir, of Buf- 
falo township, president; Thomas Hays, 
of Fairview, vice-president; R. D. Steph- 
enson, of Butler, treasurer; Dr. J. E. 
Byers, of Butler, secretary ; James Steph- 
enson, of Bonny Brook; James S. Hays, 
of Butler; Jno. A. Clark, of Prospect; 
Isaac Lefevre, of Saxonburg, and Barthol- 
omew Nebel, of Herman, unofficial mem- 
bers. This association dissolved within 
six or seven years without loss to stock- 
holders, although a large sum of money 
was paid out for injury to cattle. 

The Citizens' Building and Loan Asso- 
ciation of Butler was organized with G. 
Wilson Miller, president; L. S. McJunkin, 
vice-president, and C. M. Heineman, sec- 
retary. The directory was comprised of 
J. D. Jackson, S. D. Purvis, Frank Shep- 
herd, L. F. Ganter, Jacob Boos, and Peter 
Schenck. Ira McJunkin was treasurer, 
and Williams & Mitchell, solicitors. Each 
series of stock was composed of not less 
than^one thousand shares of a par value of 
$100 each. Since the organization the as- 
sociation has matured twelve series of 
stock, and has five series now running. The 
present officers are G. W. Miller, presi- 
dent; T. M. Baker, secretary, and the fol- 
lowing trustees: L. S. McJunkin, L. R. 
McAboy, Ed. Weigand, George Oesterling, 
Leonard Schenk, E. S. Critchlow, and Al'f. 
M. Reiber. 

The Workingmen's Building and Loan 
Association was organized in Februaiy, 
1892, and is the successor to the Work- 



ing-men's Equitable Association, which was 
first organized about 1888. The first of- 
ficers of the Working-men's Association 
were F. M. Renno, president; Jacob Keck, 
secretary; Joseph Rockenstein, treasurer; 
and A. T. Black, solicitor. This associa- 
tion has matured fifteen series of stock, 
and has five series running at tlie present 
time. It is the custom to start a new series 
and mature a series each year. With the 
exception of the president and the solicitor, 
the officers are the same as in 1892. The 
present board of directors consists of 
Philip Krause, president; Jacob Keck, sec- 
retary; Joseph Rockenstein, treasurer; N. 
J. Criley, Henry Miller, J. C. Burkhalter, 
George Miller, F. W. Koch, B. Kemper, 
Harry Grieb, G. E. Sherman, and Philip 
Wisener. T. H. C. Keck is the solicitor. 

FIKE DEPARTMENT. 

The pioneers of the borough considered 
protection from fire as one of their first 
duties, and as early as February 19, 1825, 
the town council considered plans for fire 
protection. At this time John Potts, Jacob 
Mechling, Maurice Bredin, William Beatty, 
Abraham Maxwell, and William Haggerty 
were appointed a committee to solicit sub- 
scriptions for buying a fire apparatus. At 
the same meeting John Gilmore, John 
Bredin, and Robert Scott were appointed 
a committee to draft a constitution for a 
fire company. The preliminary arrange- 
ments having been completed, a fire en- 
gine was bought from the Alleghenv Fire 
Company in 1827, for $400.00, and the fol- 
lowing year the council appropriated 
money to build a house for the engine. 
This was the beginning of the fire system 
in Butler. Previous to that time the only 
-fire protection the citizens had was the 
bucket brigade and such water supply as 
could be obtained from the wells and town 
pumps. 

The old engine did service until worn 
out, and in 1842 a small hand-engine was 
in use for a short time. This was followed 



AND REPRESEXTATIVE CITIZENS 



445 



by a period of almost thirty years tliat the 
town had to depend on the old bucket bri- 
gade in case of fire. In 1870 the matter 
of fire protection was again taken up by 
council, and Henry C. Heineman and Jo- 
seph J. Elliott were instructed to purchase 
a truck of the Hook and Ladder Couipanv 
for $400.00. Of this sum $300.00 was ap- 
propriated by the council, and tlie balance 
was raised by subscription. This hook 
and ladder truck answered the purpose of 
the times until after the establishmeut of 
the city water works in 1878. He-ury C. 
Heineman, who may be said to be the 
father of the Butler fire dei)artment, was 
ever alive to the importance of having a 
good service and never relaxed his efforts 
imtil the Volunteer Fire Department was 
organized and placed on an effective work- 
ing basis. 

The First Ward Hone Coiiipauij. The 
first regular organization was made Au- 
gust 31, 1878, when the First Ward Hose 
Company was organized with thirty-three 
members. They chose the following offi- 
cers : Henry C. Heineman, i)resident ; 
Jacob Roos, vice-president; A. T. Black, 
secretary, and C. W. Coulter, treasurer. 
The company is quartered in the Odd Fel- 
lows' Temple on East Cunningham Street, 
where it has handsome rooms fitted u]). 
The present membership is forty-eight, 
and the following are the officers : Presi- 
dent, J. W. Bayer; vice-president, W. H. 
Ensminger; secretary, H. A. Worth; treas- 
urer, the Gfuaranty Safe Deposit t^- Trust 
Company; foreman, W. J. Heineman; as- 
sistant, Geo. N. Burlihalter; trustees, John 
Bauer, Leonard Milheim, C. N. Watson, P. 
E. Cronenwett, C. E. Cronenwett, and C. 
II. Douglass. 

Tlie First Ward Burmiiu) Team was or- 
ganized in 1893, and participated in the 
ten years of its existence in more races 
than any other team in the history of the 
sport. It has the record of having won 
seven thousand dollars of money, twenty- 
three state, district and world's champion- 



ships, and altogether having to its credit 
sixty-six firsts and seconds in seventy-two 
starts. 

The team won the Pennsvlvania State 
championship in 1894-95-96-i900-X901 ; the 
Western Pennsylvania championship in 
1896-97-98-1900-1901-2 ; the Northwestern 
Pennsylvania chami)ionshi]i in 1895-97-99; 
the Northeastern Ohio championship in 
1895 ; the Central Pennsylvania champion- 
shii) in 1900; the Pan-American Hook and 
Ladder championship in 1901 ; the Penn- 
svlvania Hook and Ladder championship 
in 1900-1901-2; the Western Pennsyl- 
vania Hook and Ladder championship in 
1900-1901-2. 

The best time made by the team for 250 
yai'ds distance was thirty-two seconds, and 
for the 200 yard distance, twenty-six sec- 
onds. 

Good Will Ease Compani/. — The second 
company to be organized was the Good 
Will Hose Company in October, 1878. Its 
first officers were Philip Bauer, president; 
James B. Mitchell, vice-president; Geo. J. 
Reiber, secretary; G. Wilson Miller, as- 
sistant secretary; John Irwin, foreman; 
James Moffit, assistant foreman; and W. 
A. Stein, treasurer. The present member- 
ship of the company is fifty-eight, and its 
officers are W. J. Rattigan, president; 
August Collins, vice-]>resident; Eai'nest 
Faber, secretary and treasurer; J. W. 
TTeckert, assistant secretary; Theo. Smith, 
foreman ; John Ijefevre, assistant fore- 
man; S. M. Hildebrand, John Dickey and 
Ij. S. jMeJunkin, trustees. The company is 
quartered in a rented biiilding on East 
.Tefferson Street. 

Camphetl Hose Conipain/. — When the 
fire department was first organized, the 
town was divided into the first and sei^ond 
wards, Jefferson Sti'eet being the dividing- 
line. The two original hose companies 
were named for their respective wards. In 
1888, a redivision of the town was made 
into five wards, placing both of the old 
companies in the second ward. A new 



44G 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



company was organized in the fifth ward 
November 1, 1888, and named in honor of 
John S. Campbell, who was one of its pro- 
moters. Among the charter members were 
John S. Campbell, David E. Dale, Wesley 
P. Eoessing, J. A. Bonner, George Reiber, 
William Kennedy, Ralph Gregg, W. M. 
Starr, George W. Zeigler, Edward Mc- 
Shane, Angiist Miller, Joseph Northrup, 
Harry Gregg and William Bassitt. The 
company was first quartered in the Kirk- 
pat rick building on North Main Street, but 
subseqiiently removed to the Younkins 
building on West North street. The pres- 
ent membership is fifty-nine, and the offi- 
cers are F. N. Cooper, president; Edward 
Archer, vice-president; L. H. Clouse, sec- 
retaiy; John Allison, assistant secretary; 
A. M. Aiken, treasurer; M. M. Dobsou, 
foreman ; N. S. Snow, first assistant ; John 
Braey, second assistant foreman; Tliomas 
McGuirk, Joseph Keeling and R. B. Alli- 
son, trustees. 

The Southside Hose Company was or- 
ganized in 1903 by merging the old Spring- 
dale Hose Company and the Markham 
Hook and Ladder Company. The fomner 
was organized June 11, 1888, and the lat- 
ter in 1889. The new company has a mem- 
bership of thirtv-eight, and its otficers are 
E. T. Burns, president; F. E. Stewart, 
vice-president; F. R. Zeigler, secretary; 
James Shaffer, treasui'er; Paul Lehere, 
foreman; James Dunn, assistant foreman; 
Roy Campbell, Harry DeHaven and C. IT. 
Skillman, ti'ustees. 

The Rescue Hook and Ladder Conipau)/. 
— In 1893 David Sypher effected the or- 
ganization of a Hopk and Ladder Com- 
pany in the west end of town, and the new 
organization was named the Sypher Hook 
and Ladder Company. Subsequently the 
name of the company was changed to the 
Rescue Hook and Ladder Company, as it 
was supplied with a hose-cart as well as 
the hook and ladder truck. 

Commencing in 1896 the company did 
some racing, winning the Hook and T^ad- 



der championship at Johnstown that year, 
at Beaver Falls the j'ear following and at 
McKees Rocks in 1898. In the latter year 
the company won the Hose Race at Mc- 
Kees Rocks, and at Scotdale in 1899 the 
team won the Hook and Ladder race, tlie 
Service race and the Hose race. In 1900 
the team won second money in a number 
of hook and ladder contests, as well as 
hose races. The present membership of 
the company is thirty-one. The officers are 
I. A. Weter, president; G. 0. Sclienk, vice- 
president; Jas. A. McDowell, secretarv; 
T. E. Sullivan, treasurer; C. G. Ihlenfeld, 
foreman; Frank Grayson, assistant fore- 
man ; Will Sullivan, second assistant and 
0. A. Dershimer, G. O. Schenk and T. 
Heberliug, trustees. The company has 
quarters on Mercer Street which are hand- 
somely fitted up. . 

The East End Hose Company is the 
youngest of the fire-fighting companies in 
the town, and the only one to own its own 
building. The company was organized 
December 12, 1898, and subsequently 
erected a frame building at the corner of 
Second and Brady Streets, which is used 
as a storage house for the apparatus, and 
club rooms for the company. The mem- 
bership of the company is forty-seven, and 
the following are the officers : E. S. Critch- 
low, president; Thomas Craig, vice-pi'esi- 
dent; Lewis Cmnberland, secretary; Ed. 
E. Starr, assistant secretary; Daniel 
Younkins, treasurer; George Williams, 
foreman; L. A. Goeppner, first assistant; 
and L. S. Hoon, Sr., second assistant fore- 
man; George Williams, C. Biehl, and W. 
J. Eiiry, trmstees. 

Firemen 's Relief Assuciafiun. — Among 
the organizations of the Butler Fire De- 
partment is the Firemen's Relief Associa- 
tion, which pays benefits to firemen who 
are injured while on duty. The associa- 
tion derives its revenue from a tax im- 
posed on foreign insurance companies 
doing business in Pennsylvania. Butler 
firemen have been extremelj' fortunate. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



447 



and the expenditures of the organization 
in the ten years of its existence have been 
extremely light. As a result there is at 
the present time over $5,000 in the 
treasury with which to meet the future de- 
mands of the organization. The present 
officers are M. H. Reiber, president; W. J. 
Heineman, vice-president; and C. H. 
Douglass, secretary and treasurer. 

When the fire department was organized 
in 1878, A. L. Reiber was elected chief, and 
continued to hold that position until 1900, 
when he retired, and Jacob C. Burkhaltev, 
the present chief, was elected. Chief Burk- 
halter is a charter member of the Good 
Will Hose Company, and has been a mem- 
ber of the volunteer fire department since 
its organization. J. A. Walter, a member 
of the First Ward Company, was assistant 
chief for a number of years, but this office 
was abolished in 1907. The fire police is 
composed of three members from each 
company under command of J. W. Zeigler. 

Paid Department. — The first steps 
toward a paid fire department were taken 
in January, 1909, when the city council 
purchased two hose and chemical wagons, 
and two teams of horses for the use of the 
department, and set about its re-organiza- 
tion. One of the i^aid companies is located 
on Lookout Avenue, Southside, and the 
other on West North Street, on the prop- 
erty recently purchased bv the city for a 
City Building. 

FUNERAL DIRECTORS. 

The early funeral directors and under- 
takers' business was associated with that 
of cabinet-maker. One of the pioneers to 
engage in the business was George Miller, 
who manufactured furniture and cofi&ns on 
South McKean Street, and performed the 
duties of funeral director whenever his 
services were required. 

George Roessing engaged in the busi- 
ness on West Jefferson Street about 1847, 
and subseqiiently conducted an undertak- 
ing business at his carriage and wagon - 



making shop on West Cunningham Street 
until about 1888. The business was then 
removed to West Jefferson Street, and 
subsequently to the present location on 
North Main Street. For many years the 
firm was known as George Roessing & 
Son, the junior member of the firm being 
Wesley P. Roessing. After the death of 
the father, the son continued the business 
as W. P. Roessing, and at the present time 
he has associated with him his son, Fred 
Roessing. 

The undertaking business now con- 
ducted by M. A. Berkimer was established 
in 1893 by Berkimer & Taylor. They first 
had rooms in the Cratty Building, two 
doors south of the present location, where 
they continued for two years, when Mr. 
Taylor retired, and Mr. Berkimer became 
the sole owner. He has an up-to-date es- 
tablishment, and in addition to his under- 
taking business conducts a livery at the 
rear of the Y. M. C. A. Building. 

The firm of Amy & Eyth began the un- 
dertaking business in the old postofifice 
building on South Main Street in 1904. 
Frank Eyth retired from the firm in May, 
1905, and the business has since been con- 
ducted by George W. Amy. In the spring 
of 1908 the business was removed to North 
Main Street, the present location. 

JUSTICES OF THE PE.\CE. 

The first justice of the peace in the town 
was Samuel Cunningham, the pioneer. The 
records show that in 1808 he united Wal- 
ter Lowrie and Miss Amelia McPherrin in 
marriage. In 1809 Mr. Lowrie was ap- 
pointed justice. After him came Abraham 
Brinker, Reuben Ayres, Hugh McKee, 
John Duffy, John Sweeney and Patrick 
Kelley, Jr. These justices were all ap- 
pointed by the respective governors pre- 
vious to the adoption of the Constitution 
of 1839, after which the office became 
elective. From 1840 to 1908 the following 
have served: Patrick Kellev, 1840; Rob- 
ert Carnahan, 1841-45-50-55; Samuel C. 



448 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Stewart, 1841; Samuel G. Purvis, 1845-5U- 
55-60-65 ; James Glenn, 1846-51 ; George C. 
Roessing, 1856-61; James MoNair, 1865; 
William S. Ziegler, 1866; Jacob Keck, 
1869-1908, inclusive; Robert McClure, 
1869; John G. Muntz, 1871-76; John B. 
Butler, 1875; Henrv Pillow, 1878-79; 
Lewis P. Walker, 1881-86; John B. Black, 
1881; Samuel P. Irvine, 1882; John W. 
Brown, 1885; J. P. McQuistion, 1886; R. 
C. McAhoy, 1888-91; Cvrus E. Anderson, 
1891-96-1901; R. B. Gilchrist, 1896; Reu- 
ben McElvaine, 1901 ; R. C. McAboy, 1903 
(appointed) ; James Maxwell, 1904; H. W. 
Christie, 1904; J. H. Sutton, 1907 (ap- 
pointed) ; Wm. F. Lvtle, 1907; F. H. Daw. 
1908. 

The Butler County Humane Society, a 
branch of the Federated Humane Society 
of Pennsylvania, was chartered by the 
Courts of Butler County, December 10, 
1897, with one hundred and forty-three 
charter members. The purpose of the so- 
ciety is to protect animals, children and 
aged people from abusive treatment, and 
enforce such laws as have been enacted by 
the State covering the sul),iect. For a num- 
ber of years the local society was sup- 
ported by the subscriptions of the mem- 
bers, but within the last two years the fines 
enforced have been sufficient to pay the 
running expenses of the local branch. The 
local society has representatives in all of 
the townships and boroughs of the county, 
and is governed by a board composed of 
the following: .L. B. Stein, Al. Ruff, C. E. 
Cronenwett, Lewis P. Walker and E. E. 
Abrams. C. G. Christie is president of the 
board, E. E. Abrams, secretary, and John 
H. Sutton, agent. During the past year 
the society has investigated sixtj' cases of 
cruelty to animals, and tried twenty cases 
in the court, and in the past eighteen 
months they have prosecuted three cases 
of cruelty to children. The society is rep- 
resented on the State Board by C. G. 
Christie. 

The Butler Public Library is keijt up by 



an organization of public spirited ladies of 
the town, of which Mrs. H. C. Phillips is 
president; Mrs. .J. D. Lowrie, vice-presi- 
dent; Miss Grace Prugh, secretary; and 
the Butler Savings & Trust Company, 
treasurer. The association occupied a 
rented building at 226 North Main street 
for a number of years where the library 
was kept open every afternoon and even- 
ing, and a public reading room was main- 
tained in connection with the library. In 
the fall of 190S tlic association moved the 
quarters to the old -diool hiiihhii.n' on Kast 
Jefferson Street. Aliss Clam I'.. .Me.lun- 
kin is the librarian. 

CHURCHES. 

First. Presbyterian Church of Butler is 
the oldest congregation in the city. The 
records of the church, however, post-date 
its organization twenty years and the set- 
tlement of Presbyterians here by at least 
thirty-three years. A few years before 
the close of the eighteenth century, there 
were found among the settlers a few indi- 
viduals who, though ridiculed by the 
world, maintained the domestic and social 
worship of God and were members of the 
Presbyterian church, though not yet regu- 
larly organized as a congregation. It is 
thought that Rev. Mr. Gwinn was the first 
minister of the go.spel who preached to 
them, in the fall of 1797. Rev. Mr. Moore- 
head preached here in 1798, and he was 
followed by Revs. Samuel Tait, William 
Wylie, and others. These men preached 
during the season of the "Bodily Exer- 
cise," which prevailed throughout the 
countrv, and to some extent in this place, 
particrilarly in 1803 and 1804. The gospel 
was now preached, for the most part, at 
Thorn's tent and Russell's tent — the 
former within the bounds of Butler con- 
gregation, near the house where William 
Kearns resided (in 1837), and the latter 
was within the bounds of the Concord con- 
gregation. 

The church of Harmony was organized 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



449 



in 1805, with sixteen members, l)y Rev. 
John McPherrin. 

On April 7, 1813, Rev. John MePherrin 
was installed pastor of the elmrohes of 
Butler and Concord by the Presbytery of 
Erie. He began preaching in the court 
house at Butler, to the newly organized 
church of this borough, devoting three- 
fourths of his time to it and giving one- 
fourth to the church at Concord. In 1815, 
a stone meeting-house was erected, on the 
site of the present building, and in it the 
pioneer preacher held regular services un- 
til his death, February 10, 1822. 

In the fall of 1814 the movement to erect 
a house of worship was inaugurated, and 
the contract was awarded to John Neyman 
for $1,500. Rev. John Coulter was or- 
dained and installed pastor of the united 
churclies of Butler, Concord and ]\luddy 
Creek September 10, 1823, — giving one- 
half his time to Butler. In the spring of 
1833, he resigned the Butler charge, and in 
July of tliat year Rev. Loyal Young com- 
niciiccil preaching at Butler, and was or- 
(lairuMl pastor, December 4, 1833. He found 
on the list the names of 105 members. 

In 1833, the suggestion of a new building 
was carried out, and $3,200 expended on a 
house fit to accommodate the large congre- 
gation. 

A constitution was adopted June 30, 
1823, and on the 8th of January, 1824, the 
congregation was incorporated. A second 
charter was obtained in 1854, which is now 
the law of the church. In December, 1834, 
resolutions against the theatrical meet- 
ings, then being held at Butler, were 
adopted, and the elders exercised the 
closest supervision over the members of 
the congregation, calling on many of them 
to confess and reform. In 1836, the ques- 
tion of betting on elections was presented, 
and one member was suspended because he 
ifoiihl, "under similar circumstances bet 
ngain." In December, 1858, Elders Boyd, 
l\lartin and Graham were appointed a 
committee to secure a lot fur a cliurch 



building, south or southeast of Butler, for 
the accommodation of members living dis- 
tant from the town in the direction indi- 
cated. In January, 1859, the committee of 
elders reported that an acre of land was 
secured form Joseph Robinson for twenty 
dollars, the location ))eing five miles south- 
east, on the Saxonburg Road, and that 
funds of building- to the amount of $350 
were on hand. The years 1862 and 1863 
are noted for the erection of a new church 
Ijuilding. 

April 28, 1868, Mr. Young's relation 
with the church was dissolved: During his 
ministry nearly 450 persons united with 
the church and several revivals of marked 
interest occurred. Witherspoon Institute 
owed its existence to him more than any 
other man. The work of calling the con- 
veution which brought the school into ex- 
istence, of preparing the charter, of rais- 
ing money and of starting the school, de- 
volved principally upon him, and he was 
its principal for a considerable period. 

In May, 1868, Rev. W. I. Brugh was 
stated supply. He was installed pastor 
November 2, 1869. and resigned in April, 
1871. On January 23, 1872, Rev. C. H. Mc- 
Clellan was installed pastor. 

Rev. W. T. Wylie was installed pastor 
in June, 1879. He resigned December 25, 
1881. In June, 1882, Rev. W. E. Oiler was 
elected pastor; in December, W. D. Bran- 
don was chosen superintendent, and Jo- 
seph S. Gray assistant, of the Sabbath 
school. 

The present church is simply an exten- 
sion of that erected in 1862-63, the work 
lieing accomplished in 1874-5. With the 
exception of the court house, and Jeffer- 
son Street school building and high school, 
this church building occupies the fuiest site 
within the borough limits. The extension 
was completed in 1880 at an expenditure 
of about $16,000. With the exception of 
reseating, the addition of a gallery, and 
some repair work, the building has re- 
mained the same. A new pipe organ was 



450 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



installed in 1899 at an expense of about 
$2,500. 

In 1897 one hundred and sixty-two mem- 
bers of the congregation were dismissed 
by letter to form the Second Presbyterian 
Church of Butler. The membership of the 
old congregation iu 1908 was 601. John F. 
Anderson was superintendent of the Sun- 
day school, George B. AVick, director of 
music, W. D. Brandon, teacher of the 
young men's bible class, and A. T. Scott, 
teacher of the Sullivan Men's Bible class. 
This class is one of the interesting fea- 
tures of the church, and was organized un- 
der the instruction of Col. John M. Sulli- 
van, February 5, 1888. Col. Sullivan con- 
tinued as teacher of the class until his 
death July 26, 1896, the membership at 
that time being about fifty. After the 
death of Col. Sullivan, A. T. Scott, Esq., a 
member of the Butler Bar, was chosen 
teacher, a position which he still holds. 
After the organization of the Second Pres- 
byterian Church, the class was divided, but 
it still retains a large membership. The 
branch of the class in the Second Church 
is instructed by D. D. Quigley. 

The trustees in 1908 were W. C. Thomp- 
son, A. D. Sarver, Frank Mitchell, H. H. 
Boyd, E. I. Brugh, and E. E. Abrams. The 
elders were W. D. Brandon, John C. Red- 
dick, C. N. Boyd, John F. Anderson, Rob- 
ert M. Anderson and P. W. Lowry. The 
death of Elder William Campbell, Jr., and 
Elder James Stevenson was noted during 
1907. 

St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church 
is one of the oldest church organizations 
in Butler, dating from 1813, in which year 
and subsequently Rev. Jacob Schnee made 
missionary visits, baptizing a large mmi- 
ber of German residents. Early in Novem- 
ber, 1821, Bishop J. C. G. Schweitzerbarth, 
a scholarly divine hailing from Stuttgart, 
Germany, took charge of the interests of 
Lutheranism in this place. When he came 
here he found but six members. June 3, 
1821, he first administered communion to 



the congregation, having the day previous 
confirmed his first class of catechumens 
and effected a preliminary organization. 
The officials chosen were Jacob Mechling, 
John McCollough and John Henshew. Ten 
years later steps were taken to draft a 
permanent constitution, to secure a char- 
ter, and build a church; and in 1841 the 
council was constituted a corporate and 
body politic by the title, "The Ministers, 
Trustees, Elders and Deacons of the Ger- 
man Evangelical Lutheran Congregations 
of St. Marcus Church in Butler." 

The new church, a brick structure forty 
by sixty with an annex of twenty-two feet, 
and a belfry, was dedicated September 26, 
1841. 

The cost of the building, about $4,000, 
entailed some financial hardships on the 
members, but by a strong and united effort 
they succeeded in meeting the most press- 
ing obligations. Prosperity again re- 
turned in 1847, a small organ was bought, 
and soon after a burial ground was pur- 
chased. 

The congregation originally had among 
its numbers a sprinkling of American 
born people. Some of these, together with 
others, were, through Rev. G. Bassler, or- 
ganized into an English Lutheran congre- 
gation on the 16th of January, 1843, and 
for a few years they held service in the 
German church. This drew off the 
English element, and in consequence St. 
Mark's congregation remained purely 
German. Bishop Schweitzerbarth 's pas- 
toral relation with the congregation con- 
tinned till April, 1849, a period of nearly 
twenty-eight years. 

On the 8th of April that year Rev. Will- 
iam A. Fetter became the first resident 
pastor. He remained till the summer of 
1863, when he removed to Millerstown. 
The congregation was supplied by Rev. J. 
N. Wolf, and others, till January, 1864, 
when Rev. G. F. H. Meiser was secured as 
pastor. During the time of his service a 
comfortable parsonage on Wayne Street 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



451 



was secured, aud a large pipe organ for tlie 
cliurcli purchased. Rev. Meiser resigned 
and was succeeded in January, 18(i!l, bv 
Rev. C. H. W. Luebkert. He retired iia 
1876, liis successor being Rev. E. Cronen- 
wett, who has remained as pastor to the 
present time. 

The corner stone of a new clnnch editice 
was laid August 15, 1878, in a new location 
on the corner of Washington and Jelfer- 
sou Streets, and the dedication of the new 
building took place September 7. lS7i». Tlie 
cost of the entire property, site, structure, 
sheds, fencing, pavements, etc., was about 
$18,000. 

During the past sixty years St. .Mark's 
congregation, in addition to the usual loss 
of members by death and removals, has 
sutTered several extensive drains througli 
branch organization of its membersliip. 
Out of it grew in some measure the 
English Lutheran Church of Butler, or- 
ganized in 1843. The next was an eifort to 
form an Evangelical Churcli in Butler 
which turned out German Reformed, and 
then became extinct about 1870, and in 
1876 the German Lutheran Church of 
Summit Township was organized about 
four miles east of Butler. The so-called 
"White Church" four miles west of But- 
ler, was another branch organized about 
1890, but has since become extinct, tlie 
members uniting with the church in But- 
ler. The territory of the congregation 
still extends in its extreme limits from five 
to seven miles in all directions from But- 
ler. In January, 1909, the number of com- 
mimicant members was 700. The young 
people and three-fourths of tlie adult 
membership are English, though services 
in the German language are still regularly 
held on every alternate Sunday morning. 
The Sunday-school has an enrollment of 
185 scholars, and ten teachers. J. II. 
Troutman is superintendent, and C. E. 
Cronenwett and Frank E. Troutman, as- 
sistant superintendents. Two women's so- 



cieties are in active work in the congrega- 
tion, the Senior and the Junior Ladies' 
Missionary Societies.' 

Rev. E. Cronenwett, D. D., pastor of this 
congregation, entered on the thirty-third 
year of his pastorate here in January, 
1909, and is in the forty-sixth year of his 
ministry. He is at the present tune the 
senior resident pastor of Butler. 

United Presbyterian Church. — This is 
the second oldest church organization in 
the borough of Butler. At a meeting of 
the Associate Reformed Presbytery of the 
Monongahela, held at "Yough fleeting 
House," June 25, 1804, a petition was pre- 
sented for "supplies of gospel ordi- 
nances" from the congregation of "But- 
lertown." So far as any records that are 
extant show, this was the origin of the 
present United Presbyterian congregation 
of Butler. 

The petitioners, though probably few in 
number, must have pressed their petition 
very earnestly, and the Presbytery must 
have regarded Butler town as no unprom- 
ising field, for the petition was promptly 
granted and Rev. Joseph Kerr, a young- 
man who had just been ordained, was ap- 
pointed to supply on the first Sabbath of 
August, 1804. 

It is evident that the congregation of 
Butler town was well pleased with the 
young minister, for we find them three 
weeks after hearing the first sermon 
present at a meeting of Presbytery, either 
by commissioners or petition, asking "for 
supplies of jDreaching." Again in the fol- 
lowing spring a similar application was 
made by the congregation of "Butler 
town. ' ' 

Rev. Mungo Dick was appointed to 
]ireach in Butler on the second Sabbath of 
July, 1805. September 3. 1805, the Pres- 
liytery "received a petition from the con- 
gregation of Butler town and Deer Creek 
praying to be united and have as frequent 
supplies of sermons as can be afforded," 



451 



HISTORY OF BUTLP]R COUNTY 



which petition was gTanted. lu March, 
1811, the Butler society presented a peti- 
tion to the Presbyter}' "praying for tlie 
dissoh;tion of their connection with Deer 
Creek and the establishment of a connec- 
tion witli Slippery Roclv." The Butler 
congregation with its new partner at once 
put forth an effort to obtain a pastoral 
settlement, but, as on previous occasions, 
met with disappointment. After various 
unsuccessful attempts had been made to 
secure a regular pastor, the prayers of this 
people were answered, and on May 17, 
1819, Eev. Isaiah Niblock, a young man 
and a licentiate from the Presbytery of 
Monaghan, Ireland, presented credentials, 
on the credit of which he was received as 
a probationer under the direction of Pres- 
bytery. He gave satisfaction and was or- 
dained and installed on the 17th of Novem- 
ber, 1819, when for the tirst time the Asso- 
ciate Reformed Presbytery met in Butler. 
The first communion service was held in 
the valley just south of the North ceme- 
tery. It was the first service of the kind 
conducted by the young minister, and the 
first time the congregation of Butler was 
permitted to receive the sacrament at the 
hands of their own pastor. The occasion 
was a memorable event. Rev. Niblock or- 
ganized a Sunday school but the exact date 
is unknown; but it was evidently the first 
held in Butler, for while conducted by the 
Associate Reformed congregation, mem- 
bers of other denominations were among 
its officers and tetichers. 

For some years after the advent of ?.lv. 
Niblock the congregation labored under 
the disadvantage of having no church 
building. For a time services were held in 
the court house, but as other denomina- 
tions met there, appointments often vou- 
flicted. Arrangements were then made to 
hold services in tlie ravine below the ceme- 
tery, where the first conuuunion was held. 
Hugh McKee obtained permission and the 
congregation hauled logs and ])ut blocks 
under them, and on these rough hewn ])t'ws 



thev sat for hours listening to the word of 
life. 

In 182-t a deed was given l)y lioliert 
Campbell and Jane his wife to John Potts 
in trust for the Associate Reformed church 
of Butler, for lot 138 on which the church 
now stands. A brick meeting-house was 
proposed and the contract let. When com- 
pleted, it was an oblong square-cornered 
brick building costing four or five thou- 
sand dollars. "The old church," says Rev. 
Mr. Niblock, "forms a distinct picture in 
my mind. High upon the wall was the lit- 
tle old-fashioned red box pulpit with its 
closed doors. The pews were large with 
doors to each ; and every seat was occupied 
by one or more families. The gallery ran 
around the three sides of the church and 
was comfortably seated. The church was 
generally filled with worshipers, and on 
communion Sabbaths, which were always 
high days, a large audience crowded the 
building to over-flowing." 

In addition to the onerous duties of the 
pastorate, Mr. Niblock was appointed 
county treasurer bj' the commissioners in 
1826. At the close of the year we find pub- 
lished a full report of his receipts and ex- 
penditures amounting to $5,785.23. 

After eighteen years of arduous service 
Mr. Niblock was, at his own request, owing 
to ill health, released from White Oak 
Springs of his charge, October 23, 1835. 
In 1839 additional seating accommoda- 
tions were required, and pews were placed 
in the gallery of the Butler church at a 
cost of $153. In 1845 an arrangement was 
entered iiito between the Butler and Union 
congregations by which a portion of Mr. 
Niblock 's time was given to them. This 
arrangement continued until 1853, after 
which this congregation became a separate 
l)ast(>rnl charge. In 1849 the charter of 
the congregation was amended l)y le- 
ducing the number of trustees from nine 
to three. Some time in 1851 a portion of 
ground south of the borough, containing 
one and a half acres or more, was given by 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



453 



John MoQuistiou to the trustees in trust 
for tlie congregation, to be used as a bury- 
ing ground. 

In 1858, the degree of (k)eti)r of divinity 
was conferred on Rev. Nibkick by West- 
minster College. x\t the opening of the 
year 1864, Dr. Niblock, who had never 
been a very strong man, began to show 
signs of failing health, and on Wednesday 
afternoon, June 29, 1864, he peacefully en- 
tered iiild Iieavcnly rest. Greatly honored 
and respected through life, his memory 
will ever reiiiniu green in the hearts of 
those who knew him. 

The congregation remained without a 
pastor for nearly two years, when Mr. 
John Gailey, a licentiate under the care of 
Monongahela Presbytery, was called. He 
was ordained and installed April 24, 1866. 
Soon after it was decided to enhirge the 
building, and the work was completed dur- 
ing the winter following at a cost of $5,800. 
In 1871 an addition of twenty feet was 
made to the east end of the church at a 
cost of about $3,000. 

Rev. Gailey was released at his own re- 
(piest, December 26, 1871, and was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. George McCormick, who 
was ordained and installed October 22d, 
following. He resigned to enter upon mis- 
sionary work in the far west, and was re- 
leased" April 22, 1873. A year later the 
congregation secured the services of Rev. 
R. G. Ferguson, who was installed Janu- 
ary 18, 1875. On July 8, 1884, he was re- 
leased to accept the presidency of West- 
minster College. 

Three weeks after the resignation of 
Dr. Ferguson the congregation extended a 
rail lo Rev. John S. McKee, D. D., of Mer- 
• •ei-. He began his work here the first of 
October, 1884, and continued until his 
death, March 5, 1903. During his pastor- 
ate of almost twenty years the congrega- 
tion more than doubled in numbers, 
erected a handsome new church edifice, 
and had grown to be one of the strongest 
churches in the denomination. At a meet- 



ing of the congregation held in June, 1903, 
a call was extended to Rev. A. R. Robin- 
son, of Martins Ferry, which was accej^ted, 
and he began his work the first of Septem- 
ber that year. He was installed at the 
regular meeting of Butler Presbytery, 
which was held in October. Rev. Robin- 
son continued as pastor until February 1, 
1907, when he was released at his own re- 
quest to accept a call from the Sixth 
I'nited Presl)yteriau Church at Pittsburg. 
The congregation was without a pastor for 
a little over a year, when a call was ex- 
tended to Rev. R. B. Miller, who was then 
pastor of the United Presbyterian Church 
at Beaver, Pennsylvania, which was ac- 
cepted. He liegan his laliors here April 1, 
1908. 

As the church increased in strength 
from year to year, the old house became 
too small to accommodate the worshippers, 
and in March, 1891, it was unanimously 
voted to build a new church. A piece of 
ground fronting fifteen feet on McKean 
Street and extending one hundred feet 
back, was purchased for $1,200, in order to 
give more room. The plan as finally set- 
tled on was for a stone and brick building 
in the Romanesque style of architecture, 
comprising an audience room sixty-nine by 
seventv-six feet, with a lecture room forty- 
nine by fifty-four feet. On July 9, 1891, 
contracts were made for the constnxction 
of a building to cost a little over $20,000. 
Sunday, July 12, 1891, the last service was 
held in the old building, and on the follow- 
ing Monday the pewsi were removed to 
Reiber's Hall, and on the 20th the work 
of demolition was commenced and such 
progress made that on August 12th the 
corner-stone was formally laid. Decem- 
ber 27, 1891, the lecture room was occupied 
for the first time, the congregation having 
worshipped twenty-three Sabbaths in 
Reiber's Hall. The building was com- 
pleted January 8, 1894, and on the 22d of 
February of the same year it was dedi- 
cated. It presents a fine ai)i)earance both 



454 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



externally and iuterually, the aooustios 
are good, and the total seating capacity of 
both rooms is about 1,200. The cost, in- 
cluding fixtures, was $26,153.28. 

In 1904 the congregation erected a par- 
sonage on tlie lot east of the church on Jef- 
ferson Street at a cost of about $5,000, ex- 
clusive of the ground. The membership of 
the congregation has increased from 231 
on October 1, 1884, to 752 on January 31, 
1909. The church has a well organized 
Women's Missionary Society, Young 
Women's Society, Christian Union and 
Jimior Society, and an attendance of about 
300 in the Sabbath school, of which Hon. 
James M. Galbreath is superintendent, S. 
B. Pollock assistant superintendent, and 
Miss Emily M. Brittain, associate superin- 
tendent. The members of the session in 
1909 were Samuel D. Purvis, John T. Kel- 
ley, W. B. Shrader, Thornley C. Johnson, 
James M. Galbreath, and M. L. Arm- 
strong. The trustees were William G. 
Douthett, president, Raymond S. Corne- 
lius, secretary, C. G. Christie, John G. Mc- 
Farlin, Al. Ruff, Aaron Bieghley. Miss 
Jean McKee is treasurer. 

The Italian Mission, imder the care of 
this church, was organized in the fall of 
1906, with Rev. Michael Renzetti, as pas- 
tor. The services are held in a reuted hall 
on Elm Street, which is also used for the 
purpose of holding night school during the 
week. At the present time there are forty 
members attending the mission. The Sab- 
bath school has an enrollment of seventy. 
and the night school an enrollment of 
thirty. Rev. Renzetti is the superinten- 
dent of the Sabbath school, Salvatora 
Schallaubbi is secretary, and Frank Tre- 
marko is treasurer. Miss Mary McKee is 
the organist. 

First Evangelical Lutheran Church. — 
The first meeting of those favorable to the 
organization of an English Lutheran 
Church in Butler was held in the German 
church of the same denomination then lo- 



cated on South McKean Street, on the 16th 
of January, 1843. Jacob Mechling served 
as secretary of this meeting, and Rev. 
Gottlieb Bassler was chosen treasurer. A 
church constitution for the guidance of the 
organization was adopted at this meeting, 
and at a subsequent meeting the first 
church council was elected. The constitu- 
tion adopted by the society was signed by 
forty-five individuals, twenty-two males 
and twenty-three females. 

Services appear to have been held in the 
German Church or in the court house until 
1848, when the question of building a 
church was considered. An offer by Mich- 
ael Emerick of a lot on West North Street 
(now the site of Bethany Reformed 
Church), was accepted, and the latter do- 
nated the ground in fee simple to the con- 
gregation. The building was begun in 1849 
and completed and dedicated in Septem- 
ber, 1850. This building served its pur- 
pose for twenty-seven years, when nego- 
tiations were entered into for the purchase 
of the Witherspoon Institute property on 
North Main Street, which occupied the site 
of the present church.' The purchase of 
this property was made early in 1876, and 
the changes and improvements made at 
that time, including the original cost of the 
property, was about $7,700.00. 

A charter was obtained for the associa- 
tion in 1852 during the pastorate of Rev. 
Bassler. 

An event of historical importance to 
English l^utherans in Western Pennsylva- 
nia took place in Butler about a year after 
the organization of the church. The 
Pittsburg Synod was organized in 1844, 
and it was in Butler that the preliminary 
conference was held for the purpose of 
making arrangements for the organization 
of the Synod. A number of prominent 
ministers of the denomination were pres- 
ent. 

After the Rev. Bassler the pastors suc- 
ceeded as follows: Rev. A. IT. Waters. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1855-1861; Rev. J. H. Fritz, until 1869; no 
Ijastor for about ten mouths ; Rev. L. H. 
Geshwind, 1870-1874; Rev. J. Q. Waters 
was next called and began his work here. in 
July, 1875, to August, 1884; Rev. D. L. 
Roth, November, 1884, to October, 1888; 
Rev. G. E. Titzel, November, 1888, to No- 
vember, 1891; Rev. Enoch Smith, 1891. 
until his death, May 23, 1894; Rev. D. L. 
Roth second time, November 18, 1894. to 
1898 ; Rev. S. M. Mouutz, called 1898, with 
Rev. T. B. Roth, D. D., then president of 
Thiel College, Greenville, as associate pas- 
tor, until July, 1903 ; no pastor until March 
6, 1904, when Rev. Robert D. Roeder, of 
Norristown, who had previously accepted 
a call, was regularly installed. He is the 
present pastor. 

The large increase in membership from 
1885 to 1895 created the necessity of larger 
and better quarters, and in 1897 the con- 
gregation began the erection of the pres- 
ent handsome stone church building which 
was completed and dedicated the following- 
year at a cost of about $25,000, exclusive 
of the lot and the interior furnishings. 
This building occupies the site of the old 
Witherspoon Institute building at the cor- 
ner of Main and Clay Streets, which was 
one of the historical educational institu- 
tions of the town. 

An event of importance to the congrega- 
tion took place on March 8, 1908, when a 
new pipe organ which had been donated by 
the children of Mr. and Mrs. Martin 
Reiber, was dedicated at the morning ser- 
vices, and in the evening a jubilee service 
was held at which the church mortgage 
was burned. These services were attended 
by Rev. T. B. Roth, D. D., Rev. Warren 
Roth, D. D., Rev. D. L. Roth, D. D.. and 
Rev. H. K. Shanor. 

The membership of the congregation in 
January, 1909, was 350, and the following 
composed the church council : William 
Kesselman, A. E. Reiber, John R. Hen- 
ninger, D. F. Reed, W. H. Hildebrand, J. 



F. Kittleberger, H. G. Graham, George 
Krug, Jr., and Louis G. Nicol. The society 
has a well organized Sunday school, 
with A. E. Reiber as superintendent, a 
Women's Missionary Society, Junior Mis- 
sionarj' Society, and the Luther League. 

Grace Lutheran Church. — The Grace 
Ijutheran congregation, a branch sanc- 
tioned bv the General Synod, was organ- 
ized here in 1890 by Rev. H. B. Winton. 
The first meeting of the society was held 
June 16, 1890, and the formal organization 
took place in August of the same year, 
when thirty-five charter iiicinl)crs were en- 
rolled. Rev. Wintdu siiiiplicil tiie new con- 
gregation until Octoboi-, 1S!)1, when Rev. 
J. E. Maurer was installed pastor. He 
was succeeded on February 1, 1893, by 
Rev. Eli Miller, who continued as pastor 
until August 6, 1901, when he resigned to 
accept a call to St. Mark's Church, North- 
side, Pittsburg. Rev. J. C. Nicholas, the 
present pastor, was called November 1, 
1901. 

For the first few years after its organi- 
zation the society held services in a rented 
hall in the Reiber Building on South Main 
Street. A charter was secured May 13, 
1893, and the same year a lot was pur- 
chased from H. J. Klinger on the corner of 
Mifflin and Church Streets. A brick edi- 
fice was erected which was completed in 
the early part of 1905 at a cost of $5,350.00. 
In 1904 a Sunday-school room was erected 
at the north side of the building, and a 
pipe organ installed, the services incident 
to the rededication of the church taking 
place on Se]iteml>cr 25th of that year. The 
total value of Ihc church property in 1908 
was about $20,0(10.00. The membership of 
the society is 400, and in addition it has a 
Woman's Missionary Society, Young 
Women's Missionary Circle, Christian En- 
deavor Society and Junior Society. E. A. 
Whitekettle is superintendent of the Sun- 
day-school, and J. H. Murtland president 
of the Christian Endeavor Societv. The 



45(; 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



official board hi 1908 was composed of El- 
ders J. H. Reiber, W. M. Bellis, L. H. 
Craig and D. W. Johns. The deacons were 
Charles H. Barnhart, W. H. Ensminger, J. 
B. Hutchison and W. J. Daugherty. 

The Second Presbyterian Church, of 
Butler, is the daughter of the First 
Church, and had its inception at a meeting 
of the session and board of trustees of the 
First Presbyterian Church held on May 
12, 1897, at which David L. Cleeland and 
Dr. John E. Byers were authorized to se- 
cure the services of a minister and provide 
a place for holding worship for six mouths 
with a view of determining the projjriety 
of organizing a second Presbyterian church 
in Butler. This committee secured the use 
of the assembly rooms of the Y. M. C. A. 
building and the first services were held 
June 6th, 1897. The formal organization 
was effected on the lltli of October, 1897, 
by a committee of Butler Presbytery com- 
posed of Rev. J. B. Coulter, D. D., chair- 
man; Rev. Y- E. Oiler, D. D., Rev. I. D. 
Decker, D. D., and Elder Elliott Robb, of 
Prospect. One hundred and sixty-two per- 
sons were received by letter from the First 
Pi^esbyterian Church, of Butler, forty 
from other churches and twenty-seven on 
examination. Rev. I. D. Decker presided 
at the meeting, and after the iireliuiinaries 
had been arranged (illiciaiiv- dcclaicil the 
church regularly organized as tlic Second 
Presbytei-iau Church of Butler. 

The new congregation was supplied un- 
til October 27, 1897, when a call was ex- 
tended to Rev. Edwin R. Worrell, of Wa- 
verly, Kansas, which was accepted. Rev. 
Worrell continiied as pastor until the be- 
ginning of 1907, when he resigned to ac- 
cept a position as field secretary in the 
temperance work. In the ten years of his 
pastorate here the congregation had al- 
most doubled its membership, erected a 
church building and was well equipped for 
excellent work. Rev. Geo. C. Miller, a 
graduate of the Western Theological Sem- 



inary, at Allegheny, class of 1907, was 
elected in April, 1907, and installed by a 
committee of Butler Presbytery July 11th. 
Under his pastorate the congregation has 
experienced a steady growth and has an 
effective working organization. 

The death of Dr. John E. Byers, one of 
the first elders, was recorded on Februarj" 
8, 1904, on the minutes of the session. In 
1908 the session was composed of Thos. B. 
White, Robt. A. White, Thomas Hayes, C. 
B. Conway, Dr. W. B. Clark, David L. 
Cleland, J. E. Brandon, D. D. Quigley and 
J. P. Whiteside. The deacons were J. C. 
]\IcXees, H. H. Hull, and Geo. D. Kamerer. 
The ti'iistees w^ere P. H. Sechler, Ira Mc- 
Junkiu, J. H. Starr, C. E. Mclntyre, T. B. 
Young and D. H. Sutton. The superin- 
tendents of the Sabbath school since its 
organization have been David L. Cleeland, 
Levi M. Wise, Robert A. White and Ira 
McJunkin. The congregation had 561 
moinl)('r8 iu 1908, a well organized Chris- 
tian I'viidciivor Society, a Women's Mis- 
siounry Society, Ladies' Aid Society, and 
Young Women's Missionary Society. 

Soon after the organization of the con- 
gregation steps were taken towards secur- 
ing a suitable house for worship. A lot 
was purchased from the Graham heirs on 
tlie Southeast corner of the Diamond for 
which six thousand dollars was paid. T. 
B. Young, Ira McJunkin and Thomas 
Hayes were appointed a building commit- 
tee and in 1902 the contract for the present 
church was let to George Schenk, of But- 
ler. The church was completed and dedi- 
cated on October 7th, 1903 at a total cost 
of $34,000.00. The building and lot repre- 
sents an investment of $40,000.00. Subse- 
quently a pipe organ was installed at a 
cost of $2,500.00. The church is constructed 
of native sandstone, medieval in style of 
architecture, and modern in all of its ap-- 
pointments. With the exception of 
$2,500.00 subscribed by members of the 
First Church, the entire expense has been 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



-t.)7 



met by the Second Clmrch, and in 1908 the 
indebtedness of the society had been re- 
duced to $8,000.(30. 

Rev. George C. Miller, pastor of the 
Second Presbyterian Church of Butler, 
was born April 1, 1878, near Punxsutaw- 
ney, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, and 
is tlie son of Eli F. Miller. He was edu- 
cated in the common schools of the county 
and at Indiana (Pa.) State Normal, and 
subsequently taught school for three years. 
Later he entered the Missouri Valley Col- 
lege at Marshall, Missouri, and graduated 
in the class of 1904. In the fall of 1904 he 
entered the Western Theological Seminary 
at Allegheny and was graduated in the 
class of 1907. AVhile a student at the sem- 
inary he was ordained in Allegheny Pres- 
bytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church, September 10, 1905, and did sup- 
ply work for New Salem Cumberland Pres- 
byterian Church. He was moderator of 
the Union Presbytery for one year during 
this time. While a student of the third 
year he supplied the Second Presbyterian 
Church of Butler, and in April, 1907, was 
elected pastor of that congregation to suc- 
ceed Rev. Edwin R. Worrell. This call 
was accepted, and he was installed by a 
committee of Butler Presbytery July 11, 
1907. At the annual meeting of Butler 
Presbytery held in June, 1908, he was 
elected moderator, which position he now 
holds. Rev. Miller was married Septem- 
ber 12, 1904, to Miss Alice Newton, of 
Warrensburg, Missouri. They have one 
daughter, Catherine Virginia. 

St. Peter's Episcopal Clmrch. — The his- 
tory of St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal 
Church of Butler dates back to some time 
in 1818, when the Rev. Jackson Kemper 
(afterwards Bishop) visited the locality as 
agent for the "Societj'^ for the Advance- 
ment of Christianity in Pennsylvania," 
and held Episcopal services in the parlor 
of the residence of Hon. John Gilmore. 
After the services a nmnber of children 
were baptized. There is no record of any 



regular visitations ))y Episcopal ministers 
imtil 1824, wlicu the Protestant Episcopal 
Church of Butler was organized. The offi- 
ciating minister at this time was Rev. Rob- 
ert Ayres, and the membership consisted 
of but a few families. The first meeting 
held to take steps towards the erection of 
a church building was in the court house. 
The Right Rev. John H. Hopkins, then 
rector of Trinity Church, Pittsburg, and 
afterwards bishop of the Diocese of Ver- 
mont, presided at this meeting. Judge 
Bredin proposed and did donate the lot of 
ground on East Jefferson Street on which 
the building was afterwards erected, and 
which is the site of the present edifice. One 
thousand dollars was subscribed towards 
the church building fund at this meeting, 
and immediate steps were taken towards 
the erection of the building. Prior to its 
completion services were held by Rev. 
Ayres in the Court House. 

The first pastor of the new church was 
Rev. M. P. Bonnell, who began his work in 
1824 and continued until 1827. He was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. Wm. G. Hilton, who re- 
mained six years, and he was followed by 
Rev. Thomas Crumpton, who se-rved about 
six months. Rev. B. B. Killikelly came in 
1833, and was succeeded in 1837 by Rev. 
Wm. White, D. D., who continued as pastor 
of the congregation for forty years. Rev. 
White resigned in 1877, and was succeeded 
by Rev. Daniel I. Edwards, who took 
charge January 8, 1878. He resigned 
April 13, 1880, and in December of that 
vear Rev. Edmond Burke took charge as 
rector and reniaiucd until Au-ust 8, 1882. 
when he was succ,...<|,m1 1,v \Wx. S. H. S. 
Gallaudet. He was sn.vccdcd in 1884 by 
Rev. John London, and the latter in turn 
on the 15th of September, 1892, by Rev. 
Miles S. Hemenway. During the pastorate ■ 
of Rev. Hemenway the new church build- 
ing was begun and the congregation made 
substantial progress. He resigned on 
September 12, 1898, and was succeeilcd l)y 
Rev. T. B. Barlow, who was called March 



458 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



26, 1899, and continued as pastor imtil 
June 4, 1904, when he resigned. During 
this pastorate the church edifice was com- 
pleted and the new pipe organ installed, 
the latter being the gift of Mr. Andrew 
Carnegie. The present pastor, Rev. Mark 
H. Milne, was called October 27, 1904, and 
assumed the duties of his position shortly 
after. 

The present churcii is an imposing struc- 
ture, costing about twentj'-five thousand 
dollars, exclusive of the furnishing and the 
lot. It stands on the site of the old church 
on ground donated by Judge John Bredin. 
The present membership of the congrega- 
tion is 330 and the Sabbath school has an 
enrollment of 130. 

St. Peter's Catholic Cliarch.— The first 
Catholic church in Butler was erected by 
the English-speaking Catholics in 1822. It 
was the old St. Peter's, was built of stone. 
and stood upon the hill in the eastern part 
of the borough, where the old Catholic 
burial ground is now located. The build- 
ing committee were John Duify, Norbert 
Foltz, and William Hagerty, the last men- 
tioned being also the contractor. Prior to 
the construction of the church, Rev. 
Charles Ferry came here in 1821, and or- 
ganized the congregation. The first bishop 
to visit the church was Francis Patrick 
Kenrick, of Philadelphia, in 1834, when it 
was dedicated. It was superseded by the 
present derman church, which was erected 
in 1849, on Franklin Street. On the occa- 
sion of the laying of the corner-stone, Hon. 
James Buchanan, who was on a visit to 
Butler at the time as the guest of Hon. 
William Beatty, was among the strangers 
present. The church was dedicated Octo- 
ber 14, 1849, by Right Rev. Bishop O'Con- 
nor, of Pittsburg. The old stone chapel 
was taken down in 1853, and the English- 
speaking Catholics erected St. Paul's 
church in 186fi. 

As early as January 15, 1829, Mrs. 
Sarah Collins deeded to the Right Rev. 
Henrv Conwcll. D. !)., bishop of Pliiladel- 



phia, in trust for the members of the old 
St. Peter's Catholic Church, one acre and 
seven perches, together with right of way 
from this land to the Butler and Kittan- 
ning turnpike. This deed was granted for 
a valuable consideration and for the en- 
couragement of the congregation in Butler 
to the trustee named and his successors in 
trust for St. Peter's Catholic Church. It 
was a part of a tract called ' ' Newry. ' ' pat- 
ented by the State, April 22, 1807, to Ste- 
phen Lowrey and bequeathed by him, No- 
vember 29, 1821, to his daughter, Mrs. 
Sarah Collins. The only reservation in 
the deed of 1829, was that which preserved 
to her and to her heirs the right of bury- 
ing, in the Collins tomb, deceased relatives 
by blood or marriage. 

Rev. Charles Ferry was pastor of St. 
Peter's from 1821 to 1825; Rev. P. P. 
O'Neil from 1826 to 1834. He was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. P. Rafferty, who served 
until 1837, then Revs. Gallagher and Jo- 
seph Cody up to 1840. Rev. John Mitchell 
followed and was pastor until 1846. After 
him came Rev. Joseph Creedon, who 
served as pastor until 1848. For several 
years after this the Benedictine Fathers 
had charge of the church and furnished 
pastors from time to time. They were suc- 
ceeded by the Carmelite Fathers, who re- 
mained in control until the fall of 1880. 

Rev. Jacob Rummelfanger became pas- 
tor of St. Peter's Church in the fall of 
1880, and served the congregation until his 
death, in 1906. He was succeeded by Rev. 
Leonard Stenger, the present pastor. Rev. 
William Frome was appointed assistant in 
1907. In 1889 the church was enlarged at 
a cost of about $3,000.00, and in 1900 the 
building was again rei^aired and remod- 
eled at an expense of about $10,000.00. The 
congregation now embraces about 1,500 
souls, and has a flourishing Sunday-school 
and a parochial school, which at the pres- 
ent time employs eight teachers. The re- 
cent growth of the congregation and the 
parochial school necessitates additional 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



459 



buildings, aud a uew school building is 
contemplated in the near future. 

St. Paul's Catholic Clinrcli. — The orig- 
inal members of this church were among 
the first Catholic settlers of the county, 
and before the present church was built 
worshiped in St. Peter's, which they in 
BO small degree helped to erect. A strong 
tide of German Catholic immigration to 
this place set in, and in a few j^ears after, 
the original members of St. Peter's found 
themselves largely outnuml)ered by the 
German element. It was not long before a 
German priest was placed in charge of the 
church, and ultimately it came about that 
nearly all the sermons and instructions 
were given in the German language. 

Urged by this condition of things, the 
Englisli-s]K'iikiiiii iiicinlters determined to 
build a church i'uv tlieiuselves. The initia- 
tive in this work was taken by Peter Duffy. 
He not only contributed largely to the erec- 
tion of the church, but gave the building of 
it his personal supervision. The other 
members likewise contributed according to 
their means. The church was dedicated in 
February, 1867, by Bishop Domenec of 
Pittsburg, assisted by a large number of 
diocesan clergy. The membership of St. 
Paul's, although at first small, has been 
gradually increasing. In the pastorate of 
Rev. William Nolan, 1876-1891, St. Paul's 
Catholic Parochial school was established, 
and the new cemetery incorporalcd. 

Father Nolan was succ led immedi- 
ately after his death in bs:)l liy i!cv. Dan- 
iel Walsh, who continued in that relation 
until his death in December, 1903. Rev. L. 
A. Carroll, who was assistant under 
Father Walsh, had charge for a shoi't 
time, when Rev. P. K. Collins became the 
pastor. The assistant pastor in 1908 was 
Rev. M. A. Leen. The old church, which 
was a neat and attractive structure, occu- 
pied a convenient position on McKean 
Street opposite the High School building. 
At a meeting of the congregation held on 
the first of Jaimarv. 1909, \{ was decided 



to erect a uew church, and a building com- 
mittee was appointed. At the same meet- 
ing it was announced that the congrega- 
tion had purchased the Charles Dutfy 
property immediatelv north of the ])arish 
house for $40,000.00, and that this pur- 
chase would give the congregation the ad- 
ditional ground required on which to erect 
a new building. One of the considerations 
of the purchase was a donation of $5,000 
made by Mr. Duffy for the building fund 
for tlie churcli, and another was a credit of 
$9,500 allowed to the church, which was a 
bequest made by the late Peter Duffy, the 
father of Charles Duffy, about forty-five 
years ago, and which will be held in trust. 
The old church and parish house were torn 
down in the spring of 1909, and the erec- 
tion of the new building commenced. The 
new church when completed will cost ap- 
proximately $10(1.000.00. The purchase of 
the Duffy priipcrtN aud the erection of the 
magnificent cditic^' at this time was made 
possible by the legacy left to the church 
by the late Mrs. Nancy Evans. This leg- 
acy consisted of real estate in Butler and 
monev in bank amounting to about $40,- 

000. ■ 

St. Paul 's parish is one of the wealthiest 
in the Pittsburg Diocese; a" reasonable 
value of its propertv in Butler would not 
fall short of $250,000.00. x\.s it now stands, 
the church has no indebtedness; it had 
cash on hand amounting to $65,000.00, and 
outstanding subscriptions amounting to 
$10,000.00. Nearly two years will be re- 
quired to complete the new church, and in 
that time it is hoped to gather in a suffi- 
cient amount of money to have the church 
consecrated free of all incumbrances ex- 
cept the Duff}^ mortgage. 

In 1906 the congregation erected Parish 
Hall on the school lot on Monroe Street at 
a cost of about $9,000.00, which will be 
used for holding services until the new 
church building is completed. The mem- 
bership of the congregation is now about 
1,500, and it has several societies and a 



4()0 



IITSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



prosperous Sunday-seliool working in har- 
mony with the church. 

Methodist Episcopal CJiurch. — As 
nearly as can be ascertained the tirst soci- 
ety or class of the Methodist church in 
Butler was organized about 1825. In 1826, 
Rev. John Chandler was appointed as 
preacher in charge, at which time Rev. 
William Swarzie appears to have been pre- 
siding elder of the district. In 1827, Caleb 
Brown, the class leader of the preceding 
year, by the vote and recommendation of 
the society, was licensed as an exhorter, 
and in the fall of the same year was placed 
in charge of Aleadville circuit as a supply, 
in place of Rev. J. Leach, whose health had 
failed. 

From 1828 to 1830 the records are miss- 
ing. But from the organization it was one 
of the regular appointments of the Butler 
cii'cuit up to August 9, 1851, when, by a 
vote of the quarterly conference, it was set 
off as a station, having sixty-two members. 
It remained a station for only one year, 
when it was again united Avith Butler cir- 
cuit. 

The first church building was a plain, 
but substantial, brick edifice of one story, 
erected, as nearly as can be ascertained, 
about 1827,- in tlie soutlnvi'st i^art of the 
town, on lot Number (i7. luurliased from 
John Negley, Sr. Apiil 24, 1S41, the mem- 
bership was reported at seventy-nine. The 
society had its misfortimes as well as its 
drawbacks. During the prevalence of a 
terrible storm April 19, 1856, a consider- 
able portion of the walls of the church was 
blown down, and al>out $1,000 was required 
to repair the damage. 

In December, 1860, the Methodist Epis- 
copal church of Butler was incorporated, 
with George C. Roessing, Joshua J. Sed- 
wick and others. From that time there 
has been a gradual increase in member- 
ship. 

, In 1865 Butler circuit was composed of 
four appointments, viz.: Butler, Browns- 
dale, Petersville and the Temple, which 



imposed much hard work on the jjastor in 
charge. To reduce the labor, Butler ap- 
pointment was set off as a circuit in the 
spring of 1867, with Rev. J. D. Legget as 
preacher in charge. On the fifth of No- 
vember, 1868, the church decided to erect 
a new house of worship, as the congrega- 
tion had become too large for the old build- 
ing. The present location, on the corner 
of McKean and North streets, was j^ur- 
chased April 1, 1873, for $3,500, and the 
old church property was sold for $2,500. 
The present brick church building was com- 
pleted in the spring of 1874, at a cost of 
$16,000, the furnishings costing $2,000. 
Rev. E. J. Knox, the present pastor, as- 
sumed charge in October, 1908. 

The present church edifice was dedicated 
October 4, 1894. It occupies the site of 
the old brick structure on the corner of 
North and McKean streets and was erected 
at a cost of about $50,000, exclusive of the 
lot. During the same year the society pur- 
chased the old Nixon Hotel , property on 
McKean Street adjoining the church prop- 
erty, and erected the present parsonage at 
a cost of about $6,000. Previous to the 
building of the new church a pijie organ 
was installed in the old church building at 
a cost of about $3,000, and this was in- 
stalled in the new edifice when it was com- 
pleted. The present membership of the so- 
ciety is 775, and it has a thoroughly 
equij^ped organization. J. A. Gibson is su- 
perintendent of the Svmday school, and 
Elias Ritts, assistant superintendent. 

The German Reformed Church. The 
German Reformed Societj^ of Butler was 
organized some time previous to 1864, and 
for a niimber of years the services were 
held in the court house. In 1864 the 
church building was erected on Mifflin 
Street, which is now occupied by the First 
Baptist Church, and was dedicated as St. 
Paul's German Reformed Church of But- 
ler. Owing to dissensions in the congre- 
gation this society dissolved about 1870. 
The church building was sold to the First 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



463 



Baptist Congregation in 1878, and about 
the same time the English speaking mem- 
bers of the old society joined in with tlie 
new organization started by Rev. T. F. 
Stauffer on West North Street. 

.S7. Pinirs Refoniird Church, Southside, 
dates liack to 1877, wlien Rev. T. F. Stanf- 
fer. who was then superintendent of St. 
Paul 's ( )rphans Home at Butler, com- 
menced ])reacliing to a few mem))ers of 
the Reformed Society residing in Butler 
liorougii and vicinity. These services met 
with success, and on the evening of August 
22, 1878, an organization was effected. Im- 
mediate steps were taken towards securing 
a house of worship, and the old Evangel- 
ical Lutheran Church, located on the cor- 
ner of North and Church Streets, which 
was then vacant, was purchased, retitted 
and dedicated on the 25th of August, 1878. 
Rev. Stauffer continued as pastor until 
September 1, 1882. He was succeeded 
December 1, 1886, by Rev. D. N. Harnish, 
who is the present pastor. 

It being found desirable to build a new 
church in S]))'ingdale, a handsome brick 
edifice on Walker Avenue was erected, and 
dedicated in June, 1890. The cost of the 
building was $12,000, including the lot, tlie 
latter being a donation by Mrs. Sarah 
Mackey. A parsonage was erected in 1898 
at a cost of $.3,000, on ground donated by 
Mrs. Mackey. A pipe organ was installed 
in 1903. The membership of the society 
in January, 1909, was 320. V. K. Irvine 
was superintendent of the Sunday scJiool. 
The church has a number of well oi'ganized 
societies. The membership of the Sunday 
school is about 300. 

Bethavn Befoniied Church. The early 
histoiv of Bethanv Reformed church is 
that of St. Paul's Church until June, 1890. 
when the latter society erected their new 
church edifice and removed to the south 
side. A number of members of the old 
society who were opposed to removing the 
congregation to the new location, retained 
the church property at the corner of North 



and Church Streets, and organized a new 
society under the above title. Rev. J. W. 
Pontius, the present pastor, was called on 
December 1, 1907. The jiresent memlicr- 
ship of the congregation is KKi. W. A. 
Ashbaugh is supei'intendent of the Sun- 
day school. 

St. Paul's Ori>h,ni.s llaiiic is an institu- 
tion that has occupied a ]iroiriinent position 
in Bntler for forty years. The buildings 
are situated on the hill on the east side 
of the town, now occupied by residences, 
and within the limits of the borough. The 
main building is three stories high, and 
contains parlors, a library, reading rooms, 
sujjerintendent's offices, living-rooms for 
the officers, dining-rooms, and kitchen. This 
building was orginally erected as a dwell- 
ing by Captain McCall al)out 1840. The 
other buildings on the grounds are the 
boys' dormitories, a large schoolhouse, 
stables and other buildings of the institu- 
tion. These buildings originally stood in 
the midst of a beautiful lawn surrounded 
l)y thirty acres of land, w^ith a capacity 
to accommodate about 200 children. 

The home was dedicated December 10, 
1867, bv Rev. George B. Russell, D. D., as- 
sisted by Rev. T. J. Barkley, Rev. F. K. 
Levan and Rev. Wm. M. Landis. It was 
chartered by the state March 23, lS(iS, the 
charter granting the jirivilege of receiving- 
orphan children t)f all denominations of 
christians, and also children of deceased 
soldiers and sailors who were citizens of 
the State of Pennsylvania, and served in 
the War of the Rebellion. The home was 
l\)unded originally by St. Paul's Classis 
of the Reformed Church, but the title was 
subse(iuently transferred to the Pittsburg 
Synod of the Reformed Church in the 
United States, and is under the general 
management of the hoards of that denom- 
ination. 

The first superintendent of tlie home was 
Rev. C. A. Limberg, now deceased, who 
held the position until 1871, when he re- 
signed. He was succeeded l>v Rev. J. B. 



464 



ISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Thompson, who entered upon his duties 
June 1, 1871, and continued until April 1, 
1877. Rev. T. F. Stauft'er, who had been 
elected November 21, 1876, at a meeting 
of the board of directors, assumed the du- 
ties of superintendent until April 5, 1877, 
and continued until Sepfemlier 5, 1882. 
During his term a north wing was added to 
the main building, greatly increasing the 
capacity of the home. 

At the meeting of the board of directors 
held in June, 1882, Rev. P. C. Prugli, 1). 
D., of Xenia, Ohio, was elected superin- 
tendent, and took charge of the home 8e])- 
tember 5, 1882. He continued as supei- 
inteudent for a period of more than twenty 
years, during which time large additions 
and improvements were made on the build- 
ings and grounds at a cost of $13,000. A 
full third story was placed on the main 
building, additional dormitories and store 
houses built, and a large brick chapel and 
school erected. A large number of sol- 
diers' orphans were inmates of this home 
up until about 1893, when the State au- 
thorities consolidated the soldiers' orphans 
school under their care and withdrew the 
patronage from the local institution, lour- 
ing this time the school became noted for 
its efficiency, and received the highest com- 
mendations by the State I'xiard of Soldiers 
and Sailors' Oi-plians' Schools. The larg- 
est number of children at any one time i)re- 
vious to 1895 was 190, 165 of which were 
soldiers' orphans. Rev. Prngh resigned as 
superintendent, and was succeeded in Sep- 
tember, 1903, by Rev. D. H. Leader,, the 
liresent incumbent. 

As early as 1902 the question of remov- 
ing the home to some other location within 
the territory of Pittsburg Synod was ad- 
vocated, but met with strenuous opposition 
on the part of the members of the Re- 
formed Church and the directors of the 
Home in the Butler district. The exten- 
sion of the residence j^ortion of the town 
in the direction of the Home and almost 



surrounding the grounds, made the prop- 
erty very valuable, and in July. 1906, the 
board of directors considered a proposi- 
tion made by real estate parties of Butler, 
and the Home and grounds were sold foi- 
a consideration of .$80,000. After some 
difficulty a new location was secured at 
Greenville, in Mercer County, where suit- 
able buildings were erected in 1908-9, and 
the old institution was formally closed on 
the 1st of April of that year and the in- 
mates removed to the new home. 

The object of the founders of this insti 
tutiou was to provide for the maiiitenaiu-e 
and chi'istian training of ori)luui children, 
principally of the Reformed Church, and 
also for others for whose support payment 
is made by guardians and friends. Apjili- 
cation for admittance may be made to the 
superintendent, to the l)oard of directors, 
and children are received by indenture. 
This enables those in authority in the 
Home to again indenture them when suit- 
able christian homes can be found and re- 
tain guardianshi]) over them until of age. 

The Clninli of God, located on Second 
Street, Institute Hill, was organized by 
Elder J. W. Davis and his sou. Rev. George 
W. Davis, who was the first pastor, Janu- 
ary 1, 1893. Previous to that time these 
two ministers held a series of meetings 
beginning in October, 1892, in the chapel 
of the old Institute Building. These meet- 
ings were attended with success, and the 
organization followed. In March, 1893. 
a building committee was appointed, a lot 
was secured on Second Street, and a frame 
structure 40x50 feet in size was erected at 
a cost of $3,000, and was dedicated Sep- 
tember 17, 1893. At this time J. W. Davis, 
F. J\I. Hewitt and A. J. Avey were chosen 
trustees. The total value of the property 
owned bv the societv in 1908 was about 
$12,000. ■ The present pastor. Rev. R. B. 
Bowser, came here in October, 1908. The 
luembershi]) of the society is 100, and the 
Sabbath school enrollment averages from 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



465 



ninety to lUU. The society is in a flour- 
ishing condition and is increasing in mem- 
bership. 

The First Baptist Church of Bntler was 
organized A|>ril 29, 1876, at Boyd's Hall in 
Spring-dale, with about six members. A 
number of persons participated in the first 
organization, but did not have their letters 
to unite with the members of the societx' 
at that time. Meetings were held every 
Sunday which were led by B. 11. Osborne 
until November 8, 1876, wlieu the associa- 
tion was formally recogiiized as a regular 
Baptist Church. Rev. T. H. Jones was 
the first pastor installed, who gave the so- 
ciety about half of his time, Mr. Osborne 
conducting the alternate meetings. A char- 
ter was granted March 13, 1877, to the so- 
ciety on petition of B. H. Osborne, W. M. 
Farnsworth, William Watson, C. Morse 
and Adolphus Haberlin, who were named 
as directors and trustees. 

On the 16th of June, 1877, the society 
purchased the German Reformed meeting 
house on Mifflin Street, which they imme- 
diately occupied, and services were held 
every Sunday. After a thorough renova- 
tion and material improvement, the church 
was dedicated November 4th of that year. 
Rev. J. P. Jones officiating. Rev. U. L. 
Joyce, the present pastor, assumed charge 
in 1908, succeeding Rev. G. E. Enterline. 
The present membership is about 175 and 
the congregation is enjoying a i)ros|)erous 
growth. 

Free Methudist Clnrrch. Previ(Uis to 
1893 Rev. Mr. Toby, Rev. Mr. Wayne and 
Rev. Mr. Shelheimer, preachers of the Free 
Methodist Society, held services in the 
Springdale Hose House, and in a tent on 
Spring Avenue. The present society was 
organized early in 1893, and the first regu- 
lar pastor assigned to the cougregation 
was Rev. R. H. Freshwater. In the mean- 
time a lot had been secured on Spring Ave- 
nue, and the building which had been com- 
menced under the pastorate of Rev. Wayne 
■was completed under the care of Rev. 



Freshwater. The society has prospered 
from the beginning, and at the present time 
has ninety-four communicant members, a 
large Sunday school; and a well organized 
missionary society. Rev. Mr. Grace is the 
present pastor. 

The Second Baptist Church (Colored) 
was organized about 1895 by Rev. Pleasant 
Tucker, who came here from Youngstown, 
Ohio. He was assisted in the organization 
by F. P. Perry. At that time there were 
about eight members, and probably a dozen 
colored families in the towTi. Through Mr. 
Tucker's efforts a lot was secured on West 
North Street, and a frame building erected 
at a cost of about $500, which was dedi- 
cated in October, 1900. In October, 1907, 
Rev. M. C. Smith, the present pastor, took 
charge of the congregation. The present 
membership is about twenty-five. 

The Shiloh Baptist Church (Colored) 
was organized about 1906 by the colored 
people of the west end, and services are 
now held in a rented hall on Pillow Street. 
The pastor is Rev. D. D. Dade. 

The African Methodist Episcopal 
Church was organized about 1904, and 
holds services in a rented hall on AVater 
Street. The membership of this organi- 
zation is small. Rev. J. W. Riley is the 
pastor. 

B'Nai Abraham Congregation (Hebreiv) 
was chartered bv the courts of Butler 
County March 22, 1906. The subscribers 
to the charter were Samuel Oram, A. Smul- 
ovitz, A. Jacobs, H. Zuckeman, Arthur 
Smulovitz, Aaron Fisvitz, Joseph Esko- 
vitz, Joseph Breman, Max Zeefe, A. Wohl, 
Joe Pollack and Morris Pollack. The con- 
gregation now numbers about seventy 
members and holds services in a hall in 
the Reiber block on South Alain Street. 
The present pastor is Rev. Harris Rosen- 
berg. The society has purchased a lot and 
contemplates the erection of a suitable 
house of worship in the near future. 

Wesleyan Methodist Church. In the 
winter of 1908-9 Rev. F. B. Hawk began 



466 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



preachiug to a small society of people in 
the west eud of the town, which was oi-- 
ganized as the Wesleyan Methodist Chnrcli. 
Services were held at No. 12 First Ave 
nue, and in February, 1909, the nieuiber- 
ship was large enough to consider the ad- 
visability of a formal organization. The 
society has gained the recognition of the 
boards of the Wesleyan Church, and a 
new church will be erected here in the near 
future. 

MiUciiiiiuiii Dawn. A branch of the re- 
ligious society known as the "Millennium 
Dawn" has been in existence in Butler 
since 1888. The head of the society is 
Rev. Russell of Pittsburg. Meetings were 
held for a number of years at the resi- 
dence of the late George Walters, and in 
recent years meetings were held twice a 
week in the building on Center Avenue 
owned by Miss Louisa and Miss Annie 
Reif. Brother TIersh of Pittsburg has been 
ministering to the local society, and also 
a small circle of the l)elievers at Mount 
Chestnut and at Prospect. 

Christian Science. Tlie Christian Sci- 
ence reading room was established in .luly, 
1908, in the Butler County National Bank 
buildiug. The local society, which is in- 
creasing in numbers gradually, is a l)ranch 
of the mother church in Boston. Meetings 
are held on Wednesday evening, and on 
Simday morning, and are conducted by 
Miss Harriet Putnam, who is the first 
reader, and Mrs. Homer Gi'aves, who is 
the second reader. The local society was 
organized through the etforts of INlrs. 
Thomas NcNair and others. 

The First Christian Church of Butler 
was organized in 1907, and the meetings of 
the society are held in the Y. M. C. A. 
Building on the Diamond. A charter was 
secured for the congregation .June 29, 1908. 
and duiiiig lliat year a lot was purchased 
on West Xdrtli Street, and the erection 
of a church building commenced. The 
subscriliers to the charter are Thomas W. 
J'hillips, Jr., George W. Hol)augh, If. C. 



Phillips, .John Douglass, ami T. W. Lati 
mer. The pastor of the congregation is 
Rev. George Rader. 

.S7. John Neponiiceiic Ihmuni Ciilhnlir 
Church (Polish) was organized in 190-1 
among the Polish and Slavish residents of 
Lyndora by Rev. Father Beckavick. The 
society has a large number of communi- 
cants, and has erected a handsome church 
and parish house in Lyndora. 

St. Mirharl's (ircrk Cafholir Chnicli was 
chartered February 4, 1907. The society 
has a large membership among the Greeks 
of the town, and has a church building in 
Lnydora in which the sCTvices are held. 
The pastor is Rev. F. Michael. 

The Orthodox Greek Church, uv the 
Church of Russia, has a society of about 
sixty families, of which Rev. Philip Sched- 
enovitch is the jiastor. Sei'vices are held 
in halls, or at the homes of its members. 
Rev. Schedenovitch is also the editor of a 
paper which he publishes in the interest of 
his peoi^le in this community. 

The Gospel Prohihition Church. A num- 
ber of people who were interested in the 
advancement of the Prdhil)ition pait.v oi-- 
ganized a religious association in Butler 
about 1898. which was known as The 
(lospel Prohibition Church. The leader 
of the movement was Rev. T. G. Pollard, of 
Butler, who was an ordained minister of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. The 
movement was backed financially by sev- 
eral well known business men of Butler, 
who were affiliated with the Prohibition 
party, and who l>elieved that too much re- 
straint was placed on the ministei's in dis- 
cussing temperance and i)olitical reform 
from the pulpit. 

Rev. Pollard succeeded in organizing a 
small society in Butler and building the 
bi'ick churcli on Mercer Street, now occu- 
))ied by the Christian and Missionary Alli- 
ance. Another organization was etl'ected 
at Callery Junction and a small church 
built there, while the third congregation 
was organized at Renfrew, and for several 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



467 



years services were held in a rented hall. 
While the new organization met with the 
approval of a certain element in favor of 
the political reforms of the Prohibition 
party, it failed to meet with the financial 
support it needed, and in tlie course of a 
few years the three organizations died out. 
The ChrL^fidn and Missiniiari/ AUidiirc 
was organized in Butler in 1904, iiy Rev. 
George W. Davis, who had previously to 
that time been pastor of the Church of 
God on Institute Hill. A charter was 
granted on June 17, 1905. The new asso- 
ciation purchased the property of the 
Gospel Prohibition Church on Mercer 
Street, and the following year built a brick 
parsonage which adjoins the church build- 
ing. In 1906 Rev. Davis was succeeded 
by Rev. John Cox, the present ])ast(>r. and 
the congregation is now in a tlonrisliiuo 
condition. 

SniOULS ( I'KIVATE). 

Butler Acudetui). The beginnings of 
education in Butler borough date back ti> 
the first decade of its history. Soon aftei- 
the town site was established the pioneers 
began the movement for education wliicli 
resulted in the founding of Butler Acad- 
emy, an institution which is referred to 
by many of the older citizens of the town. 
The Butler Academy was founded under 
the act of Febriuiry 6, ISll, which pro- 
vided for the election of six trustees and 
appropriated the sum of $2,000 towards 
sustaining such an institution, $1,000 of 
the amount to be expended on the building 
and apparatus, and .$1,000 to be invested, 
the interest on which was to be applied to- 
ward the payment of teachers, and the edu- 
cation of five ]>oor children. The organi- 
zation of the trustees of the academy was 
effected March 27, 1811, when lots were 
cast for the term of service. Jacob Mech- 
liug and Walter Lowrie were to serve one 
year, Samuel Williamson and John Gil- 
more for two vears, and John McQuistion 



and Robert Graham for three years. Sub- 
seqiiently the trustees of the institution 
were elected at the October election. John 
Gilmore was chosen secretary of the first 
board, and the first order drawn was on 
the State treasurer for $1,000 in favor of 
William Purviance for the purpose of 
erecting a building and purciiasing books 
for the use of the academy. Two days 
later the board loaned to John Neglev 
$1,000 from the productive fund. wlii<-ii 
was secured by his house and lot in Butler, 
and his mill near the town, now the ^\'alter 
mill. Mr. Negley not only paid a heavy 
interest for the loan, but donated $ir)0 to 
the academy fund. In July, ISU, John 
Purviance was awarded the contract for 
building the academy, the ]»]'ice being seven 
hundred and ninetv-eight dollars. The 
board also elected Jacob Mechling treas- 
urer and, Walter Lowrie librarian. This 
building, which stood at the northeast cor- 
ner of 5[cKean and Jefferson streets, was 
completed in August, 1812. In May, 1S18, 
donation lot No. 13, consisting of five liun- 
died acres patented to the aca<lemy .March 
25, 1813, was sold to Arthui- and (ieorge 
Frazier for $750, to be paid in three in- 
stallments. 

The academy was opened in 1S12, and 
Samuel Glass was employed as the first 
teacher. His salary was $60 per annuiu, 
besides which he charged each pupil an 
extra fee for tuition. A Mr. Williamson 
taught about the same iieriod, and later 
.\daui Kuhn was employed, who conducted 
an English and Latin school. In the twen- 
ties a teacher's salary seems to have been 
$100, with what he could collect from the 
patrons in addition. 

In J 832 the trustees of the academy dis- 
cussed the qualifications of a classical 
teacher, and resolved to employ no one 
who could not at least teach the Latin and 
(Jreek languages, and algebra and survey- 
ing. Rev. Isaiah Niblock and Dr. James 
Graham were soon after appointed teach- 



468 



inSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ers, and in 1833 Thomas Mahard was em- 
ployed to take charge of the academy. Rev. 
Loyal Young, then pastor of the Presby- 
terian church of Butler, was employed as 
a teacher of the languages in 1834, and dis- 
charged his duties for several years in a 
highly satisfactory manner. 

Subsequent to 1838 the annual tuition 
fee was reduced to $8 for tlie classical de- 
partment, and $2 for the Eiii-lish (U'liart- 
ment. In September, 1843, DePark Taylor 
was hired as principal at an annual salary 
of $1,000, and in 1847 the tuition was fixed 
at $4 for the course in classics, and $3 for 
the common English branches. Rev. Will- 
iam White was principal from 1848 to 
April, 1860. During the existence of the 
academy the board of trustees embraced 
many of the leading pioneers of Butler. 
• The question of consolidating the Butler 
Academy and the Witherspoon Institute 
was suggested to the board ^Inrch 8, 1865, 
and William S. Boyd and Ehcnezer Mc- 
Jimkin were appointed a coiiniiittee to con- 
sult with the Presbytery of Allegheny of 
the Presbyterian church. The articles of 
consolidation were signed in June, 1865, 
and in November the conditions presented 
by Allegheny Presbytery were accepted. 
On August 20, 1866, the last act of the aca- 
demy trustees was recorded, which con- 
veyed the real estate, buildings and funds 
of the Academy board to the school di- 
rectors of Butler borough, subject to the 
restrictions given in the act of April 11, 
1862. 

Many of the leading men of Butler today 
were educated in this old academy, and 
many who honor the professions and 
trades outside of the county received lib- 
eral instrndion within its walls. The old 
stone aca(l<Mii\ stmid on the site of the Jef- 
ferson Street Seliool Building and faced 
Jefferson Street. It was built of dressed 
stone, was two stories high, and had one 
room on each floor. The upper floor was 
reached from the north side by a massive 
stone stairway on the outside of the build- 



ing. This old historic pile was removed in 
1876, to make way for a more commodious 
and modern building. 

Witherspoon InstiUde, which was one of 
the prominent educational institutions in 
western Pennsylvania during the middle 
of the century, owed 'its origin in a large 
measure to Rev. Loyal Young of Butler. 
On the 6th of February, 1849, a conven- 
tion of Presbj'terians was held in Butler 
to consider the project of establishing an 
academy within the bounds of the Butler 
congregation. Rev. J. M. Smith presided 
at the meeting, with Rev. Newton Bracken 
secretary. A resolution favoring the pro- 
ject was adopted, and a committee was 
named to raise a fund of $5,000. Town- 
ship and borough committees were ap- 
pointed at the same time, and on December 
14, 1849, a literary and religious institu- 
tion was incorporated. 

Meetings were held at intervals until 
April 10, 1850, when the Presbytery of 
Allegheny estal)lished a school at Butler 
and gave it the name of "Witherspoon In- 
stitute." Rev. Loyal Young was ai^pointed 
principal, and David Hall assistant. The 
school was opened May 13, 1850, in the 
basement of the First Presbyterian 
Church. In July, 1851, Rev. L. Young re- 
signed as principal and was succeeded by 
Rev. Martin Ryerson, who continued until 
1852, when he resigned because of ill 
health. Rev. L. Young was again elected 
l>rincipal, and J. R. Coulter assistant. 
From that time up to 1878 the principals 
were, in succession, T. R. Coulter, Rev. 
John Smallev, Rev. L. Yoimg (third time), 
Mr. J. S. Boyd, Rev. William I. Brugh, 
Rev. J. W. Hamilton, Prof. Creighton, and 
Rev. H. Q. Watters. 

Up to this time the institute had been 
conducted as a sectarian school under the 
care of Allegheny Presbytery. In April, 
1897, the institute was opened by Prof. B. 
S. Bancroft as a non-sectarian school, and 
tlie following September Prof. J. C. Tins- 
man became associated with Prof. Ban- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



469 



croft. Under Prof. Bancroft's direction 
the school flourished, and in 188"2 one hun- 
dred and seventy-two students were en- 
rolled, and a corps of seven teachers em- 
ployed. Prof. Bancroft conducted the in- 
stitute until the fall of 1887, when a lack 
of patronage induced him to close it and 
open a private school. The loss of patron- 
age was principally due to the higher 
prices charged students for board in But- 
ler than in other towns where academies 
were conducted. 

The first institute building was erected 
in 1851, on North Main Street, on the site 
of the English Lutheran Church. North 
and south wings were added to tiie Imild- 
ing in 1864, the Commonwealth gianting 
$2,500 toward the expense of this improve- 
ment. This property was sold in 1877 by 
the trustees of tlie institute to the English 
Lutheran Church for $6,000. Rev. Mr. 
Brugh was the leading spirit in the project 
to found a college on Institute Hill. Four 
acres were purchased on First street, and 
a building erected and occupied. The Al- 
legheny Presbytery finally withdrew its 
support from the school, and the property 
was sold to W. H. H. Riddle and passed 
from the ownership of the Presbyterian 
church. In March, 1889, is was purchased 
by Charles Duffy, and at the present time 
it is owned by the Butler Silk Mill, and is 
used for a factory. 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

But little is known about the early com- 
mon scIhmiIs (if the town. . During the first 
twenty five \c;ns the Butler Academy sup- 
plied the principal facilities for the educa- 
tion of the youth of the town. Spasmodic 
efforts were made from time to time to 
carry on a common school on the subscrip- 
tion plan, as was the custom throughout 
the countr3^ No records were kept of tliese 
schools, nnd but little information can be 
ohtaiiicil about the .early teachers and the 
scliodlhoiises. A log house on South Mc- 
Kean street on the present site of Capt. 



Hays' residence was used for common 
school purposes in 1818, and other houses 
on Main Street were used at an earlier 
date. In the winter of 1834 Joseph Ster- 
ritt taught a subscription school in a room 
of the old Academy building, which was 
liberally patronized. Dr. James (Iraham, 
who studied medicine in the north of Ire- 
land, arrived in Butler about 1834, and 
taught a school in a log building on South 
McKean Street on the site of the old skat- 
ing-rink. Later he taught in the old .U-ad- 
emy. A reference to the transactions of 
the town council will show that that body 
made a special levy of $250 in addition to 
the ordinary school taxes for the year 
1836, which ma.\ lie said to be the begin- 
ning of the iiiiMic school system in the 
town. 

In 1838 John Gilmore and John Bredin, 
a committee of the school directors of But- 
ler borough, applied for a lease of part of 
the academy groimd for the purpose of 
erecting a schoolhouse thereon. The ap- 
plication was granted and a lot fronting 
sixty feet on Jefferson Street and one 
hundred and eighty feet in depth, running 
to the alley between the present high 
school building and the Jefferson Street 
school ground was leased for ninetj'-nine 
years. It would appear that the early 
common schools were intended for boys, 
or at least, so used, for in 1841 the girls' 
department of the common schools was 
located in the Academy building. The pub- 
lic schools occupied a part of the Academy 
building until 1850. Thomas Berry was 
one of the early school masters and was 
employed as a teacher in School Number 1 
in 1838. In 1854 extraordinary efforts 
were made to build up the common school 
system of the town, but for twenty years 
little progress was made, although the 
teachers employed were generally com- 
petent, and many of them were talented. 

The first .school buildings wei'e primitive 
affairs, and prior to the completion of the 
Jefferson Street building there were oulv 



470 



HISTORY OF BUTLEK COUNTY 



two small scbooiliouses in the borough. In 
1866 the trustees of Butler Academy con- 
veyed the real estate, buildings, funds, etc., 
belonging to the Academy to tlie directors 
of the public schools and the old Academy 
building answered the ])urpose8 until 1874, 
when a new era in the public school system 
in Butler began. 

The Jefferson Street School building, 
which was completed in 1874, was the index 
to modern Butler. It told the visitor and 
the resident that times had changed, and 
that ideas had expanded. The erection of 
this building was not accomplished without 
protest on the part of some of the town 
citizens, who thought that the new enter- 
prise on the part of the school board was 
a colossal waste of money and that the 
town would never be able to pay for it nor 
furnish enough scholars to till it. The 
building; which is an imposing brick struc- 
ture containing twelve rooms, cost $.j.'),Ol)(), 
and occupies the site of the old stone Acad- 
eni.\' and part of the ground originally 
leased for ninety-nine years l)y the school 
board for the erection of the first school 
building. The plan jjursued for raising 
the sum named and the additional sum of 
$11,000 necessary for furnishing the new 
building was well laid out and executed. 

The act approved May 6, 1871, author- 
izing the survey of the "Quarry Eeserve" 
int(i lots, the. sale of the lots, and the ap- 
l)ro]iriation of part of the jjroceeds to- 
wards school building purposes, was a part 
of the plan. The "Quarry Reserve" was 
that part of the commons lying between 
Washington and JMcKean Sti-eets south of 
the laid out lots to the old southern limit 
of the borough. The sale of the old school - 
house that stood on the site of the Metho- 
dist Church was another item in the plan, 
while a special tax lew and the State ap- 
pro). riation of .$15,000 formed the third. 

The completion of the Jefferson Street 
School building was the beginning of an 
era of building in Butler. The discovery 
of oil at flreece (Htv and other oil devel- 



opments in the county caused a rapid in- 
crease in the poi)ulation of the shire town, 
and it was only a matter of a few years 
until the new school building was filled to 
overfiowing. From 1880 on the population 
of the town steadily increased, and in 1885 
the school board found it necessary, to 
erect a new building. In June of that year 
the construction of the MeKeoii Street 
SvliiKil building, containing eight rooms, 
was commenced, and completed in Novem- 
ber, at a total cost of $10,088. 

Four years after the building of the 
McKean Street School, the Springdale 
ScJiooI building was erected at a cost of 
$22,400. This building contained eight 
rooms, two recitation rooms, and a prin- 
cipal's room, and was heated and venti- 
lated by the Smead system, which was the 
first improvement in the way of modern 
heating and ventilating made in the school 
buildings of the town. 

in lSi)l the western section of the town 
demanded additional school facilities, and 
a frame building was erected on MifHin 
Street opposite the Oriental Mills, which 
was nsed for temporary quarters for sev- 
eral years. This building contained four 
rooms, which were overcrowded from the 
start. About the same time an annex was 
erected on McKean Street on the school 
lot which contained two rooms, and the 
little brick building on Jefferson Street 
was fitted up for a primary room. The in- 
creasing demand for school facilities hur- 
ried the erection of a new building which 
was commenced in 1859, when the school 
board jinrcliased a lot from H. J. Klingler 
on r.i(i;i<l Street. The following year the 
llnxiil SIfrrf School building was erected 
at a cost of about $25,000. It is a substan- 
tia] two-story brick building, containing 
eight rooms, recitation and principal's 
room. The Institute Hill building was 
completed in 1900, and the annex to the 
Springdale school in 1902. 

The Butler High School had its inception 
in 1885, when the first class graduated un- 



AND REPKESEXTATINE CITIZEXS 



der Prof. E. Mackey, who was theu prin- 
cipal of the Butler schools. It was not 
until 1888 that this department of the pub- 
lic school system of the town was formally 
organized by Prof. Mackey, under whose 
efficient management the school attained 
a gratifying success. When Prof. Mackey 
was promoted to the position of superin- 
tendent of all the city schools, Pi'of. Joini 
A. Gibson, of Meadville, was elected prin- 
cipal of the high school, in 1891, and held 
that position until 1896, when he was 
elected superintendent of the city schools 
to succeed Air. Mackey. Prof. V. K. Irvine 
succeeded Prof. Gibson as principal of the 
high school, and has continued in that po- 
sition ever since. The curriculum of the 
high school covers a course of four years' 
study equivalent to an academic or a jire- 
paratory course for college, the students 
of the Butler school being admitted to 
many of the colleges in the freshmSn and 
sophomore years. A commercial course 
was added in 1908, and it is expected in 
the near future that manual training and 
domestic science will lie a jjart of the reg- 
ular high school course. 

One of the features of the high scliool 
is the publication of the Magnet, a moutlily 
magazine issued in the interests of the 
public schools of the city and edited by the 
high school pupils. This paper was first 
issued in 1891, and after a successful ca- 
reer of five or six years was suspended foi- 
a time, and the publication of the new 
Macincf begun. 

The Alumni Association of Butler High 
School dates back to 1890, when the gradu- 
ates of the first class under Prof. Mackey 
in the luiblic schools, and the high school 
graduates. Iicld a baucjuet in the Rei))er 
Hall, and effected a formal organization. 
The purpose of the association was to pro- 
mote the interests of the public schools of 
Butler, and especially of the high school, 
which was then in its infancy. Tlie associ- 
ation holds meetings annually, and at the 
present time has an enrollment of ovei- 



six hundred members. The high school lec- 
ture course is financed and promoted by 
the members of this association, and has 
been one of the features of the winter en- 
tertainments of the town for many years. 

For the first ten years of its existence 
the high school was quartered in the Jeffer- 
son Street School building, and in 1898 a 
new building was erected in the rear of the 
McKean Street school building which was 
used for high school jjurposes for another 
decade. This annex was a two-story brick 
atfair, containing the necessary recitation 
rooms and chapel, and served its purpose 
until the increasing population of the town 
caused the necessity of additional school 
facilities. 

In 1905 the school boaril began proceed- 
ings in the Common Pleas Courts of But- 
ler County to secure the possession of the 
old cemetery lot on the corner of McKeau 
and North Streets, as a site for the new 
high school building. On the 13th of 
March, 1905, on petition of John Findley, 
president of the board, the court appointed 
R. C. McAboy, W. S. McCrea and William 
Walter a board of viewers to ass'ess the 
damages that would arise by reason of con- 
demning the property and ascertain the 
parties to whom the damages should be 
paid. 

On the 5th of June, 1905, the board of 
viewei'S reported that the lot contained 
83-100 of an acre b.y actual measurement, 
and that thev found tlie amount of dam- 
ages to be $6,000, $1,200 of which should 
be paid to Butler County, and $1,800 to the 
borough of Butler. Exceptions were filed 
to this report by John A. Richey and 
George AlcCaudless of Butler borough, an 
ajipeal was taken, and the case was not 
finally decided until the March term of 
Court, 1906, when the report of the view- 
ers was sustained. There was some sub- 
sequent litigation on the part of the Foltz 
heirs, who claimed an interest in the prop- 
ertv, but the case was final Iv decided, in 
Januarv, 1907, in favor of Butler boroui-h. 



472 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The services of W. Gr. Eckles of New 
Castle were secured as architect, and a 
contract was awarded in 1906 to J. G. 
Unkefer & Company, of Minerva, Ohio, for 
the new building. The bodies in the old 
grave yard were removed in November, 
1906, and the work of excavation begun. 
The building was not completed until July, 

1908, and the formal dedication took place 
on the 20th of November of that year. The 
building is a handsome three-story struc- 
ture, built of buff brick and trimmed with 
llummelstown stone. The total cost of the 
building, including the furnishings, was 
about $125,000, exclusive of the value of 
the lot. 

The value of tlie school property in the 
borough in 1909 is about $475,000, distrib- 
uted as follows: High school building and 
groiuids, $200,000; Jefferson Street school 
building and grounds, $75,0(1(1; IJioad 
Street school buildino-. $40,()(M); M.'Kean 
Street school building, $(i(i,()(l(l; institute 
Hill school building, $50,00(1; Si)ring(lale 
school building, $50,000. 

The enrollment of pupils in Januaiy, 

1909, was as follows: Jefferson Street, 
606; McKean Street, 428; Broad Street, 
573; Spring-dale, 578; Institute Hill, 366; 
High School, 330; total, 2,881. 

For the term beginning August 31, 190S, 
there were employed in the public schools, 
exclusive of the superintendent, tliree prin- 
cipals and seventy-three teachers, with 
John A. Gibson superintendent. 

Board of Directors, 1908.— President, 
Philip W. Ruff; secretary, Harry L. Gra- 
ham; treasurer, John Rauschenberger ; 
Thomas A. Frazier, Dr. Robt. J. Gross- 
man, W. W. Robinson, A. C. Krug, W. G. 
Douthett, Edgar H. Negley, Norman J. 
Boyer, Frank L. Wiegaud, Thos. H. Greer, 
Jas. L. Garroway, Col. Wni. T. Mechling, 
and C. E. Cronenwett. 

PAR0CHIAT> SCHOOLS. ETC. 

57. Peter's I'arorhia] School was ojieued 



in 1858 in the present convent residence 
on Franklin Street north of the church. 
During the Civil War a one-story brick 
building was erected south of the church 
to which the school was removed. It was 
taught by lay teachers for several years, 
and was then placed in charge of the Sis- 
ters of St. Francis, who have since been 
succeeded by the Sisters of Mercy. The 
present school building east of the church 
was erected in 188f) at an expense of about 
$7,000. It is a substantial two-story brick 
building, with basement, and i-outains four 
school rooms. It was opened in the fall of 
1889, and has an attendance of about two 
hundred scholars. Eight teachers are em- 
ployed. 

(SY. Paul's Parochial School owes its ori- 
gin to the bequest of Mrs. Margaret 
Dougherty of Butler, who donated the sum 
of $15^00 toward its establishment. Rev. 
Father Nolan, who was at that time pastor 
of St. Paul's Church, took the project in 
hand and purchased from Herman J. Berg 
a site of four acres at the corner of Mon- 
roe and Locust Streets. The corner-stone 
of the new building was laid May 27, 1888, 
and it was completed the same year. The 
building is a handsome brick structure, two 
stories high, containing eight rooms, and 
is equipped with the most approved style 
of modern school furniture. This is re- 
garded as one of the finest school proper- 
ties in the county. The convent was erected 
close bv the same vear. and is tlie lionie of 
the Sisters of Meiw, win. have chai'ge of 
tlie school. The total cost of the iiiqtrove- 
ments made in 1888 was about $30,000, and 
the average attendance since that time has 
been over two hundred. 

The Butler Business College was estab- 
lished in 1893 by Clark Bros., who con- 
ducted it until the fall of 1894, when J. M. 
Bashline became the proprietor. A. F. 
Regal, the present owner and head of the 
school, took charge in the fall of 1898, and 
under his able management it has taken a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



473 



leading rank among the business schools 
of the state. The average attendance is 
about one hundred and fifty for the year. 

RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE SOCIETIES. 

The Young Men's Christian Association, 
of Butler had its inception in June, 1886, 
at a meeting held in the Presbyterian 
Church under the auspices of the Young 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 
for the purpose of considering the most 
effective means of doing christian work. 
A plan of instituting a special line of work 
for young men was suggested l)y \V. 1). 
McJunkin, which obtained favor at the 
meeting, and a subsequent meeting was 
held in the same month, which was con- 
ducted by Col. George Woodford, and a 
committee consisting of A. J. Heurv. W. L). 
McJunkin, Gilbert Walker, W. H. Miller 
and Ira McJunkin, was appointed to take 
steps towards a permanent organization. 
A constitution was adopted under the title 
of the Y. M. C. A. of Butler, and a board 
of fifteen directors chosen, with the follow- 
ing temporary officers: Dr. E. W. Leake, 
president; Ira McJunkin, secretary, and 
Prof. E. Mackey, treasurer. 

At the meeting held August 16, 1886, the 
temporary board of directors and officers 
resigned, and the following permanent 
board was elected: Capt. Jacob Ziegler, 
Col. John M. Sullivan, Henry C. Heine- 
man, John H. Negley, Joseph L. Purvis, 
William Campbell, Jr., Dr. E. W. Leake, 
W. D. Brandon, Chas. S. Bailey, James M. 
Galbreath, Eli D. Robinson, Prof. E. 
Mackey, Fi-ed J. Klingler, Aaron E. Rei- 
ber and William G. Krug. At the organi- 
zation of the board the following officers 
were elected : Dr. E. W. Leake, president ; 
Capt. Jacob Ziegler and John H. Negley, 
vice-presidents ; Ira McJunkin, general and 
recording seci-etary. After the formal or- 
ganization had been effected, the associa- 
tion was incorporated in November, 1886, 
and effective work has been steadily going 
on up to the present time. Many clianges 



in officers have taken place during the 
twenty-two years of its existence, but there 
has been no abatement of zeal, and the 
spirit of the asociation has been in keeping 
with the rapid advancement among all lines 
of social, religious and scientific progress. 

Since the organization the presidents of 
the association that have succeeded Dr. 
Leake in turn are Ira McJunkin, John 
AVeitzel, Prof. E. Mackey, John F. Ander- 
son, C. B. McMillen, James E. Marshall 
and Gardner C. Lowry. 

The present board of trustees is com- 
posed of W. D. Brandon, J no. V. Ritts, 
Jno. F. Anderson, Hon. J. M. Galbreath 
and Gardner C. Lowry. The board of 
trustees holds all the proj^erty of the as- 
sociation in trust. The present board of 
directors is composed of J. E. Marshall, 
W. D. Brandon, V. K. Irvine, E. H. Cro- 
nenwett, J. G. Runkle, J. G. McMarlin, T. 
M. Baker, Elias Ritts, O. C. Funkhouser, 
D. K. Albright, C. O. Lowry, Geo. A. 
Spang, Dr. ¥. H. Hays, Jas. O. Campbell 
and J . B. Foster. The officers of the board 
in January, 1909, were Gardner C. Lowry, 
president; Geo. A. Spang, first vice-presi- 
dent; Dr. F. II. Hays, second vice-presi- 
dent; Jas. U. Campbell, treasurer; J. B. 
Foster, secretary; 11. \V. Love, general 
secretary, and A. F. Fehr, physical di- 
rector. 

The general secretaries in charge of the 
work since the organization have been Ira 
McJunkin, Joseph E. Forrester, J. B. Car- 
ruthers, J. M. Corry, E. G. Randall, L. W. 
DeGast and H. W. Love. 

TJbe Ladies' Auxiliary has been in exist- 
ence since the first organization, and has 
done effective work. The present officers 
of the auxiliary are Mrs. C. E. Alclntire, 
president ; Mrs. A. T. Scott, first vice-pres- 
ident; Mrs. C. H. Findley, second vice- 
president; Mrs. L. W. Zuzer, secretary, 
and Miss Mary Grohman, treasurer. 

The association has always enjoyed a 
substantial membership, ranging al)out 
four hundred, except in times of financial 



474 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



depression. The dailj' attendance in the 
building is over two lumdred, and the at- 
tendance in the gymnasium and auditorium 
classes averages twelve hundred men per 
month in the winter. The work carried on 
by the association is four-fold; religious, 
educational, social and physical. Tlic cdu- 
catioual work is carried on in its own room, 
and consists of classes in mechanical draw- 
ing and English. The religious work con- 
sists of bible classes for boys, young men, 
and men, as well as public meetings and 
personal work. The physical work con- 
sists of gymmasium classes for men and 
boys, and outdoor athletics. The social 
work consists of events arranged from time 
to time by the different departments of the 
association and the Ladies' Auxiliary. 

For the first ten years of its existence 
the association was cjuartered in the Rei- 
ber building on the coi-ner of Main and 
Cunningham Streets. In 1894 a lot was 
purcliased in the northeast corner of the 
J)iainond, and during that and the follow- 
ing year the present brick building wa^ 
erected at a cost of about ^lo.OOO, exclusive 
of the lot and the furnishings. The build- 
ing is i)r()vided with a chapel, reading 
rooms, l)oys' game rooms, ]>arlors, gym- 
nasium, running track and auditoi-iuni. 
The present value of the building and lot 
is about $35,000, and the fixtures and 
e((uii)ment, $2,000. Much can be said of 
the work and attainments of the organiza 
tion, l)ut the following words of apprecia- 
tion from a man prominent in public af- 
fairs will suffice: "I appreciate enormously 
the work 5'our association is doing. You 
aic one of the great potent forces foi- 
-oo(l: one of the forces wliich nnist be 
continually built up if we wish to overcome 
the forces of evil." 

Theodore Roosevelt, 
Pi-esident of the United States. 

1 hi' lliitlrr Coimiy Children's Aid So- 
liclil was oi'ganized in November, 188fi, 
as aji auxiliary of the western branch of 
the State Societv, which was formed at 



Pittsburg in November, 1885. At the time 
of the organization of the local branch 
Mrs. J. N. Bolard was chosen president; 
Miss Mary E. Sullivan and Mrs. S. Mc- 
Kee, vice-presidents; Mrs. M. S. Temple- 
ton, secretary, and ]\Iiss Etta Brugh, treas- 
urer. The hoai'd of managers comprised 
Mrs. A. :M. Nevman, Mrs. B. C. Iluselton, 
Mrs. J. L. Purvis, Mrs. C. 1). Greenlee. 
Mrs. John U. Lowry, Mrs. A. E. Chattv. 
Mrs. M. H. Negley, Mrs. .1. F. Balph, Mrs. 
C. Gr. Christie, Mrs. John M. Greer, Mrs. 
S. A. Johnson, Mrs. M. E. NichoUs, Miss 
Belle Purvis and Mva. Levi 0. Purvis. The 
society is a charitable organization to take 
charge of children from the ages of two 
to sixteen years who are removed from 
alms houses under the law of 1883. Miss 
Belle Purvis succeeded Miss Prugh as sec- 
retary of the society in 1887, and has con- 
tinued to hold that position since. Mrs. B. 
C. Huselton was elected assistant secretary 
in 1887, and Mrs. J. L. Purvis and Mrs. 
C. D. Greenlee were chosen vice-presidents. 
Mrs. J. D. McJunkin was elected seci-etary 
in 1889 to succeed Mrs. Tem}ileton, re- 
signed. At the next annual election of of- 
ficers Mrs. Templeton was re-elected sec- 
retary, Mrs. McJunkin having been trans- 
ferred to the advisory board. There have 
been few changes made in the officers of 
the society since 1889. In 1908 Mrs. S. 
M. ^fcKee was president; Miss Clai-a Mc- 
• lunkin, secretary, and Miss Belle Purvis, 
treasurer. Mrs. J. H. Troutman was 
chosen representative of the local society 
on the State Board. Since its organiza- 
tion the local sociefv has furnished homes 
and cued foi- about seventy children, and 
at the present time thirteen children are 
undei- the care of the society. 

The Butler Couniii Sabbath Assoriafimi 
was organized in Februarv, 1893, bv elect- 
ing Rev. S. M. Bell president; Rev. P. C. 
Prugh, Rev. N. B. Tannehill, Rev. W. E. 
Oiler, Rev. J. R. Coulter, and Mrs. D. B. 
Campbell, vice-presidents; Rev. D. N. 
Ilarnish. secretarv; Rev. Jno. S. McKee, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



475 



corresponding secretary; and ,1. A. Clark, 
treasurer. The object of tlie association 
was to oppose the publication of Sunday 
paj^ers and Sunday work in general. This 
association is practically a continuation 
of the Lord's Day Union, which was organ- 
ized in December, 1891, of which Eev. D. 
N. Harnish was president; Rev. W. E. 
Oiler, secretary; W. D. Brandon, J. M. 
Galbreath. and Prof. E. Mackey, vice-i)res- 
idents. 

The Chiistuui Eiidcurur ViiioH <>( Bnt- 
ler CoiDittf was tirst organized in 1892, 
with Rev. Eli Miller of Butler as presi- 
dent, and Miss Lotta B. White as secre- 
tary. At tirst the union was composed of 
all the Christian Endeavor Societies in the 
county, and represented about thirteen de- 
nominations. At the present time there 
are about forty societies represented, and 
six denominations. The officers in 1908 
were Rev. R. C. Stewart of Bruin, presi- 
dent; Miss Erla Black of Bruin, corres- 
l^onding secretary; Miss Lotta B. White of 
Butler, recording secretary; and William 
B. Ferguson of Chicora, treasurer. 

The Bible Society of Butler Countij was 
organized August 12, 1828, by Rev. Mr. 
Joyce, agent of the Philadelphia Society. 
John l*(>tts and Rev. l\c('d iJvacken were 
elected presidents; the vice-presidents were 
Revs. Isaiah Niblock, John Frantz, Rol)t'rt 
Greer, S. Stoughton, John Coulter, J. C. 
G. Schweitzerbarth, Thomas McClintock, 
and Robert Brown; John Bredin was sec- 
retary, and Robert Scott treasurer. The 
board of managers coinpriscd John Sulli- 
van, Hugh McKee, Hugh (iilliland, Robert 
Martin, Barnet (iilliland, Henry .Muntz, 
David McJunkin, William McMichael, John 
Christie and James McCurdy. Two agents 
were appointed in each of the thirteen 
townships, and two for the borough of 
Butler, who were to assist in the circula- 
tion of the bible without note or conniient. 
John Bredin acted as secretary of the first 
meeting, while the ])residing officer was 
Walter Lowrie, who resioued his office as 



secretary of United States Senate in 1836, 
to become secretary of the Presbyterian 
Board of Foreign Missions. 

The Butler County Sabbath School As- 
sociation adopted a constitution May 7, 
1867, and elected Rev. Loyal Young presi- 
dent; Rev. J. H. Fritz and William R. 
Hutchison, vice-presidents; C. E. Ander- 
son, secretary; H. J. Klingler, treasurer; 
Dr. A. M. Neyman, George A. Black, I. J. 
Cummings, George Vogeley and Theodore 
Huselton, executive committee. Since that 
time the association has extended its field 
mto all the townships and boroughs in the 
county. The president of the association 
in 1908 was Prof. R. S. Penfield of Chi- 
cora; the secretary was Miss Mina Wal- 
dron of Evans City ; and the treasurer, 
Robert McMeekin of Chicora. The county 
has been divided into nine districts, and 
district conventions are held each year as 
well as county conventions. The primary 
department is under the care of Miss Lotta 
B. White of Butler, and chose an enroll- 
ment of 146 classes in the county. The 
number of Sabbath schools enrolled is 150. 

The Ministerial Association of Butler is 
composed of all the ministers of the Pro- 
testant denominations, and was organized 
as early as 1893. Since its inception it has 
taken an active part in all of the reform 
movements, and aided in remonstrating 
against tiie granting of licenses by the 
courts of the county. The association has 
since its beginning arranged the programs 
for the Thanksgiving services in the dif- 
ferent churches in the town, and ajjpointed 
the ministers to till the pulpits on the occa- 
sions. The ju'esident of the association in 
1909 was Dr. P. C. Prugh, aud the secre- 
tary H. W. Love. The meetings are held 
on the first Monday of each month, in the 
parlors of the Y. M. C. A. building. 

The Industrial Clnb was formed in June, 
1903. through the efforts of :\Iiss Margaret 
•liranilon (deceased) of P>utler, in the in- 
terests of the foreign ciiildi-en of Lyndora. 
The school meets everv Satuixlav after- 



47( 



H [STORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



noon at the public ^icliool buildiug in Lyn- 
dora, and conducts a kindergarten and sew- 
ing classes for the foreign children of that 
district. . At the pi'esent time there are 
over one hundred children enrolled, and an 
average attendance of sixty. The expenses 
of the school are met entirely by the In- 
dustrial Club, which is composed of a num- 
ber of young ladies of Butler. At the pres- 
ent time the club is composed of tliirty 
active members, and fift)- honorary mem- 
bers. The president of the club is Miss 
Mary Williams; Miss Maude Sutton is 
vice-president; Miss Juliet Campbell, sec- 
retary; Miss Mary Pillow, treasurer; Mrs. 
Harvey Wilder and Miss lona Leidecker, 
superintendents of sewing classes, and 
Miss Edith Galbreath and Miss Florence 
Roessing, superintendents of kinderiiarten. 

Thr Butler Educational and ludnshial 
School for Foreigners was organized in 
December, 1906, and opened a night school 
for foreigners at Lyndora in March, 1907. 
Tlie societv is coiiiiioscd of representatives 
from all of the cliinvhes of the town and 
philanthropic societies, and is tinanced \\\ 
the business firms, individual subscripticms 
and the Standard Steel Car corporation. 
The first officers were Levi M. Wise, presi^ 
dent; E. J. Randall, secretary, and J). L. 
Cleeland, treasurer. The purpose of the 
society is to teach the foreign population 
the English language and instruct them in 
good citizenship and American customs. 
The Lyndora school has a total enrollment 
of about 500, and an average attendance of 
about seveTity. The teacher in charge is 
E. Hale Sipes. The following are the of- 
ficers and board of directors in 1909 : W. 
D. Brandon? president ; H. W. Love, secre- 
tary; D. L. Cleeland, treasurer; C. H. (lil 
lespie. Rev. R. B. Miller. Miss Mary \. 
INIcKee, (leorge A. Hennev, C. E. Cronen- 
wett, Rev. (}eo. C. Miller, Levi M. Wise, 
Rev. M. H. Milne, Mrs. J. L. Marsh. 

The Elm Street Night School for Italians 
was organized in May, 1905, by the Wo- 
mans Missionary Society of the United 



Presbyterian Church. A Saiibath school 
and mission was established during the 
summer, and in November, 1905, Rev. 
Michael Renzetti was installed as mission- 
ary. The night school has an attendance 
of about thirty, and the Sabl)ath school en- 
rollment of about sixty, while the mem- 
bers of the mission number al)out seventy- 
eight. The teachers of the night school are 
Miss MarvMcKee, :\liss Madge Douglass, 
Mrs. E. il. Dodds, Mrs. Eleanor Trum- 
bull. The night school and the Sunday 
services are held in a rented building, l)ut 
in the near future it is expected that a 
suitable house of worship will be erected. 
A lot has already been purchased, and 
money for the building has been appropri- 
ated by the Board of Llome Missions of 
the United Presbyterian Church. 

GKAVEY.^RDS .\ND CEMETERIES. 

The first burial place in the l)orough of 
Butler was tlie old cemetery on the corner 
of North. McKean and East North Streets 
on the present site of the high school build- 
ing. This plot of ground was included in 
the tract of land donated by John and 
Samuel Cunningham and Robert Graham 
to the governor of the State for the use of 
Butler County. In the original plot of the 
town Lots No. 150, 151 and 152 lay on the 
east side of ^IcKean Street, and between 
the allev and Xorth Street.- At a sale of 
lots held August 15, 1S(U, Lot No. 150 was 
sold to Abraham Brinkej- and John Cun- 
ningham "for use of a graveyard" for 
$10. The next day Lot Number 151 was 
sold for the same purpose to the same par- 
ties for $10, and Lot Number 152, on the 
corner, was sold to James Brown for the 
same ])rice, but the deed was subsenuently 
made out to John Negley. In 182(i John 
Neglev and his wife, Elizabeth, conveved 
lot No. 152 to Norbert Foltz. and the latter 
in turn conveyed it by a deed dated June 
10, 1828, "to the burgess and assistant 
burgess and the town council of Butler, 
and their successors, for Inn-ial purposes 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



forever." The consideration was $50. 
This purchase made tlie cemetery com- 
plete, and the same year the town council 
took steps towards enclosing the ground 
with a stone fence which was the practice 
at that time. A committee of the council 
was appointed to present the sul),ject to 
the people of the horough at a pu))lic meet- 
ing held in the court house .lune 10, 1<S:28, 
and $300 was subscril)ed for that purpose. 

The first person buried in the cemetery 
was Charles McGinnis, who died in 1805. 
and many pioneers and some notable peo- 
ple fovmd their last resting i)hice on earth 
in this eemeter3^ 

As early as 1856 the town council passed 
an ordinance forbidding further inter- 
ments in this cemetery, and for half a cen- 
tury the grounds were practically neg- 
lected. About 18(i6 an attempt was made 
by the Butler School Board to condemn the 
old burial ground foi- school jiurposcs. The 
project met with an indignant protest by 
the citizens of the town, and for the time 
being further efforts were abandoned. 
About 1880 the late Colonel John M. Sul- 
livan, Thomas Robinson, Col. James C. 
jMcKee, William Campbell, Jr., and others, 
raised a fund for the purpose of beautify- 
ing the grounds and taking care of the 
graves that were marked on the old plot. 
In the years that had intervened after 
further burials had been forbidden by the 
town council, the stone fence had been re- 
moved and the grounds were practically 
abandoned )>y the borough council. In 
1902 the borough council tmdertook to sell 
the property for the purjiose of paying the 
liens against it for paving .McKean Street 
and North Street. This met with opposi- 
tion from those who had relatives buried in 
the old cemetery, and others who from 
patriotic and other reasons wished to see 
the old burial place preserved as a park. 
A part of the original fund raised in 1880 
was at that time in the i)ossession of 
William Campbell, Jr., and this was turned ■ 
over to the city council for the jnirpose of 



repairing the grounds. In 1905 the ques- 
tion of condemning the old cemetery for 
the purpose of erecting a High School 
building on the grounds was agam brought 
up, and there being no resistance at tliis 
time the project was carried through. In 
November, 1905, all of the known graves 
in the cemetery were removed to a plot 
which the school board purchased in the 
North Cemetery, and there reinterred, and 
the proper markers placed at each grave. 
The following year the construction of the 
new high school building was commenced, 
and completed in 1908. In the main 
entrance to the school building a tablet has 
been erected on which is inscribed the 
names of John Cunningham and Samuel 
Cunningham, the founders of the borough 
of Butler, both of whom were buried in 
the cemetery. 

Over seven hundred graves were 
removed from this old jcemetery and of 
this number only eighty-three could be 
identified by means of a tomb-stone or 
other mark. 

Those ideniified included the names of 
many families who are among the first set- 
tlers of the borough and of the county. 
A plot with the graves marked may be 
seen at the office of the superintendent of 
the public schools of the city in the high 
school building. A similar plot of the 
ground purchased by the school board in 
the nortb cemetery with all of the graves 
properly marked is also on file at the same 
place. 

St. Prf.r's i'athnJir Ccnirteri/, the sec- 
ond burial iiiacc in P>utler, was laid out in 
1830 on ground deeded for the purjiose by 
Sarah Collins, a daughter of Stephen Low- 
rey. An addition was made to it in 1834 
of ground deeded to the Catholic Church 
by \''aleria Evans, a daughter of Mrs. Col- 
lins, and her husband, E. R. Evans. This 
cemetery is located on College Street, and 
was used for burial purposes until about 
1880, when the interments were discon- 
tinued. Many of the Catholic pioneers of 



478 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the town aud surroimdiug couutiy are 
buried in this old grave yard. 

Sdiitli Criiicicrii. What is known as the 
South (V'liU'tery on the hill south of the 
ereek is owned by the (lennan and English 
Lutheran and the United Presbyterian 
Congregations. In 1850 John Negley 
deeded land to the German Lutherans and 
subsequently to the English Lutherans for 
burial purposes and still later the MeQuis- 
tion heirs deeded a small tract of land 
adjoining on the west, to the United Pres- 
byterian Church. The enclosure which 
comprises about seven acres occupies a 
connnanding position and is an ideal spot 
on which to establish God's acre. In this 
old cemeterjr lie the remains of many 
]iioneer settlers of Butler and the sur- 
lounding community, including those of 
John Negley, the donor of the ground, who 
succeeded the Cunninghams as owner of the 
mill property and who was identified with 
nearly every movement for the betterment 
of the town. 

The Butler Cemetery Association was 
chartered by act of March 24, 1851. Seven 
acres of ground were ]mrchased from 
Ebenezer Graham lying on the north line 
of the borough overlooking the town. 
Soon after the incorporation of the asso- 
ciation steps were taken towards laying 
out the groimd in lots and at the same time 
the borough council passed an ordinance 
forbidding interments in the old cemetery 
on North McKean Street. Additional pur- 
chases of ground were made from time to 
time and from 1851 to 1857 this cemetery 
was one of the principal burial places of 
the borough. For many years Col. John 
M. Sullivan was president of the Associa- 
tion, Major Cyrus E. Anderson, secretary, 
and R. C. McAbov, superintendent and 
treasurer. The officers in 1908 were P. W. 
Lowery, president, George C. Stewart, sec- 
retary, Louis B. Stein, treasurer, and T. C. 
Campbell, R. B. Fowser and L. (). F'urvis, 
directors. In 1902 P. L. King took charge 
as superintendent. The first interment in 



the cemetery was in December, 1852, when 
Robert Howard Hill, who had died from 
scarlet fever, was buried there. Many of 
the prominent and well known early set- 
tlers are buried in this cemetery, and 
scores of graves are marked by handsome 
monuments. A curious feature about this 
cemetery association is the fact that each 
purchaser of a burial lot received a deed 
for it in fee simple, and is the outright 
owner of the ground. This circumstance 
has caused the association much trouble 
in keeping the grounds in proper condition, 
as they have been unable to assess the lot 
owners for the necessary funds to carry 
on the work. An effort is to be made in 
the near future to remedy this defect. 

The North Side Cemetery Association 
was chartered July 2, 1887, and has been 
duly incorporated. Thirty acres of ground 
were purchased of Charles Uuffy adjoin- 
ing the old cemetery on the north and was 
laid out in lots. The leading spirit in the 
new organiation was John S. Campbell, 
who was also the first president. In 1908 
John S. Campbell was president, Harvey 
Colbex-t, secretary, and P. L. King, super- 
intendent. D. S. McCullough was the first 
superintendent of the ground and filled 
that position until 1902, when he was suc- 
ceeded by Mr. King. Many substantial 
and costly monuments have been erected 
during the past twenty-two years, and 
several of the pioneers of the town have 
found their last earthly homes in this 
cemetery. 

Calvary Cemetery Assdiiatioii was 
incorporated July 9, 1887, by Rev. William 
A. Nolan, then pastor of St. Paul's Cath- 
olic Church, Charles Duti'y, George Shaff- 
ner, AVilliam H. Reihing, David Niggel, 
Thos. F. Niggel, William G. Vinroe, Pat- 
rick Kellev, Daniel McLaughlin, N. J. 
Criley, D. H. Wuller, John McCune, P. A. 
Golden, Hugh D. McCrea, Jacob Faller, 
Jos. J. Lavery, and Charles F. Cane. 
Thirty-five acres were purchased from 
Charles Duffy immediately north of the 



AND KEPRESEXTATIVE CITIZENS 



479 



North Side Cemetery, twenty of which be- 
long to St. Paul's Congregation and fifteen 
to St. Peter's. The grounds lie iinniedi- 
ately at the top of the hill and form an 
ideal burial place. Iniprovenieiits have 
been going on rapidly, and in a few years 
this cemetery will be one of tlie l>eantifnl 
spots about the town. 

This combination of three cemeteries is 
embraced in one enclosure and is dedicated 
to the uses of all denominations. The 
entire ai^a now covers about one hundred 
acres. The location is admirably suited 
for the purpose to which it is dedicated, 
and in time it will become a beautiful city 
of the dead. 

SOCIETIES AND NATIONAL ORDERS. 

The Sterling Club is a social organiza- 
tion organized about 1890, and at the pres- 
ent time has a membership of about 100. 
During the first two or three years of its 
existence the club had rooms in the Berg 
Bank building on the corner of Main and 
Jefferson Streets, but when the Campbell 
building was completed on South Main 
Street in 1891, the club secured a lease of 
the entire third floor and fitted up elegant 
apartments which they still occupy. The 
rooms consist of parlors, billiard-room, 
dining-room, and ball-room. The present 
officers of the club are Edward S. Riddle, 
president; Samuel Walker, vice-president; 
John H. Jackson, secretary; James 0. 
Campbell, treasurer; and the following 
board of governors: John Murrin, John 
H. Wilson, Robert M. Little, James A. 
Feldman. 

The Country Club was organized in 1904 
by a number of business men of Butler 
who were interested in golf and athletics. 
Golf links were established on rojitod 
ground at Lyndora, and the following year 
the club purchased the George Huselton 
farm in Penn Township, on the line of the 
Pittsburg & Butler Electric Railway. A 
clubhouse was erected and a number of 
imi)rovements made, which make the jilace 



an ideal location for a country resort. The 
club was incorporated and capitalized at 
$25,000.00. The president of the club in 
1908 was Edward Bredin, and the secre- 
tary John Brandon. 

The Masonic Order in Butler is repre- 
sented by Butler Lodge Number 272, F. & 
A. M., which was chartered March 7, 1863, 
and instituted August 3rd of the same 
year. The charter members and first offi- 
cers were James Bredin, W. M. ; David A. 
Aguew, S. W.; Felix E. Negley, J. W.; 
William Criswell, treasurer; Geo. W. Cro- 
zier, secretaiy; Jos. P. Patterson, John 
MeCarnes, J. J. Sedwick, Hugh McKee and 
Andi'ew Fitzsimmons. From this parent 
lodge several other prosperous lodges in 
Butler County have been organized. The 
hall is in the Reiber Block on Main Street, 
and the present membership is about 150. 
The present officers are B. R. Williams, 
W. M.; Geo. W. Hazlett, S. W.; John S. 
Douglass, secretary; and Harvey Colbert, 
treasurer. 

Iliitlcr Chapter Number 273, R. A. M. 
was chartered December 27, 1890, and con- 
stituted ]\Iarch 24, 1891. The first officers 
were as follows: William C. Thompson. 
H. P.; Charles N. Boyd, K.; Francis M. 
Coll, S. ; Josiah B. Black, treasurer; and 
Newton Black, secretary. The place of 
meeting is in thg Reiber Block on South 
Main Street. The present officers are John 
H. Douglass, H. P.; C. D. Holmes, K.; 
J. IT. Wilson, Scribe ; W. A. Stein, Secre- 
tary; and P. W. Lowry, treasurer. 

In addition to the membership of the two 
^ilasonic lodges mentioned above, there are 
M large number of members of Knight 
Templars who belong to the lodges of 
(ireenville and Pittsburg. In January, 
1909, the local lodges purchased the prop- 
erty of Miss Sarah B. McQuistion on 
South Main Street for $25,000, and an ele- 
gant Masonic Temple will be erected 
within the next two years. 

Independent Order of Odd PeUoivs. The 
]>ioneer secret society of the town is Con- 



480 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



noqiienessing Lodge, No. 278, I. O. 0. F., 
which was instituted December 11, 1847, 
the charter having been granted on No- 
vember 8th. The charter members were 
Jacob Ziegler, Alfred Gihuore,' John Gra- 
liam, and Dunhap McLaughlin. The first 
members admitted at tlie same meeting 
were John H. Negley, William Balph, Cor- 
nelius Coll, and Thomas W. Wallace. The 
first officers elected were Alfred Gilmore, 
N. G., Jacob Ziegler, V. G., John Graham, 
secretary, and Dunlap McLaughlin, treas- 
urer. The second meeting of the lodge 
was held on the 23d of ncccnibi'r, 1847, in 
the coiirt house. This Ind^c lias been quite 
prosperous during its existence, and at the 
present time is one of the strongest lodges 
in the county. The meetings were held in 
a hall rented for the purpose until 1887, 
when a lot was purchased on West Jeifer- 
son Street, and a two-story brick building 
erected, whicli is now occupied by the Peo- 
ple's Telephone Company. In 1899 the 
Henry C. Heineman property was pur- 
chased at the corner of Main and Cunning- 
ham Streets, upon which the present mag- 
nificent temple was built in 1906, at a cost 
of about $90,000.00. The trustees are 
David E. Dale, Alexander Mitchell and 
E. I. Brugh. Tlie managers of the club 
rooms are Thomas 1 1, (ireer and Ravmond 
S. Cornelius. The oHiceisJn October, 1908, 
were Geo. R. Sleutz, nolile grand; Jesse E. 
Neyman, vice-grand ; John E. Flack, secre- 
tary; Harley McClelland, recording secre- 
tary; William Cromm, treasurer. The 
membership was 226. 

Clement, Encampment No. 238, /. 0. 
0. F., was organized in 1897, and at the 
present time has a large membership. The 
meetings are held in the Odd Fellows' 
Temple on South Main Street. The officers 
of the Encampment are W. A. Ashbaugh, 
C. P. ; W. J. Snyder, H. P. ; T. C. Patter- 
son, S. W.; C. 1). Frazier, Jr. W. ; S. M. 
Swartzlander, scribe; and D. E. Dale, 
treasurer. The trustees are J. L. Garro- 
way, John J. Shiering and H. L. Riehey. 



Ziegler Lodge No. 1039, 1. 0. 0. F., is an 
off -shoot of the parent society and was 
instituted April 23, 1892, with twenty-four 
charter members. The first officers were 
Dr. G. J. Peters, N. G., J. H. Conard. V. G., 
S. M. Swai'tzlander, secretary, A. M. Bor- 
land, assistant secretary, and Dr. N. M. 
Hoover, treasurer. The lodge prospered 
from the start, and now has a membership 
of over two hundred. The lodge room is 
on Center xVvenue, in Springdale. The 
officers of the lodge in January, 1909, were 
Camden McKee, noble grand ; 0. F. Rhoda- 
berger, vice-grand; S. M. Swartzlander, 
secretary; R. L. Kirkpatrick, treasurer; 
and the trustees were J. W. Brown, S. M. 
Swartzlander and J. L. Garroway. 
. A. 0. U. W. The first lodge having an 
insurance feature to be organized in Butler 
was Butler Lodge Number 94, Ancient Or- 
der of United Workmen. This lodge was 
instituted January 18, 1876, and had for 
its chaiter members Lewis P. Walker, 
S. R. Diffenbaclier. T. A. Templeton, A. L. 
Reiber, T. B. ^Miite, David Cupps, Alex- 
ander Mitchell, H. Gumpper, Elliott Robb, 
T. S. Greene, D. A. Heck, C. Rehbun, Sam- 
uel Walker, and John F. Lowrey. The 
lodge embraced in its membership some of 
the best citizens in the l)orough, and at one 
time its membership was over three 
hundred. 

Knights of Honor. A. L. Reiber Lodge, 
No. 679, K. of H., was instituted January 
22. 1877, with twenty-nine charter mem- 
bers. It had a steady growth and was 
fairly prosperous for many yeai's. 

I\oi/al Aica)iiiiH. Butler Council, No. 
219, Royal Arcanum, was instituted May 3, 
1880, with sixteen charter members. This 
was a benevolent and insurance society 
which accomplished a great deal of good 
but has been driveii out of the field by the 
younger organizations. C. C. Cochran is 
secretary. 

A. L. of H. Butler Lodge No. 732, A. L. 
of IT., was instituted Sei.teniber 30, 188L 
with twentv-five charter nu'm!)ers, includ- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



481 



ing several business men of the community. 
This society has held its own among the 
fraternal associations of Butler and has 
had a fairly prosperous career. 

B. P. 0. E. Butler Lodge, No. 170, 
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, 
is one of the later fraternal societies in 
Butler. It was chartered and organized 
July 10, 1890, by J. B. Black, William T. 
Mechling, F. M. Coll, J. I). Northrup, 
E. W. Tibbies, Wm. H. Reihing, I. G. 
Smith, and Dr. Lysander Black. The first 
officers were J. B. Black, E. R., W. T. 
Mechling, E. L. K., F. M. Coll, E. L. K., 
J. D. Northrup, E. L. K., E. W. Tibbies, 
secretary, and I. G. Smith, treasurer. The 
lodge grew rapidly and within the first 
year had a membership of fifty. Its pres- 
ent membership is about two hundred and 
fifty. The first home of the lodge was in 
the brick building on the corner of Main 
and Diamond Streets, formerly occupied 
by the Butler County National Bank. The 
present quarters are in the Bickel building 
on South Main Street, where the lodge has 
the entire third floor fitted up as a lodge 
room, parlors, and a club-room. In 1907 
the lodge purchased the Geis Building on 
East Cunningham Street, adjoining the 
Majestic Theater, where permanent quar- 
ters will soon be established. The Order 
of Elks is a purely social and benevolent 
society, the underlying principle being 
charity. Bert Forquer is the present ex- 
alted ruler and J. A. Heineman, secretary. 

C. M. B. A. Branch Number 56, C. M. 
B. A., was organized March 16, 1889, with 
the following charter members: Joseph 
Rockenstein, Bernard Kemper, Jr., A. 
Rockenstein, Joseph Niggel, Harry Grieb, 
Norbert T. Weser, Ed ^IcShane, Albert 
Frank, Andrew Liebler, John Kappler, 
John Garber, Casper Eyth. Thomas II. 
Gallagher, Henry C. Plolir, J. N. Harvey, 
Thomas J. Moran, Charles McCarthy, J. C. 
Wagner, Fred J. Morall, Theodore D. 
Pape, W. J. McCafferty. The organiza- 
tion was effected through the efforts of 



Bernard Kemper and William H. O'Brien, 
the latter having previously belonged to 
the branch at Oil City. The first president 
of the local branch was Joseph Rocken- 
stein. 

The present membership of the C. M. 
B. A. is 207, and the officers are H. T. Rat- 
tigan, president ; Earl F. Young, vice-presi- 
dent; Charles E. Connell, recording secre- 
tary; C. Dugan, financial secretary; Jas. 
W. Bayer, treasurer ; Rev. M. Stenger anil 
Rev. P. K. Collins, spiritual advisors. The 
association meets the first and third Tues- 
days of each month in the Rockenstein 
building. 

Branch No. 92, L. C. B. A., was organ- 
ized September 17, 1891, by Supreme 
Deputy Mrs. J. A. Royer, of Erie, Penn- 
sylvania, with seventeen charter members. 
The presiding officers have been Lena 
Grieb, M. C. Rockenstein, and Amelia 
Shaffner. 

The Knights of Columbus is a social and 
beneficiary oi'der which was first estab- 
lished in Butler in 1904. The order now 
has 125 members and has handsomely ap- 
pointed club rooms in the Stein Building 
on South Main street. The present officers 
of the order are John Murrin, grand 
knight; M. F. Carroll, deputy grand 
knight; F.B.Duig-nan, chancellor; Clarence 
Kelley, recorder; L. C. Yungert, financial 
secretary; E. A. McShane, treasurer; 
E. H. Burke, advocate; and B. McKeown 
warden. In 1908 the order took over the 
membership and club rooms of the Young- 
Men's Institute, which has been in exist- 
ence for several years and had club rooms 
in the Stein Building. 

Keystone Camp No. 8, Woodmen of the. 
World, is the strongest fraternal and in- 
surance order in point of membershij) in 
Butler. It was organized in 1892, and at 
the present time has 683 members in good 
standing. The present officers of the camp 
are P. C, W. E. Cooper ; C. C, J. B. Hutch- 
inson; Adv. Lieut., James Wood; Clerk, 
Sanuiel Hughes ; Banker, J. L. Emerick ; 



48-J 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Watchman, Heniy Beck; Sentry, F. L. 
Stauffer; Managers, F. H. Davy, E. Miller, 
and E. B. Bell ; Physicians in Butler, M. E. 
Headland, L. R. Hazlett, W. J. Grossman, 
R. J. Grossman, W. S. Patterson, W. B. 
Clark; Homewood, C. B. McAboy; Ren- 
frew, J. L. Campbell, R. S. Keeler; Evans 
City, E. Cuthbert; Elwood, R. L. Lowry; 
Callery, H. R. Wilson. 

Lyndoia Hall Association was organized 
in 1905 for social purposes by the foreign 
residents of Lyndora and Bredinville. A 
charter was secured on August 5th of that 
year, the subscribers being Earnest Calde- 
rora. John Buccos, H. L. Connelly, John 
Bungar, W. E. Merwin, John Tonko, and 
Joseph A. Kalina. 

The Gain Society was organized in Au- 
gust, 1905, for social and musical purposes, 
by the Belgian and French residents of 
the Southside. The society owns a lot and 
a hall on Ziegler Avenue, and the French 
Band of the Southside is a musical organ- 
ization which owes its existence to this 
society. The president of the society at 
the time the charter was granted was 
Emile Chenot, Victor Bayonet was secre- 
tary, and Arthur Dumont, treasurer. John 
Werry is the musical director. 

The Italian Fraternal and Beneficial So- 
ciety of Butler was organized in 1908- 
among the Italian residents of the town 
for social and beneficial purposes. The 
society has an insurance feature, and its 
purpose is to help its members who may 
be in distress from sickness or misfortune. 
The subscribers to the charter were Pietro 
Fosatti, Cesare Binnuci, Fiori Mazzanti, 
and Leonard DeFoggi. 

Butler Ruling Number 729, Fraternal 
Mystic Circle, was organized in 1899 with 
125 members. It has had a prosperous 
giowth and at the present time has 154 
members. The officers are W. K. Hays, 
worthy ruler; C. P. Hoffman, vice ruler; 
Bert Teitsworth, past worthy ruler; Geo. 
W. Amy, chaplain; Harry L. Graham, re- 
corder ; and Dr. W. J. Grossman, collector. 



The order is fraternal, with an insurance 
feature. The meetings are held in the 
K. of P. Hall in the Reiber Building. Dr. 
W. J. Grossman is grand ruler for the dis- 
trict comprising the States of Pennsyl- 
vania and New Jersey. 

Butler Tent No. 234, Krilyhts of the 
Maccabees, was first organized in 1887, and 
disbanded in 1889. It was reorganized in 
December, 1889, with a large membership, 
and is now one of the strongest insurance 
orders in the county, having a membership 
of over 400. The officers in 1909 were G. L. 
Schroth, P. C; D. D. Quigley, C; T. C. 
Kearns, L. C. ; Howard I. Painter, record 
keeper; and D. A. Kamerer, finance keeper. 
The meetings are held in K. of P. Hall in 
the Reiber building on South Main Street. 

The Ladies of the Maccabees is an auxil- 
iary society that has a strong membership, 
and meets in the same hall with the Sir 
Knights. 

Butler Lodge No. 211, Knights of 
Pythias, was instituted in April, 1889, and 
the present membershii) is 175. The meet- 
ings are held in the Reiber Building, and 
the present officers are A. L. Oesterling, 
chancellor commander; W. R. Gilmore, vice 
chancellor; D. L. Aiken, master of the ex- 
chequer; J. W. Hutchinson, keeper of rec- 
ords and seals. The lodge is in a flourisli- 
ing condition, and has a well organized 
vmiform rank. 

Butler Circle No. 22, Protected Home 
Circle, was organized in the fall of 1887, 
and at the present time has a mem.bership 
of 314. The meetings are held on the sec- 
ond and fourth Tuesdays of the month in 
a hall in the Reiber Building on South 
Main Street. The officers are Ella McDer- 
mitt, president ; Joseph Benigh, vice-presi- 
dent ; William Sanders, secretary..; John M. 
Reed, accountant; J. M. McCormick, treas- 
urer. J. M. Reed has served as accountant 
since the organization of the lodge, and is 
a life member of the Supreme Lodge. 

Butler Camp No. 9616, Modern Wood- 
men of America, was instituted in May, 



AXI) REPKESKXTATi\ E CITIZENS 



1901, with about twenty-tliree eliarter mem- 
bers. The present membership is sixty- 
two and the officers are Joseph Stand- 
acher, V. C. ; W. D. Weitzel, worthy ad- 
visor; J. E. Shaw, clerk; A. R. Graham, 
banker; and W. W. Ross, W. B. Turner, 
B. R. Mattison, managers. The lodge 
meets the second and fourth Fridays of 
each month in the Reiber Building. 

Butler Lodge No. 470, Fraternal Order 
of Eagles, was instituted in 1904, with a 
membership of over one hundred. It is 
a fraternal and beneficiary order, and has 
had a prosperous career since its organiza- 
tion. The order has lodge and club rooms 
in the Berg Bank Building at the coi'ner of 
Main and Jefferson Streets. Al. Field is 
the president; D. C. Henshaw, secretary; 
and John D. Clark, treasurer. 

Loyal Order of Moose. The youngest 
order and also the largest in jooint of mem- 
bership is Butler Lodge No. 64, Loyal Or- 
der of Moose. The lodge was organized 
November 8, 1908, with seven hundred 
members and the following officers : Past 
dictator, George Cummings; worthy dic- 
tator, B. R. Williams; vice dictator, Peter 
Peterson; secretary, C. R. Watson. The 
Lodge jjurchased the R. B. Taylor prop- 
erty on AVest Jefferson Street in January, 
1909, and contemplates the erection of a 
splendid lodge-room, gymnasium, and 
bath rooms. 

Butler Tent, No. 1:.'6, L. 0. T. M., was 
organized in the fall of 1896, and the pres- 
ent memliership is one hundred. The offi- 
cers are Mrs. C. E. Mclntire, P. C; Mrs. 
E. Howarth, C. ; Mrs. George Spang, Lieut. 
Com.; Miss Florence Whitmire, record 
keeper ; ]\Iiss Flora Smith, finance keeper ; 
Mrs. D. F. McCrea, chaplain. 



Encampment 45, Union Veteran Legion 
of Butler, was chartered June 20, 1889, 
with nearly seventy meml)ers, who were 
mustered in on June 27 and 29 following. 
In July of the same vear another muster 



took place at which eighty members were 
enrolled, and subsequently the member- 
ship was increased to over two hundred. 
The first officers were Robert J. Pliipps. 
colonel commander; 0. C. Redic, lieutenant 
colonel; W. A. Clark, major; Jefferson 
Burtner, chaplain; D. M. Ward, adjutant; 
H. Z. Wing, quarter-master ; R. S. Nichols, 
officer of the day; and Casper Sherman, 
officer of the guard. To be admitted to the 
Veteran Legion every member must have 
seen active service in the field for at least 
two years, and veteranized. The. open 
meetings held by the local legion were 
looked forward to with pleasure and at- 
tended by large audiences who were roy- 
ally entertained by the members. In re- 
cent years the membership has declined, 
and at the present time there are not over 
fifty on the roll. The officers in 1908 were 
John T. Kelly, Colonel ; 0. C. Redic, lieu- 
tenant colonel; Thos. J. Hazlett, major; 
E. A. McPherson, adjutant ; and J. II. Gib- 
son, quartermaster. The meetings are 
held in the hall in the Reiber Building, 
South Main Street. 

A. G. Reed Post No. 105, G. A. K., was 
organized May 12, 1881, and named in 
honor of Alfred G. Reed, one of Butler's 
patriotic sons, who fell oh the bloody field 
of Fredericksburg. -The charter members 
were as follows : George W. Fleeger, Wil- 
son E. Reed, James R. Storev, Joseph 
Kelley, William A. Wright, C. E. Ander- 
son, A. B. Ritchey, Henry Koru, Geo. W. 
Johnson, H. A. Ayres, Daniel Beighley, 
Casper Sherman, Samuel G. Hughes, Alex- 
ander Russell, Ferdinand Weigand, A. G. 
Williams, D. S. McCollough, John L. 
Jones, John K. Fleming, James Graham, 
Samuel P. Shryock, and John Kennedy. 
The successive commanders of the Post 
since its organization have been as fol- 
lows: George W. Fleeger, W. A. Wright, 
Newton Black, A. G. Williams, John T. 
Kelley, John M. Greer, Cyrus E. Ander- 
son, Alexander Russell, R. P. Scott, W. A. 
Lowrey, Joseph Criswell, I. J. McCandless, 



484 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



A. B. Ritchey. Tlie officers of the post in 
1909 were Thomas Hayes, commander; 
R. P. Scott, quartermaster; Rev. Long, 
ehaplain; W. A. Lowrey, adjutant; and 
A. G. Morrison, officer of the day. 

The Post held its meetings in the Odd 
Fellows' Hall on Jefferson Street until 
1905, when the quarters were moved to the 
hall on Center Avenue in Springdale. The 
Post at one time had a membership of over 
200, but at the present time it is only 150, 
indicating that the ranks of the great army 
of 1861 and 1865 is rapidly thinning, and 
in a few years will live only in the memo- 
ries of the sons and grandsons of its 
members. 

Connected with the Post is the Belief 
turps Number 97, which contains about 
twenty-five members. 

Butler Camp No. 33, United Spanish 
War Veterans, was mustered April 19, 
J 907, by Major Davis of Pittsburg. The 
officers of the camp are Lieutenant A. T. 
Scott, Commander; Howard C. Hazlett, 
Senior Vice-Commander ; Samuel S. Scott, 
Junior Vice-Commander; Jno. H. Jackson, 
Quarter-master; Charles A. McElvaine, 
Adjutant; Robert M. Little, Chaplain; Ear- 
nest C. Faber, Sergeant ; Col. W. T. Mech- 
ling. Lieutenant; Geo. S. Mechling and 
William Double, trustees. The following 
are the charter members : Isaac Andrews, 
R()1)ert J. Adams, Roy 1. Burtner, Cam- 
eron 6. Brandon, Chas. B. BurMialter, 
Harry A. Cook, Wm. J. P. Collins, Peter 
A. Cummings, Wm. J. Curley, Wm. A. 
Caldwell, Carl M. Eisler, David H. Ens- 
minger, Harvey A. Evans, Clarence E. 
Graham, Hardee H. Hapler, Jos. A. Heine- 
man, John H. Jackson, Wm. J. Jackson, 
Ira McJunkin, Lawrence H. McDowell, 
Josiah M. McCandless^ Roy R. Mclntire, 
Marcus B. Mechling, Harley McClelland, 
J as. T. Morgan, Louis A. McDonald, Harry 
H. Morrison, Charles E. Miller, E. H. Neg- 
ley, Fred T. Roessing, Wm. H. Ritter, Jr., 
Harry E. Sumney, Chas. E. Smith, Samuel 
S. Scott, Oscar A. Schaffer, A. J. Thomp- 



son, Geo. Thompson, J as. C. Voegley, 
Horatio S. Vanderlin, B. J. Williams, A. 
Rex Williams, John G. Williams, Bert L. 
Wiseman, Thos. W. Watson, Fred E. Wig- 
ton, William A. Wade, B. H. Smulovitz, 
Ira A. Murphy, S. V. Eckelberger, Jno. J. 
Martin, W. H. Rebuhn, Jno. W. Alexander, 
R. W. Laughlin, and J as. L. Barton. 

Other lodges or societies having organ- 
izations in the town in 1908 are the Home 
Guards, Sons of St. George, and Human 
Rights. 

The United States Board of Examining 
Surgeons connected with the Pension De- 
partment, is composed of Dr. A. V. Cun- 
ningham, of Velienople, president; Dr. 
R. B. Greer of Butler, secretary; and Dr. 
L. B. Grove, of Anandale, treasurer. 

The Butler County Medical Society 
meets once a month in rooms in the Reiber 
Building on South Main Street. Dr. T. M. 
Maxwell is secretary of the society. A 
history of the society is noted in the med- 
ical chapter of this work. 

THE POSTOFFICE. 

Previous to the founding of Butler Bor- 
ough a mail route was established in 1801 
from Erie to Pittsburg. The mail carrier 
traveled on horseback, sometimes on foot, 
and visited the community about once a 
month. In 1805 the mail carrier visited 
Butler eveiy two weeks. Subsequently the 
trips were made once a week. For many 
years it was said the amount of mail was 
often so small as to be easily stowed away 
in the pockets of the carrier. Later the 
mail pouch was thrown across the back of 
the horse of the carrier, and then two 
horses were used to transport the increas- 
ing correspondence. When the public 
roads had been completed from Pittsburg 
to Butler, and thence to IMercer, a wagon 
was used to carry the mail, and any trav- 
elers between the points on the route. A 
semi-weekly mail was established through 
Butler from Pittsburg to Erie in 1818; a 
tri-weeklv in 1824; and a dailv mail in 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



485 



18l'7. The stage ooaeli ea)»e in 1S21, ami 
the mail was carried by the stage line until 
the advent of the railroad in"'lS71. The 
next advance was two daily mails between 
Butler and Pittsburg, and in 1909 the num- 
ber of mails between Butler and Pittsburg 
and all eastern and western points is six, 
and a two-horse wagon is required to 
ti'ansport the large number of mail sacks 
from the postoflfiee to the various depots. 

Little is known about the location of the 
early post-offices. Patrick Keiley had the 
post-office at one time at his tavern on the 
Diamond. Joshua J. Sedwick conducted 
the office for a number of years in the fif- 
ties at the corner of North and Main 
Streets, now occupied by the Duffy Block. 
Later the office was kept in the tavern 
building of Patrick Keiley, Jr., at the cor- 
ner of Main and Cunningham Streets. In 
the early part of the seventies a frame 
building was erected at the rear of the 
Troutman Building on West Cunningham 
Street, which served its purpose until about 
1888, when new quarters were rented in 
the Byers Building on South Main Street, 
now occupied by Covert 's Cafe. The pres- 
ent (juarters were leased from the Butler 
County National Bank Building in 190o. 
In 1902 the first steps were taken towards 
obtaining a federal building for. the town, 
and Congre.ss appropriated $20,000 for the 
purchase of the lot at the corner of AVest 
Jefferson and Washington Streets, from 
the heirs of the late Col. .James C. }»IcKoe 
and Isaiah J. McBride. 

The following is a list of post-masters of 
Butler with dates of appointment : 

William B. Y'oimg, October 1, 1805; 
John Potts, Julv 1. 1807; William Gibson, 
December 8, 1813; Jacob Mechling, Jr., 
April 1, 1816 ; James P. Howard, Februarv 
10, 1817 ; John Gilchrist, Januarv 24, 1824 ; 
Peter Duffv, December 10, 1830; James 
Potts, December 31, 1832; AVilliam B. 
Lemmon, Julv 10, 1841; David A. Agnew, 
May 16, 1845; Joshua J. Sedwick, March 
26, 1849; Daniel Coll. .\pril 28, 1853: 



Joshua J. Sedwick, June 8, 1861, reap- 
pointed March 2, 1867 ; Frank M. Eastman, 
April 21, 1869; Thomas B. White, April 3, 
1871, reappointed March 15, 1875; Sallie 
A. Robinson, March 27, 1879, reappointed 
June 26, 1883; Frank M. Eastman, May 10, 
1888 ; John T. Keiley, May 20, 1892 ; John 
W. Brown, Julv 21, 1896; J. B. Black, Julv, 
1900; Eli D. Robinson, August, 1904; 
James B. Mates, January 26, 1909. 

BOKOtTGH OFFICIALS IX .J.\NU.\EY, 1909. 

Burgess, Elmer E. Bell; president of 
council, Ellsworth Miller; treasurer, Wm. 
F. Rumberger; secretaiy, H. E. Coulter; 
city solicitor, John H. Wilson; tax col- 
lector, Archie Davidson ; high constable, 
Ed. Kramer; auditors, V. W. Parker, 
Harry Forcht, T. James Dodds; street 
commissioner, Jasper Richard; boi'ough 
engineer, H. B. Graves; sewer inspector, 
John W. Vogel. Members of Council — 
First Ward, John C. Clark, Thos. H. 
Brown, Joseph E. Schnitzer; Second 
Ward, George Mellinger, Samuel L. Ii'vine, 
Geo. E. Sherman; Third Ward, John G. 
Dunn, Lewis E. Ruby, A. C. Moxie ; Fourth 
Ward, Ellsworth Miller, Joseph Ball, Geo. 
H. Limberg; Fifth AVard, A. M. Aiken, 
Geo. Ambruster and E. R. MaxMell. 

POLICE FORCE. 

The Police Force of the city in January. 
1909, was composed of Joseph Angert, 
chief; Lewis Hays, lieutenant; and patrol- 
men R. H. Graham, E. L. Shultz, AA^esley 
Hoover and George Rodgers. 

MODERN BUTLER. 

We have attempted to trace the histoiy 
of Butler through its various stages down 
to the present time. It has grown from an 
obscure hamlet of less than fifty inhabit- 
ants more than a hundred years ago to a 
thriving city of 25,000 population. Since 
the incorporation of the borough in 1817 
there has been no backward steps taken, 
although it is true that for many years the 
borough languished and gave but feeble 



486 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



signs of life. When .loliii G;ill)raitli estah- 
lished tlie Palladium iu 1818, liis was the 
only printing office between Pittsburg and 
Mercer. Today there are five weekly and 
two daily papers pn))lished in the town, 
which is now recognized as the social and 
commercial center of a rich and populous 
county. For three-quarters of a century 
the streets were unpaved, the sidewalks 
poor and the buildings typical of a back- 
woods period. A better day dawned, how- 
ever, upon the town, when nature devel- 
oped her vast stores of wealth, and the 
discovery of oil and gas made the county 
an inviting field for speculation and invest- 
ment. The advent of the steam railroads 
opened a new field of industrial endeavor, 
and in the last two decades the shire town 
has become the center of a vast manufac- 
turing district. 

Modern Butler may be said to date from 
1871, when the first steam railroad was 
completed to the town. A new era of im- 
provement and building set in which began 
with the erection of the Jefferson Street 
School building, the bank building on the 
corner of Main and Jefferson Streets, and 
the Berg Hardware Building on South 
Main Street. The boundaries of the bor- 
ough were enlarged, new streets were 
opened, stone and brick side-walks were 
laid, and comfortable dwelling houses con- 
structed in the modern style of architect- 
ure were erected on the new streets and 
avenues. A period of depression followed 
the Greece City oil excitement, but was 
followed by renewed activity In the t-ight- 
ies. During this decade notiMl iniprove- 
ments were made in the erection ol' busi- 
ness blocks on Main Street, and the re- 
moval of Dougal's Row, which consisted 
of a pile of dilapidated old shacks, north 
of the Court House, and the erection of 
ihe present substantial business blocks. 
The present court house was erected in 
1884, and about the same time the Reiber 
Block on the corner of Main and Cunning- 
ham Streets took the place of tlic dd frame 



buildings that were formerlv occupied ))v 
Kel ley's Hotel. 

The last decade of the century was 
marked by rapid advancements. The 
streets were lighted with electricity in 
1890, the Waring sewage system was in- 
stalled the same year, and Main Street was 
paved with brick. Other streets followed 
until at the present time all of the principal 
streets and avenues of the town are paved 
with brick or asphalt block. Three-story 
business blocks began to appear on Main 
Street, the Troutman Block being erectefl 
in 1890, the Campbell Block in 1891, the 
Farmers National Bank Building, the 
Younkins Building, the Stein Block, south • 
of the Court House, Campbell's furniture 
store, and the Thompson and Younkins 
Block now occupied by the Butler Business 
College, were all erected during the latter 
part of the nineties. The first decade of 
the new century was marked by the evolu- 
tion from the three-story business block to 
the modern sky scraper, and in 1903 the 
Butler County National Bank Building, 
six stories high, was erected, and the fol- 
lowing year the new Nixon Hotel Building, 
which is four stories above the sub-story, 
was completed on the south side of Dia- 
mond Street. The Odd Fellows' Temple 
on South Main Street, the Duffy flats on 
North 'Slum Street, the Kirkpatriek Build- 
ing, and Koch's grocery building, were all 
erected since 1902. Modern hotel build- 
ings have taken the place of the old tav- 
erns, among the more recent being the new 
Nixon, the Clinton, the Commercial, the 
]\[onroe, the Atlas, and the Keystone, all 
of which have been completed in the past 
few years. 

The Butler oil and gas fields are still a 
source of unmeasured wealth, the lime and 
coal industries are in their infancy, new 
manufacturing plants are being erected 
and new electric railways are being pro- 
moted. The outlook is hopeful and the 
succeeding years will see greater advance- 
ment tlinn the past. 



CHAPTER XVII 



THE TOWNSHIPS 



ADAMS TOWNSHIP. 

Tliis township, named in honor of an 
early president, John Quincy Adams, was 
erected in 1854 from territory set apart 
from Cranberry and Middlesex townships, 
and is located along the base line of the 
county, in the second tier of townships 
from the western boundary. It is of fer- 
tile soil, well drained by Breakneck and 
Little Breakneck Creeks and Glade Run, 
and is well adapted for agricultural pur- 
suits. Cannel, Upper Freeport and Brush 
Creek coal have been mined in different 
parts of the township with good results, 
and the development of the oil fields has 
shown this territory rich in oil and gas. 

The first settler of the township was 
James Glover, a native of New Jersey, 
who had come west to Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he was one of the pioneers. 
He was a great huntsman and on his expe- 
ditions found a deer lick in what is now 
Adams Township. Close by this lick he 
in 1792 put up a rude log cabin; in 1795 
he made a clearing here, and the following 
year laid claim to 400 acres of laud. In 
1796 he erected a log-house, tlie second in 
the township, and there resided until his 
death in 1844, at the age of ninety-one 
years. The first house was that built by 
James Irvine, who had the added distinc- 
tion of being one of the pioneer school 
teachers. In the center of his claim of 100 
acres, he built a large house of round logs, 



in which he lived until his death in 1830. 
He was an Irishman by birth, and upon 
coming to America in 1770, first took up 
his residence in Westmoreland County. 
William McCandless, a tailor; William Mc- 
Candless, a distiller, and Robert McCand- 
less settled at the same period, and in 1796 
came Adam Johnson, Sr., Adam Johnson, 
Jr., Josliua and George Stoolfire, Moses 
Meeker, Timothy Ward and David Spear. 
Timothy Ward, who was a school teacher, 
and Moses Meeker, did not remain long. 
Adam Johnson, Sr., was well advanced in 
years at the time of his arrival, and died 
here in 1827, at the remarkable age of 103. 
The year 1798 witnessed the arrival of the 
following men with their families : William 
Criswell, William Roseboro, James Park, 
Matthew Park, Silas Miller, Isaac Covert, 
Joseph Means, Thomas Means, and some 
of the Gillilands. John Richardson, Will- 
iam Forsythe, James Davidson, Sr., and 
his son James, came into the country about 
the close of the eighteenth centairy. Thomas 
Kennedy and Andrew Bar arrived about 
the year 1813; Robert McKinney in 1816; 
and Job Staples, school teacher, minister 
and farmer, came in about that time. 
Other names prominently connected with 
the township history at an early period 
are : McMarlin, Kennedy, Marshall, Plum- 
mer, Orr, Cashdollar, Kidd, Walter, 
Cooper and Hall. The first birth record in 
the township is that of John Gilliland, 



488 



lUSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



born November 25, 1798. Yeyy little uiau- 
ufacturing has been done liere. Matthew 
Park established a grist mill in the early 
days near the site of Mars, and Samuel 
Eoseboro erected one in the same locality 
in 1883. The distillery of Robert McKin- 
ney was established in 1819. 

School classes were organized and in- 
struction in the common branches given in 
various homes for several j^ears prior to 
the building of the first school, a log struc- 
ture, in 1805. These classes were taught by 
wandering teachers or by some of the 
pioneers, of whom quite a number were 
teachers. Robert Hill taught in the first 
building erected for school purposes, it 
being located on or near the old Davis 
farm. Near the present village of Callery, 
a log school was built in 1837, and about 
the year 1848 Samuel Hood taught the first 
school in the neighborhood of Robbins Mill, 
it being held in the house vacated by Reu- 
ben Conaby. There are now eight schools 
in the township, and education matters are 
in a flourishing condition. The school 
board is composed of the following direct- 
ors: W. L. Marburger, W. J. Rennisou, 
Chris. Thileman, J. A. Humes, D. B. Stoup, 
and Thomas W. Hayes. 

The United Presbijteriaii ClniicJi of 
Adams Township, known as the Union 
Church, was organized near Brownsdalc 
in 1806, where it continued until 1820, in 
which year the tent, in which services were 
held, was conveyed to a point near the 
present church of the congregation. In 
1824 two acres of land was purchased from 
Robert McKinney, and the following year 
a log building was erected. In 1833 a divi- 
sion of the congregation took place, one 
branch being known as the "Old School," 
and the other as the "New School." The 
latter held the church property. The his- 
tory of the former division is given under 
the head of the North Union Reformed 
Presbyterian Church of Forward Town- 
ship. The "New School" occupied the old 
log building until 1839, when it was nbau- 



doned. The "Old School" in that year 
erected a brick building, adjoining the old, 
and following the example set, the "New 
School," also in 1839, purchased a lot 
about one mile northwest and constructed 
a large brick edifice. The members from 
the vicinity of Brownsdale withdrew in 
1859 to imite with a new organization 
there, and in June, 1859, the Union Con- 
gregation joined with the United Presby- 
terians. About this time, the charge was 
transferred from the Allegheny to the 
Butler Presbytery. Union and Browns- 
dale churches united in one charge. In 
1864 the town (churches dissolved connec- 
tion and the pastor devoted his whole time 
to the old Union church. The church so- 
ciety was incorporated June 14, 1866, with 
Jacob Hutchman, Francis H. Davidson and 
Samuel Orr as trustees. The old church 
was destroyed by fire in 1905 and has since 
been replaced by a neat and attractive 
building representing a cost of about six 
thousand dollars, which was dedicated in 
1906. 

Crest Vieic Preshyterian Chunk of 
Adams Township was organized in 1890, 
letters being granted on August 10, of that 
year to twenty-seven members by the ses- 
sion of Plains Church. The petition was 
presented by Rev. R. C. Yates. The society 
was incorporated Februarj- 15, 1892, with 
Nicoll Allen, F. C. McNeal and Alfred 
Richardson as trustees. 

The United Preshyterian Church of Mars, 
the early history of which coincides with 
that of Union Church, was moved to Mars 
in 1877. It was incorporated Mav 16, 1893, 
on petition of Dr. John C. Barr, T. M. 
^Marshall, John Davidson, John A. Cris- 
well and Presley Duncan. In 1894, a new 
church building was completed at a cost of 
$4,000. 

The ISlethodist Episcopal Church of 
Mars was organized with a membership of 
eight, and a cliuvch building soon after 
ei-ected. 

The EraiificlicdJ ^Is.sociatinii is the most 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



489 



recent of tlie cliurohes established in 
Adams Township, and has a fail' sized con- 
gregation. 

Mars Borough, the principal center of 
population in Adams Township, is a 
thrifty and well bnilt little town, which has 
had a steady growth. It has fine stores, 
residences and churches, and a progressive 
class of citizens. The United States Cen- 
sus Report of 1900 shows its population 
more than double that of the preceding- 
report. The place was known as Over- 
brook Post-office from the time of estab- 
lishing an office at this point until 1882, 
when the name of Mars was adopted. The 
post-office was started in 1875, and Samuel 
Park, the miller, made the first post-mas- 
ter. The completion of the Pittsburg and 
Narrow Gauge Railroad to this point 
caused a raise in property values and con- 
siderable building activity. Frank Johns- 
ton immediately erected a building and 
conducted a store until 1877 or 1878, when 
he sold out to W. H. Walters and W. J. 
Gilliland. They carried on the business 
for two years, and then sold out to J. B. 
Dickey. Mr. Gilliland erected a larger 
building west of the depot for store pur- 
poses, and tliis too he sold to Mr. Dickey. 
A new store building was in the course of 
construction by Oliver Pinkerton, when the 
report was circulated that the depot would 
be removed to Little Breakneck, and the 
building plans were checked. This report 
also caused Mr. Dicke}' to sell his building, 
the purchaser being W. H. Walters, who 
carried on the business for a year, and 
then sold out to Samuel and Andrew 
Thompson. W. J. Gilliland erected the 
building later occupied by Marshall's 
store, on a five-acre tract purchased from 
the S. A. Kennedv propertv. In the fall of 
1883, Mr. Gilliland and D. G. Marshall 
erected a store and depot, where they car- 
ried on business until the following year, 
the railroad office being moved to that 
building. D. B. Wilson, a new arrival, 
built a house which he later traded i'oi' the 



Thompson store, carrying on the business 
for a time. F. P. Confer erected a shop 
and residence and was the first blacksmith 
in the place, being succeeded in turn by 
John Conley and Samuel Zeigler. Stores 
which were established and prospered at 
a later period were those of Dr. J. C. Bar 
and Charles Willetts, drugs ; H. W. Walt- 
ers, harness; Al Ziegier, hardware; J. D. 
Marshall, Jordan & Company, and Ziegier 
and Schwab, general stores; Simon and 
Cohen, clothing; Mars Milling & Feed Co.; 
Irvine Brothers, furniture dealers; W. J. 
Link, coal dealer; W. D. Boyd, lumber 
dealer; Edward Wise, M. J. Roberts, and 
M. Hinchey, stores. 

The borough officers for 1908 are as fol- 
lows: Justice of the peace, Alexander 
Lurting; auditor, O. C. Pinkerton; high 
constable, Clinton McCandless; school di- 
rectors, A. C. Irvine, G. H. Kandaell ; coun- 
cil, John Toy, B. M. Phipps, William Dan ; 
constable, D. L. Fair; judge of election, 
J. C. liespenheid ; inspectors, W. A. David- 
son and Presley Duncan; town clerk, W. 
AV. Donaldson ; street commissioner, *W. A. 
Davidson; tax collector, L. E. Irvine; 
assessor, Mercer Marshall. The present 
postmaster is W. D. Boyd. 

Gallery Borough, formerly known as 
Callery Junction, is a prosperous little 
railroad town in Adams Township, which 
was named in honor of the president of the 
Pittsburg & Western Railroad, now a part 
of the Baltimore & ( )lii() System. It is the 
junction point of that road with the Butler 
branch. A post office was established here 
in 1880, but it was not until 1883 that there 
was much building activity. In that year, 
William Gilliland sold lots to P. H. Mur- 
ray, Alexander Blair, A. M. Beers, T. M. 
!\[arshall, and F. C. Meeder, among others, 
all of whom had buildings erected by April, 
1883, prior to the completion of the depot. 
The Meeder House was opened for busi- 
ness in July of that year. Essentially a 
railroad town, as well as a good shipping 
])oint, numerous hotels and poolrooms, as 



490 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



well as stores, came into being, and made 
a thriving and active appearance. The 
conflagration of October 29, 1892, de- 
stroyed the stores of James Little and W. 
Shannon; Murray's restaurant; the hotels 
of W. H. White, H. Maters and VanBoise; 
the railroad depot and freight house, and 
six dwellings, entailing a loss of $25,000, 
about three-fifths of it covered by insur- 
ance. What promised to be a serious set 
back to the village proved the reverse, as 
the new buildings erected were larger, 
more siibstantial and modern in type. 
Within a year business was fully resumed 
and the following merchants and firms 
active in the field : John F. Shannon, gen- 
eral merchant; J. H. Thomas, general mer- 
chant ; H. B. Hunt, proprietor of a restau- 
rant ; M. J. Goddard, coal dealer ; and Car- 
ruthers, Peters- & Company, machinists 
and blacksmiths, which subsequently 
merged into the Bessemer Gas Engine Co. 
at Grove City. Mrs. Bessie A. Shannon 
is the present postmistress. 

The town was incorporated as a bor- 
ough 'July 3, 1905, when the court ap- 
pointed Perry Dunlap, J. M. Little and 
X. ^leCollough, election officers to hold the 
first borough election. 

The elections of 1908 resulted in the 
choice of S. E. Miller and W. E. Dunbar 
for auditors; J. H. Stone for high con- 
stable; D. Lambert for constable; J. F. 
Shannon and George Kaufmann for school 
directors ; B. Guthrie and George A. Kauf- 
mann for council. 

. John F. Shannon is the present justice 
of the peace in the borough, having been 
elected in 1905. 

In 1908 the mercantile interests of the 
town were represented by the general 
stores of John F. Shannon and R. A. 
Marks, and the Callery Pliarmacy of which 
W. B. Staples is the manager. 

The industrial interests are represented 
by the Pittsburg-Callery Brick & Tile Com- 
pany, which is the successor of the old Cal- 
lery Brick Company. This company has 



a plant representing an investment of 
about $30,000, and gives employment to 
thirty men. The company owns thirty 
acres of land at the site of its plant, and 
is doing an extensive business. 

The Pittsburg Fuse Manufacturing 
Company has a capital of $50,000, and is 
operating a plant on the old James Walt- 
ers farm in the limits of the borough. This 
concern manufactures fuse for blasting, 
and employs fifty-three people. It is owned 
and managed by Pittsburg people. 

The Vanvoy Hotel conducted by Thomas 
Louther, and P. H. Murray's restaurant 
furnish entertainment for the travelers 
who may stop at this point. 

Four companies supply the town with 
natural gas. They are the Evans City 
Natural Gas Company, which is controlled 
by Butler parties, the Forrest Oil Com- 
pany and the United Natural Gas Com- 
pany. The Callery Natural Gas Company 
was recently organized by Samuel Kauf- 
mann and W. B. Staples, and is supplying 
a number of consumers from wells on the 
Mandana Staples farm about two miles 
west of Myoma. 

The borough council in January, 1909, 
was composed of B. H. Guthrie, president ; 
Perrv Dunlap ; W. H. Lobaugh ; A. J. Welj- 
ber; W. B. Staples; Dr. H. R. Wilson, and 
A. McCollough; John Shannon is clerk; 
Samuel Kaufmann was street commis- 
sioner in 1908. 

The borough has two public schools, a 
commodious school building which was 
erected in 1907, and an enrollment of about 
ninety scholars and a population of 
about 450. 

TJic Free Methodist Society was organ- 
ized at Callery Junction about 1899, and 
has had practically the same pastors as 
the congregation at Mars. In the fall of 
1908 the society purchased the building 
that had been erected by the Gospel Prohi- 
bition Church, the latter society having 
been disorganized. The pastor in charge 
of the Free INfethodist Societv in 1908 was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



491 



Miss Elizabeth Bergman, who also has 
charge of the congregation at Mars. The 
membership of the Free Methodist Society 
is small, having at no time exceeded 
twenty-five since its organization. 

The Gospel Prohibition Church above 
mentioned is one of the three societies or- 
ganized in Butler County by Rev. I. G. 
Pollard, of which mention is made in the 
chapter on Butler Borough. 

Crest View Presbyterian Church. The 
early history of Crest View Presbyterian 
Church at Gallery Junction is identified 
with that of Plains Church in Cranberry 
township. On August 10, 1890, the Ses- 
sion of Plains Church granted letters of 
dismissal to twenty-six of its members, 
who, with Rev. R. C. Yates, composed the 
nucleus of the new congregation, which 
was organized at that time. The society 
was incorporated February 15, 1892, the 
trustees named in the charter being Nicoll 
Allen, F. C. McNeal and Alfred Richard- 
son. The pastor of the congregation in 
1908 was Rev. P. R. Harvey, and the eld- 
ers Cyrus W. Hall, John Staples, James 
Little, Charles Kiser and Flemming West. 

Downeyville is the name of a small set- 
tlement in the southern part of Adams 
Township, near the Allegheny County line. 
The plant of the Downey Pump Works, 
established here in the early nineties, was 
recently purchased by the Pittsburg 
Horse-shoe Manufacturing Comijany, who 
have begun the erection of additional 
buildings. The concern will employ about 
100 men, and in consequence the future 
prospects of the village are very promis- 
ing. F. C. Windhorst conducts a general 
store here. 

Myoma is a small place in one of the 
richest agricultural sections of Adams 
Township, and with a good substantial 
class from which to draw trade, has main- 
tained some good stores, a blacksmith shop 
and postoffice. Among the merchants who 
have been located at this point may be 
mentioned J. C. Davidson, C. B. Irvine 



and II. II. Berriuger. A church and school 
are located here. 

Valencia Borough, surveyed and named 
by Dr. S. 0. Sterrett, is located in the 
southern part of Adams Township. Dr. 
Sterrett established a general store at this 
point, as did J. A. & W. F. Anderson and 
A. L. Cooper; and J. C. Barr an agri- 
cultural implement store and coal yard. In 
1908 Geo. Dickson and J. R. Stoup were 
conducting a general store. Morrow and 
Buxton a hardware establishment, Willetts 
Brothers a drug store, and Jacob Kanaell 
a market. The town has one public school. 
Valencia was changed from a village to 
a bourough in 1897. 

Toivnship officials (1908): Tax col- 
lector, William L. Kauifman; constable, 
E. F. Holzer; assessor, John CashdoUar; 
auditors, W. W. Hill, Joseph Gilkey and 
J. A. Kennedy; road supervisors, John 
Kline, W. J. Blakeley, S. D. Swaney, R. J. 
Oi-r and W. L. Marburger. 

CONCOKD TOWNSHIP. 

Concord Township, at one time the most 
important center of the Butler oil fields, 
is a well watered section of the county, 
and has fertile farming land, besides coal 
deposits, of which some small banks are 
now operated for local consumers. The 
names of its streams, Bear, Buffalo, Mud- 
dy and Slippery Rock Creeks, were once 
well known on the Oil Exchange, for along 
these streams or not far removed, were 
drilled the wells that in 1872 and a few 
years later attracted the interest of finan- 
ciers in every section. There are several 
hundred wells still producing, though the 
production of each is small. Drilling is 
still carried on to some extent, the oil be- 
ing found in the third sand and the 
Speechly sand. There are also several 
small gas wells operated for local con- 
sumption. The Western Allegheny Rail- 
way runs through the central part of the 
township. 

The first jiermauent settlei's were prob- 



492 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



ably Widow Thankful Aggas and her two 
sons, who established their home in the 
wilderness in 1796. Their first neighbors 
were Edward Graham and family, William 
Dickey and John Campbell, Sr., and sons, 
the latter settling in 1797. There are also 
found the names of William and Andrew 
Christy and Samuel Campbell, while other 
pi-omiuent pioneers up to 1826 were the 
Conways, Samuel Campbell, James Rus- 
sell, John, Joseph and Geoi'ge Tiiubliu, 
Jeremiah and Piatt Sutton, .lolin Sliryock, 
and William and John Thomi)S()n. Josej)h 
Sutton came in 1819, John Starr in 1821, 
Rev. John Coulter in 1823, and William 
T. Jamison in 1826. The grist mill built 
liy Andrew Christy, in 1801, in Concord 
Township, was the third in the county, 
Neyman's mill, situated at the mouth of 
Bonny Brook, being the second. 

The first schoolhouse, a mere shelter 
of logs, with a huge fireplace, was erected 
near Concord Church, and one of the early 
teachers was Dr. Steadman. A number of 
similar log structures were put up in va- 
rious parts of the township, and subscrip- 
tion schools held during a few UKnitlis of 
the year, but after the estalilisliinoit of 
the public school system, in is;!.!, ('diicord 
Township showed an equal interest with 
her sister townships and made quite as 
much educational progress. There are 
now eight schools, with as many teachers 
and 262 pupils. The township high school 
is located at Middletown. H. A. Brown, 
Joseph Campbell F. F. Bauer, A. R. Mc- 
Kinnev and I. P. Murtland were school 
directors in 1908. 

In 1799 came Rev. John McPherrin, a 
devout Presbyterian, from Westmoreland 
County, and after gathering a congrega- 
tion that came from the different isolated 
sections, irrespective of former creeds, 
and gladly listened to his preaching of the 
Word, under a spreading tree, he was so 
impressed that he offered the name of 
Concord to the assemblage, and that name 
continues to the present day. Tn 1S0:5 he 



returned, and in the autumn of 1804 he 
completed the organization of the Concord 
Presbyterian Church and was installed as 
pastor. The Coveiiaufcr was the name of 
one of the early church l)odies, now passed 
out of existence. 

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was 
organized in 1858, when a church building 
was completed. It has now twenty-four 
members. Rev. Ibauch is pastor. 

The Methodist Episcoioal Church of 
Greece City was organized into a definite 
body in 1870, although prior to this meet- 
ings had been conducted at the Hazel Dell 
Schoolhouse, which were often largely at- 
tended by the transient oil men. The pres- 
ent edifice was built in 1883. The congre- 
gation is now very small. 

The Springdale Evangelical Lutheran 
Church was organized in 1875, and in the 
year following the church building was 
dedicated. The congregation now numbers 
seventy members. 

The Troutman M. E. Church, Rev. Low- 
thian, pastor, has a membership of sev- 
enty. 

The villages which have been the centers 
of much of the business of the township, 
some of them entirely products of the oil 
industry, were: Middletown, Greece Cit.y, 
Modoc City and Troutman or Magic, the 
latter being the postal name of the old set- 
tlement. 

Middletown was founded in 1846 and the 
early business men were Porter McCon- 
nell, Andrew Bullman, John McGlaughlin, 
John G. Christ}^ and Conway .& Kuhn. 
There are now two general stores, one 
owned by H. Coon and the other by T. Z. 
Levy. 

Greece City. From 1801, when Andrew 
Christy put up his mill, the present site 
of Greece City, for some seventy years 
was known as Christy's Mill, Harper's 
Mill and Jamison's Mill. Wlien the place 
was opened for oil operations, the name 
of Greece City was adopted, and the pop- 
ulation increased so rapidly that a peti- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



493 



tiou to have tlie place made a borough was 
readily ,i>ranted, in November, 1873. in 
the same >('ar a postoffice was established 
and Ikiuscs of all kinds went up with amaz- 
ing raiiidity. In December, 1872, the first 
Inmk was established, later Woods Bank 
and the Concord Savings Bank became 
factors, the National Transit Company 
did a large business, and during the period 
before the destructive fire of Decemlier, 
1873. there was every evidence that the 
place would rival all others in Butler 
County. The days of '73 were also ren- 
dered lively by the faction fights between 
the rival tribes of oil men, on June 7th that 
year no less than 500 men participating in 
a great riot, which resulted in fourteen cas- 
ualties. The place has lost most of its 
former importance. The pumping station 
of the Pi'oducers' Refining Company is lo- 
cated here, and there is one general store, 
conducted by N. B. Kregar. Tlie place has 
the Speechly Telephone. 

Modoc City has not entirely lost all its 
traces of its one-time position as an oil 
city, but here, too, fire, in 1874, destroyed 
$100,000 worth of property and brought 
many enterprises to an end. 

Troutman at one time was filled with 
the paraphernalia of the oil industry, ac- 
companied by the conditions that else- 
where prevailed. In April, 1877, it was 
practically destroyed during an electric 
storm, by the lightning striking a large oil 
tank. The place is now a station on the 
W. Allegheny Railway. There is one store, 
run by F. Stewart. 

Old residents of Concord Township 
readily tell of the early events of the dis- 
covery of oil here and tell of the wonderful 
strike in the Fourth sand in August, 1872. 
Many notable wells were soon after de- 
veloped, wealth came to many families 
from this unexpected source, and Concord 
Township numbers many men of large 
substance. 

ToiVHship Officials. — M. Cocheran, jus- 
tice of the peace; tax collector, P. Sutton; 



constable, R. Kinzer; tax assessor, M. 
Campbell; road commissioners, J. Camp- 
bell, T. Starr and L. Sutton; auditors, P. 
E. AVick, W. H. Coon and J. H. Christy; 
clerk, R. Adams. 

MUDDY CREEK TOWNSHIP. 

]\Iuddy Creek Township, deriving its 
name from the body of water known as 
Muddy Creek, which forms its northern 
boundary and separates it from Worth 
Township, was reduced to its present area 
in 1854, although, when originally consti- 
tuted as one of tlie thirteen townships in 
which Butler County was divided in 1804, 
it included the land now forming parts of 
three other townships — Franklin, Worth 
and Connocjueuessing. This township shows 
a variety of soil and is the field of agricul- 
tural and mining activity. It has been 
found rich in coal, iron ore and limestone, 
and the development of "these natural gifts 
of Nature have brought wealth to many 
families and have attracted a solid, indus- 
trious laboring class from other sections. 
The surface of the land is somewhat 
broken, the coal and limestone being in evi- 
dence, but the township can also show some 
of the best farming land in Butler County. 
The highest measured point is near Por- 
tersville, the height there being 1,375 feet 
above sea level. 

Oil has been produced in Muddy Creek 
Township for a number of years; a new 
field was opened up during the past year 
and about eighteen or twenty wells put 
down. Almost the entire township is un- 
derlaid with coal, there being a vein from 
three and a half to five feet in thickness. 
Its production at the ja resent time, however, 
is not large enough to be of commercial im- 
portance. Farming is the principal occu- 
pation of the people. The township has 
good telephone service, 'There is one grist- 
mill, owned and operated by H. Bander & 
Son, which was erected aliout forty years 
ago-: 

No records of this section prior to 1794 



494 



IlISTUKY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



liave been discovered, aud the first known 
resident was a negro named Caesar, who 
was found occupying a log cabin when 
Robert Stewart, the first white settler, ap- 
peared here in 1796. Mr. Stewart recog- 
nized the negro's priority and came to an 
amicable settlement with him, purchasing 
his land and later founding the village of 
Stewartsville, which is now known as Por- 
tersville. It was a wild region in those 
days, and as Mr. Stewart desired com- 
panionship for his family, he deeded 100 
acres of his land to Thomas Brandon as 
an inducement to him to bring his family 
and locate. Other very early settlers were 
Thomas Clark, James, Robert, Thomas and 
Rachel Cratty and Henry Shanor. The be- 
ginning of the new century brought David 
Kennedy. Arthur Cleeland, James White 
and Marvin Christie, and soon after came 
John Myers, John Boston, Edward and 
James White, Tliomas Christie, James 
English, John Wimer, Dr. John Cowden, 
Joseph Tebay, Johnson jMcKnight, Thomas 
Oliver, Thomas Garvey, Richard McKee, 
with others, and in 1831 came the McCly- 
monds. Many of these pioneer families 
are still largely represented in the best 
citizenship of the township. 

Muddy Creek Township, like other early 
sections, had to solve its public problems, 
and one of the earliest was the providing 
of adequate school facilities for the rapidly 
increasing population. Johnson McKnight 
probably taught the first school in 1821, 
on his own farm. In 1823 the Concord 
schoolhouse was built, about the same time 
one also was erected on the Christie farm, 
and other structures were put up by pri- 
vate parties prior to 1835, when the com- 
mon school law went into effect and pub- 
lic schools were soon dotting the whole 
township. They were well attended, for 
the early settlers of this section were not- 
ably people of intelligence as well as thrift. 

There are now seven schools in the town- 
ship, including the high school in Porters- 
ville, which is a joint borough and town- 



ship school. The total enrollment is 198 
pupils. The present township school 
board consists of Addison McClymonds, 
president; Robert Kennedy, treasurer; 
Joseph Stickle, J. H. Pyle, Joshua Galla- 
gher and Hosea Gallagher. The enroll- 
ment of pujails in Portersville borough is: 
Common school, 43; high school, 22. The 
high school serves both for the borough 
of Portersville and for Muddy Ci'eek 
Townsh,ip. 

As indicated, the main industries of the 
township have been farming and mining, 
manufacturing being generally confined to 
the operating of grist- and saw-mills. The 
earliest record of a public grist-mill is in 
1831, when David Kennedy built a grist- 
mill and a fulling-mill on Muddy Creek, 
this later being followed by a second mill, 
and in 1867 the third grist-mill in the 
township was erected by John and Henry 
Bander. This lack of manufacturing in- 
terest does not reflect on the enterprise of 
the good people of Muddy Creek Town- 
ship, but rather emphasizes their judg- 
ment, for just across the line the Slippery 
Rock mills sui>]ilit'(l the entire needs of this 
section. 

Portersville. The most important set- 
tlement in Muddy Creek Township is Por- 
tersville, which was made a postoffice in 
March, 1826, and was then renamed in 
honor of Governor Porter. The first post- 
master, John Stewart, son of the foimder 
of the town, held office until 1836. Al- 
though the whole neighborhood was a wild 
bit of forest when Robert Stewart settled 
here in 1796, by 1814 enterprising men be- 
gan to look for sites, and in that year 
Thompson McCosh opened his cabinetmak- 
ing shop. Robert Craig was the first mer- 
chant who opened a stock of goods — in 
1829; in 1831 John W. Riddle started a 
wagon and furniture factory, utilizing 
steam as power, this being a remarkable 
example of enterprise. In 1836 William 
Williams opened up his cabinet shop, and 
in 184.5 James Newton and John Hall en- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



495 



gaged iu merebaudising. The Oliver 
House was the first hotel, and after it was 
burned down in 1874, a more substantial 
structure was built in its place. In 1868 
William Humphrey opened his general 
store, and for a long time was at the head 
of a large business. As time went on and 
population increased, almost every line of 
business was represented, and today it 
would be hard to find a busier or more 
prosperous town of its size in Butler 
County. The Portersville Creamery Com- 
pany, proprietor, R. V. Thompson, is a 
large industry, and its products have a 
heavy sale. 

Among other Portersville enterprises 
are numbered William Humphrey & Sou 
and D. J. Brennerman, general stores; G. 
B. McDonald, hardware; M. C. Glenn, un- 
dertaker; S. Hay, druggist; W. H. Dann, 
harness; H. Heberling, tin shop; J. S. 
Brennerman, feed store; E. R. Lubin, wa- 
gon maker; Beighley Hotel, proprietor, E. 
L. Beighley; Dr. E. U. Snyder, physician; 
Dr. J. L. Buchanan, dentist ; besides which 
there are blacksmith shops, millinery 
stores, and barber shops. The present 
postmaster is Joseph Lehman. 

Lodge No. 909, I. O. 0. F., is located 
here and has fifty-three members — insti- 
tuted in 1875. The lodge owns its own 
hall, which is a fine building. 

Portersville was incorporated as a 
borough December 16, 1844. The first elec- 
tion took place January 6, 1845, when J)r. 
John Cowden was chosen first burgess, 
with Joseph P. Work, John Cleeland, Will- 
iam McClelland, John A. White and Jesse 
Johnston as first board of councilmen. The 
borough officers at present at as follows: 
Council, John R. Humphrey, president 
and acting burgess; G. W. Kinsey, I. L. 
Moore, John AVeitzel, Jos. L. Buchanan 
and M. C. Glenn; school board, AV. I^. Eng- 
lish, W. H. Heberling, M. C. GleCn, E. H. 
Laderer, William Humphrey, Harvey 
Marks; auditors, J. H. Marks and Robert 
Glenn; tax collector, H. W. Dunn; asses- 



sors, E. L. Beigley and J. R. Humphrey. 
The population of Portersville is now 
about three hundred. 

Telephone service is furnished by the 
Portersville Telephone Company in con- 
nection with the Bell Long Distance 
'phone. The local company was incor- 
porated as a mutual company in 1904, with 
a capital of $12,000, and now has 322 sub- 
scribers. James McConnell is president 
and E. W. Humphrey treasurer and man- 
9.ger. 

The founding of the early churches in 
a new section always contributes an inter- 
esting chapter to any history. The first 
Muddy Creek Township religious organi- 
zation was the Presbyterian. As early as 
1814 Rev. Reid Bracken, a pioneer evan- 
gelist, visited this neighborhood and held 
services in the cabinet shop of Thompson 
McCosh. The churcli organization was ef- 
fected in October, 1820, and it was incor- 
porated in April, 1844. The present edi- 
fice of the society is the third erected, and 
dates from 1840. The first was a log struc- 
ture, which was followed by a frame build- 
ing. The church now has about three hun- 
dred members. The present pastor. Rev. 
J. G. Timblin, has been pastor for eight 
years. The Sabbath school, of which E. 
IT. Laderer is superintendent, numbers 150 
members. 

The United Presbyterian CJnircli was 
organized in December, 1841, as an Asso- 
ciate Reformed Society, with Rev. William 
Douthctt as first ])nstor. The society now 
numbers about sixty meml)ers but has no 
church building. 

The Old Covenanter Chiiieh had its be- 
ginning away back in 1833, and through 
various vicissitudes continued until 1890, 
when it disbanded as a separate liody, its 
members transferring to the church of the 
same faith, at Rose Point, in Lawrence 
County. 

The Civil War had mauj- brave soldiers 
in the ranks from Muddy Creek Township. 
Manv of these never returned to their old 



496 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



homes, their leiiiaiiis lying in far distant 
graves, but AVatson Brothers Post, No. 
478, at Portersville, has a goodly showing 
of veterans whose records reflect honor 
on their townsliii^. Roundhead Camp, 
Sons of Veterans, No. 84, which was insti- 
tuted at Portersville iu September, 1887, 
with James McConnell as captain, is an- 
other patriotic organization well sup- 
Ijorted. The leading secret societies have 
found a footing in the township, and the 
Odd Fellows, in i)articular, are very 
strong. The first lodge of this order was 
organized June 30, 1875, with James Por- 
ter as Noble Grand. 

Township Officials. — Justice of the 
peace, William C. Tebay ; constable. Grant 
Jones; collector, William F. English; as- 
sessor, Austin McCh'monds. 

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP. 

Cranberry is situated in the southwest- 
ern corner of the county, and is one of the 
thirteen townships into which the county 
was divided in 1804. The township is said 
to have derived its name from the fact 
that in the early days a cranberry swamp 
existed near its southern limits. Its sur- 
face is watered by the tributaries of Break- 
neck on the east, and Brush. Creek on the 
west. The township is rich in coal and oil, 
but the principal business of the inhabi- 
tants for the first century of its existence 
was agriculture. The Freeport coal is 
found in the bed of Brush Creek near the 
northwestern corner of the township, and 
the vein at this point reaches the abnormal 
thickness of five feet. The Brush Creek 
coal and Bakerstown coal have been mined 
for many years for domestic use in the 
neighborhood. The Brush Creek oil field 
obtained prominence in 1896-7, and the 
principal fields in the limits of Cranberry 
Township are the Henderson, Garvin and 
Duncan. Drilling operations are still car- 
ried on in these districts, and some pay- 
ing wells have been obtained in 1908. 

The township was without railroad fa- 



cilities of any kind until 1908, when the 
Pittsburg, Harmony & Butler Electric 
Railway was completed, and opened lor 
traffic. This line enters the southern (juar- 
ter of the township east of Brush Creek, 
and extends nearly the entire length of 
the township, leaving it at the northeast 
corner. 

The first settlements of the township 
were made in the Brush Creek neighbor- 
hood as early as 1796. The pioneers that 
came that year were Benjamin Jolinson 
and his family, Matthew Graham, William 
(Jraham, John Henry, Alexander Ramsey, 
Paul Vandivort and Samuel Duncan. The 
mother of the Graham brothers, then "Sirs. 
Long, came iu 1797, and Benjamin Davis 
and George Stoolfire arrived the same 
year. 

David Garvin and family, and his sou, 
Alexander and his family, arrived in the 
township in 1800, AVilliam Henry Goehring 
in 1801, James Cooper in 1807, and Jacob 
Stout and his father of Northumberland 
County in 1811. 

Matthew Graham established the Black 
Bear Tavern on the Pittsburg and Mercer 
road in 1813. Previous to that time he 
carried on a house of entertainment, and 
was well known to the teamsters over the 
old trail that fvas used prior tn the con- 
struction of the public road. 

Samuel Duncan's saw-mill was probably 
the earliest industry of the township, and 
it was erected prior to 1803 on Brush 
Creek. He also ran a little distillery, 
which obtained a wide reputation for the 
quality of whiskey turned out. 

The Brush Creek saw -mil I was erected 
by Matthew Graham in 183L In 1833 he 
built the first grist-mill on the creek, which 
was also the first in the township. 

Plains Preshijterian Church dates back 
to 1805 or '6, the first minister of the de- 
nomination to visit the settlement being 
Rev. Reed Bracken, who was installed pas- 
tor in 1808. The first services were held 
in groves and in a tent, but some time be- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



497 



tweeu 1820 and 1824 a log building was 
erected on a lot donated by Benjamin 
Davis, on the site of the present church. 
After Rev. Bracken left in 1819 the church 
was for some time without a vegulai' pas- 
tor, and after ]S.'51 the visits of ministers 
became so rare that the old church may be 
said to have passed out of existence. In 
1838 a union was effected with the Cross 
Roads Church in Allegheny County, the 
Rev. L. R. McAboy becoming pastor. At the 
same time a reorganization of the church 
took place. In 1839 a brick house was 
erected close beside the old log house. The 
society was incorporated November 16, 
1849, the trustees being David Gax'vin, 
James W. Garvin and Jas. Sample. In 
1866 the Plains Chui-ch was transferred 
from the Allegheny Presbytery, now But- 
ler, to Allegheny City Presbytery. In 
January, 1878, services were authorized 
to be held in the Baptist Church at Evans 
City, and in February, 1883, thirty-nine 
members were dismissed from the old 
church to form the new one. The old 
church was torn down in May, 1878, and a 
new one dedicated November 3, 1879, by 
Rev. W. H. Jeffers. March 31, 1878, the 
statistical report of the congregation 
showed a membership of 231 communi- 
cants and 160 attendants at Sunday school. 
Since that time the membership has de- 
clined to about 150, on account of the 
heavy draft made on the old society by the 
organization of new societies at Evans 
City, Crest View and Mars. In 1908 the 
session was composed of 0. P. Graham, 
Christian Hoehn and J. M. Covert, and tlie 
pastor was Rev. P. R. Harvey. 

St. John's German United Evangelical 
Lutheran and Reformed Church, formerly 
known as St. Daniel's Church, was for- 
mally organized June 7, 1869, at a meet- 
ing of members which was presided over 
by Christopher Kirschler. John G. Hoff- 
man acted as secretary and Andrew 
Kirschler treasurer. The three parties 
named were also the trustees of the so- 



ciety. Rev. C. A. D. Freseman of Mars 
is the present pastor. 

Dutillh Church. There was no Metho- 
dist Society in Cranberry Township until 

1879. Previous to that time the adherents 
of this faith residing in the township be- 
longed to a class of Plains Church in Alle- 
gheny County. In 1879 the trustees of 
Plains Church, living principally in this 
township, concluded to build an edifice 
here. The church was built near what is 
now known as Crider's Corners on farm 
No. 91, belonging to Charles Dutillh, of 
Philadelphia, but who donated one and 
one-fourth acres of ground for church pur- 
poses. The building .was completed and 
dedicated November 30, 1879. The church 
is attached to Salem in Allegheny County, 
and Mars in Adams Township, in a pas- 
toral charge. 

The Mount Pleasant United Presby- 
terian Society was originally a part of the 
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 
and was organized under the ministry of 
Rev. T. C. Guthrie about 1847. From 1847 
to 1850 services were held in the Fowler 
schoolhouse on Brush Creek, and in 1850 
the first church edifice was erected on an 
acre" lot donated for that purpose by 
Joshua Stoolfire. The location of the 
church is just outside the limits of the 
township, in Allegheny County, but a large 
proportion of the membership are resi- 
dents of Cranberry Township. This con- 
gregation was originally connected with 
Union Church in the northern part of 
Adams Township, and in 1850 presented 
the united call to Rev. Andrew Walker, the 
first pastor. He resigned this charge in 
1853, and in 1854 the union between Mt. 
Pleasant and Union congregations was dis- 
solved. Wlien the United Presbyterian 
Church was organized in 1858, Mt. Pleas- 
ant came into the new society, and since 
that time has been known as Mt. Pleasant 
United Presbyterian Church. Rev. J. M. 
Dight, the present pastor, was called in 

1880. The present house of worship was 



498 



HISTORY OF BUTLEK COUNTY 



built in 1860 on the «ite of tlie former one. 
The membership of the congregation in 
1908 was eightj^-five. 

The early schools of the township were 
conducted on the subscription plan, and 
among the first teachers were Job Staples, 
Andrew Dodds and Eev. Reed Bracken. 
One of the first conventions or teachers' 
institutes was held at Plains Church on the 
25th of February, 1852, and on the follow- 
ing day a similar convention was held at 
Union Church, Evans C!ity. In 1908 the 
number of children of school age in the 
township was 197, and the number of 
schools six, with six teachers. 

The population of the township at the 
first census, taken in 1810, was 543. This 
had increased to 2,236 in 1850, but redi- 
vision of the county into the i)resent town- 
ships reduced tlic iioiinlatioii of Cranberry 
to 931 in 18(itl. In 1900 the population was 
981, and in 1908 the estinuited jtopulation 
was 1,065. 

The township officers in 1908 were: 
Constable, Nicoll Allen; auditors, W. W. 
Vandivort, Samuel Leonburg, Henry Reef- 
er; road supervisor, A. ,1. West; township 
clerk, Jacob Dumbach;' assessor', J. M. Co- 
vert; tax collector, A. Kirschler. 

There ai-e no towns or villages of im- 
portance in the township. For many years 
Ogle was the local postoffice, situated on 
the old Mercer and Pittslnirg road, l)ut 
after the establishing of the rural free de- 
livery in 190.'] the office was discontinued. 
For some years after this office was es- 
tablished Tlionuis Robinson was the post- 
master, and had the office at his home. A 
store at this point has been conducted by 
William Garvin, J. A. Boggs, John Frantz, 
H. M. Johnson, and at the present time 
William Garvin is conducting the business. 

Render sonville was a thriving hamlet 
as early as 1830, when Robert McKee kept 
a tavern at that point, and also manufac- 
tured wagons and farm im]3lements. The 
first postoffice of the township was estab- 
lished at Hendersonville, but was sn])er 



seded by Mars after tlie construction of 
the railroad to that point in isyo. The 
Hendersonville oil field brought in a num- 
ber of new residents in the latter i)art of 
the nineties, but these have moved away, 
and in 1908 there was nothing left but the 
residence and office formerlv occujued l)v 
Dr. Elder Crawford. 

Crider's Corners is one of the old set- 
tlements of the township and lias come into 
prominence within the past twt) years. The 
location is now a station on the i'ittslmrg. 
Harmony & Butler Electric Railway, and 
besides several dwelling houses there is 
a general stoi'e, conducted by Henry 
Needer. 

A. G. Hendrickson's store on the Evans 
City road is a new business enterprise that 
has been in existence but a short time. 

Bonan Station was established in 1908 
on the line of the new electric railway, and 
gives promise of being a lively haiulet in 
the near future. 



77/r linisli Creek Prof,; lire Assaciot'nui 
was organized in 1878 with fifty-eight 
members. The total risks of the coui]»aiiv 
in 1908 were about $100,000, distrihuted in 
Butler, Allegheny and Beaver Counties. 

Cranberry Grange Numher 908, Patrons 
of Hnshandri/, was organized in January, 
1890,. with eight members. The (irange 
Hall is located on the Ticise farm near 
Plains Church. 

The Farmers' Alliance had a nieniber- 
shi]i in this township in 1895, but the or- 
ganization has since disbanded. 

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 

Washington Township, with its v;ihial)lc 
coal veins, its undiminished oil reservoirs 
and its fertile agricultural valleys, has of- 
fered nuiny inducements to home seekers 
and the investment of capital, from the 
date of its creation in 1846, when it was 
given its name in honor of President 
Washington, Father of his Country. It is 



AXl) KEPRESKXTATn'E CITIZENS 



499 



situated west of Pai'Uci- ami soutli of 
Venango, and assumed its present area 
in 1854. The coal veins, praeticall.v under- 
lying the whole township, and including 
the finest cannel. Clarion and Kittauning, 
through their develoi)nient have made this 
one of the richest sections of the county. 
There is some oil in the southern part of 
the township, and enough gas for local 
consumption. There are also limestone de- 
posits in the nortliwestern i>art of the 
township, which have not yet heen opened 
up. The Bessemer Branch Railway commu- 
nicates with the nortlieru part of the town- 
ship, with forks to HiJliards and Argen- 
tine. 

As early as 179(J one George .Meals set- 
tled and cleared a tract of land lying on 
the north line of what is now Concord 
Township, and he is recognized as the 
liioneer settler, hut in the same year came 
also .John and .lacoh Mechling. Siimuel 
Camphell and William Bell. In 17!l7 the 
pai^ents and other memhers of the family 
joined George Meals, journeying fi-am 
York Countv, wliere their German ances- 
tors had settled. In 1897-8 came .John 
Christy, from Westmoreland Ccnnily, who 
later was one of the first justices of the 
peace in the settlement; .lanu^'s (Hhsnu with 
wife and nine children; .lohn Sliiia and 
Robert and John Hindmau. A number 
of these early settlers later served in the 
War of 1812 and very many of them liav<' 
descendants in AVashiugtou Townslii]i who 
still own portions of the original farms. 
Another early settler was .lames Mahooil. 
from Ireland, and his descendants own a 
poi-tion of his early jnirchase of .")()() acres, 
southwest of Nortii Washington. In 1802 
came Jacob Milliard and sons and in the 
same year came many of the ))ioneer 
families that had settled still eai'licr in 
adjacent townships. 

The first general election held in Wash- 
ington Township was in March, 184(). Sub- 
scription scliools were the first ett'orts in 
the direction of general ecbication and to 



John Christy lielongs the ci-edit of being 
the first teaciier in the township. Wash- 
ington Township now suppoi'ts as good 
schools as can be fouud in any part of the 
county, there being nine scliools, with :)58 
scholars. 

The NurtJi Wusli'uigtoui lu>ititnh', situ- 
ated at Nortli Washington, is an educa- 
tional institution of a superior class. This 
school was organized in 1879 and R. B. 
Gilfillan was tlie first i^rincipal. Its aim 
is to give sound and thorough instruction 
in the liberal arts: The first school build- 
ing was erected in 1878, thoroughly re- 
modeled in 1893 and still further enlarged 
and better equipped in later years. A col- 
legiate course is offered students, and a 
faculty of trained educators nuiintain a 
very high standard. 

The leading points of ])o]>ulation in 
A\'ashiugton Township arc North Wash- 
ington, llilliards, Annisville, or Shira, and 
other villages, some of the latter having 
had rapid growth around mines an<l in the 
oil fields. 

North Washiiit/foii. North Hope Post- 
office (present population •-'<)<l), was plat- 
ted in 1834, the first lumse, a tavern, hav- 
ing been built here prior to 18:>0, by Sam- 
uel Bell, which was known as Summit 
Tavern. In 1830 John Jack put up a l)rick 
house and the town grew around it. 
Among earlv business men were Thomas 
Parker, Christoi)lier L. TIeulen, 11. P. .Mc- 
Clvmonds, ])i-. David C. Fowler. Thomas 
Russell, Sanmel Jack, W. Parks, John Di- 
moud and Shvrock Harjjei-. 

M the present time IMifflin c^- Mifflin con- 
duct a general store here, I. N. Thompson 
deals in drugs and groceries, and H. Stew- 
art in hardware. McGarvey's livery and 
the Hayes Hotel are the other leading 
liusiness concerns. There is a township 
high school here with an enrollment of 
fortj'-nine pupils. Mrs. E. Campbell is 
postmistress. The churches are the Meth- 
odist Episco])al, Rev. Walker, with a mem- 
l)ership of seventy-five, and the Unite 1 



500 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Presbyterian, Rev. McNiece, with a mem- 
bership of sixty-five. 

Hilliards, formerly Hilliard Station or 
Hilliard's Mills, can lay claim to being one 
of the first settlements in Washington 
Township. Jacob HilUaird settled on a 
stream known as Hilliard's Run in 1802, 
and his son, John Hilliard, built there a 
grist-mill, which was conducted for many 
years, and until within a short period re- 
mains of the old dam remained. The grad- 
ing of a railroad line to this point gave 
an impetus to what had been even less 
than a hamlet up to 1874, and two years 
later a passenger train brought investors 
into the valley, and in a remarkably short 
time a hotel and railroad depot were built. 
In 1879 the Cleveland Pipe Line Company 
established a pumping station at this point, 
and in 1883 the Allegheny Coal Company 
began to develop the rich coal deposits 
here. These enterprises brought others, 
a planing and saw-mill were soon built, 
and the sand mills of tlie Standard Plate 
Glass Company of I-)utler here t'omid loca- 
tion. The po2)uhitiun is now alxiut L'.IO peo- 
ple. The leading business concerns are the 
Central and Galloway Hotels, Jones Bros. ' 
livery. Miller & Racusen, William Boyle, 
Mrs. T. Altmyre, and R. B. Weakley & Co., 
general stores, and McKee & Co., hard- 
ware. Miss W. E. Turk is postmistress. 
The Speechley telephone is installed and 
there ai'e express and telegraph offices. 
The Methodist Episcopal Church, pastor, 
Rev. AVilliam Walker, has a membership 
of fifty. The Knights of Pythias and the 
Odd Fellows are represented by lodges. 

Annisville was surveyed for Charles Hil- 
liard in 18.")8. and among tlie old families 
who owned luopcrty and carried on busi- 
ness here may be named tlie Coverts, and 
Mahoods, and Samuel Hilliard, with the 
Millers, the Millisous, the Henrys, the 
Mayes, the Scotts, the Shannons and the 
Marshalls. The popufktion is now about 
forty-five. There are two stores, kept bv 
P. E. Cook and M. Lewis. 



Argentine is a mining settlement of 
about 200 people, mostly foreigners, em- 
ployed in the coal mines. There are sev- 
eral stores here. 

Iligyins Corners perpetuates the name 
of James Higgins, who was the pioneer of 
Three Points. Other small settlements are 
Par.^dHsriUc and Whiskersville, the latter 
consistiui; ol' about 100 people", with two 
stores, kept l)y E. C. Thompson and Harry 
Hoves, and a United Brethren Cluucli with 
seventy members. 

In naming the religious bodies that have 
been organized in Washington Township 
during its existence of more than sixty 
years mention must be made of the follow- 
ing: First Presbyterian Church, Mt. 
Varnum United Presbyterian Church with 
a present membership of forty, North 
W^ashington Presbyterian Church, the New 
Salem Presbyterian Church, the North 
Hope Methodist Episcopal Church, the 
North Washington Liitheran Church and 
the Church of God, indicating a strong re- 
ligious sentiment in the townshii). 

The First Presbi/fericoi CJiurch, organ- 
ized in 1817, was more or less absorbed by 
the Mt. Varnum United Presbyterian 
Church in 1835, when Rev. Joseph John- 
ston was instrumental in forming the As- 
sociate Reformed Society, having j^re- 
viously presided over the Bear Creek and 
Washington and West Unity Presbyterian 
Churches. The membership is large and 
the church edifice adequate to the needs 
of the body. 

The North Washington Presbyterian 
Chiinlt was organized in May, 1880, and in 
the following year a fine church building- 
was coiniileted, Andrew Jack having do- 
natcij iw(i lots to the organization. It rep- 
leseiits a laigo body of Presbyterians in 
this section. 

The Nen- Salem Prrslii/fcriau Vlnurh of 
Annisville was another of the early 
churches of this faith which came about 
as the result of Christian zeal, holding its 
first services in a liarn in 1847. It still 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



501 



ministers to the religious life in that sec- 
tion, and has a membership of about tifty- 
tive. Rev. M. Niece is pastor. 

The North Hope Methodist Eplsvuind 
Church was organized in 184"2 )iy Rev. I. 
Mershon. In 1842 a substantial building 
was put up, which, through the gcucnisily 
of tlie large church uicuihtTsiii)!. was later 
remodeled and nujdernizcd aud today the 
society has a tine structure. 

The North Washington Lutheran CInnvJi 
was organized in 1845, under Rev. Ehliu 
Rathburn, who served as pastor until 1847. 
The society was orginalh^ a German Re- 
formed congregation and at first had no 
building of its own, but in 1847 built a 
church, and in 1891 erected the present 
imposing structure. 

The people of Washington Township 
have been identified with a number of the 
leading fraternal and secret organizations 
and have been active in promoting the ob- 
jects for which each body stands. Among 
these may be mentioned North Hope 
Grange, probably the oldest, which was or- 
ganized in 1872; and different lodges of 
the Odd Fellows, the I. 0. G. T., the K. O. 
T. M., and the 0. U. A. M. 

Among the prominent business enter- 
prises of the township are the Nellie Coal 
Company; the Lochrie Bros. Coal Com- 
pany (T. Lochrie, superintendent), which 
is closed at the present time (Februarv 1, 
1909); the Standard Coal Company; the 
Mutual Coal Company, and the Ferris Coal 
Company, J. Deal, manager, located in 
Ferris, which employs aliout seventy -live 
men. This last mentioned ])lant is closed 
at present. The P^xcelsior Mutual Fire In- 
surance Company, chartered in 1878, in 
1908 carried about $1,000,000 in policies. 

Township Officials. — Justices of the 
peace, P. Groom and P. Hilliard; tax col- 
lector and assessor, B. Arner; constable, 
T. Bell ; road commissioners, L. B. McFar- 
land, N. Glenn, I. N. Thompson; auditors, 
R. 0. Lewis, J. H. Glenn and William 
Witherup; clerk, H. Stewart. 



O.VKLAND TOWNSHIP. 

Oakland Township was established un- 
der its present name and within its pres- 
ent boundaries in 1854. It was probably 
settled aliout the same time as was Butler 
and Donegal Townships, it forming a part 
of these until the year above mentioned. 
The O'Donnells, of Donegal, Ireland,' and 
the AVhitmires, of Berks County, Penna., 
both came to this section in 1798, and other 
pioneers of near the same period were 
Thomas Dugan and wife and John Green 
and John Lowe. 

Before the county was organized land 
was owned here bv Samuel Hamilton and 
John Robb, and in* 1810 Robert Riddle sold 
260 acres with a cabin to William Robb, 
indicating that he bad located here very 
early. Others were John Moser, who, after 
his service in the Revolutionary War, came 
here with his son to found a home, and 
others who had been connected with mili- 
tary life were William, George and Alex- 
ander Hutchison. During the War of 1812 
John Neyman brought his family from 
Westmoreland County, and he and his 
brother William became active and useful 
men in the settlement, erecting mills and 
engaging in manufacturing. In 1814 James 
Douglas built his calhn, Kobert Hamilton 
in 1818, Henry Hoon about the same time, 
Daniel McElwee in 1822, the Pattons in 
1829 and 1839, the Stroups in 1834, the 
Eyths in 1839, and many others whose 
names are closely connected with all that 
has gone to the improving and develop- 
ing of this part of Butler County. 

The occupations of the people of Oak- 
land Township have been largely of an ag- 
ricultural nature. Not being so rich in 
either oil or coal as many of its sister town- 
ships, it has experienced less of the excite- 
ments and advantages and disadvantages 
of su(hlen wealth and as sudden poverty 
which marked many sections from 1870 for 
a decade later. Perhaps this fact has had 
an influence in making the people of this 
district notably industrious, home-loving 



502 



HISTOKY OF BVTl.KR COV^iTY 



and t'linidi supporting — the very best class 
of citizens. 

Tliere are a number of coal banks lieing 
operated for local consumption — all small 
— operated respectively by S. W. Whit- 
mire, F. E. Thornbury, C. E. Conway, and 
one owned by the Wilson lieirs and oper- 
ated by E. Friend. There is some oil 
produced, the Whitmire wells probably be- 
ing the largest. Drilling is still carried on 
and oil is found in both the 100-foot and 
fourth sand. Pumping has been carried 
on at some of the wells for twenty years. 
There is also a gas well that has been pro- 
ducing for twenty years. 

The Baltimore and Ohio, running 
tlirough the southeastern part of the town- 
ship, is the only railway, and St. Joe the 
only station. 

The people of the township have liberally 
supi:)orted their schools, the first of whicli 
there is any record having been established 
as early as 1817. It was taught by John 
Thompson in what had been the log cabin 
home of James Douglas. As there were 
many Catholics iji the settleuieuts, a Cath- 
olic teacher couductcd a school for some 
time in their interest, but later, as the pub- 
lic schools were entirely unsectarian, gen- 
eral attendance was given them all over 
the township. At the present there are 
six schools in the township, with an en- 
rollment of 295 scholars. The directors 
are W. B. Davis. C. W. Iloon, S. W. Whit- 
mire, Joseph Lane. M. J. Mc(iiulcy and 
Frank Smith. 

St. Joseph's Catholic Church (dcniKin) 
probably dates farther back than any other 
religious organization in the township; 
surely as far as IS47, when its tirst build- 
ing was erected, and almost certainly thirty 
years before that as a mission. Prior to 
1877 the same i)riests ofificiated for what is 
now called tS7. Joseph's Eiiglisli Catholic 
Church, its history up to that time being 
identical with the Uerman church. Both 
bodies have a large membership and sub- 
stantial chui-ch structures. St. WeiidcHii 



Catholic Church, which stands on the line 
of Sunnnit Township, was founded also iu 
1847, and has a large congregation. 

North Butler Presbyterian Church was 
organized in January, .1848, and before a 
proper place of public worship was pro- 
vided the little body met in the Hutchison 
home. In 1849 the first church building 
was completed, and the one at present oc- 
cupied is the third one erected. TIi.e Beu- 
lah Baptist Churcli was organized in 
March, 1861. The congregation is now 
small. 

There are two dams located iu the town- 
ship — the Boydstown dam and Tlunn IJun 
dam — both owned by the Butler Water 
Company, and from them Butler i-eceives 
its water supi)ly. The water runs by grav- 
ity to the pumping station, located just out 
of Butler, and from there is pumped to a 
i-eservoir above the station. The Boyds- 
town dam covers about fortv-five acres 
and holds about 90,000,000 gallons. It is 
located on the Connoquenessing Creek. 
The Thorn Run dam is located on a trib- 
utary of the Connoquenessing and covers 
about 100 acres and holds over 200,000,000 
gallons of water. 

The villages of Oakland Townsiiip have 
l)orne respectively the following names: 
Spriu (/field, North Oaklaiul, Woodbine, 
Boiidstoun, St. Joe Station (on the B. & 
0. R. R.), and Oneida. Inducements were 
offered settlers in 1830 to locate m-ar the 
Donegal Township line, at Springfield, it 
being represented that stone, coal, linu^- 
stone and fire-clay there abounded in suffi- 
cient quantities to make it an active busi- 
ness center. The locality never developed, 
however, to any great extent. North Oak- 
land,, after 1847, became a great Catholic 
center, St. Joseph's Church being built 
there, and the new chui-ch of that 1)ody, a 
fine structure costing a very large amount, 
was completed in 1873. The place now has 
one general store, kept by George Ball. 
For a sliort time in 1873 a well on the Mar- 
tin farm, south of Boi/dsfon-n, produced 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



503 



oil, in such abimdauce that tliis hamlet be- 
gan to assume the features of an oil town, 
but a failing in the supph' led to the aban- 
donment of many enterprises and the plaoe 
no longer is of much importance. It has 
a general store, operated by S. B. Badger. 

The secret societies have never made 
great headwav in Oakhind Townshiji. The 
K. O. T. M. was chartered March K;. ISSS. 
and other bodies, mainly Itenetifinry in 
their nature, exist. 

Tutcnsliip OfficiaL'<. — Justices of the 
peace, P. Higgins; tax collector, J. F. P. 
McGinley; constable, P. Weiland; tax as- 
sessor, E. Davis; road commissioners. T. 
I. Whitmire, C. Hoon and C. Conway; au- 
ditors. C. C'onway, AV. J. Beattv and E. 
Davis; clerk, R. E. Robb. 

LANCASTER TOWNSHIP. 

Lancaster Township, which is situated 
directly west of Conoquenessing Township, 
was formed from the latter when it was 
organized in 1854. Although, on account 
of its somewhat rugged surface, it did not 
offer so many apparent advantages to 
early settlers as did some of the sister 
townshi])s, there were many picmeers who 
found in its hills, vaHeys and streams full 
of fish, just the surroundings which they 
desired. Prior to 179(), when the Beigh- 
lej's came, a lone hunter and trap]ier had 
lived in this section, but so little im])ress 
did he leave that only the bare knowledge 
of his name, Eli Scholar, remains, there 
being no record of whence he came nor 
whither he went. 

In 1796 Henry, John, George and Peter 
Beighley came to what is now Lancaster 
Township, penetrating into what was then 
a.dense wilderness. The first cabin erected 
by Tlcuiy P>cighley was torn down by ma- 
rauding Indians in his absence. In 1801 
come William Martin and family, from Ire- 
land, and in tiie same year came the noted 
hunter, Samuel Stewart, shortly followed 
by Mrs. Anne and William Freeman. John 
and William Morrison came as earlv as 



1801, and between 1803 and 18U the town- 
ship gained such settlers as Henry Baimi- 
gartner, Joseph and John Neely, John 
Ruby, Abraham Moyer, Thomas Ruby, Ja- 
cob Neely, Peter Neely, John Boyei- and 
William Bellis. Different localities were 
selected and for a numl)er of years yiioneer 
conditions existed, on account of tlie peo- 
ple being widely separated. In 1815 the 
Harmonists, or Economists, who had es- 
tablished the village of Oilbronn, two miles 
north of Harmony, in 1808, sold their prop- 
erty to Abraham Ziegler, and this had 
much effect on the final settlement of the 
township. Pi-ior to the thii-ties, the iui- 
))ortant families who l)ecame established 
liere were those of Henry Rice and (Jeorge 
Kneiss, of Harmony; Sanmel Moyer, of 
Northimiberland Comity; David Stautfer, 
in 1819, from Westmoreland County; Dan- 
iel Ramsey, from Cranberry Township; 
John Scott, of Lawrence County; Lewis 
Teats, John Lutz, Jolin Myers, Hosea 
King and John Shaffer, f(tllowed in 18'2.') 
by the Matthews and Sclioener families, 
and in the following decade came the Flin- 
ners and the Schiedemantles. 

The character of the early settlers in 
Lancaster Town.shiii is shown in the fact 
that all early records tell of the faithful 
ministrations of the pioneer preachers and 
the hearty welcome accorded them by the 
people. Scarcely had the earliest settlers 
provided a roof for their families when 
they joined together as a religious body 
and St. John's Erdiif/cJicdl Lutheran 
Church in its inception dates that far back 
in the past. As may be sup^iosed, the earli- 
est preaching was heard in the home of a 
Beighley, and interest was so aroused that 
in 1818 a log house was erected for church 
and school purposes, and a first communion 
service was celebrated in it in December, 
1822. when thirty-two confirmations took 
place and the meml)ership of the church be- 
came seventy-four. The history of Lu- 
theranism in Butler County, its sjiread and 
preservation, is one of much intei'est, and 



504 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



the Lntlieraus of Lancaster Township were 
among the leading members of the faith. 

About 1840 the Zion German Lutheran 
Churclb was organized as a German society 
and since 1892 this organization has been 
entirely German. The congregation now 
numbers 100 communicants. Rev. F. H. 
Myer is the present pastor. 

The English Lutheran Church was or- 
ganized in the early days and was carried 
on in connection with the German branch 
imtil 1892, since when it has been separate. 
It has a membership of 130. Pastor, C. 
L. V. Dozer. 

The Methodist Episcopal Clnirch was or- 
ganized in 1841, by John Seachrist, l)ut 
later it was discontinued. 

St. Peter's Reformed Church, situated in 
]\Iiddle Lancaster, was organized in 1856. 
In, 1863 the society took possession of a fine 
brick church building and in 1878 the so- 
ciety was incorporated. The first pastor 
was Rev. H. F. Hartman. 

TJie Stone Church of Lancaster Town- 
ship has for present pastor the Rev. C. L. 
V. Dozer. 

Prior to 1820 a school was established 
near the western line of the township and 
the first teacher was Samuel Pollocli. In 
1818 a log cabin was erected west of 
Whitestown and was utilized for church 
and school purposes, and other school 
buildings soon followed. The township 
now has seven good schools, with a total 
enrollment of 151 scholars. The school 
board is composed of the following mem- 
bers : Phillip Kock, ])resident, J. C. Bellas, 
secretary; J. F. AVaiiuT, Geo. A. Beiber, 
Jesse Rice and Frank ]:>remer. 

Middle Lancaster, the leading town of 
Lancaster Township, has been a post-office 
since 1847, and when it was established, 
William Beighley, Sr., was made post- 
master. The pioneer settlers at Middle 
Lancaster were John and Elizabeth 
(Baumgartner) Ru))y, and together they 
first cleared a site from the forest and 



erected a log cabin, this being probably 
about 182U. This property passed into the 
hands of Lewis Teats, who subsequently 
sold to Thomas B. Baldwin, a negro, and 
possil)ly for some time this fact i^revented 
tiic investing of caiiital liy the white resi- 
dents. William Beighley, however, appears 
to have been a man of broadened views 
and after he built a house others followed, 
Jacob Christophel opening first a tavern 
and later a grocery store. Two years 
later, in 1846, Andrew Met opened up a 
store south of the hamlet, but in 1847 
moved into Middle Lancaster. Even at that 
time the village had made but slow prog- 
ress, but, as time went on, people with cap- 
ital found this a remunerative field for 
mercantile effort and at the present date of 
writing almost every trade and industry is 
represented and well supported. The peo- 
l»le are quiet and law abiding, and while 
there may not be as much enterprise dis- 
played liere as at neighboring and larger 
towns, there is little poverty and the town 
lockup is seldom in requisition. 

The first township justice of the peace 
was Abraham Moyer, who served from 
1854 to 1866. J. P.'Gettman is the present 
justice. The other township officers are: 
Constable — Irvine Eppinger; tax collector 
— John II. Bremer; assessor — William 
Druschel ; aiiditors — Julius Miller, Jacob 
Kradle, and C. W. Scheel; supervisors — 
Philip Koch, S. R. Moyer, and J. P. Gett- 
man. 

Lancaster Township has one general 
store, which has been conducted for the 
last thirty-two years by A. F. Met/, i^- Son, 
and which has been located where it now 
stands for about sixty-three years. Previ- 
ous to that time the father of the present 
proprietor conducted a mercantile business 
in a building which is still standing near 
Middle Lancaster. Mrs. A. E. Metz is still 
living, being now ninety-one years of age. 

Oil and gas are produced to some extent 
in the township, several new wells haying 



AND KEPKF]SENTATIVE CITIZENS 



505 



been put down recently. The iulial)itauts 
are, however, chiefly engaged in agricul- 
tural pursuits. 

There are said to be good coal veins 
located about eighty feet beneath the sur- 
face and a few surface banks are worked 
for local consumption, but at present coal 
is not mined in commercial quantities. 

DONEGAL, TOWNSHIP. 

Donegal Township, in the county organ- 
ization of 1804, was formed from Butler 
Township, but changes in its territory were 
made in the general re-subdivision of 1854, 
when its present limits -were defined. In 
its early days of settlement and all through 
the pioneer period, Donegal was cited as 
file finest agricultural region of Butler 
(Viuuty. The great discoveries that later 
made her a famous oil and gas field, were 
not made for many years afterward. With 
the exception of the valley of the Big Buf- 
falo and its feeders, its conformation be- 
longs to that known as the Lower Barren 
Measures. Coal, also kaolin and other 
commercial clays, were early known to 
exist, but it was in farming and stockrais- 
iug that the pioneer settlers prospered and 
flourished. 

Oil has been produced in Donegal Town- 
ship in the past in large quantities, chiefly 
from the third sand and the lOU-foot, with 
some from the fourth sand. Drilling is 
still going on and results in small pro- 
ducers. A number of good gas wells are in 
operation, which suffice to meet the local 
demand; also the Philadelphia Gas Com- 
pany and other smaller companies have 
pipe lines to various cities in the State. 

The whole township is practically imder- 
layed with two good veins of coal and small 
banks are in operation to supply local con- 
sumption. There is also a large amount of 
limestone in the township, which, however, 
is undeveloped on account of the lack of 
transportation facilities. The B. & 0. is 
the only railroad and runs through the 
northwestern part of the townshi)i. 



The first settler credited to Donegal 
Township, was .lames Hemphill, who came 
in 1794 and .selected the present site of Chi- 
cora, or ]\Iillcrstown. In 1795 the elder 
Jacob Baruhart settled three miles east- 
ward and in 1797 his two sons also located. 
Among those who soon followed were 
Adam Hemphill, John Forquer, Patrick 
McElroy, Charles Duffy, John Gillespie, 
Moses Hanlen and John Slater. (,)thers 
who deserve pioneer honors were the Du- 
gans, McCues, O'Donnells, Boyles, McFad- 
dens. Blacks, Haggertys, Stewarts, Malo- 
neys, McClungs, Breadens and Hunters, 
the majority being from County Donegal, 
Ireland; and the Barnharts, Wolfords, 
Pontiuses, Slators, Sandersons and Hart 
mans. Not only were these early settlers, 
but in everything pertaining to the civil- 
ization and improvement of the section, 
they seem to have accepted all the responsi- 
bilities. They subdued the wilderness, 
built comfortable cabins, established mills 
and made roads and there is every evi- 
dence to show that they early concerned 
themselves about the educating of their 
children and supplying them with religious 
influences. 

Among the earliest industries started in 
the township was a distillery built by 
James Hemphill prior to 1803, the Tjasher 
grist-mill, in 1805, and the pottery of 
Gabriel Pontius, where manufacturing was 
carried on for some time. Owners of land 
were usually also the builders of the mills. 

Cliicora. Prior to the discovery of oil 
in Donegal Township, life, as indicated 
above, was followed along agricultural 
lines, many of the farms carrying on mill- 
ing, blacksmithing .-ukI dtlici- industiies for 
themselves. Here and tlicie little liamlets 
grew, generally around a mill or general 
store, but the only one of real importance 
was Millerstown, now known as Chicora. 
Tlie former name was given it on account 
of the building of the Alsraham Lasher mill 
at this point, and this place became the 
chosen home of the Hemphills and the 



506 



HISTORY OF BUTI.ER COUNTY 



Barnhart.s — its real founders. The situa- 
tion is on the Pittsburg and Narrow Gauge 
. Railroad, near the northern boundary line 
of Donegal Township. On the heights 
above the town there are fine water sup- 
plies, coal in the vicinity is plentiful and 
the natural advantages of the place were 
early seized upon by tliose who had capital 
to engage in business. 

The milling and lumbering industries 
were the first im])()rtant ones. In 1849 
Martin lloch and Martin Reiber estab- 
lished a distillery. The purchaser of the 
first town lot was John F. Wiles and he 
inaugurated its mercantile life. In 1843 
Andrew Barnhart opened a bakery and 
afterwards came men representative of 
other lines, but prior to 1873 no exceptional 
growth had been made in ])0]nilation. Then 
came the (lis('(i\('ry of oil, in the Slirevc 
well, on the Stewart farm and the Laml)ing 
well on the Barnhart farm. The story of 
this interesting period may be found in the 
chapter on gas and oil. In 1874 the first 
newspaper was launched, the Sand Pump, 
and in the following vear followed the Rc- 
ricir ami in 187(i. the7/r;v(^/. In 1877 the 
latter .journal was jiurcliased by Peter A. 
Rattigan and a number of Chicora's citi- 
zens were later connected with that journal. 

The first physician was Dr. Marks, who 
was immediately succeeded by Drs. Mc- 
Laughlin and Geddes. The first druggists 
were Sanuiel Mc Bride, Harry Sanderson, 
Aldinger & Bole and Dr. Beatty. An 
opera house was built, city ways were in- 
troduced and, as in all oil towns, through 
the period of the excitement, money was 
lavishly squandered. 

Following the discovery of oil a large 
number of hotels were built; some of these 
are still standing, while others were de 
stroyed by the fii'es which have several 
times visited the place. 

In 1882 the Millerstown Oil Exchange 
was organized, which occasionally influ- 
enced the oil market of the world. The 
Ignited Pipe Lines' Station was established 



in 1873. The Millerstown Savings Bank 
Association was organized in 1873, and in 
1875 was reorganized as the German Na- 
tional Bank. The institution went into vol 
untary bankruptcy and was succeeded by 
the Millerstown Deposit Bank, organized 
through the efforts of John D. and H. .). 
Myers. This Bank is still doing business 
and is in a prosperous condition. The 
Butler County Bank, organized in 1883, 
continued in business until 18!)"J. The Na- 
tional Building, Loan and IMotective Asso- 
ciation was organized in 1890, and the Life 
Protective Savings and Loan Association 
was organized in 1894. The Citizens Light 
and Fuel Company, which operates nian>- 
miles both in and outside the borough, was 
organized in October, 1887. The Chestimt 
Hill Stock Farm, one of the township's 
interesting show places, now occnjjies what 
was formerly the fair grounds. The farm 
was established in 1890 by the Titley 
Brothers, .and here may be seen some 
famous stallions, mares and colts and 
herds of registered Jersey cattle. 

Millerstown was incorporated iis a bor- 
ough in 1855, the post-office being Barn- 
hart's Mills. Prior to this a log cabin had 
been built — sometime in the forties — to 
accommodate the children, but afterward 
constant agitation on the subject resulted 
in the erection of the present fine school 
building. 

The church organizations of the borough 
are: The First Evangelical Lutheran, or- 
gatiized in 1849; St. Paul's German Evan 
gelical Lutheran, in 1849; St. John's (Jer- 
man Reformed, in 1870; the Methodist 
Episcoi)a], 1874; and Mater Dolorosa Cath- 
olic ( 'Inirch, in 1873. The churches outside 
(lie borough enumeration include Dennison 
M. E. Cluipel, and old St. F»ati'ick's, (Cath- 
olic) founded in 1806, by Rev. Father Whe- 
hin, to which so many of the old families 
of Donegal Township gave allegiance. 
Much local church history has been written 
of this oldest of all church organizations 
in I'utler Countv. Almost all tliese chui-ch 



AND kepresp:ntative citizens 



507 



Imildiiigs have cemeteries attaflied and 
tliere are, also, some private burying lots, 
and iu all these sacred spots lie the re- 
mains of those to whom the present gener- 
ation owes more or less of a debt. 

Since 1S!)5 Chicora, or Millerstown, has 
been the onl.y borough in the township, and 
has about held its own in population, which 
now numbers 1050. In its palmy days as 
an oil centre, however, it had a population 
of 7500. The- principal business firms at 
the present time are Hoch Bros., E. F. 
Hays & Sons and C. H. Johnson, hardware 
and oil well supplies; Westerman Bros., 
general store; F. Scharbach, jewelry; H. 
Stalil. tailor and glove manufacturer; Pur- 
keriek & Frederick and Tadder & Aldiiiger 
Bowers, machine and repair shop ; Freder- 
ick & Shultz, planing-mill ; Chicora Tile & 
Clay Co. ; Chicora Whip C'o. ; Chicora Coal 
and Coke Co.; Prosi)ect Oil and Gas C!o.; 
J. C. Wiles, Vensel & Son, and T. Reddick, 
livery; C. E. Uber, and Charles Fetzer, 
gents furnishings; R. (iaisford and De 
Wolf Bros., drugs; W. W. Campbell. E. C. 
Dunlap and Geo. Glass, groceries; Mrs. C. 
Teske and E. Frank, notions; Central 
House, A. A. Hoch, proprietor; Foryner 
House, B. J. Foryner, proprietor, ami 
Lackey Hotel, W. E. Lackey, proprietor. 

Chicora has a good water system which 
is rurnishe<l l)y drilled wells north of the 
town. The lighting is done by the Prospect 
Oil and Gas Company. The Chicora \^ol- 
unteer Hose Company furnishes good i)ro- 
tection against fire. There are two reser- 
voir tanks north of the town which are 
kept always filled and they are sujjjile- 
mented by a force-pump at the planing- 
mill, which is kept always ready for action. 
There are twenty-four men in the fire com- 
pany, of which W. E. Lackey is chief. This 
company took the first prize at Butler and 
East Brady as the best equipped volunteer 
department in this section of the country. 
The present postmaster of Chicora is Lott 
I. Leech. The U. S. Express Company has 
an office here and the Peoples Telephone is 



installed. The town is on the B. .V: O. 
Railroad. 

The Prospect Oil and Gas Company of 
Chicora was originally known as the Citi- 
zens Light and Fuel Company of Millers- 
town, which received its charter in 1887. 
In 1897 a new charter was taken out under 
the ])resent style. The company operates 
its lines through western Pennsylvania. 
Its officers are A. Fleeger, president; A. A. 
Houk, secretary; H. J. Myers, treasurer, 
and M. G. Houk, general manager. 

The Chicora Whip Company, Limited, 
was established in 1900, and now employs 
about forty-five hands, about one-third of 
them being girls. They have a capacity of 
three hundi'ed whips a day, and it is the 
largest concern of the kind in the State. 

Chicora Officials : Justices of the peace 
— M. L. Leonard and G. W. Huselton ; con- 
stable — Geo. Garver; tax assessor — P. G. 
Frederick; road commissioner — F. Daum; 
auditors — P. Doty and H. Walford; clerk 
— C. F. Aldinger; burgess — R. Houk. 

St. Joe, Plummer, Danville, Gren (or 
North Oakland), and Rattiqan, have all 
been villages within the limits of Donegal 
Township, which were more or less devel- 
oped on account of the oil fields, and of 
the.se St. Joe, Greer and Rattigan are post- 
offices. St. Joe has the Peojjles 'phone and 
a general store kept by Mr. Graham. There 
is a store at Rattigan kept bv Mr. Porter- 
field. 

The fraternal and other societies repre- 
sented in Chicora are the Masons, the 
Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the 
Maccabees, the Woodmen of the World, 
Modern Woodmen, the Home Circle, and 
the Grand Army of the Republic. 

Donegal Township now has eight schools 
with an enrollment of 290 pupils. There is 
also one school in Chicora with 286 pupils, 
and the educational interests of the town- 
ship are well cared for. The y)resent school 
directors are John F. Rodgers, S. F. 
Schultz, W. C. Pontius, John F Black, 
John Oesterling and Peter Landgraft. 



508 



H18T0RY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Totvnship Offlcials : Justices of the peace 
— S. Pontious and J. J. Kaylor; tax col- 
lector — H. Graham; constable — J. B. 
Rumbough; tax assessor — J. Johnson; 
road commissioners — H. Graham, J. Wohl, 
and S. Pontions; auditors — C. IT. McGuire, 
H. G. Frederick and J. Ricliard-s; clerk— 
A. Snyder. 

BUTLER TOWNSHIP. 

Butler Townshi}} was one of the original 
thirteen townships organized in 1804 and 
occupied an area of about eight miles 
square. Subsequentlj' divided into North 
Bvitler and South Butler. It thus remained 
until 1854, when the township was estab- 
lished within the present limits, embracing 
al)out iive miles square. Its surface is 
diversified and it is drained chiefly by Con- 
noquenessing Creek, which enters the ter- 
ritoiy at the northeastern corner and flows 
in a southwesterly direction through the 
southern half of the township. The gen- 
eral surface of tlie township is hilly and 
the soil varies from a stiff clay to a light 
sand. A fair proportion of the land is till- 
able and highly productive wherever it is 
cultivated. The Upper Freeport Coal un- 
derlies most of the hills, and has been 
mined from an early day. 

The early settlers of the township were 
immigrants from Westmoreland County 
and other eastern counties, and were the 
descendants of the Scotch-Irish. Many of 
them had seen service in the War of the 
Revolution, and others were the sons of 
Revolutionary soldiers. The Germans and 
some French came into the township about 
1820 and later and settled in the southern 
and western parts. 

The first actual settler in the townshiiD 
was probably William Kearns, who came 
here fi-om Westmoreland County in 1795 
and took uj) a large tract. His sister, Jane, 
who married John Potts, came with him 
and selected one hundred acres in her own 
name. The first graveyard in the townsliip 
was located on the land taken up l)y Jane 



Kearns, and became the resting place of 
many of the old pioneers. 

James McKee came to the western part 
of the township in the spring of 1795, his 
father Thomas McKee, coming with the 
rest of the family a year later. James was 
sheriff in the county in 1818 and represent- 
ative in the legislature in 1828. Another 
son of Tliomas McKe^, named Robert, set- 
tled in Hendersonville in Cranberry Town- 
ship, while a third son, Hugh, was one of 
the pioneer manufacturers of Butler bor- 
ough. 

John Pierce, a Revolutionary s )ldier, 
came here from Westmoreland County in 
1796, and settled on a ti'act of hind west 
of the Standard Steel Car Works, wlsere he 
built a cabin. 

John McQuistion, who was a native of 
Ireland, came in 1796. He purchased land 
now occupied by the County Home and 
erected a large tannery. He also built tlie 
first stone house in the county. He took a 
prominent part in public affairs. 

James and Andrew Moore located west 
of Butler about 1797. Robert Graham, a 
native of Dauphin County, came in the 
same year and purchased one hundred 
acres of land in what is now Butler bor- 
ough. In 1803 he sold it to the trustees of 
Butler County, who laid out a portion of 
the town of Butler thereon. 

William Wilson and John Morrow came 
here in 1797 or 1798 and located in the 
western part of the township. Wilson aft- 
erwards removed to Indiana. 

Peter Peterson, a Revolutionary soldier, 
who was also a sui'vivor of "Braddock's 
Defeat," came to Butler County about 
1798. His daughter Jane married David 
Pierce, and became the progenitor of one 
branch of the Pierce family in Butler 
County. 

John Burkhart, who was a noted hunter, 
came from Allegheny County in 1800 and 
settled in the southeast section of -the town- 
ship. 

Robert Maxwell and his son. Abraham, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



509 



came here from Mar.ylaiid in 1800 and set- 
tled on the tract of land just west of the 
Standard Steel Car Plant. The story of 
the shooting of Maxwell is given in an 
earlier chapter of this volume. 

Abram Fryer came into the western part 
of the township in 1801. The same year 
John Bailes, known as "Little John" to 
distinguish him from the John Bailes of 
Connoqueuessing Township, settled on a 
tract adjoining Fryer. 

Lawrence King settled four miles west 
of Butler in 1801. Alexander Bryson set- 
tled in the northwestern corner of the 
township about 1800, and al)Out 18:20 he 
removed to Ohio, where he died. 

Paul Bratton, who was a hatter by trade, 
came to the township about 1800 and set- 
tled on a tract of four hundred acres of 
land south of Butler. His marriage to 
Hannah Pierce was the first solemnized in 
the township. 

Colonel Robert Lemmon, a native oi Ire- 
land, came to the county in 1796 and 
located in the village of Butler soon after 
it was laid out. He served in the War of 
1812 as a sergeant and after its close he 
settled on a farm southwest of Butler, 
wliich afterwards became the home of his 
son Andrew, who died in 1908. A numlier 
of settlers came in 1805. 

Leslie Maxwell located in the northwest- 
ern section of the township in 1815, mar- 
'ried the daughter of Alexander Hamilton, 
the pioneer, and died on the homestead 
about 1860. 

Among the German settlers were Jacob 
and Henry Duiford, who came in 1817, 
HenryYoung from Luzerne County in 1824, 
Joseph Bernhart Sliker, from Baltimore 
in 1830, and Francis Criley from Gern>any, 
in 1831. Other arrivals al)out this time 
were David McElwain, who settled in 1835, 
and the Cunninghams, Mechlings, Negleys, 
and Brinkers. 

Among the early enterprises of the .town- 
ship, in addition to the tannery and Paul 
Bratton 's hat factory, was a distillery run 



by John Cratty and a saw-mill operated 
by William Freeman, while Moses Sullivan 
had two saw-mills ere<'ted on Sullivan Run, 
a short distnucc northwest of Butler. This 
latter property came into the possession of 
George, Jacob and Martin Reiber in 1857. 
who erected a distillery on the site of the 
upper mill, and carried on the manufacture 
of whiskey for a number of years. 

About i850 William Ralston, Sr., Imilt 
a grist-mill and a saw-mill on Little Con- 
nocpienessing Creek at the interse( tion of 
the Butler and Prospect Road. The grist- 
mill is now owned l3y John Cranmer of 
Mount Chestnut. 

Ziou Rrfoni/cd CJnircJi. near the junc- 
tion of the Meridian and Harmony Road, 
was organized in 1845 among the Germiin- 
speaking residents of the district by Rev. 
Samuel Miller of Westmoreland County. 
The first meetings were held at the Hen- 
shaw schoolhouse. The cornerstoi>e of a 
new church edifice was laid May 28, 1847, 
and the building was dedicated in the fol- 
lowing December. In June, 1870, Rev. W. 
M. Landis organized an English society 
under the name of St. John's Congrega- 
tion, and both societi-es used the same 
building and were supplied by the same 
minister. Previous to 1877 the German 
Congregation had been united (in 1873) 
with the church at Harmony as one pas- 
toral charge. This charge had been united 
with Prespect and Butler, the three being 
known as the Butler Charge. The German 
Congregation was constituted an indepen- 
dent charge in 1877, known as the Ilenshaw 
Charge, and in 1880, Rev. Josiah May, be- 
came the pastor of both congregations. 

After this period the German congrega- 
tion dwindled in numbers, while the Eng- 
lish congregation increased. The former 
being too weak to maintain a pastor and 
hold regular services, the latter undertook 
to gain possession of the church property. 
This resulted in both congregations being 
incorporated in 1887, and the German con- 
gregation retaining possession of the prop- 



510 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



erty. The Euglisli cougregatiou tbeu with- 
drew and erected a new church. In 1889 
the members, to the number of nineteen, 
united themselves with St. Mark's Church, 
and the Ziou Reformed Church passed out 
of existence. 

St. John's congregation of Zion Re- 
formed Church, was organized Jime 19, 
1870, by Rev. Landis, who was at that time 
pastor of the German congregation of Zion 
Reformed Church. In the fall of 1870 the 
congregation united with the German con- 
gregation in calling Rev. F. A. Edmonds 
of Harmon}' as pastor. A dispute over the 
legal title to the old church building having 
been settled in 1887, in favor of the Ger- 
man congregation, the new society con- 
cluded to erect a house of worship of its 
own. A lot was donated by Andrew 0. 
Eberhart at the junction of "^Meridian and 
Harmonv Roads, and a frame liuilding was 
erected at a cost of alumt $1500.00. This 
building was dedicated in February, 1889. 
In 1901 St. John's congregation was united 
with the Connoquenessing congregation 
under the title of Olivet Charge. In 1904 
the church building was enlarged and re- 
modeled at an exp.ense of $4500.00. The 
present membership is two hundred and 
five. St. John's cemetery was established 
the same year that the new church was 
built— 1889. 

The Butler Cantp Meeting Association 
flourished in this township for many years, 
meetings being held under the auspices 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Brownsdale. These meetings attracted 
people from all over the country for about 
ten years. They were abandoned in 1890. 

Eurelca Grange was organized in 1875 
and for many years held meetings in a hall 
that stood on the A. 0. Everhart farm. 
About 1892 a hall was erected at Buttercup 
post-office in Connoquenessing Township, 
where the meetings were held until 1905, 
when tlie present hall was erected at the 
intersection of the Harmonv and Meridian 



roads. In 1908 tiie memljershiii was one 
hundred and fifty, 

TOWNS .\XD VILLAUKS. 

The only towns within the limits of But- 
ler Township are the shire town of Butler 
and the steel car town of Lyndora. The 
latter had its inception in 1902, when the 
Standard Steel Car Works was built at 
Butler. The Lyndora Land Company that 
year purchased a tract of land known as 
the John McElroy farm and erected four 
lumdred houses for the use of the employes 
of the works. The population of the town 
varies with the condition of the times, and 
is mostly foreign. It has two jjublic schools, 
a Roman Catholic Church, a Greek Catli- 
olic Church, and a night school for foreign- 
ers. There are a number of business houses 
doing a large trade and the town is a thriv- 
ing subuil) of the county seat. A post 
office was established in 1903. The admin- 
istration of justice is in the hands of 
Squires Joseph Criswell and .Tames Mc- 
Nally. 

West Butler is a small hamlet that had 
its inception in the real estate boom that 
struck Butler in 1902. A party of Pitts- 
buig (•a])italists purchased the Kennedy 
Marshall farm one mile west of the Car 
Works, plotted it into lots, and commenced 
the construction of an electric railroad 
from Butler through the tract of land to 
the John Forcht farm on the west. A pub- 
lic sale of lots was held in September, 1903, 
and a number of houses were erected that 
year. The financial troubles of the owners 
of the land caused a suspension of the 
building and nothing was done with the 
])roperty until 1908, when a number of 
additional houses were erected. 

In 1903 P. A. McCool and others pur- 
chased a tract of land on the Connoquenes- 
sing Creek from J. R. Kearns about one 
mile north of the Transfer, and plotted it 
into lots for building and manufacturing 
]>urposes. A financial depression in tlie 




WEST SUNBURY ACADEMY 



OLD WITHERSPOON INSTITUTE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



513 



spring of 1904 was the means of the enter- 
prise being dropped, and no building was 
done at that location. The name given to 
the proposed town was North Butler. 
Al)out the same time MeJunkin and Stover 
plotted a tract of land at the junction of 
the Bessemer Railroad and the Butler and 
Millerstown Road and erected a number of 
houses. Since that time an extensive vil- 
lage has grown up at the Transfer and this 
is sometimes called Nortli Butler. 

The Butler Brick & Tile Company has a 
manufacturing plant at the Transfer which 
is described under the manufacturing in- 
dustries of Butler borough. 

The pioneer schools of the township are 
identified with those of Butler borough. 
One of the earh" schoolhouses under the 
public school system stood near the site of 
Zion Reformed church on the west side of 
the township. When the present township 
was erected in 1854 it was divided into 
seven school districts. The frame, octagon- 
shaped school houses erected that year was 
the conception of Garret Pierce, who also 
built a dwelling-house on the same plan. 
These curiosities have long since disap- 
peared and modern buildings have taken 
their places. The encroachments of Butler 
borough reduced the nimiber of schools to 
six at the close of the last century, but since 
1902 the number has increased to nine. 
The enrollment of scholars in 1908 was 
over 400 and the total receipt of the dis- 
trict were $6462.00. 

The population of the townshiii has 
varied. The extension of the borough from 
time to time has taken liberal slices of ter- 
ritory and also drawn heavily on the inhab- 
itants. The population in ]810 was 453, 
including tlie town of Butler. The next 
decade saw the incorporation of the bor- 
ough and in 1820 the population of the 
township was 472. There was a gradual 
growth until 1850. when the census showed 
2622 inhabitants. The re-division of the 
townships in 1854 split the population of 
Butler in half and it did not get above the 



1300 mark until the beginning of the new 
century. The last census shows a popula- 
tion of 1591, while the estimated popula- 
tion in 1908 was 2850, based on the regis- 
tered vote of the election district. This 
does not include the foreign population of 
Lyndora. 

CENTER TOWNSHIP. 

On account of its geographical location 
in tlie county, Center Township acquired 
its name (formerly spelled Centre). Not 
only is it favorably situated but it has been 
dowered by Nature with- fertility of soil 
and with coal deposits which have brought 
much revenue into this section. Its most 
elevated point is 1400 feet and this is about 
5000 feet north of its south line on the 
Butler and Unionville road. 

Center is principally a farming township. 
There are three small coal banks that are 
being operated chiefly for local consump- 
tion, the respective proprietors being E. D. 
Eagle, G. B. Heck, and R. D. Elliott. No 
operations are being carried on in oil or 
gas, and there are no large towns or bor- 
oughs. 

The history of Center Township is inter- 
esting from the fact that its pioneers came 
in a colony and took up residence here with- 
out the assistance of constitution or by- 
laws — a somewhat unusual proceeding. 
This colony was made up of sixty liardy 
men, who came from Allegheny, Westmore- 
hiud, Juanita and Cumberland Counties, in 
1796. They were home-seekers and were 
men of peaceable disposition, willing to 
suliscribe to. the will of the majority and 
we find them the founders of the leading 
families that now maintain the integrity of 
the township. The land was unsurveyed 
and, while each member was, according to 
their agreement, entitled to 400 acres of 
land, they realized that the survey might 
disturb some of the selections, therefore 
they entered into a pledge that such differ- 
ences should be amicably adjusted. Sub- 
sequently seven of the s?ixty colonists set- 



514 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tied in what is now Franklin Township and 
a few wandered farther afield but later 
many of these returned to become perma- 
nent residents of Centre Township. A 
number of these early settlers were of Irish 
origin, as their names indicate, and their 
descendants have filled many places of 
honor in Butler County and in other sec- 
tions. There appears to have been com- 
paratively little trouble with the Indians 
encountered by the early men of Center 
Township, the most notable disturbance 
having taken place in 1797, when the sav- 
ages made demonstrations which resulted 
in some of the colonists returning to the 
more civilized part of the State. The names 
of the early possessors of land — those who 
became permanent settlers — are as fol- 
lows: Baiimgartner, Byers, Cook, Curry, 
Elliott, Fleeger, Freeman, Fryer, Gal- 
braith, Hoge, McCandless (a large family), 
McCleary, McGrew, McKissack, Moore, 
McJvmkin, Rudebav;gh, Scott, St. Clair, and 
Thompson, while many others came a few 
years later than the original body. 

It was recognized very soon that in order 
to promote public business and provide for 
contingencies, proper courts and officers 
must be established. Hence, on October 8, 
1805, following the organization of the 
Township, an election was held, votes being 
cast for governor, congressman, senator 
and county commissioner. The justices of 
the peace were selected from well known 
families and were in general men of ability, 
well competent to discharge their official 
duties, as indeed they have been since. 

One of the earliest demands of the intel- 
ligent pioneers of Center Township was for 
the establishment of a schoolhouse and in 
1803 a log structure was erected on the 
farm of Benjamin Wallace. It is probable 
that the first teacher was William Wallace. 
A second schoolhouse was shortly after- 
ward built on the farm of David McJunkin 
and here Samuel Cook, Samuel N. Moore, 
one of the Sloans from Venango and one 



of the Campbells, of Washington, are 
known to have taught here prior to 1835, 
when • the common school system was 
adopted. The township now has six schools 
with 185 pupils. The directors (1908) were 
Warren Aggus, H. F. Herold, Geo. H. 
Shanor, J. D. Smith, W. R. Bartmas, and 
Daniel Reiger. 

Evangelical Lutheran Church. The first 
regularly organized religious denomination 
was the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 
which was organized in 1843 and adopted 
articles of association in 1848. This meet- 
ing was presided over by Christopher 
Rider, with Rev. Eli Fair as secretary. 
When the society was incorporated the 
board of trustees was made up of Jacob 
Rider, Sr., Daniel Heck, Jr., and William 
Byers. The first church structure was put 
up in 1844 and the first pastor was Rev. 
Gottlieb Bassler. The present pastor is 
the Rev. Ibauch and the congregation has 
about seventy-five members. 

The Holyole United Presbyterian 
Church was made up of a large body of 
earnest Christians, who, prior to the erec- 
tion of their first church edifice, assembled 
for worship in Robert Miller's barn. They 
put up their early building in 1874, having 
organized on August 28, of that year. The 
first regularly installed pastor was Rev. 
W. P. Shaw. The church now has about 
forty-two members, with Rev. Bi-eaden, 
pastor. 

The Unionville Preshyterian Church, 
which was organized October 30, 1877, was 
made up of members of the Presbyterian 
faith, who, for three-quarters of a century 
had worshipped at different points in this 
section of Butler County, not having a 
church home near at hand. The first pastor 
was the Rev. Samuel Williams. There is 
now a strong congregation of 104 members, 
with Rev. Shaw, pastor. 

The "Church of God" was represented 
in the seventies by a congregation organ- 
ized in 1872 bv Rev. Joseph Grim. In 1874 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



515 



they built a frame house of worship. They 
enjoyed some years of subsequent growtla 
and prosperity. 

Unionville, in the northwest corner of 
the township, was founded by Samuel 
Thompson, in 1828. He was the first mer- 
chant, his brother, James Thompson, suc- 
ceeding him in 1830. David Stewart suc- 
ceeded the Thompsons and other early 
merchants were: Blaisdell & Cornish, 
David and Mark McCandless and Joseph 
Coulter. David Stewart was the first post- 
master, in 1839. The place has a general 
store, conducted by D. C. Miller, who also 
operated a hardware store, the two stores 
being located in different buildings. There 
is also a drug store of which Dr. D. A. 
Holdman is the proprietor. 

Fleeger, in the north-eastern part of the 
township, is simply a locality marked by a 
store owned by F. Fleeger. There is sub- 
stantially no settlement here. 

Jamisonville, located in the northeastern 
part, is a station on the Bessemer Railroad. 
It has the Wells-Fargo Express and a tele- 
graph office, but no stores. 

Oneida, also a station on the Bessemer 
railroad, is located in the eastern part near 
the center. It has the Speechley telephone 
and a telegraph office. 

Township officials : Justices of the peace 
—J. G. Renick and S. S. Allen; tax col- 
lector — J. G. Renick; constable — D. P. 
Smith ; tax assessor — E. Albert ; road com- 
missioners — J. G. Renick, A. Pollock, and 
N. McCall (serving on unexpired term of 
Gr. W. Vernon) ; auditors — W. Stevenson, 
A. Rieger, and A. Blain; clerk — George 
Smith. 

VENAKGO TOWXSHIP. 

Venango Township, on account of the 
fertility of its valleys, became the home of 
the pioneer at a very early date and when 
the development bf its rich coal deposits 
began, its population outgrew that of some 
of the larger townships. It is one of the 
original thirteen divisions of the county, 



made in 1804. When the question of sub- 
dividing the county was discussed in 1853, 
the leading men of Venango Township of- 
fered objection, on the ground that the pro- 
posed change would disarrange the school 
districts and increase taxes beyond their 
ability to stand. Their protest, however, 
bore no fruit and the subdivision of 1854 
was effected. 

The physical characteristics of Venango 
Township include many waterways, includ- 
ing Slippery Rock Creek, Little Scrub 
Grass and Bear Ci'eeks and many tribu- 
taries, ensuring large sections of well 
watered land and making agriculture not 
only a possible but a profitable occupation. 
The highest elevation is at Farmington, 
where the land rises 1,550 feet above sea 
level. Coal deposits may be found in almost 
every part of the township, not all of these 
being promising as to development, but 
cannel coal and Brookville coal have long 
been extensively mined and without per- 
ceptible decrease in either quality or quan- 
tity. The oil industry has also been an 
important factor in the commercial devel- 
opment of the township, though the busi- 
ness has been carried on quietly since 1895 
and there are now no large producers. The 
oil is obtained in the northern part of the 
township. 

The Manufacturers' Heat and Light 
Company are the largest producers. The 
township also contains extensive beds of 
limestone, which, however, have never been 
opened up. The Bessemer Railroad — the 
only one in the township — has a branch line 
running to Goff. 

Settlement was made very early in Ve- 
nango Township, probably in 1792, when it 
is known that Thomas Jolly visited this 
section, but he did not establish his perma- 
nent residence here until 1796, when he 
came with companions, to accept the offer 
of the owner of what we know as the 
Field ti'act, the latter giving a deed for 
150 acres of land. Thomas Jolly and his 
companions lived together in a log cabin 



516 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



through the first year, and then returned 
east for their families. It is related that 
he brought fruit trees from Armstrong 
County and set out the first orchard on his 
farm of 300 acres. Samuel Barron owned 
200 acres and built a weaving-shop, and 
Samuel Thompson cleared 170 acres. The 
Murrins were among the earliest settlers 
and were among the most enterprising of 
the pioneers. Hugh Murrin owned 400 
acres and built one of the first mills and 
later a distillery, Michael Kelly became the 
owner of 400 acres and Nicholas and John 
Vanderlin, acquired 540 acres of land. Both 
were Revolutionary soldiers, natives of 
Holland, and they came in 1799. Other 
representative men were Samuel Campbell, 
Robert Cochran, William Adams, John 
Logue, Thomas and James Coulter, Samuel 
Sloan, Robert Leason, Joseph Kerr and 
James and John Shields. Among other 
pioneers who settled here prior to 1812 
were John Watt, Samuel Culbertson, Alex- 
ander Strain, Ephraim Turk, Andrew 
Maitland, Levi Williams, John Donaldson, 
John Jamison, the Stalkers, the Williamses, 
James Porter, William Parker, Robert 
Cunningham and John and AYilliam B. 
Stewart, the latter of whom is credited 
with building the first frame house in But- 
ler County. A number of these men of 
sturdy strength and courageous spirit had 
been soldiers in the Revolutionary War, 
and many m(ye left their pioneer farms 
and mills to serve in the War of 1812. 
They were an industrious, frugal class, nat- 
urally intelligent, although but few had 
enjoyed educational advantages, and being 
inured to hardships, they cheerfully faced 
conditions of living that none of their de- 
scendants would willingly undergo. 

The Associate Presbyterian Church of 
Unity is the name of the old Seceder 
Church, organized as early as 1800. This 
body separated from the United Presby- 
terians in 1858. In 1868 a frame church 
building was erected, but in recent years 
better accommodations have been afforded 



and the church was incorporated in Maj^, 
1888. Its list of members today shows 
many of the names of the original families. 

East Unity United Presbyterian Church 
was organized in 1802, by Rev. Thomas Mc- 
Clintock, who was installed pastor in May, 
1803, and continued his ministry until 
March, 1832. The original elders were: 
Samuel Sloan, Reuben Ii'win, Robert Rid- 
dle and Robert Crawford. The humble 
little log church was made use of from 
1802 until 1820, when a more commodious 
building, also of logs, was erected, for cold 
and inclement weather, for during the sum- 
mer seasons the congregation worshipped 
under a spreading tree or in a tent. A 
brick structure, put up in 1868, was de- 
stroyed by fire in 1875, but in the same 
year a very substantial modern edifice took 
its place. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Farmington, up to 1851, had no special 
church edifice, services being held in vari- 
ous places, including tents, groves, school- 
houses and private dwellings. For twenty- 
one ye;ns thereafter the earnest little body 
of (Jhristiaus used a small frame church 
building, but an increasing membership 
made a new edifice necessary and under the 
efforts of Rev. James Groves the present 
handsome church building was completed 
in 1872. 

,S'^. Aliiltni/sHs Catholic Church of Mur- 
rinsvilh' iias ;ihva\ s been largely supported 
by the Catholics of Venango Township. A 
history of this old church organization is 
given in the record of Marion Township. 

Venango- Toicnship's schools deserve 
more than a passing comment. Prior to 
1800, Hugh and John Murrin instructed the 
numerous ^Murrin children, the family be- 
ing a large and prolific one. In 1802 Rob- 
ert Cunningham kept a subscription school 
in a log hut standing two and one-quarter 
miles north of the present town of Eau 
Claire. There are now seven schools in the 
township with 244 pupils, while the Eau 
Claire Aeademv, which was founded in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



517 



1893, affords academic advantages to ambi- 
tious students. 

The leading villages of Venango Town- 
ship are Eau Claire, formerly Earmiugton, 
and Ferris, of Keystone, Deegau and Golf. 

Ferris is chiefly a product of the Turner 
Coal, Coke and Mining Company. It has 
a population of about 125, mostly foreign- 
ers. E. L. Stevens is postmaster and man- 
ager of the company's store. The Erie 
Coal & Coke Company of Summit County 
have a mine here and employ about 100 
men with an output at present of '200 tons 
daily. 

Euu Claire, or Fdriiiiiiytnii, was sur- 
veyed in 1848, on John Kosenberry's farm, 
and in June, 1849, William H. Tebay built 
and occupied the first house. A hotel was 
shortly afterward put up, merchants en- 
gaged in business and other interests grew, 
but it was not until 1870 that a brick struc- 
ture appeared in the shape of a store build- 
ing for A. M. Reynolds. In March, 1856, 
a post-ofiBce was established at Bovard's 
-store, but in a few years it was removed 
to Farming-ton, which was officially named 
Eau Claire. H. A. Sloan is the present 
postmaster. The town was incorporated 
December 5, 1900, under the title of Eau 
Claire Borough, the petition being signed 
by twenty-six free-holders and twenty-one 
voters of the district. There arc two gen- 
eral stores here conducted rcs[iccti\ cly by 
Coulter & Reynolds and W. C. Jamcsnn ic 
Company, while W. P. Stickle conducts a 
harness "business, and is also justice of the 
peace of the borough ; Wni. A. Rosenberry 
is burgess, J. W. McCaudless conducts a 
blacksmith and repair shop, W. H. Shaffer 
a meat market, while R. L. Allison and 
R. J. McMichael are physicians. Eau 
Claire has the Speechley Telephone. 

Eau Claire Academy was established in 
the fall of 1893 under Professor Robertson, 
with Miss Chapin, teacher of music, and 
has made a good record as an educational 
institution. An Academy building was 
erected in 1894, which is now used for high 



school purposes by the borough and town- 
ship. 

Deegan — The village of Deegan, near the 
west line of the township, owes its existence 
to the Goff-Kirby Coal Company which is 
operating extensively in that locality. A 
switch has been built from the Hilliard 
branch to the mine, and the town of a cou- 
ple of hundred in population has grown up 
the past few years. There is one store in 
the village, conducted by Charles Black, 
who is also the postmaster, the new office 
having been established in 1907. 

Goff is a settlement of about 200 people, 
mostly foreigners. The Gotf-Kirby Coal 
Company is located there and has a com- 
pany store. The postmaster is W. Black. 

Extensive oil interests have contributed 
to the development of all this section, mak- 
ing Venango one of the most important 
townships in Butler County. 

To'wnship officials: Justice of the peace 
— J. Blair; tax collector — M. Higgins; con- 
stable — M. Higgins ; tax assessor, M. Hig- 
gins ; road commissioners — M. Williams, G. 
Vanderlin; auditors — F. Sloan, L. Cold- 
mere, and J. Meals; clerk — E. Jamison. 
W. H; Campbell was also justice of the 
l^eace and road commissioner, but died in 
the fall of 1908. 

JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 

This township, lying in the southwestern 
part of Butler County and adjoining Bea- 
ver County on the east, was erected in 1854, 
but it is the early settlement and develop- 
ment of the territory therein embraced, 
and its various communities, that is of 
peculiar interest and renders its history 
distinctive from that of the other town- 
ships of the county. It is not only a good 
agricultural township but has important 
mineral resources, including deposits of 
iron, ore, coal and limestone, though but 
one coal mine of any size is being worked 
at present. The volume of business in the 
various industries and in agriculture has 
lieen very large ever since the Harmonists 



518 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



became well established here early in the 
nineteenth century. The land is well 
drained by Connoquenessing Creek, and 
numerous tributaries. 

The first of the pioneers of Jackson 
Township was James Magee, a native of 
County Down, Ireland, who made settle- 
ment in 1797. He afterward fought in the 
War of 1812 and continued to reside here 
until his death in 1846. William Martin, 
also a native of Ireland, located one mile 
west of the present borough of Evans City 
in 1797. His brother, Michael Martin, came 
in 1800, as did Thomas Wilson, Thomas 
Scott; John Dunn, who was killed at the 
forks of the Youghiogheny, while returning 
to his former home ; David Young, James 
Donaldson, and Joseph Morris. Dr. Det- 
mar Basse, or as he came to be known. Dr. 
Miiller, settled at Zelienople in 1802, and 
Christian Buhl, a shoemaker by trade, lo- 
cated there later in the same year. In that 
or the following year, Morris and Philip 
Covert made settlement, and the former be- 
came a soldier in the American army dur- 
ing the War of 1812. Daniel Fiedler set- 
tled on the site of Zelienople in 1803, and 
there were others who came in during the 
pioneer days who are mentioned in the his- 
tory of the boroughs of the township. John 
Nixon came to this locality from New Jer- 
sey in 1812, and afterward settled in Penn 
Township, where he was instrumental in 
having the Harvest Home feast celebrated 
after the departure of the Harmony So- 
ciety from this vicinity. John Fleming, 
the teacher, came in 1815 ; also Jacob Kel- 
ker and Samuel Beam ; Thomas H. Harper 
came in 1820 ; John Hartzell in 1820 ; Lewis 
Gansz and Jacob Dambach in 1832 ; George 
and Henry Marburger, with their father, 
in 1839; Henry Stoker in 1846; and Dr. 
Adam Weiser in 1856. 

Dr. Detmar Basse, upon coming to this 
country, acquired 10,000 acres, lying in 
Beaver and Butler Counties, and in 1804 
had the honor of building the first saw-mill 
in the township, it being in fact the first in- 



dustry of any kind started there. In 1806 
he built the Miiller grist-mill, where the 
modern plant of Seidel Brothers was later 
erected. John Herr built a mill, which later 
became the property of Albert Seidel and 
Joseph Schwartz and afterwards passed 
through various hands. George Rapp and 
his associates, in 1806 or 1807, built a grist 
mill on Scholar's Run, and not long after 
erected the big mill at Eidenau, the oil-mill, 
the fulling and carding-mill and the distil- 
lery on the Little Connoquenessing. In 
1837, David Ziegler and Aaron Schontz 
converted the great barn of the Economites 
into a steam flouring-mill, and later Jacob 
Zeigler built a distillery near the big mill, 
above Harmony. The Bassenheim Fur- 
nace was established by Dr. Miiller in 1814 
and conducted by him until 1818, the last 
two years under the superintendence of his 
son-in-law, P. L. Passavant. Native ore 
was used and the water of the creek fur- 
nished the power until the dam gave way, 
when steam power was substituted. The 
concern was owned and operated by Daniel 
Beltzhoover & Company from 1818 until 
1824, when it was closed down. The Wil- 
son salt works were established at Har- 
mony in 1816. Numerous tanneries and 
distilleries flourished in the township in the 
early days. 

Among the prosperous business enter- 
prises of the present time is the John Tur- 
ner Coal ComiDany, which employs about 
thirty men, with an output of two cars per 
day. Sevei-al coal banks of minor impor- 
tance exist, and there is some oil produc- 
tion in the township. 

The P. H. B. & N. C. Electric Line has 
a large power plant and car barns in the 
township. 

The first schools of the township were 
introduced by the Harmonists, and after 
their departure in 1815 subscription 
schools were established and carried on 
until the common school law came into 
effect in 1835. There are now nine schools 
within the limits of the township with a 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



519 



total atteudanee of 264 pupils. The board 
of directors consists of John A. Eichert, 
president ; C. F. Knanff , treasurer ; Edwin 
Ramsey, secretary; Rev. H. Voegley, Amos 
Rape and Edward Eicholtz. 

Harmony, Zelienople and a part of 
Evans City are located within the limits 
of Jackson Township, as is the village of 
Eidenau, the last named having been quite 
a settlement in the early days. An old 
Indian town was located just north of the 
river, but was practically abandoned in 
1792, although the Indian women and chil- 
dren continued to live there until the com- 
ing of the pioneers. The village of Rams- 
dale, a half mile north of Harmony, also 
flourished in the early days, and was an 
Indian town before the arrival of the 
whites. 

Toiimship officials — Edward Eicholtz, J. 
P. (elect) ; supervisors, Charles Hartung, 
John Behn, and Mr. Goegetly; collector, 
Michael Zeigler ; assessor, Edward Zelmer. 
There are two voting precincts — the East 
Precinct, with Jacob Rheinhart, .iudge, and 
inspectors Amos Rape and H. Goehring; 
and the Western Precinct, with C. H. 
Knauff, judge, and E. E. Goehring and 
John Pflug, inspectors. 

St. Peters (Independent) Church oi mid- 
dle Lancaster organized about 1847, has 
for pastor Rev. A. H. Ginder. 

Zion's Lutheran Church of middle Lan- 
caster has for pastor Rev. Frederick H. 
Myers. 

H.-VEMOXY BOROUGH. 

This borough had its inception in the 
founding of a communistic colony by the 
United Society of Germans, familiarly 
known as Harmonists or Economites, who 
left their native land in search of religious 
liberty. George Rapp, their leader, was 
sent ahead in 1803 to find a location and 
prepare for the coming of the society. Ac- 
companied by his son, John, and a few 
others, he landed at Baltimore. He visited 
many localities and various states, finally 



completing arrangements for the purchase 
of 5000 acres of the 10,000 acre tract of Dr. 
Detmar Basse in Butler County. Three 
lumdred of the society arrived in Balti- 
more, July 4, 1804, where temporary quar- 
ters were provided for them for the winter. 
In the meantime Rapp and a party of work- 
men founded the village of Harmony and 
prepared homes for the members of the 
new colony. The second body of Harmon- 
ists, under Frederick Rapp, arrived six 
weeks after the first, landing at Philadel- 
phia, and were soon followed by a third. 
The latter were met by a representative of 
George Rapp, named Haller, who per- 
suaded most of them to locate in Lycoming 
County. There were one hundred and 
thirty-five families in the settlement at 
Harmony, when the organization of the so- 
ciety was perfected on February 15, 1805, 
and all were apparently pleased with their 
new home. The deed to the property was 
executed October 17, 1804. Its develop- 
ment was rapid. At the end of the first 
year, 150 acres were cleared ; fifty log cab- 
ins, a grist mill, barn, machine shop, and a 
house of worship were standing. By the 
end of the second year, 600 acres were 
cleared, a vineyard of 4 acres set out, and 
a distillery, tannery, brick yard, saw-mill 
and large brick granary built. The progress 
made was astounding and the products for 
the year 1809 were : 6,000 bushels of corn, 
4,000 bushels of wheat, 4,500 bushels of 
rye, 5,000 bushels of oats, 10,000 bushels of 
potatoes, 4,000 bushels of flax and hemp, 
fifty gallons of sweet oil, thousands of gal- 
lons of whiskey, besides more beef, mutton 
and pork than the commimity could use. 
A woolen factory was established in 1810. 
The work was done under the direction of 
Rapp, on the division of labor plan, a man 
being employed at one kind of work at all 
times, except in rare instances when a 
large force was required in the harvest 
fields. The members of the colony profited 
share and share alike, none being poor and 
none rich. They lived in happiness in the 



520 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



midst of plenty. It became their custom to 
have three feasts each j^ear, beginuing iu 
1805, they consisting of the products of the 
farm, with native wine, whiskey, beer, 
sauerkraut, rice and ginger cakes served in 
a large barn, which was thrown open to the 
people in general. They found their war- 
rant for these feasts in the XXIII Chapter 
of Exodus, the Love Feast in early spring; 
the Harvest Home when the small grains 
were in, and the Feast of the Ingathering 
when harvest was over with. Harvest 
Home became an event to be looked for- 
ward to and was held long after the de- 
parture of the Economites. 

When it was determined to seek another 
home for the Society and the property was 
offered for sale in 1814, tlie sale bill pre- 
pared by George Rapp showed there were 
in the village of Harmony 130 buildings, 
some brick and others frame and log ; that 
there was a tavern, built of brick and stone, 
with twelve rooms, a brick house for spin- 
ning and weaving; a brick house for dye- 
ing; a brick church; a frame granary, 
80x40 feet, four stories, and equipped with 
machinery; two distilleries, one built of 
brick and the other of stone ; a grist mill on 
the Big Connoquenessing, a fulling mill 
with two sets of carding-machines attached 
to it; a grist mill on Little Connoquenes- 
sing and a fulling and hemp-mill, with one 
set of cotton carding-machines ; two saw- 
mills; a well equipped tannery; a brick- 
yard; a potash factory; rope walk; brew- 
ery; a smithy with four hearths; a nail fac- 
tory; other buildings suited to various 
branches of mechanism; four large barns 
with stables underneath ; afid seven large 
sheep barns that would hold 5,000 sheep; 
twenty log buildings and barns in Rams- 
dale ; about the same number of houses and 
barns at Eidenau ; and eight or ten houses 
and barns at Oilbronn ; two miles north of 
Harmony. These villages were on the So- 
ciety's estate. The bill further stated 
there were 3,000 acres cleared; two prin- 
cipal orchards with 2,000 bearing apple 



trees and numerous small orchards; two 
vineyards and a number of sugar camps; 
that there were supported from the im- 
provements and produce of Harmony, an- 
nually, 3,000 sheep, 600 horned cattle, and 
a mnuber of horses, besides the grain to 
feed the distilleries, still affording large 
supi)lies to the country. 

The property was sold to Abraham Zeig- 
ler for a consideration of $100,000, and iu 
1815 the Harmonists moved to Posey Coun- 
ty, Indiana, and started the town of New 
Harmony. At the end of ten years they 
returned to Pennsylvania, founding the 
to^ms of Economy and Harmony on the 
east liank of the Ohio River, in Beaver 
County, where the life of the society was 
rounded out. 

A word here as to the origin of the Har- 
monist Society would not be amiss. George 
Rapp, the founder, was born in Iptingen, 
Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1757, and was 
reared on a farm. He received a fair edu- 
cation in the common schools and in his 
youth became an avidious reader of the 
Bihie, with pronounced views as to its in- 
terpretation. He developed some ideas 
along the line of common owiiership of 
property and a return to the simplicity of 
early Christian life, incompatible with the 
government of his land and the estab- 
lished church. He got beyond privately 
giving expression to his views, and when 
about thirty years old would gather his 
friends and followers at his home and to 
them expound the scriptures. Restrictions 
in his own country resulted in the removal 
to this country, as above related. It is im- 
l)0ssible to say with exactness what his 
views were along spiritual lines, as they 
changed as years went by. Common own- 
ership of property, celibacy, the leading of 
blameless lives, and helief in the early sec- 
ond coming of Christ were doctrines he 
and his disciples came to advocate in later 
years. It was his opinion that the world 
would be destroyed in 1837. Celibacy and 
a lack of proselyting reduced its member- 



ANT) REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



521 



ship rapidly, and the life of the society iu 
America was less than a century. George 
Rapp died Aug-ust 7, 1847, aged nearly 
ninety years. More than one hundred of 
his followers were, buried in Harmony 
prior to their removal from Butler County. 

Abraham Ziegler took possession of his 
property in 1815, and soon found that com- 
munity of interest, on a small scale, was 
not a bad idea. He got into financial straits 
and finding it impossible to meet the un- 
paid balance of the purchase money, went 
to New Harmony, Indiana, where he of- 
fered to turn the property back to the 
Harmonists. Rapp urged him to hold on 
to the property, cancelled some of the in- 
terest coupons, and agreed to pay fifty 
cents a pound for all the wool he could 
raise. Returning home, Mr. Ziegler secured 
the services of David Stautt'er, John 
Schwart, Jacob Swain and other early set- 
tlers, as shepherds, each to receive as com- 
pensation a tract of laud surrounding his 
home at the end of a given time. It was 
a common cause, and each putting forth his 
best etforts, the incumbrance was cleared 
away in a few years. The promises were 
kei:)t and all parties concerned reaped large 
returns. 

In 1815 Samuel Bean started a black- 
smithing establishment here, and Jacob 
Kelker came in and conducted a tavern in 
one of the old log houses. That and the 
following year saw the following pioneers 
established at Harmony: John Fleming, 
who taught school ; the Stauifers ; the Lat- 
shaws ; the Schwartzes ; the Herrs ; Johann 
Ladensehlager, an Economite; Baltzer 
Gull, a butcher ; John Roth, a blacksmith ; 
Philip Noss, a cooper ; Joseph Tinsman and 
Francis Bassler, coopers ; Jacob Gross, 
a weaver; John Tinnells; John Scheely; 
John Boyer, a Mennonite minister ; and the 
Zieglers. John Fleming kept the first store 
in the town under the new regime, and 
later Henry and John Schwartz started a 
store. They were followed by George How- 



ell, Alfred Pearee and others. In 1837 
Schontz & Ziegler established a grist-mill 
in the big Economite barn built in 1806, 
and conducted a successful enterprise there 
until its destruction by fire in 1852, other 
old buildings of the Economites meeting 
the same fate at that time. Mr. Schontz 
then became owner of another of the orig- 
inal barns, which he mantled with ma- 
chinery, and continued the milling busi- 
ness imtil he sold to John Pearee. The 
latter was succeeded in 1872 by David Zieg- 
ler, who continued the plant as it was un- 
til 1880, when it was remodeled and new 
machinery installed. Mr. Schontz also 
started up the woolen mill in 1837, and con- 
ducted it until it burned down in 1812. He 
rebuilt on the same site, put in new ma- 
chinery, and conducted the industry alone 
until he disposed of an intei-est to Robert 
Sample in 1850. In 1865 he sold his re- 
nuiining interest to John Pearee, and the 
business was conducted on a larger scale 
than before. Mr. Pearee became sole owner 
in 1871, and later made his son a partner, 
the mill developing into a large and flour- 
ishing plant. In recent times many im- 
portant industries have been estal)lislied 
and nuiintained, among which may be men- 
tioned the planing-mill of H. M. Bentle & 
Company, a firm which operates a similar 
establishment at Zelienople. 

.The first bank in operation in Harmony 
was the Harmony Savings Bank, which was 
incorporated in 1867 and in 1868 opened 
its doors for business, with Alfred Pearee 
as president, and R. H. Palmer as treas- 
urer. 

The Hannony Ndtlomd Bank was organ- 
ized in 1876, with Butler capitalists as the 
principal stockholders and directors. John 
Dindinger was one of its most active or- 
ganizers. W. H. H. Riddle was the first 
president, and H. J. Mitchell, cashier. 

The Commercial Bank of Harmony, es- 
tablished March 1, 1892, was an undertak- 
ing of S. E. Niece, a man of prominence in 



522 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



oil operations and iu banking circles, but 
the institution was not of long duration. 

The first school in the borough after the 
departure of the Economites was that es- 
tablished in 1815 or 1816 by John Fleming, 
later known as the poet postmaster. Many 
others taught prior to the establishment 
of the public school system in 1835, among 
the best known being John Heberling, the 
mason, and William Huntzberber. Prom 
an early period there has been a succes- 
sion of private or select schools, of which 
the Harmony Collegiate Institute is an out- 
growth. There is now one public school, of 
four rooms, including a three years' high 
school course. There are four teachers, 
with an enrollment of 150 pupils. 

The borough of Harmony was incorpo- 
rated in 1838, and William Keck was 
elected as the first burgess. A postoffice 
was established here in 1813, when Andrew 
McClure, upon being tarred and feathered 
by volunteer soldiers for giving expression 
to his Tory sentiments, in his pique, left 
Zelienople for Harmony. The po'stoffice 
followed him, and an Economite was placed 
in charge. John Fleming was the next 
postmaster, and served here until 1835, 
when he Inoved the office to Zelienople. 
There was for many years much rivalry 
between the two boroughs over the ques- 
tion, as the citizens of the one without an 
office were obliged to go to the other for 
mail. Ill feeling died down in later years, 
when ofSces were maintained in both places. 
Upon being re-established at Harmony, S. 
P. P. Yoimg was first postmaster. He has 
had a number of successors, the present 
incumbent of the office being Mrs. Susan 
Fielder. 

The census report of 1870 showed the 
population of the borough to be 414; in 
1880, 497; in 1890, 585, and in 1900, 645. 
The present population of the borough is 
about 1,000, with an additional 400 or 500 
in the immediate vicinity, making a town 
of substantially 1,400 or more population. 



CHUKCHES. 

The Meiinoiiite Church was the first in 
Harmony after the departure of George 
Rapp. Rev. John Boyer was the first 
preacher, and at first preached in a small 
edifice which they erected in 1816. Abra- 
ham Ziegler was the principal supporter of 
the chixrch from its organization until his 
defath in 1836, and in 1825 was instru- 
mental in the building of a stone church, 
which served the organization for many 
years. Other formerly-existing churches 
were the German Evangelical Lutheran, 
organized by Rev. Eli Steaver in 1843 ; the 
Baptist, which had a brief and precarious 
existence, and the Church of God, organ- 
ized by Rev. W. B. Long. 

Grace Reformed CMirch was organized 
in 1826 by Rev. John Koch and the ser- 
mons preached in the German language. 
The old brick church erected by the dis- 
ciples of Rapp in 1806 was purchased as a 
house of worship, and was frequently re- 
modeled and enlarged to meet the demands 
of an increasing congregation. The pres- 
ent pastor is Rev. Lewis Reiter. The 
church has a membership of three hundred. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church was or- 
ganized at Zelieople in 1842, as related in 
the chapter on that borough, and in 1880 
was removed to Harmony. Here they 
erected a new church building at a cost of 
$2,000, it being dedicated on August 15, 
1880. The present membership is 130; 
pastor. Rev. M. R. Hackman. 

The Presbyterian Church has a member- 
ship of about 240, and is a flourishing or- 
ganization. The pastor is Rev. Hugh 
Leith. 

The first cemetery in the community was 
that used as a burial ground by the Har- 
monists from 1805 until 1815. Upon the 
departure of that society they covered the 
graves with rock to a depth of several 
feet, so that the bones of their dead would 
not be disturbed. In 1869 a fitting tribute 
was paid these long departed pioneers by 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



523 



old representatives of the community. Tliey 
caused the rock to be removed and the 
graves marked, and built a substantial 
wall about the graveyard, the expense be- 
ing something over $7,000. 

Among the leading business enterprises 
of the present day are the following: li. 

C. Mullerman, general merchandise ; W. B. 
Cranmer and J. K. Scott, livery; Enoch 
Knox and J. Weigel, blacksmiths; Har- 
mony Creamery Co.; Zeigler & Stamm, 
furniture; S. D. Kirker, feed store; H. M. 
Wise, lumber; Harmony Cereal Co., A. H. 
Knauf, proprietor; H. W. Bame, grocer; 
the Hotel Bean, S. A. Bean, proprietor; 
Zeigler House, L. N. Zeigler, proprietor; 
Oil Well Supply Co. ; Edward Sahli, meats ; 
Sitler, Swain & Moyer, general merchan- 
dise; Barnhart's Pharmacy; A. W. Flow- 
ers' Fouudrj', and the Harmony Hardware 
Co. (H. II. Beighlea, manager of imple- 
ment department). Resident phvsiciaus are 

D. W. Fiedler, J. H. Ealston and Arthur S. 
Stewart. 

The B. & 0. Railroad and the B. R. and 
P. Railroads supply steam connection with 
outside points. The Pittsburg, Harmony, 
Butler and New Castle Electric Line began 
operations about July, 1908. 

Telephone service is furnished by the 
Bell and P. & A. systems, while there are 
adequate telegraph and express accommo- 
dations. 

The fraternal orders represented in Har- 
mony are the Odd Fellows, the Royal Ar- 
canum, the Knights of Pvthias and the K. 
0. T. M. 

Officials. — Burgess, A. Eppinger; presi- 
dent of council, H. H. Beighlea ; secretary, 
H. A. Halstein; treasurer, E. G. Kris- 
tophel ; constable, Fred Schatf er ; high con- 
stable, Jacob Weigel; tax collector, Levi 
Boyer ; assessor, Thomas ■\Vlieeler. 

ZELIENOPLE BOROUGH. 

Zelienople is a beautiful and prosperous 
little borough, located on the Baltimore & 
Ohio Railroad and on the Pittslmrg, Har- 



mony, Butler and New Castle interurban 
line. Its name is derived from that of Ze- 
lie, daughter of Dr. Miiller, the founder of 
the place. Dr. Miiller, or more correctly. 
Dr. Detmar Basse, was a scholarly man of 
large ideas and ambitions. He was an in- 
fluential man in his native Germany, and at 
one time represented the City of Frankfort 
as an ambassador to Paris. In 1802 he 
came to this country and purchased a vast 
tract of 10,000 acres lying in Butler and 
Beaver counties, Pennsylvania, his idea, 
appai'ently, being to establish a baronial 
estate amid romantic and picturesque sur- 
roundings in this part of the then growing- 
West. He was a man of large means, and 
after laying out the village built him a pala- 
tial home of three stories in the architect- 
ural style of an old castle, with its towers, 
turrets and battlements, to which he gave 
the name of Bassenheim. A part of his 
holdings jie disposed of in 1804 to George 
Rapp and his associates, retaining some 
5,000 acres. An account of his mills and 
furnace is given in the history of Jackson 
township. It was his connection with the 
mills and his custom of signing his name 
Detmar Basse Miiller that caused him to 
1)6 known thereafter as Miiller. He went 
liack to Germany, temporarily, in 1806, and 
returned in 1807, accompanied by his 
daughter, Zelie, and her husband, Philip 
L. Passavant. He then devoted himself 
actively to the success of his undertaking 
and the upbiailding of the village and the 
development of its resources. He returned 
to his native land in 1818, leaving his in- 
terests to be cared for by Mr. Passavant, 
to whom he sold all of the unsold lots in 
Zelienople for $1,400. Bassenheim and 400 
acres surrounding it was sold to Joseph 
Allen in 1836, and six years later was de- 
stroyed by fire. 

Philip L. Passavant established the first 
store in the village in 1807, and was other- 
wise an important factor in the develop- 
ment of the community. He conducted the 
store for fortv-one vears, and was then 



524 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



succeeded by his son, C. S. Passavant. As 
early as 1804, Christian Buhl, the hatter, 
and Daniel Fiedler, distiller and ferryman, 
erected cabins, which were the first built on 
the town site. Jonathan Baybury ; Andrew 
Diemer and his son, masons by trade ; and 
John G. Muntz, who moved to Harmony in 
1804 or 1805 ; Mclntyre, the spinning wheel 
niauufactnrer ; Jacob Heberling, the third 
stone mason of the village, and John Lock, 
the miller, were all early members of the 
colony here. Andrew McClure moved in 
from his farm and kept tavern where the 
Grand Central Hotel of modern days was 
built. Charles Cist opened a small store 
here in 1814, and about the same time there 
came to the settlement, Jacob Hoffa, David 
Arneal, and a man named Hungelmeyer, 
who was a carpenter by trade. Robert IBol- 
ton and Frederick JBentle, blacksmiths; 
John Boyer, a preacher; and Vance Ran- 
dolph, a millwright, came in 1816, and were 
followed not long after by John A. Beyer, 
.\dam and H. W. Goehring, John Lambert, 
and others. The McClure tavern was es- 
tal)lislied shortly after the first log cabins 
were built, and was taken in by the house 
erected by John Randolph in the twenties. 
Both buildings were later united to form 
the Bastian House, and in 1878 the prop- 
erty was purchased by H. W. Stokey, who 
converted it into a good modern hotel, 
which was named the Grand Central. The 
Eagle Hotel was built in the twenties by 
Ivudolph Kelker, and was conducted by 
various landlords until 1878, when Henry 
Stokey became proprietor. The latter was 
succeeded by his son, Charles Stokey, who 
conducts the New Stokey, a modern, up- 
to-date and well patronized house of enter- 
tainment. 

The pioneer newspaper of the borough 
was the Zelienople Recorder, published in 
1847. It was followed by thQ Connoquenes- 
sing Neivs, which was established by Sam- 
uel Yoimg and bj^ him conducted until his 
death, when a son, J. R. Young, became 
owner and editor. The first passenger train 



entered the borough the first day in the 
year 1879, and in 1880 the American Union 
Telegraph Company began operating here. 

Nicholas Dambach in March, 1882, estab- 
lished a private bank, which was purchased 
the following year by Dr. Amos Lusk and 
son. Dr. Lusk died in 1891, and Amos M. 
Lusk carried on the business in partner- 
ship with John A. Gelbach imtil March, 
1893, when he disposed of his interest to 
Jacob Gelbach. The banking firm of Gel- 
bach Brothers established the institution 
as one of the safest and most sound in But- 
ler County. 

The German Mutual Fire Insurance 
Company of Zelienople was organized by 
some of the most substantial men of the 
community, and its affairs soon placed in 
a thriving condition. 

Andrew McClure, the pioneer tavern- 
keepei', was also the first postmaster and 
seiwed until his pro-British sentiments 
during the War of 1812 got him into dis- 
favor. In 181.3 he was tarred and feath- 
ered by volunteer soldiers, en route to 
Lake Erie, and in revenge resigned the 
office to a citizen in Harmony. The town 
was then without a postoffice until 1835, 
when John G. Muntz was appointed post- 
master at Zelienople. The present incvmi- 
])ent is N. B. Duncan. 

The population of Zelienople, as re- 
vealed by the census reports, shows the 
growth was steadv and continuous. It was 
387 in 1870, 497 m 1880, 639 in 1890, and 
963 in 1900. With the Extension it is now 
about 1,800. 

Prior to 1810 the schools of Harmony 
served also as the schools of this borough, 
but in that year an octagonal brick house 
was erected on the Diamond for school and 
religious purposes. In 1817 Jacob Holla's 
wife conducted a primitive subscription 
school, and she was succeeded by a Mr. 
Brewster, and later by Jacob Heberling. 
In 1825 the manual labor school was estab- 
lished by the Presbytery of Pittsburg in 
the Bassenheim, and was conducted under 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



01^0 



Superintendent Saunders until 1836. In 
1835 the common school law was adopted, 
and in time a good system of schools was 
built up, but almost continuously there has 
been a private school conducter under the 
various titles of high school, academy or 
college. The Zelienople select school of 
1845 was presided over by Rev. L. F. 
Leake, and the Connoquenessing Academy, 
under Dr. G. Bassler, C. Gr. Holls and Jo- 
siah E. Titzell, soon followed. Dr. Amos 
Lusk, among the foremost business men 
and citizens, was a man of scholarly attain- 
ments and was always a friend to the edu- 
cational institutions, which he did much to 
bring into being and improve. In April, 
1883, after title to the old school on the 
Diamond had been proved faulty, a fine 
new school building was erected at the 
head of Main Street. The school building- 
has seven rooms, with seven teachers, in- 
cluding the principal, F. A. MeClung, and 
an enrollment of 305 pupils. The high 
school course has recently been raised from 
a three to a four years' course. 

The borough of Zelienople was incor- 
porated in 1840, and Dr. Orrin D. Palmer 
was the first burgess. The first justices of 
the peace were Christian Buhl and John 
Levis. 

St. Paul's Evangelical Luihcyan Cliurcli 
was organized as a German Lutheran 
church in 1822, with H. W. Goehring, Cas- 
per 0. Muller and P. L. Passavant as 
trustees. The first pastor was Rev. J. C. 
G. Schweitzerbarth, who served as such 
for nearly thirty years. A stone meeting- 
house, constructed of native sandstone and 
of Gothic design, was dedicated June 10, 
1827, and is still in a good state of pre- 
servation. The church now has about 200 
communicants. The church property con- 
sists of three acres, donated by P. L. Pas- 
savant, and is devoted to the church build- 
ing, the cemetery and the parsonage, which 
latter was remodeled in 1907. The present 
pastor is Eev. Frederick H. Myer. 



The United Presbyterian Church was or- 
ganized April 7, 1895, with twenty-four 
charter members. Eev. Edward S. Littell 
became pastor January 4, 1901, when the 
membership numbered forty-eight. Since 
then there has been a steady growth, and 
there are now 104 members, with a Sab- 
bath school enrollment of sixty-five. The 
church building was erected at a cost of 
about $9,000. 

The English Lutheran Church was or- 
ganized January 21, 1843. A plain brick 
church was erected, and on July 6, 1845, 
was dedicated. It was the home of the 
congregation until the new and modern 
brick church was completed. The latter 
was dedicated on April 28, 1884. Rev. 
Bassler was the first pastor and continued 
witli the church until April, 1864, when he 
resigned to enter upon his duties as su- 
perintendent of the Orphans' Home. Dur- 
ing his pastorate the church society was in- 
corporated, the date being June 16, 1860. 
In 1904 the present handsome church edi- 
fice was erected at a cost of about $25,000. 
It is a fine stone structure of modern archi- 
tecture. The present pastor, Rev. L. J. 
Baker, has served the congregation since 
November, 1905. The church now has a 
membership of 275, witli a Sunday school 
of 233, and is in a verv prosperous condi- 
tion. 

The Preshgterian Church was organized 
in 1845 by Eev. L. F. Leake. Meetings dur- 
ing the first decade of its existence were 
held in the Baptist or Methodist church, or 
in the schoolhouses of Zelienople and Har- 
mony. A church building was erected in 
1885, and Eev. Webber was installed as 
pastor. He continued until 1863, and was 
succeeded by Eev. D. D. Christy (stated 
supply), and others. 

St. Peter's Evangelical Protestant 
Church (independent) was organized and 
built in 1858, with Eev. E. F. Winter as the 
first pastor, who served the congregation 
over twenty-two years. The Eev. O. D. 



526 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



Miller, who is the present pastor, succeeded 
Rev. Ebbinghaus iu 190U, and under his 
able ministrations the church has increased 
its membership to -134, with a Sunday 
school enrollment of one hundred and 
twentj'-tive. 

The United Evangelical Church, known 
as the German United Evangelical Protest- 
ant Congregation of St. Peter's Church of 
the borough of Zelienople, was organized 
January 1, 1859, by Rev. E. F. Winter, and 
in 1861 a frame church building was 
erected at a cost of $3,000. The society 
was incorporated in January, 1873. Prior 
to the erection of the church services were 
held in the Presbyterian church. 

Monroe Chapel of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church was organized at Zelienople, 
and on March 24, 1862, was incorporated. 
The place of meeting was moved to Har- 
mony in 1880. 

St. Gregory's Roman Catholic Church 
was erected in 1906 and is located in Zelie- 
nople Extension. It has a resident pastor 
and gives promise of being a strong and 
permanent organization. 

orphans' home and orphans' farm school. 

[Compiled mostly from Rev. Dr. H. W. 
Roth's "Fifty Years Among the Or- 
phans."] 

In 1849 Pastor Theodore Fliedner of 
Kaiserwerth, Germany, came to Pittsburg, 
Pa., at the earnest solicitation of the Rev. 
W. A. Passavant, of blessed memory, to 
take part in the dedication of The Pitts- 
burgh Infirmary, and to begin a Deaconess 
Mother House in America. 

At a little gathering of friends in the 
home of a Pittsburgh German pastor, Flied- 
ner urged the duty of providing also for the 
care of the orphan children. At this little 
gathering one of the company placed a dol- 
lar into the hands of this German pastor, 
saying: "Here you have a beginning for 
an Orphans' Home." A few years later 
this lone dollar was given "in trust" to the 
Rev. Passavant. 



HOW THE ORPHANS AND THE HOME CAME. 

In the Infirmary a German clergyman 
died. Also a Swiss schoolmaster, and 
others. Pitiful were their prayers for the 
boys and girls, their children, whom they 
left homeless as they themselves had been. 

While in London, three years before 
Fliedner 's visit to Pittsburgh, Rev. Pas- 
savant found refuge from a sudden shower 
in a Jewish Orphanage. His heart was 
strangely moved, and there the good Spirit 
of God awakened and deepened a purpose 
to begin at home some work of like char- 
acter. And now that orphans were sent, it 
was resolved in humble reliance upon the 
Father of the fatherless, to care for those 
homeless children. In April, 1852, Sister 
C. Louisa Marthens, the first American 
deaconess, was appointed matron, and the 
first Orphans' Home began in the Infirm- 
ary buildings, corner Roberts and Reed 
streets, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

orphans' farm school, zelienople, pa. 

The Rev. Paul Anderson brought two 
boys and a girl, the children of Norwegian 
parents who died- in Chicago, and these 
were the first admissions to the newly or- 
ganized Home. From Pittsburgh the rav- 
ages of cholera sent many children, and the 
Home was full. 

In September, 1852, Rev. Passavant and 
the Rev. Gottlieb Bassler purchased from 
Joseph Zeigler some twenty-five acres near 
Zelienople, and entered upon the establish- 
ment of The Orphans' Farm School. In 
1853 the director's house was built and 
other improvements made. 

In April, 1854, Rev. G. Bassler, A. M., 
took charge as director, and moved from 
Middle Lancaster, Penna., into the new 
residence. In May, 1854, Mr. Asa H. 
Waters, a student of theology, opened the 
Academy in the property of Rev. C. G. 
Schweitzerbarth. Into this eight boys were 
brought from the Home in Pittsburgh. The 
excellent mother of Mr. Waters looked 
after the housekeeping of the family, and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



527 



Mr. J. Q. Waters, a student at the Acad- 
emy, had oversight of the boys at their 
work on the little farm and at their studies. 

THE BUILDING OF THE PARENT HOUSE. 

This was a big undertaking with onl}^ 
seventy-five cents in the treasury. But 
these men of faith went forward, and July 
4, 1854, many people in attendance, and 
with appropriate services and addresses, 
the corner-stone was laid, notable as the 
first event of the kind in the whole Lu- 
theran church of America. 

FELLOW LABORERS AT THE ORPHANS' FARM 
SCHOOL. 

In November, 1855, Mr. C. G. Holls, a 
pupil of Dr. Wichern of "Das Rauhe 
Hans" fame, was duly installed as head 
master and house father in the newly fin- 
ished Parent House. For eleven j^ears he 
discharged the duties of his position Avith 
marked ability. During the illness of the 
Rev. (}. Bassler, the first director. Rev. Gr. 
W. Frederick, then pastor of the church at 
Zelienople, efficiently served the interests 
of the Home. Mr. David L. Debendarfer 
was called as assistant to the director, and 
on the lamented death of Rev. G. Bassler, 
Oct. 3, 1868, was chosen director. Until 
called to his reward in 1877, the Rev. Deb- 
endarfer and his devoted wife faithfully 
performed the difficult duties of their re- 
sponsible positions. 

In the spring of 1878 the Rev. J. A. 
Kinbbs, A. M., with his estimable wife as 
matron, entered the Orphans ' Farm School 
as third director, and began the successful 
service which has been continued for over 
thirty years. The girls remained in their 
Pittsburgh Home after the boys had gone 
to Zelienople, until May, 1862, when they 
moved to Rochester, Pa., where houses had 
been built for their residence in families. 

In 1895 the Orphans ' Home at Rochester 
was united with the Orphans ' Farm School 
«t Zelienople, and the two bands became 
one, the girls becoming inmates of the in- 



stitution under the care of Rev. and Mrs. 
J. A. Kribbs. 

This Home is clearly a child of Provi- 
dence. God has graciously and tenderly 
cared for every want, in His own time and 
in His own way. During the fifty-four 
years of trial, struggle and triumph of 
God's cause, the orphans in this Home 
have never wanted, but every day received 
their "daily bread." The great founder 
of this Home, that man of God, the Rev. 
\Y. A. Passavant, D. D., in prayer and 
faith for forty years stood between the 
helpless and the Great Helper, pleading 
the cause of the destitute, friendless or- 
phans, and they have been cared for, 
clothed and fed. 

The following facts in the history of 
these homes are worthy of note. In the 
early beginnings of this beneficent work 
twenty-five acres of land were purchased 
for the uses of an Orphans' Home, and a 
$25,000 building erected thereon and paid 
for. Later one hundred acres of land, and 
again two hundred and seventy-five acres 
of land, were purchased and paid for. In 
December, 1862, the first building was de- 
stroyed by fire. Another central building, 
with additional dormitories and school 
building, was erected at a cost of some 
$20,000 and paid for. Again, in 1889, the 
second building was destroyed by fire. This 
was rebuilt and enlarged, and with recent 
additional new buildings and improvements 
at a cost of $30,000 or more, and all paid 
for. Today the beautiful farm and wood- 
land of four hundred acres and all our 
buildings stand free of debt. 

It is also worthy of note that in all these 
years our, Homes have never had a finan- 
cial agent out in the field collecting funds. 
It is true the cause of the orphans has been 
brought l)efore our churches, Sunday 
schools and individual friends, and appeals 
have been made through church papers, 
circulars and reports. The support dur- 
ing all these more than fifty years has 
come from the gratuitous responses of the 



528 



ITISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



conset'i-ated hearts and bands of God's 
people. 

The Orphans' Home founded in Pitts- 
burgh by Rev. W. A. Passavant, D. D., and 
the Orphans' Farm School founded in Ze- 
lienople, more than fifty years ago, are 
to be measured not only by the acual work 
done here, but rather by the influences put 
in motion, and the impetus given to or- 
phan work throughout the Lutheran church 
in this country and also among other 
Protestant denominations. These Orphan 
Homes were the first of their kind for many 
years among the Protestant churches. To- 
day there are some fifty orphanages in the 
Lutheran church and quite a number 
among other Protestant churches. 

In the good Providence of God, the 
sainted Dr. Passavant, who was called to 
liis eternal home June 3, 1894, sowed the 
good seed which sprung up, grew and 
spread its branches. It is true, "one sow- 
eth and another reapeth," but "both he 
that soweth and he that reapeth rejoice 
together," and "shall reap fruit unto life 
eternal." All praise to God for whatever 
good has been done in this great field of 
beneficence. 

The Eev. J. A. Kribbs, after a service 
of more than thirty years, as director, re- 
tires January 1, 1909, and the Rev. Charles 
W. White, duly elected by the board of 
managers as director of these homes, en- 
ters upon the duties and responsibilities of 
this office at the same date, Januarv 1, 
1909. 

THE OLD PEOPLKS' HOME OF THE PITTSBURG 
SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 
CHURCH IN ZELIENOPLE, PENN- 
SYLVANIA. 

The Lutheran Church is noted for its 
numerous institutions of mercy in all parts 
of the United States, and there are sev- 
eral such in Butler Coiinty and the adjoin- 
ing county of Allegheny. But until quite 
recently there was not among them any 
home for old people; but the Pittsburg 



Synod had for a number of years in con- 
templation the founding of sucli a home, 
and made all the preliminary arrange- 
ments about three years ago. And in the 
spring of 1907 a dwelling-house was rented 
for the accommodation of several persons 
who had asked to be cared for, and the 
temijorary home was placed under the care 
of an experienced and trusted deaconess. 
Sister Katherine Foerster. Eight acres 
of land were purchased for the permanent 
hoiue, but at that juncture the very valu- 
al)Ie gift was received from Mrs. Jane E. 
Passavant of a beautful oak grove of ten 
acres adjorning the eight acres and front- 
ing 540 feet on Main Street in the village, 
which gives the institution an ideal loca- 
tion. 

On this ground two beautifnl memorial 
cottages have been erected by a gentleman 
notal)le for his works of charity; and the 
board of managers have finished Sections 
One and Two of the ultimate large struc- 
ture. These buildings are substantial and 
beautiful and are equipped with all the 
latest improvements and appliances of 
such institutions. The amount invested 
at the present time is fully $45,000. 

The Zelienople Flouring Mills, of which 
C. B. Harper is proprietor, has a capacity 
of fifty barrels of flour and fifteen tons of 
feed daily. The first mill on the site was 
erected in the early part of the nineteenth 
century, and was operated for many years 
by water power, but for the last forty 
years both steam and water power have 
ben used. The present building was erected 
in 1853 by John Herr. The mill subse- 
quently became the property of Albert 
Seidel, who owned and operated it for 
about forty years, when, in 1891, it was 
purchased by its present owner, Mr. Har- 
per. The latter also owns a large feed 
store in Zelienople, which is doing a pros- 
perous business. 

The Iron City Sanitary Manufacturing 
Company was organized in 1899. Its officers 
are A. A. Fraunenheim, president; J. A. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



529 



general offices in Pittsburg. The plant oc- 
cupies twelve acres and gives employment 
to six Inmdred men. The manufactured 
product consists of plumbers' supplies and 
enameled ware and commands a wide and 
increasing market. The company owns 
considerable property in the west end of 
the borough and has made some notable 
improvements, building a number of cot- 
tage homes. It is tlie largest manufactur- 
ing concern in Zelienople. 

There are several other manufacturing 
concerns beginning operations in Zelie- 
nople, among them the Specialty Foundry 
Company and the Kerner Manufacturing- 
Company. 

Among the leading merchants are tiie 
following: Chas. E. Reed and Alpheas 
Sitler, druggists ; A. Seaton & Son, lumber ; 
P. C. Frederick, proprietor of the Stahl 
Distillery; H. W. Kauffman, boots and 
shoes; Geo. King, confectioner; John Blum, 
shoe store; the Herman Pneumatic Ma- 
chine Company, incorporated in 1906, with 
a capital stock of $75,000; J. J. Kennedy, 
groceries and builders' supi^lies; Zenas 
McMichael (J. P.), real estate and insur- 
ance ; Edwin Meeder, general merchandise ; 
Fred Zehner, farm implements and feed 
store; H. E. Dean & Co., clothiers; A. H. 
Meeder, dry goods; Fred Eyles, music 
.store; John E. Koeher, proprietor of the 
Connoquenesslng Valley Neirs; J. Din- 
dinger & Son, dry goods ; F. S. Goehring, 
tinner; G. Householder, farm implements; 
A. Latshaw & Son, grocers; H. G. McCim, 
merchant; Edwin Zehner, furniture and 
imdertaking; Zelienople Hardware Co.; B. 
M. Hildebrand, clothing; Solomon's Cloth- 
ing Store, and Hess and Son, merchant 
tailors. Doctors, A. G. Duncan. R. E. Gal- 
lagher and F. W. Cunningham have up-to- 
date dental parlors, while among the lead- 
ing physicians are Drs. A. V. Cunningham, 
S. E. Ralston, R. A. Reed and John A. 
Kerr, 

The new Hotel Stokey, proprietor, 
Henry W. Stokey, is an up-tn-date. well 



eciuipped hostelry. The Stokey House, con- 
ducted by William and A. G. Eicholtz, is 
also doing a successful business. 

The Peoples National Bank commenced 
business in October, 1904, and is apsrated 
under a capital of $50,000. Its pi-esent of- 
ficers are C. J. D. Strohecker, president; 
W. J. Lamberton, vice president; A. B. 
Crawford, cashier, and E. P. Young, as- 
sistant cashier. Its directors are all men 
of business ability and experience. 

The First National Bank of Zelienople 
began business in 1881 and was organized 
as a national bank in 1902. Its capital is 
$50,000. It is now in its twenty-eighth 
>ear of successful banking. Every accom- 
modation consistent with conservative 
banking is accorded to its patrons. The 
officers are H. M, Wise, president; C. B. 
Harper, vice president; C. S. Passavant, 
vice president; W. H. Gelbach, cashier: 11. 
Kloffenstein, assistant cashier. 

Zelienople has two systems of telephone 
service — the Bell and the Peoples of But- 
ler, which is associated with the P. (Ji: .\. 
telephone system of Pittsburg, with an ex- 
change near Zelienople. 

The borough has an efficient \"olunteer 
Fire Department, under the conunand of 
Chief M. S. Shaw; also an adequate water 
plant, which was installed at a cost of $27.- 
000. There are over five miles of sewer- 
age, $4,500 having been spent for this pur- 
pose during 1908. 

The B. & 0. Railroad and the B. R. & 
P. R. R. furnish steam railroad service, 
the latter entering the borough over the 
tracks of the B. & O. The P., H., B. & X. 
C. Railway furnishes electric communica- 
tion with outlaying points. 

Zelienople has a commodious o])('ra 
house, located on the second floor of the 
First National Bank Building. 

The fraternal orders are represented l)y 
the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of 
Pythias, etc., the lodges being all in a jiros- 
perous condition. 

Cnpfain Wilson Post, No. 496, G. A. H., 



530 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



was orgauized Mai-cli l'.'!. I.s.^,".. witli twelve 
charter members. 

Major L. C. Briiiton Caiiqj, Xu. 2:n, Sons 
of Veterans, was established at Zelienople 
in October, 1888, with J. F. Knapp as cap- 
tain, and Cyrus Rnby and (ieorge Ki'a(UM 
as Heutenants. 

The Women's Christ ian 'L'einperiiiicc 
r)/i()ii was organized May 24, 1886, its first 
officials being Mrs. F. G. Frishkorn, presi- 
dent; Mrs. C. S. Passavant, vice-president; 
Eliza Bastia'n, secretary, and Mrs. 11. M. 
Bentle, treasurer. 

Toini Officials. — Burgess, Chas. Stokey; 
councilmen, E. P.- Young, Chas. S. Passa- 
vant, Jr., AVm. Frishkorn, A. G. Eicholtz, 
H. E. Seaton, Jacob Gelbaeh, Gillert Goeh- 
ring; borough clerk. Dr. F. W. Cunning- 
ham; tax collector, Geo. Householder; 
borough treasurer, A. B. Crawford; water 
works superintendent, John Lauten; school 
directors. Rev. Hugh Leitli, Dr. S. E. Rals- 
ton, Geo. King, Chas. Gallagher, Fred 
Frishkorn, "Wm. A. Swain; justices of the 
peace, Zenas McMichael, H. N. Teeples ; 
constable, John Loten ; chief of police, Ed- 
ward Knauff. 

, EVANS crrv. 

This borough, incorporated in 1882, 
dates back as a settlement to the pioneer 
days, when it was known as Boggs' Mill. 
It was surveved and laid out by William 
Purviance for Thomas B. Evans in 1838, 
and was thereafter known as Evansburg 
until it received its present appellation. 
Although an old settlement, its advance- 
ment was slow and uncertain until the ad- 
vent of the railroad in 1878, since which 
time its growth has been ])henomenal. Its 
population of sixty-eight in 1880 could al- 
most be multiplied by ten in 1890, the cen- 
sus of that year showing it to be 637. It 
was nearly doubled in the next decade, with 
a population of 1,203 in 1900, and is about 
1,500 at the present time (January, 1909). 
The total assessed value of Evans Citv is 
$66,727. 



The borough Ls located on Breakneck 
Creek, lying partly in Jackson and partly 
in Forward Townships. Before white set- 
tlement had been made, the site was a fa- 
vorite Indian camping ground, the red men 
giving the name of Big Beaver Run to the 
creek. The French, however, knew it as 
Casse-cou-anse, or Breakneck Creek, a 
name which survived the times. 

Robert Boggs, in 1796, exchanged a mare 
for 400 acres of land and erected a log 
cabin where now is a store in Evans City. 
He opened a tavern, the nearest settlement 
at that time being Duncan's tavern, six 
miles away. He was followed here soon 
after by John Dunn, John Rea, and Will- 
iam and ]\Iichael Martin. In 1804 the 
Boggs mill was built, and although it was 
a rude structure and crude in its equip- 
ment, it was kept very busy, being a valu- 
able adjunct to the community. Major 
Reese Evans worked in this mill for some 
years prior to 1820, and under him Thomas 
B. Evans learned the trade. The latter, in 
1836, purchased the mill and 200 acres of 
Boggs, and in 1838 built the new mill and 
had the town laid out. His death occurred 
within a few years, before he had a chance 
to make a success of his venture in town 
building. His widow subseciuently mar- 
ried Jacob Balkams and moved away. 

The first store here was started by John 
Rea, whose success as a merchant led to 
his embarking in the hotel business. His 
son, William Rea, of Adams Township, 
was one of the prominent early-day politi- 
cians of Butler County. John Rea finally 
traded his hotel for the farm of John 
O'Connor, whose succes.s in the business 
did not prove so good. He rented to W. 
II. Johnston, who was a son-in-law of 
Michael Martin. Mr. Martin kei^t store in 
Harmony before moving here, as did Jona- 
than Ransom. Thomas Wilson, a large land 
owner of Jackson Township, moved to the 
village and was one of the first to build 
after it was laid out. Thomas ]\IcQuoil 
and Samuel Bislioj) were early shoemakers 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



531 



in this district ; and Joseph Mellwain, who 
was known to the settlers as "the generous 
peddler," became a merchant of the place. 
He for twenty-five years made weekly trips 
to Pittsburg with farm produce, return- 
ing with dry goods, notions and groceries 
for his trade. Other early residents, many 
of whom did not remain long, were William 
and Josiah Logan, brothers-in-law of 
Thomas B. Evans; "Big Dan" and "Little 
Dan" Mcintosh; the McCunes; Joseph Mc- 
Allister, the wheelwright; Samuel Kirk, 
the justice; a man named Turk, who was 
working on an invention to run. machinery 
by sand; the Balkams; James Wilson, an 
ai)othecary; Kade Miller, a school teacher; 
Thomas Reed, a blacksmith; Jonas Bo- 
lander, who cast aside his trade as a wa- 
gonmaker and engaged in school teaching; 
Henry Barkey, local preacher of the 
Church of God and one of the earlv mer- 
chants here, who afterward founded the 
town of Barkeyville; John Barkey, who 
conducted a store here; James Harbaugh, 
a horse trader; Joseph Harl)augh, for 
years the leading blacksmith and a re- 
spected citizen ; Henry Mickley, a freighter 
and huckster, who became established in 
the hotel business in the fifties, and Abra- 
ham Huntzberger. John Kane, a stone- 
mason by trade, in the early years cut the 
markings on the headstones in the ceme- 
tery. He established a (puirry near the 
Plains church in Adams Townshi]i, and 
after years of solitude moved to Evans- 
burg. He built an air.furnace, much to the 
curiosity of the people and more to their 
surprise when a moulder named Symming- 
ton pronounced it ]iractical and rented it. 
Mr. Symmington carried on a successful 
business in jilows, ]ioiiits, stoves and other 
necessary ai'ticles of hardware until the 
Kane Furnace was burned out. In 1848 
Joseph Mcllwain established a tannery, 
and in 1844 employed Lewis Gansz, who had 
previously been foreman in the Harmony 
tannerj"- and also operated iNfagee's tan- 
nery on the Connof|uenessing. Mr. (xansz 



purchased the plant in 1849 and operated it 
until he was succeeded in the business by 
his son, who continued for some years. 

Dr. Cornell was the first local practi- 
tioner of medicine and his opportunities 
were great, as the nearest competitor was 
at Harmony. He remained but a short 
time. The next to locate here was Dr. Will- 
iam Sterrett, who prospered, as did his 
successor, Dr. William Irvine. 

The first hotel with any pretensions of 
class was the one established by Henry 
Stokej' in 1864, in the old Randolph House, 
and four years later J. N. Miller, who had 
been a shoemaker, entered the business. 
Eight years later the latter erected one of 
the finest hotels in the countj', at that time, 
giving it the name .of the Miller House. 
The roof was carried away in the storm of 
August 19, 1880, and the building other- 
wise damaged, but at a considerable ex- 
pense the damage was iiiuiuMJiately ve- 
))aired. CUiarles H. Miller succeeded to 
the ownership of this hotel in 1891, and in 
1893 made further extensive improvements 
in the building and its furnishings. The 
Central House, opposite the Miller House, 
was opened u]) l)v Henrv W. Stokey in 
1881, who conducted it until 1888. It'was 
later conducted by Jacob Hyle under the 
name of the Hyle House. The Commer- 
cial Hotel is now conducted by G. A. Gehm. 

The Citizens Bank of Evans City was in- 
corporated Fel)ruarv 8, 1894, with a capital 
stock of $50,000. Edward Dambach was 
elected president; Daniel Markel, vice- 
])resident, and John Rohner, cashier. These 
gentlemen, with Jacol) Dambach, Zeno 
Markel, W. Fowler, A. M. Fowler, W. H. 
Weir and P. D. Gelbach, were stockholders. 
This bank succeeded the well known bank- 
ing establishment of Jacob Dambach & 
Son, which had its inception in 1878. On 
September 1, 1907, this bank became the 
Citizens National Bank of Evans City, a 
Savings Department also being added at 
that time. The institution is in a prosper- 
ous condition. 



532 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Evans City, oi- latlicr tlie settlement of 
the early days, was in tiie school district 
whose school was the old log house a half 
mile west. The village continued under 
the Jackson township school board juris- 
diction until its creation as an independent 
school district in 1882. There is now one 
public school, with rooms, six teachers, and 
an enrollment of 300 pupils. 

After the incorporation of the borough 
in 1882 Edward Dambach was elected tlie 
first burgess, the date of his election being 
September 22d. With tlie rapid growth of 
the borough, safeguards weic cstnblisluMl 
for the citizens and their property, ,iud ail 
the conveniences of a model residence cit\ 
provided. In 1888 a calaboose was erected; 
in 1889 fire apparatus was purchased; in 
April, 1890, street lamps were ordered, as 
well as water pipes for a system of water- 
works. In August, 1892, permission was 
given to the Evans City Natural Gas Com- 
pany to lay pipes and furnish gas to the 
citizens. 

Amana Baptist Church was organized 
March 22, 1820, and Rev. Andrew Clark 
came as the first pastor. In 1850 the church 
at Breakneck united with that at Zelienojjle 
as Amana church. About the time of the 
war the church organization all but ceased. 
In 1881 some thirty-three members with- 
drew from an independent Baptist Church, 
and in 1882, when the Evans City Baptist 
church was constituted, the council of 
Amana Baptist church decided that there 
was not sufficient Baptist strength here to 
support two churches. Twenty-six mem- 
bers of the Amana society and seven for- 
mer members organized the new church, 
which now has a membership of about one 
hundred and forty. The present pastor 
is Rev. W. E. RuVh. 

The Umlv,l PrrslH/trrian Church was 
founded aliout the vcar 1S37 by Rev. Mr. 
Breaden and Elder Hall of Portersville. 
Services were held in the frame school 
building standing in the old United Pres- 
byterian Cemetery until 1842, when a lirick 



house oi worshij) was erected wlierc liic 
present church stands. The cliuich build- 
ing was burned during the dry summer of 
185-t. The present frame edifice was 
erected at a cost of $4,000, and was dedi- 
cated in April, 1888. A fine parsonage 
was erected at the head of Van Buren 
Street in 1890, at a cost of $2,500. The 
present pastor is Rev. C. H. Marshall. The 
church has a membership of about 130; the 
Sabbath school seventy-five to eighty. 

St. Peter's EraniKliml Lufhrran Church 
organized by Revs. ISassler and Muntz, is a 
contemporary of the (lerman Lutheran and 
Kel'ormed Congregation. In 1849 it was 
known as the Reformed Church, then 
united with the German Lutherans. They 
continued uiitil August 2, 1853, when fif- 
teen of the thirty families forming the 
united congregation held distinct Re- 
formed services in the church. In 1869 
the society received from former associ 
ates a share of the value of buii<lings and 
grounds and erected a church building. .\ 
second church was built in 1875 and used 
as a German Lutheran church, being 
changed in the latter part of 1907 to both 
German and English. Rev. Charles J. 
Zeigel, wdio assumed the duties of the pas- 
torate in 1907, is still in charge. The con- 
gregation has 230 communicants ; Sabbath 
school attendance, 150. Two of the char- 
ter members are still living — George Mar- 
burger and Mrs. Lotz, the former being 
now ninety-six years old. The present 
building, a fine brick structure, was erected 
in 1897 at a cost of about $20,000. 

St. Peter's Evangelical Union Church 
was organized in 1849 by Rev. Henry 
Muntz as the Evansburg Lutheran and Re- 
formed Church, but the union was of short 
duration. The congregation divided on 
August 2, 1853, Rev. Muntz organizing St. 
Peter's German Lutheran church and tak- 
ing with him fifteen families, this branch 
of the church retaining the original build- 
ing, which had been erected in 1849-1850. 

The I'rcshiitcr'ian Church was founded 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



533 



in 1882 by some of the inembers of the old 
Plains Church congregation, not as the re- 
sult of any dissension in the church, but be- 
cause of the great distance to the house 
of worship. Rev. G. M. Potter, wlio was 
at that time supply at the Plains church, 
assisted in the organization of the new 
congregation and in raising funds for the 
erection of the church at Evans City. A 
building was erected at a cost of $1,800 
on a lot donated by James Sutton, and was 
ready for occupancy in January, 1883, l)e- 
ing dedicated the first Sunday in that 
month, with Revs. Dr. Smith and Potter 
officiating. The small debt remaining was 
soon cleared away, and the church has 
been exceedingly prosperous. 

St. John's Reformed Church was organ- 
ized about 1888, and has a at present a 
membership of about 300, with a flourish- 
ing Sunday school of 230. Rev. A. U. (Jin 
der has been pastor since 1904. 

The Methodist Episcopal Chinch is the 
outgrowth of the old class at Caleb Hicli- 
mond's in Forward Township, which later 
consolidated with the Hrownsdaie Class. 
A chui'ch building was erected at a cost dl' 
$3,000, the lot being donated by .lolni 
Stewart, and the church was dedicated on 
October 27, 1889. Rev. Frank Prosser was 
the first pastor. The church was joined to 
the Harmony circuit in 1893, when it be- 
came a station. A parsonage was erected 
in 1896, also costing $3,000. In 1895 the 
church was repaired at a cost of $.")i)(l, 
largely due to John Irwin. The i)rcs(Mit 
pastor is Rev. Albert ('. Saxniau. TIkmc 
is a membership of 1-tO, with a Sunday 
school enrollment of ninety. The sclioni 
has a library donated by 'S\v. Irwin. 

There were originally liurying gniunds 
maintained in connection with the various 
churches in or near the borough. In Feb- 
rnaiy, 1890, further burials were prohib- 
ited in them on petition of numerous citi- 
zens, because of the drainage, which, it 
was set forth, was a menace to the health 



and life of the residents of a populous sec- 
tion of the borough. 

The Evans City Cemetery Association 
was incorporated, January 7, 1891, with 
H. J. Itft, John Rohner, George Mar- 
burger, Enos Barkey and J. A. Ri])])er as 
directors. A suitable site was obtaiiu'd and 
laid out into lots, and has been made most 
attractive in its beauty. It contains man\- 
handspme monuments, one of which is the 
soldiers' monument to the unknown dead, 
erected in 1891. 

Cai)t. William Stewart Post, Xo. :>i:'.. 
(i. A. R., was formerly numbei- r)13. the 
change being made in 1894. The post re 
ceived its cliarter April 23, 1888. tli<' name 
bestowed upon it being in honor of Cajit. 
William Stewart, who lived in .Vdams 
Township when the war broke out. In 
18()2 Captain Stewart organized at Evans 
City a company of soldiers, which entered 
the service as Company D, Eleventh Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers. lie met death in the 
battle of Fredericksburg, and in compli- 
ance with the request he had i)rcviousl\- 
made was buried on the bffttlefield. .lames 
P. Boggs was the first commander of the 
jiost. The present commander is Nicholas 
Kramer; commander elect, S. Q. Blair. A 
handsome monument has been erected by 
the post at a cost of $1350, to the thirty- 
eight comrades from Evans City and the 
vicinity, buried in unknown graves, this 
being the second monument of the kind 
erected in the United States. This post, 
thi'ough the congressman of the dis1i-i<'t. 
also secured the passage of a law to donate 
camions to the various (}. A. R. jiosts, 
Stewart post receiving two of these mill- 
tai-y souvenirs. 

Some of the leading fraternal orders are 
rci)resented in Evans Citv, including the 
( )M Fellows, the Knights' of Pvthias, the 
Modern Woodmen, the K. O. t. .M., etc., 
all of which are in a prosperous condition. 

The Bell and People's systems sni>iil\- 
goixl teleplnme service to the people of 



534 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Evans City, the former being established 
prior to 1895 as a pay station. The Peo- 
ple's system was put in about five years 
since. 

Evans City is on the main line of the 
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Pitts- 
burg and Chicago. The city has electric 
transportation facilities by means of the 
Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler & New Castle 
Railway, which has operated cars since 
July, 1908, this place being a junction on 
the line from Pittsburg to New Castle and 
Butler. 

The present borough officials are as fol- 
lows: Burgess, H. C. Boggs; members of 
council, AV. C. Douglas, S. J. Irvine, Sam- 
uel Hill, Enos Barkey, Oscar Shoup, Albert 
Clay and E. A. Gibson. Treasurer, George 
Fehl ; secretary to council, Albert Lutz ; tax 
assessor, John Staff; tax collector, S. Q. 
Blair ; judge of election, Charles Anthony ; 
inspectors — Victor A. Barnhart, Albert 
Lutz; justice of the peace, I. N. Graham; 
constable, Nicholas Kramer; auditors, V. 
A. Barnhart and Joseph Cooper. School 
directors — C. F*-ed Hyle, Dr. N. A. Dom- 
bart. Dr. F. V. Thomas, A. F. Pfeifer, John 
Kline and J. E. Holbein. The postmaster 
is Miss Lily Watters. 

Evans City can boast of paved streets 
and cement sidewalks. 

Among the leading Inisiness houses may 
be mentioned Zenuiu's drv goods estal)lisli- 
ment; B. H. Eber's "Pittsburg I5aigain 
Store;" Geo. ifft & Sons (11. .). Ifft, pro- 
prietor), general merchandise, wagons, 
farm implements, etc.; Mecklas Bros., and 
Robert Hudson, general merchandise ; C. I. 
Dunbar, groceries; Smathers & Cooper, 
groceries and feed; D. Bates, boots and 
shoes; Bussy, Markel Co., hardware, wag- 
ons, farm iiui)lcnu'iits, etc., also plumbing 
and gas fitting; Mrs. L. E. Shoup, hard- 
ware and crockery; B. W. Dunbar, hard- 
ware; J. D. Thomas and J. M. List, drug- 
gists; Andrew Schoeffels, merchant tailor; 
C. Ferd Hyle, furniture and undertaking; 
John Marburger, meat market; W. C. 



Douglas, harness store; E. Barkey, coal 
and feed. A. J. Dambacli and P. J. Ripper 
conduct blacksmith's shops, V. A. Barn- 
hart deals in real estate; Drs. A. W. Hyle 
and F. V. Waldron conduct up-to-date den- 
tal parlors and Doctors J. M. List, H. M. 
Wilson, V. F. Thomas and N. A. Dombart 
take care of the general health of the com- 
munity. The United States Express has 
an office here, while the Western Union 
Telegraph Company is also represented. 

MAN UFACTURERS. 

The Edward Dambach Company was es- 
tablished about 1883 by Edward Dambach, 
and was incorporated October 22, 1903, as 
the .Edward Dambach Company, with a 
capital stock $60,000 and with S. J. Irvine, 
president, W. P. Kinsey, vice-president, 
and J. E. Holbein, secretary and treasurer. 
The concern employs fifty men, turning out 
a general line of planing-niiil work amount- 
ing to from $75,000 to $100,(100 annually; 
also interior finishings of all descri])tions. 
It is the largest concern of the kind in this 
section and has had a very prosjjerous ex- 
istence from the start. 

The Evans C'ity Jobbing Foundry was 
estal)lished in 1907 and is owned by Theo- 
dore and Jacob Ulrich and George Bur- 
rows as a partnership. It is engaged in 
general repair work. 

AV. C. Ijaderer conducts a manufactory 
of buggies and other vehicles which was 
oi'iginally conducted (from 1888 to 1894) 
as a repair shop. The manufacture of ve- 
hicles was begun in 1891 and the business 
has since grown to its present large pro- 
portions. The factory turns out 1200 jobs 
annually and in addition 300 sleighs, be- 
sides a large amount of repair work. The 
volume of business is from $100,000 to 
$125,000 annually, and employment is 
given to fifty men. 

Evans City Roller Mills were established 
in 1835 by Thomas Evans and the mill is 
now the oldest building in the town. It 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



535 



has a capacity of fifty barrels of tionr per 
day. 

South Peim Oil Comi)any, Midhuid Divi- 
sion, Boiler Department, is under the su- 
pervision of A. E. Dunkle. Repair shop 
for the South Penn Oil Company. Offices 
for the Northern Division South Penn Oil 
Company; supply store for all kinds of oil 
well supplies for use of the company. Nine 
men are employed besides the office force. 

The reservoir and pumping station for 
supplying water to the borough was in- 
stalled in 1894 at a cost of $14,000, with a 
20,000 bbls. reservoir and 140 lbs. pressure. 

A volunteer fire department was estab- 
lished in June, 1896. The department is 
now a well drilled organization and took the 
first premium at McKees Rocks for the 
best drilled company in the vicinity. Tlie 
cost of the fire building and hall was 
largely donated by John A. Irvine, the bal- 
ance being raised by the citizens. 

MERCEK TOWNSHIP. 

Mercer Township, one of the original 
thirteen townships of Butler County, estab- 
lished in 1804, was so subdivided in 1854 
as to become the smallest of all the final 
thirty-three townships, but, nevertheless it 
has always made a good showing and in 
some respects has advanced beyond other 
sections of larger area. Its citizens are 
uniformly of a class that has been home- 
making and home-building and its lands 
are notably well tilled and imiiroved and 
its natural resources, especially its fine 
coal deposits, have been developed. 

One of the most interesting facts con- 
cerning any section is the establishing of 
the personality of the men whose courage 
and enterprise made it habitable for those 
who came after and undoubtedl.y this honor 
belongs to one Col. Robert Reed, in refer- 
ence to ]\Iercer Township. He appears to 
have come to this section from Cumber- 
land County, Penna., and o|)ened the first 
tavern in Butler County, building his inn in 
1797, on the old Indian road to Franklin. 



He was an officer in the militia and was 
locally noted for many of the attributes 
most valualjle in a pioneer. While many 
of the subse(iuent early settlers came from 
the eastern counties of the State, very 
many others immediately located in Butler 
County after landing in the United States, 
a large percentage coming from Ireland. 
From County Down came Samuel Barnes 
and family and his descendants still own a 
part of the original property. Other early 
pioneers were: James Shields Major 
John Welsh, Thomas Dean, Ebenezer 
Brown and Michael Powers. Indians wei-e 
numerous and not always friendly and 
early records show this added danger to 
the peaceful settlers. The old Indian chief, 
Cornplanter, and many of his warriors, in 
the course of time accepted the invasion of 
the whites and even became visitors in the 
homes of many settlers, but all danger 
from wandering savages was not removed, 
in remote regions, for many years. 

The names of all the early pioneers have 
scarcely been preserved, but a list of those 
who, by the purchase of land or for other 
reasons became prominent in this section, 
between 1798 and 1S.",(I. iiichidos .lames 
Hartley, David McKisson, Francis Wilson, 
Adam Funk, Zelotus Jewell, John Evans, 
Henry Evans, Ezekiel Brady, William (iill, 
Ephraim Harris, John R. Harris. Robert 
Walker, Alexander Seaton, Alexander Don- 
aghy, the Johnsons, James Bell, the Coch* 
rans, James Lee, Jonathan McMillan, Will- 
iam Stanley, William Waddle, John Mc- 
Coy, Washington J'arker, William P. 
Brown, James Forker, Josiah Hardy, 
Thomas McElree and John Dougherty. 

Mercer Township kept abreast of other 
sections in the matter of educating its chil- 
dren and providing religious privileges. 
Even as early as 1799 a school was estab- 
lished on tlie site of the present borough 
of Harrisville and the first teacher was 
Frederick Peel. In a few years other 
schools were established and Mercer Town- 
ship has the honor of having employed the 



536 



rnsTORV OF butler county 



first female teaclier, iu Butler County, a 
Miss .lane Smith. After Harrisville be- 
came the center of business and population 
in the township, much interest in educa- 
tional matters was shown there. In 1830 a 
school was conducted and taught by Sam- 
uel E. Harris and among the subsequent 
teachers were many men who later became 
prominent in professional life. ■ In April, 
1856, an academy was started and later fine 
school buildings were erected which gave 
the children of the township all reasonable 
advantages. In 19US tlieic were four pub- 
lic schools in the township with an enroll- 
ment of about ninety pupils. 

Aside from the tilling of the soil and 
often in conjimction with it, many homely 
indusliies flourished in early township life. 
Blacksmiths ojx'ned their shops, merchants 
displayed stocks of goods, mills were built 
and by 18-15 the development of coal dc 
posits had begun. Forestville was a town 
that grew up around the coal mines and, 
although the coal banks there have been 
about exhausted, many jjeoplc make the 
place their home and business Imuscs find 
customers. The distilliug industiy was one 
of considerable imjjortance between 1830 
and 1847, there being ten distilleries in 
operation within a radius of three miles. 

Harrisville, now a busy mart of trade 
in the township, was surveyed for Ephraim 
Harris as early as 1825 and he was the first 
•postmaster and was succeeded by his son, 
Samuel E. The -town was incorporated as 
a borough in 1846. The first business house 
in this tract was the blacksmith shop of 
Ezekiel Brady, the first tavern was built by 
Col. Reed and the first land improved Ikmc 
as a farm, was by James Hartley, and old 
residents who are proud of their prosper- 
ous borough, refer to these three men as 
the founders of the place. By ]865 there 
were four stores, a foundry, three black- 
smith shojis, a carriage shop, one pottery, 
one cabinet shop, three harness shops, 
three shoe shox)s, one grocery, one saloon 
and two temperance hotels", with three 



churches and a fair representation of the 
professions. 

Since that time various interests have 
sprung up and flourished. The flouring 
mill was Imilt in 1882 by Kerr and Walker 
and it subsequently passed through several 
hands until it came under the control of 
J. IM. Sutton & Son, on the death of its 
previous proprietor, Samuel B. Bingham. 
The King House now conducted by Frank 
Webster, was known as the Kerr House 
until 1893, when E. A. King purchased the 
property from the widow of Sauuiel Kerr. 
The Central Hotel was an old landnuuk 
tliat passed out of existence about 1890. 

Jn 1908 the business interests of the town 
were represented by C. B. Borland's store, 
R. L. Brown's furniture store. W. E. 
Brown, meat-market; R. E. Elrick, drugs, 
I). W. Humphrey & Company's store. H. A. 
Kclley, farm implements, J. H. Morrison, 
Jr.. harness store, Chas. Snyder's store. 
W. L. Morrison's store, J. W. William- 
son's hardware, Magee & Gibson's clothing- 
store, L. R. Cummings' meat-market, Y. 1j. 
Moyer's cigar store, J. H. Cochran's to- 
bacco factory. Miss Bird Steen, millinery. 
James Morrison's livery. The First Na- 
tional Bank, and the Harrisville Telephone 
Company are noticed in the chapters on 
banking and telephones. Frank Webster 
conducts the King House, the only hotel 
in the town. The estimated population of 
the town was five hundred and fifty-five. 
C. M. Brown is the present postmaster. 

■The borough officials in 1908 were as fol- 
lows : Burgess — J. F. "Struthers ; council — 
Dr. W. B. Campbell president, R. W\ Tav- 
I..1-, W. F. Magee, J. M. Williamson, P. A, 
Shannon, Dr. J. C. Buchanan, secretarv; 
taxcollector—F.B. Magee; .issessor D.'.I. 
Kyle ; constable— J. W. .Me(;ill; stieet eoin- 
missioner — J. H. Cochran; treasurer tlie 
First National Bank of Harrisville; audit- 
ors — Hugh Morrison, Chas. Snvder. ;iud 
E. E. Wick. 

Harrisville Independent School District, 
directors : W. E. Foster, president; R. W. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



539 



Kyle, secretary; J. P. Urr, Tlios. Ilmdman, 
J. M. Farrel and W. E. Bovard; First Na- 
tional Bank of Harrisville, treasurer. 

The earliest established church in Mer- 
cer Township was the Unitrd Prcsbiffrriau 
Church uf lldrnionif. then known as the 
Boiling Spring C'hui-ch, wiiicii dates hack 
to 1800. The lirst pastor was Rev. Thomas 
McClintock, who accepted the call in April, 
1803, and served the congregation for 
thirtj' years. Worship was first eairied on 
in a log cabin, on Swamp Creek, in 1836 
it was succeeded by a frame edifice and in 
1889 a commodious stone and brick struc- 
ture was erected at a cost of al)out 
$11,000.00. The Church has a membership 
of about 280, with a Sabbath ScJiool enroll- 
ment of over 100, many of the leading fam- 
ilies being represented both on its official 
board and in its benevolent activities, vear 
after year. Rev. H. C. Hildebrand." the 
present pastor, was called Dccemlu'r 1, 
1908. 

The Prcshijterlan Church of Jlurrisnllc 
was first organized in 1807. the name tlii'n 
used being West Unity or Unity, and its 
earliest meeting was in a tent pitciied at 
K'ocky Springs. A very eloquent divine. Rev. 
Samuel Tait, is recalled, who attracted a 
congregation from fifteen miles distant. 
The first permanent pastor was Rev. Cyrus 
Riggs, who served from 1814 until is;!-!. 
Later, when some question of church policy 
became a matter of diflference of opinion, 
a division took place and an Associate Re- 
formed branch came into existence. The 
last pastor, Rev. II. E. Kaufmann, resigned 
in February, ]909, and the church is at 
present without a i)astor. The membershi)) 
is 120 with a Sabbath school ot al)out fifty. 
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Har- 
risville was organized in 1834 hy l»ev. Will- 
iam Carl and its niciiibershi]) was gathered 
from Mercer ami adjacent townships. Its 
' early servic<'s were held in the first public 
school-house in the township, Init in 1842 
a meeting-house was built which served its 
])urpose until- ]89(i, when the present edi- 



fice was erected at a cost of about $3500.00, 
the lot being donated by Ashland Walker. 
The present membership is about 100, with 
a Sabbath school of about eighty. Rev. 
.]. M. Farewell is the present pastor, he 
having assumed the charge in Oct. 1905. 

Z. C. McQiiillen Post, No. 246, G. A. B.. 
was nmstered in May 12, 1882, with the fol- 
lowing named veterans: C. M. Brown, A. 
.]. McCoy, Lemuel McCiill, L. R. Cummins 
(present commander), W. A. Roberts, W. 
Cochran, W. J. Neymau, N. J. Maxwell. 
J. W. Campbell, L. G. Jenkins, David Jen- 
kins, D. W. Locke, W. B. Henderson and 
Alexander Williams. Time has taken its 
toll from these honored survivors of the 
Civil War but the organization, though not 
holding regular meetings, is still main- 
tained for the purpose of ohsei-ving Memo- 
rial Day and attending the funerals of 
comrades. 

The secret societies of the K. of 11.. and 
the Jr. 0. U. A. M. are well supported and 
show constant interest in the aims for 
which they were organized. 

THE H.\RRISV1LLE MINES. 

The first coal mining enterprise on an 
extensive scale in Butler County hail its 
beginning in 1868 when Benjamin Niblock 
of Youngstown, Ohio, James M. Bredin, of 
Butler, and Thompson Kyle, of Harris- 
ville, secured leases on some 50,000 acres 
of land lying in Pine Township, Mercer 
County, Irvine Town.ship, Venango County, 
and in the townships of Mercer, Alarion 
Venango, Allegheny, Parker, Washington 
and Cherry, in Butler County. This enter- 
prise was undertaken on the supposition 
that the so-called Harrisville vein of '"oal 
which is four feet thick was the principal 
mining vein in that district. Soon after 
the fii'st leases were made by Niblock, Bre- 
din and Kyle, a number of capitalists or- 
ganized the Mercer Mining and Manufac- 
turing Company, and this companv built 
the Slienango and Allegheny Railroad from 
Shenango Junction to fiercer County to 



o4() 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Pardoe aiul Urove City, and I'voin tlieuoe 
extended the line to New liope in Butler 
County. The Harrisville Mine, two miles 
south "of the village of Harrisville, was 
opened soon after the completion of the 
road, and was operated until a few years 
ago, when the vein became exhausted. Coal 
is being taken from beneath the farms in 
Mercer Township along the Mercer County 
line from openings made by the Wester- 
man-Filer Company, near Grove City. 

Forestville. This village had its incep- 
tion when the coal mines were opened at 
Harrisville Station on the Bessemer Rail- 
road. It is purely a mining village and had 
a varying population as long as the mines 
were in operation. Originally it was known 
as "The Blocks." The iiost-oriice was dis- 
continued after the establishing of the 
rural mail route. After a period of decay 
lasting almost a decade, the village took on 
new life, and at the present time it is com- 
posed of about twenty-five comfortable 
dwelling houses, two stores, and a Catholic 
chapel, the latter being erected in the fall 
of 1908. The stores of the town are con- 
ducted by L. Owens and Nanny Shields. 
St. Anthony's Chapel was erected during 
the summer of 1908, and dedicated in Oc- 
tober of the same year. It is in charge of 
Father Lewis of the Capuchin Order at 
Herman, who conducts services twice a 
month. 

llanisville Station at the intersection of 
the Bessemer Railroad and the old Frank- 
lin and Mercer Pike, is the successor of the 
old station that existed for twenty-five 
years at Harrisville mines. J. C. Bovard 
& Son's lumber yards are located at the 
station, and a number of dwelling houses 
have been erected, indicating that an im- 
portant village will spring up here within 
the next few years. 

Carter Station, two miles north of Har- 
risville Station, gave promise of being a 
village at one time, but since the Harris- 
ville mines were abandoned the only build- 
ings in Carter are the office of the station 



agent. This locality was once known as 
Brownville. 

Toivnship officials: The township offi- 
cials in 1908 were as follows : Auditors- 
Charles Fuhrer, William McLafferty, and 
Harry Green; road supervisors — Joseph 
Brown, Abram Snyder, Morris Dunlap, 
John McCoy ; township clerk — Lewis Ham- 
ilton ; constable — C. C. Kerr; judge of elec- 
tions — Eail Snyder; inspectors of elections 
— William ]\lcTaggert, M. G. Kane; tax 
collector — W. H. Williamson ; assessor — 
H. J. Dunwoody. 

CHERRY TOWNSHIP. 

Cherry Townshi]), partaking in some de- 
gree of the characteristics of adjacent 
townships, was organized in 1854, one of 
tlie thirty-three divisions then made of 
Butler County. Its water courses are Slip- 
pery Rock Creek, and Murrin's and Find- 
ley's Runs. There is considerable coal in 
the township, but the only important oper- 
ations in this line now are those of the 
W. L. Scott Coal Company, which employs 
about thirty-five men and loads sixty tons 
dail}'. Its property is known as the Windy 
Mine and is located about two and a half 
miles northwest of Moniteau. There are 
also some small banks operated respect- 
ively by W. AV. Daugherty, W. W. Mc- 
Gregor, E. J. Sproul, L. Walford and T. 
Simpson, for local consum])tion only. 
There is liut little oil in the township and 
none has been found in paying i|uantities. 
There is, however, one gas well. Cherry 
Township is well supplied with limestone, 
though as yet it has not been much devel- 
oped as an industry. There is one quarry 
on the Chas. Bovard farm west of Branch- 
ton on the border of the township. Farm- 
ing is the principal ()Ccu}>ation of the in- 
habitants. 

The territory embraced by Cherry 
Township was opened up about the same 
time as the sections adjoining it, and it 
claims Benedict Grossman as its first set- 
tler. He came to Cherry Township in 1797. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



accomi)auied by his family, which included 
his son-in-hiw, Robert Black, and brought 
with him a small stock of goods for sale. 
His wife was Betsy Stivert, around whom 
might have been woven an interesting ro- 
mance, for it was her fate to have lieen 
taken captive by Indians, in York County, 
by whom she was kept from 1756 until 18()3, 
when she was permitted to return to her 
own people. The Grossuiaus were joined 
in 1798, by Michael and Sarah Stevenson 
and their sons, John, James and William, 
all three of them serving in the War of 
1812, and all three dying, of the dreaded 
Black Rock fever, within ten days of their 
return home. In 1798 the little settlement 
was augmented by Andrew Stewart, who 
served at Black Rock in the War of 1812 
and later was a pioneer teacher. John 
Christy came in 1799, taking up 4()() acres 
of land, a part of which is owned by his 
descendiints, and in the same year came 
Roliert .McCallen, who married a daughter 
of Benjamin (Irossman. Other pioneers, 
who either came directly to Cherry Town- 
ship from distant sections, or, as in many 
cases, from adjacent townshiijs, were Alex- 
ander Hutchison and family, the five Rus- 
sells, Joseph Porter, John Hockenberry, 
Joliii Smith, Sr. and James Bovard — a 
sdiiicwliat incomplete list, but one bearing 
rei>rescnt;\tive names. 

Coaltoivn. Coal mining being formerly 
the important industry of this locality, the 
villages of the township mainly ^rcw in the 
vicinity of the mines. The nidst important 
of these was Coaltoini, or Coalville. It is 
situated on the line between Slippery Rock 
and Cherry Townships and its building fol- 
lowed the beginning of operations by the 
Union Coal and Coke Company, in 1879. 
A branch of the Shenango Railroad con- 
nected with Butler, and in the year follow- 
ing the founding of the place, the company 
had thirty coke ovens completed and 
twenty-two two-story dwelling. The mines 
were worked out years ago, however, and 
operations here" were abandoned. The 



postoffice was established in 1882. There 
is now one store, conducted by H. Elliott. 

Gomersal. - The village of Gomersal, so 
named by the Gomersal Coal Company, 
was another thriving coal center, having 
many company Ikiuscs beside outside build- 
ings, and railroad idiiiicitiou with other 
points. It has since lieeu entirely aban- 
doned. 

Animdale was organized about 1840, 
when John Hanna Ijuilt a tavern and 
opened the first store. He was the first 
postmaster and a leading man in the affairs 
of the place. The post-otfice was discon- 
tinued when free rural mail routes were 
established. The village now has one gen- 
eral store conducted by W. S. Graham. 
There is also a German Lutheran church 
here. The village contains about thirty- 
five people. 

Moniteau is a villr:ge with a population 
of about thirty peop-»». There is now no 
post-office. E. S. Sankey conducts a store 
here. 

New Hope Post-office or Bovard Station, 
is located in the western part of the town- 
ship on the Bessemer Railway and has 
about fifty people. The postmistress is C. 
Duffy, who also conducts the only store. 
There is also a mill owned by E. Riddle. 
The New Hope Presbyterian Church, hav- 
ing ninety members, is located here with 
Rev. Taylor, pastor. 

A destructive cyclone, in which an im- 
mense amount of property was destroye 1 
and Mrs. William Barron and Henry 
Hendley lost their lives, while many others 
were seriously injured, swept through this 
townshijj on June 30, 1882, and is yet viv- 
idly recalled, but has fortunately never 
been repeated. The cyclonic cloud is de- 
scribed to have been from forty to fifty 
rods wide, with a rapiditj' of motion not to 
be measured. 

Cherry Township's early schools were 
of a primitive type, and none ai)i)ear to 
have been considered prior to 1815. An- 
drew Stewart and Joseph Porter were the 



542 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



earliest teachers. In UK)S there were seven 
public schools, !«? scholars enrolled, ami 
seven teachers. 

As in other sections of Butler County, 
the Presbyterian faith is strong in Cherry 
Township and among the earliest religious 
oriiniii/cil l)odies was the Pleasant Valley 
L'l rshiflci iini Church. This was organized 
in 1845, by iievs. Young and Munson. The 
society built a proper house of worship 
in 184G, and in 1847, Rev. John Moore was 
installed as first pastor. The society was 
incoiporated in 1888. Rev. Bradshaw is 
the present pastor. 

The Neiv Hope I'resbytcriun Church was 
organized November 17, 1879, by Rev. J. H. 
Marshall, with a membership of forty-two 
individuals, and the first pastor was Rev. 
A. W. Lawrence. 

The Methodisi EiiLscupal Church of Aii- 
andale was organized in 1858 and belongs 
to the Centerville circuit. The log struc- 
ture erected in 1859 was destroyed by fire 
a few years later. In 1873 a church build- 
ing was completed at Anandale village at a 
cost of about $2000. This church is in the 
same pastoral charge with North Hope and 
West Sunbury. 

Toivnship Officials: Justices of the peace 
— U. Book and J. S. Campbell; tax col- 
lector — J. Critchlow; constable — S. E. 
Christy; tax-assessor — U. Book; road com- 
missioners — E. S. Sankey, B. L. Kocken- 
berry, and J. T. Black; auditors— M. Hock- 
enberrv, R. Black and J. Wolford; clerk — 
D. Christy. 

( ONNOQUENESSING TOWNSHIP. 

This w;is one of the four original t<nvn 
shi]>s which embraced that territory now 
included in L^utler County before its segre- 
gation from Allegheny County. Within its 
limits lay all of what now constitutes Cran- 
berry, Jackson, Lancaster and Muddy 
Creek Townships, and parts of Worth, 
Brady, Franklin, Connoquenessing, For- 
ward and Adams townships. It was one 
of the thirteen townships as erected in 



1804, with an area nine miles sipuire, and 
in 1842 was divided into East and West 
Connoquenessing townships. Its present 
boundary was fixed in 1854, and has since 
remained unchanged. Although exceed- 
ingly hilly and precipitous in sections, it 
was distinctly an agricultural township un- 
til the development of the oil industry. 
Farming and oil production are now the 
principal industries. Coal mining was cai'- 
ried on in a small way at an early day and 
there is still some slight [n'oduction. Grist, 
saw and puwdci-inills wci'c in operation on 
the various streams, which furnished ex- 
•eellent water power, but the chief occupa- 
tion of the thrifty class who settled the 
country was farming, for which the land is 
well adapted. All parts of the township 
are well drained by small streams, which 
are mainly tributary to Crab Run, the I/it- 
tle C(inni)i|iiciicssing', and the Semiconan. 
The name, ( 'oniioquenessing, was derived 
from the creek bearing that name, and is 
an Indian word, meaning, "for a long wa>' 
straight. ' ' 

Connoquenessing Townshi)> is ]>(' iplcd 
with a sturdy and intelligent class, nuuiy 
of whose ancestors came from Scotland. 
Ireland, England and Germany and cast 
their fortunes with this new country in its 
creative period. Some there were who had 
rendered valiant service to the country in 
its fight for inde))endence, among whom 
may be menticmed Peter Kinney or ^IcKin- 
ney, who was the first settler here, John 
Welsh, Daniel Graham, Angus (iiaham 
and Abdiel IMcClure. Captain Robert Mar- 
tin was in conmiand of a company in the 
War of 1812, and among others who went 
to tl;e front during that struggle with Eng- 
land were sons of John Welsh, Angus (!ra 
ham and Abdiel McClure, alxive nanied. 
Peter McKinney, the first settler, located 
first in what is now Forward Township in 
1792, and shortly after became established 
at what is now Petersville, the name of 
which was derived from his Christian 
name. He built and conducted a tavern at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



543 



tliis point, where he continued to reside 
until his death in 1849. Among the arrivals 
in 1795 was an unscrupulons land specu- 
lator, Dunning MoNair by name. He laid 
claim to a part of the Morris lands, which 
he sold to some five or six Scotch families 
of Westmoreland County, who located 
thereon; these families later made pur- 
chase from the rightful owner. John Ekin 
arrived and erected a cabin in 1795, and 
the following year brought his wife into the 
(•cmntry. Leonard Shannon also came and 
built a cabin in 1795, but did not bring his 
family until 1799. Daniel Graham arrived 
in 1796, and with various other members of 
the Graham family accumulated several 
thousand acres of land. Mordccai McLcod. 
John and Henry Beighley, Francis Stan- 
ford, Nicholas Muhleisen, William C'amp- 
bell, James Plummer, Abdiel and Andrew 
McClure, and Stephen and Joseph ('raw- 
ford made settlement in 1796, and Ijecame 
large land-owners. A year or two later 
witnessed the arrival of Peter, George and 
Jacob rU'ighley, and they were soon fol- 
lowed by Charles McGinnis Sr. and his son 
Charles, Israel Gibson, Thomas Gray, John 
Girty, Thomas Girty, Ann Girty, .\lexan- 
der Bryson, John Welsh, Matthew White, 
John Richardson, Col. Henry Pillow and 
Closes Richardson. Nicholas Muhleisen 
was a weaver, cooper, carpenter, tinnei' and 
all-around mechanic who was a valuable 
addition to the eommunitj'. The Girtys, 
above mentioned, were related to the noto- 
rious Simon Girty, known to histor-y as a 
traitor to the American cause during the 
Revolution. Thomas Dodds, who settled 
south of Mt. Chestnut in 1800, was one of 
the earlv conniiissionei's of Butler Countv. 
Robert Martin, wliosr father, William Mar- 
tin, came from Ireland and located in Con- 
noquenessing in 1801, was captain of a 
company during the A¥ar of 1812, and aft- 
erward served with ability in various jmb- 
lic offices in the county. Robert Hays 
operated a distillery in this township early 
in the nineteenth centurv; his snn, Samuel, 



establislied a store near the west line of the 
township, later, and also traveled about, 
selling goods. William Purviancp, a man 
of prominence in the community, at an 
early period, was a surveyor by profession 
and was also owner of the old William 
Campbell farm and mill, which he jjur- 
chased in 1810; he scrxcd two terms in tlie 
State Legislature and was county surveyor 
three terms. Thomas Alexander came from 
Ireland prior to 1820, and James Steven- 
son. George Cowan and Harrison Dvke ar- 
rived between 1820 and 1830. Many other 
substantial citizens became established in 
the township shortly after 1830. 

Numerous mills of various kinds and dis 
tiileries have been o])erated in Conno(|ue- 
nessing Township at dil^'erent times. The 
first was the grist-mill of Alexander Bry- 
son, which he erected in 1805 on the Little 
Connoquenessing south of Mt. Cli<>=t 
nut. Upon his removal from the township 
he was succeeded as proprietor of tiie mill 
by his son, Richard Bryson, who cairied on 
the business until 1828. The latter then 
sold out to his brother, Joseph, who in 1831 
erected a saw-mill near by and operated 
the grist mill in connection. In 1835 a new 
mill was begun and was completed in 1837 ; 
through numerous changes in ownership, 
remodeling and repairing, this mill has con- 
tinued in almost constant oi)eration to re- 
cent times, it finally ])assed into the hamls 
of 0. W. Eagle, who l)uilt up a flourishing- 
business. Powder Mill run, near Peters- 
ville, afforded good water-power which was 
availed of as early as 1807 by William 
Campbell, who in that year erected a small 
grist-mill. He sold out to William Purvi- 
ance about the year 1810, and the latter 
converted it into a powder mill. Cami)bell 
E. Purviance also built a powder-mill on 
this stream, which continued in operation 
until 1854, some years after the other had 
been abandoned. Numerous mills have 
been on Crab Run, the first being that con- 
structed by Henry Beighly in 1811, which 
was conducted In- him until his death in 



544 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



1836. In 1818, David Shanuon l.iiill tlie 
grist, carding and saw-mills on the St'uii 
conan, which hove his name for many 
years; these gave way in 1849 to a new 
grist mill erected by William Allen. In 
1827, or the year following, Ilngli Uilison 
luiilt a grist mill along the Semiconan, 
which was later replaced by a new and 
more modern mill. The latter was con- 
dncted snccessfnily by James McKinney 
until 1865, when he sold out to R. S. Hays. 

The pioneers of Conno(inenessing early 
showed an appreciation of the necessity 
for schools as a foxmdation for the devel- 
opment and ui^building of their community. 
Nicholas Muhleisen was the pioneer teacher 
and taught in the German language for 
many years, in the schoolhonse erected on 
the farm of John Beigiiley, one and a half 
miles west of Wliitestown. The first Eng- 
lish school was coiiductetl at the Ekin home, 
east of Wliitestown, in 1799, by a man 
named Irvine. The second school building 
erected was on the trail from Fort Pitt to 
Venango, between the Connoquenessing 
and the Little Connoquenessing, about 
three miles from Evans City. A Mr. Evans 
was the tirst teacher, and another of the 
early teachers was George Lee, who later 
met his death by drowning below Amber- 
son 's bridge. The township now has seven 
schools with an attendance of 194 pupils. 
Daniel Brinamer, Finley Cable, Samuel 
Steeu, Henry Louten, George Eyman, and 
Alexander Walker comprise the present 
school board. 

The Petersville Methodist Episcopal 
Church, now known as the Conno(iuenes- 
sing M. E. Church, was organized in the 
year 1857. This organization was the out- 
growth of a campmeeting held in the vil- 
lage of Petersville under the care of Rev. 
D. P. Mitchell, presiding elder of the Alle- 
gheny District. Early in the spring of 
1858 an acre of ground was purchased for 
a church site, and John Ansley, })reacher 
in charge, appointed a building conunittee. 
The building was commenced early in the 



summer and dedicated the following win- 
ter. Rev. S. Crouse was the pastor at the 
time. The sermon was preached by Rev. 
Wm. Taylor, "Missionary Bisho]) of Af- 
rica." Early in its history the Petersville 
Church was a part of the Butler Circuit, 
later it became a part of the Brownsdale 
and Harmony Circuit, about twenty years 
ago it was placed witli Prospect and Ren- 
frew and tl'.e Circuit has since been known 
as the Prospect Circuit. ' 

The original building is still in use, it is 
in excellent condition, having been repaired 
at different times. During the pastorate 
of Rev. F. B. Cutler a very comfortable 
parsonage was erected close to the church. 
Rev. A. B. Leonard, Missionary Secretary 
of the Methodist church, was pastor in 
1863, he was drafted for service in the 
army but the circuit raised $300 and se- 
cured a substitute. In its history this 
church has held some wonderful revival 
seasons, times of spiritual refreshing in 
which hundreds were brought into the 
Kingdom of God. Rev. F. J. Sparling is the 
present pastor. The Sunday School super- 
intendent is W. C. Fowler. 

Mt. Nebo Preshiiti'iidu Chiinli, of 
Wliitestown, during its existence of more 
than a century, has been no mean factor 
in the development of Connoquenessing 
Township. In 1805, under the leadershiii 
of Rev. Reid Bracken, a church organiza- 
tion was effected. Rev. Bracken was made 
jjastor by the Erie Presbytery. April 20, 
1808, and soon after a log church was 
erected on the site of the present structure. 
This imposing structure served as the 
church edifice until late in the twenties, 
when a stone church was built. Services 
were held in the latter for more than 
thirty years, when the present substantial 
brick building was erected to rei)lace it, in 
1859. A charter was granted the church 
by the Common Pleas Court, on Januarv (!. 
1847, and William C. :Martin, Abdiel Mc- 
Clure and Thomas J. Gilison were made 
trustees. Rev. Bracken served the chariic 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



545 



with zeal and devotion for a period of 
thirty-six years, leaving it in 1844. lie 
has had a number of worthy and faithful 
successors. There are now 112 menibei's. 
The last regular pastor was the Rev. 
George Stewart, whose pastorate closed in 
September, 1907. In 1905 the church cele- 
brated the centennial of its organization. 
The Sabbath school has an enrollment of 
sixty. The cemetery l:)elonging to this 
church had its inception in 1801, wlien in 
August a child of Matthew and Frances 
White, was laid to rest there. 

White Oak Springs United ricshi/fniini 
Church was organized in 1818 by seceilcrs 
from the Mt. Nebo Presbyterian Clini-ch, 
under the guidance of the Rev. Isaiah Nib- 
lock. Others from that district joined with 
them, making sixteen members in all. The 
congregation worshiijped in a tent until tlie 
completion of their edifice in 1820; the 
building was of brick and was oecu])ied by 
them until 1862, when it was replaced liy 
the present frame structure, which was 
erected at a cost of $.".,500. The church was 
incoiiioratcd November 21, 1883, Henrv 
Brunermer, William Shorts, .b.liii .M. Rose, 
1. N. Duncan and Dr. ,1. I,. Christie sign- 
ing the constitution. At the i)resent time 
there are about 176 members in the congre- 
gation, with a Sabbath school enrollment of 
128. The Rev. J. M. :\lc('aliii()nt has been 
the pastor in charge since l!!i)."). Dr. J. L. 
Christie is clerk of "sessions, .md .!.('. Bran- 
don, superintendent of the Sa))batli sclionl. 

.S7. Pfuil's Reforvied Luthnan Clnnrli 
was organized in 1865. The ])resent edi- 
fice, which is the second, was erecteil in 
1887. There are now eighty communicants, 
with a Sunday school enrollment of 104. 
The Rev. Charles Faust is pastor. 

Tlie CJnirrh of God, though without a 
church building, has here a membership of 
twenty, with Henry Nolshime as overseer. 

St. Paul's German Evaiif/eliraJ Protest- 
ant United Church of Petersville (Conno- 
quenessing), was organized September 28, 
1885. In 1887, a substantial house of wor- 



ship was erected at a cost of $1,000, and 
on March 16, 1887, the church organization 
w^as incorporated. Rev. El. H. (Jtting, of 
Grace Reformed Church, Harmony, ac- 
cepted this as a charge in 1887 and con- 
tinued as pastor until ^larch 18. 1894, 
when he resigned from this ami his other 
charges in the district. 

St. JoJni's Eraiigelieal LutJienni ( huveh 
of Petersville was organized by Rev. E. 
Cronenwett of Butler. A formal organiza- 
tion was effected on September 25, 1886, 
and on November 3, of the same year or- 
ganization was completed at the home of 
Conrad Nicklass. A house of worship was 
erected and was dedicated on Ajnil 2i2. 
1888. Articles of incorporation were taken 
out on December 14, 1887. The first pastor. 
Rev. E. Cronenwett, sei'ved until Septem- 
ber 14, 1889, and on September 29. 1889. 
Rev. Louis Wagner was named as his suc- 
cessor. There is now a membership of 
sixty-five with a good Sunday school at- 
tendance. 

Whitestown is the oldest village of Con- 
noqueuessing Township, dating back to 
1799, when Matthew White established a 
tannery and tavern at this point. It was 
after the death of this pioneer, that his son, 
Edward White, had the town laid out in 
lots, in 1813. The latter succeeded his 
father as tavern-keeper, and was in turn 
'succeeded by a relative named Matthew 
White, who conducted the tavern until 
1831, when a wave of temperance struck 
the village and resulted in the tavern being- 
closed. In 1859, a brick building was 
erected to take the place of the old log- 
structure and frame house which had stood 
for so many years, and there Joseph Pyle 
conducted a tavern for a time. In later 
years S. 0. and J. C. Wright and W. H. 
Alexander leased the building and carried 
on a general merchandising lousiness ; W. 
H. Alexander and J. H. Doutt became own- 
ers of the property and also engaged in 
the mercantile business and conducted the 
]iost office. The first merchant in the vil- 



546 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



lage was Alfred Pearoe, aud lie was fol- 
lowed by Joseph W. Pollock aud John W. 
Brandon. Samuel Reed also kept store in 
the brick building which replaced the old 
tavern, aud among other business men who 
were located here at one time were: An- 
drew Spear, Jacob Cratty, Thomas Cratty 
and Andrew W. MeCoUough. Mr. Neese 
now keeps a store here. Edward White 
was the first postmaster, serving from IH'M 
until 1839. 

Connoquenessing Borough, formerly 
known by the name of Petersville, and at 
a still earlier date by that of Petersburg, 
was first named in 1848 in honor of Peter 
McKinney, the pioneer, who came to Butler 
County in 1792 and soon after settled at 
this location. In the early days the place 
went by the name of McKinney 's Tavern. 
In 1812 John Crowe settled on the site but 
after a time moved away. The first mer- 
chant was Alexander Douthett, who ])efore 
becoming permanently established here, 
came to the tavern one day each week and 
disposed of waives. He finally settled here 
and opened a store. His example was fol- 
lowed by Thomas Critchlow. The Douthett 
store was sold in 1837 to William and 
Henry Purviance, and afterwards passed 
through a number of hands. David 
Marshall opened a store in 1848, and Hugh 
Stevenson a tavern in 1849. A survey was 
made of the place in June, 1849, and town 
lots laid out, many sales being recorded 
during that year. The village has always 
been a good trading point, and the general 
stores of W. C. Nicklass, J. T. and W. A. 
Purviance, and R. Barnhart & Son, and the 
drug store of Dr. J. L. Christie, who is also 
the resident physician, have thrived under 
a liberal patronage of the people in recent 
times. In 1880 began the manufacture of 
agricultural implements which develoi)ed 
into a good business. Thomas Critchlow 
was made the first postmaster in 1848, and 
he was succeeded by George Brunermer, 
Hugh Stevenson, and others. The name of 
the office was changed to Connoquenessing 



in 1871. The present postmaster is Miss 
Laura Heckert. The nearest railway sta- 
tion is Reibold, two miles distant on the 
B. cV: 0. Railroad. The P. II. B. and X, C. 
Electric line passes through the borough. 
The People's and the Bell Telephone sys- 
tems are installed here. There are seventy- 
six producing oil wells within the limits of 
the borough. The present burgess is W. A. 
Purviance; council — William Burr, J. H. 
Varner, John Black, Clias. Lobaugh, Dan- 
iel McNaughton and F. E. Barnhart; as- 
sessor — J. E. Brandon; collector — J. L. 
Van Dyke; justice of the peace — J. C. 
Brandon ; high constable — John Nolsheim ; 
constable — Geo. Gerwig ; auditors — Ira 
Henshaw, Carl Bish, and Conrad Nickolas. 

There is one public school building, with 
two rooms and two teachers and an enroll- 
ment of over one hundred pupils. It was 
erected as a single-room building, but aft- 
erwards remodeled and arranged as at 
present. It is an excellent school The 
population of the borovigh is 450. 

Buttercup is the name of a small settle- 
ment, the history of which dates back to the 
fifties when a store was established there 
by George Ansley and P. W. Thomas. They 
continued the business for sixteen years, 
after which it passed through hands. In 
1892, R. S. Henry erected a new store 
building and embarked in business. But- 
tercup Post Office was established in the 
seventies, J. N. Stephenson being the first 
postmaster. 

C. E. Shannon and J. B. Martin are the 
present justices of the peace in the town- 
ship. William Cooper is constable; Calvin 
Stevenson, tax collector; Joseph Shakely, 



assessor. 



BBADY TOWNSHIP. 



Brady Township was organized in 1S.)4 
and was named in honor of Captain Brady, 
the famous scout. Through the northea st- 
ern part, along the north boundary line, 
flows the picturesque Slippery Rock Creek, 
and the south boundary line is formed by 



AND EEPEESEXTATIVE CITIZENS 



547 



the Mnddy Creek, these, with their small 
tributaries affording the township excel- 
lent drainage. The surface is in places 
rugged and excels in scenic beauty, the 
summits of the divide between the two 
streams sometimes reaching a hight of 350 
to JrOO feet above the bed of the streams. 
Coal underlies much of the land, and of the 
industries mining has always taken the 
lead in this community. Potter's clay and 
iron ore have been found in certain sec- 
tions, and great boulders lying about has 
made quarrying easy. There are many ex- 
cellent farms throughout the townships, 
whose improvements are in keeping with 
the high type of citizenship here to be 
found. 

The pioneer of the country now em- 
braced within Brady Township was Luke 
Covert, a native of Holland, who settled in 
17'J(i, and he was followed in the same year 
by James Campbell, Alexander Irvine and 
Bartol Lafter. Daniel and Elizabeth Mc- 
Deavitts, with three children came in April. 
1797, and the following year witnessed the 
arrival of Edward, James and Andrew 
Douglass and John McClymonds. The 
Douglass family located on and cleared the 
land on which the historic old Stone House 
was built in 1822. John Thompson, a na- 
tive of Ireland, located about a mile south 
of the Douglass cabin in the spring of 1^99, 
and was followed in the same year by 
James, William and John McJuukiu, John 
AYigton and Daniel Carter. In 1800. Con- 
rad Snyder, Sr., a native of Switzerhmd, 
together with his sou, Conrad, and Andrew 
Ellsworth, a veteran of the Eevolutionary 
"War, settled northeast of the Douglass 
cabin. Other jnoneers and the time of ar- 
rival were John Morrow in 1801. John 
Hockenberrv in 1803, John Ralston in 1803. 
and Robert ITockeiilK'rrv in 1810. Soon 
after his coming. .Inlm i;al>t;)n built a log 
mill near the site of the [ircscnt village of 
West Liberty. The Snow Flake Mill, oper- 
ated for years by the Crolls, was built on 
the same site. The Iddings grist mill was 



built in '1808, or the year following, and 
among its various owners were Henry 
Evans, John Wick, Caleb Jone, Jonathan 
Clutton and Samuel Turk. This mill stood 
until destroyed by the ravages of Time, 
and was located south of the Douglass 
cabin. On McDeavitt's Run was built about 
the year 1810 what was known as the 
Smith Neil mill, afterward owned by Nich- 
olas Kliugensmith and the Hoge Brothers. 
This mill did not survive the early period. 

The census reports of Brady Township 
shows the following population at the 
periods mentioned: 701 in I860; 600 in 
1870; 772 in 1880; 729 in 1890. Its present 
population is about 935, including West 
Liberty borough. In 1906 J. AV. McNeese 
was elected justice of the peace. 

It was some years after the arrival of 
the pioneer settlers that a sehoolhouse was 
Iniilt, but as in other communities classes 
were organized and taught, either by some 
of the settlers or wandering teachers. A 
school was taught about the year 1808 by 
Henry Evans, and later another was 
taught wh^re the Franklin road crosses 
Muddy Creek, by a man named Fletcher. 
John Wigton, who was not an educated 
man but gifted as a scribe, conducted writ- 
ing classes at his home, and also at West 
Liberty and other places. Thomas Gorley 
taught in an old log sehoolhouse at West 
Lil)erty. In 1908 there were five schools in 
the township, as many teachers, and 111 
scholars. 

Forest Grange No. 370, was oi'ganized 
in 187-1 and for many years was one of the 
strongest organizations of farmers in the 
county. In 1904 a new hall was built. T. J. 
Thompson was master in 1908 and R. C. 
Thomi^son secretary. 

The Vnmherl(n}d'Pres])yteri(i)i Church of 
West Lilicrty had its inception in meetings 
which were licld l\v John and Jacob Covert, 
Jesse CoinoHns and John Wick, and their 
wives, in the barn of John Wick, where 
they gather.ed to hear Rev. A. M. Bryan or 
Mr. Gallagher preach. Some years after 



548 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



organization, they, in common with the 
people of various other Protestant denom- 
inations, erected what became known as 
Union Church, but as the church thrived 
and their congregation grew they became 
sole owners. Prior to the erection of this 
edifice they held meetings in a log-house, 
which on week days was devoted to school 
purposes. 

St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, 
in the Centreville charge, was organized 
about the time the Civil War closed, to suc- 
ceed the disbanded society at Hickory 
Mills. It became familiarly known as 
Hall's Church, through the activity of 
Jesse Hall in its organization and main- 
tenance and his instrumentality in securing 
the erection of a house of worship in 1868. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of 
West Liberty was organized in 1873, and 
in 1875 erected a church edifice in conjunc- 
tion with the United Presbyterians, the 
building being completed in 1876. 

The United Presbyterian Church of 
West Liberty was organized June 15, 1875, 
and the following year Rev. W. P. Shaw 
was installed as pastor. Under his guid- 
ance, the congregation had a good healthy 
growth and he continued with the charge 
until 1889, when he was succeeded by Rev. 
James A. Clark. A church building was 
erected in 1875-1876 by this congregation 
and that of the Methodist church at West 
Liberty. 

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church 
of Brady Township, began erecting a house 
of worship before its organization was per- 
fected on May 14, 1878. Rev. H. W. Roth 
was the first pastor, and was succeeded bv 
Rev. George W. Critchlow, Rev. R. R. 
Durst and others. There are now about 
sixty members in the society. 

WEST LIBERTY. 

West Liberty, located at the intersection 
of the Butler-Mercer and Mt. Etna-Bas- 
singheim roads, in Brady Township, 'was 
laid out as a town February 13, 1829, by 



James J. Hoge, a surveyor. It did not 
make any headway as a settlement until 
resurrected by John and Jacob Covert in 
1815, and two years later a plat of the vil- 
lage was recorded. The first store here 
was established by John J. CroU, although 
that of Hoevler about a mile away, ante- 
dated it. Henry E. Wick established a 
store in 1854, and was succeeded in its own- 
ership by Jonathan Clutton, John Allen, 
John Kocker and Miss Clutton. W. W. 
Robinson and Gr. W. Eiclioltz started stores 
here at a more recent date, the latter erect- 
ing a store building on the northwest cor- 
ner, at the intersection of roads. A post- 
office was established here under the name 
of Bulger, by which the place was known 
a time. The town was incorporated as a 
borough Sept. 5, 1903, and its area— 1400 
acres — is the largest of any borough in the 
state having tlie same population. In 1908 
the officers were: I. S. Badger, justice of 
the peace; D. E. McDeavitt, auditor; I. W. 
McDeavitt, constable ; J. P. Castor and Dr. 
E. C. Thompson, school directors; R. N. 
Dickey, A. J. Sager, and T. B. Clymonds, 
members of council; and J. W. Boyd, 
treasurer. 

Stone House is a historic old point in 
Brady Township, a tavern having been es- 
tablished there in the early days and con- 
tinued for many years. The old log house 
built by the Douglass family was used for 
that purpose by John Elliott, and after- 
ward by John Brown, who in 1822 erected 
the Stone House. The latter got into finan- 
cial straits and the house subsequently fell 
into many hands, its most prominent land- 
lord being Richard Doncaster. In 1833 
another hotel was built here by Robert 
Thompson and conducted by him for more 
than a score of years. Some time in the 
forties, a man named Julius C. Holliday 
came in from Ohio and occupied a resi- 
dence here with his family. With his ad- 
vent began the coming of mysterious stran- 
gers, the names of none of whom were 
known, who boarded at the Stone House. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



549 



As many as twenty of them would come at 
a time and spend their time in revelry, ap- 
parently having no need to work. Holli- 
day, the leader, died of diphtheria, as did 
sis of his children, and some of his com- 
panions finally landed in the penitentiary. 
It is said they were engaged in the manu- 
facture of spurious coins here. William 
Turk, an old stage driver, suddenly disap- 
peared on July 4, 1853, and the belief was 
that he had been killed by the mysterious 
strangers. Time proved this belief wrong, 
however, as he returned after a lapse of 
thirty-two years, to find his wife had re- 
married and moved West, and his children 
had scattered. 

Forest House, at one time a post-office, 
was the house above mentioned, estab- 
lished in 1833 by Robert Thompson. A 
store, known as the Eyth store, was started 
here in 1857 or 1858. Mr. Thompson re- 
tired from business here in 1854, owing to 
the disrepute into which the neighborhood 
had been brought by the counterfeiters. 

Browning post-office, which was aban- 
doned in 1870, was established about the 
same time as the one at Stone House, and 
was abandoned in the forties. It was re- 
established in May, 1858, but in 1870 was 
finally discontinued. The locality is known 
as the Stone House. 

Elora, a former post-office, was estab- 
lished to succeed Memphis post-office, 
which was established in 1873 as a suc- 
cessor to the Forest post-office. Josiah M. 
Thompson, postmaster and general store- 
keeper, met with a serious loss on January 
9, 1894, when his store and its entire con- 
tents, including undelivered mail, was de- 
stroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $3,000. 
Elora postoffice was discontinued when the 
rural free mail routes were established. 

Hallston is a station on the Bessemer & 
Lake Erie Railroad, located in the north- 
east corner of Bi-ady Township. The Mc- 
Nees pottery was established here in the 
eighties and in the early days Constantine 
Weidel operated a rude pottery here, mak- 



ing earthen crocks and jars. The name of 
the post-office at this place is Pump. 

MroOLESEX TOWNSHrP. 

The territory " now included in Butler 
Coimty originally consisted of four town- 
ships, of which Middlesex was one. Its 
area was reduced at various times until 
1854, since which time it has remained as 
at present. The land is well watered, 
Glade Run being the principal stream, and 
is rich and productive; coal mining has 
been engaged in since the early days, and 
oil production has added materially to the 
prosperity of the people. 

The first actual settlements in this town- 
ship were probably made in 1795, although 
for some two or three years before various 
pioneers had come in, selected farms and 
started improvements. James Harbison, 
James Hall, Abraham Fryer and William 
Hultz camped here on the night of January 
10, 1793, and, it is said, engraved their 
names on some fm-est trees prior to their 
return home. Early in 1794 they returned 
to the location, chose their farms and 
erected cabins, but did not take up their 
residence here until 1795. In the mean- 
time, Thomas Martin, a veteran of the 
Revolutionary W^ar and a native of Ire- 
land, came in in 1793 and made various im- 
provements, which entitled him to the 
honor of being the pioneer settler. He in 
that year fled to the block-house at the 
mouth of the Allegheny, but in 1795 he re- 
turned to his claim and resumed the im- 
provement of the place, prior to the return 
of those above mentioned. James Fulton, 
who established a reputation as a hunter 
here in 1793, also returned to make settle- 
ment, as did George Hays and Silas Miller. 
Mr. Miller was one of the scouts of 1792, 
and was well known as a hunter here from 
1794 until his death. He also was a pioneer 
school teacher, teaching for a time in Cran- 
berry Township. William Thompson was 
one of the first to arrive, and had a son, 
John, who was born in the new settlement 



550 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



in 1795; another sou, William Thompson, 
Jr., was born here in 1797. William Mar- 
tin, who failed in his attempt to gather 
about him a colony of rent payers in cabins 
which he erected, but nevertheless did 
much to advertise the new country; Mat- 
thew Wigfield, and John Brown, who set- 
tled in 1796. Others of the early period 
prior to the birth of the new century were : 
Thomas Park and family in 1798 ; Thomas 
Denny, who built a log house for school 
purposes in 1796; James McCallum, who 
came in 1798 and the following year 
opened up the first store in the township ; 
Sanniel Rippey, the first justice of the 
peace in the new community; Thomas 
Baker, in 1798; John David and family in 
1798; James McBride, the apothecary, in 
1800; and the Linns, Lists, Lyons and 
Boyds. Jospeh Flick arrived in 1801; 
Absalom Monks in 1801; John and James 
Bartley, who came from Ireland, in 1800; 
Thomas Triml)le in 1807; John Davis in 
1812 ; and John Criner, Philip Snyder, and 
Samuel Crooks al)out the year 1815. Oliver 
David, a son of John David, above men- 
tioned, operated a tannery and distillery 
here at an early date. The Glade ^lills 
which has been in operation down to mod- 
ern times, was established early in the 
nineteenth century by John Woodcock as 
a grist-mill. In connection he subsequently 
operated a saw-mill and carried on both 
enterprises with great success for many 
years. Many changes took place in the 
buildings and ownership, but Glade Mills 
has been a name known to every genera- 
tion. In 1877 AVilliam Starr and Julius 
Baker became owners and the following 
year changed from water to steam power. 
In 1879 Mr. Starr became sole owner and 
operated the plant until he was succeeded 
by his sons, J. H. and J. W. Starr. An- 
other of the early industries was the card- 
ing-mill built by James Fulton in 1822; 
he invented a special machine to be run by 
water power, and had a very successful 
business careei-. TTo also was the manu- 



facturer of cartins for this vicinity. The 
old Hays Mill and the Park grist- and saw- 
mills, southwest of Cooperstown, were also 
tlourishing plants in the earl}^ days. On 
the plank road, above Glade Mills, a tavern 
was successivel.y conducted by Oliver 
David and William Crwoks, being known 
in its later years as Crooks' Tavern. It 
was in existence from 1830^until Civil War 
times. George Cooper also conducted an 
early day tavern at what is now Coopers- 
town. 

William Powell was the first school 
teacher in the township, and taught in the 
log stiucture erected by Thomas Denny. 
Many other followed in various parts of 
the township with the succeeding years, 
various select and subscription schools be- 
ing maintained until the public school sys- 
tem came into being in 1835. There are 
now seven schools in the township, with an 
enrollment of 280 pupils. The present 
members of the school board are: Hal 
Parker, president; Charles Frisbee, sec- 
retarv; A. Wilson, treasurer; James Ma- 
han, 'William Monks, and Dr. C. S. Mc- 
Clelland. 

The Middlesex Presbi/teiian Church had 
its beginning when, in the fall of 1800, Rev. 
Abraham Boyd came into the township. 
For two years he preached in the open air, 
and a few months after his coming the 
church was organized, with Robert Mc- 
Candless, Hugh Gilliland and William 
Johnson as elders. A log cabin church 
was erected north of Glade Rim in 1803, 
and was replaced by a hewn-log building in 
1817. In 1842 a brick edifice was erected 
on the site of the pioneer cabin. The pres- 
ent church edifice and parsonage — fine 
Ijrick structures — were completed in 1907. 
The church was incorporated October 3, 
1855, with W^illiam Thompson, Alexander 
Hunter, James Welsh, Dr. Jacob Stewart 
and William Marshall as trustees. The 
congregation now consists of about 400 
members, with a Sundav school enrollment 
of 200. Rev. W. L. McMillan has been pas- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



551 



tor since liKJ-t. A. L. Wilson is superin- 
tendent of the Sunday school. 

The Middlesex Methodist Episcopal 
ChurcJi hsjd its origin also about the be- 
ginning of the nineteenth century, although 
formal organization was not perfected un- 
til 1870. in the early days the Wesley fol- 
lowers held meetings in ^Matthew Wig- 
field's cabin, which meetings ultimately 
were resolved into an unorganized Union 
church. This continued until the congre- 
gation was organized in 187U. Rev. C. 
Danks was the actual [)rompter and leader 
in the movement. A frame edifice was 
erected in 1872 at a cost of .^^1,200. The 
church membership is now something less 
than a hundred; Sabbath school about 
forty. The pastor is IJev. E. L. I'iercc. 

Glade Run Uuifrd I'lcshf/trriaii Clniich 
was organized in 1812 and a lob cabin was 
erected as a house of worship. Before it 
could be dedicated it was reduced to ruins 
l)y fire, but was soon replaced, the new 
building being completed in 1815. Revs. 
Bruce, Ramsey and Dunn were early pas- 
tors of the church, and in 1820 Rev. John 
France was installed. While the last named 
was in charge a new log house of worship 
was built, its dimensions being twenty by 
twenty-four feet, and this in turn was re- 
placed in 1854 by a more imjiosing edi- 
fice. The congregation was inc()r))orated 
September 25, 18(50, with Edward Sefton. 
George Wallace, George Greer, John Park 
and S. B. McNeil as trustees. The present 
membership is 200, with 150 names on the 
Sunday school roll. Rev. M. B. Maxwell 
is pastor. The present church edifice, of 
pressed buiT brick, was erected in 1*)01. at 
a cost of $15,000. 

The Church of God was established in 
the township in comparatively recent times. 

Cemeteries were established by the Mid- 
dlesex Presbyterian and United Presby- 
terian churches, that of the former hav- 
ing l)een established many years before 
the other. The United Presbyterian Ceme- 
tery had its beginning in 1821, and both 



contain the graves of many who are en- 
rolled among the pioneers of this part of 
the county. 

Glade Mills, as a settlement, dates back 
to the days when John Woodcock operated 
his grist and saw mills at this point. The 
extensive business conducted by him made 
it (juite a busy place and a desirable loca- 
tion for a store. William Starr, the mil- 
ler, at one time conducted a store here, 
and "W. J. Marks & Brother became mer- 
chants here in 1883. During the oil days it 
became quite a prosperous little place, and 
in 1900 had a population of 205. C. E. 
Aiken conducts a large general store here 
in a fine building recently erected. 

Cooperston-n, about one-half mile south 
of Glade Mills, on the old plank road, was 
named in honor of George Cooper, the 
])ioneer tavern keeper at that point. In 
the boom days of the oil development it 
made its greatest strides as a village, and 
in 1900 had a po]nilation of 243, which has 
since matei'ially decreased. Cooper & Croft 
are now the general merchants here, and 
there is also a blacksmith shop and livery 
stable. 

McFann's general store is one of the 
successful business enterprises of the town- 
ship, and oil production is carried on to 
some extent. Burton's telephone in con- 
nection with the Peoples, are the systems 
installed here, with a central office at Ren- 
frew. Doctors C. S. McClelland and L. H. 
Stepp look after the liealth of the com- 
munitv. The INIodern Woodmen are rep- 
resented by Lodge No. 9075. 

Officials : Justices of the peace, Willard 
Starr and Samuel Leslie ; constable, Martin 
Bowers ; assessor, Willard Starr ; collector, 
William Denny; auditors, Wilson Cooper, 
John Fulton and William Trumble. 

FORWARD TOWNSHIP. 

Forward township was organized in 
1854 from the original territories of Con- 
noquenessing and Middlesex townships. It 
is exceeding-Ty rich in oil, gas and mineral 



552 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



deposits; lime kilns have been operated, 
and there has been especial activity in coal 
mining and oil production. The soil is 
rich and productive and the township 
aboimds in well improved farms and good 
homes. Connoquenessing Creek, into 
which enters Glade Run at about the cen- 
ter of the township, and Breakneck Creek, 
affords exceptional drainage to the land. 
The first settlers of the township were 
Peter McKinney and his wife, of whom 
much has been written. They were fol- 
lowed in 1795 by William and James 
Critchlow, veterans of the Revolution, who 
in that year came from Westmoreland 
County, to select homes, and the following 
year settled here. James Amberson, an 
extensive land owner, came in 1796, as did 
Enos McLeod, a Scotchman; Joseph Blake- 
ley, a native of Ireland, and Robert 
Briggs, who located on the site of Evans 
City. David and Adam Gilliland were of 
about the same period, or a little later, and 
Joseph Douthett arrived with his family in 
1799, locating west of Brownsdale. Archi- 
bald McAllister, the school teacher, came 
in 1801, and Daniel Martin, who was of 
Scotch birth; Henry Isaac, Joseph and 
Jesse Evans were here about 1802. Will- 
iam Martin, a native of Ireland and a con- 
tefiaporary of those named, was a carpen- 
ter by trade. Prominent among the resi- 
dents of that time were John Brandon, aft- 
erward county commissioner, and Thomas 
Brandon, who were leaders in the temper- 
ance movement of 1830. Adam Brown 
came in from Middlesex Township early in 
the century, and during the War of 1812 
served with Perry on Lake Erie. Joseph 
Ash, one of the first mail carriers between 
Pittsburg and Erie, came to the township 
in 1803 and lived here until his death in 
1813. He was a man with a most interest- 
ing career, having been captured by the 
Indians when a boy. His mother and sis- 
ter were killed and a brother was also 
captured. He was ransomed after two 
years, but always bore mai-ks of his cap- 



tivity, the savages having slit his ears. 
Matthew AVilliams, a Covenanter preacher, 
settled here in 1804, and was soon followed 
by John McCollum. Between 1810 and 
1820 the following became residents of the 
township : John Crowe ; Archibald Irwin, 
a blacksmith and an early school teacher; 
John Hamel; John Waldron, and Samuel 
V. Waldron, who was a soldier in the War 
of 1812, serving en Lake Erie with Perry. 
Other well known families who came at a 
later period were the Gelbachs, Behms, 
Hunters, Raders, Hazletts and Stamms. 

The first of the industries established in 
Forward Township were the grist-and saw- 
mills of Adam and David Gilliland. Then 
came the Robbins Brothers' grist- and 
saw-mills; the Adam Brown mill, i-un by 
horse-power; the Reese Evans grist-mill; 
and the Minnis fulling-mill. David Gilli- 
land built a log mill on the old McKinney 
farm in 1802, and Barney Gilliland re- 
placed it with a lai'ger mill in 1827, which 
passed into the hands of Adam Gilliland 
and was by him operated until 1850. He 
was in that year succeeded by Henry Buhl, 
and the mill was in later years successively 
operated by Peter and James Ray and A. 
J. Evans. Adam Brown's mill, built early 
in the nineteenth century, was located on 
his farm. He later became owner of the 
Reese Evans mill on Glade Run, and 
Browns mill has since been a familiar name 
in this region. Adam Brown, Jr., in 1833, 
bought the mill from his father's estate, 
and replaced it with a new saw- and grist- 
mill. In the fifties he tore the buildings 
down and erected new ones more suitable 
to the times. Unfortunately his plant was 
destroyed by fire in 1859, but was imme- 
diately rebuilt and operated by him until 
1861. R. H. Brown was then the miller 
here until 1880, when Philip Gelbach be- 
came proprietor, but in 1891 R. H. Brown 
resumed its operation. Lewis Blakeley at 
one time owned and operated a distillery 
on the old Blakeley farm. 

The first schools of Forward Township 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



553 



were taught by John Waldron and Archi- 
bald Irwin, before any school buildings 
had been bi;ilt. A log house was built 
north of tlie present borough of Evans 
City, and Dr. Irvine, Archibald McAllister, 
Capt. Gray and John Supple were among 
the early teachers in it. Three other build- 
ings were erected and school conducted 
prior to the establishment of the public 
school system in 1835. The township now 
has nine schools — one a double school — 
with an enrollment (1908) of 288 pupils. 
The school board is composed of the fol- 
lowing: E. S. Irwin, president; James 
Robertson, secretary; Samuel Cooper, 
treasurer; Edwin Gilford, B. J. Eader and 
Alex. Schilling. 

The population of the township at va- 
rious ijeriods, as shown bv the census, fol- 
lows : 1,020 in 1860 ; 1,025 in 1870 ; 1,133 in 
1880 ; 1,724 in 1890, and in 1900. 

The Reformed Presbyterian Church was 
organized near the village of Brownsdale, 
on Straight Eim, in 1806, and in 1807 Rev. 
Matthew Williams was installed as pastor. 
For fourteen years services were held in 
groves in the neighborhood or in tents. In 
1820 the tent was moved south to the site 
of the Union Church, where meetings were 
held until the pastor's death in 1828. 

North Union Reformed Presbyterian 
Church was organized following the split 
in 1833 in the Union Church congregatton 
of Adams Township, into what was desig- 
nated the "New School" and the "Okl 
School." The "Okl School" called Rev. 
Hugh Walkinshaw, who remained until he 
was succeeded by Rev. John Galbraith in 
April, 1843. The latter served with great 
zeal and faithfulness for a period of forty- 
six years, leaving the charge in 1889. A 
house of worship was erected on the David 
Crowe farm in 1861. 

The Richmond Methodist Episcopal 
Church had its origin in the class estab- 
lished in 1827 by Caleb Richmond. A con- 
stitution was adopted and at long inter- 
vals there was preaching by various min- 



isters, who traveled this circuit. During 
1854-55 a meeting-house was erected, 
which was sold ten years later when the 
class consolidated with the Brownsdale 
class. 

The Broivnsdale Methodist Episcopal 
Church had its origin in the Wigfield set- 
tlement, where the Wigfield Class was 
formed and maintained under the leader- 
ship of Robert Brown for a period of 
thirty years. The original members were 
the families of Adam, John and Robert 
Brown, and Joseph Miller, and was organ- 
ized by Dr. John Rathbun, a traveling phy- 
sician. Meetings were held in Robert 
Brown's house rmtil the church was coTtn- 
pleted and dedicated, July 7, 1860. Among 
the pastors who have served the charge 
may be mentioned Revs. Stover, Henry 
Long, T. B. Thomas and others. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Petersville (Connoquenessing borough). 
See Connoquenessing Township. 

The Catholic Mission of Forward Town- 
ship owes its existence to a desire on the 
part of a few Catholic families to have a 
building in which services could he held 
when desired. Purchase was made in 1864 
of the property formerly owned by the 
Richmond Methodist Episcopal Church, 
by John McNeal and wife, and Francis, 
Thomas and Eliza McCafferty, who in 1865 
conveyed it to Right Rev. Michael Dome- 
nec, Bishop of Pittsburg, to be held for the 
use of the Catholic congregation of For- 
ward Township. 

Forward Township is one of the leading 
oil producing districts of the county, and 
some of the largest producing wells were 
put down in what is known as Glade Run. 
Six wells have been recently completed, 
and three more are being drilled at the 
present time. 

The Pittsburg Coal and Fuel Company, 
located at Wahlville, have about the only 
coal mine of commercial importance that 
is now being operated. The companj^ is 
capitalized at $100,000, with W. J. Burke, 



554 



HISTORY OF ^UTLEE COUNTY 



president. Employment is given to about 
fifty men. 

At Browndale there is a grist mill oper- 
ated by F. D. Nicklass. ' 

Alexander Schilling is carrying on a suc- 
cessful mercantile business at Keibold. 

Aside from the oil industry the popula- 
tion of Forward Township is chiefly en- 
gaged in farming. 

Toivnsliip Officials. — Assessor, Geo. .1. 
Marburger; collector, Geo. J. Marburger; 
auditoi"^ Guy Stamm, Elmer Gelbach, and 
Samuel Eiley; supervisors, D. L. Dunbar. 
W. W. Hunter and Robert Marshall ; jus- 
tices of the peace, Daniel Dunbar and 
Alexander Schilling; constable, A. J. Foltz. 

PABKER TOWNSHIP. 

Parker Township, lying on the Arm- 
strong County line and just north of Don- 
egal Township, was especially noted in the 
seventies for its rich deposits of oil. Prior 
to 1872 it was regarded as an agricultural 
section, and on account of its deep streams, 
well adapted to manufacturing, while iron 
ore was also mined. The name of Pai'ker 
commemorates a family who have every 
right to lay claim to the honor of being 
the first settlers. John Parker, of West- 
moreland County, was sent to this section 
to survey a large tract of land for a man 
named Moore, and while in Butler County 
did other surveying and thus gained a fair 
acquaintance with the various sections 
open to settlement in 1794. With other 
members of his family, he acquired 6()() 
acres of land, 400 of which he owned him- 
self in what is now Parker Township, while 
Washington, William and George Parker, 
each owned large tracts. John Parker, in 
1815, surveyed the site of Lawrenceburg 
and for a number of years did surveying 
in Butler and adjacent coimties. Prior to 
his death in 1842 he served as associate 
judge. 

Parker Township's early settlers were 
of an equally good class at the Parkers, a 
large number of them being natives of the 



Xorth of Ireland, a few of a sturdy Ger- 
man type, and a number, among whom 
were natives of the eastern counties of 
Pennsylvania, had served in the Revolu- 
tionary War and thus, by training and the 
test of courage, became ideal pioneers in 
a section where Nature was, as yet, en- 
tirely unsubdued and Indians still claimed 
homes in the surrounding forests. As far 
as preserved, the names of the settlers who 
came to this region about 1796 were : John, 
Thomas, John and Charles Martin; Capt. 
Robert Storey, who later was a soldier in 
the AVai' of 1812, with Jacob Daubenspeck, 
with his sons, George and Philip, John 
Gibson, William Ferguson, and James, 
William and John Turner. Later settlers 
were : Archibald Kelly, who was prob- 
ably the first school-teacher in the town- 
ship; Charles McCafferty, John and Rob- 
ert Hindman, John Jamison, Benjamin 
Fletcher, William Hutchison and probably 
Henry L. Sanderson, all came Ijefore 1800. 
John Say. Arcliil)ald Fowler, .lames Simp- 
son and Michael Shakeley all were large 
landowners in 1803. In 1808 came William 
Fleming, who was a participant in tho 
Irish Revolution of 1798. 

Prior to 1819 the settlers in Parker 
Township suffered much inconvenience 
from a lack of grist mills, in many cases 
long distances having to be traversed in 
order to have their grain ground, and 
when Benjamin Fletcher erected his log 
grist-mill at ]\Iartinsburg, he was looked 
on almost as a pultlic benefactor. Several 
years later John Shryock established a 
mill on Silver Creek, not far from the 
AVashington Township line, and in 1824 
William Turner built a grist-mill on the 
north branch of Bear Creek. Other mills 
were erected and manufacturing and mill- 
ing was an important industry along the 
numerous streams long before the aggre- 
gation of houses at any one point was more 
tlian a log settlement. The Harvey Gibson 
mill at Martinsburg dates back to" 1857; 
there was a saw-mill built bv the Fowlers 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



on the old Stoue House farm; William 
Sedg\Yiek built both a mill aud fouudry, 
and \A'illiam Martin built a large mill as 
early as 1833. In 1857 the Dudley furnace 
was established at Martinsburg and was 
fondueted until 1862. As early as 184:5 
the Hopewell Woolen factory, an ambi- 
tious business enterprise, was in operation 
on Silver Creek, William F. Rumberger 
and James Dunlap being the proprietors. 
Woolen goods were manufactured, includ- 
ing narrow cloths, cassinieres, satinets, 
white and brown flannel and blankets, and, 
for a time, the industry was remarkably 
successful and indicative of a large amount 
of enterprise. In 1857 the factory was 
purchased 1)y E. E. Evans, who continued 
to operate it until 1877, after which it was 
no longer remunerative. 

Bniiii. ^lartinsburg, now Bruin Bor- 
ough, the chief town of Parker Township, 
was surveyed for John Martin, in 1837, 
and it was the proximity of Fletcher's mill 
that probably caused its selection as a town 
site. The first cabin was built l)y Z. B. 
Sheppard, and shortly afterward other log 
structures indicated the beginning of the 
present prosperous place. In 1841 Rol)ert 
Black opened up a stock of goods and the 
different trades were soon well repre- 
sented. In 1851 the post-office denomi- 
nated Bruin was established. Perry, AVeek 
becoming the first postmaster. Archibald 
Martin opened the first regular hotel in 
the place. From 1857 until 1872 there was 
no notable growth, but in that year, with 
the development of the oil industry, came 
people of different stations in life and the 
sleepy little hamlet liecame a stirring and 
progressive town. The high tide of pros- 
perity continued until 1877, when a de- 
crease in oil production marked a falling 
off, and added to this, the place suffered 
from an epidemic of smallpox, from which 
it was long in recovering. 

Bruin became a borough in 1901 and now 
has a population of about four hundred. 
The place is fui-nished with electric and 



gas lights, Ihe electric plant being owned 
by local people, but not incorporated. The 
Woodmen of the World are here repre- 
sented by a lodge. The Free Methodist 
Church, Rev. Kelly, has a membership of 
twenty. The other churches are noticed 
elsewhere in this article. The postmaster 
of Bruin is II. A. Ritner. R. M. Black 
& Son and Sproul & Shiever operate gen- 
eral stores, H.Sutton keeps a jewelry store, 
and T. W. Phillii)s Co. of Butler are en- 
gaged in the hardware and oil well supply 
business and also operate a machine shop. 
P. M. Black & Son and the Gibson Heirs 
operate grist mills. Bruin is on the B. & 
0. Railroad and has the U. S. Express, the 
Bell and Peoples' telephones and is a tele- 
graj)]! and money order station. S. R. Gib- 
son is liurgess and justice of the peace; H. 
Steel, J. Steel, T. G. Russell, W. H. Ed- 
monds, J. W. Kelly and G. Buckley are 
members of the council; S. Amsler, road 
conunissiouer; .1. H. Orr, treasurer; AY. A. 
Kellv, constable; (J. 'SI. Sav, tax collector. 
and \V. :\L Emerick, (J. Ilelfrich and W. B. 
Fletcher, auditors. The school directors 
elected in 1908 were A. J. Edmunds and R. 
C. Stewart. 

El Dorado, a village of about sixty ])eo- 
l)le, has one store, kept by W. S. Allen. 
There is also a Methodist church here, of 
which Rev. Mr. Ritch is pastor, this being 
the only church in the township outside of 
Bruin. The membership is small. 

Hooks City, near Bruin, was a village 
that had a brief existence in the days of 
the oil boom. With the decline of the oil 
field it went out of existence. 

The former importance of Parker Town- 
ship as an oil field has been already al- 
luded to, but at present the production 
of both oil and gas is small. The oil field 
today is confined chiefly to the northwest 
corner and the center. There are no coal 
mines, but several banks furnish coal for 
local consumption, the largest being those 
of S. T. Thompson and the Hilliards Bank. 
The i)eople of the totvnshi]) are chiefly en- 



556 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



gaged iu farming, and to a lesser extent in 
oil production. The Baltimore and Ohio 
Railway affords railway communication 
with outside points. Stone House is the 
name of a stop on this railroad. 

The schools and churches of Parker 
Township have been well supported. To- 
name the early teachers in the days of the 
subscription schools would be to repeat the 
names of many of the most reliable men 
of each settlement. Archibald Kelly was 
a noted educator, his training both in Ire- 
land and iu Westmoreland and other coun- 
ties having fitted him for far more exact 
ing duties than he foimd in Parker Town- 
ship, while many others were not less well 
equipped. The first school-house stood on 
the old Daniel Walker farm. In 1908 there 
were eight schools in the township, not in- 
cluding Bruin Borough, which has three. 
In 1907 the tax levied iu the township was 
$3261; in the borough $1524. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Mar- 
tinsburg was organized in 1834, and in 1835 
Benjamin Fletcher donated land on which 
a church building was erected, one that 
sufficed for thirty-nine years. In 1874 a 
commodious building, in accord with the 
increased strength of the membership, was 
erected. Rev. Mr. Rich is the present pas- 
tor. The membership is one hundred and 
fifteen. 

The Wfslrynii Methodist Chinch of Mar- 
tiusburg Mas organized in 1852, and in the 
same year a small building was erected, 
but later the society disbanded and the 
building was used for a district school-- 
house. 

The Martinsburg Presbyterian Church 
was organized in November. 1870, Avitli 
thirty-two members, the first elders l)eing: 
J.ohn C. Martin, Hamilton H. Say and 
Amos Yoimg. A fine church building was 
completed in December, 1873, and was ded- 
icated in September, 1874. In another part 
of this work the destructive cyclone which 
]3assed through Butler County is men- 
tioned, and in this disaster the new church 



was considerably damaged. Later it was- 
restored and its congregation is in a flour- ' 
ishing condition, with a membership of 
one hundred and eighty. Rev. Mr. Stewart 
is pastor. 

The population of Parker Township in 
1810 was 399. It reached its high tide in 
1880, when it had 2516. In 1900 the popu- 
lation was 1317, and its estimated popula- 
tion in 1908 was 1645, including the bor- 
ough of Bruin. 

Tounship Officicds: Justice of the peace, 
A. D. Groom; tax collector, W. S. Allen; 
constable, A. H. Walley; road commis- 
sioners, G. W. Christy, P. Zeortz and J. W. 
Everett; auditors, W. P. Hoover, J. Col- 
lins and J. Billingsley; clerk, J. W. Ev- 
erett. 

SLIPPERY EOCK TOWNSHIP. 

Slippery Rock Township, deriving its 
name from Slippery Rock Creek, which 
flows through it in a westerly direction, is 
situated in the northwestern part of But- 
ler County and is one of its most important 
and highly developed sections. In 1804, 
when Butler County was separated into 
thirteen townships, one was continued as 
Slippery Rock, a name given when Butler 
was taken from Allegheny County, and 
had l)ut four townships in all its territory. 
Since 1854 it has maintained its present 
number of square miles. Coal mining and 
gas development ai-e the main industries, 
although there are fertile tracts along the 
streams, and in the larger villages and bor- 
oughs all lines of activity are successfully 
engaged in. Limestone has also been mined 
extensively. The people, as a class, are 
more than usually intelligent, supporting 
a State Normal School, newspapers, con- 
tributing capital to large business enter- 
prises and foimding churches and char- 
ities. 

It is probable that the earliest settlers in 
the township were Adam Barber, David 
Cross and John and William Burrows, but 
as they made no permanent settlement. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



557 



credit is usually given to Nathaniel and 
Zebulon Cooper, who came from Washing- 
ton County in 1796 and settled on AVolf 
Creek in 1798. In 1797 came the McKees, 
followed in the next year by Adam Funk, 
and in the first year of the new century 
came Jonathan Adams, John and Jacob 
Stillwagon, John Moreland, Alexander Mc- 
Donald and John Slemmons. Philip Sny- 
der came in 1801 and found much favor 
with the settlers on account of his success 
in making maple sugar, a highly prized 
commodity in those days. In 1805 came 
John Walker, followed by William Bigham 
and sons and Samuel Cross. From this 
date up to 1840, came the following men. 
y'ho are recalled on account of their en- 
terprise, the larger number having been 
identified with all the material i^rogress 
the section made within that time : James 
Stephenson, Samuel Weaklev, Philip Kies- 
ter, Joel Beckwith, Thomas :\Iiffliu, Dr. 
John Thompson, John Christley, Michael 
Christley, Samuel Kerr, Samuel Bard, 
AVilliam'Hill, Isaac S. Pearson, Dr. Eli G. 
De Wolf, Cornelius Gill, James A. Patter- 
son, John ^McNulty, Samuel Caldwell. 
Peter Sowash, John Neal, William Miller, 
Joseph C. Swearengen, Henry Wolford, 
Jonathan Maybury and John Eeed. It was 
in this township that the brutal murder by 
the Indian Mohawk took place, that 'is de- 
scribed in the chapter on Bench and Bar. 
^Vhat is Imown as the Pittsburg Acad- 
emy Lands, now the Western University 
of Pennsylvania, consisted of several 400 
acre tracts in Slippery Rock Township, 
which were gradually sold to the settlers. 
Three of these tracts were in a body, com- 
mencing at the north line of the township 
and running as far south as Centerville. 
now Slippery Rock borough. James Mc- 
Kee, the pioneer, first settled on a part of 
this land and built a house on the tract 
later occupied by Eli Beckwith. Finding 
that he had located on land belonging to 
the Pittsburg Academy, McKee moved to 
the farm now owned by W. M. Humphrey. 



The pioneer village of the town bore the 
name of Mt. Etna, this being suggested 
apparently because it was built up around 
an early furnace, established by Dr. John 
Thompson on Slippery Rock Creek, in 
1822. In 1824 a post-office was established 
there and was named Slippery Rock, but 
two years later it was moved to what was 
formerly Centerville but is now known to 
the Post-Office Department as Slippery 
Rock. Other villages have been built as 
various railroad lines have been extended 
through the township and the most impor- 
tant of these are Kiesters, Branchton and 
Wicl,-. Adjoining the first named place is 
Slipi^ery Rock Park, which is maintained 
as a summer resort and is of great natural 
beauty. 

Iicdiiioiul is a mining village that has 
s])rung into existence since the opening of 
the coal and limestone mines along the line 
of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is also 
the terminal of the railroad in this county. 
The mines and village are located on the 
Louis Patterson farm about one mile and 
a half north of Slippery Rock Borough 
and at the present time is comjiosed of 
about one hundred houses besides the 
liuildings of the railroad company, and the 
Sharon Coal & Limestone Company, the 
operators of the mines. About three hun- 
dred miners are employed here when the 
different mines are in full operation. 

The Climax Limestone Company of 
Pittsburg are operating limestone mines 
on the Josiah Adams farm, and Heath & 
Filer of Mercer are carrying on extensive 
o]-)erations at Branchton. From one hun- 
dred to two hundred men are employed 
constantly at these mines, the output being 
used to a great extent by the dif!^'erent 
mills of the United States Steel Company 
for fluxing purposes, and also for con- 
struction of public roads. 

Slippery Rock Township has been a pro- 
lific producer of gas for the past twenty 
years, and a number of small oil fields 
luive also been found within its limits. 



558 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The vast miiicral resources of tlio towii- 
sliip have only coiiio into public notice in 
tlie |)a.st ten years, and the mining indus- 
try in the township is yet in its infancy. 

The Hercules Mining Company, of 
which Heni-y Lang is the manager, has 
options on a large acreage along Wolf 
Creek which will be deyeloped as soon as 
the railroads can be induced to enter the 
field. A railroad is now being projected 
from Franklin to Elwood City and will 
follow the Wolf Creek valley through this 
township. 

The earl}' industries of the township 
may be briefly mentioned: The Mt. Etna 
furnace established by Dr. John Thomp- 
son, in 1822, has been already referred to ; 
it was continued in operation until 1841; 
Hickory furnace, founded in 1836, by 
Joseph Swearengen, was operated for 
twenty-four years; the Bard & Bingham 
foundry was opened in 1838; Charles 
Coulter's fulling and carding mill was one 
of the earliest built on Slippery Rock 
Cr-eek; Wolf Creek woolen factory, manu- 
facturing carpets and Kentucky jeans, was 
in operation in 1845; prior to 1839 tan- 
neries were operated by members of the 
Stephenson, Fleming and Christley fami- 
lies ; the Thompson grist mill on Slippery 
Rock Creek, was built in 1822; the Wolf 
Creek mill was built in 1832, by James and 
Robert A^incent; in 1844 a flouring mill 
was built by Stewart & Sullivan, at the 
falls of Slippery Rock Creek; and early 
saw-mills were built and operated by many 
of the settlers. The development of coal 
and gas came at a later date. 

The leading point of business in Slip- 
))ery Rock Township is Slip])ery Rock Bor- 
ough, previously known as Centerville, al- 
though, when the Coopers settled here and 
long after, it was called Ginger Hill. The 
postoffice was established in 1826. It is a 
thoroughly modern place, all trades, indus- 
tries and lines of business being in a pros- 
pering condition. During the Mexican 
War it was a busy trading center and the 



descendants of those who founded the old 
business houses and made the first im- 
provements and formed the first . laws, 
still, in many cases perpetuate the sterling- 
virtues of their ancestors. A J^avings 
Bank was established in 1873 by John T. 
and Austin F. Bard. The Co-operative 
Creamery Association (Limited) was in- 
corporated ill 1S74. One newspaper, the 
Slippci ij Hncl; Signal, was established in 
February, 1892. The borough was incor- 
porated in 1841. There are eleven schools 
with 222 scholars enrolled. The schools 
are in charge of the Normal faculty. 

As early as 1887 the borough was sup- 
plied with natural gas by H. P. Griffith, 
who established a gas plant and obtained 
fuel from four wells drilled in the limits o'f 
the borough. Mr. Griffith continued to 
ojjerate the plant for a number of years, 
when it was taken over by the Union Heat 
and Light Company of Grove City, the 
present owners. 

Dissatisfaction over the prices charged 
for fuel l)y the old gas company was the 
means of a new company being organized 
and chartered in 1906 — the Slippery Rock 
Heat & Light Company — which was capi- 
talized at $10,000, and the same year 
drilled wells in Slippery Rock Township 
and pi])ed the borough. At the present 
time the company has a plant valued at 
about $30,000, and ten producing gas wells. 
John C. Kerr is jDresident and general 
manager of the company. 

The Slipioery Rock Telephone Company 
was chartered April 24, 1905, and the offi- 
cers at the pi'esent time are as follows : 
President, John B. Buchanan; secretary. 
Dr. W. M. Barber; treasurer, John A. 
Aiken; manager, John P. Caster. The 
company has a large patronage in the bor- 
ough and surrounding coimtry, and is in 
a prosperous condition. It has long dis- 
tance connections with the local companies 
at Harrisville, and Plain Grove, and the 
People's Lines of Butler. 

Five Depart nienf. The Slippery Rock 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



559 



A'ohniteer Fire Company was organized 
in IDO? with a membership of thirty-four, 
and the company has quarters in a rented 
l)uikling- on Franklin Street where the 
nu'etings are held and the fire-fighting 
equipment stored. The equipment con- 
sists of two hose-carts and eight hundred 
feet of hose. The officers of the company 
are as follows: Dr. J. M. McClymonds, 
president ; C. H. Maybury, vice-president ; 
(). K. Bingham, secretary; and Si. A. Gib- 
son, treasurer. 

City Water Works. The l.)orough of 
Slipperj' Rock is one of the small towns 
that owns its own water plant, and oper- 
ates it successfully. * In 1892 John Mc- 
(lonegal established a private plant about 
fifty rods north of the buihlings of the 
State Xornuil School from which he sup- 
])lied the greater portion of the town with 
water from drilled wells. He continued to 
operate the plant until 1905, when he sold 
it to the borougli and the latter has since 
lieeu operating it. The plant now consists 
of sevei-al drilled wells, two storage tanks 
of 1.600 and 1,000 barrels eack, and a 
]:»umping plant run by a gas engine. The 
town is not only supplied by an excellent 
quality of water, but the plant is operated 
at a profit. 
} Borough Offidals. The borough officials 

of 1908 were James S. Wilson, burgess; 
John Kerr, tax collector; David AVilson, 
assessor; W. E. Hayes, street commis- 
sioner; William Kelley, superintendent 
of the water works; John Stillwagon, 
high constable; Coulter Campbell, con- 
stable ; and the following members of 
council : C. N. Moore, president; James I. 
Hogg, treasurer; John Buchanan, secre- 
tary; W. R. Hockenberry, C. P. Haucks, 
and William Moore. 

Post-Office. In 1826 the Slippery Rock 
post-office was established and I. S. Pear- 
son was appointed post-master. The same 
Slippery Rock has been continued as the 
name of the post-office to the present time. 
From Ginger Hill the official title of the 



town was changed in 18-tl to Centerville 
liorough, when the village was incor- 
porated, and the title was again changed 
in 1896 to Slippery Rock borough to cor- 
respond with the name of the post-office. 

Centerville Lodge Number 331, Knights 
of Pythias, was organized January 21, 
1891. The present membership of the 
lodge is fifty including twelve members in 
the endowment rank. 

Mylert Lodge Number 435, I. 0. 0. F., 
was instituted July 24, 1851, with 'Joseph 
M. McNair, Noble Grand, and W. M. 
Wells, secretary. On account of some 
irregularity the charter was surrendered 
in 1856, and the lodge was not reorganized 
until April 14, 1875, when A. J. Bard, 
AVilliam Claugerts, David Hayes, Jona- 
than Clutton, Richard Critchlow and 
twelve other members formed the present 
lodge. At the present time the lo'dge has 
over one hundred members on its roll, and 
owns a two story frame building on 
Franklin St., in which the meetings afe 
held.- 

Slippery Rock Tent Number 307, K. 0. 
T. M., was organized in 1894, and has a 
membership of thirty-two. 

Slippery Rock Council Number 350, 
Jtmior A. 0. U. M., was first organized 
September 13, 1889, with twenty-one char- 
ter members. The Council flourished for 
a number of years, and then became dis- 
organized. A reorganization took jilace 
in November, 1907, and the present mem- 
bershi]) is ninety-six. 

O. C. Bingham Post NHmber 306, G. 
A. R., was mustered in March 6, 1883, with 
sixteen charter members. At one time the 
post had a membership of sixty-five, but 
the roll has decreased to fourteen mem- 
bers in 1908. Few of the charter members 
are living. The organization is still kept 
intact, but the meetings are irregular, and 
are only called when the post has some 
business to transact. 

Slippery Rock Lodge Number 108, An- 
cient Order of United Workmen, was or- 



560 



HISTOEY OP BUTLEE COUNTY 



ganized May 18, 1877. The lodge had a 
hii-ge membership for many years, but met 
with the same misfortune that overtook 
many of the fraternal insurance orders. 

Friendship Lodge Number 1188, Knights 
of Honor, was organized in August, 1878, 
with twenty members. 

The Alta Club is a social organization 
organized by the young men of the town in 
3907. The trustees are James Gerlach, 
William Bolton and J. M. McClymonds. 
The club has a membership of twenty-five, 
and has a neat and attractive club room 
on Alain Street where the club parties and 
other social functions are held. 

May 28, 1900, an amendment to the 
charter of the borough was secured, chang- 
ing the official name from Centerville to 
Slippery Eock. The last decade has 
marked a number of improvements in the 
town such as establishing a city water 
works, the macadamizing of Main Street, 
and the paving of Franklin Street with 
brick. The latter was done in 1908. The 
borough council also contemplates the es- 
tablishing of a sewerage system in the 
near future. The streets are well lighted 
with natural gas, and the side walks paved 
with Cleveland stone. 

The business interests of the town in 
1908 were represented by the general 
stores of H. E. Bard & Son, Kerr & Gib- 
son, M. E. & S. A. Moore, J. E. Stoops, 
0. M. Williams, Watson & Williams, B. F. 
Stillwagon, notions, F. P. Bingham, hard- 
ware, Peter Bartz, tobacco, J. E. Freid- 
man & Bro., clothing, Maybury & Pizor, 
drugs, S. D. Keister, furniture, S. L. 
Cheeseman, feed; S. V. Patterson, wall 
paper; J. T. Bingham, farm im])Iemeuts; 
]\Irs. M. E. Gibson, millinery; Heinz & 
Cooper, tobacco; J. M. Eoberts, buggies; 
J. N. Stillwagon, harness; Dougherty & 
Moore, millinery ; Uber & Sons, furniture ; 
McQuistion & Martin, meat market; Shei- 
bel & Edeburn, meat market ; A. Bowers & 
Son, drugs; Jeff. Campbell, hotel; Slater 



& Welsh, livery, and F. L. Forrester, lum- 
ber. 

The First National Bank and the Citi- 
zens' National Bank are noticed in the 
chapter on banking. The town has no tele- 
graph service at the present time, but is 
supplied with an excellent telephone serv- 
ice of the local telephone company the Bell 
Telephone Company. The future pros- 
pects of the town are excellent. Both the 
Pennsylvania and the Bessemer Eailroads 
are contemplating extensions of their lines 
into the village, and a corps of engineers 
are at work surveying a route for an elec- 
tric railway from Butler to Slippery Eock, 
and thence to Grove-City. 

In religious and educational matters. 
Slippery Eock Township has more th'an 
kept pace with other sections of the coun- 
ty. The first school-house was erected on 
the Wolford clearing, a short distance from 
Centerville, and in 1822 a second building 
was ]3ut up for school uses on the Abra- 
ham Snyder farm, and in 1830 the Still- 
wagon school was built on the Mawha farm, 
south of Centerville. In the latter place, 
as in the country, better advantages were 
given after the adoption of the public 
school system in 1835. The number of 
schools in the township in 1908 was eleven, 
with 312 pupils. 

StylPPEEY KOCK STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 

In 1881 a fine school building was erect- 
ed at Centerville, which now is the prop- 
erty of the State Normal School at this 
point. The history of th6 establishment 
of this admirable institution demonstrates 
the effect of persistent effort combined 
with the hard work that is demanded in 
order to make any enterprise successful. 
The first meeting was called by J. T. Bing- 
ham, was presided over by John Eeed, 
while Eev. Mr. Eobinson of the Presby- 
terian Church gave reasons for advocat- 
ing the founding of a high school of learn- 
ing. He aroused enthusiasm, the necessary 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



561 



amount of mouey for a begiuuiiig' was soon 
made and tlins the ball was started rolling 
and the result of all this energy is now seen 
in the stately, finely finished and equipped 
buildings of modern construction, which 
stand on ten acres of improved land, in the 
southeastern part of the borough. These 
buildings were formally dedicated by Gov- 
ernor Beaver, on February 1, 1889, and 
school work began in the following mouth. 
A high standard is maintained and the 
faculty is made up of educators of known 
ability. Since 1893 many improvements 
and additions have been made in the build- 
ings and plant of this school. The attend- 
ance in the winter term of 1908-1909 was 
579. 

The church organizations outside of Slip- 
pery Rock Borough were established as 
follows: the Methodist Episcopal body 
foimded an organization in the thirties, at 
Hickory Mills, but it is no longer iiiaiu 
tained. Bethel United Presbyterian ( 'liur<li 
is the successor of the Covenanter Society. 
which was organized in 1833 but passed out 
of existence in 1866. In 1868 a reorgauii;a- 
tiou took place under the present name. 
The Branchton Methodist Episcopal 
Chureh was organized and chartered 
March 5. 1906. A church building was 
erected in 1907 and the congregation is 
now attached to Harrisville charge. The 
churches iu Slippery Rock Borough are 
two in number, the Methodist Episcopal, 
dating to 1834, with a present membership 
of 150, and the Centerville United Presby- 
terian Church (now known as the First 
United Presbj^terian Church of Slippery 
Rock Borough) which was organizedinSei)- 
tember, 1818, and which now has a meml)er- 
ship of two hundred. Rev. G. A. Brown be- 
ing the present pastor. Slippery Rock 
Township was nobly represented by patri- 
ots in the Civil War and 0. G. Bingham 
Post. No. 305, G. A. R., is in a flourishing 
condition, although, on more than one occa- 
sion, death has claimed a veteran, that be- 
ing the one enemy he could not overcome. 



Secret orders are well supported here, 
there being organizations of the A. O. U. 
W., the K. of H., the A. 0. U. M. and the 
K. of P. In 1908 the estimated population 
of the township was 1740 exclusive of Slip- 
pery Rock borough. 

The township oflScials in 1908 were E. 
Fielding, tax collector; L. M. Doube, H. 
'SI. l\ed(liek and A. C. Renick, road super- 
vis(n>; l^l^^eU Bolten, A. S. Rodgers and 
Joiiii Suodgiass, auditors; AV. B. Cooper, 
township clerk; Frank Gerlach, ti-easurer; 
.1. B. Campbell, assessor; L. "W. Dougherty, 
constable ; A. L. Cooper, judge of election ; 
John B. Dimit and F. J. Doer, inspectors. 
Justice of the peace, AV. H. Bovard. 

JEFFERSOX TOWNSHIP. 

Jefferson Townshi]:), lying southeast of 
Butler Township, is not only one of the 
richest agricultural sections of Butler 
County, but has great wealth in its car- 
lioniferon^ deposits, and has, to some slight 
extent developed oil and gas. On account 
of its many waterways, it has been to some 
extent a manufacturing district. 

The earliest settlers of Jefferson Town- 
ship were natives of Ireland but Germans 
ancl other nationalities were soon after- 
ward represented. The township had vet- 
erans of both the Revolutionary and 1812 
wars among its pioneers. In 1895, Patrick ^ 
Graham, a native of Ireland, came to what 
is now Jefferson Township, prospecting 
for desirable land and in the following- 
year he put up his lonely cabin near the 
west line of the township. He had left his 
wife and two sous in Westmoreland Coun- 
ty, and they then joined him and in the 
following year a third son, named for the 
father, was born, he being the first white 
child born in Jefferson Township. The 
elder Patrick Graham lived to within three 
years of his century mark, dying in 1844. 
He is credited with being the township's 
first settler but was closely followed by 
S. Phipps. The latter attempted to build 
his cabin on the land already secured by 



562 



IIISTORY OP BUTLEE COUNTY 



Mr. GraluDii and wlieu objection was made, 
moved to i)ai-ts unknown. Several others 
made partial clearings in the vicinity but 
do not seem to liave taken up permanent 
residence and in the year of 1798 the Gra- 
liam family were the ofily known residents 
of the whole territory. In that year they 
gained neighbors, the Strawicks, the Brac- 
eys and Thomas Burljadge and family 
came, built cabins, began to clear land and 
Andrew Strawick set up his anvil and was 
the jiioneer blacksmith, nciijaiiiiii Thom- 
as is also crediled with M.ltliii- liciv in 
179S and is remembered as Jiaxiiiu' set out 
the first peach orchard. William Wright, 
James Maxwell, Bernard Ddimlicity and 
Daniel Mularkev, with Nathan kSkeer were 
here in 1805. In 1819, Thomas Welsh pur- 
chased 4,500 acres of land in the south- 
east corner of the township and lived there 
uritil his death, in 1853. In 1821 he -was 
joined by his brother John and they be- 
came very prominent in county affairs and 
men of large wealth from the development 
of coal on their lauds. These pioneers 
faced many hardships, in the overcoming 
of which they developed the present sterl- 
ing type of men and women, and before the 
land responded to cultivalioii they sul)sist- 
ed on the game in the forests and the fish 
in the streams as well as on the birds of 
the air, at that time, it is related, there be- 
ing so many pigeon roosts in this part of 
the county that a flight of the birds almost 
shut off daylight. 

One of the early and useful industries 
which was welcomed by the pioneers, was 
the grist-mill which was built on Thorn 
Creek, by Alexander Martin, in 1826. 
Thomas Welsh had put up a saw-mill in 
1825, and in 1827 the Widow McCurdy 
hired Robert McNair to erect a saw-mill 
on Thorn Creek. In 1845, George Welsh 
built a saw-mill and later a grist-mill and 
when it became the ])roperty of Thomas 
Frazier it was was fitted with better ma- 
chinery and it was still operated in 1888, 
having in the meanwhile, l^een. improved 



with inodern roller machinery. Other 
mills were built in different sections, some 
of which still stand while others have left 
no trace. 

In considering the development of Jef- 
ferson Township, the founding of its ham 
lets, towns and borough were the great fac- 
tors which brought civilization into the 
wilderness and many of the pioneers had 
much to do with their first inceittion and 
later growth. 

IldiiiKthsfoicu, 23robably named for a 
HOI 1(1 wife or well remembered mother, was 
founded in 1829 T)y Nathan Skeer and 
Abraham .Ahixwcll. it having previously 
been a cross ruad-- -diool center. Nathan 
Skeer conducted a tavern here and he was 
a unique dram-seller, his law being to sell 
no more than one drink to a customer un- 
til he was satisfied as to the hitter's ca- 
pacity. In 1860 J. N. Pugh established the 
manufacture of agricultural implements at 
this place. It now contains but twenty- 
five people. There is a German Imtheran 
Church here. 

Jefferson Center once was a busy manu- 
facturing point, artesian wells furnishing 
the water here both for manufacturing as 
well as domestic purposes. Better facili- 
ties in larger places have withdrawn much 
capita] from this place. It was estalilished 
in 1825, by Thomas Welsh. It now con- 
tains about fifty people. 

Great Belt, platted in 1876, in and 
around Coyle's Station, where a ]iost-of- 
fice has been established in 1870, has not 
develniHMl much, though there are some 
comfortable homes in the vicinit}". Gold- 
en City, founded in 1884, was named in 
honor of Mr. Golden, one of the owners of 
the celebrated Rock well. In July, 1888, 
the Leota post-ofKce was established, with 
Eli Graham as postmaster. 

Saxonhurg Boroiigli, now with a ])()pula- 
tion of 450, is the result of German thrift 
and energy. Through the efforts of 
Charles F. and John A. Roebling, in the 
spring of 1832, 300 families left Old Sax- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



563 



ony, Germany, to colonize 16,000 acres of 
land which had been purchased for them 
in Jefferson Township, Butler County. 
Those who finally settled on the present 
site of Saxonburg were the Roeblings, 
Fred Baehr, A. Eisenhart G. Kinne, Rev. 
William Fuhrmann, C. G. Lamb, August 
Kunz, A. Steubgen, Christian Steubgen, A. 
C. Bernigau, J. H. Muder, G. Franke and 
Charles Tolley. Charles F. Roebling died 
at Saxonburg, in 1838, and was survived 
hj two children. John A. Roebling was 
one of the remarkable men of his time. 
He was born in Saxony, in 1806, and from 
boyhood his education and training had 
been along the lines of architecture and en- 
gineering, for which natural talents fitted 
him. Prior to coming to America he had 
thoroughly studied bridgebuilding and 
submitted plans entailing the use of a wire 
rope or cable, of his own invention, for a 
suspension bridge to be erected in Prus- 
sia. By 1842 he had so perfected this in- 
vention that he secured a patent in that 
year and soon afterward he began the 
manufacture of this cable rope, with the as- 
sistance of John Reidel, at Saxonburg, and 
the first practical test which was thorough- 
ly satisfactory, was at the Sharpsburg 
Ferry. Subsequent and oft repeated tests, 
together with proofs of his engineering 
skill, brought about a revolution in bridge 
building, many of the great suspension 
bridges all over the country being his work, 
inchading the one across the Niagara River 
below the falls, and the East River Suspen- 
sion Bridge which connects New York and 
Brooklyn, which was completed in 1883. 
His death took place as the result of an ac- 
cident in 1869. The manufacture of his 
cables are carried on at Trenton, New Jer- 
sey, by his sons. The first industry at Sax- 
onburg was the Roebling brick-yard and 
immediately following factories were start- 
ed and in a short time the busy life of old 
Germany was bringing prosperity to the 
colony. 

The borough of Saxonbui-g is lighted 



with gas supplied by the Saxonburg Heat 
and Light Company. The Odd Fellows, 
Knights of Pythias and Maccabees are here 
represented by prosperous lodges. The 
leading merchants of the place are G. W. 
Maurhoff, A. Krause & Son, and C. F. 
Sehoentag, general stores; W. Bei-ger, 
gents' furnishings; J. E. Muder, proprie- 
tor of the Central Hotel; G. 0. Hammer, 
proprietor of the Roebling Hotel; Dr. E. 
B. Mershon, drugs; W. Schroth, harness; 
E. C. Drescher, machine shop. There is 
one school with ninety-seven pupils. A 
Volunteer Fire Department is now (Feb- 
ruary, 1909) being organized and a chemi- 
cal engine has been ordered. The post- 
master is J. R. Helmbold; burgess, G. 
Shoemaker; treasurer, A. Yeakel; con- 
stable, J. Long ; justices of the peace, W. D. 
Hoffman and W. Knoch ; clerk, F. B. Lens- 
ner; assessor, H. C. Lensner; collector, W. 
D. Hoffman ; road commissioners, W. Eck- 
erly, AV. J. Steubgen, P. R. Krause, W. 
Ru'dert, E. L. Rudert, C. Roddick and D. 
Stewart. 

Near Saxonburg are located the Saxon- 
burg Mineral Springs which are well 
known throughout this section as a popu- 
lar health resort. In the immediate vicin- 
itj" is the large and beautiful Hotel Tredur, 
the location being at an altitude of nearly 
1 ,400 feet above sea level, and surrounded 
by the most picturesque scenery in West- 
ern Pennsylvania. It is a delightful spot for 
seekers of quiet, rest and recreation. T^his 
place has been well called "A home in the 
coimtry." The waters have been subjected 
to careful analysis and proved rich in 
health-giving qualities. They were much 
used by the Seneca Indians before the ad- 
vent of the whites. 

The Saxonburg Telephone Company was 
organized in 1907, the company purchas- 
ing from the Bell Telephone the right of 
way in this section. Saxonburg has a Ger- 
man and English Lutheran Church. 

The kind of people making up the citi- 
zenship of Jefferson Township, early 



564 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



brought about a demand for schools and 
churches. St. Lucas' Evangelical Luther- 
an Church was established in 1838, when 
it was in Buffalo Township and a church 
was built near Hanuahstown. In 1847 an 
organization of the English and German 
speaking Lutherans was effected and they 
worshiped together until 1869. In 1854 
when the society was incorporated, one of 
the church articles was the prohibition of 
the interment of suicides or unbaptized 
children in the cemetery. 

The Shiloh United Presbyterian Church 
was organized in 1864 with Rev. W. R. 
Hutchison as first pastor. The church 
building is situated at the junction of the 
old Bull Creek and the Glade Mills road. 
The Jefferson Summit Presbyterian 
Church dates back to Ajaril, 1864, and in 
June, 1867, a church building was com- 
pleted and dedicated, and in January, 1869, 
the society was incorporated. The Jeffer- 
son Center Presbyterian Church was or- 
ganized in July, 1871, and was incorporat- 
ed in October, 1873, Rev. C. W. Seaman be- 
ing pastor. The Methodist Epsicopal 
Church of Great Belt was organized in 
1877, but is no longer in existence. The 
German Evangelical Protestant Church of 
Saxonburg really dates back to 1837. St. 
Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church was 
founded in 1869. 

The Mission Synod of. the Lutheran 
Church pays the expenses of the Concordia 
Orphans' Home, near Delano, founded by 
a Mr. Oertel and dedicated in 1883. It is 
a magnificent charity designed for aged 
persons and orphans. Secret societies, 
fraternal bodies and musical organizations 
are found in the township and are well 
supported. 

Township officials: Constable, H. H. 
Aterholt; tax collector, W. Pouff; tax as- 
sessor, A. Aterholt; road commissioners, 
W. Aterholt ; Geo. Grim and W. Campbell ; 
auditors, A. Bekert, C. Wetzel, and J. 
Hartzel; clerk, W. Montague; treasurer, 
E. Montague. 



MAEION TOWNSHIP. 

Marion Township, which perpetuates the 
name of General Francis Marion, the fa- 
mous ' ' Swamp 'Fox "of Revolutionary days, 
has an area of five and one-quarter miles 
east and west by five miles in length, and 
within these dimensions may be found a 
variety of soil, mineral deposits and pro- 
ductive oil fields, while Slippery Rock 
Creek and smaller streams water produc- 
tive agricultural sections. The establish- 
ment and maintenance of various manu- 
facturing plants and other business enter- 
prises, together and chiefly with the de- 
velopment of the agricultural resources, 
almost from the first years of settlement, 
prove that Marion Township has always 
possessed its full share of capable and in- 
dustrious citizens. 

The oil sands of this section are rather 
shelly, as has been learned from the rec- 
ords of the Emerson and Bronson well 
drilled near McMurry's mill in 1877, and 
from the record of the wells drilled at Mur- 
rinsville in 1893-4. A fairly productive oil 
field was struck at Murrinsville in the 
years mentioned, but the wells soon de- 
clined. More drilling was done in this 
township in 1908 than in any section of the 
county. There is a large limestone quarry 
near Anandale, which isuow being operated. 
There are also large deposits of limestone 
that have not yet been developed. The 
highest elevation in the township is at the 
village of Murrinsville, which is 1,440 feet. 
At the crossing of the Murrinsville and 
Clintonville road it is 1,400 feet, and a 
mile southwest of Murrinsville it is 1,350 
feet. 

The population in 1860 was 789, and 1900 
it was 878. The development of the coal 
field of the township in the past ten years 
has been the means of increasing the popu- 
lation, and at the close of 1908 the town- 
ship had a population estimated at 1,215. 

Probably one of the very first permanent 
settlers of Marion Township was Samuel 
McMurry, a native of County Down, Ire- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



565 



land, who reached this section with his 
wife, in 1798, settling near a historic spot 
known yet as Daniel's Garden. A trader 
named Daniel or Daniels, came still earlier 
and built a cabin near what is now Anan- 
dale, surrounded it with a bit of cultivated 
land and named it a garden. He subse- 
quently deserted the place on account of 
trouble with Indians. Other settlers who 
came early and took up land or otherwise 
established themselves were John Vincent, 
settling in 1798; John Vandyke, in the 
same year; John and Jane Black, in 1799; 
Robert Waddle, with wife and six sons, in 
1800; Robert Seatou, with wife and three 
children, in the same year; William, Rob- 
ert and Samuel Black, in 1803 ; in the same 
year Robert Cochran, Hugh Gilmore, Jo- 
seph Blakeny and possibly Robert Read 
and John Walsh. Joseph Porter and wife 
came in 1817; Alexander Mortland, in 
1806, and George Ray, in 1810, the latter 
making his home with his uncle, George 
Ward, who had settled here much earlier 
and at that time was one of the largest 
landowners in Marion Township. In 1816 
came Robert Atwell; in 1818 came Robert 
Kellerman and family ; in 1819, came Will- 
iam Gilchrist and family and in 1820, came 
James Dugan. This list by no means in- 
cludes all of the early settlers but many of 
these mentioned have left descendants who 
still own the lands they gained through 
their industry and foresight, in the earliest 
days. 

One of the earliest mills built in Marion 
Township was erected by a Revolutionary 
officer. General Campbell, which later was 
owned by the Ray family and for many 
years was operated, custom coming from 
remote parts of the newly settled township. 
In 1810, the McMurry distillery and grist- 
mill was built; in 1815, Robert Seaton 
erected a tannery and a fulling-mill; in 
1825 the Blacks built a saw-mill and grist- 
mill, and William Evans also owned a saw- 
mill and an iron furnace. In 1850 the 
Marion furnace was established, by James 



Kerr and Robert Breaden, who conducted 
it until 1862. An abundance of iron ore 
and thick veins of pure cannel coal as well 
as Brbokville coal, has given a certain 
trend to the industries of the township and 
many furnaces have been built and coal 
mining has given employment to many. 

One of the pioneer mercantile enter- 
prises of the township was Bailey's store 
near the western boundry, which has been 
carried on for many years by Joseph 
Bailey. He is probably the oldest mer- 
chant now in active service in the state, 
being over ninety years of age. 

The leading villages of Marion Town- 
ship are Murrinsville and Anandale Sta- 
tion, or Boyers Post-office. In 1828 the for- 
mer village was surveyed for John Murrin, 
the head of one of the most prominent and 
substantial pioneer families of this section 
of Butler County. His descendants still 
own large tracts of land in the valley east 
of the town. It has always been more or 
less a Catholic stronghold and supports 
a fine Catholic Church. J. H. Gormley 
conducts a general store and there is a 
feed stable of which Murrin Brothers are 
the proprietors. 

Anandale Station, Boyers Post-office, on 
the Bessemer Railroad, was founded in 
August, 1873, under the name of Byers- 
town, from one of the early settlers at that 
point, Frederick Byers and family having 
purchased land here in 1840. The hamlet 
remained almost stationary until 1879, 
when a hotel was built by a member of the 
Byers family and the building of rail- 
roads further advanced its progress. Hugh 
and E. G. Sprone built a steam grist-mill 
here in 1878, E. A. King becoming man- 
ager in 1880. The mill was burned in 1904 
and the site is now occupied by a small 
feed mill.. In January, 1882, a post-office 
was established at Anandale Station, with 
W. G. Smith as postmaster. The present 
incumbent of that office is L. J. Sisseny, 
who also conducts a general store. The 
other merchants are H. Mittendorf, gen- 



566 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



eral store, and S. W. Kerr, grocery and 
hotel. There is a K. of P. lodge here. At 
the present date of writing, Marion Town- 
ship has seven schools with 186 pupils, the 
average attendance being normal and gen- 
eral intelligence i)revailing. One of the 
first schools was held in the old log cabin 
Presbyterian Church and was taught by 
David C. Cunningham, among whose more 
immediate successors were John Walsh, 
Nancy Breckenridge and Lydia Waters. 
The school directors (in 1908) were James 
Walter, T. McFadden, John Gilgrist, 
James McNees, Clayton Duffy, W. F. Kerr 
and the First National Bank, Harrisville. 

The United Presbyterian Church of West 
Unity dates back to about 1807 and was 
the result of the efforts of several Pres- 
byterian preachers who obtained church 
permission to organize churches through 
the county wherever possible, although the 
widely sejiarated settlers made the duty 
sometimes a difficult one. Many of these 
settlers were of a religious turn of mind 
but they could not all agree on some of the 
essential points of doctrine, and hence, 
there were, by 1825, small bodies calling 
themselves Presbyterian, Associate Re- 
formed, Seceders, and Covenanters. In 
Rev. Cyrus Riggs, however, was found a 
tactful man as well as earnest preacher 
and he ministered to the assembled 
branches until 1830. Changes took place, 
but the present church body was incor- 
porated in February, 1886. The present 
membership is about one hundred. The 
elders in 1909 were James Dougan, Alex. 
Buchanan, Joshua Black, and J. C. Van- 
dyke. Pastor, Rev. J. J. Imbrie. 

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church was not 
formally founded prior to 1841, but for 
many years prior to that the Murrin home- 
stead had been utilized for the service of 
the Mass, as the visiting priests could 
make their pastoral rounds. As early as 
1800 missionary fathers of the Catholic 
faith had visited here as well as other parts 
of the countv and in 1807 came Father 



Ferry, who was put in charge of St. Pat- 
rick's Church on Sugar Creek. In 1839, 
John Murrin donated an acre of land for 
church and cemetery purposes and in 1841 
a substantial stone church was erected. 
Subsequently fire destroyed a part of the 
structure, but rebuilding soon followed and 
the Catholic contingent has one of the best 
church edifices in this part of the county. 
Its membership — about 343 — includes a 
great part of the wealth and substantial 
citizenship of the community. Father Mc- 
Kenna is the present pastor. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church in 
Anandale has a membership of two hun- 
dred, with Rev. Mr. Walker as pastor. 

The Church of God is a religious society 
that was organized about 1874 by a Rev. 
Mr. Manchester. Shortly after the pres- 
ent house of worship was erected on the 
Cook farm. The present membership is 
about twenty- five. 

Township officials: Justices of the 
peace, J. Haslett and J. T. Black; tax col- 
lector, J. A. Gillghrist; constable, J. Duj- 
jey ; tax assessor ; J. E. Atwell ; road com- 
missioners, L. E. Rumbaugh, J. McFadden 
and J. A. Murrin ; auditors, G. Gormley, J. 
J. Gilmore and L. Murrin; clerk, J. Kerr. 

PENN TOWNSHIP. 

Penn Township is one of the agricultural 
townships of Butler County, its residents 
being mainly those who have come here to 
found homes, rather than to temporarily 
engage in industries .of no permanent char- 
acter. Hence, here, perhaps more than in 
any other township, may be found the larg- 
er number of thoroughly tilled farms and 
comfortable farm surroundings. Penn 
Township was one of the thirteen re-sub- 
divisions of Butler County made in 1854, 
its territory forming a part of the orig- 
inal Middlesex and Connoquenessing 
Townships. It is well watered by Con- 
noquenessing and Thorn Creeks and Glade 
Run and in some portions the landscape 
presents fine scenery for the artist. In 




RESIDENCE OP W. H. H. RIDDLE, BUTLER 




;ns BUILDING, BUTLER DR. BOYLE'S EYE AND F.\ 




AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



5G9 



the northwest corner, particularly, the 
hugh "Town Rocks" resemble in* general 
character some of the formations that have 
made sections of Colorado famous. It is 
not entirely lacking in coal or oil, but the 
development of these natural products 
has never assumed large proportions, with 
the exception of that in the Bald Ridge 
District. 

There is no difficulty in fixing the name 
and date of the first settler of Penn Town- 
ship. He was Robert Brown, who was the 
founder of the Methodist faith in Butler 
County, and for a quarter of a century 
served in the new settlement as a justice 
of the peace. He came from New Jersey 
and lived in the cabin he built as early as 
1797, the builder of another cabin in the 
previous year, not occupying the same un- 
til a later date. This was Clark Rathbun, 
whose daughter later married Robert 
Brown. James and George Boyd came 
shortly afterward, George purchasing the 
Rathbun tract of land, with an additional 
400 acres, and in 1803, James Boyd is cred- 
ited with 250 acres. Adam and Joseph 
Brown were here in the same year, while 
Thomas and William Dixon came in 1800. 
The latter was one of the pioneer teach- 
ers and a justice of the peace. The vet- 
erans of the Revolutionary War were also 
represented among the early settlers, one 
of these, John Rankin, a native of Ireland, 
being the head of a numerous family. He 
came here from Maryland about 1805. 
Other prominent settlers who founded fam- 
ilies, acquired land and became of impor- 
tance to this section until the close of what 
is generally termed the pioneer period 
were: Matthew Cunningham, prior to 
1805; John Maharg, about the same date; 
Joseph Logan, in 1807; John Dodds, in 
1808, later serving in the War of 1812; 
John Reese, Daniel Harper and David Sut- 
ton about 1807-8; Thomas Bartley, in 
1808 ; Robert Bartley, in 1810 ; Moses Cris- 
pin, prior to 1820, Jesse Sutton coming in 
the latter year. James Marshall with wife 



and eleven children, in 1824 ; Adam Weber, 
one of the founders of the Lutheran faith, 
in 1831; Edward Hays, in 1831; Israel 
Seaman, in 1833; William Fisher, in 1834; 
Thomas Robinson, in 1835; William C. 
Wallace, in 1837; David A. Renfrew, in 
1840. 

In 1820, Moses Crispin had built prob- 
ably the first saw-mill in the township, and 
in 1844, David A. Renfrew built a second 
one and added a grist-mill in 1868. Very 
early, Robert Bartley and Robert Eady 
conducted distilleries. In 1860 the whole 
population of the township was 914 indi- 
viduals. The largest developments of 
coal in the township have been carried on 
on the Andrew Welsh farm, the Lavery 
farm, the Fisher and Kennedy farms and 
the Renfrew lands, three coal beds having 
been worked by Mr. Renfrew. The history 
of the Bald Ridge oil developing is given 
elsewhere. 

Broivnsdale, Maharg, Renfrew, Phillips 
City, McBride City and Critchloiv City, 
may be named as the leading villages in 
the history of the townslup. These ac- 
quired their names from important fami- 
lies in their vicinity, and their population 
and business enterprises, in some cases, 
were determined by the fluctuations in the 
oil industry. In 1844 A. M. Brown estab- 
lished a store on his land and in the fol- 
lowing year the post-office of Broivnsdale 
was established, with Adam Brown as post- 
master. The little hamlet slowly grew to 
the proportions of a village as various 
trades and industries gained a foothold 
here. 

Maharg is mainly distinguished as being 
the second post-office village established in 
the township, E. Maharg being the first 
postmaster. 

Renfreiv, once one of the famous oil cen- 
ters of the country, was located in April, 
1882, on part of the Renfrew land, on whicb 
David A. Renfrew had settled and built a 
saw-mill in 1840. A prior owner to a large 
portion of this district was William Pur- 



570 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



viance, who bad acquired his right in 1838. 
The long- litigation which subsequently en- 
sued after the discovery of oil in this dis- 
trict, was carried into the Butler County 
courts, and later to the Board of Property ; 
still later other court proceedings took 
place, the history of this case making an 
interesting chapter in Butler County rec- 
ords and involving a number of the town- 
ship's most prominent families. The cred- 
ited business pioneer of Renfrew was 
Simeon Nixon, who established his res- 
taurant in January, 1882. In the follow- 
ing April drilling for oil was commenced 
and as this and the surrounding district 
proved of unusual oil wealth, the usual 
crowd of speculators and workmen were 
attracted to the place and by the close of 
August a town had sprung up. W. W. 
Patton erected the tirst building for ho- 
tel and boarding house purposes, and other 
lines of trade soon followed as the in- 
flowing population demanded necessities 
and also luxuries. The first postmaster 
was H. W. Koonce. 

The leading merchants and industries at 
the present time are the following : Kirk- 
patrick Brothers and L. D. Van Rensse- 
laer, general stores ; R. M. Bowser & Son, 
lumber and hardware; Webbers Phar- 
macy; Price Brothers (A. C. and E. E. 
Price), machine and boiler shop. The shop 
of the last mentioned concern, which em- 
ploys seven men, was erected in 1886. Here 
gas engines are built and all kinds of re- 
pair work done. The concern also deals in 
second-hand- oil well supplies. Another 
machine and repair shop in Renfrew is that 
of John Fagan. Doctors D. H. Keeler and 
J. L. Campbell are the local physicians and 
surgeons. 

The township high school is located in 
Renfrew with twenty-seven pupils. There 
are two other school rooms, with a total 
(in the two) of 115 pupils. Mrs. E. J. 
Campbell keeps the only hotel in the bor- 
ough, while J. C. McClelland has a 
livery stable. The present population of 



Renfrew is about 500, most of which has 
accrued since the time of the first oil de- 
velopments. The place has connection 
with outlying points by three railroads — 
the Bessemer & Lake Erie, the Baltimore 
& Ohio, and B. 'R. & P. The People's 
and Bell telephones are installed here and 
there is an office of the United States Ex- 
press Company. Renfrew also has elec- 
tric communication by means of the Pitts- 
burg & Butler Electric Line, which has a 
power-plant here. 

Utopia Tent No. 96, K. 0. T. M., is lo- 
cated in Renfrew and has a membership 
of about seventy-three. It has been or- 
ganized twenty-one years. There is also 
a ladies branch of the Maccabees here. The 
order owns a fine hall erected in 1899. Ren- 
frew Camp No 8608, Modern "Woodmen, 
has a membership of forty-four and has 
a hall of their own. 

The present postmaster of Renfrew is L. 
D. Van Rensselaer. J. W. Kaftenbaugh 
and W. J. Burton are justices of the peace ; 
G. W. Nixon, constable; W. S. Dixon, as- 
sessor; T. J. Graham, collector; auditors, 
Mark Starr, Chas. Phillips and J. C. 
Dodds. School board, W. W. Phillip, S. J. 
Patterson, J. M. Douthett, Harvey Wise, 
C. H. Wible, and E. E. Price. 

The imexpected richness of the site of 
Phillips City, on Thorn Creek, ■ brought 
that village into existence in August, 1884, 
as also McBride City, in February, 1885, 
and CritcUow City, in 1886. These villages 
have been the oil centers, their prosperity 
depending on the production and market 
manipulation of this great commodity. 

Brownsdale is a small settlment where 
L. D. Van Rensselaer operates a branch 
store. There is also a Methodist Church 
at this point, elsewhere mentioned in this 
article. 

When schools and churches are men- 
tioned in connection with the settlement 
and present status of Penn Township, the 
prevailing intelligence and sterling char- 
acter of its people are manifest. The early 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



571 



settlers in the southern part of the town- 
ship had as their first teachers members 
of their own families, natural intelligence 
often taking the place of pedagogic train- 
ing. More than in any other township 
have literary societies and educational or- 
ganizations been favored here and on nu- 
merous occasions debating contests have 
been held that attracted considerable out- 
side interest. For some years the Ren- 
frew Academy gave students fine academic 
opportunities. There are now nine public 
schools in the township including the high 
school, with a total enrollment of 481 pu- 
pils. 

The United Freshyterimi Churcli of 
Brownsdale, a branch of the old Union, 
Clinton and Butler Churches, is the oldest 
church society in the township. It was or- 
ganized about or previous to 1860, in which 
year the first church edifice was put up. 
The first pastor was Rev. R. M. Patterson. 
Its membership of one hundred includes 
many of the oldest and most prominent 
and worthy families of the township, the 
Douthetts, the Dodds, the Browns, the 
Martins, and the Mahargs being greatly in 
the majority. 

The Thorn. Creek Methodist Episcopal 
Church existed as Kennedy's Class as 
early as 1837 but it was not until 1865 that 
it was placed under its present organiza- 
tion and it then erected a suitable house of 
worship. To this church and among the 
earnest workers in the faith from its earli- 
est records belonged the Kennedys, the 
Robinsons, the Cunninghams, and the 
Burkharts. 

The Zion Baptist Church was organized 
in 1840 and services were held in the house 
of Isaac Sutton until 1850, when a build- 
ing was erected and an interesting fact in 
this connection is that its early pastors not 
only ministered to the flock but also were 
the practical builders of the structure. The 
.Suttons, the Phillips, the Nixons, the 
Luces, the Snows, the Boyds and the Will- 



iam McCandless families have always been 
identified with this body. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Ren- 
frew, was organized in 1888, and by 
March, 1890, the congregation had devel- 
oped enough interest and strength to com- 
plete a church building costing $1,500. The 
church now has a membership of sixty, 
with a Sunday-school enrollment of eighty. 
Rev. Spaulding is pastor. 

Broivnsdale M. E. Church was organized 
in 1860. The congregation is now small. 

CLAY TOWNSHIP. 

Clay Township was organized in 1854, 
and was named in honor of Henry Clay, 
the distinguished orator and stateman of 
Kentucky. It lies directly north of the 
center of the county, and is marked by sev- 
eral high summits which are approximate- 
ly 1,400 feet above ocean level and from 
250 to 300 feet above the bottom of Muddy 
Creek. The township is drained by Muddy 
Creek, which arises near West Sunbury 
and flows westward through the southern 
half, and by the tributaries of the Slippery 
Rock, which arise north of West Sunbury 
and flow north. A small area in the south- 
eastern corner of the township is drained 
by the tributaries of the Connoquenessing. 

The Freeport and Kittanning coals are 
found in abundance in this township, and 
at -an early date coal banks were operated 
on the Samuel McElvain farm near West 
Sunbury, the Thompson, McMichael, Paint- 
er, Patterson, Glen, Mock, and Hall farms. 
Banks were operated on the McAnallen, 
the Young and the Robert Patterson farms 
prior to 1861, and after the construction 
of the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad 
in 1882, extensive operations were car- 
ried on at Claytonia by the Crawfords. and 
the Steel and Blair mines at Standard 
were opened about the same time and 
abandoned about 1895. The George S. Stage 
mines were opened at Claytonia in 1894, 
and are still in operation, while the Mesner 



572 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



mine is located on the Carothers farm, 
each employing about sixty men. The Sher- 
win mine on the Sherwin farm employs 
about twenty-tive men. There are also 
several small banks operated for local con- 
sumption. Building stone is abundant in 
this township, and much of the stone used 
in the construction of the court house at 
Butler was quarried on the farm of Jo- 
seph Kelly near the west line of the town- 
ship. The construction of the Allegheny 
and Western Railroad from Queen's 
Junction east to Brady's Bend, and the 
western division of the road along Muddy 
Creek to the Armstrong County line, will 
be the means of developing the mineral 
resources of the southern part of the town- 
ship. There is practically no oil or gas in 
the township, except two wells that furnish 
gas for the borough of West Sunbury, and 
the inhabitants are engaged chiefly in 
farming. 

The pioneers of the township are found 
among the early settlers named in the 
townships now known as Parker, Fairview, 
Center, Brady, Butler, and Penn. Chris- 
topher McMichael, a soldier of the Revolu- 
tion, is credited with building a cabin just 
east of West Sunbury borough, as early as 
1797. There is no mention made of him 
in the records of 1803, but his son William 
is named as a tax payer in what is now 
Cherry Township, but at that time was 
Slippery Rock Township. 

John Thorn was one of the pioneers who 
came in 1797 or previous to that time. The 
same year James Russell settled north of 
West Sunbury, but a few years later moved 
into Concord or Washington township. The 
settlers of 1798 were Samuel Findley, a 
soldier of the Revolution, Robert Findley, 
David Findley, and Samuel Findley, Jr. 
James McJunkin came from the north of 
Ireland the same year, and William Bar- 
ron came from Marion or Venango Town- 
ship in 1798. Jacob Beighley, who joined 
his brothers in Connoquenessing township 
in 1797, came to Clay Township in 1798 or 



1799. Robert Graham, who made the first 
improvement on the site of West Sunbury, 
came into the township in 1803. Joseph 
Thorn arrived about 1800 and died a few 
years later. The body was placed in a hol- 
low log, to which oxen were hitched, and 
thus the rude cofifin was hauled to the 
grave. 

The settlers of 1803 were Joseph, John, 
James, AVilliam, and Samuel Glenn, Mrs. 
Jenet (Sterling) Glenn, Margaret Glenn, 
Mary Glenn and Mrs. A. M. Porter came 
in 1808. The father of this family was 
James Glenn, who selected the land set- 
tled, but died in Westmoreland County. 
John Glenn, known as Captain Glenn, com- 
manded a company of Pennsylvania volun- 
teers in the War of 1812. Among the later 
settlers were Stephen Allen, John Adams, 
who came in 1820 and reared a family of 
twenty children, Robert McCandless from 
Center Township in 1820, Asajih Cranmer 
from Clay Township in 1823, AVilliam Gib- 
son from Butler in 1827, Jeremiah Wick 
from Armstrong County in 1796, John and 
Jesse Sutton from the southern townships 
in 1829, and the Bartley family of Penn 
Townslii|>, the Thompson family of Brady 
Townshi]), the Rudol])h Bortmas family, 
the McKlvains, Timblins, and Pattersons, 
may be classed among the pioneers, al- 
though they selected other townships for 
their first homes in the county. 

John McDevitt came from Tyrone Coun- 
ty, Ireland, in 1825, and to Clay Township 
in 1830. John Young, a son of John Young 
who settled in Allegheny County in 1790, 
came to the township in 1830. William A. 
McAnallen, one of the early settlers, was 
a son of Patrick McAnallen, who came 
from Ireland in 1788, and to the territory 
of Butler County some time previous to 
1803. 

The first gi'ist mill in the townshi]) was 
erected by AVilliam ('arruthers about 1835 
on the head of Findley Glade Run, about 
two miles northwest of West Sunbury. It 
was a rude affair constructed of round 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



573 



logs and operated by water power. A dam 
was built about forty rods above the mill 
whence the water was brought in a fimne 
constructed of hollow logs to an uprigllt 
box over the water wheels at the mill. This 
mill was destroyed by fire in 1851. 

What is known as the old Shroj'er mill 
near the west line of the township was built 
about 1835 and was first operated by Henry 
Black. Dr. Josiah McCandless built a new 
mill on the site of the old one about 1870, 
but in 1892-3 it was removed, the material 
being used in other buildings. 

The old Painter saw-mill and planing- 
mill at Euclid Station on the Bessemer 
Railroad, was convert&d into a chopping 
mill by Joseph Meehling and used as such 
until 1894, when it was destroyed by fire. 

The flouring-mill at West Sunbury was 
erected in 1871 by Reed Bryson, who was 
a prominent millwright and builder of his 
day. The first owners were Allen Wilson, 
Charles McClung and J. W. Christie. In 
1895 the owners were J. C. Bredin, George 
Wolford and William Wick. This mill was 
destroyed by fire in 1902, and was subse- 
quently rebuilt. 

Muddy Creek Presbyterian Church is 
one of the oldest religious societies in the 
county. As early as 1799 Rev. John Me- 
Pherrin, who was the pioneer Presbyte- 
rian preacher in the county, held services 
in the neighborhood, and the first organi- 
zation was effected in 1803. Rev. McPher- 
rin continued as stated supply for two 
years after the organization, and in 1805 
he was installed pastor, and remained un- 
til 1813. For the next ten years the con- 
gregation was without a regular pastor, 
and in 1823 Rev. John Coulter, a licentiate 
of the Ohio Presbytery, was installed jias- 
tor. The congregation was reorganized at 
this time, and Rev. Coulter continued as 
pastor until 1850, when he resigned. 

The first house of worship was erected 
in 1803, and was constructed of roimd logs. 
This was used until 1824, when a new meet- 
ing-house, 30x60 feet in size, was built of 



hewn logs, and oak shingles were used for 
roofing, the interior being plastered. The 
present brick building was completed in 
1852 and is still in good condition. The 
church was incorporated March 29, 1864, 
with Josiah McJunkin, John R. Mcjunkin, 
and James Findley as trustees. A consti- 
tution was adopted December 7, 1863. 

West Sunbury. This borough, which 
now has a population of about 350, had its 
origin before the Civil War and has seen 
some prosperous days, though at present 
its growth is not rapid owing to the com- 
petition of other villages and boroughs 
possessing academies and other similar at- 
tractions. The Royal Arcanum and the 
Woodmen of the World have lodges here, 
and there are three churches — the Pres- 
byterian, Rev. Bradshaw, pastor, with a 
membership of about 190 ; the United Pres- 
byterian, Rev. Breaden, with 140 members ; 
and the Methodist Episcopal, Rev. Walker, 
with seventy members. 

The leading business men are the Rus- 
sell Livery stables; Campbell & Smith, 
hardware; Breaden, Conway & Co. and J. 
B. Arthurs, general stores; H. C. Hind- 
man, drugs, and the Phoenix Milling Com- 
pany. Euclid Station on the Bessemer 
Railroad is the nearest shipping point. The 
borough is lighted with gas furnished by 
W. W. Russell, who owns the two gas wells 
in the townshija, he suceeding the Green- 
ville Gas Company in the proprietorship. 
The Peoples' Telephone is installed here 
and there is also a Bell 'phone connection. 
The present postmaster is 0. P. Campbell. 
The borough officials are : Burgess, W. J. 
Breaden ; justices of the peace, A. Thomp- 
son and P. P. Brown ; assessor and col- 
lector, G. C. Gibson; constable, J. McCly- 
monds; road commissioner, H. C. Pryor; 
auditors, C. Campbell, J. B. Arthurs and 
A. Meehling. 

Queen Junction is the junction of the 
Bessemer and W. Allegheny Railroads. C. 
W. Buckham is postmaster here. 

Claytonia, with a population of about 



574 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



fifty, is a station on the Bessemer Railroad 
which was origiually known as Caledonia. 
It derived its name from the coal mines 
which were opened at that place by the 
Crawford brothers, and called the Cale- 
donia mines. The Standard Mining Com- 
pany also opened a mine in the same local- 
ity, which was afterwards operated by 
Steele and Blair, but both mines were 
abandoned previous to 1895. In 1894 
George S. Stage of Greenville opened 
mines in the vicinity, and named the place 
Claytonia. There is one store, kept by 
Jarnes Welsh. Miss C. Welsh is postmiss- 
tress. 

Shenvin is a mining village of forty peo- 
ple on the Bessemer Railroad, and was 
founded by P. D. Sherwin, who opened the 
Sherwiu mines at that place. A post-of- 
fice, general store, and about twenty min- 
ers' houses compose the village. The post- 
master is J. D. Sherwin, who also conducts 
the store. 

Euclid Station is located on the divide 
between Slippery Rock and Muddy Creeks 
on the Bessemer Railroad, and the place 
was known for many years as the Center 
schoolhouse. When the railroad was com- 
pleted to the summit, it was called Sun- 
bury Station, and shortly after the comple- 
tion of the road the name was changed to 
Euclid. The Painter saw-mill and planing- 
mill and a creamery were among the first 
industries of the place, but they were de- 
stroyed by fire February 9th, 1894. At the 
time of the fire, the planing, mill was 
owned by Joseph Mechling, who occupied 
a part of the building with a chopping mill. 
The other part of the mill contained a sin- 
gle saw-mill owned by D. B. McCandless, 
Warren Thompson, Jasper Keister and 
Joseph Mechling. The place now has .about 
fifty people. McKissack & Lutz conduct a 
general store; W. Christley is postmaster, 
and there are express and telegraph of- 
fices. 

The early schools of the township were 
kept up by subscriptions, as were the cus- ' 



toms of that day. The first building erect- 
ed for school purposes was in the Mc- 
Junkin district, and was constructed in 
1824 from the logs of the abandoned Mud- 
dycreek Presbyterian Church. This build- 
ing was turned over to the school district in 
1835, when Daniel Carter became the teach- 
er, and after* him, John R. McJunkin. 
About 1820, Robert McElvain taught in a 
log school house which stood north of the 
site of West Sunbury, but early in the thir- 
ties he moved his headquarters to a log 
house near the old church at Middletown 
in Concord Township. In 1908 there were 
seven schools in the township, 253 scholars, 
and the total receipts of the school district 
were $2,672.00. 

The population of the township in 1860 
at the first census after its organization 
was 1,039, and in 1900 it was 1,388, includ- 
ing West Sunbury borough. The estimat- 
ed population in 1908 was 1,620. J. H. 
Timblin was justice of the peace from 1898 
to 1908. 

Township officials: Tax assessor and 
collector, H. C. McClung; constable, A. 
McKinney; road commissioners, J. Hind- 
man, J. J. Brown and C. S. McCandless; 
auditors, A. C. Wick, J. M. McKinney and 
E. White ; clerk, M. Mahood. 

FKANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 

Franklin Township, abounding in well 
improved and highly productive farms, 
has, from its organization, attracted agri- 
cultural settlers. Its name comes from 
the Franklin Road, a public highway that 
passes entirely through it from north to 
south. It originally comprised the eastern 
half of Muddy Creek Township, but when 
the boundaries were changed, in the town- 
ship division of 1854, a part of Centre 
Township was taken in, and later, when 
further changes in boundaries were made, 
that part of Brady Township south of 
Muddy Creek was added to it. While its 
main importance is agricultural, the oil 
industry has been somewhat developed. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



575 



and there is some oil now produced in the 
township to a fairly profitable extent. 
There is also a vein of coal from tliree and 
a half to five feet thick underlying the 
township, but it has been mined chiefly for 
local consumption. 

Probably the very first pioneers in what 
is now Franklin Township were John Mc- 
Candless and Aaron Moore. In 1796 a 
colony of sixty persons settled in the ad- 
jacent township of Centre, but in the year 
before this, McCandless and Moore had 
selected homes in the wilderness of Frank- 
lin Township, to the east. Other pioneers 
soon joined them, some coming from the 
Centre Township settlement, and among 
the early names which appear in connec- 
tion with civilizing enterprises may be 
noted those of James, George, William and 
Garrett ]\ioore, Lewis Wilson, AVilliam 
McCandless (1st and 2d), Eobert McCand- 
less, Henry Montooth, Eliakim Anderson, 
Charles Sullivan, Stephen and Joseph 
Crawford, George Bowers, John and Peter 
Saltzman, Thomas and William Dodds, 
Jesse and James Nash, Aimer Coates, John 
Thompson, James McGrew, Edward 
White, Nathaniel Stevenson and others of 
his name, together with many more. A 
number of these early settlers were na- 
tives of Ireland, although other countries 
were well represented. While the majority 
came hither attracted by the fertility of 
the soil and with the intention of engag- 
ing in farming, others were already 
equipped with excellent trades, which they 
followed to their own profit and the con- 
venience of the settlement. Stephen Craw- 
ford started his blacksmith business in 
1803; one William McCandless was a tailor 
and followed his trade in connection with 
farming, as did the other William Mc- 
Candless engage in distilling, the latter 
business also being engaged in by Robert 
Hays. Llany industries were carried on 
in the homes of the settlers, thrift and in- 
dustry sufficing to supply all their impera- 
tive needs. Later, as towns and villages 



came into existence, improvement was 
rapid, business increased and education 
and religion made great advances. 

Between 1800 and 1833 the settlement 
in Franklin Township was increased by a 
number of families which subsequently be- 
came very important, and among these 
may be mentioned the McClures, Joneses, 
Kirkpatricks and Riddles. In 1799 came 
Adam Albert, who may be called the pio- 
neer of the Luther faith in Butler County, 
and in the same year came Henry Shaffer, 
who was the first orchardist of the settle- 
ment, planting apple seeds from which 
have been developed the fine fruit of this 
section. 

The early settlers of Franklin Township 
were not unmindful of their duties in re- 
gard to educating their children. Seven 
years after the first settlement was made, 
John Thompson fitted up a log cabin and 
conducted a subscription school for a time 
and was then succeeded by Charles Sulli- 
van, who in turn was succeeded by Samuel 
Cook. A building for school purposes, of 
log construction, was put up in 1811, near 
the Sullivan farm, and various teachers 
were employed, each year showing a larger 
student roll. Franklin Township now has 
as fine a school system as any of her sister 
townships and as intelligent a class of citi- 
zens. There are seven schools in the town- 
ship, exclusive of the borough and the 
joint high school in Prospect, the seven 
schools having an enrollment of one hun- 
dred and ninety pupils. 

The churches outside of Mt. Chestnut 
and Prospect are not numerous, ample 
transportation making attendance easy. 
The Muddy Creek Baptist Church, the pio- 
neer relig-ious organization, was founded 
October 19, 1819, and its membership was 
made up of residents of Franklin, Brady, 
Muddy Creek and Connoquenessing Town- 
ships. The United Presbyterian Church 
at Mt. Chestnut was organized in 1857 by 
Rev. William Brandon. It now has a mem- 
bership of 164, with a flourishing Sunday 



576 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



school. The United Presbyterian Church 
at Prospect, which was formerly linown as 
the Associate Reformed Church, dates back 
to 1823. The Emanuel Evangelical Lu- 
theran Church was organized January '2, 

1843. The German Reformed and Lu- 
theran Church completed its organization 
about 1843. The Bethel Methodist Epis- 
copal Church was organized in 1844. The 
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which 
was dissolved in 1887, was organized about 

1844. On July 8, 1887, the Presbyterian 
Church at Prospect was organized. These 
include the leading church bodies in the 
history of Franklin Township. 

Mt. Chestnut and Prospect are the 
prominent centers of the township. In 
1850 the land now covered by Mt. Chest- 
nut was sui-veyed around the home of 
James D. Anderson, who had cleared the 
land and in 1849 had built the Stevenson 
Hotel. He was a merchant and was the 
first postmaster. The next settlers were 
Jesse Dutter, Joseph Dufford and others. 
In 1856 came J. J. Stevenson, who was a 
blacksmith, hotel keeper and for eighteen 
years postmaster. Village industries of 
all kinds flourish and the town is the source 
of supply to a large out-lying territory. 

Prospect Borough, which is situated 
near the south line of Franklin Township, 
is the central point for a large and rich 
agricultural region. In 1825 it was laid 
out and surveyed on those portions of the 
fanns of Andrew McGowan, Matthew Mc- 
Cullough and David Davis which cornered 
at the crossing of the Franklin and Pitts- 
burg and the New Castle and Butler roads. 
The first merchant, George A. Kirkpatrick, 
gave the name to the place. In 1836, in 
partnership with Robert Allen and G. W. 
McCaskey, he opened a stock of goods in 
the first frame building erected in the 
village. The first postmaster was Dr. M. 
W. Spear. The tirst burgess after the 
place was incorporated as a borough was 
Lewis Roth— March 28, 1846— and the first 
justice of the peace was Samuel Piper. A 



large amount of business is transacted at 
Prospect, where many men of enterprise 
have invested capital. The Prospect Sav- 
ings Bank was opened for business on 
May 1, 1874, with David Marshall as pres- 
ident and J. M. Lieghner as cashier, the 
latter subsequently becoming sole propri- 
etor, in 1893 being succeed by J. H. Mc- 
Lure. The Morrow Tannery was one of 
the early industries. It was started by 
Robert Allen and was later conducted by 
Andrew Douglas, and later by William 
Morrow. Other tanneries did business for 
a number of years in this section, con- 
ducted by Henderson Dick and Alfred Rid- 
dle. In October, 1880, occurred a fire which 
destroyed a steam grist-mill and steam 
saw-mill, owned by Martin & Edmundson. 
The present milling activity is due to Will- 
iam Ralston, who owns the Ralston Roller 
mill and a saw-mill. The Prospect Cream- 
ery is an important local enterprise and 
butter made in this plant is shipped to dis- 
tant points. Secret societies are well sup- 
13orted, all the leading organizations being 
represented, and excellent school facilities 
are afforded. The Prospect Academy, an 
institution of considerable note, attracts 
students from near and far on account of 
the high educational standard maintained. 

Among the leading business concerns in 
Prospect at the present time mav be men- 
tioned the following : W. R. Riddle & Co., 
T. J. Critchlow and E. L. McCleary, gen- 
eral merchandise; J. G. Glenn, furniture 
and funeral director; J. C. Scott, hard- 
ware; A. Bowers, druggist; J. H. McClure, 
private bank; James H. Myers and J. B. 
Dick, livery stables; Roath Milling Com- 
pany, planing mill; R. S. Weigle, Martin 
Heyle and J. W. Heyle, blacksmith shops ; 
Drs. J. B. Thompson and T. D. McConnell, 
physicians; L. M. Roath, dentist, P. L. 
Hunter, proprietor of the Hunter Hotel. 

The fraternal orders are represented by 
Rustic Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., organized in 
1874, present membership 100; Prospect 
Camp, Woodmen of the World, No. 120, 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



577 



organized 1904, and a Ladies Brancli of 
the Maccabees, though the membership of 
the last mentioned is not as yet large. 

Prospect Borough has a fine In-ick public 
school building, with an enrollment of 
sixty-five pupils, and two teachers. The 
high school, which is a joint school for the 
borough and township, has an enrollment 
of twenty,with one teacher. 

Borough Officials {1909): Burgess, T. D. 
McConnell; council, S. S. McCullough, L. 
M. Roath, W. R. Riddle, J. ^N. Neely, G. 
A. Warren and A. Bowers; school board, 
J. H. Barr, L. M. Roath, J. H. McClure, 
P. L. Hunter, C. E. Weigle and James 
Moore; justices of the peace, John Weigle 
and J. F. McKee; constable, A. W. Mc- 
Clure; assessor, J. W. Schaffer; collector, 
Peter Kramer; auditors, Gr. C. Schaffer, 
Hugh Weigle and G. W. Beighley. Post- 
master, Reuben Slianor. 

Isle is a settlement in the northwestern 
part of the township having a Baptist 
church, with Rev. Warren, pastor. There 
is also a general store, kept by William 
Watson & Sons, and a blacksmith shop. 

The Patrons of Husbandry are repre- 
sented in Franklin Township by a flour- 
ishing grange. 

Township Officials: School directors, 
David Pflugh, John Barkley, Ira Thomp- 
son, AVilliam Scott, Harvey Morrison and 
Ed. Scheiver; justices of the peace, J. T. 
McBride; constable, Augustus Shannon; 
assessor, A. G. Shannon; collector. J. J. 
Riddle ; auditors, Geo. Barkley, Mr. Hack- 
ett and Jacob Albert. 

ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP. 

Allegheny Township, located in the 
northeast corner of Butler County, was or- 
ganized in 1854 and was created from parts 
of Parker and Venango Townships. The 
Allegheny River touches the northeast cor- 
ner. Its greatest resource has been oil, 
its surface being too broken and uneven 
for an agricultural township, although 
there are many excellent and productive 



farms within its limits. There are a few 
small coal banks. The oil wells now in 
operation are small, and there is but little 
gas. 

There was quite an influx of people here 
in the closing years of the eighteenth cen- 
tury, beginning in 1797, when John Lowrie, 
John Crawford, Sr., John and George 
Crawford, Samuel and William Porter- 
field, Charles and James Pollock, Alexan- 
der Grant and John Eosenberry arrived, 
probably in the order named. James An- 
derson was here in 1797, or 1798, as were 
also George Parker, Alexander Brown, 
Ebenezer and John Brown. William Jack, 
a soldier of the Revolution, settled on the 
site of Byron Centre in 1798, and the same 
year witnessed the arrival of Samuel Gra- 
ham, a son of a Revolutionary soldier, and 
himself a soldier of the AVar of 1811', in 
which he lost his life. John Redick, Sr., 
John Allen, Levi Gibson, and Samuel Coul- 
ter were all located here in 1799. Levi Gib- 
son established a small distillery on his 
place, which was in operation for some 
years on a small scale. John Truby also 
was one of the pioneers and on his farm of 
400 acres erected a small mill, the site be- 
ing the same as that used by Pierce and 
Black, when they erected their mill on 
Bear Creek in 1846. This latter changed 
hands a number of times, being later 
known, first as the Adams Mill and then as 
the Horner Mill. John Turner and Ben- 
jamin Law were other early arrivals. The 
first white child born in tlie township was 
probably John Allen, the date of his birth 
being 1799. One of the first deaths record- 
ed was that of James Crawford, Sr., Jan- 
uary 18, 1891, as a result of injuries re- 
ceived while on a hunt with a party of 
friends. At the confluence of Allen Run 
and the North Branch of Bear Creek, they 
fired the brush in order to drive out the 
game; the fire got beyond their control 
and they climbed trees for safety, all being 
seriously burned. John Parker, another of 
the hunting party, suffered through life 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



from the injuries received, which prob- 
ably hastened his death. 

John Lowrie, who settled on 800 acres 
of land in Poplar Bottom, opened a store 
there in 1811, it being later conducted by 
a man named Dumars, and still later by 
Pierce and Black. Walter Lowrie, a 'son 
of John, was reared there, and afterward 
rose to distinction, becoming United States 
senator. The Lowrie saw and grist mill 
was erected at an early date, as was also 
the more pretentious and better equipped 
Rogers mill. A mill was erected by Sam- 
uel Anderson in 1834, and later was known 
as the Sedgwick mill. Maple Furnace was 
established in 1844 by George and James 
Bovard, was sold in 1847 to Henry Graft, 
and in 1854 to M. S. Adams, who operated 
it until it was abandoned in 1865. The 
store established the same year as the fur- 
nace survived the latter three years. The 
Kensington Furnace was in operation 
from 1846 to 1852, and was owned by 
Church, Carruthers & Crawford. The 
township was very backward in its devel- 
oi^ment imtil the oil boom, when its popu- 
lation increased rapidly. It has never de- 
veloped a village of any size. Maple Fur- 
nace, Kensington Furnace, Six Points, 
Sandy Point, Byron Centre and Register 
City not being more than small trading 
points at any stage of their existence. A 
post-office was established at Six Points in 
1866, with James McMahon as postmaster ; 
and later one at Byrom Centre, which was 
founded in 1879 after the oil developments. 

Allegheny Township has six schools with 
168 pupils. The school board in 1908 was 
composed of J. A. Crawford, T. L. Ander- 
son, H. H. Gates, W. A. McQuiston, M. E. 
Blair and James Meek. The educational 
facilities are good and a high grade of 
scholarship is maintained. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church, of 
Maple Furnace, was organized in 1854 by 
M. S. Adams, through whose instrumental- 
ity, largely, a church building was erected. 



The principal members at that time were 
the men employed at the furnace. 

Mount Olive Evangelical Church of Al- 
legheny Township was organized March 
20, 1869, by Rev. A. S. Miller, and the fol- 
lowing year a $3,000 church building was 
erected on a lot purchased from James 
Crawford, located near Six Points. Eleven 
of the members of the congregation had 
formerly belonged to Mt. Pisgah Church of 
Venango Township. Among the pastors 
of this church may be mentioned Rev. 
Isaiah Delo, Revs. Reese, Smith and Zim- 
mer. 

The Allegheny Presbyterian Church was 
organized May 20, 1875, by Revs. Coulter 
and Williams, and Elder James Crawford. 
The elders were John R. Allen, S. P. 
Eakin, A. R. Carnahan and C. C. Cooper. 
J. C. Kiskaddon and J. P. Milford were 
added to the session. In the pioneer days 
of the township, the Presbyterians crossed 
the Venango County line and attended 
services at Scrubgrass Presbyterian 
Church. Rev. James Coulter was the first 
pastor of Allegheny Church, and was suc- 
ceeded in 1880 by Rev. Samuel A. Hughes, 
who continued as stated supply for two 
years. Rev. W^illiam J. Hazlett was in- 
stalled as pastor September 24, 1883, and 
continued with this charge for a period of 
ten years, when the pulpit again became 
vacant. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. 
Witherspoon. The church has a member- 
ship of eighty. 

The Grant Methodist Epsicopal Church 
was organized by Rev. Peters in 1876, and 
in 1877 a house of worship was erected on 
the farm of John Rosenberry. 

The Allegheny Church Cemetery had its 
inception in a charter granted, January 11, 
1876, to J. P. Milford, S. P. Eakin, J. R. 
Allen, D. S. Allen and Henry Jamison, with 
authority to establish and maintain a cem- 
etery. Including the church site, the prop- 
perty includes six and three-quarters acres 
obtained by purchase from the John Ros- 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



579 



enberry and Mrs. Martha Allen farms, a 
part of the purchase money being turned 
back to the church by the sellers. It is a 
well-kept burying ground and is a credit 
to the church and township. 

At Bonus there is a store operated by J. 
Meek. Six Points, northwest of the cen- 
ter, has a store and country inn kept by E. 
Parks. At Byron there is a school and 
two or three farm houses. 

Township officials: Tax collectors and 
assessor, J. S. Glenn; constable, J. K. 
Boozell ; road commissioners, J. T. Joseph, 
W. E. Bennett and E. C. Parks; auditors, 
N. Louehner, J. Anchors and A. Wilson. 

FAIBVIEW TOWNSHIP. 

Fairview Township, for a number of 
years distinguished on account of the re- 
markable development of oil, making it 
one of the most productive of this com- 
modity in all Butler County, has many 
other claims to particular notice and at 
the present writing has a population of 
substantial farmers and progressive busi- 
ness men. It was established in March, 
1846, by a legislative act providing that 
it be formed out of Donegal Township, and 
was given its present area in 1854. On ac- 
coimt of the rise and ebb of the oil indus- 
try, its population has fluctuated. 

The first actual settlers in Fairview 
Township were Samuel and John Wallace, 
in 1795, although, in the previous year Ru- 
dolph Barnhart had made a temporaiy 
stay of a few months. From that date on 
up to what may be called the close of the 
pioneer period, came many others, mainly 
home-seekers, and in a large number of 
cases their descendants still occupy the 
land. The old names, many of them fa- 
miliar because of the sterling character 
and enterprising efforts of their owners, 
included John Hemphill, Jacob Barnhart, 
Jr., Daniel Barnhart, Joseph Smith and 
son John, the latter later known as a Meth- 
odist preacher, John Craig, Paul McDer- 
mott, Matthew Smith, William Wilson, 



James Bovard, Alexander Storey, Samuel 
Kinkaid, Thomas Jackson, Patrick O'Far- 
ren, William Ray, Samuel and Stephen 
Hall, Leonard Keep, George Robertson, 
Samuel Riddle, John Irwin, William 
Moore, John Cumberland, David and Rev. 
William Morehead, John and James Craig, 
Andrew Campbell, Charles McClung, Sam- 
uel Irwin, John Snow, John and George 
Emrick, William Fleming, Jonathan Kep- 
pel, together with the Thorns and Hays. 

The early settlers of this township were 
of the sturdy type that gave promise of 
future excellence. At first they were con- 
cerned in the acquiring of land and the 
developing of farms and probably up to 
1826 few merchants had opened up stocks 
in any part of the township. Here, as in 
other districts, a lack of good roads pre- 
vented much social intercourse, the sep- 
arated settlers often having to travel long 
distances to attend a "preaching" or to 
reach a mill with their bag of grain. Nev- 
ertheless settlements eventually grew into 
hamlets and these into villages, while the 
boroughs, Fairview and Petrolia, and the 
village of Haysville, for some years occu- 
pied the limelight as great oil centers. 

Fairvieiv. Between 1826 and 18.39, thir- 
teen houses, including a tavern, a store, a 
cabinet and a blacksmith shop, comprised 
what is now the borough of Fairview. In 
1844, Col. James A. Gibson and M. B. 
Adams established a foundry, which, un- 
der other owners was operated xiutil 1872. 
In September, 1867, the petition for the 
incorporation of Fairview as a borough 
was granted and four years later, after a 
placid growth of forty years, the place be- 
came one of the noisest, busiest, and for a 
time one of the most reckless spots in all 
Pennsylvania, the people, in every walk of 
life apparently having become crazed by 
the oil fever. The first oil was discovered 
just west of Petrolia in the fourth sand. 
From a village of 200 population in 1870, 
it grew by 1876, to one more than 1,000. 
Local enterprise, together with outside 



580 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



capital, rapidly provided for the increased 
number of inhabitants, and hotels and 
business houses went up with remarkable 
celerity. A number of concerns started 
and flourished for a short season, but when 
the great boom was over, suspended oper- 
ations and in some cases caused heavy 
losses to those who could but poorly af- 
ford it. The borough has suffered from 
a number of destructive fires and the loss 
of much property and some life. In Au- 
gust, 1872, occurred the great fire at the 
Jameson well. 

Fairview Borough has now about 235 in- 
habitants. Among business enterprises 
may be mentioned the Hotel Adams, pro- 
prietor, Mrs. Adams; the general store 
of C. Scott ; and the cigar and notion store 
of S. H. Templeton, who is also postmaster. 
There is one school, with about forty 
pupils. 

Of churches there are the United Pres- 
byterian, dating back to 1834, with a pres- 
ent membership of 145, Rev. Campbell, 
pastor; the Presbyterian, organized in 
1875, which now has forty members. Rev. 
Stewart, pastor; and the Methodist Epis- 
copal, organized in the thirties. of the last 
century, whose present pastor is the Rev. 
Lowthian, membership thirty. 

Petrolia. In February, 1872, when the 
"Fannie Jane" oil well was drilled with 
such surprising results, the present bor- 
ough of Petrolia was represented by the 
farm homes of J. B. Jameson, A. L. Camp- 
bell and George H. Graham! W. E. Clark 
in that month erected a small building. By 
December, 1873, there were standing four 
hotels, twelve grocery stores, two hard- 
ware stores, three clothing stores, two bak- 
eries, seven barber shops, three machine 
shops, two meat markets, two drug stores, 
two billiard halls, one news room, three 
physicians' offices, while several lawyers 
had put out their shingles, and, while prob- 
ably there were more saloons than all 
other Imsiness houses together, there was 
at least one organized church, the pioneer 



being the Methodist Episcopal. Petrolia 
IS described as having been an extraor- 
dinary place between 1875 and 1877, over- 
run by an outside element totally foreign 
to the one which had oi-iginally settled 
along Bear Creek. Among the characters 
still remembered by Petrolia and vicinity, 
and recalled as typical of a certain class 
that inevitably appears, wherever gathers 
a large and irresponsible population led 
by greed and excitement, was Ben Hogan, 
who, after a spectacular career of vice, 
relieved by astonishing charities and at- 
tempts to gain official recognition, later be- 
came an evangelist, but in this capacity 
never returned to Petrolia. Fortunes were 
made and lost during the height of the oil 
boom. As at Fairview, destructive fires 
have occurred in this borough, several of 
them destroying a large part of the busi- 
ness and residential sections of the town. 
Local enterprise, however, has been equal 
to the emergency, and Petrolia, in spite 
of other misfortunes, still is a leading 
point of interest and business in the town- 
ship. The great flood of July, 1879, was 
most disastrous, causing a loss estimated 
at $75,000. 

The town is supplied with telegra]ili and 
U. S. Express, and has the Bell and 
Speechley telephone systems installed. The 
Standard Oil Company supplies gas for 
lighting purposes. The leading business 
firms are: W. H. Daugherty & Co. and 
Thomas Roach, oil refineries; W. C. Fos- 
ter, drugs and shoes; Geo. Yough, cloth- 
ing; William Stoughton, groceries and 
hardware ; C. M. Williams, groceries ; Mrs. 
J. Huff ey, proprietor Central Hotel ; J. 
M. Hawk & Son, general store and furni- 
ture; E. P. Chesbro, dry goods; O. P. 
Berry, machine shop; Imbrie Bros., hard- 
ware; Rinky & Spence, general store, and 
J. M. Barney, boiler shop. The postmas- 
ter is C. J. Gray. The fraternal orders are 
the Royal Arcanum, the Maccabees, the 
Knights of Pvthias, the Modem Woodmen 
and' the G. A. R. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



581 



Petrolia has three churches — the Meth- 
odist Episcopal, organized in 1873, which 
now has 100 members, with Rev. Recht as 
pastor; the Presbyterian, organized in 
1877, now having ninety-eight members, 
Rev. Stewart being the pastor; and the 
Roman Catholic {St. James'), presided 
over by Father Hopkins, which has a mem- 
bership of fifty-eight. Petrolia has one 
school, with an attendance of abont 100 
pupils. Town Officials: F. M. Fritz and 
C. Butzer, justices of the peace; C. Butzer, 
tax collector; H. Cromblin, constable; C. 
Butzer, tax assessor; J. Hover, road com- 
missioner; W. Stoughton, R. Imbury and 
T. Gibbons auditors; M. Roach, burgess. 

Earns City was incorporated as a bor- 
ough in January, 1875, with L. D. Akin as 
first burgess. The history of this remark- 
able oil town is told, in large measure, in 
those of Fairview and Petrolia. The first 
well, on the Hugh P. McClymond's farm, 
was named the "Shasta" and in June, 
1872, it was producing 120 barrels of oil a 
day. Believing that a permanent town 
would be built here, from the excitement 
and interest shown, the McCijanonds made 
a plat of their land and the borough, when 
incorporated, included this farm and ten 
acres of the Riddle farm. In honor of a 
prominent citizen the place was named 
Earns City and it became the terminus of 
the Parker & Karns City Railroad. On 
the McClymonds farm great subsequent 
oil development took jolace, the famous 
"Rob Roy" well being produced here. A 
great population of speculators, drillers, 
pumpers and all classes of workmen and 
representatives of almost every profes- 
sion, as well as those of none, poured in, 
with the usual results. Amazing fortunes 
were made daily, others were lost as 
quickly, pretentious buildings were put up 
and lavish expenditure gave a metropoli- 
tan air to the place. However, from a 
population of over 2,000 in 1876, by 1890, 
it has fallen to 427. Fire and flood did 
fearful damage to Karns City; as to the 



other oil towns, one particularly distress- 
ing conflagration being that of the burn- 
ing of the Bateman House, in March, 
1877, when Mrs. Bateman, her three chil- 
dren and a guest, were burned and F. E. 
Bateman and son and another guest later 
died as the result of their injuries. 

The leading firms in Karns City are the 
Pennsylvania Refining Company, the Star- 
light Refining Company, the Cleman Hard- 
ware Company, J. AVersh Jr., proprietor, 
and the J. Wersh general store. The 
Methodist Cliurch, organized in 1874, is 
now presided over by Rev. Lowthian. Its 
membership is about twenty. 

The town is lighted by gas and there is 
one school with about eighty-five pupils. 
The Odd Fellows and United Workmen ai'e 
here represented by lodges, and there are 
express, telephone and telegraph conven- 
iences. The present population is about 
200. 

To indicate the large amount of business 
done in the township of Fairview, includ- 
ing those of the boroughs and of the vil- 
lages of Beuna Vista, which was surveyed 
in 1847 and a verv important oil district 
in the fall of 1873'and later; Argjde, An- 
gelica, Iron City and . Haysville, may be 
mentioned: the Argyle Savings Bank, the 
Oil Exchange, the Washington Building 
and Loan Association, the machine shops 
of the United Pipe Lines Company, the 
latter forming a great industry, the ma- 
chine shops of Ireland & Hughes, the 
boiler works of Frank W. Quinn & Com- 
pany, the Petrolia Refining Company, the 
oil refinery on Oil Creek, of W. H. Daugh- 
erty & Sons, with numerous other refin- 
eries, and the Petrolia Creamery. This 
does not include the many financial insti- 
tutions which were of short duration. 

The township still produces considerable 
oil, there being probably some 1200 wells 
in operation, though all are small pro- 
ducers. Drilling is still going on. though 
nothing large has been struck in recent 
years. There is enough gas to provide 



582 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



for local consumption. The Starlight Ee- 
fining Co., the M. H. Daugherty Eefining 
Co., the T. Eoaeh Eefining Co. and the 
Pennsylvania Eefining Co. operate impor- 
tant refineries. 

Of coal the township has some impor- 
tant mines, among them the Sherwin, 
which turns out 300 tons per day and gives 
employment to seventy men. In addition 
there are some smaller banks operated for 
local consumption. 

There are deposits of limestone on Bear 
Creek, which have not yet been developed, 
but which will doubtless prove a source of 
future wealth. 

There is one store, kept by Mr. Day, at 
Buena Vista, which is a station on the 
Western Allegheny Eailway. There is 
also a United Presbyterian church here, 
where services are held occasionally. Other 
stations within the limits of the township 
are Angelica, on the B. & 0. Eailroad, and 
Fail-mount, also on the B. & 0. 

St. Paul's Reformed Church, formerly 
known as the Union Church, built its first 
log house on the Andrew Barnhart farm, 
on land he donated in 1813. The congre- 
gation was originally a combination of 
Lutheran and Eeformed. After many 
changes the Eeformed body became the 
owners of the site on Sugar Creek now 
known as the "White Church." The Ger- 
man Lutheran Church was organized at 
Fairview in 1832. St. Peter's Reformed 
Church, probably was organized in 1845, 
and the United Prcsh/ilcridii Church in 
1834. The Presbijtcmni Church of Fair- 
view and the Presbyterian Church of 
Karns City were both organized in 1875. 
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Fair- 
vieiv dates back to the thirties and that of 
Petrolia in 1873. The Presbyterian Church 
of the latter place was organized in 1877, 
St. James Catholic Chapel, in 1874, and 
the Church of Christ in 1880. Both in re- 
ligion and education the residents of Fair- 
view Township have displayed earnestness 



of purpose, enlightened view and practical 
qualities. 

Township Officials: Justice of the peace, 
W. P. Day; treasurer — S. McCollough; 
road commissioners — E. Johnson, C. EUen- 
bergh and E. McCollough; constable — J. 
Jackson ; tax assessor and collector — J. J. 
Campbell; auditors — G. G. McCollough, 
W. P. Day, and C. F. E. McCollough. 

United Presbyterian Church of Fair- 
vieiv, first known as the Bear Creek Pres- 
byterian Church, had its beginning previ- 
ous to the year 1800. The members first 
worshipped in a tent which stood on a spot 
called "Deer Lick," in the old grave-yard 
midway between Fairview and Karns City. 
About 1800 Samuel Kincaid, Joseph Smith, 
John Craig and others constructed the first 
church building, which was a small un- 
plastered log structure that could be used 
only in summer. It was located about a 
mile east of Fairview, in the present lower 
Bear Creek Cemetery. 

In 1803 Eev. Eobert Johnston became 
the first pastor, giving a part of his time 
to the Scrubgrass congregation. He re- 
mained until 1807, after which the church 
was supplied for several years by Eev. 
Eobert Lee. For several years, beginning 
with 1812, the congregation was without 
a regular pastor. Eev. Alexander Cook, 
who came in 1821, was the second regular 
pastor. Soon after, a larger and better 
building was erected in the Upper Bear 
Creek Cemetery. It was built of hewed 
logs. 40x60 feet and 20 feet in height and 
like the first building, was unplastered. 

Eev. Alexander Cook was succeeded in 
1830 by Eev. Joseph Johnson, lately from 
Ireland, as supply. The latter 's failure to 
produce his ministerial letter caused a 
schism in the congregation and led to the 
organization of the Bear Creek Associate 
Eeformed Church. In- 1837 Mr. Johnson 
went back to Ireland and for some time 
thereafter Rev. James Green ministered to 
the congregation, though not called as 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



583 



pastor. Rev. R. W. Oliver was the fourth 
settled pastor, coming in 1843. A part of 
his time was given to Laureneeburg and 
Mt. Varnmn. He remained but a few 
years, Rev. Mr. Riddle being stated supply 
in 1847. The latter was the first pastor to 
preach against intemperance. During 
these early years only two communions a 
year were held, usually in May and Oc- 
tober. 

In 1848 Rev. James H. Fife became pas- 
tor. Soon after, the congregation decided 
to build a new house of worship, and in 
1850 an edifice was erected on the site of 
the present building. It was of frame 
construction, 59x45 feet, and was furnished 
with a fine bell, but had no spire. It was 
erected at a cost of over $1500.00. The use 
of the pews was sold to meet the expenses 
of the pastor's salary. At this time there 
were fifty-one pew holders. 

Mr. Fife, who proved a satisfactoiy pas- 
tor, was released some time previous to 
June, 1856, and was succeeded by Rev. 
John A. Campbell in the fall of that year. 
During his short pastorate of two years 
the congregation entered the union form- 
ing the United Presbyterian Church, the 
Session at this time being composed of 
David Thompson, Robert Campbell, James 
Say, James Wilson, William ]\IcGarvey, 
Thomas Kelley and Andrew J. Christy. 

Rev. W. P. Breaden became pastor in 
the summer of 1859, and on Communion 
Sunday, October 30, 1864, the first offer- 
ing for Foreign Missions was taken, and 
about this time the different congregations 
began making their annual report to the 
General Assembly. 

Mr. Breaden, whose jjastorate was very 
acceptable, was succeeded by Rev. David 
Dodds in the fall of 1872 and in the same 
year a Church Aid Society was organized. 
In Mr. Dodd's time also a library was pur- 
chased, the congregation was districted 
for weekly prayer-meetings and there was 
a strong spiritual growth. In the spring 
of 1875 Buena Vista congregation was or- 



ganized with twenty-one members from 
Fairview and others in the vicinity. 

After Mr. Doods' departure the pastor- 
ate was vacant for a year. Then the con- 
gregation called Rev. A. B. C. McFarland, 
who began work in September, 1878. By 
this time the congregation needed a new 
church edifice and a brick two-story build- 
ing was accordingly planned, 48x68 feet, at 
an estimated cost^ of $15,000.00. It was 
dedicated August 24, 1883, free of debt. 
In 1886 the Woman's Missionary Society 
was organized. In January, 1889, Mr. 
McFarland resigned as pastor owing to 
causes that cast a cloud over the church, 
during the latter part of his pastorate. He 
was followed by the Rev. R. M. Sherrard, 
who assumed his duties in the fall of 1890. 
On October 26, 1898, the congregation met 
with a discouraging experience, the fine 
church building, with all its equipments, 
being destroyed by fire. The members, 
strong in their sense of union, rose to the 
occasion, however, and cleared away the 
rubbish, and by their determined efforts a 
new and more convenient though less 
costly building was erected, and was dedi- 
cated February 8, 1890, free of debt. Mr. 
Sherrard gave up the charge September 
16th following and the Rev. J. A. C. Me- 
Quiston became pastor on the first of Au- 
guts, 1901. He was succeeded by the Rev. 
Mr. Campbell, the present pastor. The 
church now has a membership of 145 with 
a flourishing Sunday school, and is a pow- 
erful factor in the religious life of the 
community. 

CLINTON TOWNSHIP. 

Clinton Township, which was organized 
in 1854, out of parts of the original Mid- 
dlesex and Buffalo Townships, possesses 
many of the natural features which appeal 
to those in search of quiet homes and these 
were recognized at a very early period in 
the settlement of the county. It is well 
watered land, the tributaries of Bull Creek 
giving necessary moisture, and its soil 



584 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



varies from heavy clay to sandy loam, 
while its coal deposits, when entirely de- 
veloped, will probably make this township 
equal to many others in wealth from that 
source. There is but little oil or gas and as 
yet no limestone deposits have been 
opened up. Banks to supply local con- 
sumption are now operated. 

One of the first pioneers to venture into 
this locality was Patrick Harvey, of 
County Down, Ireland, who selected a 
tract of land as early as 1792. He re- 
turned to his family in Westmoreland 
County until 1794, when he came back to 
Butler County and cleared ten acres of his 
farm and built his log cabin on the same 
and then brought his wife and children to 
the lonely. spot. The only other pioneer 
of that year, of whom there is record, was 
James McKee. In March, 1797, came 
Samuel Copeland and after his log hut was 
built, his family joined him. Other set- 
tlers of about the same time were Geoi-ge 
Plants and John Burtner. George Stinch- 
comb came in 1796, but soon sold out to 
Barnett Stepp, and about the same period 
Henry Sefton, Thomas Stewart and Rob- 
ert McGinnis appeared. Revolutionary 
soldiers were well represented in the years 
following, and the majority of these early 
settlers were of Irish extraction. The 
names of Thomas Watson, Hugh and Rob- 
ert Riddle, John Burtner and Samuel A. 
Eippey were known in this section prior 
to 1800. In that year came James and 
Edward Byrne; in iSOl came Daniel Pugh, 
the founder of the Pughtown settlement; 
in 1802 came Francis Anderson, who was 
commissioned a justice of the peace two 
years later and served in the War of 1812. 
Thomas Lardin, who owned one of the 
first iron plows in the neighborhood, is 
mentioned in 1803, as is also John Hay; 
in 1805 came John Cunningham; in 1806 
came William Love, the founder of a large 
family, and in 1816 and 1818 came other 
members of the same family. In 1822 
three of the Walker family purchased 1800 



acres of land here and as they subse- 
quently occupied and improved it, they 
were among the early prominent and relia- 
ble men. There are many other names 
which might appear among the founders 
of the various industries, the builders of 
the homes and the moulders of public sen- 
timent in Clinton Township through what 
is usually termed the pioneer period, and 
among these may be included the Moores, 
the Brewers, the Thompsons, the Gibsons, 
the Criswells, the Westermans, the Bick- 
etts, the Hemphills and the Norrises, and 
it is remarkable how these names still fig- 
ure in all that concerns the township at 
the present day. 

In Clinton as in other townships, one of 
the first coveted and needed industries was 
a grist mill and second was a sawmill. 
Daniel Lardin, son of Thomas, the pioneer, 
was the probable founder of the village of 
Lardintown, built the first grist-mill, locat- 
ing it at the headwaters of Bull Creek. It 
was subsequently owned by William Lar- 
din, grandson of the pioneer. After it was 
destroyed by fire, a new mill was erected 
on the same site. The first frame house 
in the township was erected in 1840, from 
lumber provided, in all probability, by the 
Riddle saw-mill. In 1848 the Kirk card- 
ing and woolen-mill was started and suc- 
cessfullj^ operated until 1861. 

Clinton Township being mainly agricul- 
tural and thus self-sustaining, has fewer 
hamlets and villages than some of her sis- 
ter districts. Population is evenly dis- 
tributed and a similarity of interests has 
brought about much unity of feeling on all 
public questions. The matter of educating 
the children of the township was early agi- 
tated and houses were utilized at first on 
the farms of the Riddle and Davis families. 
Among the early instructors may be noted 
the familiar names of Cunningham, Her- 
ron, Jack, Love, McCorkle, McGarry, Wat- 
son and Anderson. The most pretentious 
educational enterprise of the township is 
the Clinton Normal and Classical Acad- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



585 



emy, which was chartered September 8, 
1890, with thirty-seven stockholders. It 
is liberally supported and offers a fine 
opportunity for obtaining a thorough edu- 
cation along academic lines. There are six 
district schools with an enrollment of 217 
scholars. The Saxonbnrg Telephone is in- 
stalled throughout the township. 

Clinton Township is more or less the 
home of Presbyterianism. The earliest or- 
ganization, the Westminster Presbyterian 
Church, was founded June 12, 1835, by 
Eev. Newton Bracken, with a membership 
of nineteen. It appears that no regular 
church building was put up until 1845, 
when one of logs was constructed, which 
served the purpose until a new building 
was completed in 1853. At present it has 
no regular minister. 

The United Presbyterian Church of Clin- 
ton was organized April 20, 1845, as the 
Associated Reform Church and was incor- 
porated under its present title, December 
7, 1863. In 1845 a log house of worship 
was erected on land donated by James M. 
Hay and at first its furnishings were very 
primitive. In 1854 the congregation had 
so increased that a new building was nec- 
essary, and a commodious frame structure 
was built. The first pastor was Rev. Isaiah 
Niblock. 

Clinton United Presbyterian Church, 
located in the northwestern corner of the 
township, has a membership of 180. Eev. 
Mr. McMichael is pastor. 

The Oak Grove United Presbyterian 
Church was organized August 27, 1878, 
and a frame building was put up which 
was dedicated in March, 1879. At present 
the church has no regular pastor. Its 
membership is about seventy. 

The three cemeteries in the township 
are the Oak Grove, the Clinton and the 
Westminster, the latter being the oldest 
burial ground. In these sacred spots rest 
the ashes of many of the best known and 
most useful and revered of the townhip's 
pioneers. 



Clinton Township has a well supported 
Grand Army of the Republic organization 
in Harvey Post, No. 514. It was organ- 
ized March 25, 1886, at school-house No. 2, 
with the following charter members : Will- 
iam Harvey, John S. Love, J. B. Cunning- 
ham, J. P. Kirkpatrick, William Thomp- 
son, M. Thompson, G. P. Harvey, John 
Halstead, Martin Gibson, H. H. Halstead, 
E. Sefton, Adam Ekas, D. Huey, J. Jones, 
John E. Burtner and H. J. Burns. The 
first commanders were Adam Ekas and 
John S. Love, both of whom served 
through two terms. The post enjoys a 
fine hall and armory, being indebted to 
John S. Love for the ground on which they 
stand. 

Riddles is a locality near the center part 
of the township. It has a very small pop- 
ulation. 

Houseville, a station on the Bessemer 
Railroad, is a settlement of about twenty 
people. 

Barkley, also on the Bessemer Railroad, 
has about twenty-five people. T. Kennedy 
and J. Thompson conduct stores here and 
the Adams Express Company has an 
office. 

Woods Station, on the Bessemer Rail- 
road, has a telegraph office. There are 
about a dozen people residing in the 
vicinity. 

Clinton Springs is a health resort where 
there is a hotel conducted by Anderson 
and Jones. There are eight cottages in 
the vicinity. A. Hay conducts a store near 
Clinton Church. 

Toivnship Officials: Justices of the peace 
^J. B. Cunningham and J. D. Harbison; 
constable — William Harvey; tax assessor 
and collector — J. McCall; road commis- 
sioners — A. E. Kas and J. Brewer; clerk 
— J. Hai-vey; treasurer — M. Love; audit- 
ors — W. Krume, T. Woods, and L. Lar- 
dens; school directors (1908)— W. C. Gib- 
son, Thomas Hay, Harvey W. Love, R. D. 
Sefton, G. A. List, and C. R. Anderson. 



586 



HISTOEY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



BUFFALO TOWNSHIP. 

Buffalo Township was one of the four 
townships which made up what now is 
Butler County, while it was still attached 
to Allegheny County, and included a large 
area. It was one of the thirteen townshijDS 
erected in 1803, and continued one of the 
largest in the county until reduced to its 
present area in 1854. It is of very rugged 
surface and did not settle up as rapidly as 
some of the other townships; it is well 
drained by Big Buffalo Creek, Little Buf- 
falo Creek, Sarver's Run and Little Bull 
Creek, and contains many excellent and 
well improved farms. The Allegheny 
River touches the extreme southeastern 
corner. Coal mining his been carried on 
quite extensively in various parts of the 
township, and is of the Upper Freeport 
character. The township is the divide be- 
tween the oak and pine hills, the latter be- 
ginning at Sarversville and extending 
toward the south and east boundaries of 
the county. 

Buffalo Township has very little oil or 
gas. A good quantity of coal is found. 
The Kerr Coal Company is operating near 
the southern boundary and has the only 
mine from which shipments are made to 
outside points. There are, however, a num- 
ber of small banks operated. The Penn- 
sylvania Railroad is the only one in the 
county. 

The first actual settlement here was 
made in 1795 by a man of Irish birth, 
George Bell, after whom a hill and a creek 
were named. He was followed in the same 
year by Robert Elliott, also a native of 
Ireland, who in 1796 brought out his wife 
and a large family of children. He also 
brought with him a quantity of young 
fruit trees and set out one of the first 
orchards in the county. Benjamin Sarver, 
prior to taking up his residence here, came 
up from Tarentum every Monday and re- 
mained until the following Saturday noon, 
working on the mill which he operated here 
some time later; he made a settlement at 



Sarversville in 1796. Mrs. Mary Steele 
and her children, John and Mary, arrived 
in 1796, as did some of the Jeremiah 
Smith, Sr., family, John Brooks, William 
Kiskaddon, a veteran of the Revolutionary 
AVar; and Joseph Simmers. In 1797-1798, 
Robert Carson, John Barker, Thomas 
Fleming, Andrew Easley, with their re- 
spective families, and the Kirkpatrick 
family took up their homes here. John 
Harbison, and his wife Massy, who had 
been residents opposite the mouth of Buf- 
falo Creek, located in Buffalo Township in 
1807. After the War of 1812, there were 
many new arrivals in the settlements, 
which had been backward in their growth 
and development. John Ekas settled at 
what now is Ekastown in 1818, and he was 
soon followed by the Roney and Weir 
families. Jacob Byerly and family ar- 
rived in 1823, and Thomas Harbison in 
]824. Other pioneer families became es- 
tablished here in the thirties and forties, 
among whicli may be mentioned the Doyles, 
Halsteads, Blacks, Sedwicks, McKees, Wil- 
sons, Walters, Walkers, Mortons, Painters, 
McCaffertys, Gardners and Hoovers. 

The Sarver grist-mill was the first indus- 
try in operation in the township, and the 
log dam and water-wheel are still to be 
seen in the creek at Sarversville. Thomas 
Fleming established a small distillery in 
1799, and for some years furnished his 
neighbors with corn whiskey. John Har- 
bison built a saw-mill on Buffalo Creek in 
1807, and operated it until his death in 
1822. The mill l)uilt about the same time 
at Sarver's Station, by one of the Smiths 
and Caleb Jones, was run by them for 
vears and later was owned by Alexander 
bouthett. David Kelly - in 1866 built a 
mill at the same point, which he sold in 
1868 to Jacob Ehrmau and which is still 
known as the old Ehrman mill. William 
Colmer and Jacob Weaver built what later 
was known as the Cratty mill, and the Hill 
mill on Big Buffalo Creek was another mill 
which thrived in the early days. The most 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



587 



important of the business enterprises of 
the township is the large distillery of 
Guckenheimer & Company, or rather of 
the Pennsylvania Company, located in the 
extreme southeastern part of the township. 
The buildings first erected were for P. 
McGonigie & Son, and were built in 186^; 
the plant was started in operation in 1870 
and at that time had a capacity of eighteen 
barrels per day. In 1875, the firm of 
Guckenheimer & Company, composed of A. 
Guckenheimer, Samuel Wertheimer, Emil 
Wertheimer and Isaac Wertheimer, was 
organized and purchased the plant, which 
they operated without interruption until 
it was destroyed by fire in July, 1889. 
Large and modern buildings took the place 
of those destroyed, with a capacity of fifty 
barrels per day. It is a large and success- 
ful enterprise. 

It was long after the first settlement that 
a school building was erected in Buffalo 
Township, although classes were organ- 
ized in the early days and taught by some 
one who came from some other locality for 
that purpose. Among the first teachers 
here were Eobert Cunningham, Michael 
Herron, Robert Hamilton, AVilliam Mc- 
Garry, and Thomas Watson. The first 
common school was established in District 
No. 2, in 1836, and was taught by George 
C. Sedwick. At the present time the town- 
ship contains six schools, all of which are 
in a gratifying state of efficiency. 

Buffalo Presbyterian Church, located 
one and a half miles east of Sarversville, 
was organized August 3, 1843, by Revs. 
Abraham Boyd, Thomas W. Kerr and El- 
der Hill, and during that and the succeed- 
ing year a small and rude house of wor- 
ship was built. A new edifice was erected 
soon after the close of the Civil War, and 
was dedicated in 1867; a burying-ground 
surrounds the church and consists of two 
acres of land. The first elders of the 
church were Andrew McCaskey and AVill- 
iam Cruikshauk. and the first pastor was 
Rev. Abraham Boyd, who had preached to 



the members for some time before an or- 
ganization was effected. He served the 
church until 1846, and was succeeded by 
Rev. D. D. McKee, Rev. Newton Bracken 
and othei's. The church at present (Feb- 
ruary, 1909) has thirty-five members, but 
no regular pastor. 

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. 
The Lutherans in the very early days of 
the township's settlement had occasional 
meetings at the Sarver home, and Rev. 
Schweitzerbarth preached to them, but 
they had no church organization. St. 
Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church was 
organized by Rev. J. H. Fritz in Decem- 
ber, 1867, in the old Covenanter Church 
near Sarversville, ■ with Henry Smith, 
Jonathan Hazlett and R. M. Harbison as 
elders. Articles of association were 
adopted February 28, 1828. In 1870 three 
acres were purchased from the Covenant- 
ers, and a fine church edifice was erected 
at a cost of $3,000; in 1873 four more 
acres were added to be used as a cemetery. 
The present membership is about fifty. 

Emery Chapel, by which name the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church at Ekastown has 
been generally known, is a handsome brick 
structure which was erected in 1868 at a 
cost of $7,000. The church organization 
is the outgrowth of the old class which was 
organized at Lardin's Mill in Clinton 
Township early in the thirties, by Revs. 
Henderson and Jackson. In 1841 a frame 
house of worship was built and given the 
name of Emery Chapel in honor of Bishop 
Emery. The church now has a member- 
ship of about 60, with Rev. Buhl, pastor. 

Sarversville, the early home of Benja- 
min Sarver and the seat of his grist-mill, 
was surveyed by Henry Halstead in 1840, 
and named Walley. It was given its pres- 
ent name by the postal authorities in 
January, 1858, when an office was estab- 
lished here and David Kelly appointed 
postmaster. The first store was con- 
ducted by F. D. Schweiterling, who was 
succeeded l)y David Kelly, and later by 



588 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



J. M. Fleming and M. C. Sarver. J. Ekas 
now conducts a store here. Jacob J. 
Smith, a native of the village, was the sec- 
ond miller here and also conducted a store 
for some years. The population now num- 
bers about one hundred. 

Sarversville Council, No. 401, Junior 
Order United American Mechanics, was 
organized January 25, 1890, with a goodly 
membership, and developed into a strong 
lodge. Early in the nineties they put up 
a new and modern building as the home of 
the lodge. 

The Sarversville Farmers' Club was 
organized and flourished for some years, 
then was abandoned. St. Paul's English 
Lutheran Church, Rev. Freschkorn, pas- 
tor, is located here. 

Sarver Station, on the Pennsylvania 
Railroad, a little village of about 100 peo- 
ple, is an old settlement under a new name. 
It was early in the nineteenth century 
Smith and Jones came in and erected their 
mill, which later was operated by Alexan- 
der Douthett. In 1866, David Kelly built 
the Ehrman mill just south of the village, 
to which he moved in 1870, establishing 
the first store here at that time. He has 
had various successors. J. Powell now 
conducts a general store here and is post- 
master ; C. Ohl a hardware and feed busi- 
ness. The village is provided with the 
Bell telephone. 

Ekastown is a little settlement at a cross 
roads, and boasts of a store, Emery 
Chapel, and a small cluster of houses. 

Monro eville, or Silverville Post Office, 
lies on parts of the old Duffy, Cypher and 
McLaughlin farms, and was surveyed in 
1839 by James Dunlap for Emil Maurhoff. 
The first building was erected by J. M. 
Elliott, and in 1840 a tavern was erected 
by George Weaver, and a store building 
by Peter Koon. The latter, George Fry, 
Gustavo Speck, Charles Schweiterling, 
George W. Cramer and A. W. Leasure, 
have been the merchants of the village. 
The last named was made postmaster 



when Silverville Post Office was estab- 
lished n 1894. The place contains about 
forty people. 

Monroe Station is merely a shipping 
point on the Butler Branch of the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad. 

' Freeport is a station on the Pennsyl- 
vania Railway, as also is Harbison Sta- 
tion. 

Silverville is a small settlement of about 
forty people, but has no store. 

Toivnship Officials: Justices of the 
peace — G. Kramer and G. Easley; con- 
stable — W. Scott; tax collector — W. Har- 
vey ; tax assessor — A. B. Ekas ; road com- 
missioners — S. E. Ohl, J. McCurdy and 
A. Ekas; auditors — J. Harbison, A. My- 
ers ; treasurer — W. Harvey ; school direc- 
tors — J. F. Shearer, R. W. Harvey, John 
Montgomery, A. L. Myers, William Carson 
and Martin Sweitzer. 

gIjEarfield township. 

Clearfield Township, with its many 
water courses, its great beds of limestone 
and its valuable deposits of iron ore and 
valuable coal veins, has always been a rich 
district of Butler County. A number of 
streams have their rise in this township, 
the west branch of the Big Buffalo, the 
main creek, Long Run, the feeders of 
Rough Run and the head waters of Bonny 
Brook. The B. R. and P. Railroad passes 
through the northern part of the township. 

The earliest of the pioneers in Clearfield 
Township or the territory recognized as 
such since its organization in 1804, were 
almost entirely of Irish extraction and 
they came to this section as home-seekers, 
an entirely different class from the wan- 
dering and temporary resident. The early 
names include those of the McBrides, the 
Connells, the O'Donnells, the Coyles, the 
Slators, the Milligans, the Dugans, the 
Dennys, the McGinleys, the Gallaghers, 
the McCues, the McLaughlins and others. 
The pioneer of them all was Patrick Mc- 
Bride, from County Donegal, Ireland, who 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



589 



built his cabin and owned 400 acres of land 
here, in 1798, and lived until 1848. County 
Donegal contributed a number of the other 
pioneers and some of these, after entering 
land, carried on the trades which they 
had learned in their native country. John 
Coyle, who located here in 1800, was an 
expert linen weaver, James Denny was a 
competent shoemaker, others were black- 
smiths and carpenters, and together the 
early settlement soon laid the foundations 
which resulted in a general prosperity. 
Farming and stock-raising became fea- 
tures, and even before much attention had 
been attracted to the mineral resources of 
the land, the township was looked upon 
favorably as a place for home and invest- 
ment. The population of 288, in 1810, 
gradually crept up to 515 in 1820, and the 
assessments on property advanced accord- 
ingly. 

Among the early progressive men was 
John Coyle, who founded the village of 
Coylesville, in 1830, and among the ad- 
vantages presented to possible purchasers 
of lots, were enumerated good land, fresh 
and salt water springs, coal and limestone, 
with grist and saw-mills within reasonable 
distance. This was the first village in the 
township and at that time was expected 
to become a center of business as the mail 
coach between Butler and Kittanning 
passed that way tri-weekly. Fenelton 
was founded in 1856 by Peter Fennell, 
to Clearfield Township from Armstrong 
who with his son and two nephews came 
County, the family being numerous enough 
to start the settlement. Carbon Center 
was almost unimproved farm land prior 
to 1875, developing then into a town as 
more and more of the surrounding sands 
proved rich in oil. Business enterprises 
were quickly set on foot and much building 
was done in a very short time, and there 
was no diminution in this activity until 
1883. 

The first coal mined in Clearfield Town- 
ship was on the Morrow farm. The Mc- 



Devitt farm gave Middle and Lower Kit- 
tanning coal and lower clown on the West 
branch, the Deener banks were developed. 
On the McClelland farm, near the east 
line, Kittanning coal was found high above 
the creek, and below it was found Clarion 
coal. A m;mber of small banks are now 
operated for local consumption, but none 
is shipped. 

Near Coylesville a good field of oil was 
struck about 1906, being opened up by 
Flick & Company of Butler. The oil is 
found in the third sand. The wells aver- 
aged about twenty-five barrels daily and 
are still producing. Drilling operations 
are being continued. Practically every 
farm in the township has either oil or gas 
wells, though at present there are no large 
producers. Five-hundred barrel wells 
have been foimd in the township. 

There are large deposits of limestone in 
the township, but they are as yet unde-. 
veloped owing to the lack of transporta- 
tion facilities. 

Coylesville, a settlement of about thirty 
people, is located near the center of the 
township. Robert Krouse and Sons con- 
duct a general store at this point, and it 
is a pay station for the Kittanning Tele- 
phone Company. 

Fenelton, about one and a lialf miles 
north of Coylesville, contains about 
twenty people and is a station on the 
B. R. & P. Railroad. P. Fennel is post- 
master and W. I. Sipe and J. Coyle and 
Co. are general merchants. 

Lucasville is a flag station of the B. R. & 
P. Railroad ; it has no stores. 

Clearfield Township has not been lack- 
ing in religious facilities, the Catholic 
church in particular being early repre- 
sented here. 

St. John's Catholic Church dates away 
back to the first pioneer settlers. In those 
early days the cabins of the pioneers were 
opened at stated times and Mass was said 
by missionary priests, the homes of Manus 
Dugan, John Sheridan, John Green, Will- 



590 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



iam McGee, Dennis Duff, Patrick McBride, 
the Gallaghers, the Dennys and the O'Don- 
nells being selected. In 1853 a church 
edifice was erected and prior to that time 
Catholics attended St. Patrick's Church 
on Sugar Creek, Armstrong County, or 
the church of St. Mary's Monastery, which 
was built in Summit Township in 1841. 
The church building belonging to St. 
John's congregation is one of the most 
pretentious in the township, and the ceme- 
tery, in which rest the remains of many 
of the early settlers, is a beautiful and 
well kept tract. The congregation now 
numbers about 425 people. Father 'Cal- 
lahan is the present pastor. 

St. Mary's of the Woods is the name 
bestowed upon the private chapel at the 
old Hickory Homestead near the northern 
line of Clearfield Township. It was used 
for many years as a family place of wor- 
ship, and the doors were opened for all 
purposes of a Mission Chapel when the 
place was visited by Father Hickey, the 
owner of the property. Father Hickey 
was a well known priest of the Catholic 
church who was born and reared in Butler 
County, and spent the greater part of his 
life in Pittsburg and vicinity. A few 
years previous to his death he established 
a home for incurables at the old Hickey 
homestead in Clearfield Township, and the 
place is now imder the care of the Catholic 
charitable societies of Pittsburg. A num- 
ber of buildings were erected for the care 
of the inmates, and the doors of the insti- 
tution are open at all times to the unfor- 
tunates who cannot obtain admission to 
regular hospitals and sanitariums. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church, near 
Fenelton, was organized in October, 1857, 
and prior to the Civil War services were 
held in the same building which accommo- 
dated the English Lutherans. The changes 
that came about caused the little society 
to be reduced to small membership up to 
1880, when there was a religious revival 
and in 1881 the church was reorganized 



and a church building was dedicated in 
the same year. The Fennells have alwaj^s 
been earnest Methodists and generous con- 
tributors to this society, which now num- 
bers about 150 members. 

The United Presbyterian Church of 
Carbon Center, which was organized in 
1878, grew in membership when the town 
was prosperous but many of its original 
members subsequently moved to other 
sections and it no longer exists as an or- 
ganized body. The same may be said of 
the English Lutheran Society, which was 
in existence from 1857 until 1861. 

In 1835 Clearfield Township came under 
the common school system and at present 
has many excellent school buildings and a 
large percentage of the children take ad- 
vantage of the opportunities given them. 
The records show that the first school- 
house was built about 1799, near the Win- 
field Township line, those interested in its 
erection being Arthur O'Donnell, Andrew 
and Michael Dugan, James and John Mc- 
Laughlin. Michael McCue and James 
Denny. The second school building was 
erected near Coylesville. The township 
now has six schools. Daniel Meenan, John 
Swain, B. McCrea, James Nugent, John 
Sweeney and John SchuUer composed the 
board in 1908. 

Toivnship Officials: Justices of the 
peace — F. P. McBride, and J. Dipner; 
constable — J. Swain; collector — J. Dip- 
ner; assessor — J. McDwett; road commis- 
sioners — F. P. McBride, J. Dipner and 
E. Milligan; auditors — W. Dipner, J. Mc- 
Dwett and T. Green. 

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP. 

Summit Township, an oil district and a 
farming section of Butler County, is also 
a leading educational center, both the Cath- 
olics and the Lutherans having large insti- 
tutions which are well patronized. This 
township, taken mainly from Butler and 
Clearfield, with portions of Donegal and 
Center Townships, was organized in 1854. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



591 



Although the settlement of almost the 
whole of Butler County dates from about 
1796, there is evidence to show that still 
earlier pioneers had lived in what is now 
Summit Township, the Rays in that year 
finding some untenanted cabins near their 
own point of settlement and hearing of 
others still farther awaj^ near the Beaver 
slope. To the Rays, however, credit is 
usually given as it is known that William 
Ray built his log cabin in this wilderness 
in 1796, and that when the county was or- 
ganized, in 1803, he was the owner of 150 
acres. 

The Mitchells and Scotts and also the 
descendants of Thomas Smith claim their 
ancestors as pioneers of the same year, 
as do also the McCurdys, all of whom en- 
tered land and put up their log cabins in 
the Bonny Brook district. In 1803 is re- 
corded the marriage of James McCurdy to 
Peggy Thorn, her family having been very 
early in this section. In 1778, Peter Henry 
and sister were rescued from the Indians 
and came to make their home in the Bonny 
Brook settlement and he became a man of 
affairs in the neighborhood, his house be- 
ing selected for the transaction of public 
business. The first mill built in the town- 
ship was that constructed in 1800, by Will- 
iam Neyman, near the mouth of Bonny- 
Brook, and after completing and operating 
his grist mill he added a saw-mill and a 
carding and fulling-mill. He evidently 
was a man of great business enterprise 
and, although the structures were very 
primitive, they were of great importance 
to the community and around these mills 
grew up the first congested section of the 
township. In 1813 Abraham Brinker 
moved into the Bonny Brook region and 
he built a carding-mill, a saw-mill and dis- 
tillery, and in the following year built a 
stone grist mill. These mills were kept 
busj^ through many years, having different 
owners and at various times being im- 
proved with better machinery. The year 
1830 saw the advent of an excellent type of 



German settlers — men and women who had 
contended with hard conditions in their 
native land and had thus been well pre- 
pared for those they faced, and subse- 
quently overcame, in Western Pennsyl- 
vania. The last of the original German 
pioneers, Nicholas Bleichner, died in Feb- 
ruary, 1894, when in the ninety-third year 
of his age. 

The leading village of Summit Township 
is Herman Station, which is the successor 
of Bonny Brook, which was the first set- 
tlement in Summit Township. The name 
given when the post-otiice was first estab- 
lished was Brinker 's Mills, Bonny Brook 
being accepted as the name in 1868. The 
great oil wells between Herman and Great 
Belt, have made this section better known 
to the outside world. In 1876 Charles 
Smith was appointed postmaster at Her- 
man Station, and in 1877 Albert Smith 
purchased a hotel which had been erected 
here in 1875, by Charles Garlach, and, 
with the development of the Herman oil 
field, tlie place had a rapid growth. This 
section is still the home of many of the old 
and substantial families of the township. 

Schools, colleges and churches testify to 
the character of the residents of Summit 
Township. The first schools were of the 
subscription type and for some years, on 
account of the sparsely settled country, 
many children had no school opportunities 
whatever, but in 1813 a log building was 
put up near Brinker's mill and dedicated 
to school purposes; in 1818 the Brinkers, 
the Gillilands and Martins erected a sec- 
ond school building. The township now 
contains six public schools, all in a state of 
efficiency. In 1876 the Lutheran school 
was established, and in May, 1894, a con- 
vent and school for the instruction of chil- 
dren and the education of yoimg ladies, 
was founded near Herman. 

St. Fidelis College, a part of St. Mary's 
Monastery, dates back to the spring of 
1877, and in that year the old parochial 
residence was converted into a collegiate 



592 



IIISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



scliool, one which still offers to Catholic 
youths every advantage given by Harvard, 
Yale or Cornell. The first students to 
complete the course came from the Capu- 
chin college in Bavaria, finding here the 
instruction and inspiration, for many 
years supposed to be only secured in the 
universities of the old world. 

St. Mary's Catholic Church is the oldest 
religious organization in Summit Town- 
ship, missionary priests visiting this sec- 
tion and ministering almost from the time 
the first Catholic settled here. By 1846 
there were enough of the faith to support 
the churcli as an organization and from 
that time until the present, many of the 
leading families have been its adherents 
and are proud of the association. 

Zion German Lutheran Church was or- 
ganized May 3, 1877, and Eev. F. Wilhelm 
was pastor until 1891. Since the comple- 
tion of the present church building in 1880, 
the congregation has increased in numbers 
almost to its capacity, and it is the recog- 
nized church home of the German element, 
outside of the Catholic religion. 

Summit Township is the home of a body 
of Capuchin priests and the magnificent 
structures which crown the heights above 
Herman Station, represent their monas- 
tery and college and church of St. Mary's. 
The persecution of the Catholic orders in 
Germany in 1870 caused the establishment 
of numerous bodies in America, the his- 
tory of older religious bodies being re- 
peated. The foundation stone of the Mon- 
astery was laid July 21, 1876, and the 
structure, with its additions, was entirely 
completed in 1893. In the first buildings 
the Monastic-Gothic style was observed 
and later buildings were prepared in the 
same line of architecture. The first prior 
was Father Matthew Hau. St. Mary's 
Church is practically one of the monastic 
buildings and is of the same architecture. 
Its altars, statuary, paintings, frescoes and 
its beautiful stained glass windows give it 
dignity and distinction and its services are 



conducted with the ceremonials that belong 
to so old and so influential an oi'ganization. 
Summit Township is well supplied with 
minerals, the Upper and Lower Freeport 
and the Kittanuing veins of coal being 
found, and small mines have been operated 
for many years. There are no extensive 
mining operations carried on in the town- 
ship at the present time. The Baltimore & 
Ohio Eailroad, the West Penn Branch, and 
the Buffalo, Eochester and Pittsburg Eail- 
road, traverse this township in reaching 
Butler, and afford many opportunities 
for developing its natural resources. Oil 
and gas have been produced here for many 
years, the fields at Herman Station, in the 
southeastern portion of the township, and 
at Carbon Center in the northeastern por- 
tion, having proved very productive. 

EAST BUTLEK. 

Ihe town of East Butler in Smnmit 
Township had its inception in 1903, when 
a number of business men of Butler organ- 
ized the Butler Land and Improvement 
Company. The incorporators of the com- 
pany were D. H. Sutton, president; J. P. 
Anderson, secretary; William Campbell, 
Jr., treasurer; and these officers with J. 
Henrj^ Troutman, W. D. Brandon, and 
John S. Campbell composed the board of 
directors. A charter was obtained August 
3, 1903, for the purpose of developing the 
land that had been purchased in Summit 
Township. The holdings of the company 
consist of 640 acres lying on Bonnie Brook, 
two miles east of Butler on the Baltimore 
& Ohio and the Buffalo, Eochester & Pitts- 
burg Eailroads, 150 acres of which has 
been laid out in manufacturing sites, and 
the balance in town lots. This tract of land 
comprises the farms formerly owned by 
John Bach, J. M. Heinzer, Eobert Stephen- 
son, Jacob Johnson, Jack Walker, and the 
McCandless heirs. A public sale of lots 
was held in September, 1903, at which the 
movement to build a town was formally 
inaugurated. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



593 



The first business enterprise to locate at 
East Butler was the Eleanor Iron & Steel 
Company which began the erection of a 
plant in the fall of 1903. This enterprise 
jaroved a failure, and nothing more was 
accomplished until the fall of 1906, when 
the Pittsburg-Hickson Bed Works located 
at the new town site and began the erection 
of their extensive plant which is now in 
full operation. The buildings of this plant 
are substantial brick structures covering 
about ten acres of groimd, and the entire 
plant occupies about twenty acres. The 
plant manufactures brass and iron bed- 
steads, and is the largest factory of its 
kind in the United States. 

The Valvolene Oil Company in 1907 
erected a large refinery which now gives 
employment to about 100 men. 

The location of the Bed Factory was the 
beginning of a building boom for the new 
town, and during the winter of 1906 and 
summer of 1907 over one hundred houses 
were erected in addition to a hotel, several 
store rooms, and meat markets. In 1908 
the town had a population of about 600, 
two general stores, a drug store, two meat 
markets, two public schools, a chui'ch, and 
a post-office. The latter was installed in 
1907, with J. L. Ealston as post-master. 

The Pittsburg-Hickson Company, manu- 
facturers of iron beds, is a Pennsylvania 
corporation incorporated June 20. 1906, 
with a capital stock of $500,000.00, of 
which $300,000.00 is common stock and 
$200,000.00 preferred stock. The plant is 
located at East Butler, two miles east of 
the borough of Butler, on the B. & 0. and 
B. E. & P. Eailroads, at Noeline Station. 

The company secured a manufacturing 
site of twenty acres from the Butler Land 
& Improvement Company, and in the sum- 
mer of 1906 began the erection of a large 
plant, which was completed and in opera- 
tion the latter part of 1907. The buildings 
are constructed of brick and iron, and have 
a floor space of 220,000 square feet. Since 
the erection of the first buildings the floor 



space has been increased considerably, and 
the total capacity of the plant at the pres- 
ent time is 5000 iron beds daily. In addi- 
tion to the above there has been added a 
department for the manufacture of bed 
springs and mattresses. At the present 
time tlie plant is only operated with a day 
force, but it is the intention of the man- 
agement to operate both a day and night 
force as soon as the business conditions of 
the country will justify it. The concern 
owns its oviTX water works, and has a well- 
organized fire department among the em- 
ployes of the plant. The Pittsburg-Hick- 
son Company is the largest concern in this 
country engaged in the exclusive manufac- 
ture of iron beds. The product of this 
plant is shipped to all parts of the world, 
and sold only to jobbers in car lots. At 
the present time there are aboiit 300 men 
employed, and this number will be more 
than doubled when the night turn is put on. 

The present officers of the company are 
E. J. Hickson, president and general man- 
ager; B. F. Sprankle, vice-president and 
traesurer; and Frank H. Murphy, secre- 
tary. 

The Presbyterian congregation was or- 
ganized September 27, 1908, with a mem- 
bership of about fifty. The trustees are 
J. L. Ealston, J. W. Campbell, Ed. Davis 
and W. D. Sutter. The elders are W. S. 
Brandon, L. M. Wise and Harry Wimer, 
and Eev. W. E. Oiler, of the First Presby- 
terian Church of Butler is the provisional 
moderator of the session, until such a time 
as the congregation can secure a perma- 
nent pastor. During the summer of 1908 
the congregation built a frame church at 
a cost of about $2500.00 which fully meets 
its present requirements. 

The town of East Butler is supplied 
with the best of water, which is obtained 
from drilled wells near the town site. The 
East Butler Water Company has been in- 
corporated with the following officers: 
Jas. W. Hutchison, president; J. C. Kis- 
kaddon, secretary, and E. E. Bell, treas- 



594 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



urer. The town has also been piped for 
gas, and is supplied by both the T. W. 
Phillips Oil & Gas Company, and the Rei- 
ber Independent Line. 

The town is also the home of the Valvo- 
line Oil Company, which erected a large 
refiner}^ partly on the land of The Butler 
Land and Improvement Company, and on 
lands purchased from Peter Green, and 
the McCandless heirs, lying west of the 
town of East Butler. This company em- 
ploys about one hundred men, and when 
the works are fully established will employ 
double that number. 

Fully five hundred workmen find em- 
plojTiient in the factories at East Butler, 
and the outlook for the new town is most 
promising. It will be a matter of a short 
time until the town is lighted with elec- 
tricity, and a suburban railroad will con- 
nect it with the county seat. The town 
has not yet been incorporated as a bor- 
ough, but its citizens are already looking 
forward to that time. The officers of the 
Butler Land and Improvement Company in 
1908 were the same as 1903, with the ex- 
ception of treasurer, Mr. William Camp- 
bell, Jr., having died in 1907. The gen- 
eral superintendent and manager of the 
company's interests is D. H. Sutton. 

Herman Station is a village on the But- 
ler Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad 
in the southeastern corner of the township. 
It came into existence after the construc- 
ion of the railroad in 1871, and for a num- 
ber of years the only improvements were a 
general store and "hotel. The hotel was 
built in 1875 by Charles Garlaeh and pur- 
chased in 1880 by Albert Smith, who be- 
came the post-master when the old Bonny 
Brook post-office was discontinued and 
removed to that place. Charles Smith aft- 
erwards became the post-master, general 
storekeeper and station agent, and he was 
succeeded by M. E. Dittmer, and he in turn 
by W. P. Limberg. The great wells of the 
Herman oil field were struck during the 
latter part of the eighties and nineties. 



but have not tended to increase the popula- 
tion or mercantile interests of the place to 
a great extent. The celebrated Eichenlaub 
and Wolfe farms are in this vicinity. The 
Monastery buildings on the hill above Her- 
man are an attractive feature of the place, 
and are noted elsewhere in this chapter. 

Carbon Center is a station on the Balti- 
more & Ohio Railroad in the northeastern 
corner of the township, and derives its 
name from the old village of Carbon Cen- 
ter that existed close to the Donegal and 
Clearfield Township lines, and was a noted 
oil field during the latter part of the sev- 
enties. Carbon Center, Heck Station and 
St. Joe Station in Oakland Township, at 
one time formed a busy community, and 
was the center of oil operations for over 
twenty years. 

POPULATION. 

The population of the township in 1860 
was 939; in 1870 it was 1304; in 1880, 1266; 
and in 1890, 1287. The oil developments 
of the township which began in 1890 in- 
creased the population to 1500 in 1894. It 
dropped back to 1260 in 1900, but the es- 
tablishing of East Butler in 1908 has in- 
creased the population to 1840. 

Toivnship Officials: The officials of the 
township in 1908 were John Herrit, tax 
collector; John Biedenbach, constable; 
Joseph Mauer, township clerk ; Peter Nigh, 
Pred Oesterling and Fred Trimbur, road 
supervisors; James Oesterling, assessor; 
J. W. Baldauf, Judge of elections; L. M. 
Wise, inspector; William Baldauf, in- 
spector of elections ; George Porcht. J. AV. 
Baldauf and Pred Trimbur, auditors; J. 
Kronenbitter, justice of the peace. 

WINFIELD TOWNSHIP. 

Winfield Township was organized in 
1854 and formed of territory formerly in- 
cluded in Clearfield and Buffalo Town- 
ships. It has less tillable land than a num- 
ber of the other townships of the county, 
but its mineral deposits and its fine water 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



595 



power giving excellent manufacturing 
sites, have contributed to the material 
prosperity of this section and these ad- 
vantages early attracted a fine type of 
pioneer settler. 

The pioneers who came first, were 
natives of Ireland and until 1836 the 
larger number of settlers were more or 
less of the same ancestry, including a num- 
ber of Revolutionary veterans. In 1796 
came Jeremiah Smith with his four sons 
and two daughters. Two of the Smith 
sous were equipped with trades, one being 
a cooper and the other a carpenter and in 
the next year came David Moorhead, a 
weaver. Even at that early day, these 
trades were useful to the commuuity and 
they were taught to the next generation. 
In 1797-8 came Andrew Cruikshank, with 
the record of seven years of honorable 
service in the AVar of the Revolution ; and 
in the same year the little Settlement was 
increased by Mathias Cypher and family, 
who left many descendants, the name yet 
being a familiar one in the township. In 
1799, John and Michael Fair with Caleb 
Jones acquired lands here, and about 1800 
appear the names of John and William 
Clugston, Samuel Cooper, Robert John- 
ston, William and James Hazlett, John 
Kennedy and Jacob Harshmau. About 
1815 other settlers were Arthur Hill, Rob- 
ert Galbreath aud William Hesselgesser 
and family. In 1817 came Abraham 
Leasure, founder of the village of Leasure- 
ville and when Thomas Bickett came in 
1818 they found James, William and 
David Ralston and Robert Graham, al- 
ready established. In 1832 came the first 
French pioneers, Francis Jackman and 
wife. In 1836 the colony was greatly aug- 
mented by the arrival of many Germans 
and they brought with them their habits 
of thrift and frugality which soon made 
an impression in the township, where, un- 
der their industry, great agricultural de- 
velopment followed. 

The industries of the township include 



milling, ore and coal mining, the success- 
ful development of gas and extensive 
working of limestone quarries. In 1809 
Jeremiah Smith, Jr., and Caleb Jones 
built a grist-mill, which succeeded the 
hand-mill constructed by his father. The 
Smiths controlled the earliest industries, 
having a saw-pit, mills, plow, harrow and 
cooper shops. In 1806 Thomas Horton 
built a saw-mill and was assisted in oper- 
ating it by his son William, who was 
also an itinerant Methodist preacher. In 
1817, Peter McLaughlin purchased the 
Smith grist-mill and 500 acres of land, and 
about the same time, Peter and Hugh or 
Robert McLaughlin, established a powder 
factory and both industries were contin- 
ued until 1828. The powder mill, under 
other owners, was operated for many 
years afterward. The mill also changed 
owners and in 1853 the Dennys tore down 
the old mill and put up a more modern one 
which was subsequently still further im- 
proved. Just east of this mill, a great gas 
well was drilled by the Denny brothers 
and William Stewart, in 1871, and in 1874 
the productive Denny well was opened, the 
drilling reaching 1,442 feet. The Hazlett 
family conducted grist and saw-mills on 
Rough Run so long and successfully that 
they were given the local name of the 
millers of Rough Run. 

In 1847 began the first important devel- 
oping of ore deposits near the mouth of 
Rough Run, and William Spear estab- 
lished the Winfield furnace. In 1856 it 
passed into the hands of the Winfield Coal 
and Iron Company aud later was the prop- 
erty of William Stewart, who worked it 
until 1864. An attempt was made in 
1891-2 to profitably operate salt works, on 
land near the Winfield furnace, but the 
enterprise did not succeed. One of the 
township's most prosperous concerns is 
the Acme Lime Company, Limited, which 
was organized in 1894, with J. A. Ransom 
president, J. J. Haas, secretary and Web- 
ster Keasey, superintendent. The com- 



596 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pany owns 177 acres of land on Rough 
Run, and tlieir plants are equipped with 
every modern improvement in the line of 
quarry machinery. The company also 
operates a coal mine and employment is 
afforded a large force. 

Winfield Grange is one of the strong 
organizations of the Patrons of Hus- 
bandry in the county as well as one of the 
oldest. The Grange has a membership of 
over fifty and owns its own hall. George 
Bieker is the master. 

Certain interests have favored the 
growth of a number of pleasant villages 
in Winfield Township, each one of which 
has its full complement of happy homes. 
Leasurevillc, platted as Unionville in 1832, 
is of the class above named. Melissadale, 
named in honor of the wife of A¥illiam 
Stewart, is no longer a place of much im- 
portance, its milling interests having de- 
clined. 

Cabot Station dates back to 1871, when 
W. S. Boyd erected a building for hotel 
purposes after the Butler Branch Railroad 
had been completed. The post-office at 
this point was known as Carbon Black un- 
til 1904, when the name of the office and 
station were changed to Cabot, and the 
railroad station as Saxon Station. 

The Carbon Black Works were estab- 
lished in 1876 by Nolan and Bordman, 
when one brick and one frame building 
were erected. These were burned in the 
winter of 1879-80, and the present brick 
structure, 250x120 feet, was erected in 
1881. The capacity of the factory is about 
2,500 pounds of carbon black a week. In 
1902 the works were purchased by G. L. 
Cabot of Boston, who is the present oper- 
ator. 

The present public school at Cabot was 
erected in 1888, in the place of the old 
brick school house that was in use previ- 
ous to the Civil War. Cabot Institute was 
established in 190.3, and the present brick 
building erected the same year. The lum- 
ber yards of Sykes & Wetzel were estab- 



lished about 1890. The present village is 
composed of about twenty-five dwellings, 
a blacksmith shop, the Carbon Black 
AVorks, Rumbaugh's Livery barn, and 
Smith & Logan's store. The post-office 
is at the store, and C. A. Smith is the 
post-master. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Cabot Station is the successor of Knox 
M. E. Church of Winfield Township. 
About 1903 the Knox Society purchased 
the building at Cabot formerly occupied 
by the Metliodist Protestant Society and 
removed to the village. The church is in 
the circiait with Ekastown and Pisk Chapel 
and the present pastor is Rev. J. J. Buell. 

Manvood Station, formerly Delano, 
dates back to 1870, when E. G. Lighthold 
opened a store at that point. A post-office 
was established in Daniel Denny's store 
building in 1871, with L. Heydrick as post- 
master. The principal stores of the place 
in 1908 were those of A. Krause & Son, 
and Krause & Freehling. 

Cahot Institute. Through the generos- 
ity of G. L. Cabot, the citizens of Cabot 
Station were enabled to establish an insti- 
tute which has been a great benefit to the 
young people of the community as well as 
a credit to the enterprise of her citizens. 
In 1903 the movement was inaugurated 
and Mr. Cabot proposed to duplicate 'the 
amount of money raised in the community 
for building pui-poses by his personal 
check. A subscription list was started and 
in a short time sufficient money was 
pledged to insure the erection of the build- 
ing, and the donation of the ground was 
secured from Webster Keasey, a resident 
of Cabot. A handsome two-story brick 
building was erected, and the institute 
started its first year with sixty-five pupils. 
The first principal was S. W. Frazier, and 
he was succeeded by E. 0. Copeland, and 
he in turn by James Campbell. In 1906 
C. W. Johnson was elected principal, and 
continued until in the fall of 1908, when 
A. W. Wallace of New Athens, Ohio, took 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



597 



charge of the school. The board of direc- 
tors of the institute in 1908 was composed 
of John Rivers, Sr., President ; Dr. J. M. 
Scott, Secretary ; and C. A. Smith, Robert 
Krause, G. L. Cabot of Boston, Judge 
James M. Galbreath of Butler, and J. W. 
Powell of Buffalo township. The institute 
has twenty-one pupils enrolled, and is in 
a prosperous condition. 

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church at 
Cabot Station was built in 1904 by Rev. 
Father Nicholas M. Deinlein of St. Fidelis 
College, Herman, who had taken an in- 
terest in the welfare of the foreigners em- 
ployed at the mines and quarries in Win- 
field township. 

West W infield. The village of West 
Winfield in Winfield Township is located 
on ground that has some historic interest. 
About the year 1817 William Hazlett 
erected a grist mill on Rough Run which 
he and his sons operated until after the 
erection of Winfield furnace. In 1847 
William Spear erected a furnace near the 
mouth of Rough Run to develop the rich 
iron ore deposits of that section. Spear 
operated the furnace until 1856, when the 
industry passed into the hands of the Win- 
field Coal & Iron Company from whom it 
was purchased by William Stewart, who 
had previously operated the old Hickory 
Furnace on Slippery Rock creek at Kies- 
ter's Mill. Stewart operated the furnace 
until about 1865 when it went out of blast 
and the property was abandoned. The 
furnace tract of land consisting of 1,400 
acres of the best mineral land in Butler 
county came into the possession of the 
McKee estate of Pittsburg, the present 
owners. The old stone stack of the fur- 
nace is still standing, and a stone house 
still remains as the only monuments of 
one of the principal industries of Butler 
County more than half a century ago. 

The village of today had its inception in 
the building of the West Winfield Branch 
Railroad in 1890 and 1891, which was con- 
structed from Monroeville up Rough Run 



to the site of the old furnace. The Rough 
Run Manufacturing Company purchased 
a tract of land adjoining the furnace prop- 
erty in 1891, and established a salt works. 
The company, which was composed of But- 
ler people, carried out the idea of Joseph 
Bredin to pipe salt water from the salt 
water wells near Butler to the plant of 
Rough Run, and tliere manufacture the 
salt where there was an abundance of 
cheap fuel to be obtained from the natural 
gas wells. The enterprise was carried on 
for a year or two but proved unprofitable, 
and the works were closed. 

After the completion of the West Win- 
field Railroad in 1890, Webster Keasey 
and J. A. Ransom leased the Keasey farm 
of 177 acres from the Rough Run Manu- 
facturing Company, and began the mining 
and shipping of lime. Keasey and Ran- 
som disposed of their plant to Houston 
Brothers of Pittsburg, who operated it 
for a number of years, and about 1898 
A. G. Morris & Son of Tyrone purchased 
the interest of Houston Brothers. In the 
meantime F. W. McKee had opened up the 
limestone vein on the furnace tract south 
of tlie old Keasey farm, which is now the 
scene of the largest limestone operation 
of its kind in the United States. The lime- 
stone was mined by drifting into the side 
of the hill, and the main entry now ex- 
tends about 1,800 feet from tlie mouth of 
the mine. The mine is equipped with 
compressed air machines for drilling, 
lighted with electricity, and electric haul- 
age is used. About eighty men are em- 
ployed continuously, and the output of the 
mine averages six hundred tons daily of 
raw stone and about one thousand bushels 
of burnt lime. The superintendent of the 
operations is George Milliron, who has 
been an employe of the company for eight 
years, and the foreman of the mining 
operations is R. D. Younkins. The lime- 
stone at this point is twenty-eight feet 
thick, and lies in three veins. At the pres- 
ent time the company is taking out the 



598 



HISTOEY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



two lower veins and leaving in the top 
vein, which is six feet thick, for a roof. 

In addition to the limestone operations 
at West Winfield, F. W. McKee & Com- 
pany are operating the Darlington Sand- 
stone and shipping a large quantity of 
sand to Pittsburg and other points which 
is used in the manufacture of glass. 

The Duquesue Fireproofing Company 
which was organized several years ago to 
develop the fire clay on Eough Eun, built 
a large plant for the manufacture of sewer 
pipe, terra cotta work and other products 
of fire clay. They employed several hun- 
dred men until 1906, when the plant was 
closed down. 

Rough Run Postoffice was established in 
189-1, and Webster Keasey was installed 
as its first postmaster. In October, 1898, 
the name of the office was changed to West 
Winfield, and in May, 1899, W. H. Cooper 
succeeded Mr. Keasey as postmaster. Mr. 
Cooper remained in charge of the office 
until November 12, 1903, when he was suc- 
ceeded by C. C. Donaldson, the present 
postmaster. 

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church was 
built in 1902, and is under the care of the 
priests at St. Mary's College, Herman. It 
is a commodious frame building and was 
erected by the members of the Catholic 
faith in that community who had an in- 
terest in the religious welfare of the for- 
eigners who are employed at the works. 
A large percentage of the membership is 
foreign, but the American residents of the 
place also attend the services. 

The Presbifterian Mission at West Win- 
field is under the care of the Presbyterian 
church, and is the only Protestant organ- 
ization in the place. Sabbath School and 
services are held in the hall of the public 
school building, and at the present time 
are in charge of Rev. George Stewart. 
The public school house was built in 1901 
by the school board of Winfield Township, 
assisted by the financial aid of F. W. Mc- 
Kee, who is agent for the McKee estate. 



The business houses of the town are 
C. C. Donaldson & Company, who conduct 
a general store and keep the postoffice, 
and Jacob Schwartz, clothing. The town 
of West Winfield is built entirely on the 
old furnace property, and the houses are 
owned by the McKee estate. The popula- 
tion of the place varies from six hundred 
to one thousand, and is composed princi- 
pally of foreigners, who are employed at 
the works and mines. 

Black, or Saxon Station gained local 
prominence when the carbon works were 
established at this point in 1876 and con- 
ducted until the winter of 1879-80, when 
they were burned. The present brick 
structures were put up in 1881 and the 
industry continues. In 1888 a fine public 
school building was erected, the town has 
excellent railroad facilities and is one of 
the centers of population in the township. 
Delano Station dates back to 1870, when 
E. G. Leithold opened a store here and in 
the following year a post-office was estab- 
lished, with L. Heidrick as first post- 
master. The village is the center of a 
wealthy outside district and supplies the 
wants of a considerable extent of country. 
The name of this place is now Cabot. 

Prior to 1815 the children of AVinfield 
and Clearfield Township were served in 
large measure by the same teachers. Edu- 
cational needs were by no means neglected, 
although, perhaps, they were not furthered 
as rapidly as in some other sections. The 
intelligent citizenship, however, of the 
present day, shows there is no lack of 
schools or educating opportunities in the 
year 1909. 

There arc nine ]iul)lic schools with an 
enrollment of -'■^■> sdiolars. 

Church nicinhciship is divided between 
the Methodist Episcopal and the Lutheran 
and Evangelical bodies. Knox Methodist 
Episcopal Church, near the eastern line of 
Jefferson Township, is probably the oldest 
organization, existing as a society in 1824. 
Like many of the early charges it had its 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



599 



difficulties, but in 1864 a brick structure 
was erected in which the congregation 
worshipped until it was decided to remove 
to Cabot, when the building was converted 
into a dwelling house. 

Fisk Methodist Episcopal Church was 
organized in August, 1855, and in 1857 a 
brick building was built which may be en- 
larged to accommodate increasing mem- 
bership. It was given its name in honor 
of Rev. Wilbur Fisk, a worthy man and 
beloved pastor. Its present pastor is Rev. 
J. J. Buell. 

The German Lutheran Church was or- 
ganized in 1848 by Rev. Henry Issense, 
although prior to that time religioiis serv- 
ices had been regularly held. The first 
house of worship of this body was a build- 
ing erected in the cemetery east of the 
present church edifice, which succeeded 
under the pastorate of Revei^end Umsler, 
in 1887. In the old cemetery adjoining- 
rest the remains of many of the old Ger- 
man settlers of the township and it is 
noted that many of the headstones tell the 
pitiful tale of the scourge that visited 
many of the homes in 1858 — scarlet fever. 

St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran 
Church (German) was incorporated in 
November, 1888, with thirty-two members, 
including Rev. J. G. Amsohler. 

It is in the Sarversville charge with St. 
Paul's Church of Sarversville and St. 
Luke's Church of Saxonburg. Rev. J. A. 
Frishkorn is the present pastor. 

The Evangelical Zion Church of Win- 
field and Buffalo Townships, signed 
articles of association, January 6, 1873, 
but it was organized in 1852, when a small 
frame building was erected, which served 
until the fine church structure was com- 
pleted in 1873. 

The Methodist Protestant Church at 
Saxon Station was accommodated by the 
trustees of the society by the erection of 
their neat frame building, which was com- 
pleted in 1879, when Rev. J. J. AVaggoner 
was appointed pastor. It may thus be 



seen that the spiritual welfare of the resi- 
dents of Winfield Township is well taken 
care of and the influence of these bodies 
is doubtless reflected in the quiet, peaceful, 
law-abiding life which pervades this sec- 
tion. An organization of local note is the 
Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Com- 
pany, which was organized August 27, 
1859, by Lewis A. Krause, who served as 
first president. 

The population of the township in 1900 
was 1,395 and the estimated population 
in 1908 was 1,680. The increase in the 
last eight years is' due to the development 
of the limestone and mining industries. 

The township officials in 1908 were as 
follows : Constable, John Milliron ; town- 
ship clerk, George Morris; tax collector, 
G. W. Galbreath; road supervisors, W. S. 
Cruikshank, Henry Grimm, Scott Cruik- 
sliank ; auditors, J. H. Morehead, William 
Fox, G. W. Watson. Election officers: 
First Precinct — Erhart Lang, judge ; Will- 
iam Fox and Theodore Acre, inspectors; 
Second Precinct — W. J. Jenkins, judge; 
H. C. Gibson and William Rummel, in- 
spectors. Assistant assessors, W. H. Wat- 
son and Henry Hilliard. 

WORTH TOWNSHIP. 

Worth Township, which is situated in 
the northwestern part of Butler County, 
was organized in 1854, and in its name, 
commemorates General Worth, a hero of 
the Mexican War. While it possesses 
considerable rich farming land, it is mainly 
noted for its mineral wealth, large areas 
being rich in coal deposits, and compara- 
tively recent investigations proving also 
the presence of reservoirs of natural gas. 
Profitable wells were drilled on the Elliott, 
Pizor, McCracken and Boyd farms in the 
latter part of the eighties and formed a 
part of the Grove City Gas Plant. The 
Allegheny & Western Railroad in the 
southern part of the township is bound in 
tiine to develop the mineral resources in 
that district. In the formation of Worth 



600 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



township, a part was taken from Slippery- 
Rock, but the larger portion was sub- 
tracted from Muddy Creek Township. 
The population has varied but little since 
its organization ; in 1908 it was estimated 
as 1,090. 

Prior to the coming of the white settlers, 
this, as other sections, had been occupied 
by the Indians and still many years after 
their departure an occasional relic of those 
early inhabitants is found. In the autumn 
of 1790, two enterprising and courageous 
men of Cumberland County or Westmore- 
land County, came to the Indian village on 
Slippery Rock, and finding no objection 
made to their presence, built themselves a 
cabin and remained for three months, en- 
gaging in hunting and in exploring the 
coimtry. Probably the peaceful disposi- 
tion of the natives led David Studebaker, 
one of these pioneers, to return to this 
region three years later, accompanied by 
his sister, and later being joined by his 
father and the rest of the family. David's 
marriage to Catherine Michaels was the 
first ceremony of the kind in the township 
and many of their descendants have 
reached a large degree of prominence in 
Butler and adjacent counties. The per- 
manent settlers came to Worth Township 
a few years earlier than to some other 
sections, William and John Elliott coming 
in 1793, John Dennison in the same year, 
David, George and Rebecca Armstrong in 
1794, and Henry Stinetorf, John and 
Jacob Pisor, Thomas, David, William and 
Samuel Cross, Daniel and William Mc- 
Connell, William McNees and Benjamin 
Jack, in 1795. Thomas, Andrew and John 
Clark joined the colony in 1797, and in 
1798 came Thomas Humphrey, Andrew, 
Edward and James Douglass, Christopher 
Wimer and Charles Coulter. A number of 
these early settlers had been soldiers in 
the Revolutionary War. Otlier families 
established here between 1800 and 1820 
were those of Charles, John and John 
Martin, Jr., John Taggart, Hugh Hender- 



son, John Moore, Isaac M. Cornelius, 
Robert Glenn, Casper Hockenberry, Alex- 
ander McBride and George Taylor. 

Only second to providing shelter and 
food for their families, the worthy pio- 
neers of Worth Township felt the re- 
sponsibility resting on them to provide 
religious influences and some sort of edu- 
cational opportunities, the traveling 
preacher at first suppljang both needs. 
The Rev. John Anderson is described as 
calling his audience together as early as 
May, 1807, under the shade of an oak tree, 
and on up to 1811, Associate Presbyterian 
preachers would hold services, John 
Moore's house always being open for this 
purpose. 

The United Presbyterian Church, of 
Slippery Rock, the oldest religious body in 
Worth Township, was organized in 1809 
and until 1842 was known as the Mouth of 
Wolf Creek Church, indicating its loca- 
tion. In 1811 a house of worship was 
completed and Alexander Murray was or- 
dained pastor. The first edifice was 
burned in 1839 but the membership of this 
body has always numbered a large per- 
centage of the wealth of the community 
and generosity has been shown in subse- 
quent building for church purposes. In 
1889 Rev. J. B. Whitten succeeded Rev. 
M. B. Patterson as pastor. 

Zion Baptist Church, which was organ- 
ized in November, 1841, held services in 
the school-house until 1843, when Jacob 
Fisher donated land on which a substan- 
tial brick building was erected, this having 
been enlarged and improved through the 
further generosity of members of the con- 
gregation. The first pastor was Rev. 
Daniel Daniels, and the first members 
were John and Margaret Oelton, William 
and Annie Book, Robert and Mary Hamp- 
son and Phoebe Cooper. 

Mt. Union Church of God congregation 
was organized in 1871 and the first serv- 
ices were held in Rockjr Springs school- 
house. The first preacher in charge was 



AND EEPRESENTATHHE CITIZENS 



601 



Elder Joseph Grimm. The generosity of 
different members made it possible to erect 
a commodious structure in 1873. 

Eobert Marcus is entitled to the credit 
of establishing the first school in AVorth 
Township. He used an old log house then 
standing on the Pisor farm and his ses- 
sions began in 1810, when he had twenty- 
five subscribed pupils. A second school 
was soon opened on the McNees farm, 
later another was opened on the Stinetorf 
farm and long before the common school 
system was adopted, this section was af- 
fording its youth educational training, 
which was mainly confined, however, to the 
elemental branches. In 1908 there were 
eight schools in the district with 187 
scholars, and the total receipts of the dis- 
trict including the State appropriation 
were $2,672.00. 

In early days in Worth as in other town- 
ships, the majority of families provided 
for the grinding of their own grain, by 
means of either horse-power or hand mills, 
the process in either case being one that 
was very unsatisfactory. Hence, the build- 
ing of a grist mill was a matter of common 
interest and the man of enterprise who 
erected one was looked on, in a way, as a 
public benefactor. The credit for building 
the first mill here of that kind lies be- 
tween Alexander McBride and Franklin 
Elliott. In 1803 Thomas Coulter operated 
a saw-mill and after the construction of 
the McBride grist mill in 1827, the owner 
of the latter built a saw-mill and con- 
tinued to operate both mills until 1850. 
Charles Coulter established his carding- 
mill following the War of 1812, an indus- 
try which, under subsequent owners and 
operators was equipped with modern ma- 
chinery and during the Civil War did a 
large business in the manufacture of flan- 
nels and blankets. It later became known 
as the Sutliff mill. Tanneries were among 
the early industries and in 1803, James 
Coulter established one that was con- 
ducted for many years as an important 



township industry. In the days of pio- 
neering one of the remunerative industries 
was distilling and prior to the temperance 
agitation in the thirties, much fine whisky 
was manufactured in Worth Township, 
the leading men in the industry being 
Hugh Henderson, Jonathan Uean and 
William Vogan. Since modern enterprise 
has found means to develop the natural 
resources of the land, mining has become 
one of the most important activities of 
this section, and, together with gas devel- 
opment, has attracted both capital and 
labor to the Township. 

JacksrUle. The village of Mechanics- 
burg or Jacksville Post-ofiQce is said to 
have received its name from the fact that 
a niunber of mechanics lived at the village 
at the same time. The original post-office 
at Jacksville was established in William 
Jack's store on his farm a short distance 
east of the present village. His son, 
Cochrad Jack, was the first post-master. 
The s.ucceeding post-masters have been 
Samuel Hazlett, John Boyle, Nicholas 
Gardner, Marcus Reichert, and Hannah 
Boyle. The village contains about a dozen 
houses, a blacksmith shop, post-office, and 
a general store, besides a wagon shop and 
a town hall. The tannery and the woolen 
mill located here ceased operation in the 
nineties. 

Jacksville Tent Number 159, K. O. T. 
]\I., was organized April 1, 1883, and the 
charter was granted December 16th of the 
same year. There were nineteen charter 
members, and the first officers were J. B. 
Pizor, J. W. Studebaker, S. C. Humphrey, 
and W. F. Gardner. 

The Worth Township Gas Company was 
organized in 1892 to operate the gas wells 
on the Glenn and the McClymonds farms. 
This gas was used for local consumption. 

The Worth Mutual Fire Insurance Com- 
pany was chartered January 13, 1875. 
The original members and stockholders 
were Amaziah Kelly, A. Stickle, Hampson 



602 HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 

Dean, J. A. Kelly, W. McBride, R. A. Hiimphrey was elected to the position in 

Kelly, James M. Maxwell, and J. G. Cor- 1887 and 189i. Mr. Marshall was secre- 

nelius. John Humphrey was the first tary of the corporation until 1882, when 

president, and James M. Marshall, secre- W. E. Taylor was elected to succeed him. 

tary. Robert Barron succeeded Mr. The company at the present time has over 

Hrunphrey as president in 1883, and James $1,000,000.00 of insurance on its books. 



^ 







Representative Citizens. 



HON. JOSEPH HARTMAN, formerly 
one of the best known and most successful 
oil iiroducers of Butler County, president 
of the Butler County National Bank, and 
previously also of the Chicora Bank, 
Chicora, Penna., was born in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1827, 
son of William and Mary (Winters) Hart- 
man. His father, a blacksmith, brought 
him up to that trade, and he worked at it 
until reaching the age of seventeen years. 
He then became employed in the ore mines 
and also engaged in contracting until 
January, 1855. Being an ambitious youth, 
he saved a large part of his earnings, and 
in 1849 purchased a farm in Donegal 
Township, Butler County, to which his 
parents removed in the same year. He 
took up his own residence there in 1856, 
and it continued to be his home until his 
removal to Butler. He saw military serv- 
ice for nine months in the Civil AVar, in 
the One Hundred and Sixty-Ninth Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers. In 186-t he entered 
into the oil business, commencing opera- 
tions in Venango County, but later trans- 
ferring them to Butler County, where he 
was prominently and successfully engaged 
in oil production for over thirty-five years. 
Besides his extensive operations in the 
Millerstown field, he also developed good 
oil territory in Allegheny County, New 
York, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
in the St. Joe, Callery Junction, Jefferson 



Centre, the McDonald and Hundred Foot 
fields, and in the Mannington field of West 
Virginia which was one of the largest pro- 
ductions of that State. One of his best 
strikes was on the Black farm in Butler 
County, which realized for him a hand- 
some sum. He was a stockholder in sev- 
eral large oil companies, including the 
United States Pipe Line Company, and 
the Producers' Pipe Line Company. 

When the movement was inaugurated to 
curtail production, Mr. Hartman strongly 
supported the plan of Mr. Phillips to set 
apart 2,000,000 barrels of oil for the pro- 
tection of the labor engaged in the petro- 
leum industry. He was also associated in 
mining enterprises outside the State, be- 
ing included among the capitalists who 
purchased the Trade Dollar Mining Com- 
pany, of Idaho. Succeeding Mr. Taylor as 
]iresident of the Butler County National 
Bank, soon after its organization, he filled 
that office very creditably for a number of 
years thereafter. In politics Mr. Hart- 
man was a strong Republican, and in 1884 
was elected to the Legislature, serving 
until 1886. He belonged to A. G. Reed 
Post, G. A. R., of Butler, and was always 
warmly interested in Grand Army matters 
and in the welfare of the old soldiers. 

Mr. Hartman was twice married: first 
in January, 1853, to Margaret Black, a 
daughter of John Black, of Donegal Town- 
ship. She died July 5, 1869, having borne 



606 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



her husband the following children: 
Mary E. ; Lizzie J., who married Patrick 
Gallagher, an oil producer of Butler, re- 
siding at No. 394 N. McKean Street; 
Anna L., wife of Michael Leonard; Fran- 
ces Eva, and Joseph. Mary and Frances 
Eva are unmarried and reside at No. 400 
N. Main Street. Mr. Hartman married 
for his second wife, in 1873, Miss Mary 
McFadden, who died April 17, 1892. He 
was a member of the Roman Catholic 
Church, as are also the surviving members 
of his family. He performed useful serv- 
ice as a member of the Building Commit- 
tee in the erection of St. Patrick's Church 
at Sugar Creek. Mr. Hartman came to 
Butler in November, 1892, and resided 
here until his death, which took place 
February 29, 1904. He was regarded as 
one of the foremost citizens of the place. 
Successful in business, he had at heart the 
interest of the community in which he had 
largely achieved his prosperity, and he 
gave with no niggardly hand to religious 
and educational institutions, and to other 
philanthropic enterprises. His death was 
a distinct loss to the conmiunity, and his 
part as an up-builder of the material pros- 
perity for this section will not soon be 
forgotten. 

DR. JOHN M. SCOTT, who for the past 
thirty-five years has been actively en- 
gaged in the practice of his profession in 
the village of Cabot, is the only physician 
in Winfield Township, throughout which 
locality he enjoys an extensive and lucra- 
tive practice. He was born in Center 
Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, 
December 26, 1849, and is a son of John 
and Mary (Reed) Scott, the latter being a 
daughter of Samuel Reed, who came of a 
family long established in Huntington 
County, Pennsylvania. Dr. Scott is of 
Scotch descent, his grandfather having 
come from Scotland at a very early period 
and settled in Huntington County, Penn- 
sylvania. 



John M. Scott received his primary 
education in an old log schoolhouse in In- 
diana County, supplementing it with a 
course of study at Homer City Academy, 
and finally graduating from the Medical 
College at Columbus, Ohio. He first en- 
gaged in the practice of his profession at 
Livermore, Pennsylvania, where he was 
associated for two years with Dr. Banks, 
at the end of which period he came to 
Cabot, where he has since been located and 
where he enjoys the confidence and esteem 
of an extensive circle of friends and 
patrons. 

September 26, 1872, Dr. Scott was joined 
in the holy bonds of wedlock with Agnes 
M. Black, a daughter of Col. John A. and 
Margaret (Kerr) Black. Into their house- 
hold were born five children: Mary J., 
wife of Dr. 0. Q. Crawsham, a dentist, 
who has had two children — George S. (de- 
ceased) and Jackson 0.; Viola, who is the 
wife of E. M. Craig of Oakmont, Pennsyl- 
vania, and has three children — Robert, 
Isabelle, and Virginia Scott; John B., a 
graduate of the dental department of the 
Western University, who is engaged in the 
practice of his profession in the village of 
Cabot; Helen Carrie, who is residing at 
home ; and James Willis, who is at present 
a student. 

Dr. Scott and his estimable wife reside 
in a commodious two-story brick residence 
in the village of Cabot and are promi- 
nently identified with the social affairs of 
that city. Dr. Scott is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church of Buffalo. 

ELI D. ROBINSON, the present post- 
master at Butler, and a veteran journalist, 
was born in Penn Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1855. He 
is a son of the late Thomas Robinson and 
his wife, Ann Eliza (DeWolf ) Robinson. 

Eli D. Robinson was eight years of age 
when his parents located at Butler. He 
was educated in the common schools and 
at Witherspoon Institute, where he spent 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



607 



five years. Shortly before attaining his 
majority he began the study of law under 
his father's direction. His tastes inclin- 
ing to journalism, he gave up the law, and 
in 1879 purchased the Butler Eagle from 
his father, and was associated with that 
paper as editor and publisher until 1903. 
An ardent Eepublican by conviction, he 
has ably supported the cause of his party, 
and has often proved an able champion of 
needed reforms, possessing the pen of a 
ready writer, with the power of original 
and forceful expression. His appointment 
as postmaster met with the hearty appro- 
bation of his fellow citizens and he as- 
sumed the duties of the office on January 
1, 1905. 

Eli D. Robinson was married March 14, 
188.3, to Emily E. Rogers, and they have 
four children: Mrs. Richard H. Wick, 
Bertha, Carl and Donald. Their commo- 
dious and tasteful residence is situated at 
No. 416 East Clay street, Butler. The 
family belong to the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

WARREN AGGAS, one of Center 
Township's substantial and representative 
citizens, interested both in farming and in 
oil well contracting and drilling, resides 
on the fine farm of 212 acres, on which he 
was born, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
December 9, 1866. His parents were James 
and Catherine (Andrews) Aggas. 

In tracing the ancestors of Mr. Aggas, 
the reader comes to one of those trage- 
dies which marked the advance of civili- 
zation, but a few generations ago, when 
the white man contended with the savage. 
The great-grandfather of Warren Aggas 
was killed by the Indians, in Westmore- 
land County, in 1796. His widow fled into 
the forest of what is now Center Town- 
ship, accompanied by her two little boys, 
Sylvanus and Abner, aged eleven and ten 
years respectively. It was her intention 
to chose a home there, hidden as she be- 
lieved herself, from the cruel savages that 



had shed the blood of her husband, and 
with this end in view, a pitiful story is 
told of her getting lost and separated from 
her children and neighbors who had also 
sought a refuge in the woods. For three 
days she wandered lost and alone, but sub- 
sequently was reunited to her children and 
together they established a home on the 
land which has ever since remained in the 
family, no division ever having been made. 
James Aggas, father of Warren and 
son of Sylvanus, was born on the above 
named farm and continued agricultural 
pursuits through life, both he and wife 
passing away in the old home. The old 
residence built by Sylvanus Aggas almost 
seventy years ago, still shelters his de- 
scendants. There were other buildings 
and the barn, a still substantial structure, 
was put up in 1859, a second barn being 
built in 1885. James Aggas married Cath- 
erine Andrews and they had six cliildren, 
namely: Warren; Loyal, who lives in Cen- 
ter Township; Sylvanus, who resides in 
Illinois; William John, who lives at Ell- 
wood City ; Elizabeth Belle, who died aged 
about twelve years; and an unnamed in- 
fant. 

Warren Aggas was reared to farm life 
and has always been interested in agri- 
culture. In addition to managing his large 
estate, he is in partnership with a Mr. 
Hamilton in contracting and drilling oil 
wells, the latter being a practical driller. 

Mr. Aggas married Miss Sarah Belle 
McCandless, who is a daughter of Red- 
dick McCandless, and their children are as 
follows : James, who dresses the tools used 
in oil well drilling, and who married Bessie 
Barkley; and Stella E., Huldah, Laura 
Muriel, Samuel Claud, Evelyn and Leroy. 
Mr. Aggas is a member of the Odd Fel- 
lows, Lodge No. 1154, of West Sunbury. 

JAMES A. McKEE, one of the best 
known residents of Butler and editor of 
the present volume, was born in Butler 
Township, this county. May 11, 1865, son 



608 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of Robert and Mary Jaue (Kirk) McKee. 
His paternal grandfather was James Mc- 
Kee, and his great grandfather, Thomas 
McKee, who married Margaret Hogue. 
James, the grandfatlier, who was the eld- 
est son of his parents, was born in 1780, 
in Tuscarora Valley, Mifflin County, Penna. 
He came to Butler from Ligonier, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1796, and purchased a tract 
of land in Butler Township adjoining that 
of his father. He married Mary McKee, a 
daughter of John and Mary (Hogue) Mc- 
Kee, of the Tuscarora Valley, and they 
were the parents of seven children, as fol- 
lows : John, who served one term as sheriff 
of Butler County, died in 1864; Robert, 
who resided on the old homestead until 
1888, then removed to Butler, and died 
December 18, 1890; Martha, who died in 
youth; Thomas, who died at the age of 
twenty-one; Mary A., who resided in But- 
ler down to the time of her death, July 2, 
1890 ; James, who was drowned in the Ohio 
River in 1852, while en route to California ; 
and Hugh, a surveyor of Butler County in 
1852, and afterwards appointed surveyor- 
general of Kansas by President Buchanan, 
who died April 30, 1886. James McKee 
and his brother Hugh served in the War 
of 1812;. the former served as sheriff of 
the county from 1815 to 1818, and as a 
member of the state legislature in 1828. 
His death occurred October 1, 1832. His 
wife survived him more than thirty years, 
and died in 1874 at the age of eighty-seven. 
Robert McKee, son of James and father 
of the subject of this sketch, was born in 
Butler Township, Butler County, June 17, 
1817. He was reared upon the farm, and 
in 1847 he married Mary J. Kirk, a daugh- 
ter of John Kirk, an early settler of Clar- 
ion County. They resided upon a farm 
in Butler Township until 1888, and then 
removed to Butler, whore Mr. McKee died 
on December 18, 1890, leaving two chil- 
dren, Mary A. and James A. Robert Mc- 
Kee was a justice of the peace in Butler 
Township for thirty years and was a prom- 



inent member of the United Presbyterian 
church. His widow survived him until 
March 9, 1902. 

James A. McKee was educated at With- 
erspoon Institute, Butler, and at Wooster 
University, Wooster, Ohio, and came with 
his parents to Butler Borough in May, 
1888, where he has since resided. In Oc- 
tober, 1888, he formed a partnership with 
William G. Ziegler and purchased the 
Democratic Herald from the estate of the 
late Jacob Ziegler. He continued in the 
active duties of newspaper work until 1899, 
when the Herald plant was sold to P. A. 
Rattigan & Sons, and the partnership of 
Ziegler and McKee was dissolved. He was 
subsequently engaged as reporter for the 
Associated Press, the Tri-state Press Bu- 
reau, and eastern papers, and in 1902-3 
was city editor of the daily Eagle. He was 
subsequently engaged in contracting busi- 
ness for two years, and since that time has 
been in the insurance business. For over 
twenty years he took an active interest in 
local military affairs, first enlisting in 
Company E, Fifteenth Regiment, P. N. G., 
in 1885. After serving two enlistments he 
was discharged with the rank of sergeant. 

In 1898, when the local militia company 
was called into the service of the United 
States for the Spanish War, Mr. ]\IeKee, 
James M. Maxwell, and John C. Graham 
organized a second company and drilled it 
for the second call of troops. The serv- 
ices of this company were tendered to the 
adjutant-general of Pennsylvania and also 
to the secretary of war. The suspension 
of hostilities after the battle of Santiago 
rendered the further call of troops unnec- 
essary and the local company was tendered 
a place in the provisional guard of the 
State, which was accepted. Mr. McKee 
was elected Captain of Company L, Six- 
teenth Regiment, National Guard, July 2, 
1902, and served the full term of five years. 
He is a Democrat in politics and has taken 
an active part in the affairs of his party 
in the county, but has never held any pub- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



lie office. He is a member of tlie United 
Presbyterian Church, which his parents as- 
sisted in founding. 

ELMER W. SCHENCK, a representa- 
tive of one of Butler County's old German 
pioneer families, is one of the city's pros- 
perous business men, where he is engaged 
in general contracting. He was born at 
JButler, in 1876, and is a son of Leonard 
and a grandson of Adam Schenck. 

When his school days were over, Elmer 
W. Schenck lost no time seeking employ- 
ment but went to work in a brickyard and 
two years later became an employe at the 
Purvis planing-mill. During the six years 
that he worked in the mill, he took a course 
in business at the "Butler Commercial Col- 
lege, in this sensible, practical way fitting 
himself for both manual and professional 
work. He then worked one year as a car- 
penter, and this was followed by a year 
of contracting, after which he was fore- 
man for two years for a large contracting 
firm at Beaver Falls. When he returned 
to Butler he resumed contracting and has 
had about as much work in his line as he 
has been able to handle. 

In 1898 Mr. Schenck was married to Miss 
Mary Wagner, who is a daughter of Henry 
Wagner. The Wagners were established 
in Butler County by Henry Wagner, the 
grandfather of Mrs. Schenck, who built the 
first pottery in Butler County, having 
learned his trade in Germany. The father 
of Mrs. Schenck was born in Butler County 
and for some years followed paper-hang- 
ing, but at present is engaged in a mer- 
cantile business. Mr. and Mrs. Schenck 
have two children: Charles E. and Bertha 
M. They are members of Grace Luthei-an 
Church. Mr. Schenck is a member of the 
National Protective League and of the 
]\Ioose fraternity. 

HON. CHARLES C. SULLIVAN, in 
former years one of the most prominent 
figures in the public life of Butler County, 
and a lawyer of high reputation, was born 



on his parents' farm, in Franklin Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, March 
10, 1807. 

From some records carefully collated by 
the genealogist of the family, the late 
Lieut. Aaron Sullivan, who was killed in 
the Civil War, while fighting in defense of 
the Union, it appears that one Peter 
0. Sullivan located in Northumberland 
County, Virginia, about the year 1700. He 
married a lady named Craven and they 
had children, John, Moses, Charles and 
Elizabeth. 

Early in 1757 Charles Sullivan married 
Jemima Reeve and they were the grand- 
parents of the late Hon.. Charles C. Sulli- 
van. Charles Sullivan died March 27, 
1767, the father of five children, all of 
whom were born on the Wecondia River, 
near Chesapeake Bay, in Northumberland 
County, Virginia. 

Charles C. Sullivan, second son of 
Charles and Jemima Sullivan, was born 
March 27, 1760, and died January 12, 
1813. In 1785, in Chester County, iPenn- 
sylvania, he married Susannah Johnston, 
who was born October 29, 1764, and died 
July 7, 1834. Her parents were Thomas 
and Margaret Johnston, of Chester Coun- 
ty. She made the acquaintance of her fu- 
ture husband while he was serving under 
General Washington at Valley Forge. 
Their children were Moses, Aaron, 
Thomas, John, James, Margaret, Jemima, 
Elizabeth, William, Charles Craven, Su- 
sannah, the four last named being born on 
the "Sullivan Farm," in Franklin Town- 
ship, Butler County. 

Charles Craven Sullivan, the seventh 
son of Charles C. and Susannah Sullivan, 
was graduated in 1828, from Jefferson 
College; soon after became a law student 
in the office of Gen. William Ayers and 
was admitted to the bar, October 10, 1831. 
He soon won recognition for his forensic 
ability, becoming one of the leaders of the 
Butler County bar, noted then as now, for 
the high quality and character of its mem- 



610 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



bers. He soon became connected also with 
public affairs, and in 1841, he was elected 
to the State Senate and was reelected in 
1844. During his six years of service in 
that body he originated and carried 
through much useful legislation, some of 
which still remains on the statute books. 
By this time he had become widely known 
all over the State and had it not been that 
the Whig pax'ty, to which he belonged, was 
in the minority during the period of his 
legislative career, he would have occupied 
a still more exalted position. As a mark 
of appreciation of his character and serv- 
ices, Sullivan County, in his native State, 
was given his name. 

While professing and believing in Wliig 
principes, Senator Sullivan was an inde- 
pendent thinker, endorsing no measures or 
policies that were not in accord with his 
personal convictions. He was strongly 
opposed to slavery and was much pleased 
with the nomination of General Scott by 
the Whigs, over Millard Fillmore in 1852, 
and correspondingly disappointed by the 
subsequent election of Franklin Pierce. 
Possessing such principles, Mr. Sullivan 
welcomed the formation of the Republican 
party and identified himself with it. By 
this time Abolition sentiment was becom- 
ing general throughout the North, and Mr. 
Sullivan was not alone in his opinions, as 
had been the case, in his county, but a few 
years previously. 

With the approach of the great National 
crisis, Mr. Sullivan's interest in public 
affairs deepened. He foresaw the coming 
struggle, and his great hope was that the 
new party would rise to its opportunity 
and stand up boldly for the right. He was 
active in the discussion of public affairs, 
in particular during the winter of 1859-60, 
endeavoring to influence the young men of 
his acquaintance to take a firm stand for 
principle, whatever might be the outcome. 
He looked forward with eager anticipa- 
tion to the Republican National Conven- 



tion, expecting to see the birth of a new 
radical policy, with the abolition of slav- 
ery as its ultimate goal, but he was not 
destined to realize his hopes nor to wit- 
ness the last tragic act in the great slavery 
drama. His health began to fail, and on 
February 27, 1860, he passed from life's 
scenes, leaving behind a record of worthy 
achievement and devotion to principle that 
may well stand as an example to many of 
our own day, who are entrusted with 
weighty responsibilities. 

In a material way, Mr. Sullivan pros- 
pered and was able to leave a handsome 
estate to his family. His law practice ex- 
tended over Butler and into several adja- 
cent counties. His fellow citizens had 
confidence in him in every relation of life 
for they knew his acts were the results of 
his firm convictions. On many occasions 
he displayed his local pride for he always 
honored Butler County as it had honored 
him. 

Mr. Sullivan was married July 24, 1845, 
to Susan Catherine Seltzer, of Jonestown, 
Lebanon County, Penna., who was born 
June 26, 1824, and who still survives. Of 
this union there were five children — Moses, 
Charles, Louise M., Josephine, and Ma- 
tilda. Moses, who is unmarried, is a well 
known lawyer of Butler and Bradford, 
Penna. Charles, who is now deceased, 
was a practicing attorney at Pittsburg. 
He married Mary Reed and left his wife 
with eight children, of whom there are now 
three survivors — Catherine G., Reed, and 
Joseph, all living in Pittsburg. Louise M. 
Sullivan was married, June 26, 1871, to 
Joshua H. Shaw, who died March 17, 
1874. She resides at No. 123 Diamond 
Street, Butler, and has one son, George J., 
who married tola Campbell of Butler and 
the latter are the parents of a daughter — 
Isabelle. Josephine Sullivan, now de- 
ceased, was the wife of Thomas H. Rabe, 
of Pittsburg. She left four daughters, 
namely: Janie (Mrs. Burt A. Miller), 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



611 



who has two children — Thomas Eabe and 
Jane Catherine ; Catherine Louise, Joseph- 
ine, and Eleanore Hanna. Matilda Sulli- 
van, who married Joseph E. Dunton, of 
Philadelphia, Penna., is deceased. She 
had no children. 

JOSIAH P. McCALL, general farmer, 
who resides on his excellent estate of 
eighty-nine acres, which is situated in 
Franklin Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, was born on this farm on October 
8, 1852, and is a son of Allen and Martha 
(Turk) McCall. 

Allen McCall, father of Josiah P., was 
born about 1807, in Butler County, his old 
home farm being now owned by Lorenzo 
B. Snyder. He died in 1867. In early 
years he was a Whig but later became a 
Republican. He was an active citizen but 
never accepted any office but that of school 
director. He married a daughter of Will- 
iam Turk, of Brady Township, Butler 
County, and they had the following chil- 
dren : Samuel James and Robert T., both 
now deceased; Margaret Emeline, wife of 
Asaph Cranmer, of Clay Township; Re- 
becca Jane (deceased) who was the wife 
of Hezekiah Patterson; Mary Elizabeth, 
deceased; Josiah P.; William John, resid- 
ing in Franklin Township; Sarah Belle 
(deceased) who was the wife of Elva Sny- 
der, of Brady Township ; and Elmer Allen, 
residing at Butler. The father was a trus- 
tee of the Muddy Creek Presbyterian 
Church. 

Josiah P. McCall has spent his life in 
Franklin Township. After he completed 
his school attendance he settled down to 
farming and has made his life-work both 
pleasant and profitable. Of his eighty- 
nine acres he has fifty under the plow and 
raises corn, oats, wheat, hay, potatoes and 
buckwheat, devoting the remainder of his 
land to pasturage, keeping eight cows for 
dairy purposes and making choice butter 
for particular customers at Butler. 

Mr. McCall married Miss Mary Ann 



Snyder, who is a daughter of Conrad Sny- 
der of Brady Township, and they have had 
three children: Conrad Allen, who died 
aged two years; Willis Austin, who mar- 
ried Valera Thompson of Clay Township 
and reside in Washington County (he is 
a physician and has a daughter, Mary Dor- 
othy") ; and Orren Josiah, who married 
Marie Brown, of Clay Township and has 
one child, Edna Mary. Mr. McCall and 
family belong to the Muddy Creek Presby- 
terian Church, in which he has served as 
a trustee. In politics he is a Republican 
but is no more active than the demands of 
good citizenship require, having no desire 
for political honors. 

EDWARD EVERETT ABRAMS, who 
has for more than twenty years been one 
of the most stirring and progressive busi- 
ness citizens of Butler, is a native of 
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, having been 
born at Rimersburg, July 9, 1856, son of 
James H. and Hannah (McCuteheon) 
Abrams. His paternal grandfather was 
David Abrams, whose parents were the 
first settlers at Turkey Foot, Westmore- 
land County, Penna. They were of Scotch 
ancestry, and the subject of this sketch is 
in possession of the family record, beauti- 
fully written in a bible over 118 years old. 

Edward Everett Abrams passed his 
early years in his native town of Rimers- 
burg, where he attended the common school 
and Clarion Collegiate Institute. His edu- 
. cation was further advanced by attendance 
at the seminary at Clarion and Dickinson 
Seminary, at Williamsport, Penna. He 
then pursued a commercial course at East- 
man's Business College, Poughkeepsie, 
New York, and to further round out his 
general education took a course in a mili- 
tary academy at Tarrytown-on-Hudson. 
Having some taste for military matters, 
he joined the National Guard of Pennsyl- 
vania, and at the age of eighteen was first 
sergeant of Company F, Seventeenth Regi- 
ment, N. G. P. While in camp with two 



611 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



regiments, he was complimented by the in- 
specting officer for keeping the best rec- 
ords. 

His father, James H. Abrams, was one 
of the pioneers in the oil and steamboat 
business at Oil City, and in 1874 was a 
prominent oil producer at Karns City, 
Penna. The subject of our sketch having 
begun his business career as bookkeeper 
in a banking house, became his father's 
active assistant in the oil business at Karns 
City in 1876. From 1877 to 1879 their op- 
erations were continued in the Bradford 
field. In the year last mentioned he was 
married and, having purchased the famous 
Meclimans fami, on which Karns City is 
built, he removed there and remained until 
1886, when Butler became his place of resi- 
dence. Butler has been the scene mainly 
of his subsequent activities, though he con- 
tinues to manage his property at Karns 
City and oil farms near there. 

He has been a prominent factor in the 
commercial and business life of Butler 
County and in the year 1900 was one of 
the original and very active incorporators 
of the Butler County National Bank, which 
he served as director and member of the 
Discoimt Board for ten years. After re- 
signing from that institution he was one 
of the first incofporators of the Farmers' 
National Bank, of which he has been an 
active director since it was organized, and 
continues to thus serve this very successful 
bank. 

During his early years in the oil busi- 
ness, and under the nom de plume of "Van 
AVinkle," he made something of a reputa- 
tion as a newspaper writer, both for the 
oil country and metropolitan press, his ar- 
ticles on various subjects of interest being 
written in a style to command the atten- 
tion and appreciation of a wide circle of 
readers. 

Mr. Abrams has devoted some part of 
Ms time to public affairs, believing it to be 
the duty of a good citizen, when called 



upon, to make some sacrifice of time and 
private interests for the welfare of his 
l?arty and the cause of good government. 
A stanch Eepublican, he was elected a dele- 
gate to the State convention that nomi- 
nated Senator Quay for State treasurer, 
in 1885. He also served as chairman of 
the Eepublican County Committee in the 
Beaver campaign, in 1886, and was elected 
in 1892 alternate delegate to the Republi- 
can National Convention at Minneapolis. 
He was Presidential elector in 1896 and in 
January, 1897, cast his ballot for McKinley 
and Hobart. His advice has always car- 
ried weight in the local councils of his 
party. 

Butler having no public park, Mr. 
Abrams interested himself in the matter 
and in 1908 sticeeeded in persuading a land 
company to cancel the contract to cut down 
a forest of noble white oak and other trees ; 
and he secured twenty public spirited citi- 
zens who purchased eight acres of wood- 
land, and thus preserved a beautiful nat- 
ural park within the borough limits. If 
there is anything in his history that he 
thinks worthy of special record, it is that 
he has led a life of absolute integrity and 
has done what he could to promote the 
good things in our government. 

Mr. Abrams was married, August 20, 
1879, by Bishop Stevens, to M. Genevieve, 
daughter of Charles M. Allen. Mr. Allen 
was fonnerly consul to the Bermuda Is- 
lands, being appointed to that office by 
President Lincoln during the Rebellion, 
and continued to fill it until his death in 
1888. Mr. and Mrs. Abrams are the par- 
ents of ]\Ivra Genevieve, Lucile, wife of 
Lieut. Donald C. Cubbison, U. S. A.; Elea- 
nor, Edward Everett, Allen, Dorothy Han- 
nah, John McClelland, Eichard Henry and 
Elizabeth Loveberry. Dorothy died in 
1895 at age of two years. 

The family belong to the First Presby- 
terian Church, of wliich Mr. Abrams is a 
Ti-ustee. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



613 



HENRY A. RITNER, the popxilar and 
efficient postmaster of Bruin, Pennsylva- 
nia, is a leading citizen of this place and 
he is also an honored veteran of the great 
Civil War. Mr. Ritner was born at Dar- 
lington, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, 
April 22, 1837, and is a son of Nathaniel 
and Isabella B. (Vogan) Ritner. 

Mr. Ritner can trace a distinguished an- 
cestry. His great-grandfather Ritner was 
a native of Alsace, France, and after com- 
ing to America, established his home in 
Lancaster County. His son, Joseph Rit- 
ner, founded the Crawford County branch 
of the family, and he bore the same name 
as did his cousin, Governor Joseph Ritner, 
who was once the chief executive of Penn- 
sylvania, On the maternal side the family 
was noted for its military valor. Great- 
grandfather James Vogan serving with 
distinction in the Revolutionary War and 
Grandfather James Vogan being equally 
prominent in the War of 1812. The latter 
was one of the early settlers in Butler 
County, coming before the first courthouse 
was erected — a simple log structure which 
stood on the site of the present fine build- 
ing — and he attended the first session held 
there. 

Henry A. Ritner was about nine years 
old when his father died and three years 
later he accompanied his mother, step- 
father George Clupper, and other members 
of the family, to Mercer County. His edu- 
cational opportunities were meager and 
when fourteen years of age he was ap- 
prenticed to a shoemaker, at Grove City, 
with whom he remained for three years. 
Following this he worked as a journeyman 
until the ojoening of the Civil War. He was 
then twenty-four years of age and, like 
thousands of other young men, had prob- 
ably planned a life with which the boom- 
ing of cannon and the terrors and dangers 
of war had nothing to do. Nevertheless, 
when duty called he answered the summons 
and on October 17, 1861, he enlisted in 
Company H, Fourth Regiment, Pennsyl- 



vania Volunteer Cavalry, commanded by 
Col. Robert J. Phipps, of Franklin, Penn- 
sylvania. After three years of hard serv- 
ice, Mr. Ritner was honorably discharged. 
In the interim he had participated in many 
of the most decisive battles of the whole 
war, including those of Fredericksburg, the 
second battle of Bull Run, Antietam and 
the long series of engagements in the 
Shenandoah Valley. Although at all times 
a brave and fearless soldier, he escaped all 
serious injury and practically unharmed 
he returned to his home. In 1872 he came 
to Martinsburg, now Bruin, and for a time 
was engaged in the oil fields and then 
started his shoemaking shop and has been 
interested more or less in working at this 
trade ever since, although, since 1900, when 
he was appointed postmaster, his time has 
been mainly given to public duties. 

Mr. Ritner married Ann E. Davidson, 
who was born at Slippery Rock, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they have two children, Frank 
L. and Mary W., both residing at Bruin. 
Mr. Ritner and family belong to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. In his political 
views he is a strong Republican. Formerly 
he seiA'ed as commander of Lysander Robb 
Post, No. 530, Grand Army of the Repub- 
lic, at Bruin, which subsequently was dis- 
continued, but he has never lost his inter- 
est in this great organization of his com- 
rades. 

THOMAS ALEXANDER, treasurer of 
Butler County and a leading citizen who is 
interested in oil producing and contract- 
ing, has been a resident of the city of But- 
ler for the past tventy-two years. He 
was born in Brady Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, September 22, 
1844, and is a son of Ambrose and a grand- 
son of Thomas Alexander. 

Grandfather Thomas Alexander was 
born in the north of Ireland and came to 
Butler County among the early settlers, 
taking up land in Brady Township, on 
which he continued to live until 1854 when 



614 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



he moved to Franklin Township where he 
resided until death. On the farm in Brady 
ToVnship his son, Ambrose Alexander, 
spent his life, mainly engaged in agricul- 
tural pursuits, and died in old age and was 
buried at West Liberty. 

Thomas Alexander bears his grand- 
father's name. He remained on the home 
farm imtil he was twenty-one years of age 
and then found employment in the oil 
fields, visiting those of Pennsylvania, Ohio 
and West Virginia, and ever since has 
been more or less concerned in oil produc- 
ing and oil contracting. In 1886 he came 
to Butler and very soon became one of the 
city's active and useful citizens. He has 
served three years as a member of the 
City Council and for three years as a 
member of the School Board. In 1905 he 
was elected treasurer of Butler County, 
for a i^eriod of three years, and his admin- 
istration of this weighty office has been 
marked with the efficiency that its impor- 
tance demands. 

In 1871 Mr. Alexander was married to 
Miss Elizabeth J. Double, and they have 
had five children, namely: Lulah J., who 
is the wife of Emory Beighley, of Butler; 
Harriet Lillian, who died when aged twen- 
ty-one years; John W., who died in May, 
1908, aged thirty-four years; Harry Mc- 
Devitt, who resides at Butler; and Mary 
Hortense, who is the wife of Claud Burns, 
of Vandergriff, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Alex- 
ander belongs to the IJnited Presbyterian 
Church. He is a member of the Woodmen 
of the World. 

CHARLES A. FETZER, one of Chi- 
cora's leading business men, conducting 
a haberdasher and general clothing store, 
is his father's successor, he having 
founded it many years ago. Mr. Fetzer 
was born at Chicora, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1872, and is a son of Gotleib 
Frederick and Harriet (Fleeger) Fetzer. 

Gotleib Frederick Fetzer, was born in 



Germany and was about eight years old 
when his parents brought him to America. 
They settled in Butler County, where both 
shortly afterward died and he spent his 
whole subsequent life in this county, almost 
the whole of his mature years being de- 
voted to merchandising. He first was in 
partnership with H. L. Westerman for 
five years, when Mr. Fetzer withdrew for 
a time but later became again associated 
with Mr. Westerman, for a few more years. 
He then entered into partnership with 
John G. Myers and they conducted a mill 
and had farm and oil interests. Mr. 
]\Iyers withdrew after some years but Mr. 
Fetzer operated the mill, with his other 
enterprises, imtil his death on August 28, 
1907, at the age of sixty-nine years. He 
married Harriet Fleeger, who died in Sep- 
tember, 1881, aged thirty-seven years. She 
was a daughter of Solomon Fleeger, one of 
the early settlers in this section. They had 
a family of seven children, namely: 
Emma (Hummell), Agatha (Herrick), 
Clara (Jacobs), Charles A., Albert J., 
William H. and Frank E. Mr. Fetzer was 
a man of many fine traits of character and 
he is remembered by liis fellow citizens 
with feelings of respect and esteem. As 
one of the older business men of this place, 
he had much to do with its material devel- 
opment. 

Charles A. Fetzer attended the public 
schools at Chicora until he was fourteen 
years of age and then became a clerk in 
the Westerman store, where he continued 
for six years, going then in the same ca- 
pacity to Pittsburg, two years later return- 
ing to his father's store, where he contin- 
ued until the death of the latter, when he 
purchased the business and has devoted 
himself to its successful continuance. 

Mr. Fetzer married Mary Donahue, in 
1898, who died in 1905, leaving four chil- 
dren: Charles J., Agatha, Gerald and 
Catherine. In January, 1908, Mr. Fetzer 
was married (second) to Miss Anna 




HON. IRA McJUNKIN 



AND REPEESENTAT-IVE CITIZENS 



617 



Hodges, of Pittsburg. He is a member of 
the English Lutheran Church at Chicora. 
He belongs to the order of Elks, No. 170, 
of Butler, and to the Protected Home Cir- 
cle at Chicora. 

LESLIE P. HAZLETT, president of 
the Butler County National Bank, and a 
prominent representative of the important 
oil industry of this section, was born upon 
his parents' farm in the neighboring 
county of Allegheny, in the year 1843. 
The parents, James and Margaret Haz- 
lett, removed to Butler County, settling on 
the line of Connoquenessing and Foi'ward 
Townships, where James Hazlett pur- 
chased a farm. 

Leslie P. Hazlett, being an ambitious 
youth, made the best of his educational 
opportunities, and after accompanying his 
parents to Butler County, he purchased a 
tract of fifty acres adjoining his father's 
farm, and subsequently purchased the 
parental homestead. He followed agri- 
culture successfully for a number of years, 
but a large part of his ample fortune has 
been derived from the oil industry, in 
which he is now a large operator, being a 
member of the well known firm of Hazlett 
& McCullough. His farm property, which 
has proved one of his chief sources of 
wealth, lies within the Hundred Foot Field 
operated by the Forest Oil Company, the 
Columbia Oil Company, Abrams & Com- 
pany and Elias Barnhart. In later years 
Mr. Hazlett 's business experience has ex- 
tended into other channels, and he is now 
the capable president of one of Butler 
County's most important financial institu- 
tions. 

A Republican in politics, a part of his 
time has been devoted to the public serv- 
ice. He has been one of the school direc- 
tors of his township for the last twenty- 
two years, and he has been a justice of the 
peace for five years. For forty years he 
has been a member of the Masonic frater- 
nity, belonging to Harmony Lodge, No. 



429, F. & A. M. Formerly a Presbyterian 
in religion, he later united with the Metho- 
dist Church. 

Mr. Hazlett was married, in 1870, to 
Barbara Ziegler, a daughter of Jonas and 
Elizabeth Ziegler, of Harmony, Butler 
County. Mrs. Hazlett died in 1887, hav- 
ing been the mother of five children, name- 
ly : Letitia, who married Clinton Henshaw, 
resides on Mr. Hazlett 's old home in For- 
ward Township, and has two children — 
Ealph Leslie and Grace Ethel ; George W., 
who is bookkeeper in the Butler County 
National Bank, where he has been em- 
ployed for fourteen years; Lizzie, who re- 
sides with her father ; Frank L., deceased ; 
and Maggie, who married C. A. Ensmin- 
ger, resides in Butler, and has one child — 
Helen Elizabeth. 

HON. IRA McJUNKIN, a member of 
the Pennsylvania State Legislature, to 
which honorable body he was a second 
time nominated in the spring of 1908, is a 
prominent citizen of Butler County and 
a member of the Butler bar. He was born 
in this city, February 13, 1860, and is a 
son of James T. and Martha McJunkin. 

Prior to his seventeenth year, Mr. Mc- 
Junkin attended the XJublic schools of But- 
ler and Witherspoon Institute, and then 
entered the United States Naval Academy 
at Annapolis, Maryland, securing this gen- 
erally coveted appointment through Col. 
John M. Thompson. Mr. McJunkin was 
graduated from that institution in 1881, 
after which he spent two years in the 
service of the United States, attached to 
the Asiatic Station. After his return, de- 
siring to follow other than a maritime life, 
he was honorably discharged in 1883. In 
the fall of the same year he entered upon 
the study of law in the office of Judge Mc- 
Junkin, and on April 10, 1886, he was 
admitted to the bar. His ability in his 
chosen profession was soon recognized, 
and in 1892 he was elected district attor- 
ney of Butler County.- In the meanwhile, 



618 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



he had become active in politics, and in 
1906 he was first elected a member of the 
State Legislature of Pennsylvania. His 
attitude on public questions and his use- 
fulness to his own section, his loyalty to 
party and fidelity to principle, all con- 
tributed to his continued popularity and 
in 1908 he was renominated to the Legis- 
lature and again reelected. 

Mr. McJuukiu had long been identified 
with the Fifteenth Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania National Guards, and his military 
record in connection with the same is as 
follows : In May, 1898, was mustered into 
the United States service at Mt. Gretna 
as captain of Company E, Fifteenth Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was 
miistered out at Athens, Georgia, Febru- 
ary 1, 1899; was appointed captain and 
adjutant on the staff of Col. W. T. Mech- 
ling, Fifteenth Regiment Pennsylvania 
National Guards in 1900, served in the 
Homestead riots and was placed on the 
retired list by General Order No. 28, 1900. 
He entered the State service with the rank 
of first lieutenant and was subsequently 
elected and reelected captain. 

Mr. McJunkin belongs to the Masons 
and the Odd Fellows. He was reared by 
a careful mother in the faith of the Pres- 
byterian Church. 

JOHN H. HEINER, a prominent citi- 
zen, whose headquarters are at Bruin, 
Pennsylvania, for years has been very 
prominently identified with oil and gas 
production in Butler County, having large 
interests on Bear Creek, in Parker Town- 
ship. He was born at Kittanning, in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Febru- 
ary 12, 1842, and is a son of Daniel Broad- 
head and Mary (Graham) Heiner. 

Capt. Casper Heiner, the great-grand- 
father of John H., was a Revolutionary 
soldier. He married Ann G. Broadhead, 
the only child of Gen. Daniel Broadhead, 
who served in the Revolutionary War with 
Gen. Washington, was prominent in In- 



dian warfare, for a time was conomander 
at Fort Pitt and later served as the first 
surveyor-general of the State of Pennsyl- 
vania. Of their children, John Heiner be- 
came the grandfather of John H. Heiner 
and he settled among the early people at 
Kittanning, married a lady who was of 
Virginia birth, and reared a large family. 

Daniel B. Heiner, father of John H., was 
a leading l)usiness man of Kittanning and 
a prosperous citizen. He engaged in mer- 
chandising and also in the manufacture of 
furniture and spinning wheels, and for a 
quarter of a century served as a justice of 
the peace. He married Mary Graham, 
who was born at Butler, Pennsylvania, a 
daughter of Robert Graham, an early set- 
tler of that borough. Her father at one 
time owned a farm in the north end of But- 
ler where now stand some of the best resi- 
dences. He and Mr. Cunningham donated 
part of the ground that forms the present 
site of Butler. The following children 
were born to this union: Robert G., de- 
ceased, who was formerly a captain in the 
United States Army; John H. ; William 
G., formerly a member of the State Legis- 
lature, who is a resident of Kittanning; 
Daniel B., who resides at Kittanning, was 
formerly a member of Congress and was 
United States attorney under the first ad- 
ministration of the late President McKin- 
ley and at tlie present writing (1908) is 
serving as a Government official in West- 
ern Pennsylvania; Mary L., who lives in 
the old home at Kittanning ; Sarah K., re- 
siding at Washington, Pennsylvania, who 
is the widow of Rev. J. F. Core ; Margaret, 
deceased; Annie E., who is the widow of 
Thomas W. Dickson, formerly of Yank- 
ton, South Dakota, now of Kittanning; 
Lydia, the youngest of the family, who is 
the wife of Major Percy E. Tripp, a grad- 
uate of West Point and an officer in the 
United States Army. 

John H. Heiner was reared at Kittan- 
ning and obtained his education in her ex- 
cellent schools. During some years of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



619 



earlier business life he was a member of 
the firm of Heiuer Bros., manufacturers 
of building supplies, lumber dealers and 
planing mill oj^erators, but for the past 
thirty-five years he has given his almost 
exclusive attention to the oil industry. He 
is one of the pioneer oil producers of Par- 
ker Township, a rich oil field of Butler 
County, and it is largely owing to his per- 
sistance and enterprise that this territory 
has so greatly prospered. For some years 
past he has also been developing gas, and 
supplies gas to Bruin and surrounding 
territory. 

Mr. Heiner is also a veteran of the Civil 
War, enlisting in the Federal Army in the 
spring of 18&1, in Company A, Eighth 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves, which 
became a part of the Army of the Potomac. 
He participated in the memorable battles 
of Gainesville, the seven days of continu- 
ous fighting in front of Richmond, the sec- 
ond battle of Bull Run, South Mountain 
and Antietam, being wounded at the latter 
place. He fought also at Fredericksburg, 
Gettysburg, the Wilderness and all the 
other engagements in which his regiment 
took part until the summer of 1864, when 
he was honorably discharged. He is a 
charter member of John Croll Post, No. 
156, Grand Army of the Republic, at Kit- 
tanning. 

Mr. Heiner married Miss Mary H. Per- 
shing, of Pittsburg, who is a daughter of 
Rev. I. C. Pershing, D.D., who formerly 
was president of the Pittsburg Female 
College, which is no longer in existence, 
but which was a noted educational institu- 
tion in its day. Mr. and Mrs. Heiner have 
three children: Mary C, who is the wife 
of Paul Sturtevant, a resident of Pitts- 
burg; and Helen G. and John P., both re- 
siding at Butler. The family home is sit- 
uated at No. 107 Standard Avenue, Butler. 

In politics, Mr. Heiner is a Republican. 
He has served on the School Board in 
Parker Township, at times as the presi- 



dent of that body and takes a good citi- 
zen's interest in public aifairs. He is a 
member of the board of directors of the 
First National Bank at Bruin and was one 
of the promoters of the same. He is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Bruin. 

A. A. MARSHALL, proprietor of a 
fancy and staple grocery business, located 
at No. 109 East Jefferson Street, Butler, 
is one of the city's leading business men. 
He was born in the northern part of But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
the late Samuel T. Marshall. 

Samuel T. Marshall was born at Parker, 
Pennsylvania. For many years of his ma- 
ture life he was engaged in merchandising 
at Parker and North Hope, Butler County, 
and was an active political factor in the 
county. For a protracted period he was 
clerk to the Board of County Commis- 
sioners and subsequently was elected a 
member of that body and served with the 
greatest efficiency. 

A. A. Marshall has been a life-long resi- 
dent of Butler County and has been en- 
gaged in business since his boyhood. For 
fourteen years he was with the Hamilton 
Bottling Works and for some years has 
successfully conducted his present enter- 
prise. In addition to dealing in first class 
groceries, he carries also a fine line of 
confectionery. 

Mr. Marshall has been quite prominent 
in several fraternal organizations, partic- 
ularly in the Woodmen of the World and 
the Protected Home Circle. He is a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
He has been a resident and tax payer of 
Butler for the past twenty years. 

CHARLES STOKEY, burgess of Ze- 
lienople, and a life-long resident of But- 
ler County, is one of the prominent and 
enterprising citizens of Zelienople, where 
he has resided for the past thirty years. 



620 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



He was born April 22, 1856, in Jackson 
Township, a son of Henry and Margaret 
(Behr) Stokey. 

Henry Stokey was born in 1822 in Al- 
sace, France, where he grew to maturity 
and during the early fifties, when the gov- 
ernment was changed from a republic to 
a monarchy he became dissatisfied and 
emigrated to the United States. He had 
prior to this made three trips to this coun- 
try, and first located in Philadelphia for a 
short time, after which he removed to 
Pittsburg. He continued his residence in 
this city for two years, at the end of which 
time he located on a farm in Jackson 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
In 1864 he became proprietor of a hotel, 
which he conducted successfully until 
1869, when he located on a farm, which is 
now a part of the present site of Evans 
City. In 1878, he purchased the Old Eagle 
Hotel at Zelienople, conducting same until 
the time of his death in 1883. Henry Sto- 
key married Margaret Behr, who was also 
born in Alsace, France, in 1830, and is at 
present a resident of Zelienople. The fol- 
lowing children were born to Henry Sto- 
key and his estimable wife, namely : Theo- 
dore, died . aged seventeen years ; Henry, 
proprietor .of the New Hotel Stokey; 
Jacob, and Lewis, residing on a farm in 
Jackson Township; and Charles, the sub- 
ject of this sketch. 

Charles Stokey, was reared in Jackson 
Township and obtained his educational 
training in the common schools of that lo- 
cality. He devoted considerable time to 
the work on the farm and after leaving 
school worked for three and a half years 
at the harness trade in Evans City. In 
3878, when his father purchased tlie Old 
Eagle Hotel of Zelienople he became man- 
ager of it, continuing as such until the 
death of the father in 1883, after which he 
took entire charge of the hotel until 1899. 
He then leased the hotel for five years, and 
in 1904 again became its proprietor. 
Shortly afterward, he disposed of it, since 



which time he has lived in retirement on 
the old Amos Lusk farm, which is located 
in Zelienople. There is a fine running 
spring on the place, and it is claimed that 
General Washington drank from it on his 
way from Allegheny County to Venango. 

Mr. Stokey is a Democrat in politics and 
has always taken an active interest in the 
affairs of his party. He has served as a 
member of the Town Council, and in 
March, 1903, was elected burgess of the vil- 
lage of Zelienople. He resigned from same 
and was again elected in 1906. He is a di- 
rector of the First National Bank of 
Zelienople. Mr. Stokey is very promi- 
nently identified with fraternal organiza- 
tions. He is a Mason, of the Blue Lodge 
No. 429 Harmony ; Royal Arch Chapter of 
Butler County; Tankard Commanclery of 
Pittsburg No. 48, and of the Pittsburg 
Consistory. He is also a member of the 
Ancient Order of the Arabic Nobles of the 
Mystic Shrine. 

Mr. Stokey is the father of the follow- 
ing children : Leila ; Ellsworth ; Russell 
and Herschell (twins), and Carl. 

THOMAS R. HOON, in former years 
one of the substantial and representative 
citizens of Centre Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, and for some years sheriff of the 
county, was born in Centre Township, De- 
cember 3, 1835, a son of John Hoon. He 
was reared and educated in his native 
township, and after beginning industrial 
life', was engaged in teaming until 1860. 
He then went to Oil Creek, Venango 
County, where, until 1862, he was employed 
in the oil business. In the~ year last men- 
tioned he enlisted in Company G, One Hun- 
dred and Thirty-seventh Pennsylvania Vol- 
imteers, with which regiment he served 
until the close of the war. He took part 
in some of the bloodiest and most impor- 
tant battles waged by the Army of the Po- 
tomac, including those of South Mountain, 
Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellors- 
ville, the Wilderness, the operations in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



621 



front of Richmond, and the closing scenes 
which culminated in the surrender of Lee 
at Appomattox. He had served under Gen- 
erals McClellan, Burnside, Hooker and 
Grant. After being mustered out, he re- 
turned to Butler County and engaged in 
farming on the old homestead, having 300 
acres of well improved land. Here he fol- 
lowed agriculture until his death, which 
took place July 13, 1904. 

Mr. Hoon was a successful farmer, being 
both industrious and progressive. He pos- 
sessed in a high degree the confidence of 
his fellow citizens, and served at different 
times in most of the township offices. He 
was at one time sheriff of Butler County, 
in which position he showed his courage 
and capacity on the occasion of the cap- 
ture of the Biddle brothers, of whom he 
had charge in the hospital jail, and who 
had to be guarded at the point of a re- 
volver. 

In politics Mr. Hoon was a Republican. 
He took great interest in Grand Army af- 
fairs, being a useful and active member of 
John Randolph Post. He also belonged to 
the Patrons of Husbandry. 

Mr. Hoon was married, March 23, 1871, 
to Sarah J. Jones, a daughter of David 
Jones, of Franklin Township. They had 
seven children, namely: George H., now 
deceased; Mary, the wife of Dr. Wasson, 
died March 11, 1908; William C, deceased; 
John R., who is now county detective, with 
an office in the Butler County National 
Bank Building, and residence at No. 532 
Mifflin Street; Nancy B.; Henrietta and 
Lina. Mrs. Hoon, who survives her hus- 
band, resides at No. 428 Mifflin Street, 
Butler. 

ISAAC N. JOHNS, one of the success- 
ful oil producers and agriculturists of 
Parker Township, was born August 10, 
1865, near Kittanning, Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of John and 
Nancy (Hooks) Johns, natives of Arm- 



strong County, where the Johns family is 
an old and prominent one. 

When Isaac N. Johns was still a small 
lad his father died, and his mother subse- 
quently married W. M. Henry, by whom 
the youth was reared, his education being 
secured in the public schools of Armstrong 
County. On attaining his majority, Mr. 
Johns engaged in agricultural pursuits, 
and in the early nineties he located in Par- 
ker Township, where he is now half-owner 
in a farm of forty-six acres and the oil 
wells thereon, W. H. Orton of Parker's 
Landing being the owner of the other one- 
half of the property. Mr. Johns is a self- 
made man, and his success in life is due to 
his own energy and enterprise. He is a 
Republican in political matters, and de- 
votes a great deal of his time and attention 
to movements in behalf of the advancement 
of education. He has shown himself to be 
a man of integrity, and his rating is high 
in business circles. 

On November 15, 1891, Mr. Johns was 
married to Elizabeth C. Levier, who was 
born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
a daughter of the late Josiah Levier. Mr. 
and Mrs. Johns have had the following 
children: Byron B., Forest F., Waldo W., 
Melvin M., Hazel lone, Elma V. and 
Myrtle V. 

JOHN YOUNKINS, one of the best 
known oil operators of Butler County, a 
member of the firm of-Younkins Brothers, 
at No. 340 N. McKean Street, Butler, was 
born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylva- 
nia, May 5, 1848, son of William and Sarah 
Younkins. His youth was spent on a farm 
and he acquired his education in the com- 
mon schools. He became connected with 
the oil business soon after acquiring his 
majority, embarking in the business at 
Parker's Landing, in July, 1869. After- 
wards he was engaged in it at Shamburg, 
Venango County, and subsequently at 
Mount Hope, Clarion County. He made 



622 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



bis advent in Butler County, commencing 
business operations at Petrolia, and later 
extending tliem to the Bradford and War- 
ren fields. In Septejnber, 1884, he returned 
to Butler, and has s'nce confined his opera- 
tions to this county. In addition to their 
extensive oil business, the firm of Younkins 
Brothers are large dealers in real estate, 
and they rank well up among the most 
prosperous business concerns of the 
county. Mr. Younkins' business responsi- 
bilities also include the presidency of the 
Farmers' National Bank. He held the of- 
fice of tax collector of the borough of 
Butler, to which he was elected on the 
Democratic ticket, in February, 1894. His 
fraternal affiliations are with Ziegler 
Lodge, I. 0. O. F. He is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Mr. Younkins was married, December 
27, 1877, to Naomi C, a daughter of Robert 
H. Campbell, of Parker Township, this 
county. He and his wife are the parents 
of four children: Edith M., Myrtle F., Earl 
L. and Vera Gr. 

WILLIAM V. POWELL, owner and 
proprietor of the Powell Boiler Works, a 
prospering enterprise of Chicora, is an ex- 
perienced, practical machinist and boiler- 
maker, having been identified with the busi- 
ness since he was seventeen years of age. 
Mr. Powell was born June 28, 1867, in 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Thomas and 
Mary (Richards) Powell. 

Thomas Powell was born in Butler 
County and died in the same county, No- 
vember 13, 1907. The main occupation 
that he followed through life was farming. 
He married Mary Richards, who has been 
a resident of Butler County for thirty-six 
years, but was born in Westmoreland 
County. They had the following children : 
J. W., William V., Walter and Thomas, 
both deceased, Anna, Sadie, deceased, 
Frank,_ C. E., and Nettie. 

William V. Powell was six years old 
when his parents moved to Armstrong 



County, where the family lived for two 
years, returning then to Butler County, 
where he attended the public schools until 
he was fourteen years old. For three years 
he assisted his father and then entered the 
shop of Frank Quinn, to learn the boiler- 
making trade, after nine months going to 
Petrolia, where he was in the employ of 
J. C. Lyons, for five and one-half years. 
From there he went to Slade Run, in For- 
ward Township, where he conducted a shop 
for three and one-half years and then en- 
gaged with the Forest Oil Company of that 
place and worked for that corporation for 
seven and one-half years. Mr. Powell then 
came to Chicora, where, in partnership 
with Fred Henman and W. C. Aikens, he 
bought out Charles Hunter, this transac- 
tion taking place November 11, 1900. 
Later, Mr. Henman sold his interest to Mr. 
Powell and three years afterward, Mr. 
Aikens died and since that time Mr. Powell 
has been sole owner and has conducted the 
business by himself. He does all kinds of 
repair work and builds gas and oil tanks. 
His business standing is high and his per- 
sonal character without reproach, making 
him a truly representative citizen. 

Mr. Powell married Miss Mary Aikens, 
of Butler County, and they have had two 
children : Iva, who was born July 4, 1892 ; 
and a babe that died early. Mr. Powell 
and wife are members of the English Lu- 
theran Church. He belongs to the fraternal 
orders of the Woodmen of the World, the 
Woodmen of America and the Knights of 
Maccabees. 

HON. THOMAS ROBINSON. Among 
those citizens of Butler County who have 
now passed off the scene of life, but whose 
memory will long be preserved and cher- 
ished by their fellow citizens, was Thomas 
Robinson, who, for seventy-one years was 
a resident of this section. He was born 
July 4, 1825, in County Armagh, Ireland, 
and was a son of Thomas and Arabella 
(Riley) Robinson. 



aww IPiSj^' 




AS ROBINSON 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



625 



The parents of Mr. Robinson came to 
America and in 1832 they settled on a 
farm in the vicinity of Pittsburg, Penn- 
sylvania, and three years later secured 
farming land in Penn Township, Butler 
County, where the rest of their lives were 
spent. 

Thomas Robinson was ten years old 
when his parents located in Penn Town- 
ship and his early education was secured 
in the district schools in the neighborhood 
of his home. - He was a grown man before 
the opportunity came to him to Obtain 
more advanced instruction, as it was in 
1851 that he entered Butler Academy. It 
is probable that he pursued his academic 
studies for about one year, subsequently 
teaching school for some two years and 
in 1854 securing recognition by those in 
authority in county affairs. He secured 
appointment as a clerk in the county com- 
missioner's office and immediately began 
the study of law, under the direction of 
George W. Smith, and was admitted to 
the Butler bar September 25, 1855. Poli- 
tics soon claimed his attention and in Feb- 
ruary of this year he had been sent as a 
delegate from Butler County to first Re- 
publican convention convened at Pitts- 
burg. His ability was so generally recog- 
nized both in his profession and as a po- 
litical factor that in 1860 he was elected to 
the Pennsylvania Legislature. In the 
troubled years which followed, Mr. Robin- 
son, by tongue, pen and personal effort up- 
held the government in its struggle with 
rebellion and fearlessly advocated meas- 
ures relative to public safety, often in the 
face of fierce opposition. During 1863-4 
he was the able and resourceful chairman 
of the Butler Cojmty Republican commit- 
tee. He was not an active seeker for of- 
fice, his greatest interest being confined to 
journalism, but in 1876 he was nominated 
by the Republicans of the county for the 
Senate, but failed to secure the district 
nomination. In 1880 he was sent as a del- 
egate to the Republican National Conven- 



tion held at Chicago, supporting the 
claims of the great statesman, Hon. James 
G. Blaine, for the presidency. His name 
is indelibly associated with journalism in 
Butler County. In 1863 he founded the 
American Citizen, which still exists, under 
the title of the Butler Citizen, of which he 
was editor for several years. During 
many of his most active years he was edi- 
tor and proprietor of the Butler Eagle, 
which he later sold to his son, Eli D. Rob- 
inson, who is the present postmaster at 
Butler. This journal, under the manage- 
ment of both father and son, ever wielded 
a large amount of influence throughout 
this section of the State. 

Mr. Robinson married a daughter of Dr. 
Eli G. De Wolf and to this union was born 
a family of thirteen children, and the fol- 
lowing survive: Eli D., Sallie A., Clara 
B., Adelaide K., Arabella, Electa, Charles 
C, George T., and Thomas. With his fam- 
ily, Mr. Robinson belongs to the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church. While frequently 
outside affairs claimed a large measure of 
his attention, he never permitted them to 
cause him to forget the needs and demands 
of his family, friends or city. He was 
]>articularly interested in educational mat- 
ters; served on the city school board, and 
was a trustee of the Slippery Rock State 
Normal School from the time of its organi- 
zation until his death, which took place 
June 23, 1906. 

C. E. MILLER, shoe merchant at Butler, 
conducting a large business with well ap- 
pointed quarters at No. 215 South Main 
Street, has been a resident of this city for 
twenty-two years and in that time has 
built up a business that covers the whole 
county. He was born March 17, 1867, in 
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, but was 
taken by his parents to Armstrong County 
when a child. 

Mr. Miller attended school in the country 
near his father's farm and later took a 
commercial course in Duff's Business Col- 



626 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



lege at Pittsburg, where he was graduated 
in 1887. He gained his first experience in 
the shoe trade as a clerk in John Bickel's 
store at Butler, where he remained three 
years, after which he was with B. Hinnnel- 
rich & Co., at Pittsburg, for more than a 
year, after that taking charge of the shoe 
department in a store at New Kensington, 
where he continued until 1893. Mr. Miller 
settled then at Butler, where he put in a 
good shoe stock, not more however than 
he, with the assistance of one clerk, could 
manage, and from that beginning the busi- 
ness has expanded until he now has the 
largest shoe store in the city and the big- 
gest trade in his line in the county. He 
requires nine assistants and employs three 
wrapping girls and keeps three shoemakers 
busy. Honest goods and fair dealing have 
been Mr. Miller's assets, and their worth 
has been appreciated. In addition to this 
business, Mr. Miller is interested in oil 
production and is a stockholder in two 
banks. In politics, Mr. Miller is affiliated 
with the Republican party. Fraternally he 
belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Elks, 
and socially is a member of the Sterling 
Club. 

GEORGE H. FOX, who follows general 
farming on a tract of seventy acres, lo- 
cated one and one half miles south-east of 
Cabot on the east side of Bear Creek, also 
does contract teaming, and is one of the 
leading and highly respected citizens of 
Winfield Township. He was born Decem- 
ber 7, 1869, in Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Henry and Jane 
(Kaufold) Fox and a grandson of George 
Henry Fox, a native of Germany who 
came to this country at a very early period 
and located first in Allegheny County, 
Pennsylvania, whence he came to Butler 
County and was among the earliest set- 
tlers. 

George H. Fox was reared in his native 
county and received his elementary school- 
ing in the district schools of that locality. 



completing his education in the common 
schools of Cabot, Pennsylvania. 

On May 22, 1894, when twenty-four 
years of age, Mr. Fox was united in mar- 
riage to Adelia B. Kennedy, a daughter of 
Peter and Rachael (Cooper) Kennedy, 
well known farmers of Butler County, and 
of their union were born the following 
children: Mabel, aged twelve years, and 
Juanita, who is nine years old. Mr. Fox 
has always followed general farming and 
in connection with this is now engaged in 
contract teaming. He is a man of public 
spirit and enterprise, giving his support to 
all measures which tend toward the ad- 
vancement of the community in which he 
lives. His farm of seventy acres is well 
improved and equipped with all the neces- 
sary out-buildings of a substantial kind 
and his residence is a comfortable two- 
story frame building. 

In religious affiliation Mr. Fox is a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Cabot, of which he is president of the 
board of trustees and was for some time 
superintendent of the Sabbath school. 

HON. J. DAVID McJUNKIN, who for 
many years has been prominently identi- 
fied with the affairs of Butler, Pennsyl- 
vania, is one of the practitioners before 
the courts of Butler County. He was born 
on the old 'homestead in Centre Township, 
Butler County, September 3, 1839, and is 
eldest son of William and Priscilla Mc- 
Junkin. 

Mr. McJvmkin received a preliminary 
education in the common schools of his 
home district, supplemented by four years 
at Butler Academy, Witherspoon Institute 
and West Sunbury Academy. He taught 
school for several years, and in 1862 
served as a member of Company G, Four- 
teenth Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia, 
to assist in repelling Lee's invasion of the 
State. His preparation for the legal pro- 
fession was under the preceptorship of 
Judge McJuukin, and he was admitted to 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



627 



the bar of Butler County, June 8, 1863. 
The following year he removed to Frank- 
lin, V^euaugo County, Pennsylvania, where 
he practiced with good results until 1873. 
During that time he was called upon to 
serve in official capacity, being elected to 
the State Legislature of Pennsylvania in 
1869, and reelected in 1870 and 1871. He 
returned to Butler in 1873 and there has 
since resided and engaged in active prac- 
tice. His activities have not been confined 
to his professional work, and in 1879 he 
was connected with the Bald Eidge Oil 
Company, whose operations were the 
means of attracting oil men to the further 
development of the Butler field. He is a 
Eepublican in politics, and has been an 
active worker for the success of that 
party. He was in 1880 and 1882 the 
choice of his coimty for the nomination for 
Congress; also in 1904 and 1908. 

Mr. McJunkin was united in marriage 
with Miss Margaret A. Campbell, a daugh- 
ter of James Campbell of Butler, and they 
became parents of the following children : 
Clara Bell; William David; Mary Chris- 
tie, wife of Lewis E. Schmertz; Charles 
Campbell; John Welles; and Margaret 
Kathleen, who died in January, 1888. Ee- 
ligiously, he is a member of the Presbyte- 
rian Church, to the support of which he 
has contributed liberally. 

HUMES A. McCANDLESS, who came 
to his fine farm of 100 acres, which is sit- 
uated in Center Township, two miles south 
of LTnionville, in 1868, is numbered with 
the representative men of his section and 
with its excellent and successful farmers. 
He was born near Unionville, in Center 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
June 14, 1832, and is a son of Nathan F. 
and Elizabeth (Thompson) McCandless. 

Nathan F. McCandless was also born in 
Center Township and was a son of Will- 
iam McCandless, a native of Ireland, who 
came to this neighborhood when he was 
sixteen years old. The McCandless fam- 



ily is one of the oldest and most respected 
of the pioneer families of Center Town- 
ship. Nathan F. McCandless was reared 
on his father's farm and spent his whole 
life in Center Township, where he died in 
1890, aged eighty-seven years. He was 
married (first) to Elizabeth Thompson, 
who was born in what is now Brady Town- 
ship, and who was a daughter of John 
Thompson, who was born in Ireland. 
There were nine children born of this mar- 
riage, five of whom still survive. Mrs. 
McCandless died when her son Humes A., 
was about eighteen years of age. Nathan 
F. was married (secondly) to Delilah 
Mitchell, and the two children born of the 
second marriage are now living. 

Humes A. McCandless obtained his edu- 
cation in the country schools, grew to man- 
hood on the home farm, and has made 
farming his main business in life. In 1864 
he gave one year to the service of his 
coimtry, enlisting in Company A, Sixth 
Eegiment, Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. 
After the close of his military service he 
returned to the farm at home, where he 
remained until his marriage, when he came 
to his present property. 

In 1868 Mr. McCandless was married to 
Martha Thompson, who is a daughter of 
James and Sarah (Allison) Thompson. 
She was born in Allegheny County but 
came to Center Township in early girl- 
hood. Mr. and Mrs. McCandless have 
eight children, namely: Josiah N. mar- 
ried Amanda McKee and they have five 
children; Orrin Bert married Mildred Ste- 
venson and they have five children; Al- 
gerta married Elmer Cranmer, and they 
have two children; Adella married Ever- 
ett Cranmer and they have five children; 
Martha J. ; James T. married Lyda xilbert 
and they have two children; Newton H. 
married Stella Albert, and they have two 
children; and William J. married Maggie 
Kummer, and they have one child. Mr. 
McCandless is a leading member of the 
Presbyterian Church in Center Township. 



628 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



NATHANIEL S. GROSSMAN, one of 
the present commissioners of Butler 
County, has been a resident of the city of 
Butler since his election to this responsi- 
ble office in November, 1905. He is a mem- 
ber of one of the pioneer families of the 
county and was born in Franklin Town- 
ship — the portion which now constitutes 
Brady Township — in September, 1845, son 
of John and Eliza (Stevenson) Grossman. 

He is a descendant in direct line of 
Simon Grossman, a native of Germany, 
who came to America about 1740, settling 
in what is now Adams County, Pennsyl- 
vania, on Mass Creek, near the present 
town of Gettysburg. The line of descent 
from this founder of the family in this 
country is Simon (1), Benedict (2), Simon 
(3), John (4), Nathaniel S. (5). 

Simon, the immigrant ancestor, was mar- 
ried twice, but so far the name of neither 
of his wives has been ascertained. Of his 
children, besides Benedict, who was born 
on the passage over to this country, there 
were Simon, of whom nothing further is 
known; Margaret or Peggy; Rosa, who it 
is said married a Mr. Sawyer ; and another 
daughter, Mary, who became the wife of 
Matthias Sawyer and the mother of eleven 
children, whose names need not here be 
given. It is possible, perhaps probable, 
that Simon had other children, but if so 
their history is unknown to that branch 
of the family under present consideration. 
It is thought, however, that a certain 
Michael Grossman, who was born about 
1745 near Lancaster, Penna., across the 
Susquehanna River, towards the moun- 
tains, was another son of Simon's, though 
the evidence on that point is not conclusive. 

Benedict Grossman, second in this line 
of descent, and great grandfather of the 
subject of this sketch, married a Mrs. 
Betsey Siebert, whose maiden name was 
Grove. AVlien a child but seven years old 
she was captured by Indians and scalped, 
but her life was spared and she lived with 
the Indians until she was thirteen, when 



she was exchanged. In after years when 
she accompanied her husband to Butler 
County, she recognized several localities 
along Slippery Rock as places where she 
had been with the Indians. Benedict and 
Betsy Grossman were the parents of six 
children — Simon, Katy, Betsy, Jacob, 
Polly, and Benjamin — most of whom, if not 
all, were born in Adams County, Penna., 
though in later years they came to Butler 
County. Benedict is buried on the Abner 
McCallen farm, near Annandale, Butler 
County. He was one of the first settlers 
in Cherry Township. 

Simon Grossman, eldest son of Benedict 
and grandfather of Nathaniel S. Grossman, 
left Adams County when about eighteen 
3'ears of age and went to Huntington 
County, Penna., where he afterwards mar- 
ried Elizabeth Carothers. They resided in 
Huntington County until after the birth of 
their two eldest children, when they moved 
on west to Butler County, and soon set- 
tled on the farm where John W. Grossman 
now lives in Brady Township. To Simon 
and Elizabeth were born nine children, 
namely: Benjamin and Elizabeth (both 
born in Huntington County), Alexander, 
Hugh C, Simon, John, Mary, Robert, and 
James McKee Grossman. 

John Grossman, son of Simon and father 
of Nathaniel S. Grossman, was born in 
what is now Brady Township in 1812, and 
his entire life was spent in Butler County, 
where he followed agricultural pursuits. 
He married Eliza Stevenson and took up 
his residence on the farm now owned by 
John W. Grossman. Later he removed to 
the farm now owned by Alfred Grossman 
in Brady Township. He and his wife were 
the parents of a large family, numbering 
ten children, — Benjamin C, Nathaniel S., 
John A., Jennie, Elizabeth, Robert Marion, 
Hugh Forrest, Margaret W., George G., 
and a daughter who died in infancy. Rob- 
ert Marion and George also died when 
quite young. Benjamin C. enlisted in the 
Union army at the time of the Civil War 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



629 



and served four years. After his return 
he went to Missouri, where he married 
Jane Blakeley. They had two children, 
John H. and Ida B., the hitter of whom 
married Harry Hatzell. Benjamin became 
quite a prominent citizen in his new home. 
He was elected county judge, an office simi- 
lar to that of count}^ commissioner in 
Pennsylvania. He was postgnaster for sev- 
eral years and cashier in the Bosworth 
Bank for a number of years, but finally 
resigned this latter position on account of 
failing health. He died May 31, 1906. 

John A. Grossman, son of John and 
Eliza Grossman, taught school for several 
years and was also engaged in mercantile 
business at Greece City, and later in Pros- 
pect in partnership with W. R. Riddle. 
He died at the home of his brother Na- 
thaniel, March 12, 1875. 

Jennie Grossman married John John- 
ston and their children are Everett, Mina, 
who married Joseph Kissick, Forrest, 
Flovd, Earl, and Mossie, the last mentioned 
died in 1904. 

Elizabeth Grossman, another sister of 
the subject of this sketch, married Oren 
Dodds. She died March 6, 1876. 

Hugh Forrest went to Missouri and 
there married Lula Timbrook. After re- 
siding in that state for several years he 
went farther west to Oklahoma Territory 
(now state), where he is still living. He 
has one child, Jeanetta, who married Ayers 
K. Ross. 

Margaret W. Grossman married Andrew 
Wahl of Evans Citv, and thev have one 
child, Clyde M. 

Nathaniel S. Grossman was twelve years 
old when his parents removed from Brady 
to Franklin Township, and there, after the 
usual attendance at school, he engaged in 
farming, dairying, and stock-raising until 
he was elected county commissioner. He 
was also one of the stockholders in the 
Prospect Creamery. He has long been re- 
garded as one of the leading agriculturists 
of this section. Since reaching manhood 



he has been more or less interested in poli- 
tics, and as a man of ability and sterling 
character, he has been elected to various 
local offices. He has always justified the 
confidence of his fellow citizens and he is 
considered one of the most efficient mem- 
bers of the present county board. 

In 1874 Mr. Grossman was married to 
Miss Mary Kennedy, who is a daughter of 
Robert Kennedy, a resident of Butler 
CountJ^ They have two sons, Marion Cur- 
tis and Robert K. The former, who con- 
tinues the operation of the home farm, 
married Minnie Weitzel, bf Franklin 
Township, and they have a son — Nathaniel 
Lloyd. Robert K. is clerk in the county 
commissioners' office. He married Lida 
Millingar, of Oakland Township. Mr. 
Grossman is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church at Prospect and for several years 
served as one of its trustees. He has been 
an active member of the Independent Or- 
der of Odd Fellows since 1874. 

D. L. BOWSER, who has been identified 
with the oil interests of Parker Township 
for a period covering twenty years, was 
liorn May 5, 1857, in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of John F. and 
Jane (Saddler) Bowser, natives of that 
State. 

D. L. Bowser was reared near Kattan- 
ning, where his school days were spent, 
and at the age of nineteen years, with 
other members of his family, came to But- 
ler County, where he has since been a resi- 
dent, most of this time having been spent 
in Parker Township. Although he re- 
ceived but a meager education, it was not 
long before Mr. Bowser began to show his 
ability in a business way, and for the past 
twenty years he has been one of the town- 
ship's best known oil producers. He is 
known as a stanch friend to all educational 
movements, and as a citizen and business 
man his rating is high. The only survivors 
of Mr. Bowser's parents' family beside 
himself are: Sarah E., residing in But- 



630 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ler County; John M., who lives in Alle- 
gheny County; and Anna B., of Butler 
County. 

Mr. Bowser was married to Eachel Phil- 
lips, of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, a 
daughter of George and Elsie (Pish) 
Phillips, whose entire family were as fol- 
lows : Delila, who married William Byers ; 
Jemima, who married first William Bow- 
ser and second, John Johnson; Sarah E., 
who married Blair Hooks; Melissa, de- 
ceased; James Monroe, who married Jo- 
sephine Moses ; Ruth, who became the wife 
of John Ross; Curtis, who married Mary 
Wyant ; Rachel, wife of the subject of this 
sketch; and Alfred, who married Louise 
Weber. Mr. Phillips' father at one time 
owned nearly all the grovmd on which the 
town of Phillipston now stands. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bowser are the parents of 
three children, namely: Aida L., wife of 
G. N. Weitzel, of Parker Township and 
has one daughter, Helen M. ; Claude E., 
a machinist employed by the Westing- 
house Machine Company at Pittsburg, who 
married Florence O'Brien of that city and 
has a daughter. Garnet; and Twila Marie, 
who lives at home. In his political views, 
Mr. Bowser is a Prohibitionist with Re- 
publican proclivities, but he has not been 
active in public affairs, preferring to give 
his time and attention to his business 
interests. 

HON. THOMAS HAYS, recently elected 
to the Pennsylvania State Senate from the 
Forty-first Senatorial District, composed 
of Armstrong and Butler Counties, is one 
of Butler County's most prominent citi- 
zens. He was born January 19, 1840, in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where 
he grew to manhood and obtained a fair 
education in the local schools. 

In September, 1861, he enlisted in Com- 
pany B, One Hundred and Third Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry, which formed 
part of the Fouth Corps, Army of the 
Potomac, and with his regiment he took 



part in the Peninsula Campaign and par- 
ticipated in the battles of Williamsburg, 
Seven Pines, Fair Oaks, and Malvern Hill. 
Later, when transferred to the Eighteenth 
Corps, he was stationed at Sutfolk, Vir- 
ginia. After the expiration of his first 
term of enlistjuent, in November, 1862, he 
reentered the army, becoming a member of 
Battery L, Fourth United States Artillery. 
His subsequent service included the siege 
of Suffolk, the operations around York- 
town, siege of Petersburg, battle of Cold 
Harbor and the engagements in front of 
Richmond. He was honorably discharged 
November 13, 1864. In the spring of 1867 
he took up his residence on a farm in Fair- 
view Township, Butler County, where he 
lived for ten years and then removed to 
Fairview, where he lived for twenty years. 
Since 1900 he has been largely interested 
in the oil industry and is one of the most 
successful oil producers of this section. 
He has many business interests aside from 
oil production. He is a director in the 
Farmers National Bank and is a partner 
in a large wholesale grocery concern. He 
erected the Waverly Hotel, which h(^ still 



Senator Hays was married December 21, 
1865, to Keziah J. Foster, who is a daugh- 
ter of Christopher F. and Isabella Foster, 
of Armstrong County. They had six chil- 
dren born to them, namely: Jennie L., 
Christopher F., Robert N., Maud B., 
Thomas H. and Charles F. W. The family 
belong to the Presbyterian Church, Sena- 
tor Hays being an elder therein. For 
many years he has been one of Butler 
County's most astute ijoliticians and 
capable public men. He is a Republican 
in his political views and in 1902 he was 
elected to the State Legislature and was 
reelected to that body, serving until 1906. 
He has served also in borough offices 
where his effoi'ts have always been di- 
rected to the improvement of the commun- 
ity and the general welfare of the people. 
In 1908 he was elected to the State Senate, 




HOX. THOMAS HAYS 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



his opponent being Dr. R. J. Grossman. 
He is prominent in the Masonic fraternity, 
a member of the Woodmen of the World, 
one of the Sons of the American Revolu- 
tion and a member of Post 105 G. A. R. of 
Butler, Penna. 

HARRY SAMUEL KLINGLER, a 
member of the firm of H. J. Klingler & 
Company, proprietors of the Oriental 
Roller Mills, at Butler, is one of the best 
known, experienced and scientific millers 
in Western Pennsylvania. He was born 
in the borough of Butler, in 1856, and is a 
son of that veteran miller and prominent 
business citizen of Butler, Hermann Julius 
Klingler. 

Harry Samuel Klingler was educated in 
the public schools of Butler and at Capital 
University, Columbus, Ohio. In 1875, 
when just out of college, he entered his 
father's mill, in order to learn the business 
in all its details. This he thoroughly ac- 
complished, and in 1878 was made general 
manager of the concern, which position he 
still retains, being also a member of the 
firm of H. J. Klingler & Company. He has 
gained a wide i-eputation as an expert, 
practical miller, and has contributed to the 
literature of the trade some valuable 
articles, some of which were read before 
the Pennsylvania Millers' State Associa- 
tion, and others published in the leading 
trade journals. In July, 1883, he won the 
prize offered by the American Miller, for 
the best essay on "The Handling of Mid- 
dlings and the Use of Purifiers." He con- 
tributed other articles to that paper during 
1884-5 and for four years he informally 
supported by his pen the Milling Engineer, 
besides writing for other trade papers. 
His column of "Random Reflections" in 
other journals attracted wide-spread at- 
tention. In December, 1886, he was one 
of the prime movers in the organization of 
the Pennsylvania Millers' Mutual Fire In- 
surance Company, since which he has been 
one of the directors. He has also taken 



a material interest in other business enter- 
prises of Butler, though never to the neg- 
lect of his chief life work — milling. 

Brought up in the faith of the Lutheran 
Church, he has continued one of its stead- 
fast adherents, and has been a useful 
worker in the local congregation. For 
nearly ten years he served acceptably as 
superintendent of the Sunday school, and 
at the Fifty-first Convention of the Pitts- 
burg Synod of the General Coimcil, held 
at Greensburg, Pennsylvania, September 
13-20, 1893, he was elected a trustee of 
Thiel College, of Greenville. 

On February 8, 1878, Mr. Klingler was 
married to Louisa Catherine Keck, who is 
a daughter of Jacob Keck, of Butler. 
They have seven children : Charlotte Fred- 
erica, William Julius, Alberta Barbara, 
Clara Louisa, Harry Samuel Jr., Florence 
Elizabeth, and Ethel Pauline. The family 
home is at No. 141 East Jelferson Street, 
Butler. 

Hermann Julius Klingler, father of 
Harry Samuel, and the founder of the firm 
of H". J. Klingler & Company, was born 
near Wurtemburg, Germany, and came of 
a family of millers. He was fourteen 
years old when he came to America, and 
with other members of the family settled 
on a farm in Manor Township, Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania. When eighteen 
years of age he married and then moved 
to Kittanning, where, for about one year, 
he was employed as a clerk in a store. On 
coming to Butler, in 1849, he engaged in a 
hotel business, purchasing the old United 
States Hotel, on the corner of Main and 
Jefferson Streets. In 1852, on the site of 
the old property, he built the Lowry House 
and conducted that hostelry for the follow- 
ing eight years. With James Campbell, 
under the style of Campbell & Klingler, he 
also engaged in the dry goods business, 
having a store on the southwest corner of 
Main and MifBin Streets. At a still later 
period he entered into the foundry busi- 
ness, with Martin Reiber, imder the style 



634 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of Reiber & Klingler. He sold his hotel 
property in 1860 and in the same year 
built a substantial and commodious resi- 
derfce on the southwest corner of Jefferson 
and McKean Streets, where he still resides 
with his son. 

In 1862 Hermann J. Klingler gave up 
his other business interests to engage in 
the oil industry and entered into partner- 
ship with John Berg, Sr. For several 
years they operated above Oil City, and 
they were among the first to engage in 
shipping petroleum to Europe. The first 
consignment '^as made to Liverpool in 
1863 and the cargo was in charge of Mr, 
Klingler and John Berg, Jr. It was dur- 
ing this trip that Mr. Klingler paid a visit 
to his old home and while there visited 
many points of interest which his years of 
absence on the farther side of the Atlantic 
Ocean had made more important to him. 
In 1865 Mr. Klingler took a leading part 
in organizing the Butler County Oil Com- 
pany, and acted as its superintendent dur- 
ing its two years of existence. It was 
mainly through his agency that the com- 
pany acquired 12,000 acres of land in 
Butler, Armstrong and Beaver Counties. 
On this land, in a section extending from 
Parker to below Millerstown, he drilled 
four test wells. Owing to the fact that 
the drilling was not carried through to the 
second sand, no oil was obtained and the 
territory was abandoned, although subse- 
quently, after more complete tests, it 
proved to be one of the richest oil fields 
in the State. 

It was in 1867 that Mr. Klingler turned 
his attention to the business for which, 
above all others, he had an especial predi- 
lection, that , of milling, heredity making 
itself felt. He commenced by building a 
grist mill on Mifflin Street, which was 
known as Klingler 's Mills. In 1876 he 
built the present main office at No. 139 
East Jefferson Street. A year later he re- 
modeled his mill, adapting it to the new 
process, a method for regrinding the puri- 



fied middlings on a small millstone having 
been invented. Several years afterward 
he began making use of rolls, being one of 
the ipioneers in this method of milling, 
and in 1883-4 he reconstructed his mill, 
installing an entire roller system, after 
which the plant adopted its present title 
of the Oriental Roller Mills. In 1885 he 
further improved his facilities by building 
a shipping house, 50x110 feet, locating it 
opposite the West Penn Railroad station. 
On March 1, 1886, an important change 
was made in the business, Mr. Klingler 
taking as partners his two sons, Harry S. 
and Fred J., and from that time the busi- 
ness was conducted on a more extensive 
scale, imder the style of H. J. Klingler & 
Company. In 1889 the plant was further 
enlarged by the erection of the Specialty 
Roller Mills and the West Penn Elevator, 
on the site of the shipping house, a part 
of the latter being utilized for the purpose. 
Still more improvements were made in 
1891, the Oriental Mills being enlarged 
and remodeled both outside and in. Both 
plants were remodeled in 1907 and 1908, 
making the property one of the most com- 
plete and modern roller plants in the 
United States. In various other ways be- 
sides those mentioned, Mr. Klingler has 
been an active factor in the advancement 
and prosperity of the community. He was 
one of the organizers and directors of the 
First National Bank of Butler, resigning 
his connection therewith four years later 
to help organize the Butler Savings Bank, 
of which he became a director. He also 
helped to found the German National 
Bank of Millerstown, of which he was a 
director and stockholder for a number of 
years, and was president of the National 
Gas Company until its purchase by its 
present owners. He was elected president 
of the Butler Improvement Association, 
on its organization in 1887 and took a lead- 
ing part in securing the location in Butler 
of business enterprises, one of which was 
the Standard Plate Glass Factory, of which 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



635 



lie served as president and general man- 
ager for many years. In 1890, be platted 
twelve acres of land between Mifflin and 
Penn Streets, into thirty-nine lots, and at 
the same time created the thoroughfare 
known as Broad Street, which be improved, 
and built many fine residences in other 
parts of Butler. Mr. Klingler continues 
to take an interest in everything that con- 
tributes to the moral or material better- 
ment of this city. He has been almost a 
life-long member of the Lutheran Church. 
For many years he was a director and for 
more than ten years was treasurer of 
Capital University, at Columbus, Ohio, 
wliich is the most important educational- 
institution of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Joint Synod of Ohio and adjacent States. 
He was a delegate in 1893 from the Pitts- 
burg Synod to the General Council Luth- 
eran Assembly at Fort AVayne. He has 
always been a Democrat in politics. 

On October 24, 1848, Hermann J. Kling- 
ler married Anna Barbara Eeiber, a 
daughter of Martin Eeiber, Sr. Three of 
their eight children survive, namely: 
Harry Samuel, Frederick Julius, and Paul 
Gerhardt. Those deceased are Charles 
Washington, who is survived by his wife 
and six children, and four who died in 
infancy. 

JOSEPH DOUBLE, whose fine farm of 
137 acres lies in Donegal Township, about 
one and one-half miles southeast of Chicora 
and has three producing oil wells on it, is 
a native of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and was born in Brady Township, in 1840. 
His parents were Zephaniah and Elizabeth 
Double. 

The parents of Mr. Double were pioneer 
settlers in Brady Township, where they 
lived until 1863, when they came to Done- 
gal Township and purchased the present 
farm, which originally contained 199 acres. 
It was known as the old James Porquer 
place and at that time was owned by Solo- 
mon Filling. Zephaniah and Elizabeth 



Double died on this farm when advanced 
in years. 

Joseph Double was twenty years old 
when he enlisted for service in the Civil 
War, entering Company F, One Hundred 
Thirty-seventh Eegiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, in 1862, served nine 
months and was mustered out at Harris- 
I)urg, in 1863. During a large part of this 
time Mr. Double was sick, not being able 
to stand the unaccustomed hardships of a 
soldier's life. From the army he returned 
to Brady Township and in 1863 he accom- 
panied his parents to Donegal Township 
and following their death he jjurchased the 
farm on which he has continued to reside, 
but which is managed by his son. Mr. 
Double has been engaged in carpenter work 
and building contracting during the greater 
part of his life and is still active in that 
direction. 

In 1863 Mr. Double was married, in 
Brady Township, to Miss Lucinda Hilgar, 
a daughter of Rudolph and Elizabeth Hil- 
gar, and they have had the following chil- 
dren: Peter E., John H., Zephaniah H., 
Elizabeth T., Joseph E., William E., Agues 
L., James L., Thomas L., Jacob 0., and 
Edward, all of whom survive except 
Joseph E. 

Mr. Double is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Eepublic Post at Chicora and 
he belongs also to the Odd Fellows. He 
has taken much interest in the public 
schools of Donegal Township and for nine 
years has been a member of the School 
Board. He is one of the substantial and 
representative citizens of this part of 
Butler County. 

HAEEY B. SNAMAN, of the firm of 
Snaman Bros., complete house furnishers, 
at Butler, is one of the city's enterprising 
and successful young business men. He 
was born in 1871, in Allegheny City, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of George W. and 
Ellen Jane (Dunlap) Snaman. The father 
of Mr. Snaman is a retired merchant of 



636 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Allegheny, where he was in business for 
forty-three years. He married a daughter 
of Capt. Hance W. Dunlap, who com- 
manded a boat on the Ohio River for many 
years and was an early settler at Allegheny 
in the year 1817. 

Harry B. Snaman went to school until he 
was fourteen years of age and then entered 
his father's store, where he continued for 
seventeen years. When his father retired 
from business, Harry B., in association 
with his brother, Walter H., came to But- 
ler, in 1903, and established the present 
business under the firm name of Snaman 
Bros., on North Main Street. Here they 
occupy 17,500 square feet of floor space and 
handle a complete line of house-furnishing 
goods. They are both capable business 
men and their honorable methods have won 
them a large trade. 

In 1895 Harry B. Snaman was married 
to Miss Elizabeth Fink, a daughter of John 
B. Fink, a prominent oil man, who has been 
identified with the industry ever since the 
first well was drilled (the Drake well). 
Mr. and Mrs. Snaman have two children: 
Elizabeth and Catherine. They are mem- 
bers of the First Presbyterian Church. 
He has long been identified with the Odd 
Fellows and is also secretary of the Odd 
Fellow Club. Mr. Snaman is an active citi- 
zen and has served both as president and as 
treasurer of the Butler Board of Trade, 
and he is also connected with both the 
Butler and Sterling Clubs. 

Walter H. Snaman, member of the firm 
of Snaman Bros., was born at Allegheny, 
Pennsylvania, graduated from the High 
School and then attended the Western 
University at Pittsburg. For the last 
twelve years he has been identified with 
his brother in business. 

Mr. Snaman was married at Pittsburg, 
to Miss Blanche Kelly and they have three 
children : Marie, Neville and Dorothy. Mr. 
Snaman is a member of St. Paul 's Catholic 
Church. Fraternally he is an Elk, a past 
grand knight of the Knights of Columbus, 



and a member also of the Catholic Mutual 
Benefit Association and of the Young 
Men's Association. 

HENRY C. KEASEY, who is identified 
with many interests in Butler County, owns 
a profitably conducted farm in Wiufield 
Township, deals extensively in lumber and 
is well known in the oil fields as a success- 
ful gas and oil operator. Mr. Keasey was 
born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, May 
19, 1849, and is a son of Henry and Eliza- 
beth Keasey. 

The Keaseys had been furnace men for 
many years and when Henry Keasey came 
to Butler County it was to become manager 
of the furnace which was then owned by 
Mr. Speer, at Winfield. This furnace was 
capably operated by Mr. Keasey as long 
as the business was continued. He then 
turned his attention to farming and in- 
vested in 200 acres of laud, which was for- 
merly known as the Duff farm. On that 
property he spent the rest of his life, which 
closed on May 1, 1890. 

Henry C. Keasey was the second son of 
his parents and his educational advantages 
were such as were generally afforded to 
youths of his day and station. In 1881 he 
went to Karns City, Pennsylvania, and for 
three years was interested there in a hotel 
business and later conducted hotels at Ben- 
nett, Taunton and Saxton, Pennsylvania. 
His present place of residence is Cabot, 
Pennsylvania, where he erected his hand- 
some stone residence, which is one of the 
few in the county equipped with modern 
improvements. His farm is generally con- 
ceded to be one of the best improved in 
Butler County, Mr. Keasey being both a 
scientific farmer and a landowner who 
takes pride in developing and improving. 
He is interested in oil and gas, as above 
mentioned, and has two wells now pro- 
ducing, while another is being drilled with 
every prospect of success. Mr. Keasey 
markets his products in this line to the 
Standard Plate Glass Company of Butler. 



AXD REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



637 



Ilis mauN' interests require his presence at 
different points almost every day and in 
order to make each moment count, as a 
successful business man must do, he utilizes 
his large touring car, a handsome machine 
which has become a familiar sight on the 
highways in Winfield Township, where few 
others are yet in evidence. 

Mr. Keasey married Miss Fannie Burt- 
ner, who is a daughter of Philip Burtner. 
They had one child, which is now deceased. 
So active a business man as Mr. Keasey 
has little time to devote to politics, but he 
has always taken an interest in local af- 
fairs and formerly served the township 
both as constable and as tax collector. He 
is a member of the order of Knights 
of Pythias and belongs to the lodge at 
Allegheny. 

HENRY W. STOKEY, one of the lead- 
ing citizens of Zelienople and the well 
known proprietor of the New Hotel Stokey, 
was born September 28, 1854, in Pittsburg, 
Pennsvlvania, and is the son of Ilenrv and 
^ylargaret (Behr) Stokey. 

Henry Stokey was born in Alsace, 
France, and after reaching manhood emi- 
grated to America, locating tirst for a time 
in Philadelphia. He had previously made 
two or three trips to this country, but be- 
came dissatisfied with the condition of af- 
fairs in the province, and when the gov- 
ernment was changed from a republic to 
a monarchy, decided to locate in the United 
States. He removed from Philadelphia to 
Pittsburg, remaining there several years, 
after which he moved to Evans City, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. Here, in 18(54, he 
engaged in the hotel business, continuing 
in same until 1869, when he purchased and 
located on a farm near Evans City. In 
1878 he again entered the hotel business 
and purchased what was then known as 
the Eagle Hotel of Zelienople, after whicli 
it became known as the Stokey House and 
was under his management until the time 
of his death in 1883. His son Charles then 
took up the management of the hotel. 



Henrv and Margaret Stokey were the 
parents of the following children: Theo- 
dore, who was drowned when seventeen 
years of age ; Henry W., the subject of this 
sketch; Jacob, who resides on part of the 
farm in Evans City; Lewis, who also re- 
sides on part of the farm in Evans City; 
and Charles, w^ho-is burgess of the boro of 
Zelienople, and was for many years man- 
ager of the Stokey House. 

Henry W. Stokey spent his early boy- 
hood days on his father's farm and at- 
tended tiie common schools of Evans City. 
In the fall of 1881 he engaged in the hotel 
Imsiness and purchased what was known 
as the Dimcan House, buying it shortly 
after the erection of the building. This 
he conducted with mucli success until the 
fall of 1881 and then purchased a hotel that 
:\Ir. Duncan had later erected and this he 
called the Stokey House. He conducted 
this until 1888 and in the following year 
inirchased a hotel located on the present 
site of his fine new hotel, The New Hotel 
Stokey. This was destroyed by fire in 
1903 iind the same year he erected the New 
Hotel Stokey, which is larger and up to 
date in every particular, having all the 
modern conveniences. It is located on the 
corner of Main and New Castle Street, has 
fifty well appointed rooms and is recog- 
nized in this portion of the state as the 
leading hotel between Pittsburg and New 
Castle west of Butler. Mr. Stokey has been 
engaged in the hotel business since 1881, 
having previous to entering the business 
for himself, acted as manager for his father 
for a number of years. The service at the 
New Hotel Stokey is of the best and the 
genial host is well deserving of the exten- 
sive patronage which he enjoys. 

Mr. Stokey was united in marriage May 
5, '1881, with Amelia Tccts. a daughter of 
Lewis Teets of Nortli Scwicklcy Town- 
ship, Beaver County, i'cniisylvania. and to 
tiiem has been born one daughter, Carrie. 

In politics, our subject is a Democrat, but 
has onlv given his attention to affairs con- 



638 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



cerning his locality. He is a member of 
Harmony Lodge No. 529 aud is prominent 
in Masonic circles. 

PORTER W. LOWEY, a prominent at- 
torney at law and well known citizen of 
Butler, Pennsylvania, is a native of that 
city, born February 12, 1855, and is a son 
of Alexander and Margaret Lowry. 

Mr. Lowry attended the public" schools 
in early boyhood, after which he pursued a 
course of study in Witherspoon Institute. 
He read law under the direction of Hon. 
Ebenezer McJunkin, and was admitted to 
the bar of Butler Gouty in 1876. He has 
since engaged in practice in Butler and has 
met with success, numbering among his 
clients many of the leading business inter- 
ests of this city. He has been an active 
worker for the success of the Republican 
party and the principles it stands for, and 
was chairman of the Republican County 
Committee in 1894, when the party was 
given the largest majority in Butler County 
in its history. 

Mr. Lowry was married on June 17, 
1896, to Miss Jeanette Browne, and resides 
on West Pearl Street. He is active in 
Masonic work and is Past Master of Butler 
Lodge No. 272 F. & A. M. aud a Past High 
Priest of Butler Royal Arch Chapter No. 
273, and an officer in the Grand Chapter of 
Masons of Pennsylvania. He is a member 
of and an elder in the First Presbvterian 
Church of Butler. 

OWEN J. THOMAS, residing on his val- 
uable farm of 115 acres, which is situated 
near Parker's Landing, in Parker Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, has 
long been interested in oil production as 
well as agricultural industries. He was 
born on his present farm, July 21, 1839, 
and is a son of Owen and Martha (John- 
ston) Thomas. 

Owen Thomas, father of Owen J., was 
born in Virginia and was a son of Owen 
Thomas, who was born in Wales and re- 



sided in Virginia for some years after 
coming to America. Later he removed to 
the vicinity of Lisbon, Ohio. There his son, 
Owen the second, was reared and moved 
from there in 1830 to Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, where he lived until his death, 
in 1868. He married Martha Johnston, 
who was born in Crawford County, Penn- 
sylvania, and their surviving children are 
as follows: Ann E., who is the widow of 
Allen Crawford, resides at Greencastle, 
Missouri ; George P., who resides at Green 
City, Missouri; Owen J.; Mary J., who is 
the wife of J. T. Jamison, of Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania; Margaret, who is the wife 
of Thomas Blair, of Butler County; and 
Lucinda, who resides at Boston, Massachu- 
setts. This family is one of unusual long- 
evity and its members keep both minds and 
bodies active into advanced age. 

Owen J. Thomas attended the schools 
conducted near his home through boyhood 
and thus secured a fair education. His 
connection with the oil industry dates from 
1861. For the first eight years he followed 
boating on Oil Creek, in Venango County. 
In the winter of 1869 he became au oil pro- 
ducer at Parker's Landing and for a time 
was similarly interested at Karns City, 
Butler County, and meeting with encour- 
aging success in his ventures, he continued 
and in 1876 began to operate on his own 
land. Another business enterprise which 
Mr. Thomas carried on advantageously 
was the manufacturing of mineral waters 
at Parker's Landing, Karns City and 
Petersburg, owning the plants in partner- 
ship with ins brotlier Adam, the business 
being conducted under the fii'm name of 
Thomas Bros. 

Mr. Thomas was married December 16, 
1885, to Miss Ida Gibson, of Oil City, and 
they have two sons : Owen G., residing at 
Oil' City, and Robert B., living at home. 
Mr. Thomas aud wife are members of the 
First Presbyterian Church at Parker's 
Landing and he is a member of the board 
of trustees. In politics, he is a Democrat 




JOSEPH L. PURVIS 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



641 



but he is a man of pronounced temperance 
views and looks with favor on many of the 
issues brought forward by the Prohibition 
party. For a number of years he has 
been a member of the Royal Arcanum 
League at Parker 's Landing. He is a man 
who is held in the highest esteem by his 
• fellow citizens. 

JOSEPH L. PURVIS, who was one of 
the original members of the firm of S. G. 
Purvis and Company, lumber dealers, of 
Butler, was born in this city October 4th, 
1838, son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth 
(Logan) Purvis. 

His grandparents on his paternal side 
were William and Isabel (Dixon) Purvis. 

He acquired his early education in the 
public schools and Witherspoon Institute 
of Butler, afterwards attending one of the 
commercial schools in the city of Pitts- 
burg. He also studied architecture in the 
office of H. M. Reed in the city of Pitts- 
burg. 

He learned the carpenter trade under 
his father and in 1867 became his partner 
in the lumber and planing mill business 
under the firm name or style of S. G. 
Purvis and Co. 

Though devoting his principal attention 
to the business, Mr. Purvis found time to 
interest himself in other promising busi- 
ness enterjirises in Butler. He was presi- 
dent of the Butler Savings Bank from 1887 
until 1902; he was one of the original 
members of the Home Natural Gas Com- 
pany and one of the organizers of the 
Butler Water Company. 

In politics a Democrat, he was elected 
by that party a member of the Borough 
Council, and for a period of fourteen years 
rendered useful service on the School 
Board. He early became a member of the 
United Presbyterian Church and served as 
trustee of the local congregation for a 
ninnber of years. He was also chairman 
of the building committee which had in 



charge the erection of the present church 
edifice. He was also for two terms a mem- 
ber of the Board of Trustees of West- 
minster College. His death occurred on 
April 6th, 1907, and in his departure from 
earthly scenes the community lost one of 
its most sterling and respected citizens. 

Mr. Purvis was married June 22, 1869, 
to Mary Ellen Bailey, who was a resident 
of Parker at the time of her marriage. 
Their home life was blessed by the birth 
of five children — Mary M., Samuel H., 
William B., Wilson L., and Joseph D. 
Mary is the wife of W. E. Robinson, an oil 
producer of Parker, Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania. Samuel H. and Wilson L. 
conduct the firm of S. G. Purvis & Co., 
lumber dealers of Butler. William B., a 
graduate of Westminster College, New 
Wilmington, Penna., and also of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania Law School, is 
now an attorney of Butler. Joseph D. is 
a graduate of Washington and Jefferson 
College and of the Medical Department of 
the University of Pennsylvania. All the 
sons reside at home. 

WILLIAM JOHN YOUNG, one of Cen- 
ter Township 's enterprising and successful 
citizens, resides on his well improved farai 
of seventy-one acres, which is situated ad- 
joining tiie Stony Run school house, the 
structure really being on his land. He 
was born in Concord Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1867, and 
is a son of Simon and Anna Eliza (Mnrt- 
land) Young. 

Simon Young was born in Center Town- 
ship, Butler County, and was a son of 
Simon Yovmg, an early settler. The father 
of William J. Young was a miller in his 
younger years but later became a farmer. 
For eight years following his marriage he 
continued "to reside in Concord Township 
and then bought 150 acres in Center Town- 
ship, a part of which is included in the farm 
of William J. Young. Simon Young was 



64- 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



accidentally killed by a railroad traiu, 
Jnue 24, 1901. He was survived by his 
widow and by five of his ten children. 

William John Young has lived on his 
present farm ever since he was seven years 
of age. He has been engaged in the oil 
fields as a well driller for many years and 
still gives that business his attention in the 
winter time. He married Mary Elizabeth 
Miller, a daughter of Samuel Miller, of 
Center Township, and they have a family 
of seven children, namely: Edith Mae, 
Roy Simon, Earl Wayne, Allene Susannah, 
Dean Sheldon, Rudell Eliza, and John Bur- 
dette. In 1892 Mr. Young built his hand- 
some residence and in 1896 he put up the 
substantial barn. He takes no very active 
interest in politics and has never consented 
to serve in any office except that of school 
director. He is a member of the order of 
Knights of Maccabees. 

PAUL E. GREEN, one of Butler's rep- 
resentative young business men, senior 
member of the firm of Green & Young, 
leading clothiers, with a trade territory 
covering a large part of Butler County, is 
a native of Butler, born here in 1879. The 
late Thomas S. Green, father of Paul E., 
came to Butler as agent for the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad. He resided here for a 
number of years and was then transferred 
to the Union Depot at Pittsburg, where the 
remainder of his business life was passed. 
His death occurred at Butler in 1904. 

Paul E. Green completed the public 
school course at Butler and then became a 
clei'k in the Schloss Brothers' clothing- 
store. He continued there for nine years, 
when, in association with Dallas M. Young, 
he established the present firm of Green & 
Young. Mr. Green owns valuable city real 
estate and both he and Mr. Young have 
farms in Butler County. In 1900, Mr. 
Green was married to Miss Lulu M. Young, 
who is a daughter of Thomas B. Young, a 
very prominent oil producer in Butler 
County, and they have two children, 



Thomas Edgar and Helen Elizabeth. Mr. 
and Mrs. Green are members of the Sec- 
ond Presbyterian Church. He is identi- 
fied with the Elks, the Knights of Malta 
and the Woodmen of the World, and be- 
longs also to the Butler Business Men's 
Association. 

JOSHUA J. McCANDLESS, one of 
Franklin Township's substantial citizens 
and self-made men, resides on his exceed- 
ingly valuable farm of 262 acres, every 
part of which, under his careful and in- 
telligent methods, is made to produce 
abundantly. He was born on this farm, 
January 7, 1859, and is a son of John A. 
and Hannah (Stoughton) McCandless and 
a grandson of James McCandless. 

John A. McCandless was a son of James 
McCandless, who was born in County 
Down, Ireland, and came to Franklin 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
as one of the first settlers. John A. lived 
in Franklin Township and followed farm- 
ing all his life, with the exception of a few 
years when he carried on a store at Sun- 
bury, during which time he also carried the 
mail. He married Hannah Stoughton, and 
eight of their nine children grew to matur- 
ity, namely : Alfred J., residing near Can- 
ton, Ohio; Joshua rL; Zillia Ann, the 
widow of James Kildoo, who lives in 
Brady Township; A. Carlton, residing in 
Slippery Rock Township; S. Calvin, re- 
siding in Clay Township ; Mary Jane, wife 
of Alfred Kildoo, residing in Clay Town- 
ship; Euphemia, wife of Ross Mechling, 
of Forest County; and John A., residing 
in Center Township. During his earlier 
years, John A. McCandless was a mem- 
ber of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, but later 
united with St. John's Methodist Episco- 
pal Church near Sunbury. 

Joshua J. McCandless has lived on the 
home farm all his life with the exception 
of two years. A\lien he started out for 
himself he went into debt $4,000, for his 
fifty acres of land. After the death of his 



AXi) REPUESENTATIA'E CITIZENS 



643 



fatlier lie bougiit out the othei' heirs and 
now owns 262 acres. He has his farm 
stocked with fine cattle and owns expensive 
farm machinery, and for all this he is in- 
debted only to his own exertions. His life 
has been one of great industry, but he has 
plenty to show for his years of labor. His 
land yields him annually over 100 tons of 
hay, 1,000 bushels of corn, 400 bushels of 
oats and over 200 bushels of buckwheat. 
He keeps about nine cows, as he has a 
large butter trade among private custom- 
ers at Butler. He takes a very active 
interest in agricultural progress in his 
section and is an active member of Mount 
Chestnut Grange, No. 404. 

Mr. McCandless married Miss Sarah 
Etta McCandless, a daughter of W. H. 
McCandless, and they have five children, 
namely : Mary Elverda, who is the wife 
of Dr. Ernest Snyder of Portersville ; 
John W., residing on the home farm, who 
married Cora Lawrence; and Albert, 
Blanche and Gladys, all at home, a happy, 
united family. Mr. McCandless and wife 
belong to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, of 
which he is a trustee. The pleasant home 
of this representative family of Franklin 
Township was built in 1888, and other 
buildings were erected in 1894. 

MATTHEW H. BRANDON, who is en- 
gaged in farming and stockraising on his 
valuable farm of seventy-five acres, situ- 
ated in Forward Township, derives an 
income also from two oil wells which are 
on his land. Mr. Brandon belongs to an 
old pioneer family of this section of Butler 
County and was born on his present farm, 
July 29, 1849. His parents were James 
and Susan A. (Bolton) Brandon. 

The first of the Brandon family to come 
to Forward Township was John Bran- 
don, who journeyed from Westmoreland 
County. He found the i)resent highly cul- 
tivated farm a great belt of woods, in the 
center of which he built a log house. His 
children bore the following names: Will- 



iam, Mary W., Sarah, John W., James, 
Eliza and Thomas, all of whom are de- 
ceased. 

James Brandon, father of Matthew H., 
was born July 26, 1816, and all the subse- 
quent years of his life were spent on this 
farm, his death taking place March 30, 
1905. He was twice married (first), June 
8, 1846, to Jane B. McDowell, who died 
shortly after the birth of their only child, 
Jennie, who is the wife of William H. Ray. 
Mr. Brandon was married (second) in 
September, 1848, to Susan A. Bolton, who 
died April 23, 1892. There were three 
children born to the second marriage: 
Matthew H., John A., and William S. 

:\Iatthew H. Brandon grew to manhood 
on the home farm and attended the coun- 
try schools. Wlien nineteen years of age 
he began to teach school, encouraged to do 
so by his mother, who, in her youth had 
been a teacher in Butler County. On 
February 14, 1884, Mr. Brandon was mar- 
ried to Miss Anna D. Frederick, who is a 
daughter of John Frederick, who came to 
America from Germany. They have four 
children : James F., Melvin L., Clarence E. 
and Mildred A. AVith his family, Mr. 
Brandon belongs to the Reformed Church, 
in which he is an elder. In politics he is 
a Republican but he is not a seeker for 
office, his leading interests having been the 
cultivation and improvement of the old 
farm on which almost all of his life has 
been spent, and the educating and rearing 
of his children to lives of usefulness. 

THOMAS JAMES DODDS, oldest son 
of ^V. B. and Elizabeth (English) Dodds, 
was born in Muddy Creek Township, But- 
ler County, March 19, 1871. He was edu- 
cated at Prospect Academy, graduating 
with the class of 1893, and subsequently 
taught school for three years in the public 
schools of the county. He was employed 
in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and In- 
diana until 1897, when he came to Butler 
to assume the duties of deputy-sheriff 



644 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



under his father, W. B. Dodds. He con- 
tinued in the office of deputy-sheriff until 
January, 1901, serving the last year under 
Slieriff Thomas R. Hoon. Since January, 
1901, he has been engaged in the fire in- 
surance and real estate business and has 
offices in the Younkins Building on the 
corner of Main and Diamond Streets. He 
was appointed deputy-coroner of Butler 
County in 1905 and served one year, and 
in February, 1906, he was elected auditor 
of Butler Borough. Mr. Dodds was mar- 
ried October 10, 1900, to Miss Blanche 
Dever, daughter of Joseph and Frances 
(Wheeler) Dever, of Lucasville, Ohio. 
Two children have been born to this 
union: Theodore E. and Ruth. The fam- 
ily are members of the United Presby- 
terian church, and take an active part in 
the various societies of the congregation. 
Mr. Dodds is a Republican in politics and 
an active party worker. 

W. B. Dodds, ex-sheriff of Butler 
County, is the son of Major Thomas Dodds, 
of Connoquenessing Township, and was 
born August 8, 1844. He is a lineal de- 
scendant of Thomas Dodds, the pioneer of 
Connoquenessing Township, whose adven- 
ture with the bear is mentioned elsewhere. 
Mr. Dodds was married May 5, 1870, to 
Miss Elizabeth English, of Portersville. 
They have six children as follows : Thomas 
J., Vinnie E., Rollins H., Jemimah M., 
Bessie L., and Percy N. Mr. Dodds is a 
veteran of the Civil War, having served 
in Company C, Tenth Illinois Cavalry. In 
his early life he taught in the public 
schools of the county and later engaged in 
farming, which is his occupation at the 
present time. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics and has twice been made the recipient 
of party honors, having been elected clerk 
of courts of Butler County in 1882 and 
sheriff in 1897. At the conclusion of his 
term as sheriff he purchased a farm at 
Adamsville in Crawford County, where he 
now resides. The family are members of 
the United Presbyterian Church. 



SAMUEL MORGAN, a well known resi- 
dent and valued citizen of Parker Town- 
shij), residing near Parker's Landing, was 
born in County Down, Ireland, March 23, 
1831, and is a son of Hugh and Jane 
(Dunn) Morgan, both natives of Ireland. 

In 1854, when Samuel was a young man 
of twenty-three years, the father emigrated 
to America with his children and his sec- 
ond wife, locating first in Allegheny Town- 
ship, Butler County, and later moving into 
Parker Townshij). The family then di- 
vided, several removing to Sugar Creek 
Township, Armstrong County, but Samuel 
decided to remain in Parker Township, 
and here the rest of his life has been spent. 
He had to make his own way in the world 
and accomplished it by perseverance and 
industry. For many years he was engaged 
in the manufacture of pig iron. 

On July 8, 1873, Mr. Morgan was mar- 
ried to Nancy Taylor, who was born in 
County Down, Ireland, in September, 1843, 
and is a daughter of James and Nancj" 
(McMurray) Taylor. She lived in her na- 
tive land until 1870, when she came to 
America accompanied by a brother, Robert 
Taylor. She has one surviving brother, 
Alexander Taylor, who is a well known 
resident of Allegheny Township, Butler 
County. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are rearing 
a very amiable, well behaved little girl, 
giving her parental care and affection. 
Her name is Florence E. McCamey and 
her twelfth birthday will occur on Decem- 
ber 7, 1908. With these kind people she 
will grow into happy and useful woman- 
hood. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are members 
of the Presbyterian Church at Parker's 
Landing. In politics he is a Republican. 

AATELLIAM JOHN FOX, residing on a 
well improved farm of 126 acres located 
about one and one-half miles south of 
Cabot on the west side of Bear Creek, is 
one of the substantial and leading agricul- 
turists of Winfield Township. He is a na- 
tive of this countv and is a son of Henry 




HON. JAMES BREDIN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



647 



and Jane (Kaufold) Fox and a grandson 
of George Henry Fox, who was a native of 
Germany and one of the early settlers of 
Butler County, whither he came from Alle- 
gheny County, Pennsylvania. 

William John Fox was reared to man- 
h'od in Butler County, obtaining his edu- 
cation in the common schools of his locality 
and also at Cabot, after which he worked 
at carpentering for about two years, when 
he located upon his present farm. Here 
he has since been actively engaged in gen- 
eral farming and is recognized as one of 
the leading farmers of AVinfield Township. 
His farm is well equipped with substantial 
out-buildings and his residence is a large 
two-story frame building. 

June 7, 1900, Mr. Fox was united in mar- 
riage with Charlotte E. Bicker, a daughter 
of Louis and Frederica Bicker, and of this 
union were born two children : Louis H., on 
Julv 30, 1904; and Howard Frank, Feb- 
ruary 20, 1907. Mrs. Charlotte E. Fox 
died "in February, 1907. On September 24, 
1908, Mr. Fox married for'his second wife 
Miss Ida H. Bicker. 

Religiously, Mr. Fox is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his 
wife was also a member. He is one of the 
trustees and was for two years superin- 
tendent of the Sabbath school, of which he 
is also steward, and has for some time 
been a member of the election board. 

HON. JAMES BREDIN, who, for ten 
years in the latter quarter of the nine- 
teenth century, was a distinguished mem- 
ber of the bench of the Seventh Judicial 
District of Pennsylvania, and for a longer 
period one of the most highly esteemed 
residents of Butler, was born in Butler, 
Pennsylvania, May 9, 1831. He was of 
Irish ancestry, the son of John and Nancy 
(McClelland) Bredin. 

Hon. John Bredin was born in the town 
of Stranola, County Donegal, Ireland, in 
1794. His parents emigrating to America 
and settling in Butler County, Pennsyl- 



vania, in 1802, he was reared here from 
the age of eight years. At the age of six- 
teen he became clerk in a general store in 
Pittsburg. About two years later he pur- 
chased a tract of wild land in what is now 
Summit Township, Butler County. In 
1817 he was clerk in the prothonotary's 
office in Butler. Soon after this he began 
the study of law under the direction of 
Gen. William Ayres, a well-known lawyer 
and land-holder of that day, and he took 
advantage of this connection to make him- 
self thoroughly acquainted with the early 
land laws. The knowledge thus gained 
proved very useful to him in his subse- 
quent practice, as much of the litigation 
at that time had to do with disputes con- 
cerning land titles. For a long time he 
was regarded as an authority on all ques- 
tions of this nature. In 1824 John Bredin 
became interested in journalism in associa- 
tion with his brother Maurice Bredin, and 
so continued for some six years without, 
however, giving up his law practice. In 
1830 he retired from the journalistic field 
and in the following year he was appointed 
presiding judge of the Seventeenth Judi- 
cial District, which position he tilled with 
unquestioned ability up to the end of his 
life. His death took -place May 21, 1851. 
His wife Nancy, to whom he was united in 
1829, was born in Franklin, Venango 
County, Pennsylvania. 

Hon. James Bredin enjoyed excellent 
educational advantages. From the public 
schools he entered Washington College and 
later the Naval Academy at Annapolis, 
Maryland. A reference to the part taken 
by him in the Mexican War, may be found 
in the military chapter of this work. After 
his return to Butler, in 1850, he began the 
study of law under his father's direction, 
which was interrupted by the death of the 
latter in the following year. He contin- 
;ied his studies in the office of Hon. E. Mc- 
Juukin and was admitted to the bar June 
14, 1853. Prior to beginning the practice 
of his profession, he became associated 



lilSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



with James Campbell, S. M. Laue aud 
other citizens iu the establishment of a 
bank at Butler, which located a branch at 
New Castle. 

In 1855 Judge Brediu began the practice 
of law at Butler and was cdiitinudusly en- 
gaged at the bar for the next -ixtecu years, 
in this period gaining a distiin't re[iutation 
as a lawyer and establishing himself as a 
progressive and public-spirited citizen. 
In 1871 he moved to Allegheny, and in 
1874 he was elected one of the judges of 
the Seventh Judicial District, composed of 
Lawrence and Butler Counties, a position 
he filled for a decade with the highest de- 
gree of efficiency. He was a successful 
man in every practical sense of the word, 
and although he removed from Butler, 
during his years of residence here he iden- 
tified himself so thoroughly with the busi- 
ness and professional life of the place, that- 
he has always been considered in the light 
of a representative citizen. For forty-five 
years, up to the time of his death, he was 
secretary, treasurer and superintendent of 
the Butler & Pittsburg Plank Road Com- 
pany. 

On October 7, 1865, Judge Bredin was 
united in marriage with Matilda E. Spear, 
a daughter of William L. Spear of Butler 
County. Three sons were born to this 
imion: William, residing in New York; 
Charles H., residing at Detroit, Michigan ; 
and John, who diecl in July, 1882. Judge 
Bredin died November 23, 1906. Mrs. Bre- 
din survives and resides at the new Wil- 
lard Hotel, at Butler. She owns much val- 
uable real estate in and about this city. 
A lady of culture and refinement, she oc- 
cupies a prominent position iu Butler so- 
ciety. The family is identified with the 
Episcopal Church. 

WILLIAM J. LESTER, one of Butler's 
most substantial citizens and leading busi- 
ness men, has l)een a resident of this city 
for more than twenty years and is identi- 
fied with many of its interests. He was 



born November 16, 1850, in Enghind and 
came to the United States in 188-i. 

Air. Lester resided for a short lime at 
Norristown, Pennsylvania, after which he 
located at Crystal City, ^Missouri, where he 
was engaged in business for about three 
years. He then came to Butler and for 
some ten years was employed in the Butler 
Plate Glass Works as foreman in the sales 
department. He then embarked in the 
grocery business and still continues that 
interest. His store is located at No. 642 
Brown Avenue, in a business block of 
which he is the owner, and he has also 
erected several handsome residences, one 
of which he occupies. Mr. Lester is a 
large stockholder in the Springdale Water 
Company. 

Mr. Lester was married (first) in Phig- 
land, to Miss Sarah Ann Hedges, who died 
while they were residing in Missouri. The 
four children of this union were: William 
Percy, residing at Butler; Edith Aland, 
residing in New Y'ork; Gilbert James, re- 
siding in Butler; and Una Effie, at home. 
Mr. Lester was married (second) to Miss 
Louise A. Kelly, of Butler, and they have a 
daughter and son: Ray and William J., Jr. 
Mr. Lester is a member of the Episcopal 
Church. He is affiliated with the Odd Fel- 
lows, belonging to Clement Encampment. 
He is one of the useful members of the 
Butler Business Men's Association. 

A. E. FLEEGER, who for twenty-five 
years has operated a grocery store at 
Jamisonville and for twenty years was the 
postmaster of the village, filling the office 
until tlic cstalilishment of the Free Rural 
Delivery service, is also the owner of an 
excellent farm of eighty-eight acres in Cen- 
ter Township. He was born in Oakland 
Township, Butler Coimty, Pennsylvania, 
October 9, 1844, and is a son of Daniel and 
Mary (Kittering) Fleeger. 

Daniel Fleeger was born on the farm 
above mentioned, which then belonged to 
his father, Jacob Fleeger. There Daniel 



AXi) REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



649 



Fleeger grew to uiauliood auci married 
Mary Kittering. She was boru in West- 
moreland Count}-, Pennsylvania, and came 
to Butler Coimty in her girlhood. After 
their marriage, Daniel Fleeger and wife 
moved to Oakland Township, where they 
lived for some years and then moved to 
the old homestead farm in Center Town- 
ship, where both died. Of their seven 
children, four survive. 

A. F. Fleeger was six years old when his 
parents brought him to his present farm 
and here he has remained ever since, en- 
gaging in agricultural pursuits and in mer- 
chandising. He is one of the township's 
best known citizens through having busi- 
ness relations with many of them and he 
has a large circle of friends. He married 
Lizzie McCandless and they have had eight 
children, as follows, namely: Carrie, who 
died in infancy; Dora, who married Elmer 
Christley, has three children ; Lee, married, 
has one child; Aaron, deceased, was mar- 
ried and had one child ; Stella, wlio married 
Clarence Riddle ; Helier and Waldron, both 
living at home; and Aline, who married 
Frank Allen and has two children. Mr. 
and Mrs. Fleeger are members of the 
Lutheran Church. Among his old neigh- 
bors he is familiarly known as Francis 
Finger. 

Mr. Fleeger 's first wife died in March, 
1888; since then, in 1892, he married, sec- 
ond, Jennie Wick. 

ISAAC M. WEISZ, a representative 
citizen of Zelienople, and in former years a 
justice of the peace, was born in Jackson 
Township, Butler County, Penna., October 
9, 1841, and is a son of Henry B. and Eva 
(Musselman) Weisz. 

Among the early settlers of Butler 
County came Jacob L. Weisz, from Le- 
high County, who acquired a farm in Jack- 
son Township, on the Mercer Road noi'th 
of Harmony. He was the grandfather of 
Isaac M. Weisz of Zelienople. His family 
contained seven children — Henrv B., John, 



George B., Daniel, Elizabeth, Hannah, and 
Jacob. 

John AVeisz of the above mentioned fam- 
ily resided in the vicinity of Franklin and 
Oil City and at different places in Butler 
County successively. George B. Weisz re- 
sided in Butler County until 1878, when he 
moved to Medina County, Ohio, where he 
engaged in farming; he died in the spring 
of 1908. Daniel, the next member of said 
family, in 1878 moved to Medina County 
and is now the postmaster at Chatham Cen- 
ter. Elizabeth married Peter Rice and 
they moved to Medina County, Ohio, where 
both died. Hannah married John Zeigler 
and they lived on a farm near Harmony 
until after his death, when his widow 
moved to Medina County. Jacob died 
in early manhood, a victim of ty])hoid 
fever. 

Henry B. Weisz, father of Isaac M., was 
born in Jackson Township, and acquired a 
part of the homestead farm. He died in 
August, 1891, in his seventieth year. He 
married Eva Musselman, who died in 1874. 
at the age of sixty-two years. They were 
the parents of nine children, namely: 
Isaac M., subject of this sketch ; Jacob, who 
moved from Butler County to Kentucky; 
Catherine, who died in the State of Wash- 
ington in 1906 ; Sarah, who married Chris- 
topher ]\IeQuiston and died in Medina 
County, Ohio; Henry, who died in Jackson 
Township in 1880; Hosea, who died on a 
farm in Medina County, Ohio; Hannah, 
who has been twice married and resides in 
Sedalia, Missouri; and Sidney and George, 
both of whom died young at Harmony.* 

Isaac M. Weisz obtained his education in 
the public schools of Jackson Township. 
Until his marriage he followed farming on 
the homestead and then worked for two 
years at the Orphan's Home; after which 
he went back to the home farm and fol- 
lowed agricultural pursuits for the next 
eight years. In 1874 he purchased a route 
and was engaged in 1886 in hauling produce 
to Pittsburg, after which he rented the 



650 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



farm of Joseph Zeigler and operated it 
until tlie spring of 1893, when he moved 
to Zelienople. For several years there- 
after he conducted a feed business, and in 
January, 1904, he opened a grocery store 
which he subsequently sold. In 1903 Mr. 
Weisz was elected a justice of the peace, 
and in this office he served with great effi- 
ciencj^ until 1908. In his political convic- 
tions he is a Republican. He has firm 
views on the subject of local option, being 
an advocate of Prohibition. 

Mr. Weisz was tirst married in 1864 to 
Miss Sarah Zeigler, a daughter of Joseph 
Zeigler. She died in February, 1892, hav- 
ing been the mother of three sons and three 
daughters, as follows: William, born in 
1866, died in 1876; Hannah, born in 1868, 
died in 1888 ; Marv, born in 1870, died in 
1896; Sadie, born on Christmas Day, 1872, 
died in September, 1903; Joseph, born in 
1878. died aged nine vears; Edward, born 
in 1882, died in September, 1903. Mr. 
Weisz married for his second wife Miss 
Jane McBride, a daughter of William 
McBride, of near Grove City, Mr. Weisz 
is an elder in the United Presbyterian 
Church at Zelienople. 

J. HENRY TROUTMAN, secretary and 
treasurer of the Standard Plate Glass 
Company, at Butler, and president of the 
Butler Savings and' Trust Company, is one 
of the city's most prominent and useful 
citizens. He was born at Butler, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1854, and is a son of Adam Trout- 
man, a pioneer. 

J. Henry Troutman was reared in But- 
ler and was educated in the public schools. 
When his education was completed he im- 
mediately entered into the mercantile busi- 
ness with his father and in 1885 he became 
a member of the firm of A. Troutman & 
Son, which was succeeded by The A. 
Troutman Sons. J. Henry Troutman was 
one of the original incorporators of the 
Standard Plate Glass Company and in 
1892 was made treasurer of the corpora- 



tion and since 1898 has also been secretary 
and has given a large part of his time to 
the affairs of that great manufacturing 
plant although he has numerous other in- 
terests. He is president of the Butler 
Savings and Trust Company, is secretary 
of the Butler Light, Heat and Motor Com- 
pany; is secretary and treasurer of the 
Butler Ice Company, and is a director in 
The Pittsburg-Hickson Company, manu- 
facturers of iron beds. His name is thus 
linked with many of Butler's most im- 
portant enterprises. 

Mr. Troutman was married in 1881, to 
Miss Mary E.- Helfrich, who was born at 
Carrolton, Carroll County, Ohio, and they 
have three children, two sons and one 
daughter : Charles H., who is a student at 
Washington-Jefferson College; Frank E., 
who is a graduate in mechanical engineer- 
ing, from Lehigh LMversity; and Ger- 
trude S., who resides at home. Mr. Trout- 
man is amember of St. Mark's Evangelical 
Lutheran Church, of which he is a trustee. 
He has taken an active part in all that con- 
cerns Butler, has served on many char- 
italile boards and with numerous civic 
Imdies. He is a member of the Country 
clnh, a well known social organization. 

WILLIAM H. ORTON, a well known oil 
])roduoer operating in Parker Township, 
Butler County, where he has seven pro- 
ducing wells on the Brahm farm, on what 
is known as Tanney Hill, has been almost 
a continuous resident of Parker's Landing 
since 1869. He was born December 20, 
1856, at Corning, New York, and is a son 
of AYilliam and Sarah (Greenwood) Orton. 

In 1869, Mr. Orton came to Parker 
Township, Butler Covmty, with his parents 
and his mother still survives and resides 
at Pendleton, Indiana. Since 1872 he has 
been closely identified with oil interests in 
this section and almost the whole of these 
thirty-six years has been a successful pro- 
ducer. He is known to all oil operators in 
these fields and his experience has made 




SAMUEL SCHLAGEL 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



653 



hiiu a valuable advisor eoneeruing tins in- 
dustry. In polities he is an earnest Eepnb- 
lican but only to the extent of giving 
hearty party support, being too much en- 
gaged in business to be willing to accept 
any public office. 

Mr. Orton married Miss Minerva Aley, 
a daughter of John Aley, formerly of 
Parker Township, and they have had the 
following children: George W., Lena M. 
and Ruth C, living, and two deceased. 
Mr. and Mrs. Orton attend the Presby- 
terian Church. He belongs to the leading 
fraternal organizations, being a member 
of the Masonic Lodge at Parker's Land- 
ing, and to the Chapter and Commandery 
at Franklin; is a member of Lodge No. 
761 Odd Fellows, and of the order of 
Eagles, both at Parker's Landing. 

GEORGE B. HECK, whose 216 acres of 
farming and coal land is situated in Cen- 
ter Township, one mile west of Unionville, 
was born on this farm May 9, 1863, and 
purchased it from the other heirs in 1905. 
His parents were Daniel and Mary (Flee- 
ger) Heck. 

Daniel Heck was a son of Daniel Heck 
and they came to America and settled near 
Prospect, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
when the younger Daniel was a boy. The 
latter grew to manhood on that farm and 
after his marriage he bought the present 
one, on which he lived until his death, in 
1898. In old age his father had come to 
him here and his death took place soon 
after. Daniel Heck was married twice and 
the mother of George B. still survives. 
There were thirteen children in the family, 
four of whom were born to the second 
marriage. 

George B. Heck has spent his life hap- 
pily on the old homestead, never having 
lived away from it with the exception of 
two years and six months, spent at Pitts- 
burg. He gives the most of his time to 
operating a large coal bank on his prop- 
erty, there being a vein three feet and ten 



inches in depth. He gives employment to 
about six men and the output is large and 
very good coal. He is one of the town- 
ship's substantial citizens, possessing 
many of the admirable qualities of his 
sturdy German ancestry, industry, thrift, 
enterprise and good management. 

SAMUEL SCHLAGEL, a retired 
farmer of Butler Township, resides on his 
valuable farm of 100 acres, which he act- 
ively cultivated until the spring of 1907. 
Mr. Schlagel was born on his present farm 
]klarch 22, 1836, and is a sou of Henry and 
Catherine (Schutt) Schlagel. 

Henry Schlagel, father of Samuel, was 
born east of the Allegheny Mountains and 
in his youth learned the shoemaking trade. 
After some years he started for Western 
Pennsylvania, accompanied by his wife 
and four children, and they drove their 
wagon into Butler Township, Butler 
County, and came to their pioneer farm. 
The land was then all covered with brush 
and in order to find a place on which to 
erect his little log cabin, he had first to 
clear a spot. This was about 1827. He 
went into debt for his land, but cleared off 
all incumbrances, working on the roads 
through Allegheny County in order to 
earn the money. He raised grain and 
grew stock and became a man in i^rosper- 
ous circimastances. Of sterling honesty 
and intelligent inind, he was often chosen 
by his fellow citizens to serve in local of- 
fices, and was one of the early supervisors 
and school directors in Butler Township. 
He died in 1886, aged eighty-eight years. 
AVith his wife he belonged to the German 
Reformed Church and was a deacon and 
elder. They were among the founders of 
Zion Reformed Church on Harmony Road. 
She died in 1872, aged seventy-two years. 
They had the following children: Julia 
Ann, Finney, Gideon and Sarah, all de- 
ceased, the last named the wife of Andrew 
Croup; Theresa, who is the widow of Jo- 
se])h Manny, of Butler Township; Thomas 



65i 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and Eliza, both deceased, the hxtter of 
whom was the wife of AVilliam Martin; 
Catherine, who is the widow of John Duf- 
ford; Samuel; Susan, who is the wife of 
John King, of Donegal Township; and 
Maria, who is the wife of William Rea of 
Beaver Falls. 

Samuel Schlagel has always lived on the 
home farm, which originally contained 102 
acres, and here he has raised grain, cat- 
tle and horses. In 1905 oil was discovered 
here and a well was put down which pro- 
duces about a barrel of oil a day. In poli- 
tics, Mr. Schlaiicl is nominally a Democrat, 
but is iiu'lincd to do a large amount of his 
own thinking and vote just as his own 
judgment dictates. He has often been 
urged to accept township offices, but he 
has refused every position except that of 
school director. 

Mr. Schlagel married Leah Beetle, of 
Donegal Township, and they had five chil- 
dren, the two survivors lieing Priscilla and 
Cora Emma. The daughters live at home. 
The former married Thomas P. Roe, who 
operates Mr. Schlagel's farm, and they 
have eight children, as follows : Carl Will- 
iam, Pearl May, Floyd Samuel, Arthur 
Wilkin, Grace Lillian, Victor Alvin, Wal- 
ter Leslie and Ralph Foster. Mr. Schla- 
gel is a member of Grace Lutheran 
Church. Mrs. Schlagel died October 22, 
1877, aged tliirty-two years. 

AVILLIAM BRANNAN CURRIE, who 
served for twenty years as a justice of the 
peace in Franklin Township, is one of its 
prominent and substantial native citizens 
and was born on his home farm of 142 
acres, Jv;ly 4, 1846. His parents were 
Francis and Jane (Brannan) Currie. ^ 

The father of Mr. Currie was born in 
Scotland and came to America a few years 
before his marriage. He followed farming 
and after his marriage to a daughter of 
Thomas Brannan he settled on the present 
farm, on which he lived until his death 
when aged thirty-three years. He was the 



father of two children, William B. and 
Margaret Ann, the latter of whom died in 
infancy. Mrs. Currie subsequently mar- 
ried AVilliam McCall, of Clay Township, 
and their children who survived childhood 
were: Thomas R., now deceased, Euphe- 
mia L., Mary and Alice. Mrs. McCall died 
in 1900, aged seventy-six years. 

William B. Currie was four years old 
when his father died. He obtained his 
education in the neighborhood schools and 
lived in Franklin Township until he was 
fifteen years of age, when he went to work 
in the oil fields and followed drilling for 
fourteen years. In 1875 he began to oper- 
ate what is now his own farm, which had 
formerly belonged to his maternal grand- 
father. In addition to this property, he 
owns fifty acres in another part of Frank- 
lin Township, together with a farm of 
ninety-five acres, in Brady Township, cul- 
tivating in all about 165 acres, one of his 
farms being occupied by his son-in-law, 
Howard S. English. Judge Currie makes 
hay his leading ci-op and also raises corn, 
wheat, oats and buckwheat and some beef 
cattle. His almost four acres of pear and 
apple orchards give ample returns for the 
care and fertilizing he bestows on them 
and he takes considerable interest in them 
as he set out a large number of the trees. 

In politics Esquire Currie is a Democrat 
and notwithstanding the fact that he lives 
in a normally Republican district, he was 
elected a justice of the peace for twenty 
successive j'ears. He has always been a 
loyal citizen and in August, 1864, he en- 
listed for service in the Civil War, enter- 
ing Compaii> 15, Sixtli Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery ami acconipanied his regiment to 
AVashington, D. C, where it was utilized 
for the defense of the Nation's caitital. 
He has been prominent in his immediate 
community in many ways, filling various 
township offices and doing his part in ad- 
vancing all its interests. 

Mr. Currie was married to Rachel E. 
Snyder, a daughter of Zephaniah Snyder, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



655 



of Brady Township, and they have five 
children, as follows: Adin Burdette, re- 
siding at Seattle, Washington; Verda M., 
wife of Howard II. English, residing in 
Franklin Township — they have two chil- 
dren, AVilliam Burdette and Catherine 
Frazier; William Francis, who married 
Sarah E. Plugh — they have two children. 
Aline Brenda and Walter Raleigh; Jen- 
nie E., who is the widow of John P. Pol- 
lock, who resides with her father — she has 
one daughter, Jessie Frances; and Jes- 
sie C, who is the wife of Ira C. Stine, of 
Franklin Township, and has a son, John 
Clarence. Mr. Currie and family are 
members of the Muddy Creek Presbyte- 
rian Chiirch. 

JOHN J. SHANOR, president and gen- 
eral manager of the Butler Pure Milk 
Company, one of Butler County's substan- 
tial citizens, has his business oiBce corner 
of McKean and Wayne Streets, Butler, but 
retains his home on the old homestead 
fai'm in Center Township, on which he was 
born in 1863. His father was Daniel 
Shanor, his grandfather, Jacob Shanor, 
and his great-grandfather was Adam 
Shanor. 

It was the great-grandfather, Adam 
Shanor, who was the pioneer of the family 
in Butler County and John J. Slianm- i>()s- 
sesses the deed "to the old homeslcad f.iiiii 
in Center Township, which was secured 
over 100 years ago. The laud has never 
passed out of the family. Jacob Shanor, 
the grandfather, accompanied his father, 
Adam, from Virginia, later inherited the 
family acres and in the course of Nature 
passed away there and left the property to 
his son, Daniel Shanor. The latter spent 
his whole life on the farm in Center Town- 
ship. 

John J. Shanor continues to reside in 
the home of his father, grandfather and 
great-grandfather, which, in these modern 
days of change, is somewhat unusual. He 
has been actively engaged in the dairy 



l)usiness for the past eighteen years and 
was the main promoter, in 1903, of the 
Butler Pure ]\Iilk Company, of which he is 
president and general manager. He visits 
his office at Butler daily. He has other 
business interests, one of these being the 
Butler Coal and Coke Company, of which 
he is a director. 

In 1887 Mr. Shanor was married to Miss 
Alvira R. Moore, and they have five chil- 
dren, namely: D. A., who is the superin- 
tendent of the Butler Pure Milk Company; 
E. M., who is also connected with this in- 
dustry; P. L., who operates the home 
farm; and George C. and H. A. R., who 
resides at home. Mr. Shanor and family 
belong to the English Lutheran (*hurch at 
Butler. 

FREDERICK W. WITTE, who is ex- 
tensively engaged in agricultural pursuits 
on a tract of 135 acres, about one mile east 
of Cabot on the Saxonburg road, was born 
May 9, 1834, and is a son of William and 
Sophia (Wehling) W^itte and a grandson of 
Charles Witte, a native of Germany, who 
never left his native land. 

Frederick William Witte was reared and 
has lived continuously in liis native county, 
acquiring his education in its common 
schools and later taking a course in the 
night 'School. In 1868, when thirty-four 
years of age, he was married to Amelia 
Bicker, a daughter of Rev. Herman and 
Margaret (Rowl) Bicker, her family being 
a very prominent one in Butler County. 
One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Witte, 
namely : William Henry, who was educated 
in the common schools. He is married and 
has three children — Elsie, Carrie and 
Mary. Mrs. Witte passed out of this life 
in 1869. 

Religiously, Mr. Witte is affiliated with 
the Evangelical Association and is a mem- 
lier of the board of trustees. He is a man 
of public spirit and enterprise, giving gen- 
erously toward all measures which tend to 
advance the township and county, and is 



GoG 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



especially interested in charity as overseer 
of the poor. lie has served as school di- 
rector and was three times a delegate to the 
Congressional Convention. 

HENRY MARTSOLF, who has always 
resided on his present farm of ninety-two 
acres, which is situated in Center Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, about 
five miles north of Butler, was born April 
10, 1858, and is a son of Fred and Eva 
(Miller) Martsolf. Both parents of Mr. 
Martsolf were born in Germany, but they 
were married in America. They were 
honest, hard working, worthy people who 
made many friends in Center Township, 
where they lived for many years, both 
dying on the farm now owned by their son 
Henry, who was one of a family of ten 
children. 

Henry Martsolf is a first class, practical 
farmer, having devoted his life to agricul- 
tural pursuits exclusively. His land is a 
good crop producer and he grows wheat, 
oats, corn and hay, keeps stock and cattle 
and operates a dairy for his home use. 
Mr. Martsolf married Harriet Slupe, who 
is a daughter of Nicholas and Hannah 
(Puff) Slupe. They have one son, a very 
capable young man, who assists his father 
on the farm, named Charles Frederick. 
Mr. Martsolf and family belong to the 
Presbyterian Church. 

WILLIAM S. ALLEN, who is engaged 
in a mercantile business at Glenora, Penn- 
sylvania, is a prominent citizen of Parker 
Township, in which he is serving in his sec- 
ond term as collector. He was born in 
Parker Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, December 29, 1856, and is a son 
of John N. and Mary J. (Moore) Allen. 

The Allen family came among the 
earliest settlers to Parker Township, its 
founder being John Allen, who came from 
Eastern Pennsylvania into the wilderness, 
and was accompanied by. his son, Thomas 
Allen, who was the grandfather of William 



S. Allen. John Allen was a Revolutionary 
soldier. 

John N. Allen, father of William S., was 
born in Parker Township, where he died in 
1871. He married Mary J. Moore, who 
was born in Washington Township, Butler 
County, where she now resides, still en- 
joying all her faculties, although she has 
reached her seventy-sixth year. She is a 
daughter of Samuel Moore, who was an 
early settler in Washington Township. The 
surviving children of John N. and Mary J. 
Allen are: William S. ; Mary A. PL, who 
is the wife of J. N. Gibson, of Greeley, 
Kansas; Aseneth M., who is the wife of 
James Buchanan, of Texas ; and James C, 
who lives in Colorado. 

William S. Allen was reared to man's 
estate in Parker Township and attended 
the local schools throughout boyhood, later 
enjoying more advanced opportunities in 
academies at West Simbury and North 
Washington. He assisted on the home 
farm and also taught school for a time, but 
after his marriage engaged in cultivating 
his farm of sixty acres, which is situated in 
Parker Township. In 1897 he started his 
general store at Glenora, which he has con- 
ducted ever since, and he bas been post- 
master and his wife has been postmistress 
of this village. In politics he is a stanch 
Republican and has taken an active part in 
public matters in his community. With the 
efficiency of a broadminded man and earn- 
est citizen, he has served his community in 
a number of offices, for two years being 
overseer of the poor, for several terms 
supervisor and is now collector. 

On December 20, 1884, Mr. Allen was 
married to Rebecca A. Allen, who is a 
daughter of the late William D. Allen, 
formerly one of the leading men of Parker 
Township. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one 
daughter, Callie M., an accomplished young 
lady, who is a successful teacher in Parker 
Township. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are mem- 
bers of the New Salem Presbyterian 
Church, at Annisville, in which he is an 





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WILLIAM KESSLEMAN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



659 



elder. Tliomas Allen, grandfather of Will- 
iam S., was a soldier in the War of 1812; 
he died in 1875 in his eighty-seventh year. 

ISAAC REED BRANNAN, a successful 
farmer of Franklin Township and a citizen 
who enjoys the respect and esteem of his 
fellow citizens, resides on his farm of 180 
acres and is engaged in carrying on general 
agriculture. He was born in Worth Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, August 
24, 1844, and is a son of Thomas and Mary 
Ann (Reed) Bra'nnau. 

William Braunan, the grandfather, who 
was born in England, in 1775, came to the 
American colonies, being a member of the 
King's Life Guard Regiment, under Gen- 
eral Cornwallis. He was one of the pris- 
oners taken at York, Pennsylvania, but 
escaped and made his way through the wil- 
derness to Western Pennsylvania and was 
one of the pioneer settlers of Westmore- 
land County. There he won the heart of 
an American girl, Susannah Hines, and 
they lived there until 1800, when they 
brought their family and possessions to 
what is now Scott Township, Lawrence 
County. 

Thomas Brannan was born January 29, 
1797, in Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and died October 13, 1872, in Butler 
County. When eighteen years of age he 
moved to Worth Township, Butler County, 
where he married, and in 1845, with his 
wife and ten children, settled in Franklin 
Township, on a fann now owned by his 
son, Isaac Reed Brennan. In politics he 
was a Democrat and although he never 
sought office, he was frequently elected to 
the same and served acceptably. His wife 
was a daughter of William Reed, of Ne- 
shannock Falls, Lawrence County, and they 
had the following children born to them : 
Susannah, now deceased, was the wife of 
Robert Williams; Jane, deceased, married 
(first) Francis Currie and (secondly) 
William McCall ; William is deceased; 



Mary, also deceased, married Joseph Mc- 
Elroy; Elizabeth, now deceased, married 
Joseph Graham; Rebecca, residing with 
her brother Isaac R., is the widow of 
Jonathan Taylor; Thomas Darwin is de- 
ceased; Margaret Euphemia, deceased, 
married Curtis I. Christley ; Alzira, wife of 
George Ifft, of Slippery Rock Township; 
and Isaac Reed. The parents were most 
worthj" Christian people, members and lib- 
eral supporters of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Prospect. 

Isaac Reed Brannan has devoted his life 
to agricultural pursuits and on his broad 
acres he raises great crops of corn, oats, 
wheat, buckwheat, lye and potatoes, and 
keeps about fifteen head of cattle. His 
place is well improved, the comfortable 
residence having been built by his father 
and the substantial barn by himself, in 
1897. He has efficiently filled a number of 
local offices in his to^oiship but cares little 
for politics, finding more pleasure in at- 
tending to his business and in the enjoy- 
ment of the good will of his neighbors. He 
is a Democrat in pi-inciple. 

Mr. Brannan married Ruth Ellen Craig, 
a daughter of John Craig, of Liberty Town- 
ship, Mercer County, and they were the 
parents of the following children: Will- 
iam, residing in West Virginia ; Margaret, 
wife of Herbert McLaughlin, residing at 
Fredonia, Mercer County ; John Craig, liv- 
ing in Colorado ;. and Howard Clement and 
Clarence D., both at home. The beloved 
wife and mother died in 1893, when aged 
forty-four years. Mr. Brannan is a mem- 
ber of the Muddy Creek Presbyterian 
Church. He is a man of genial manner, 
hospitable and kind-hearted, and is well 
informed on matters of local history. 

WILLIAM KESSELMAN, of the firm 
of Kesselman & Com])any, manufacturers 
of oil mill drilling tools, at Butler, is a 
practical machinist who has been continu- 
ouslv engaged in work at his trade ever 



660 



HISTOKY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



since he eaiue, a youug man ol' twenty-two 
years, to America. He was l)orn in (ler- 
many October 1, 183l'. 

Mr. Kesselman located at New Ca.stle, 
Pennsylvania, and worked there as a ma- 
chinist from 1856 until 1870. He then 
moved to Parker's Landing, where he 
started a shop of his own, which he con- 
ducted until 1875, when he removed to 
Saint Joe, Butler County, working there, 
with his own shop, until 1883. In the lat- 
ter year he established his business iu But- 
ler and operated it as the Kesselman Ma- 
chine Shop until about 1887, when C. J. 
Brandberg became associated with him 
and the firm assumed its present style of 
Kesselman & Company. In addition to the 
large amount of work done in the Butler 
establishment, the firm has found it ad- 
vantageous to also carry on a machine 
shop at Parkersburg, West Virginia. 

In 3860 Mr. Kesselman was married to 
]\fiss Magdeline Moser, who died in 1899. 
A family of five children was born to this 
marriage, namely: Edward H., who is 
connected with the Kesselman interests at 
Butler; William, who has charge of the 
business at Parkersburg; Minta; Floyd; 
and Lewis, who resides at Parkersburg. 
Mr. Kesselman is a member of the Lu- 
theran Church. He is one of Butler's 
most resyiected citizens. 

R. J. (GROSSMAN, M. D., physician and 
surgeon at Butler, has been established in 
practice in this city since 1893 and has met 
with a hearty recognition of his profes- 
sional skill. Dr. Grossman was born in 
Cherry Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1858, and is a soii of John 
Grossman and a grandson of Benjamin 
Grossman. 

The Grossman family is of German ex- 
traction but has been of American birth 
for several generations. John Grossman 
was born in Cherry Township, in 1828, 
where he was a farmer of prominence for 
many years prior to his death, which oc- 



curred iu July, iSHlo. His father was Ben- 
jamin Grossman, who was born east of the 
Allegheny Mountains and who accompa- 
nied his father, Benedict Grossman, when 
he settled in Butler County, in 1793. The 
father of Benedict Grossman was Simon 
Grossman, who was born on the Atlantic 
Ocean during the voyage of his parents to 
America. 

Dr. Grossman was reared in Clay Town- 
ship and attended the public schools and 
West Sunbury Academy. Later he en- 
tered the medical department of the West- 
ern Reserve College, at Cleveland, Ohio, 
where he was graduated in 1886. For 
seven years following he engaged in j^rac- 
tice at Coaltown and then came to Butler, 
where he has been in active practice until 
the present. He has met with professional 
success, as above mentioned, and stands 
with the leading men in the medical fi"a- 
ternity in Butler County. He is a member 
of tlie Butler County and the State 
Medical Societies and the American Medi- 
cal Association. 

In 1886, Dr. Grossman was married to 
Miss Eliza Shryock, who died December 30; 
1895, leaving one son, Loyal McC'ellan. 
Dr. Grossman is a member of the Second 
Presbyterian Church of Butler. Frater- 
nally he is connected with the Odd Fellows 
and the Woodmen. Politically, he is a 
Democrat and has been active in politics 
and is his party's candidate for state sena- 
tor. His office is located at No. 408 Center 
Avenue, Butler. 

HERMAN LEWIS BICKER, a promi- 
nent farmer of Wiufield Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is owner of a fine 
farm of 125 acres located about one and a 
(juarter miles east of Cabot on the Winfield 
and Saxon Station Road. Tie was born 
April 9, 1849, a son of Herman Henry and 
Mary (Roll) Bicker and a grandson of 
Herman Bicker, a native of Germany who 
always lived in his native country. Her- 
man IL Bicker and his wife were the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



661 



pai-onts of a large family of cliildveu, 
namely : Hannah, deceased, formerly wife 
of Frederick Witte ; Catherine, is the wife 
of August Feehling; Herman L., subject 
of this sketch; "William Henry, who mar- 
ried Minnie "Wetzel; George E., now de- 
ceased; Charles T., who married Mary 
Bracken; Mary E., deceased; John F., who 
married Elizabeth Hartmig; and Samuel 
A., who first married a Miss Stewart and 
secondly, after death, Lizzie Bachman. 

Herman L. Bicker began his early edu- 
cation in Pittsburg, Peuna. He tirst came 
to Butler County in 1857, after which he 
completed his education in the common 
schools of the county. He then turned his 
attention to blacksmithing, working at that' 
trade both in Pittsburg and McKeesport, 
Pennsylvania, l)ut for the past .thirty-six 
years has followed general farming on an 
extensive scale, also raising the stock on 
his place. 

Mr. Bicker was united in marriage Jan- 
uary 9, 1873, with Frederica Beinecke, a 
daughter of William and Elizabeth (Wil- 
thoru) Beinecke, of Allegheny City, Penn- 
sylvania. Her paternal grandparents were 
natives of Germany and among the very 
earliest settlers of Allegheny County. Mrs. 
Bicker was one of a family of seven chil- 
dren born to her parents, namely: ]\lary 
L., wife of George W. Kettenburg; Caro- 
line, wife of M. Baehr; Frederica, now 
Mrs. Herman L. Bicker ; Minnie, who mar- 
ried George W. Evans; Charlotte, who 
marx'ied Frank Shearing; AVilliam, de- 
ceased; and Elizabeth, also deceased. 
There were the following children born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Bicker: William H., who 
married Amelia Worthington ; Frank L., 
who married Emma Hartung; Charlotte, 
born March 28. 1878. who died February 
27, 1907 (she married William J. Fox and 
was the mother of two children — Louis H. 
and Howard) ; George, who resides on his 
father's farm; Ida H., who lives at home 
with the subject of this sketch ; Harvey D., 
a machinist, residing' in Sacramento, Cali- 



fornia, who married Louise Hansen; and 
Frederick R. Mrs. Bicker is a lady of con- 
siderable literary ability and worked for a 
period of eight years in Pittsburg, Penn- 
sylvania, on the well known German paper, 
Freiheits-Freund. 

Religiously, Mr. Bicker is affiliated with 
the Methodist Ej^iscopal Church, of which 
he is also a trustee and a liberal supporter. 
He is actively interested in politics and has 
served his township efficiently in various 
offices. He served two terms as school di- 
rector, was secretary of the school board 
for six years and was for a time superin- 
tendent of charities of "Winfield Township. 
For the past four years he has been justice 
of the peace of AViufield Township. Mr. 
Bicker is fraternally a member of the 
Herder Lodge, No. 279, Knights of Pythias, 
with which he has been affiliated for the 
past thirty years, having served through 
all the chairs. Mr. Bicker is a man held in 
high esteem both in his church and in busi- 
ness circles, not only in his own vicinity 
but throughout the entire coimty. 

SAMUEL McKINNEY, a leading citi- 
zen of Zelienople, residing in his handsome 
residence on New Castle Street, has been 
engaged in agricultural pursuits almost all 
his life and owns and- superintends his 
valuable farm of 200 acres, which is situ- 
ated in Perry Township, Lawrence County. 
Mr. McKinney was born at Braddock, 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Febru- 
ary 27, 1860, and is a son of Robert and 
Catherine (Lannon) McKinney. 

The McKinney family is of Irish extrac- 
tion and the first of this branch to come 
to America was William McKinney, the 
grandfather, who left County Derry, Ire- 
land, in 1822, and for a time resided in 
Pittsburg, Peuna. Robert McKinney, hia 
son and the father of Samuel McKinney, 
was born in County Derry, Ireland, August 
] , 1812, and died in America in 1890, aged 
seventy-seven years. He followed agricul- 
tural pursuits through his active years. 



662 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



His widow survives and has reached her 
eightieth year. The family consisted of 
eight children, namely: William J., Mar.y 
and Eobert, all deceased; Samuel; Har- 
vey, who resides in East Pittsburg; Cath- 
erine, who is the wife of C. A. Ajaderson; 
Mrs. J. P. McKelvey; and Elnora. 

Samuel McKinney attended the public 
schools at Braddock until old enough to 
assume the duties expected of him, on the 
home farm. In 1884 he moved to Law- 
rence County and followed farming there 
until he retired to Zelieuople, in December, 
1903. He no longer engages in the active 
work on the farm but in superintending 
its operation his time is pleasantly and 
profitably occupied. 

Mr. McKinney was married to Matilda 
Blanche Wilson, who died February 6, 
1904; she was a daughter of Frank Wil- 
son, formerly a prominent farmer in 
Lawrence County. They had four chil- 
dren: Catherine, William J., Eobert and 
Elnora. William J. is deceased. Mr. Mc- 
Kinney and family are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church. In his polit- 
ical views he is a Democrat. 

ANDEEW D. GEOOM, justice of the 
peace, at Glenora, Butler County, has car- 
ried on a blacksmith, horse-shoeing and 
general repair business in this village for 
over thirty years and is numbered with the 
representative citizens of the place. He 
was born October 16, 1843, in Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
William D. and Susan (Thornburg) 
Groom. 

William D. Groom was born at Balti- 
more, Maryland, where he learned the 
trade of ship builder. In 1834 he came to 
Western Pennsylvania and lived for a time 
in Pittsburg, later removing to Scully's 
Springs. He died in Allegheny County. 

Andrew D. Groom grew to manhood, ob- 
tained his education and learned his trade, 
all in Allegheny County. In 1876 he came 
to Glenora, where he has spent his tim.e 



ever since, carrying on his business and 
also taking an active part in public affairs, 
particularly those pertaining to the com- 
munity in which he lives. He is a Eepub- 
lican in his political adherence and is in 
close touch with the local leaders. He has 
accepted few offices for himself but he has 
loyally worked for his friends. He is an 
advocate of public education and served 
seven years as school director, in Parker 
Township, being secretary of the board, 
and since 1891 he has served continuously 
as justice of the peace. At one time he 
was postmaster of the village and his name 
is connected with much of the town's pros- 
perity. From 1887 to 1890 he was partner 
in a grocery business at Glenora, under 
the firm name of Groom &, Bell. 

Mr. Groom was married (first) to ]\iiss 
Anna M. Eobb and they had three chil- 
dren, namely: Ethel Izetta, who is the 
wife of J. H. Kepple, of Butler; Cather- 
ine M., deceased; and Minnie B., of 
Glenora. Mr. Groom was married (sec- 
ond) to Miss Eebecca E. Walley, of 
Glenora, and they have the following chil- 
dren: Ella S., Peter C, Charlotte W., 
John E., Mabel M., Laura E.. and Samuel 
E. P. Mr. Groom is one of the leading 
members of the New Salem Presbyterian 
Church, belonging to the Board of Ses- 
sions. He belongs to the beneficiary order 
of Protected Home Circle, being connected 
with Ogden Circle, No. 39, at Glenora. 

GEOEGE A. TEOUTMAN, of A. Trout- 
man's Sons, conducting the largest store 
at Butler, located at Nos. 202-204 Main 
Street, is one of the rei^reseutative busi- 
ness men of Butler County. He was born 
in this city in 1865 and is a son of Adam 
Troutman, who was the founder of the 
present large enterprise. 

George A. Troutman may be said to 
have grown up in the business of which he 
is one of the proprietors, having been 
identified with it since leaving school. In 
1894, in association with his brother. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



663 



William J., lie bought bis father's interest 
and tbe firm name of A. Troutman's Sons 
was adopted. An older brother, J. H., is 
secretary and treasurer of the Standard 
Plate Glass Company. This family has 
ben prominently connected with the mer- 
cantile interests of Butler for many years 
and the present proprietors control the 
larger part of the trade. They have com- 
modious, finely equipped quarters, occupy- 
ing the entire Troutmaii building, on the 
corner of Main and Cunningham Streets, 
a structure four stories in height, 40 by 
160 feet in dimensions, including base- 
ment. The firm gives lucrative employ- 
ment to form forty to fifty people. As an 
excellent business man and valuable citi- 
zen, Mr. Troutman commands the respect 
and confidence of his fellow citizens. 

In 1900 Mr. Troutman was married to 
Miss Amelia Schaffner, who is a daughter 
of John Schaffner, a well known citizen 
and a member of one of the old and sub- 
stantial families of this place. Mrs. Trout- 
man's grandfather, when he first settled 
here, was accustomed to walk all the way 
to Pittsbiirg, to attend church. Mr. and 
Mrs. Troutman enjoy what is undoubtedly 
the finest private residence in Butler. It 
is situated on the corner of North and 
Washington Streets and both in architec- 
ture and inside finish, is beautiful in the 
extreme. All the inside woodwork, except 
in the dining room, is in oak, while that 
tasteful apartment is finished in mahog- 
any. Mr. and Mrs. Troutman are mem- 
bers of the German Lutheran Church at 
Butler. He is joresident of the Majestic 
Theater Company and was one of the 
builders of this handsome structure. 

JOHN F. BICKER, a highly respected 
citizen and prosperous farmer of Winfield 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
resides on a well improved farm of 113 
acres, situated one and a half miles east 
of Cabot on the Freeport road. He was 



born on his father's farm in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, February 15, 1860, and is a 
son of Herman H. and Mary (Rowl) 
Bicker, the former a well known minister 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John 
F. Bicker is one of a family of nine chil- 
dren, namely: Hannah, deceased, formerly 
wife of Frederick Witte; Catherine, who 
is the wife of August Freehling; Her- 
man L., of whom further mention is made 
in this work ; William Henry, who married 
Minnie Wetzel; George E., deceased; 
Charles T., who married Mary Bracken; 
Mary E., deceased; John F., the subject 
of this sketch; Samuel A., who first mar- 
ried Clara Stewart, and after her death 
Lizzie Bachman. 

John F. Bicker was reared on his 
father's farm and received his educational 
training in the schools of Butler County. 
He has always devoted his time and inter- 
ests to agricultural pursuits, carrying on 
farming in a general way, also raising all 
of his own stock. His farm lies on both 
sides of the road f^nd is well stocked, and 
equipped with substantial out buildings 
and other conveniences now so necessary 
to the up-to-date methods of farming. 

On April 15, 1886, Mr. Bicker was 
joined in marriage with Mary Elizabeth 
Hartung, a daughter of George and Cath- 
erine (Loos) Hartung, prominent farmers 
of Butler County. Her mother came from 
Indiana County. Mrs. Bicker was reared 
and educated in Jackson" Township, Butler 
County. Four children were born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Bicker — Ellen E., George H., 
Alice C, and Amos A., all of whom are 
living at home. 

Mr. Bicker is a prominent worker and 
member of the Methodist Church Evangel- 
ical Association. His fraternal connection 
is with the Herder Lodge No. 279 of the 
Knights of Pythias and the Winfield 
Grange No. 1105, of which he has been 
treasurer for the past two years and has 
served through all the offices of that order. 



664 



TIISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



He has always takeu au active interest in 
politics, is a member of the school board, 
of which he is now president, has served 
as township assessor several terms, and 
has served a number of times on the vari- 
ous boards of election. 

JOSEPH BANCEOFT BEEDIN, for- 
merly one of Butler Township's most es- 
teemed citizens and useful men, was born 
on the old Bredin homestead, which stands 
on the Diamond, in Butler, Pennsylvania, 
December 24, 1846, and for many years 
was one of the ablest members of the bar 
of Butler County. His death took place 
October 17, 1907. His parents were Hon. 
John and Nancy (McClelland) Bredin. 

Hon. John Bredin came to Butler 
County with his parents in 1802. He was 
born at Stranola, in County Donegal, Ire- 
land, in 1794. When aged sixteen years 
he went to Pittsburg, where he became a 
clerk in a general store. In 1812 he bought 
a tract of wild land in what is now Sum- 
mit Township, Butler County, which later 
became valuable. In 1817 he was ap- 
pointed clerk in the office of the protho- 
notary at Butler and thus he had his first 
opportunity to read a little law, and later 
completed his law studies under Gen. Will- 
iam Ayers, and soon made a special study 
of land laws and titles which subsequently 
proved to be of much importance to him 
in his practice. In 1824, in association 
with a brother, he engaged in the news- 
paper business and continued in it until 
1830. In the following year he was ap- 
pointed presiding judge in the Judicial 
District in which Butler is situated, and 
continued on the bench until his death, 
which occurred May 21, 1851. In 1829 he 
married Nancy McClelland, who was a na- 
tive of Franklin, Venango County, and of 
their children, the late Joseph Bancroft 
was the youngest. 

. Joseph Bancroft Bredin attended the 
schools of Butler and later took courses at 
the State Agricultural Colleges of Penn- 



sylvania and of Michigan. He then took 
up the study of medicine with his brother, 
Dr. Stephen Bredin, and attended lectures 
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons 
in New York City. Later he went into bus- 
iness as a druggist, conducting a drug 
store in Minnesota, but later returned to 
Butler and then turned his whole attention 
to the study of law, his leaning in this di- 
rection being an inheritance, fifteen mem- 
bers of the Bredin family having been 
members of the Butler bar. Mr. Bredin 
read law with George E. White and was 
admitted to the bar in 1875 and continued 
in the practice of law until his death. Like 
his father, he was a man of versatile tal- 
ent, and his many-sided education but 
added to his brilliancy in his profession. 
In the trial of his cases, Mr. Bredin was 
noted for his fearless attitude and devo- 
tion to his clients. So well known was his 
personal integrity, however, that never a 
cloud rested upon his pi-ofessional suc- 
cess. 

From his father Mr. Bredin inherited 
the farm on which his widow resides, a 
beautiful tract of 1.35 acres, which is lo- 
cated just outside of the borough of But- 
ler. Hay is the principal crop produced. 
There is a valuable gas well on the farm 
and undoubtedly coal and oil are under 
the surface soil. 

Mr. Bredin married Mary Spear, who is 
a daughter of William L. Spear, one of 
the older residents of Butler. Two chil- 
dren were born to this marriage : James, 
who is a resident of Denver, Colorado, 
married Grace Volis of that city and has 
two daughters, Mary and Elvira; and Nor- 
man, who resides at Sacramento City, Cal- 
ifornia. 

In politics Mr. Bredin was a stanch sup- 
porter of the Democratic party. He was 
ever willing to advance the interests of 
his friends to the limit of his ability, but 
he sought no honors for himself. In his 
death Butler lost one of her best citizens. 




JOSEPH BANCROFT BREDIX 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



667 



ALBERT W. YOUKERS, a representa- 
tive citizeu and prosperous farmer of 
Center Township, residing on his vahiable 
farm of 137 acres, which is situated near 
the Brewster school-house, was born in 
Center Township, Butler Coimty, Pennsyl- 
vania, July 11, 1863, and is a son of Jacob 
and Barbara (Walters) Youkers. 

The parents of Mr. Youkers were born 
and reared in Germany and were married 
there before coming to America. They 
settled in Butler Township, Butler County, 
the father securing work in the rolling- 
mill in East Brady, at that time being 
a man of such strength that he couhl 
straighten steel rails with an 80-pound 
hammer. Later he moved to Center Town- 
ship and engaged in farming for about 
thirty years and then sold his property 
and located at Butler, where he died. 

Albert W. Youkers was reared on the 
farm in Center Township and attended the 
country schools through his boyhood. For 
about twenty years he worked in the oil 
fields as a driller, retiring from that in- 
dustry in 1906 and devoting himself since 
then to farming. He purchased the prop- 
erty in 1890 and has lived on it since 1891 
and has made very substantial improve- 
ments here, building his fine barn and 
residence after settling on the place. Mr. 
Youkers proposes to again take up drill- 
ing, his young sons being old enough to 
look largely after the farming. 

Mr. Youkers married Cora Weigle, a 
daughter of Abraham Weigle, and they 
have had nine children, namely : Clara 
Belle, Veva Anna, Hazel, Ralph Frank, 
Joseph Albert, Carl Walters, Pearl Mar- 
garet, Harry Cedric and Clarence Delmas. 
The eldest daughter died when aged twelve 
years. Mr. Youkers is a member of the 
LTnited Presbyterian Church. 

JAMES W. BAKER, a successful gen- 
eral farmer of Franklin Township, resides 
on his birthjilace farm, a valuable tract of 
170 acres, a large part of which he has 



under a fine state of cultivation. He was 
born in Franklin Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, June 16, 1852, and is a son 
of Joseph Cadwallader and Katherine 
(Kockenberry) Baker. The grandfather, 
Cadwallader Baker, was the first settler 
in this part of Franklin Township when 
lie came here from New York about 1808. 
He purchased 600 acres of Government 
land and cleai-ed up a large part of it for 
his own use. He lived to the age of eighty- 
two years. 

Joseph Cadwallader Baker, father of 
.Tames W., was born in Franklin Township 
in 1812 and died February 2, 1892, from 
an attack of grippe, having formerly en- 
joyed good health, in spite of his advanced 
years. He followed farming all his active 
life. In politics he was an old-time Demo- 
crat and in his earlier years filled township 
offices. Of his family of eight children the 
following reached maturity: Frank, who 
resides near North Liberty, in Brady 
Township; Sarah Jane, who is the wddow 
of Jacob Campbell, of Isle ; Polly, who is 
the widow of Robert Brown, of Clay 
Township; Maria, who is the wife of 
Matthew Badger, of Franklin Township; 
Margaret, who is the wife of Israel Shaf- 
fer, of Franklin Township; James W. ; 
and Effie, who is the wife of John Stine, 
of Franklin TownshijD. The parents of 
the above mentioned family were worthy 
members of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, in 
which Mr. Baker was a deacon for several 
years. 

James W. Baker attended the district 
schools through boyhood and ever since 
reaching manhood has engaged in farming 
and stockraising. His main crops are 
corn, oats, wheat and hay, and he keeps 
about six cows and raises thirty head of 
sheep. He is ranked with the best farmers 
of this section. Mr. Baker married Miss 
Katherine Stine, a daughter of Henry 
Stine, of Brady Township, Butler County, 
and they have had six children, as follows : 
AVilliam, residing at Pittsburg; Joel, liv- 



668 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ing at Butler; Emma, wife of Herbert 
Shever, of Butler Township; Harry (de- 
ceased), and Earl and Clarence, both at 
home. Mr. Baker and his family are mem- 
bers of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Like his 
father he votes with the Democratic party 
but he takes no very great interest in 
politics. 

SAMUEL WALKER, an able member 
of the Butler bar, formerly district attor- 
ney and a prominent factor in county poli- 
tics, was born at Butler, Pennsylvania, 
July 10, 1873, and is a son of Capt. Samuel 
and Caroline (Zimmerman) Walker, who 
were representatives of several of the old- 
est families in this section of Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Following his graduation from the But- 
ler High School, Mr. Walker spent two 
years in the Pennsylvania State College 
and then entered the law department of 
the University of Pennsylvania, from 
which he was graduated in 1899. Mr. 
AValker immediately located at Butler and 
during the first four years of practice, was 
associated with his uncle, Attorney Clar- 
ence Walker, since which time he has been 
alone. He enjoys a large local practice 
and has admission also to the Supreme and 
Superior Courts of the State. He served 
one term as district attorney but prefers 
the field of private practice to one of polit- 
ical prominence. He was reared in the 
principles of the Republican party and 
from early manhood has taken a deep in- 
terest in the success of that organization. 
He is serving as chairman of the Butler 
County Republican committee. Frater- 
nally he is identified with the order of 
Odd Fellows. For a number of years he 
has been a member of the First Presby- 
terian Church at Butler. 

ISAIAH COLLINS, a representative 
citizen of Parker Township and formerly a 
justice of the peace, resides on his well 
cultivated farm of more than fifty acres, 



its management being his main occupation. 
He was born in Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, May 2i, 1843, and is a son of Charles 
and Elizabeth (Conley) Collins. 

Charles Collins was a lifelong resident 
of Parker Township, where he died in 1872. 
He was a son of William Collins, who was a 
native of Ireland and one of the early set- 
tlers in this section. Charles Collins was, 
in his day, one of the township's solid, re- 
liable men.- He was a Democrat in his po- 
litical views and on that ticket he was fre- 
(juently elected to local offices, the duties 
of which he carefully performed. The chil- 
dren who survive him are : Julia, who is 
the wife of Jacob Faller, of Butler County ; 
and Isaiah, of Parker Township. Charles 
Collins and wife were members of the 
Roman Catholic Church. 

Isaiah Collins has passed his life in the 
township in which he was born and he has 
given his attention almost exclusively to 
farming, successfully growing the grains 
which do best in this climate. He has a 
comfortable home and has many friends 
among those who have known him from 
boyhood. 

Mr. Collins married Miss Louisa For- 
quer, who is a daughter of the late William 
Forquer, of Washington Township, Butler 
County. They have had seven children, the 
four survivors being: Annie, who is the 
wife of Joseph Slater, of Butler; Agnes, 
who resides in Parker Township; Cathe- 
rine; and Sophia, residing at home. Mr. 
Collins and family belong to the Roman 
Catholic Church. Mr. Collins takes an in- 
terest in all that concerns his community 
and section, gives support to religion and 
education and is numbered with the town- 
ship's useful citizens. For five years he 
served most acceptably as a justice of the 
peace. 

CONRAD GUNDLACH, owner of a fine 
farm of eighty acres lying two miles east 
of Cabot on the Saxonburg road, is one 
of the leading farmers of Winfield Town- 




JOSEPH COLESTOCK 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



671 



ship, Butler Coiiutj-, Pennsylvania. He 
was born January 27, 1850, on the old home 
farm in Winfield Township, and is a son of 
John and Catherine (Bieliling) Gundlach, 
also residents of this township, who were 
the parents of six children: Conrad, our 
subject; Maggie, Henry, Catherine, John, 
and T. Andrew. The paternal grandpa- 
rents of Mr. Gxmdlach were natives of Ger- 
many, where they spent their entire lives 
engaged in agricultural pursuits. 

Conrad Gundlach was reared and re- 
ceived his schooling in his native township 
and has followed farming all of his life. 
He was married when thirtj-two years of 
age to Elizabeth Wetzel, a daughter of 
Gottlieb and Elizabeth (Smith) Wetzell, 
who were prominent farmers of Winfield 
Township. Four sons and five daughters 
have blessed their union, namely : Pauline ; 
Albert; Oscar, deceased; Anna; Alice; 
Esther; John; Ruth; and Raymond, de- 
ceased. Mr. Gundlach and family occupy 
a large modern two-story residence, one 
of the most attractive and up-to-date homes 
in this section of the country. The family 
are all active members of the Lutheran 
Church. Mr. Gundlach is fraternally a 
member of the Grange. 

ALEXANDER BREWSTER, who was 
a lifelong resident of Center Township, 
spent his sixty-eight years of useful living 
on the farm of 180 acres on which he was 
born, December 5. 1840. He died amid the 
familiar scenes of his lifetime. May 5, 
1908. His parents were Joseph and Jane 
(Dunn) Brewster. 

Joseph Brewster came to Butler County 
from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, at 
a very early day and settled in Center 
Township when all this section was wild, 
uncleared and almost uncivilized. He se- 
cured the large body of land which subse- 
quently was inherited by his children, and 
he was the pioneer in clearing it from its 
wild state and developing it into a -rich, 
productive farm, through cultivation. He 



was twice married and on this farm both he 
and his second wife died when full of years. 

Alexander Brewster followed farming all 
his mature life. He was a man of quiet, 
home-loving tastes, practical in his ideas 
and firm in his opinions, and his advice was 
frequently sought not only on matters per- 
taining solely to agriculture, but also on 
those which make for the advancement and 
happiness of a community. Among his 
closest friends were those of recognized 
sterling character matching his own. 

In early manhood Mr. Brewster married 
Delilah M. Albert, a daughter of Henry 
Albert. She was born and reared in 
Franklin Township, but her father's farm 
was only two miles distant from the Brew- 
ster farm. She died May 31, 1906. To this 
happy marriage were born ten children 
and nine of these still live : Wilson Curtis, 
the eldest, resides in Wyoming; Preston 
Albert; Alexander Mitchell, married and 
lives in Allegheny; Laura Adellah and 
Ileber John live at home; Benjamin Ben- 
ton married and moved to a- farm adjoin- 
ing the homestead; Minnie Jane married 
Vinton A. Cranmer; Maniford Emmett 
married and lives at Queen's Junction; 
Charles Oscar, the youngest, lives at home 
and works the farm. Edwin Lawrence, the 
eighth in order of birth, died February 14, 
1900. The late Alexander Brewster was a 
consistent member of the Mt. Chestnut 
United Presbyterian Church. He was a 
man of upright character and honest in- 
tentions and to say of him that his word 
was as good as his bond was telling the 
simple truth. 

JOSEPH COLESTOCK, a highly re- 
spected citizen of Butler, who for twenty 
years has been prominently identified with 
the oil industry in Butler and Allegheny 
Counties, has resided in the city of But- 
ler for the last two decades. He was born 
in 1856 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 
son of Joseph and Isabella (Speer) Cole- 
stock, the paternal branch of his family 



672 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



being one of the oldest in that section. The 
line of descent is as follows: 

John Colestock, great-grandfather of 
the subject of this sketch, was born in 
Saxony, Germany, and emigrated to York 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1740. There he 
married Julia Foist, and they had three 
sons — Henry, John, and Jonas — also two 
daughters. 

Jonas Colestock, son of John, and 
grandfather of Joseph of the present gen- 
eration, was born in York County, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1765, and was a captain in the 
militia for fourteen years. In 1787 he 
married Margaret Sese. His family eon- 
siS'ted of nine children — Elizabeth, Mary, 
Margaret, Charlotte, Nancy, Sidney, Su- 
san (wife of William McCormick, now re- 
siding in Uniontown in the eighty-sixth 
year of her age), and two sons, John and 
Joseph. 

Jacob C. Seese, father of Mrs. Jonas 
Colestock, was a native of Lorraine Prov- 
ince, France (now a province of Ger- 
many). He was of noble birth and well 
educated, especially in the languages, but 
being of a military turn of mind became 
an officer in the French army. He came 
to America early in the eighteenth cen- 
tury and as a soldier in the Revolutionary 
War held a command under Gen. Sullivan 
in the latter 's expedition to avenge the 
Wyoming massacre. About 1783 he set- 
tled in Westmoreland County, where he 
encountered many perils and hardships of 
Indian warfare. His wife was Mary Fou- 
ble of Bavaria, Germany, and she was the 
mother of four sons — Michael, Martin, 
Christopher, and Rudolph. 

Joseph Colestock, son of Jonas and 
father of the present Joseph Colestock, 
was born in Connellsville, Fayette County, 
Penna., June 13, 1808. When old enough 
he learned the hatter's trade, which he 
followed for some years subsequently. 
Afterwards he clerked at Donegal for John 
Gay. He taught school at Uniontown for 



a number of years; was a merchant in 
Springfield Township, and then, in 1867, 
came to Dunbar Township, where he en- 
gaged successfully in farming. In 1837 
he was married to Isabella, daughter of 
William and Margaret Speer, of Union- 
town. They were the parents of eleven 
children, whose record in brief is as fol- 
lows: ■Margaret is the wife of James F. 
Imel, a- lumber merchant of Crawford 
Coimty. Lieut. John married Miss Jane 
King, served in the Eighty-fifth Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers with honor, being pro- 
moted to first lieutenant for bravery. 
Minerva is the wife of Matthew Patterson 
of New Haven. Mary married Thomas 
Pyle of Pittsburg (first) and subseciuontly 
became the wife of William Gibhs of 'Sll. 
Pleasant. Louisa married David Faulk 
of Titusville, Penna. Joseph is the di- 
rect sul),iect of this sketch. Samuel is now 
deceased, as also are William and Jonas. 
David H. resided on the old homestead in 
Dunbar Township, but later retired and 
removed to Swissvale, Penua.^ Anabel be- 
came the wife of French E. Laishley, also 
of Swissvale, Penna. Joseph Colestock, the 
father of the above-mentioned children, 
was a Republican in politics, but was not 
very actively concerned with political mat- 
ters. He was a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and gave his entire time 
to the management of his farm while liv- 
ing- 
Joseph Colestock remained with his 
father until he was about twenty years of 
age, and then entered the oil fields at Pe- 
trolia. From there he went to McKean 
County, drilling a number of wells, after 
which he engaged for some years in what 
is termed "wild-catting," coming to But- 
ler in 1888. From that time on he has been 
interested in oil production in the Butler 
fields and has drilled hundreds of wells. 
He is a member of the firm of John J. 
Sheridan & Company, of Mars, manufac- 
turers of all kinds of oil well supplies and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



673 



owuers of extensive oil properties in Alle- 
gheny County. Mr. Colestock is also in- 
terested in the JMars National Bank. 

In 1888 Mr. ColestOok was married to 
Miss Anna White, who is a daughter of 
the late Capt. Eli White, who served dur- 
ing the Civil War as a captain of cavalry 
in a Pennsylvania regiment, and died in 
1868 from a wound received in action. 
Mr. and Mrs. Colestock have two sons, 
Joseph Hess and Saun^el Leroy, the for- 
mer of whom is in the Butler County oil 
fields and the latter a student at Belle- 
fonte, Penna. Mr. Colestock and family 
are members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Butler. He is a Knights Tem- 
plar Mason and both he and Mrs. Cole- 
stock belong to Eastern Star, Butler Chap- 
ter, No. 45, of which ^Irs. Colestock is 
l)ast worthy matron. 

B. J. RADER, whose excellent farm of 
108 acres is situated in Forward Township, 
is one of the enterprising citizens and rep- 
resentative^ agriculturists of this section. 
He was born on his present farm, December 
23, 1870, and is a son of Oswald A. and 
Margaret (Flenner) Rader. 

Oswald A. Rader was born in Germany 
and was a son of Casper Rader, who was a 
farmer in that country. ^^Hien twenty- 
three years of age, Oswald A. Rader came 
to America and settled in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, purchasing his first farm 
from a Mr. Burton, which he sold and then 
bought the present home farm from Will- 
iam Fitzsimmons. Mr. Rader was a quiet, 
industrious man and was one who was very 
highly respected. He spent a long and 
useful life and died in April, 1905, aged 
eighty-two years. In October, 1850, he was 
married to Margaret Flenner. She also 
was born in Germany and was quite young 
when her parents, John and Eve (Miller) 
Flenner, brought her to America. They 
settled on land in Biatler County, not far 
from Zelienople. She was born September 
11, 1831, and can tell many interesting 



things concerning the early times in this 
section. She is a beloved member of the 
family of her son, B. J. Rader. Oswald A. 
Rader and wife had thirteen children, as 
follows: John, deceased; Henry; Adam; 
Catherine, wife of James Oesterling; Eliz- 
abeth; Peter; William; Fred; Anna, who 
married Levi Goehi-ing; Benjamin J.; Ma- 
thilda, who married H. Trushel; Philip; 
and Ida, who is the wife of Charles 
Nicholas. 

Benjamin J. Rader has spent his whole 
life on his present farm, which he pur- 
chased from his father. He raises the 
usual crops, corn, oats and hay, and enough 
cattle and stock for his own use, managing 
all his farming operations with excellent 
judgment. 

On Septemlier 1(5, 1897, Mr. Rader was 
married to Miss Amelia Noss, who is a 
daughter of Fred and Caroline (Smith) 
Noss. They have three children: Lester, 
Ralph and Edwin. Mr. Rader and family 
belong to the Lutheran Church. In poli- 
tics, Mr. Rader is a Democrat. He has 
always taken a good citizen's interest in 
township affairs and is serving at present 
as a member of the School Board. 

CAPT. SAMUEL WALKER. The name 
of Walker has l)een honorably identified 
with Butler County for many years and 
the late Capt. Samuel Walker was a 
worthy representative of this pioneer 
stock. He was born on the old Walker 
homestead in Cranberry Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1835. 
His parents were Nathaniel and Grizella 
(Crowe) Walker. 

The paternal grandfather, Lewis Walker, 
was of New England ))irth and was brought 
to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, when 
very young. He was reared in that county 
but when he had reached his majority he 
started out for himself and subsequently 
acquired 800 acres of wild land that is now 
included in what is Cranberry Township, 
Butler County. There he lived for many 



674 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



years, beeoniiiig a man of affairs, and m 
old age passed away, at Butler, his death 
taking place in 1845. The family name of 
his wife was Parks but her first name has 
been lost. They became the parents of 
seven children. 

Nathaniel Walker, the fifth son of Lewis 
Walker and the father of Capt. Samuel 
W^alker, was born on the homestead which 
his father had secured, and he remained 
there, probabh^ engaged in agricultural 
pursuits until the year following his 
father's death, when lie moved to Mercer 
County. In 1847, however, he returned to 
Butler and during the remainder of his 
active life was successfully engaged in the 
manufacture of bricks. He was a man of 
sterling virtues and even balance of judg- 
ment and hence was frequently called upon 
by his fellow citizens to fill posts of trust 
and responsibility. For many years he 
adjusted local difficulties as a justice of 
the peace and in 1862, in a time of great 
financial depression, he was elected treas- 
urer of Butler County and wisely and 
efficiently performed the onerous duties 
pertaining to the office. Samuel was his 
eldest son and was born to his first mar- 
riage, with Grizella, a daughter of John 
and Jane (Pollock) Crowe. A second son, 
John, was also born to this union. The 
second marriage of Nathaniel Walker was 
to Sarah M. Slater and they had four chil- 
dren: Leonidas, Caroline, Clarence and 
Leverett H. Mr. Walker was one of the 
early Abolitionists and on many occasions 
he gave assistance to escaping slaves. He 
later was thoroughly identified with the 
Republican party. In every relation of 
life he lived up to his convictions and in 
him the Presbyterian Church found a con- 
sistent and worthy adherent. 

Samuel AValker grew to his twelfth year 
among the peaceful surroundings of his 
father's farm and through his educational 
period there was nothing to suggest the 
military ambition that dominated so large 
a part of his subsequent life. He had com- 



pleted a course in Witherspoon Institute 
before he enlisted, in answer to President 
Lincoln's first call for troops at the out- 
break of the Civil War. Mr. Walker en- 
listed in April, 1861, I'n Company H, Thir- 
teenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Infantry, with which he served until his 
honorable discharge August 6, 1862. On 
August 22, 1862, he reenlisted, entering 
Company F, One Hundred Fifty-fifth Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in 
which he served until March 12, 1864, be- 
coming then a member of the Reserve 
Corps. He continued in the service until 
August 27, 1868. He had the honor and 
distinction of being one of the last twelve 
soldiers (this number including Gen. 0. 0. 
Howard), discharged from the volunteer 
service. He had participated in many of 
the most important engagements of the 
war, notably Antietam, Fredericksburg 
and Chancellorsville, and it was on the 
last mentioned field on May 3, 1863, that 
Captain Walker was so seriously wounded 
that he lost his right leg. On February 
20, 1864, he had been commissioned second 
lieutenant in the Reserve Corps ; on March 
13, 1865, was commissioned captain; and 
on September 16, 1868, he was commis- 
sioned second lieutenant in the United 
States army. He received his final dis- 
charge on December 31, 1870, having given 
nine years to the service of his country. 
During the last three years he had been 
connected with the Freedmen's Bureau as 
agent, under General Howard and had 
been stationed at Memphis, Nashville, 
Chattanooga and Knoxville. 

After the close of his military life, Cap- 
tain Walker returned to Butler and 
entered the business field. Until 1873 he 
was teller of the First National Bank of 
Butler and was subsequently connected 
with other organizations. In 1890 he was 
elected tax collector of Butler borough and 
continued to serve in that capacity until 
his death. He had a wide acquaintance 
and many warm personal friends who ad- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



bio 



luired him for the courage displayed in 
military life and esteemed him for the 
qualities which belonged to him by nature. 
Captain Walker married Caroline Zim- 
merman, who was a daughter of John 
Michael Zimmerman, a leading citizen of 
Butler County. They had two children, 
Samuel and Catherine. The former is a 
well known attorney at Butler and for- 
merly served as district attorney. Captain 
Walker was a zealous Republican. He was 
identified with the Union Veteran League 
and with several beneficiary organizations. 

JAMES M. BARTLEY, residing on his 
excellent farm of fifty-three acres, situated 
in Parker Township, is one of the repre- 
sentative men of this section and belongs 
to an old Pennsylvania family, of Irish 
extraction. He was born June 1, 1855, in 
^ Summit Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of George W. and 
Eliza J. (McLaughlin) Bartley. 

George W. Bartley, who died in 1900, 
was born in Penn Township, Butler 
Coimty, and was a son of Robert Bartley, 
who was born in Ireland and emigrated 
to America when seventeen years of age. 
Robert Bartley settled in Penn Township, 
Butler County, in 1811 and from there en- 
listed for service in the War of 1812. In 
this same war, one of James M. Bartley 's 
great-grandfathers, Abraham Brinker, was 
a captain of a company. Prior to that he 
had kept a tavern at Butler, selling it in 
1809, and subsequently, after his return 
from the war, built what is known as 
Brinker 's Mills, in Summit Township, four 
miles east of Butler. He left many de- 
scendants, numbers living in this section. 

George W. Bartley was a man of con- 
siderable prominence in his day. In his 
younger years he was a school teacher and 
later served in a number of local offices. 
He identified himself with the Republican 
party and at one time was its candidate 
for county registrar and recorder. He 
married Eliza J. McLaughlin, a daughter 



of James McLaughlin, who, at one time, 
was the publisher of the Butler Herald 
and who went to California in 1850, and 
died while on the Pacific coast. The sur- 
viving children of the first marriage of 
George W. Bartley were: James M. ; 
John Isaiah, residing in McKean County; 
Robert, living at Butler ; Francis, in Alle- 
gheny County; and Oliver A., who lives 
in the city of New York. The long and 
useful life of George W. Bartley encom- 
passed eighty years and in his death, But- 
ler County lost a man of sterling character. 
James M. Bartley was reared on his 
father's farm where he was trained to be 
a practical agriculturist and he obtained 
his education in the schools of Simmiit 
Township. His life has been mainly de- 
voted to farming but during five winters 
he engaged in lumbering in Southwestern 
Michigan. In the spring of 1887, he set- 
tled on his present farm in Parker Town- 
ship and has proven himself a useful and 
reliable citizen, taking an interest in all 
that promotes the welfare of this section. 
On May 7, 1877, he was married to Miss 
Martha De Vinney, a daughter of the late 
William De Vinney, a substantial resident 
of Sugar Creek Township, Armstrong 
County. Mrs. Bartley died January 10, 
1905. She was a most estimable lady, be- 
loved by all who knew her and was a con- 
sistent member of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Fairview, of which Mr. Bartley 
is also a member. In his political affilia- 
tion, Mr. Bartley is a Republican. 

PETER HERBERT KENNEDY, owner 
of a fine farm of seventy acres located one 
and a half miles east of Cabot on the Bear 
Creek road, is one of the representative 
farmers and highly respected citizens of 
Winfield Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania. He was born on the old home- 
stead in Butler County, March 18, 1878, a 
son of Peter and Rachel (Cooper) Ken- 
nedy. He is a grandson of James and 
^largaret Kennedv, who came to this conn- 



676 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



try from Ireland aud established the old 
home place in Butler County. There were 
fifteen children born to the parents of our 
subject, namely: William, Ellen, Mame, 
James, Joe, Thomas (deceased), Susan, 
Florence, Carrie, John (deceased), Adelia, 
Peter the subject of this sketch, Clifford, 
Harry, and Edwin. 

Peter H. Kennedy was reared and re- 
ceived his educational training in Winfield 
Township and has always followed farm- 
ing in a general way. 

In 1908 when twenty-five years of age 
he was united in marriage with Maud 
Moore, a daughter of Clarence and Kate 
(Albany) Moore, prominent farmers of 
Erie County, Pennsylvania. Three chil- 
dren have been born to our subject and 
his estimable wife — Marjorie, Dorothy, 
and Olive. 

The religious "connection of the family 
is with the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Cabot of which both Mr. and Mrs. Ken- 
nedy are active members. Fraternally the 
former is a member of the Winfield Grange 
No. 1105, the I. 0. 0. F. No. 496 and the 
Shenango Valley Lodge No. 387, Knights 
of Pythias. Mr. Kennedy is now serving 
as supervisor of Winfield Township. 

JOHN A. GILLILAND, justice of the 
peace, in Summit Township, resides on his 
fine farm of 125 acres, which is favorably 
located about three-fourths of a mile 
northeast of East Butler, on the line ad- 
joining Oakland Township. Mr. Gilliland 
was born on his present farm, November 
7, 1860, and is a son of Robert and Rebecca 
(Armstrong) Gilliland. 

John Gilliland, the grandfather of John 
A., was born in Ireland and came to Amer- 
ica in the spring of 1818 and in 1820 
he bought the ' present farm in Summit 
Township. In the ensuing fall he married 
and all of his children, with one exception, 
were born on this farm. He was a weaver 
by trade and engaged in this business for 
three years in Center Township, during 



which period his son James was born, and 
then returned to Summit Township, aud 
spent the remainder of his life on his old 
farm. 

Robert Gilliland, father of John A., was 
born on the same farm and here spent his 
life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He 
died April 25, 1894. He married Rebecca 
Armstrong, who was born near Perrys- 
ville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. 
Her father was Andrew Armstrong. Her 
mother died when she was a child and she 
came to Butler County, where she was a 
member of the family of her uncle, a 
farmer in Jetferson Township, until she 
reached maturity and then joined her 
father and step-mother at Allegheny City, 
where she remained until her marriage 
with Robert Gilliland. The four daughters 
and one sou born to this union all were 
born in Summit Township, on the present- 
farm. Mr. Gilliland was the second in the 
family, his sisters being: Mary E., Mar- 
garet Ellen, Isabella and Rachel Jane, all 
of whom have elected to remain unmar- 
ried. The mother survived the father for 
a number of years, her death taking place 
on September 28, 1903. 

John A. Gilliland attended the country 
schools during boyhood, and being the only 
son, has had the management of the farm 
ever since he was old enough to assume 
the responsibility. He carries on general 
farming and has one oil well on his place. 
The frame residence was built by the 
grandfather and at the time it was erected 
was considered a marvel of architecture, 
being the first frame house put up in all 
this section. The father of Mr. Gilliland 
erected the other buildings. Mr. Gilliland 
is serving in his ninth consecutive year as 
a justice of the peace, and few citizens are 
better known or more highly regarded. 
He is a member of the United Presbyte- 
rian Church at Butler. 

LESLIE R. HAZLETT, physician and 
surgeon, is engaged in the general practice 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



677 



of Ms profession at Butler, but makes a 
specialty of diseases of the eye, ear, uose 
aud throat. He was boru in Butler Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna., September 1, 
1868, being a son of Thomas J. and Mar- 
garet E. (Ramsey) Hazlett, who is now a 
citizen of Butler, retired from active labor. 
Thomas J. Hazlett was born in Allegheny 
County, Penna., in 1836, and came to But- 
ler County at the age of sixteen years. 
For many years he was engaged in farm- 
ing in this county. He is a veteran of the 
Civil "War, having enlisted in 1862 in Com- 
pany F, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth 
Pennsylvania Infantry, with which regi- 
ment he served until the close of the war, 
participating in all the battles of his regi- 
ment. October 5, 1865, he married Mar- 
garet Eliza, daugliter of William Ramsey, 
of Butler Township, Butler County. Five 
children — three boys and two girls — were 
born to this union, namely: Maiy Belle, 
Leslie Ramsey, Sarah Ella, Howard Clin- 
ton and William Lynn, all of whom are 
living except the youngest, William Lynn, 
who died January 24, 1902, while attend- 
ing the Baltimore Dental College at Balti- 
more, Maryland, a short time before his 
graduation. 

Leslie R. Hazlett spent bis early years 
on his father's farm and in attending the 
country schools. His literary education 
was subsequently continued at an academy 
at Connoquenessing, and still further ad- 
vanced by attendance at the State Normal 
School at Edinboro, where he was gradu- 
ated in 1890. For a while after his grad- 
uation he followed the occupation of 
teaching, successively in the Phillips 
School, in Penn Township, Butler County, 
the Parnassus School, Westmoreland 
County, of which he was principal, and in 
Allegheny County, where for two years he 
was principal of the Natrona Schools. He 
then entered upon the study of medicine 
in the old Jefferson Medical College at 
Philadelphia, and after pursuing the usual 
course, was graduated from that venerable 



seat of medical learning in 1896. He 
began practice at New Galilee, Beaver 
County, Pennsylvania, where he remained 
until 1902. He then took special courses 
at the Polyclinic College, Philadelphia, 
after which he located for further practice 
in Butler, of which city he has since been 
a resident. He is identified with both the 
County and State medical associations, 
and also belongs to the American Medical 
Association. In his professional life he 
aims to keep abreast of the times, and has 
met with gratifying success, having built 
up a lucrative practice. 

Dr. Hazlett is a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church. He has fraternal 
affiliations with the Odd Fellows, the 
Woodmen of the AVorld, and the Knights 
of Malta. 

ERHART LANG, one of Winfiekl 
Township's highh' respected citizens and 
owner of 153 acres of fine farming land, 
was born January 19, 1855, in Bavaria, 
Germany, and is a son of Lawrence and 
Anna (Reil) Lang. Mr. Lang's parents 
came to this country in 1882, locating in 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, where they 
both died. They had eight children, six 
of whom came to this country, five being 
residents of Pennsylvania and one of Wis- 
consin. They are Erhart, Andrew, Kate, 
Henrietta, Elizabeth, Adam, Margaret, 
and Eva. 

Erhart Lang was reared and educated 
in Germany and spent three years in the 
German army, serving as a private in the 
artillery. After coming to this country he 
was joined in marriage with Frederica 
Roenigk, who is a daughter of Christian 
and Hannah (Frank) Roenigk, well known 
.farmers of Butler County. There have 
been six children born to Mr. and ]\Irs. 
Lang, as follows : Andrew, who married 
Kate Zier, is the father of two children, 
Minnie and Edward J.; Adam, married 
Mary Doer and has one child, Milton Ed- 
ward; Frederick C, a resident of J\Iar- 



578 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



wood, luariied Laura Sassa and has two 
cliildren, Fred and Charles; Albert, Louis, 
and Tillie are all living at home. Mr. Lang 
and family are active members of the Ger- 
man Lutheran Church. Mr. Lang has al- 
ways engaged in agricultural pursuits and 
purchased his present farm of 153 acres in 
1885. He resides in a commodious two- 
story frame house. 

CHARLES SIDNEY PASSAVANT, 
JR., who is vice president of the First Na- 
tional Bank at Zelienople, is a man of 
more than usual prominence in his native 
city and has always been identified with 
the interests of this section. He was born 
February 21, 1871, at Zelienople, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Charles Sidney and Jane (Randolph) Pas- 
savant. 

Mr. Passavant doubtless has many rea- 
sons for feeling attached to and being 
proud of the prospering little city of his 
birth and residence, and one of these may 
be that the place was named in honor of 
his grandmother. His ancestors were the 
founders of the town, his grandfather, 
Philip Louis Passavant, settling in Jack- 
son Township, on the present site of Zeli- 
enople, prior to 1807. He was of French 
extraction but was boi-n at Frankfort-on- 
the-Main, Germany. In 1807 he founded 
a mercantile business which was continu- 
ously conducted for ninety-five years, by 
his immediate descendants. He continued 
its proprietor until 1840, then selling out 
to his son, Charles Sidney. Philip Louis 
Passavant married Miss Zelie Basse and 
through combining the musical name of 
Zelie with the German "nople," meaning 
town, the little settlement acquired its un- 
usual title. Philip Louis Passavant and 
wife spent the years of a long and happy 
companionship here and their remains rest 
in one of the quiet burial places of the 
town. The record of their children reads 
as follows: Charles Sidney; Detmar, who 
died at Pittsburg and was interred at 



Zelienople; William A., deceased, who was 
a Lutheran minister, and was buried at 
Zelienople; Emma, who married Rev. Sid- 
ney Jennings, died and is buried at Se- 
wickley, and Virginia, also buried • at 
Zelienople. 

Charles Sidney Passavant, Sr., was born 
at Zelienople, in 1817, and died in the same 
residence, in 1894. For a number of years 
he was associated with his brother Detmar, 
in a wholesale business at Pittsburg, from 
which he withdrew in 1840 and returned to 
Zelienople to take charge of the business 
from which his father was retiring, and 
he continued to conduct this store until 
his death, in 1894. His responsibilities 
were immediately assumed by his son, 
Charles Sidney, who, in turn, continued 
the operation of the same store until its 
destruction by fire, in 1902. The passing 
of this old landmark was very generally 
regretted for it had connected the begin- 
ning of the civilization of the place with 
the culture and business importance of the 
present. In all these years the Passavants 
had been leading factors in the town's de- 
velopment. The first Charles Sidney Pas- 
savant united himself by marriage with an- 
other of the old pioneer families of the 
place. His father-in-law, Edward Ran- 
dolph, served for many years as a justice 
of the peace and was a man of character 
and substance. To this marriage two chil- 
dren were born : Charles Sidney and Emma 
Virginia. 

Charles Sidney Passavant entered his 
father's store as an assistant, after he had 
completed his school course. In the spring 
of 1902 the property was destroyed by fire, 
after which came his association with the 
First National Bank. This, however, is 
but one of many interests, an important 
one being his connection with the Zelieno- 
ple Light and Power Company. He is also 
an active citizen, has worked steadily for 
the best civic conditions and at present is 
effectively serving as president of the 
Borough Council, in his second term of of- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



681 



fice. In his political views lie is a Repub- 
lican. 

In 1892 Mr. Passavant was married to 
Miss Lillian E. Tebay, who is a daughter of 
J. 11. Teba}% and they have two sons, 
Charles Sidney and James Louis, aged 
thirteen and seven years, respectively. The 
elegant family residence was erected by 
Mr. Passavant in 1895. It is of brick con- 
struction and is modern in every particu- 
lar. Mr. and Mrs. Passavant are members 
of the English Lutheran Church. His fra- 
ternal relations are with the Modern 
Woodmen of America and the Masons, in 
the latter organization belonging to Har- 
mony Lodge, No. 429. 

ANDREW 0. EBERHART, oil pro- 
ducer and general farmer, residing on his 
valuable property containing 240 acres, 
almost all of which is under cultivation, 
was born in Pairview Townshii), Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1851, 
and is a son of John and Catherine (Barn- 
hart) Eberhart. 

John Eberhart was born July 16, 1827, 
in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and was 
a young man when he moved to Millers- 
town. He learned the carpenter's trade, 
but the main business of his life was farm- 
ing and stock-raising. He was the organ- 
izer of Thalia Grange, Patrons of Hus- 
bandry, in his section and served as its 
chaplain from its founding until his death, 
which occurred August 11, 1885. In poli- 
tics he was a Republican and he served in 
the offices of school director and super- 
visor. On April 29, 1849, he married a 
daughter of Rudolph Barnhart, and they 
had eight children, the three who grew to 
maturity being: Andrew 0.; Lewis D., 
who resides at Big Bend, Virginia; and 
Jonathan, who died in August, 1907. The 
parents were members of the Reformed 
Church, the father being an elder. They 
were people of acknowledged piety and 
were sincerely esteemed. For many years 



the father taught singing school and was 
chorister in the church. 

The Eberhart family can be traced very 
far back, even to A. D. 850, but no com- 
plete record goes farther than 1266, when 
an Eberhart became bishop of Constance. 
Since then the family has been distributed 
through the centuries all over the German 
Empire and the United States, the gen- 
eral religious trend being to the Lutheran 
Church. 

The great-great-grandfather was Paul 
Eberhart. His son, Christian Eberhart, 
was born March 9, 1772, in what is now 
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and in 1773 
was taken to Westmoreland County, where 
he was reared. He married Anna Marie 
Snyder, born in 1773 and died in 1849. 
When he married. Christian Eberhart 
moved to his farm which was situated 
seven miles from Greensburg and lived 
there until his death in 1839. He was a 
member and an official in the Lutheran 
Church. 

Joseph Eberhart, grandfather of An- 
drew 0., was born in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1800. By 
trade he was a tailor. In 1854 he emi- 
grated to Kansas, where he engaged in 
farming and also preached in the Lutheran 
Church, labored as a Bible agent and held 
many clmrchly offices. He married Katie 
Kiester, who was born January 4, 1805, 
and died in Kansas, December 21, 1885. 

Andrew 0. Eberhart was reared in Fair- 
view Township and after he completed his 
school attendance, he worked at the car- 
penter's trade for several years and also 
engaged in farming. After his marriage 
he moved to Butler Township and settled 
on a farm adjoining his present one, buy- 
ing the latter and moving on it, in 1887. 
With the assistance of his sons he culti- 
vates almost the entire acreage. The sons 
make a specialty of fruits, potatoes and 
garden truck. The farm has three or- 
chards, producing many apples, while a 



682 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



markcl is auinially found for 123 bushels 
of strawberries. In 1873 Mr. Eberliart be- 
eaine lirsl iiiteicsted in the oil business, in 
Donegal and Fairview Townships, and has 
continued ever since and now is concerned 
in six producing wells. 

March 11, 1873, Mr. Eberliart was mar- 
ried to Mary E. Baruhart, who is a daugh- 
ter of Philip Barnhart, of Fairview Town- 
ship. They have the following children: 
Tessie Terilla, an accompli shed musician, 
who is the organist of St. John's ifeformed 
Church; Jeremiah A., residing on the 
farm, on April 24, 1907, married Emily 
Miller; Henry Harrison married Mae 
Sharrar September 30, 1908, lives on the 
home farm; and Etta E. After locating 
on liis present farm, Mr. Eberhart was 
elected a deacon in St. John's Church and 
later served as an elder for a number of 
years. With his sons lie belongs to the 
East End Hose Company Drum Corps. 
As he taught music to bands for a long 
period, and' during the Civil War played 
much martial music, he very ably fills the 
place of almost any musician in local musi- 
cal organizations. In politics, he is a Re- 
publican and has served as school director, 
constable, and for two and one-half terms 
as jury comiliissiouer. He belongs to the 
Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs, the Royal 
Arcanum of Butler, of which lie was a 
charter member, and while he resided in 
Fairview Township was a member of the 
Grange. For twenty-five years Mr. Eber- 
hart was a director of St." Paul's Orphan 
Home. He assisted in. getting the right of 
way for the Butler and New Castle electric 
line through this township, and a station 
has been established on his farm known 
as Eberhart Station. 

CHARLES B. WULLER, a leading 
business citizen of East Butler, where he 
carries on a drug business, is a man of 
ex])(Mience in this line, having been identi- 
fied with it ever since leaving school. He 
was l)oi'n in Butler. Pennsylvania. August 



13, 1868, and is a son of J. J I. and Johanna 
(Keifer) Wnller. The parents of Mr. 
AVuller were natives of Germany. They 
came to America and resided at Butler, 
where the father was a professor of music 
and also a dealer in real estate. 

Charles B.' Wuller attended the public 
schools of Butler until he went to work 
for his brother, J. L. Wuller, who was pro- 
prietor of what is now the Crystal Phar- 
macy, with whom he remained for four 
years, in the meanwhile qualifying as a 
druggist. He then entered into partner- 
ship with Dr. J. F. Moore, operating a 
drug store of the name of the Springdale 
drug store, in 1887, and later bought and 
conducted the business for himself. He 
then sold a half interest to C. J. Harvey, 
they later selling out to J. L. McKee. 
Later he conducted the store of his brother, 
D. H. W^uller, for two years, for the Wuller 
estate and then came to East Butler and 
started his present business in December^ 
1907. His building is a commodious one, 
two stories in height, with basement, the 
latter of which is utilized for a lunch room 
and barber shop. The location is on the 
corner of Broadway and Tenth Street. 
Mr. Wuller uses the corner for his drug- 
store, the adjoining room for a grocery 
store and he rents the upi^er floor as a 
flat for living purposes. 

Mr. Wuller married Mary C. Redd and 
they have one son, John H., who is a liright 
boy at school. Mr. and Mrs. Wuller are 
members of St. Paul's Catholic Church. 
He belongs to the fi'aternal order of Wood- 
men of the World and js a charter member 
of Keystone Camp, No. 8. 

R. S. PENFIELD, A.M., county super- 
intendent of schools of Butler County, is 
a well-known <>ducator who has been iden- 
tified with the school and literary inter- 
ests of Butler County for some twelve 
years. Professor Penfield was born June 
10, 1868, in Crawford County, Pennsyl- 
vania. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



683 



After completing the common and high 
school course in his native place, Mr. Pen- 
field entered the Edinboro State Normal 
School, where he was graduated in 1889 
and from there went to Allegheny College 
at Meadville, Pennsylvania, and later 
Grove City College and was graduated 
from the latter institution in 1899. He be- 
gan teaching when seventeen years old, 
and with the exception of the years during 
which he has been himself a student, he 
has continued in the educational field ever 
since. For five years he was superintend- 
ent of the schools of Linesville, for three 
years was principal of the Cochranton 
schools (both of Crawford County, Penn- 
eylvania), from 1897-8 he was instructor 
in Latin in the Edinboro State Normal 
School, for six years was principal of the 
Chicora High School and is serving in his 
second term as county superintendent for 
Butler County. As opportunity offered, 
he also spent about eighteen months study- 
ing law under the direction of Attorney 
Frank M. Ray, at Meadville. He is a mem- 
ber of the Pennsylvania State Educational 
Association; of the Round Table Associa- 
tion of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern 
Ohio ; was one of the founders of the Inter- 
State Summer School of Methods, and for 
two years was identified with the Conne- 
aut Lake Summer School of Pedagogy. To 
all these organizations. Professor Penfield 
has contributed of his intellect, his knowl- 
edge, culture and experience and he has 
the pleasant consciousness that in all he 
has done he has encouraged higher stand- 
ards and wherever he has been has left 
warm personal friends behind. 

In 1892 Professor Penfield was married 
to Miss Anna M. Brown, of Linesville, 
Pennsylvania, and they have two children : 
Williard E. and Gertrude M. They are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in which he is very active. Since 
1906 he has been president of the Butler 
County Sabbath School Association, and 



while he resided at Chicora lie served as 
one of the church stewards. His fraternal 
connection is with the Odd Fellows. 

HUGH G. STEELE, a well-known citi- 
zen of Butler County and a member of the 
firm of Steele Brothers, prominent oil pro- 
ducers, with headquarters at Bruin, was 
born in Perry Township, Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1868, 
and is a son of Samuel C. and Phoebe 
(Snow) Steele. 

The parents of Mr. Steele were natives 
of Armstrong County and for many years 
were substantial farming people there. 
The father died in 1897 and his surviving 
children are as follows: Jemima, who is 
the wife of J. W. Miller, of New Castle; 
A. C, who resides in Parker Township; 
Sadie, who is the wife of D. P. Emeiy, of 
Butler; Nancy, who is the wife of R. W. 
Shakeley, of Fairview Township; Julia, 
who is the wife of E. J. Delaney, of Arm- 
strong County ; Hugh G. ; Edward J., who 
resides at Bruin; and Maud, who is the 
wife of L. W. Miller, of Kaylor, Armstrong 
County, 

Hugh G. Steele grew up on his father's 
farm in Perry Township and continued in 
agricultural pursuits until he came to But- 
ler County, since which time he has been 
engaged in oil production. He has resided 
at Bruin since 1898 and is serving as pres- 
ident of the borough council, having been 
a member of this body for several consecu- 
tive years. 

Mr. Steele married Miss Nettie Hillard, 
a daughter of the late John Hillard, for- 
merly a well-known resident of Karns City, 
Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. Steele are 
members of the Presbyterian Church at 
Bruin and his activity as a Sunday-school 
worker is shown in his consenting to serve 
as assistant superintendent and also as 
treasurer. In his attitude on public ques- 
tions, Mr. Steele is a strong prohibitionist 
and sees much to encourage the advocates 



684 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of temperance in the change that has re- 
cently come over the comitry concerning 
this great moral question. 

ANDREW J. LANG, one of the most 
successful of the younger generation of 
farmers and business men of Winfield 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
is the owner of a valuable farm of 100 
acres about two miles east of Cabot on the 
Winfield, Furnace and Saxon Street Rail- 
way. He comes of a prominent old family 
of the eounty, and was born on the old 
homestead in Winfield Township, January 
10, 1882. He is a son of Erhart and Fred- 
erica (Roenigk) Lang, and grandson of 
Lawrence and Anna (Eeil) Lang. 

Lawrence Lang and his wife, with six 
of their eight children, emigrated to Amer- 
ica and located in Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, all of them being natives of Ger- 
many. Erhart Lang, father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was born in Bavaria, 
Germany, January 19, 1856, and was for 
three years a soldier of the German Army. 
He now resides on a farm of 153 acres in 
Winfield Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and fuller mention of him and 
his family may be found on another page 
of this work. 

Andrew J. Lang was reared on the home 
farm and received a good educational 
training in the public schools. He has al- 
ways engaged in farming, and his estate 
of 100 acres is one of the best improved in 
this vicinity; he erected a new two-story 
frame house and has a good, substantial 
barn and other necessary outbuildings. At 
the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Lang 
was united in marriage with Miss Katie 
Zier, a daughter of George and Eachael 
Zier, of Butler County, and they have one 
daughter, Minnie, and one son, Edward J. 
Religiously, they are members of the Ger- 
man Lutheran Church. 

ANDREW YOST, whose excellent farm 
of ninety-three acres on which he resides 



is situated in Summit Township, was born 
on a second farm of thirty-three acres, 
which he also owns, in Summit Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, December 
26, 1843. He is a son of Jacob and Annie 
Catherine (Knouse) Yost. 

Jacob Yost was born in Germany and 
remained there until a young man, when 
he came to Butler County. He met Annie 
Catherine Knouse in Summit Township 
and they were married here. She was also 
a native of Germany and had been brought 
to Butler County in girlhood. Jacob Yost 
acquired a farm of sixty-five acres on 
which he started housekeeping with his 
bride. Later he divided his farm with his 
brother-in-law, Andrew Knouse, retaining 
thirty-three acres for himself. There 
Jacob Yost and wife reared their family 
and continued to live until death. Mrs. 
Yost died in 1866 and he survived her but 
.two years. Their children were: Mary, 
who "died aged nine years ; Catherine, who 
is the widow of Mathias Keck, lives in But- 
ler; Jacob, who served in the Civil War, 
returned home in 1865 only to leave again 
and has never since been heard from ; and 
Andrew. 

Andrew Yost continued to live on the 
home farm and to entirely manage it as 
his father grew older, and also learned the 
carjienter trade, at which he worked for 
fourteen years. During this time he built 
many houses and barns through Butler 
County. In 1877 he bought the old Mc- 
Curdy farm and moved on it in the same 
year and immediately began to improve the 
place. In 1881 he built his handsome and 
comfortable residence and has gradually 
done other improving and has now one of 
the very best farms in Summit Township. 
He cultivates the larger part of his land 
and finds the soil very productive. 

Mr. Yost married Elizabeth Barbara 
Rettig, who is a daughter of Adam Rettig, 
and they have a family of seven children 
and a number of grandchildren : Edward 
Adam, the eldest son, residing at Butler, 




JOHN C. KELLEY 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



687 



married Emma Frederick, and they have 
three children — Irvin Andrew, Philbert 
Gottleib and Carl Adam. Annie, the eld- 
est daughter, married Charles Frederick 
and they have three children — Verna Bar- 
bara, Irene Edith and Earl Edward. Will- 
iam and Ida live at home, the former work- 
ing at the carpenter trade. Nora is the 
wife of Henry Grover Miller and they re- 
side at Herman. The youngest daughter 
and son, Gertrude and Albert, both reside 
at home. The family belong to the Lu- 
theran Church. Mr. Yost has always taken 
an interest in educational matters and he 
has sei'ved for six years as a school di- 
rector. 

WILLIAM FOSTER, architect, with of- 
fices at No. 223 South Main Street, But- 
ler, has been a resident of this^ city for 
eighteen years and is thoroughly identi- 
fied with its interests. He was born in 
1860, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 
where he was reared and educated. 

Wlien it became necessary, after leav- 
ing school, to select the tools for a subse- 
quest business success, Mr. Foster did not 
at once turn his attention to the profession 
in . which he at present is a recognized 
leader. He found the carpenter's trade 
one in which he could take an interest, and 
after completing his apprenticeship, he 
worked for two years prior to 1890, when 
he came first to Butler, in a mill in Frank- 
lin, Pennsylvania. After reaching this 
city he entered the planing mill of the S. 
G. Purvis Company, where he continued 
for eight and one-half years, after which 
he worked for four and one-half years in 
the Freeport planing mill at Freeport, 
Pennsylvania. Mr. Foster then returned 
to Butler and worked in a planing mill for 
three years, in the meanwhile devoting 
himself to the study of architecture. This 
natural taste he easily cultivated and the 
large amount of satisfactory work that he 
has done at Butler and throughout the 
county, gives testimony to both his indus- 



try and ability. Among the principal 
buildings for which he has made the plans 
may be mentioned: the Schultz & Koch 
Building, the Ralston Block, the Clinton 
Hotel, the Keystone Hotel, the Atlas Hotel, 
the Reed Building, on the corner of New 
Castle Street and Fourth Avenue, St. 
Paul's Church, the Hall Building, six busi- 
ness blocks in Lyndora, the Slavonic Par- 
sonage, Dr. Britton's Block, the T. W. 
Phillips residence, and numerous othei'S. 
In all these structures the taste and ap- 
propriateness of the designs have resulted 
in buildings which are ornaments to the 
city. 

In 1880 Mr. Foster was married to Miss 
Mary McDonald, of Mercer County, and 
they have eight children, namely: Olive, 
who is the wife of C. W. Floyd, of Home- 
stead, Pennsylvania; 0. W., residing at 
Butler; Mary A., who married M. F. In- 
graham, of Butler; John C, who is asso- 
ciated with his father; and Estella, Eliza- 
beth, Alvin and Margaret. Mr. Foster is 
a Republican in his political sentiments. 
In his fraternal relations he belongs to 
the Protected Home Circle and the Wood- 
men of the World. 

JOHN C. KELLEY, one of Butler 
County's leading citizens, an oil operator, 
farmer, stock buyer and formerly commis- 
sioner of the county, was born in Slippery 
Rock Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, February 13, 1840, and is a son of 
Samuel and Eliza (McKee) Kelley. 

Samuel Kelley, father of John C, was 
born in County Down, Ireland, December 
25, 1800. When he was eighteen years old 
he started to America, which he reached 
after six months on the Atlantic Ocean, in 
a sailing vessel, and came to Mercer Town- 
ship, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where 
he found a home with James George. He 
soon was given employment on the Erie 
Canal, then in course of construction, and 
he worked his way up, ceaselessly and 
faithfully, until he became a contractor 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and served as such both on the Erie and 
Johnstown Canals. After the completion 
of these public works, Samuel Kelley re- 
tired to a large farm in Slippery Rock 
Township, in which he had invested his 
earnings, and lived there until 1865, when 
he sold it to advantage and bought 160 
acres of land, in Butler Township, of 
which John C. Kelley 's farm is a part. 
He carried on farming and stock-raising 
and throughout the greater part of his 
life held some local office. He was a strong 
Democrat and always interested in public 
matters, but the offices to which he was 
elected came to him entirely unsolicited. 
His death occurred on his farm on April 
1, 1880. He was very charitable to the 
poor and his judgments during the time 
he served as a justice of the peace were 
tempered with mercy. He married a 
daughter of Richard McKee, of Muddy 
Creek Township in 1831, and eight of 
their children reached maturity, namely: 
David M., deceased; Catherine J., wife of 
F. M. Shira, of Parker Township; Eliza- 
beth J., deceased, married I. J. McCand- 
less; Samuel R., residing at New Castle; 
John C. ; Agnes, deceased, married A. 
Perry Stewart; Margaret A., wife of Dr. 
K. M. Kreecorian, a physician residing in 
Farnam, Nebraska ; and William C. While 
living in Slippery Rock Township, Sam- 
uel Kelley was a member of Harmony 
Church, at Harrisville, but in later years 
he was connected with Shiloh United Pres- 
byterian Church of Jefferson Township. 

John C. Kelley spent his boyhood in 
Slippery Rock Township. After complet- 
ing his school attendance, he learned the 
carpentei- and millwright trades and fol- 
lowed these until 1865, when he went to 
Adams Township, where he bought a farm 
on which he settled in 1867. Mr. Kelley 
resided on that farm until in the spring of 
1885, when he purchased his present farm 
of 100 acres. Mr. Kelley engages prac- 
tical men to do his farming and to look 
after his oil interests here, having thirteen 



producing wells on his estate. Mr. Kelley 
owns four other farms in Adams Town- 
ship, and both his farm and oil interests 
are large. 

Mr. Kelley has always been an active 
citizen. During the Civil War he was out 
with the militia during the Morgan raid 
and suffered loss and hardship at that 
time. He was reared a Democrat and has 
been a consistent supporter of the policies, 
principles and candidates of that party. 
He has served in the offices of school di- 
rector, auditor, assessor, collector, justice 
of the peace (four successive terms), and 
two terms as county commissioner, being 
elected first in 1884 and re-elected in 1887. 
During this period the new court house 
was built in Butler County and other 
needed public improvements were made, 
without any undue tax being levied on the 
citizens. For twenty years prior to 1908, 
he served as a justice of the peace in But- 
ler Township, and he has settled many dif- 
ticult cases by the exercise of his good 
judgment, in this way often promoting 
peace in the family and neighborhood. Be- 
fore the County Home was established, 
many paupers and indigent persons were 
brought before him. Mr. Kelley has been 
a very loyal supporter of his party and 
has contributed liberally for campaign 
purposes and at the same time has done 
effective work. He has attended a num- 
ber of the National conventions and has 
been on the electoral ticket. 

In 1865 Mr. Kelley was married to 
Nancy C. Gillespie, who was a daughter 
of Capt. Alexander Gillespie, of Cran- 
berry Township, Butler County. Mrs. 
Kelley was born in September, 1844, and 
died December 12, 1905. From the age of 
thirteen years she had been a consistent 
member of the United Presbyterian 
Church. She was the beloved mother of 
six children, namely: Olive Josephine, 
who married C. D. Bole, residing at Mari- 
etta, Ohio; Alexander G., who lives at De- 
catur, Indiana; Minerva E. (Kelley) Bole, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



689 



who resides in Butler; Mrs. Mary I. Ken- 
neth, who lives at Jackson, Michigan; 
Nancy R., who is the wife of Ernest H. 
Croueuwett, residing at Butler; and Clar- 
ence H., who also lives at Butler. The 
only grandchild of Mr. Kelley is John C. 
BoJe, who is the son of his second daugh- 
ter. 

JAMES S. FOLLETT, oil producer and 
farmer, whose residence is located in the 
pleasant horough of Bruin, owns 100 acres 
of land, twenty-five of which are located 
in the borough of Bruin and seventy-five 
in Parker Township, on which oil is pro- 
duced. He was born at Warren, Pennsyl- 
vania, August 12, 1851, and is a son of 
Rathbon and Jane (Early) Follett. 

The parents of Mr. Follett were both na- 
tives of Machias, Cattaraugus County, 
New York. 

James S. Follett was twelve years old 
when bis parents took him to New York, 
and he obtained his education there, at- 
tending an academy at Arcade for a time. 
He was little more than a boy when he be- 
gan his connection with the oil industry, 
with which he has been ever since con- 
nected in some way and for a number of 
years has been a producer of oil. In 1881 
he located on his farm at Bruin and has 
here engaged in agriculture, taking pleas- 
ure in cultivating and improving it. 

Mr. Follett married Miss Ella Smith, 
who was born in Warren County, Penn- 
sylvania, a daughter of the late Caleb 
Smith, of Cherry Township, Butler 
County. They have two children: Jennie 
M., who is the wife of Geoi'ge Keisselring, 
of Marietta, Ohio; and Florence M., who 
resides with her parents at Bruin. The 
elder daughter is a graduate of the Slip- 
pery Rock State Normal School and also 
of the Schumaker School of Elocution, of 
Philadelphia, and prior to her marriage, 
she was a very acceptable and popular 
teacher. Mr. Follett and family belong to 
the Methodist Episcopal Church at Petro- 



lia, in which he has served for many years 
as trustee and treasurer. He belongs to 
the Maccabee Lodge at Petrolia. His 
political adherence is given to the Prohi- 
bition party. Mr. Follett is a self-made 
man, in youth having many disadvantages 
to overcome, and his present position is en- 
tirely the result of his own efforts. 

Mr. Follett paid the expenses of Elisha 
Solomon, a native of India, who graduated 
from the Baralia Theological Seminary at 
Baralia, India, and who is now preaching 
in that country. After graduating he 
added to his name that of E'oUett, making 
it Elisha Solomon Follett, and he also de- 
frayed the expenses of Panchmu in the 
same school in India, who is also preaching 
in India, both preaching to the heathen na- 
tives. 

JOHN H. HERRIT, one of Summit 
Township's representative citizens, resides 
on his valuable farm of fifty acres, which 
is situated about three and one-half miles 
east of Butler, on the old State road. Mr. 
Herrit was born on his present farm, Au- 
g-ust 6, 1866, and is a son of John and 
Margaret (Binsack) Herrit. 

John Herrit was born in America, but 
his father, Conrad Herrit, was a native of 
Germany. John Herrit acquired the pres- 
ent farm in Summit Township and died on 
it about 1872. His widow subsequently 
married Fred Oertel and they reside in 
Summit Township. Of the father's five 
children, four survive, namely: John H., 
Christian, Adam, and Lizzie, who is the 
wife of Christopher Zellsman. The father 
and the youngest child died at the same 
time, of smallpox. 

John H. Herrit was reared on the home 
farm and attended the country schools. 
With the exception of several years, dur- 
ing which he conducted a butcher shop at 
Butler, Mr. Herrit has devoted himself to 
the business of farming, making it profit- 
able. He has been one of the active poli- 
ticians of his township and for about 



690 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



twenty years served as township auditor 
and at present is serving in liis third term 
as township collector. He is a man in whom 
his fellow citizens can place reliance. 

Mr. Herrit married Anna Miller, a 
daughter of Nicholas Miller, and they have 
five children, all bright and unusually at- 
tractive, to whom Mr. Herrit is giving 
every advantage in his power. They bear 
these names : Raymond, Gilmore, Mabel, 
Twila, and Freda. Mr. Herrit is one of 
the leading members of the German Lu- 
theran Church. 

ANDREW C. ROSEBAUGH, general 
farmer and dairyman, resides on his valu- 
able farm of ninety acres, which is situ- 
ated in Adams Township, right on the 
electric railroad line, twelve miles south of 
Butler. He was born on his father's farm 
in Lancaster Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, September 23, 1863, and is 
a son of George and Mary (Kelley) Rose- 
baugh. 

The Rosebaugh family can easily estab- 
lish its claim to being one of the oldest in 
Butler County. The great-grandparents, 
accompanied by their son George, came to 
America from Germany and secured a 
tract of 500 acres of "land in Lancaster 
Township, Butler County, when the whole 
surrounding cormtry was a wilderness. 
Grandfather George Rosebaugh spent the 
remainder of his life on the pioneer farm, 
dying when aged fifty-eight years. He 
married a Miss Dunn, who was born in 
America, and they had eight children, six 
of whom are deceased. The two survivors 
are : George, the father of Andrew C. ; and 
Ellen, who is the wife of Dr. O'Neil, who 
resides in Kansas. 

George Rosebaugh the second, was born 
on what is now known as the Croft farm, 
in Lancaster Township, Butler County, 
June 21, 1824, grew to manhood there and 
in the course of time, in association with 
his brother Thomas, who later moved to 
Kansas, came into possession of the home 
farm. He has been twice married. The 



first wife left four children, namely: 
Amanda, wife of Alexander Hayes; Ellen, 
wife of James McNeese; Elizabeth, wife of 
AVilliam Spence; and George, who died 
young. Air. Rosebaugh married Mary 
Kelly for his second wife. She was born 
in 1833, in Lancaster Township, Butler 
County. There were the following chil- 
dren born to this marriage: Anna, wife 
of Christ Gelbach; Ida, wife of AV. Dale; 
Andrew C; Isaac N., who died in 1905; 
Sadie and Maggie, twins, the former of 
whom is the wife of J. A. Kennedy and the 
latter of W. J. Renison ; and Alice, who is 
the wife of Charles Bunting. George Rose- 
baugh continued to live on the home farm 
for a time and then sold it and purchased 
164 acres in Adams Township, which he 
subsequently turned over to his sons and 
retired to Mars, where he and wife reside. 
They are members of the United Presby- 
terian Church. Mr. Rosebaugh is deeply 
interested in the cause of Prohibition and 
much encouraged by the present attitude 
of the i3ublic on this important subject. 

Andrew C. Rosebaugh was about two 
years old when his parents settled in 
Adams Township, where his life ever since 
has been spent. He was married August 
17, 1887, to Emma Rowan, who is a daugh- 
ter of Matthew and Nancy Rowan, of Penn 
Township, and they have three children: 
Edna L., Frank H., and Laura E. Mr. 
Rosebaugh is a general farmer, growing 
grain and vegetables, but he makes a spe- 
cialty of raising potatoes and of making 
butter. He markets 700 bushels of fine po- 
tatoes a year and his output of first class 
butter amounts to forty pounds a week. 
In his political views he is a Republican. 
With his wife he belongs to the Presbyte- 
rian Church. 

WILLIAM A. SWAIN, a leading busi- 
ness citizen of Zelienople, engaged in the 
hardware line, was bom in Jackson Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, Febru- 
ary 14, 1869, and "is a son of William G. 
and Sarah (Sechler) Swain. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



691 



The Swains are among the old settlers 
of Butler County. Samuel Swain, the 
grandfather, was born in 1800, in Mary- 
land, and came with his parents to Butler 
County, in 1818. They rest in the old 
cemetery at Zelienople. The Sechlers also 
were established in this section in the days 
of the grandfather, Jacob Sechler, who was 
born in Eastern Pennsylvania. He owned 
a farm and operated a mill within a half 
mile of Harmony. His last years were 
spent at the home of his son-in-law, Mr. 
Zeigler, in Jackson Township. On the pa- 
ternal side four sons and two daughters 
reached maturity: A. A., S. L., G. D., Will- 
iam G.,. Mrs. Margaret Hallestine, and Mrs. 
Maria Donelly, the latter of whom resides 
at Pittsburg. The maternal grandparents 
had the following children who reached ma- 
ture life: Jacob, residing in Venaugo 
County; Abraham, residing in Lawrence 
County; Michael, a resident of Missouri; 
John, who is deceased; Mrs. Gottleib 
Burry, living in Medina County, Ohio ; Mrs. 
John Burry, who is deceased; Mrs. H. M. 
Zeigler, residing at Zelienople; Mrs. W. J. 
Bartley, residing at Butler; Elizabeth, who 
is deceased; and Sarah, the mother of Mr. 
Swain. She was born in Jackson Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1839, 
and still survives. 

William Gellert Swain was born in 1837, 
on the farm in Jackson Township, where 
almost all of his life was spent and where 
he died in 1893, aged fifty-six years. Seven 
years of his life he lived in Beaver County 
and all of it was devoted to agricultural 
pursuits. The children of William G. 
Swain and wife were: Mrs. A. Sitler, of 
Zelienople; Miss Ellen M., residing at 
home ; and William A. 

William A. Swain was educated in the 
common and high school at Zelienople and 
for ten years taught school, meeting with 
success in this field, for he was interested 
in his work and was able to interest as well 
as instruct others. He also gave consider- 
able time and attention to sui'veying. In 



1903 he entered into the hardware business 
at Zelienople, being treasurer of the Zelie- 
nople Hardware Company, a prospering 
business enterprise of this place, and the 
largest concern of its kind in this section. 
In his political views, Mr. Swain votes 
with the Democratic party on national is- 
sues, but in local affairs he casts an inde- 
pendent ballot. He is a member of Har- 
mony Lodge No. 648, Odd Fellows; of 
Harmony Lodge No. 311, Knights of Pyth- 
ias; and of the Royal Arcanum, also of 
Harmony. He has membership in the Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church at Zelienople. 

JOHN F. ANDERSON, one of Butler's 
representative citizens, who, for many 
years has been a prominent figure among 
business men in this section, being identi- 
fied with many large enterprises, especially 
being active as an operator in oil and gas, 
was born February 14, 1852, at Mt. Chest- 
nut, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of the late James D. Anderson. 

James D. Anderson was born in Ireland 
and when he came to America he made his 
way to Butler County, Pennsylvania, set- 
tling on a large tract of land near the vil- 
lage of Prospect. Later he moved to Penn 
Township, locating there in 1865 and from 
that township he was elected register and 
recorder of Butler County, in 1876, on the 
Democratic ticket. For years he was very 
prominent in local politics. He followed 
farming and also engaged in merchandiz- 
ing. 

John F. Anderson was reared in Butler 
County and obtained his education in the 
public schools and Witherspoon Institute. 
For several subsequent years he taught 
school in Butler and Allegheny Counties 
and then turned his attention to merchan- 
dizing, in 1883 opening a store at Renfrew, 
which he conducted until 1888, when he 
came to Butler. He soon became inter- 
ested in the Home Natural Gas Company 
as one of its directors, and at present he 
is connected with munerous successful busi- 



692 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ness organizations of various kinds. He 
is ijresident of the board of directors of 
the Patterson Natural Gas Company, presi- 
dent of the natural gas company that sup- 
plies Evans Citj^, a director and stock- 
holder in the Standard Plate Glass Com- 
pany, a director and secretary of the East 
Butler Land and Improvement Company, a 
stockholder in the Butler Savings and 
Trust Company, and a stockholder and 
manager of the firm of Sprang & Company. 
He is an active citizen in the sense of en- 
deavoring to secure good city government 
and unproved conditions, but he is no poli- 
tician. He votes with the Democratic 
party. 

In 1883 Mr. Anderson was married to 
Miss lona M. Heap, of Colorado Springs, 
and they have two sons, Frank Carl and 
James G., the former of whom is a gradu- 
ate of Lehigh University, and the latter a 
student in the graduating'class of the Mer- 
cersburg Academy, being a graduate of the 
Butler High School. Mr. Anderson and 
family belong to the Fii'st Presbyterian 
Church, in which body he belongs to the 
Session and is also superintendent of the 
Sunday school. 

CHARLES SCHOENFELD, who has 
been a resident of Bruin since 1896, and 
of Parker Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, since 1875, is a well known oil 
producer and has been identified with the 
oil industry since 1865. He is a Prussian 
by birth, the date thereof being May 2, 
1833, and is a son of Gottlieb Schoenfeld, 
who lived and died in Prussia. 

Mr. Schoenfeld was reared to manhood 
in his native land, received his education 
in the common schools, and for three years 
was in the service of the German army. 
•He there learned and followed the trade of 
a carpenter. In 1859 he set sail from Ham- 
burg in a sailing vessel, and after a voyage 
of thirty-two days landed in New York 
City. He worked at his trade at Albany 
ancl Buffalo, New York, until 1865, when 
he was carried by the oil excitement to 



Venango County, Pennsylvania. The fol- 
lowing year he became an oil producer and 
has continued as such more or less ever 
since. He is a man of wide acquaintance 
through this section, and is most highly 
esteemed. 

May 3, 1861, at Buffalo, New York, 
Charles Schoenfeld was married to Miss 
Charlotte Schmidt, who was born in Ger- 
many in 184-(), and in 1859 aceonii>aiiied an 
aunt to the United States. Five children 
were born to them, as follows : Catherine, 
wife of James Young of Cattaraugus 
County, New York; Elizabeth, wife of Will- 
iam L. Fuher of Pittsburg; Charles H. ; 
William; and Charlotte V., wife of Rev. 
William Fleming, who is pastor of the 
Presbyterian church at Clarion, Pennsyl- 
vania. Charles H. and Wm. Schoenfeld 
make oil their special business, both being 
drillers. Charles H. Schoenfeld drilled the 
largest well that was ever brought in in 
Pennsylvania, producing over fourteen 
thousand barrels daily, for Joseph Hart- 
man (deceased), of Butler National Bank. 
In religious attachment, the subject of this 
sketch and his wife are members of the 
Presbyterian Church at Bruin, of which he 
has served as trustee. In political affilia- 
tion, he is a Republican. 

DAVID L. CLEELAND, jeweler and 
optician at Butler, with location at No. 
125 South Main Street, is one of the older 
business men of the city, with which he 
has been identified for almost thirty years, 
developing in the meantime, a large and 
important enterprise from a small begin- 
ning. Mr. Cleeland was born in Perry 
Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 
in June, 1855. 

Mr. Cleeland was educated in Perry 
Township and at Sandy Lake College, and 
after leaving school worked until he was 
nineteen years of age, in a grist mill. He 
then entered the employ of J. R. Snyder, 
and with him learned the watchmaker's 
trade, serving an apprenticeship of three 




DAVID L. CLEELAXD 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



695 



years and contiuued at Harrisville until 
1881, when he came to Butlex". At that 
time the present wide-spreading city had 
not more than 4,500 population and Mr. 
Cleeland's business beginning as jeweler 
and watchmaker was in accord, but he has 
prospered equally with the growth of the 
city in numbers, wealth and luxury, and 
now owns an establishment and stock of 
goods that would do credit to a metropoli- 
tan center anywhere. He continued alone 
in business vmtil 1888, when W. E. Ralston 
became a partner and the firm of Cleeland 
& Ealston continued in business until Sep- 
tember, 1893, when the partnership was 
dissolved and since then Mr. Cleeland has 
been alone. He is a graduated optician and 
has always made a specialty of optical 
goods. In 1888 he received one certificate 
from the Julius King Optical Company, at 
Cleveland, as to his efficiency ; and in 1896 
he took a post-graduate course in New 
York, receiving a second certificate, and 
in 1890 he passed his examination before 
the State Board of Opticians, receiving his 
certificate as dioptrician. Mr. Cleeland is 
one of the board of directors of the Farm- 
ers' National Bank. 

On November 14, 1878, Mr. Cleeland was 
married to Miss Flora Cubbison, of Mer- 
cer Couutv, Pennsylvania, and they have 
five sons:" Earl C., Frank W.. Roy A., 
Carl L., and David L., Jr. The eldest 
son. Rev. Earl C, is a Presbyterian min- 
ister, who has spent some years as a pro- 
fessor in a Presbyterian College situated 
at Canton, China. Frank W. is engaged 
in a real estate business at Pittsburg. Roy 
A. is an engraver, with the Marsh, Brown, 
Mather Company, wholesale jewelers at 
Pittsburg. Carl L. is in the first year of 
High School at Butler and the youngest 
son is a bright student in the Grammar 
School. Mr. Cleeland and wife are mem- 
bers of the Second Presbyterian Church 
at Butler, of which they, with Dr. J. E. 
Byers and Robert A. "VAHiite, were the or- 
ganizers. He is a member of the Session 



and is active in everything pertaining to 
its affairs. Fraternally he is an Odd Fel- 
low, belonging to the lower order and also 
to the Encamj)ment. He has ever been 
an earnest, useful citizen and is sei'ving 
as a member of the Butler Board of 
Health. 

CHARLES A. SMITH, who in partner- 
ship with Mr. J. C. Logan, conducts a large 
general store at Cabot, Butler County, 
Pennsj'lvania, is also postmaster of the vil- 
lage, having served in that capacity for a 
period of twenty-two years. The store 
was started in a small way as early as 
1887, and was from time to time enlarged 
to meet the demands of trade until at the 
present time four clerks are employed ; the 
stock carried is large and complete and is 
probably not equaled in this part of Penn- 
sylvania in a town of the same size. 

Mr. Smith was born May 25, 1853, about 
one mile and a half east of the village of 
Cabot, and is a son of Robert and Mary 
(Clark) Smith. His grandfather, Hugh 
Smith, came to Butler County from east 
of the mountains of Pennsylvania on horse- 
back. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, 
and walked to Erie to join Colonel Pres- 
cott's command. Robert Smith was one of 
the substantial men of "VVinfield Township, 
and lived to reach the advanced age of 
eighty-two years, dying June 14, 1907. Mrs. 
Smith passed from this life on November 
1, 1901, at the age of seventy-two years. 

Charles A. Smith received his educa- 
tional training in the public schools of Win- 
field Township, and at Butler. His entire 
business experience has been at Cabot, 
where he is recognized as a man of excep- 
tional ability and one who merits the good 
will and esteem of the people. 

Mr. Smith was married April 5, 1882, to 
Miss Samantha Brieker, a daughter of 
Jacob and Elizabeth (Black) Brieker, and 
they have had four children, namely : Grace 
E.;"Beulah J.; Bliss V., who died July 21, 
1896; and Paul B., who died October 24, 



696 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1906. Religiously, be is a member of tbe 
Presbyterian Cburcb, of wbicb he is an 
elder and superintendent of tbe Sabbatb 
Scbool. He has served in the latter capac- 
ity for twelve years. Mr. Smith acted the 
part of a teacher in public schools for 
eleven years in Butler County, Pennsylva- 
nia, and two years in the state of Nebraska. 
He lived in Armstrong County, Pennsyl- 
vania, near Boggsville, for a period of five 
years as a farmer — 1882 to 1887 — moving 
from the farm to Cabot, Pennsylvania. 

ANTON KRUT, the leading florist at 
Butler, with his commodious greenhouses 
on West Wayne Street, is numbered with 
the successful business men and enterpris- 
ing citizens of this section. He was born 
on a farm in Beaver County, Pennsyl- 
vania, February 11, 1868, and is a son of 
the late Anton Krut. 

The father of Mr. Krut, whose name he 
bears, was the owner of a large farm in 
Beaver Count}% but prior to the Civil War 
he left the farm for others to cultivate 
and established a wagon manufactory on 
the south side of Pittsburg. He built up 
a large trade and had an extensive estab- 
lishment on the south side and continued 
his interest in it until his death. 

Anton Ki-ut the second, spent a large 
part of his time through youth on the 
farm, returning to it after he completed 
his education. He remained on the farm 
for several years and then went to Pitts- 
burg. He did not have his father's taste 
for manufacturing, but had always been a 
lover of flowers and growing things, so he 
entered upon an apprenticeship to a flor- 
ist and during three years of practical ex- 
perience, acquired a knowledge of the busi- 
ness. He then started a business of his 
own in Pittsburg, but his health failed 
there and in 1898 he came to Butler, where 
tbe clean, invigorating air has entirely re- 
stored him to normal health. He bought 
the old Bortamas greenhouses, which he 
remodeled and added to and now he has 



25,000 feet of glass and cultivates six 
acres of ground. He deals exclusively in 
cut flowers and does all kinds of fine floral 
work. In 1906 he purchased a fine store 
building at No. 328 South Main Street, 
where he attends to business. 

Mr. Krut was married in Beaver County 
to Miss Mary C. Joyce, of Beaver County, 
and they have one child, Margaret. Mr. 
Krut is a member of the Roman Catholic 
Church of Butler. 

W. L. KAUFFMAN, residing on one of 
the best farms in Adams Township, a finely 
cultivated -tract of 158 acres, of which he 
is joint owner with other heirs, was born 
on this farm on January 10, 1870, and is 
a son of John and Catherine (Marburger) 
Kauffman. 

John Kauffman was born in Jackson 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and died in Adams Township, Butler 
County, in 1903. His father was Casper 
Kauffman, who came to America from Ger- 
many and was a very early settler in Jack- 
son Township, where he died. He had the 
following children: Lucinda, Magdalena, 
Emma, Sarah, John, Henry, Jacob, Will- 
iam, Adam and George. John Kauffman 
married Catherine Marburger, a daughter 
of George C. Marburger and a member of 
one of the old and reliable German families 
of this section. After marriage they settled 
on the farm above mentioned, in Adams 
Township. It was all wild land at the 
time, and at first Mr. Kauffman only rented 
it, but as he found it could be developed 
into a good farm, he entered into negotia- 
tions with its owner. Judge Marshall, and 
finally bought eighty acres. To his first 
purchase he added the Mincer tract and 
later the Waters tract, which brought his 
acreage to 158 acres. On this farm he 
passed away, aged sixty-four years. He 
had led a useful life, had labored hard and 
was one of the township's most respected 
citizens.- His widow still survives. To 
them were born the following children: 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



697 



George J.; Mary, wife of Albert Lutz; 
Anna, who died aged three years; Lewis; 
Emma, wife of George Ripper ; Catherine, 
widow of William Staple; Elizabeth, who 
died in childhood; Samuel; Edward; and 
Matilda. 

W. L. Kaulfman has always lived on the 
home farm and for a number of years has 
been its manager. His education was ob- 
tained in the public schools and all his in- 
terests have been centered in this, section 
of Butler county. On June 14, 1905, he 
was married to Malinda Cashdollar, who 
is a daughter of William Cashdollar, one 
of the leading citizens of Adams Town- 
ship. They have one daughter, Margaret. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kauft'man are members of 
the Lutheran Church. In politics, he is a 
strong Democrat and at present is serving 
in his sixth year as townshija tax collector. 
He is a member of the order of Maccabees 
at Callery. 

JOSEPH J. DITTMER, general mer- 
chant and postmaster at Herman, where 
he has been engaged in business for the 
past thirteen years, was born in Summit 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
April 27, 1871, and is a sou of Joseph and 
Eva (Michael) Dittmer. 

Mr. Dittmer was reared on the home 
farm and secured his education in the 
township schools. When eighteen years of 
age he became a clerk in the store of which 
he is now the owner, remaining in that ca- 
pacity for two years. Although he re- 
turned to the farm for four more years, 
he had already determined to become a 
merchant instead of a farmer, and started 
a store of his own when he was twenty- 
four years old. When he came first to 
Herman, in 1895, he erected a store build- 
ing across the railroad from his present 
one and there conducted a general store 
for twelve years, in June, 1897, being ap- 
pointed postmaster of the village. On 
July 1, 1907, he moved his entire stock to 
his present building, having bought out F. 



W. Limberg, the purchase including a 
store building and house and lot. Mt. Ditt- 
mer does a heavy business in general mer- 
chandise, grocei'ies, hardware and feed, 
supplying a large outside territory. 

In 1897 Mr. Dittmer was married to 
Mary Wolpert, who was born at Natrona, 
Allegheny County, April 14, 1878, and is 
a daughter of Sylvester Wolpert, and they 
have an interesting family of five children, 
namely: Vernie, Adela, May, Celia and 
Englebert. Mr. and Mrs. Dittmer are 
members of St. Mary's Catholic Church 
and he is connected also with the Catholic 
Mutual Benefit Association. 

SAMUEL W. GALBRETH, general 
merchant at Leasureville, has for many 
years been a prominent resident of Win- 
field Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he has followed farming and 
blacksmithing. He owns a farm of fifty 
acres in Winfield Township. He was born 
in Winfield Township, January 18, 1849, 
and is a son of Joseph and Isabella (Sloan) 
Galbreth. His mother is a daughter of 
William Sloan, who was from Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania. 

Samuel W. Galbreth was reared on the 
farm in his native township and received 
his educational training in the common 
schools. He early learned the trade of a 
blacksmith, which he followed in connection 
with farming for some twenty years. He 
purchased his present farm of fifty acres 
about the year 1884, and has engaged in 
general farming there since. During the 
past year he has conducted the general 
store in partnership with his son-in-law, 
Albert Remaley, it being located in the 
same building as his residence, a large 
two-story structure. 

Mr. Galbreth was married September 21, 
1880, to Miss Martha J. Todd, a daughter 
of John and Ann Todd, and they have one 
daughter, Minnie, wife of Albert Remaley, 
by whom she has two children — Donald 
and Blair. Religiously, the family belongs 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



to the Presbyterian Church at Buffalo. Mr. 
Galbreth has a number of times been called 
upon to serve his township in official capac- 
ities, and is at the present collector of 
township taxes. He has served as such 
for six years, and was prior to that time 
school director and 



E. M. FLETCHER, who comes of a 
prominent old family of Parker Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner 
of a fine farm of 125 acres. He has fol- 
lowed agricultural pursuits mainly, during 
his business career, but has also had con- 
siderable success as an oil operator. 

Mr. Fletcher was born on the farm on 
which he now lives, in 1848, and is a son 
of Thomas and Ann (Campbell) Fletcher, 
both natives of Butler County. His pater- 
nal grandfather, Benjamin Fletcher, was 
the owner of a 500 acre tract of land in 
Parker Township, on a part of which Mar- 
tinsburg, now the borough of Bruin, was 
built. 

Thomas Fletcher, father of the siibject 
of this sketch, was one of the pioneer mil- 
lers of Butler County and a man of con- 
siderable local prominence. He erected a 
mill on Bear Creek, which thrived and was 
in operation for many years, but is not now 
in use, although still standing. He died 
many years ago, and was survived some 
years by his widow. Religiously he was a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
at Martinsburg. 

E. M. Fletcher was reared to manhood 
at Martinsburg and received his education 
in the public schools of the village. He has 
always made farming his principal busi- 
ness, but since 1876 has been somewhat 
identified with the oil industry, a part of 
the time as a producer. He has for some 
years been a director of the Bruin High 
School Board, and at one time sensed as 
president of that body. 

Mr. Fletcher's first marriage was with 
Miss Ella Steward of West Sunbury. 



After her death he formed a second union 
with Miss Victoria Campbell, a daughter 
of the late Thomas G. Campbell of Bruin, 
and they became the parents of the follow- 
ing children: Sarah E., wife of E. H. 
Black; Charles C. ; Pearl, wife of Albert 
Schlagel ; Stella ; and John F. The mother 
of these children joassed away on June 5, 
1905. Mr. Fletcher is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church of Bruin, and 
is serving as one of its trustees. He is a 
Republican in politics, and has filled nu- 
merous offices of public trust in Parker 
Township. Fraternally, he was formerly 
affiliated with the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows. 

PIERCE BROTHERS, nurserymen 
and general farmers, residing on their val- 
uable estate of seventy acres, situated in 
Butler Towship, are members of one of 
the oldest pioneer families of this section 
of the county. The firm is composed of 
two brothers, Thomas M. and James R., 
who are sous of Peterson and Eliza (Mc- 
Nair) Pierce. Thomas M. Pierce was 
born September 8, 1849, and James R. De- 
cember 16, 1858, on the farm on which 
they now reside. 

The family was established in what is 
now Butler Township by the great-grand- 
father, John Pierce, who was a native of 
New Jersey and a member of the family 
that gave to the United States its four- 
teenth executive. President Franklin K. 
Pierce. John Pierce lived out the balance 
of his days in Butler Township. 

David Pierce, son of John and grand- 
father of Thomas M. and James R. Pi'erce, 
was reared in this pioneer home and was 
a soldier in the War of 1812-15. He was 
the owner of a farm of several hundred 
acres, on a part of which the town of Lyn- 
dora is now built. He was one of the 
township's leading men and was active in 
promoting its best interests — in the build- 
ing of roads, establishing of schools, and 
the erection of churches. He reared a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



701 



family that lias produced some of the 
towu ship's best type of citizenship. 

Peterson Pierce, son of David and father 
of Thomas M. and James R., was born 
June 16, 1812, in Butler Township, this 
county, where his life was mainly spent. 
Through his active years he was engaged 
in farming and he took a great deal of in- 
terest in making improvements. He set 
out the shade trees which now surround 
the comfortable brick residence, which lat- 
ter he built in 1840. In his political opin- 
ions he was a Democrat and he was fre- 
quently called upon to accept township of- 
fice. He married Mary Eliza McNair, a 
daughter of Thomas McNair, who with 
others built and operated the first steam 
mill in Butler County. At the time of her 
marriage she resided in Butler, but she 
was born near Greensburg, Penna., Au- 
gust 1.3, 1827. Of this marriage ten chil- 
dren were born, of whom six reached ma- 
turity, namely: Thomas M., Elizabeth J., 
who is the wife of Samuel Pierce, of New 
Castle: Mrs. Maria E. Zeek; Henry P., 
who lives at Morgantown, W. Va., and is 
engaged in the lumber and manufacturing 
business; James R., and Mary M. This 
family was carefully reared by Christian 
parents in the faith of the United Presby- 
terian Church. 

Peterson Pierce, the father, died Octo- 
ber 16, 1865. The mother, Mary Eliza 
Pierce, lives with her sons, Thomas M. and 
James R. Pierce, on the old homestead 
where she has continued to reside since 
her husband's death. She still retains her 
vigor of body and clearness of mind to a 
remarkable degree for one of her age. 

Thomas M. and James R. Pierce grew 
to manhood on the parental homestead, 
and both attended the district schools. 
Thomas then learned the millwright's 
trade, which he followed for a number of 
years. James being also mechanically in- 
clined, the two brothers do much of the 
planning and construction of buildings, 
etc., on the farm, a portion of which they 



are converting into business and residence 
properties. The farm belongs to the two 
brothers, they having purchased the rights 
of the other heirs. For about ten years 
they devoted a large part of their time to 
the growing of small friiits, and at one 
time were the leading strawberry raisers 
in the county. 

In 1891 they started in the nursery busi- 
ness and they now raise general stock — 
mainly fruit — and shade trees and shrubs. 
Their trade is largely local, though they 
occasionally make shipments to other 
states. They have, as already intimated, 
laid out a part of their property in town 
lots, the principal street being Pierce Ave- 
nue, along which runs the Butler Street 
Railway; and on the street immediately 
west of Pierce Avenue, on their property, 
runs the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and 
New Castle Interurban line. The Pierce 
brothers are men of business enterprise, 
and of high personal standing in the com- 
munity. 

ALFRED H. ZIEGLER, M.D., one of 
the younger medical practitioners of But- 
ler, a member of the Butler County and the 
Pennsylvania State Medical Societies, was 
born at Butler, Pennsylvania, and is the 
only son of W. G. and Mary (Troutman) 
Ziegler, and grandson of William S. Zieg- 
ler and Adam Troutman, both of whom 
came in early days to Butler County, whei^e 
they attained prominence and acquired siab- 
stance. 

The father of Dr. Ziegler is one of But- 
ler's leading business men. His life has 
been devoted almost entirely to newspaper 
work. In 1900 he founded and still con- 
ducts the Ziegler Printing Company, job 
printers and book binders. He married 
Mary Troutman, who is a daughter of the 
venerable Adam Troutman of Butler, one 
of the pioneer merchants of the city. 

Dr. Ziegler was reared at Butler and in 
1900 he was graduated in the Butler High 
School and from there entered Washing- 



702 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ton-Jefferson College. In the class of 1906 
he was graduated from Jefferson Medical 
College, after which he spent one year in 
Passavant Hospital, in Pittsburg, and then 
located at Butler. 

ASA C. STEELE, a prosperous farmer 
and a well known oil producer of Parker 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
has a fine farm of 100 acres. The oil in- 
dustry has claimed his attention, princi- 
pally, throughout his career in business. 
Mr. Steele was born in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, July 19, 1857, and is a son 
of Samuel C. and Phoebe (Snow) Steele, 
both natives of Armstrong County. His 
paternal grandfather was James Steele, 
who was a native of Ireland, and upon 
coming to America located in Perry Town- 
ship, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
where he was among the early settlers. 
Samuel C. Steele lived in his native cormty 
all his days, and was a prosperous farmer. 
He and his wife became the parents of 
fourteen children, of whom nine survive, 
three of whom live in Butler County, 
namely : Asa C. of Parker Township ; Hugh 
Gr. and Edward J. of Bruin. 

Asa C. Steele was reared to manhood 
in Armstrong County and attended the 
public schools of his home vicinity. At the 
age of eighteen years he began working in 
the oil fields, and after a time was for some 
years a contractor and driller of oil wells. 
During the past twenty years he has been 
an oil producer, and his efforts have been 
attended with considerable success. He 
first located in Parker Township in 1880 
and resided here without interruption until 
1897, in which year he moved to Grove 
City. In 1907 he again took up his resi. 
dence in Parker Township, Butler County, 
where he now makes his home. He is a 
Prohibitionist in politics, and served sev- 
eral years as poor director in Parker Town- 
ship when the old law was in effect. He 
was the nominee of his party, while a resi- 
dent of Mercer County, for the lower house 



of the legislature, and made a good race 
for that office. 

Mr. Steele was united in marriage with 
Miss Lovinia Bartley, a daughter of Dixon 
Bartley, late of Parker Township, and 
seven cliildren are the issue of their union : 
Ella, wife of William Smith of Falsom, 
West Virginia; Myrtle M., wife of J. W. 
Miller of Grove City, Pennsylvania; Zada 
L., wife of Edward Morrow of Grove City ; 
Lee C. ; Dixon B.; Aleta M.; and Mary S. 
The four last named are living at home 
with their parents. Religiously, the sub- 
ject of this sketch is a member of the Pres- 
byterian Church at Bruin. 

JOHN G. FREEHLING, a prosperous 
farmer of Winfield Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a 
fine farm of 108 acres, located about three 
miles east of Cabot, just off the Leasure- 
ville Road. He was born in Germany, Peb- 
ruaiy 10, 1840, and is a son of Henry and 
Margaret (Raft) Freehling, and a grand- 
son of Henry and Elizabeth Freehling, who 
spent all their lives in Germany. 

Henry Freehling, Jr., father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, followed farming in his 
native land and also in this country, to 
which he came in 1849. He was a success- 
ful man and the owner of a good farm in 
Winfield Township, Butler County. He 
and his wife were the parents of two chil- 
dren — Henry F. and John G. 

Henry Freehling, Jr., married second, 
Mary Ruble, and third, Mary Heller, she 
being the mother of Ida Freehling. 

John G. Freehling attended the German 
schools prior to the departure of the fam- 
ily for America, and finished his education 
in the public schools of Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He learned the trade of a 
carpenter in his early days, and followed 
it some years in connection with farming. 
During the Civil War, he enlisted in Com- 
pany L, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, 
and served for two years and ten months, 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



703 



a part of the time in tlie army under Gen- 
eral Grant. He participated in thirty- 
eight engagements, some of them among the 
most important of the war, and acquitted 
himself honorably and with bravery. At 
the close of the war he returned to Win- 
field Township and resumed his farming- 
operations, at which he has been most suc- 
cessful. He has a finely improved farm, 
which is adorned with a modern two-story 
residence and a large barn, both of whicla 
were built by him. 

j\lr. Freehling was married February 10, 
1862, to Miss Anna Miller, a daughter of 
Henry and tSevilla Miller, and they be- 
came the parents of the following chil- 
dren: Henry, now deceased; Theodore, 
also deceased; William, who was married 
to xinna Krouse and has four children — 
Bessie, Florence, Leroy and Eoland; Lydia, 
who is the wife of Smith Brady, and the 
mother of four children — Irvin,- Vaughn, 
Grace and Kuth; Samuel, who married 
Maggie Hutsler, and has also four chil- 
dren — Edwin, Ethel, Ruth and Paul; 
Emma, who married Samuel Bricker; Al- 
bert, who married Anna Drain and has 
two sons, Chester and Howard; and Wes- 
ley, who is unmarried and lives on the 
home place. Religiously, Mr. Freehling is 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, of which he is steward and a trus- 
tee. For a period of seven years he served 
as supervisor of Winfield Township. 

JOE J. KENNEDY, one of the leading 
merchants of Zelienople, dealing in gro- 
ceries, feed, coal, and builders' supplies, 
was born near Prospect, Butler Coimty, 
Pennsylvania, October 22, 1861, son of Mil- 
ton and Sarah E. (Moore) Kennedy. He 
is a grandson of Edward Kennedy, who 
was of Irish descent, and who married Pru- 
dence Burns. Both parents of the subject 
of this sketch were reared in Butler County 
— in the locality between Prospect and Por- 
tersville. The father died about 1888 at 
the age of forty-eight years. Mr. Ken- 



nedy's mother is still living and is now 
sixty-eight years old. The former was en- 
gaged in farming. Their children num- 
bered five sons and as many daughters, all 
of whom are now living except one son. 
They are as follows: Joseph J., the eldest 
and the subject of this article ; Ida, who is 
unmarried; Tina, wife of Newton Weitzel, 
of Mt. Chestnut; Prudence, wife of Sher- 
man Galligher, residing near Prospect; 
Edward, a traveling salesman, who resides 
in Fremont, Ohio; Kate, who married 
Orrin Myers and resides in Portersville; 
Isaac, unmarried and living on the home- 
stead; Charles, now deceased, who was 
married and resided in Decatur, 111. ; Fred, 
who is married and resides in Poland, 
Ohio; and Maud, who is unmarried and 
resides at home with her mother. 

Joseph J. Kennedy began his education 
by attending school in Muddy Creek Town- 
ship and subsequently continued it at 
Princeton, Lawrence County, Pennsylva- 
nia. He then engaged in farming and after- 
wards for seven years worked at the enam- 
eling trade. He engaged in his present 
business in Zelienople in August, 1905, 
buying out the firm of Goehring & Keck, 
and commencing business with a jDartner 
under the style of the Kennedy Company. 
In June, 1908, he purchased his partner's 
interests, thus becoming the sole proprietor 
of the business, which now runs from $2,500 
to $3,500 per month. Mr. Kennedy may 
be justly termed the architect of his own 
fortunes, as all the money he has invested 
in liis business he made by his own efforts. 
For a time, before starting his present en- 
terprise, he was connected with the Zelie- 
nople Hardware Company. He has now 
been a resident of Zelienople for seven 
years and has well proved his right to be 
regarded as one of the most enterprising- 
business men of the place, as his business 
is one of the most important. 

Mr. Kennedy married Miss Ella Young, 
a daughter of Robert Young of Pleasant- 
hill, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Of 



704 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



this union there are three sons and one 
daughter living, one child being deceased. 
The living are, Carl, Emmett, Walter and 
Mary. Mr. Kennedy is a member of the 
Protective Home Circle. In politics he is 
a Republican, and his religious affiliations 
are with the United Presbyterian Church. 

W. G. ZIEGLER, proprietor of the 
Ziegler Printing Company, of Butler, was 
born in Butler Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, May 25, 1858. His parents 
were W. S. and Susan (Schleppy) Ziegler. 

W. S. Ziegler was a son of George Zieg- 
ler, formerly of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 
and was a brother of Capt. Jacob Ziegler, 
who was the founder of the Democratic 
Herald. W. S. Ziegler was born in 1789 
and died August 29, 1848. He married 
Susan, a daughter of Jacob Schleppy, one 
of the early settlers of Butler County. 
Mrs. Ziegler was born in Luzerne County, 
Pennsylvania, and died in Butler County, 
February 14, 1878. The maternal grand- 
mother was a McCandless, and was born 
in Ireland. She was brought by her par- 
ents to Butler County in youth and they 
settled in Muddy Creek Township. The 
paternal grandmother was a Christzman, 
was born in Germany in 1792 and came to 
America in 1801. She lived iirst in Balti- 
more but later came west and died in But- 
ler, April 28, 1865. 

W. G. Ziegler was reared and educated 
in Butler County and learned the printer's 
trade in the office of the old Democratic 
Herald, which, at that time, was owned by 
his imele, Capt. Jacob Ziegler. He re- 
mained in the printing office, gradually ris- 
ing from one position to the other until he 
became foreman. In 1888 he became part 
owner and continued to issue the same 
newspaper until June, 1899, when he sold 
his interest, after an association with that 
journal of twenty-four years' duration. In 
April, 1884, in partnership with C. M. and 
W. J. Heineman, he established the Times 
and he continued with this piiblication until 



the fall of 1885. In 1900 he established 
the Ziegler Printing Company, job printers 
and bookbinders, and with this enterprise 
he has been connected ever since. 

Mr. Ziegler married Mary Troutman, a 
daughter of Adam Troutman, one of the 
leading citizens of Butler. They have one 
son, A. H., who is a practicing physician in 
this city. Mr. Ziegler has been actively 
identified with the musical interests of 
Butler for over a quarter of a century, 
having served as a popular band and or- 
chestra conductor for this period. With 
his wife and son, he belongs to the Lu- 
theran Church. The Ziegler family is one 
of high standing in Pennsylvania and W. 
G. Ziegler is a worthy representative. 

J. GEORGE HELFRICH, who has been 
a resident of Bruin, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, since 1880, with the exception of 
a short time passed at Petrolia, is a suc- 
cessful oil operator and is widely known 
through this section of the county. He 
was born in Bavaria, Germany, March 24, 
1849, and is a son of George and Margaret 
Helfrich, both natives of Bavaria. 

J. George Helfrich grew to maturity in 
his native country and there attended the 
common schools, receiving a good educa- 
tion. He learned the trade of a stone- 
mason, which he followed in Bavaria, liv- 
ing in that country until the year follow- 
ing his marriage. In the spring of 1880, 
he took passage at Bremen, and after a 
voyage of twelve days landed at New 
York. He immediately thereafter located 
at Martinsburg, now known as Bruin, in 
Parker Township, Butler County, Penna. 
He shortly after became identified with 
the oil industry, in which he has continued 
to the present time, a part of this period 
being spent as a producer. 

May 10, 1879, Mr. Helfrich was married 
in Bavaria to Miss Annie Odenweller, who 
is a daughter of Martin and Eva (Stark) 
Odenweller, both natives of that country. 
Four children are the offspring of their 




ISAIAH L. McBRIDE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



707 



marriage: George, Emma, Mary and 
Frank, all of whom remain at home. Re- 
ligiously, the family attends the Roman 
Catholic Church at Petrolia. In politics, 
Mr. Helfrich is a Democrat but is inclined 
to be independent in local affairs. He is 
a self-made man, having made his own 
way in the world through untiring indus- 
trj^ and persevering efforts. He has many 
friends and acquaintances in the conunu- 
nity. 

ISAIAH LAWRENCE McBRIDE, who 

is probably one of the best-known men in' 
the Pennsylvania oil fields, was born in 
Butler County, Penna., August 31, 1857, 
and is a son of Col. Francis and Elizabeth 
(Hazlett) McBride. 

The McBride family is of Scotch-Irish 
extraction and it was established in Lan- 
caster County, Penna., at an early day. 
Whatever may have been the accomplish- 
ments of its earlier members, its later rej)- 
resentatives have identified themselves 
with the interests of Butler County. 

Col. Francis Mdhide, father of Isaiah 
L., was a iiiitalilc man in his day, entirely 
self-taught, the master of a dozen trades, 
a noted athlete and an astute politician, — 
his whole life was one of activity. In his 
earlier years he made puncheon floors for 
log cabins, later along in life he was a suc- 
cessful practicing attorney at Butler, in 
1833 he was elected sheriff of Butler 
County and he also served as covmty treas- 
urer. He taught himself surveying and 
helped to lay out Penn, Clay and Frank- 
lin Streets in the city of Butler, the But- 
ler and Freeport turnpike and the Erie 
Canal. On one occasion, when athletic 
contests took place a long distance from 
his ]iome, he walked the whole way to 
Buff'alo Furnace, and then, as champion 
jumper, won the prize, which was a kitchen 
»outfit of pots, pans and kettles. He was 
always a conspicuous figure wherever he 
a]ipeared, being six feet two inches in 
height, and broad in proportion. He died 



in 1859, when his son, Isaiah L., was a 
child of two years. 

Francis McBride was married (first) to 
Sarah Gallaglicr, who l)elonged to a promi- 
nent family .if r.nllcr County, at that day, 
and tliey liad eight diildren, namely: Je- 
rome and Frank, both deceased; Jeffer- 
son ; Neil and Hugh, both deceased ; Mary, 
who married Lewis E. Mitchell, both de- 
ceased; Sarah, deceased, married William 
Clark ; and Malissa, who resides at Sisters- 
ville. West Virginia. The second mar- 
riage was to Elizabeth (Hazlett) Denny, 
widow of James Denny and daughter of 
Reuben and Mary Hazlett. She was born 
at Pittsburg, Penna., and had three chil- 
dren by her first marriage, two of whom 
survive: John and William Denny, of 
Sharon. Three children were born to this 
union: Kerr H., who died aged forty-six 
years, a well-known oil operator; David 
Dougall, who died aged three years; and 
Isaiah L. Francis McBride and wife were 
members of St. Peter's Roman Catholic 
Church, he being one of the original twelve 
pew-holders. 

Following the death of her husband, 
Mvs. McBride moved to Winfield Town- 
ship, Butler County, where she taught 
school for a tiiiie and then moved to 
Greene County, in the oil fields, where she 
opened a boarding house. About this time 
Isaiah L. made his first money in the oil 
l)usiness, being engaged by an operator to 
clean the paraffin out of four oil tanks at 
Titusville, and although the beginning was 
humble, it opened the Avay to the future 
success which has crowned Mr. McBride 's 
elforts in the same industry. Through 
many boyish efforts to gain capital, and 
they were constant and earnest, including 
selling newspapers, working on a farm and 
as an employe, for several years, of the 
Lowry House, at Butler, he made some 
progress, and in 1887 he went to work for 
his brother, the late Kerr ("Curly") Mc- 
Bride, as an oil pumper. It was Kerr Mc- 
Bride who got the first extension of the 



708 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



rich field near Thorn Creek. Isaiah, or, 
as famiUarly known, "Spotty" McBride, 
had the usual early successes and discour- 
agements that awaited oil speculation, and 
after he began prospecting, would fre- 
quently lose all his earnings and be obliged 
to do ordinary labor in order to gain 
enough capital to continue prospecting. 
The first well that returned any adequate 
result was on the Sweeney farm at Coyles- 
ville, and it was owned by an organization 
called the Store Box Oil Company, in 
which James Haymaker, deceased, and Mi- 
chael Haymaker, owned a three-fourths in- 
terest, and J. W. Frazer, deceased, and 
Mr. McBride, a one-fourth. They drilled 
four wells, paid $1,500 bonus and before 
they were through they lost $14,000 on the 
venture, and out of the twenty- two wells 
sunk there, but thirteen barrels of oil were 
sold. Mr. McBride continued with vary- 
ing success, as is the way with speculators, 
becoming equally familiar with ill and with 
good fortune. The well which finally made 
him famous in this section was struck in 
Butler Township, May 9, 1905, and was 
the twenty-third well in which he had 
owned an interest, with a proportion vary- 
ing from one-eighth to one-half. In the 
well above mentioned, which brought him 
ample reward for all his years of effort 
and many vicissitudes, was one in which 
his ownership was one-fourth. The limits 
of the present article prevent the insertion 
of extracts from the Butler newspapers re- 
garding iiie interest excited at the time the 
McBride well was drilled into the sand on 
that mild afternoon in May, and the re- 
sponse of pure petroleum was of such 
quantity that it was immediately placed in 
the "gusher" class, producing about 2,400 
barrels per day. Mr. McBride was the 
hero of the hour, for he had located and 
also done the drilling of the well. On May 
25th the well ]3assed into the possession of 
the Southern Oil Company. 

For manv vears Mr. McBride was 



known througii the oil regions as an expert 
driller and at times kept large gangs of 
men in his employ. After becoming an oil 
capitalist, Mr. McBride bought his present 
farm in Butler Township, which contains 
about thirty acres. It is cultivated by his 
sons, with hired help, and corn, oats, 
wheat and hay are produced. Mr. Mc- 
Bride has other real estate investments. 
He still keeps his finger on the pulse of the 
oil business and probably knows more, not 
only of the practical work going on in the 
different sections, but of the trend of the 
great interests in this line, than any man 
of his age in Pennsylvania. 

Mr. McBride was married to Miss Mary 
A. Cantwell, who is a daughter of Thomas 
and 'Mary Cantwell. Mrs. McBride was 
born at Boston, Massachusetts. To this 
marriage have been born five children, 
namely: Thomas Kerr, Francis Edward, 
Marie Elizabeth, Cloud Isaiah, and Joseph 
Paul, the latter of whom is deceased. 
With his family, Mr. McBride belongs to 
St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. He is 
a member of the Elks of Butler, of the 
Knights of Columbns, of which he is a 
trustee, and of the Catholic Mutual Bene- 
fit Association. In politics, Mr. McBride 
terms himself an Independent Democrat, 
reserving for himself the right to cast his 
ballot for the man he deems most fit for 
the office. 

Success has not tiirned Mr. McBride 's 
head. Since that memorable day when he 
saw his fortunes changed, he has been 
ever the same as formerly, having a hearty 
hand-shake and word of good cheer for all. 
He is devoted to his family and it is his 
ambition to so educate and train his chil- 
dren that they will be armed for the battle 
of life, but, at the same time, he wishes 
them to realize that it is a battle and all 
the training that their brains may have is 
better if supplemented by equal training" 
of their hands. Above all he teaches them 
the o-veat truth that "toil is honorable." 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



709 



JAMES C. LOGAN, a well-known mer- 
chant and business man of Cabot, Penn- 
sylvania, is a member of the firm of Smith 
& Logan, proprietors of a large general 
store at that point. He was born in Penn 
Township, Butler County, October 8, 1860, 
and is a son of Joseph and Mary (McCand- 
less) Logan. 

The paternal grandfather of our subject 
was one of the pioneers of Penn Township, 
where he located upon an uncleared tract 
of 150 acres. He died when his son, Jo- 
seph, was eighteen years of age, and the 
latter assumed the management of the 
place at that early age. He was a success- 
ful farmer in a general way, and one of 
the progressive men of the township. Oil 
was discovered on the farm and two wells 
were drilled, but one was ruined in shoot- 
ing. He and his wife were parents of seven 
children : Mrs. George N. Love ; Erastus ; 
Mrs. W. J. Puff; Mrs. R. J. Anderson; 
Mrs. S. J. Shaw; Mrs. A. N. Shaw; and J. 
C. Logan. By strange coincidence, Eras- 
tus was eighteen years old at the time of 
his father's death and began farming the 
home place, which his son, Samuel Logan, 
now farms. 

James C. Logan was but tive years old 
when his father died, and for seven years 
thereafter he lived in Butler, attending the 
public schools there. He then returned to 
the old home for two years, after which 
he lived with his sister, Mrs. Love, in Alle- 
gheny County, Pennsylvania. He later re- 
turned to the old home in Butler County, 
on which he remained two years. He next 
engaged in business at Leasureville for a 
period of three years, and at the end of 
that time joined forces with Mr. Smith at 
Cabot. Their business has been a con- 
stantly growing one, and is accorded the 
patronage of the leading people of the com- 
munity. 

September 16, 1881, Mr. Logan was 
united in marriage with Miss Emma Smith, 
a daughter of Robert and Mary (Clark) 
Smith, ariB they have one son, Austin C, 



who was born April 5, 1884. Austin C. 
Logan was educated in the public schools 
and the academy at Sarver, Pennsylvania, 
and is now connected with the store"" of 
Smith & Logan. He married Miss Sarah 
Cruikshanks. 

James C. Logan has served on the school 
board, of which he was secretary three 
years, and was at one time a member of 
the board of elections. Religiously, he is 
a member of the Presbyterian Church and 
is serving on the board of trustees. Fra- 
ternally, he belongs to Saxonburg Lodge 
No. 115, Knights of the Maccabees, and 
was keeper of the records for one year. 

FRED L. OESTERLING, one of Sum- 
mit Township's leading citizens, who is 
efficiently serving in the office of road su- 
pervisor, resides on his excellent farm of 
fifty acres, which is situated on the old 
State Road, one and one-half miles east of 
Butler. He was born on an adjacent farm, 
in Summit Township, Butler Coimty, 
Pennsylvania, November 7, 1850, and is a 
son of John and Mary (Wieselstien) Oes- 
terling. 

John Oesterling, the father, was born in 
Germany and was fourteen years old when 
he accompanied his father to America and 
to Summit Township. The grandfather 
settled first near Herman Station, but 
later acquired the farm in Summit Town- 
ship. He had a large family and many of 
his descendants reside in this section, the 
family numbering among its members some 
of the best citizens of Butler County. The 
maternal grandfather of Fred L. Oester- 
ling was John Wieselstein, who was born 
in Germany and came to America before 
the birth of his children, and died in But- 
ler, Pennsylvania. The paternal grand- 
father died in Summit Township as also 
did the parents of Mr. Oesterling. Of the 
nine children of the latter, six survive. 

Fred L. Oesterling was reared on the 
home farm and after his school attendance 
was over, he learned the carpenter trade. 



710 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



at which he worked for a number of years, 
in and around Butler. He has resided on 
his present farm for the past nineteen 
years but has only given his personal at- 
tention to it for the past two years. 

Mr. Oesterling was married (first) to 
Annie Ganter, who, at death, left two chil- 
dren : Lonie and Quilla, the first of whom 
is the wife of Louis Eish and has two 
children, and the latter of whom is the 
wife of Leonard Cradle and also has two 
children. Mr. Oesterling was married 
(second) to Katherine Cramer, and they 
have six children, namely: Florence, Car- 
rie, Helen, Maria, Stella and Nellie. Mr. 
Oesterling has always paid attention to 
public affairs in his township and is re- 
garded as one of its most reliable citizens. 
He is serving in his second term as road 
supervisor. 

WILLIAM G. WALKEE, a substantial 
citizen of Parker Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, is the owner of two 
farms in the township, one of 100 acres and 
another of fifty acres. He has followed 
farming principally, but has also been an 
oil operator. He was born in Parker 
Township, May 6, 1861, and is a son of 
Daniel and Anna E. (Gutherie) Walker, 
his father being a native of Ireland and his 
mother of Armstrong County, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Daniel Walker was born in Ireland in 
1831, and there passed his boyhood days. 
In 1849, he came to th« United States, tak- 
ing up his residence in Pennsylvania, 
where he engaged in farming. Shortly be- 
fore the outbreak of the Civil War he 
moved to Parker Township, where he now 
lives in peace and comfort, in the enjoy- 
ment of the fruits of his early toil. A man 
of energy and progressive spirit he pushed 
his way forward until he occupied a for- 
ward position among the citizens of this 
township, by whom he is highly respected. 
He is a Eepubliean in politics, and served 



a nmnber of years on the School Board of 
Parker Township. One of his sons, George 
E. Walker, is now an instructor in the pub- 
lic schools, and was at one time a candi- 
date on the Eepubliean ticket for county 
superintendent of schools. Eeligiously, 
Daniel Walker is a consistent member of 
the United Presbyterian Church of Fair- 
view. 

William G. Walker has always been a 
resident of Parker Township. He was 
reared to maturity on the home farm and 
received his educational training in the 
public schools of the township, in Freedom 
Academy and Grove City College, which 
he attended a short time. He then turned 
his attention to farming, at which he has 
since continued with uninterrupted suc- 
cess, engaging in general farming. For a 
number of years he has been an oil pro- 
ducer. He is treasurer of the School 
Board of Parker Township, of which body 
he has been a member for five years. He 
was formerly president of the board. 

Mr. Walker was married to Miss Lizzie 
J. Kelly, a daughter of William Kelly, late 
of Parker Township, and they became par- 
ents of the following children : Lillian M., 
a graduate of the musical department of 
Grove City College; Lena B., a graduate 
of Slippery Eock State Normal School; 
Charles E. ; Anna; and Margaret A. Ee- 
ligiously, the family attends the Presbyte- 
rian Church at Bruin. In his political 
views, Mr. Walker is a Eepubliean and 
takes a deep interest in public atfairs. 

JOSEPH MANNY, proprietor of the 
Manny Bottling Works, on West Wayne 
Street, Butler, is a substantial and enter- 
prising citizen, who has engaged in busi- 
ness here for a number of years and has 
served as a member of the City Council. 
He was born in February, 1863, in Penn 
Township, Butler County. 

The father of Joseph Manny was John 
C. Mannv, who was born in Butler Countv 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



711 



in 1838 and died in 1886. The grandfather 
was John Manny, who was one of the very 
, early settlers of Butler County. 

Joseph Manny was only three years old 
when the family moved from Penn Town- 
ship to the borough of Butler, and his edu- 
cation was secured in the public schools 
and old Witherspoou Institute. When he 
started out to carve out fortune for him- 
self, he first secured a position as time- 
keeper for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, 
at this point, after which he operated a 
machine in the works of the S. G-. Purvis 
& Company, for one year, and then em- 
barked in the transfer business. Mr. 
Manny continued in that line for twenty- 
three years, selling out in 1903, in order 
to give his attention to a bottling business 
which he then established. He purchased 
the brick building he occupies on West 
Wayne Street, which is two stories in 
height and has dimensions of 50 x 50 feet. 
He manufactures all kinds of soft drinks, 
for which he has every facility, and does 
a large biasiness, averaging 200 cases a 
week all the year round. He is interested 
more or less also in valuable real estate 
in Butler. 

In 1885 Mr. Manny was married to Miss 
Anna Whiskaman, of Armstrong County, 
and they have five children, namely : Kath- 
leen, who is a teacher in the public schools ; 
Marie, who is a student in the Butler High 
School; and Clifford, Edith and Richard. 
Mr. Manny and family belong to St. Paul's 
Catholic Church, he having served on the 
church committee for twenty-five years. 
H^ belongs to the Catholic Mutual Benefit 
Association and for a number of years was 
its local president, and to the Knights of 
Maccabees. 

ISRAEL M. WISE, who, for the past 
twelve years has owned the old homestead 
farm of 121 acres, which is situated in 
Jackson Township, Butler Coimty, was 
born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, May 
12, 1863, and is one of the leading' farmers 



and dairymen of this section. His parents 
were Jacob F. and Sarah (Moyer) Wise. 

The Wise family came originally from 
Germany and its first settlement in Amer- 
ica was made in Bucks County, Pennsyl- 
vania, by the great-grandfather of Israel 
M. John Wise, the grandfather, was born 
in Bucks County, and moved from there to 
Beaver County, where he died when aged 
fifty years. Three of his children survive, 
namely: Mary, wife of Henry Moyer; 
Hannah, wife of John V. Zeigler; and Sam- 
uel, who is a resident of Beaver County. 

Jacob F. Wise, son of John and father 
of Israel M., was born January 12, 1818, 
in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and came 
with his parents to Beaver Coimty, later 
in life moving to a farm in Butler County, 
near Harmony, where he died. He mar- 
ried twice, (first) a daughter of Abram 
Zeigler, and (second) Sarah Moyer. She 
was a daughter of Benjamin Moyer, who 
resided in Lancaster Township, Butler 
County. To the second marriage the fol- 
lowing children were born: Alfred, who 
lives at Butler; Henry M., who is engaged 
in a lumber business at Harmony; Benja- 
min, who is a resident of the State of 
Washington; Susan, who is the widow of 
Jacob Fiedler, and is postmistress at Har- 
mony; Levi, an attorney, also the editor 
of the Butler Eagle; Sarah, who is the 
widow of J. R. Moore, and lives at Ben 
Avon, Allegheny County ; Israel M. ; Noah, 
who resides at Zelienople; Jeremiah, de- 
ceased; and Catherine, who is the wife of 
Edward Stauffer. The father of the above 
family lived to the age of seventy-seven 
years. His widow survived him thirteen 
years, her death taking place October 29, 
1908, when aged eighty- two years and eight 
months. They were most excellent people, 
industrious, thrifty, kindhearted and char- 
itable. 

Israel M. Wise attended school in Jack- 
son Township when he was a boy, and has 
made farming his business in life. After 
the death of his father he purchased the 



712 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



homestead farm and devoted himself to 
its cultivation and improvement. In ad- 
dition to raising corn, oats, hay and po- 
tatoes as his main crop, he also carries on 
a profitable dairying business. 

In 1891 Mr. Wise was married to Miss 
Mary Peft'er, who is a daughter of John 
Peffer, and they have two children, John 
Loyal and Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Wise are 
members of Grace Reformed Church, at 
Harmony. In politics he is a Republican. 
Mr. Wise pays close attention to his busi- 
ness and has never served in any public 
office except as a member of the School 
Board. 

THEODORE HENRY FREEHLING, 
a prosperous farmer of Winfield Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the 
owner of a fine farm of eighty acres on 
the Leasureville Road, about three miles 
from Cabot. He was born in Armstrong 
County, and is a son of Caspar and Ida 
(Sassa) Freehling and grandson of Henry 
F. and Vesuma Freehling, both natives of 
Germany. The grandparents came to the 
United States about the year 1830, and 
located in Armstrong County, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Caspar and Ida Freehling became par- 
ents of the following children: Henry, 
Theodore H., George, Lizzie, Matilda (de- 
ceased), Nickla (deceased), Margaret, 
Loioise, Eleanor, Augustus, and John (de- 
ceased). 

Although Theodore Freehling was born 
across the line in Armstrong County, Penn- 
sylvania, he received his schooling mainly 
in Butler County. He has always engaged 
in farming, and has one of the best im- 
proved estates in the vicinity, having a 
comfortable two-story home and good sub- 
stantial outbuildings. 

February 15, 1876, Mr. Freehling was 
united in marriage with Miss Anna Ger- 
ner, a daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth 
(Bars) Gerner, and they are parents of 
the following children : John, who married 



Elizabeth Wilgerwit; George, who mar- 
ried Melville Barnhart; Louise, wife of 
William Witte; Lizzie, who married 
Charles Gethart and has two children, 
Florence and William; Frank, William, 
Lida, Mary, and Charles A. Religiously, 
the family are members of the Methodist 
Church. 

CHARLES J. D. STROHECKER, 
president of the People's National Bank, 
at Zelienople, has been identified with oil 
production both in Pennsylvania and Ohio, 
for many years, and is one of the repre- 
sentative men of Butler County. He was 
born in Franklin Township, Beaver Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Matthias 
and Margaret (Naggle) Strohecker. 

The paternal grandfather was the pio- 
neer of this family in Western Pennsyl- 
vania. Both the Stroheckers and Naggles 
came from Germany about 1820 and the 
former family settled first in Franklin 
Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, 
and there their two sons and three daugh- 
ters grew to maturity. They were : Mat- 
thias, John, Mrs. Autenrest, Mrs. George 
Dauler and Mrs. John Baun, all of whom 
are deceased, but there are numerous de- 
scendants. 

The parents of Charles J. D. Strohecker 
were born in Germany and were young 
when brought to America. The father, 
Matthias Strohecker, followed an agricul- 
tural life in Franklin Township, where he 
died. The mother survives and resides 
with a daughter at Zelienople. They had 
a family of four daughters and ten sons, 
namely: Margaret, who is the widow of 
Adam Kircher, of Allegheny County; 
George, who follows the carpenter trade, 
resides at New Castle ; Matthias is a street 
commissioner at Ellwood City; Frederick, 
who resides at Zelienople; Henry, who is 
a resident of Petersburg, Ohio ; Catherine, 
who is the widow of George Snyder, for- 
merly one of the early merchants of Zelie- 
nople; Mary, who is the widow of John 




CHARLES J. D. STROHECKER 



AXL) EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



715 



Koch, resides ou the old Strohecker home- 
stead iu Frankliu Township; Cliarles J. 
D. ; Gotleib, who is engaged iu a mercan- 
tile business at Portland, Oregon ; Andrew 
S., who is a farmer and cattle-raiser of 
Steelton, Nebraska; Adam, who is en- 
gaged in a hardware business at Garfield, 
Washington ; Sofia, Phillip and Jacob, who 
died in infancy. 

Charles J. Strohecker attended what 
was known as the old Furnace" school in 
Franklin Township, Beaver County, but 
he did not continue there many years, 
starting out while young to learn a trade 
iu order to be self-supporting. He served 
an apprenticeship to the harnessmaker's 
trade, at New Brighton, and when it was 
completed he embarked in business for 
himself at Zelienople, where he continued 
until 1898. He proved himself a good 
business man as well as a skillful workman 
and the excellence of his harness became 
known all over Western Pennsylvania. He 
was the first in his business to introduce 
machinery iu the making of harness and 
by this means was able to compete suc- 
cessfully with others in the business who 
were less progressive. Mr. Strohecker was 
the pioneer iu the oil business in this dis- 
trict and in 1898 he sold his harness inter- 
ests iu order to give full attention to oil 
production. In 1902, with Mr. Lamberton 
and others, Mr. Strohecker organized the 
First National Bank at Zelienople. In 
the following year, with a number of the 
other original stockholders, he sold his in- 
terest in this enterprise to the Colonial 
Trust Company of Pittsburg. Iu 1904, 
with other capitalists, he organized the 
People's National Bank of Zelienople and 
has. been at its head ever since it began 
business. His oil interests date as far 
back as 1889 and still continue. He is a 
man who has a wonderful grasp of busi- 
ness and who possesses the forethought 
and judgment to see opportunities and to 
make use of them. This section is much 
indebted to Mr. Strohecker 's energy and 



public spirit. He is interested in a con- 
templated electric railway line from Bea- 
ver Falls to New Castle, for which the 
right of way charter and franchise have 
been secured. He is serving in the office 
of president of the Beaver Falls & New 
Castle Eailroad Company, and has other 
financial interests. Among business men, 
Mr. Strohecker is considered a strong man 
for he has, through individual effort, 
raised himself from almost poverty and 
from the lines of ordinary life to his pres- 
ent position of personal and business inde- 
pendence, and he is justly proud of the 
fact. 

On November 9, 1879, Mr. Strohecker 
was married to Miss Amelia Remler, who 
is a daughter of Mrs. Margaret Eemler, 
and they have three children: Margaret, 
Cliif ord and Alice May, the latter of whom 
is a student in Beaver College. The fam- 
ily residence, situated ou the corner of 
Main and Beaver Streets, is probably the 
finest private home in Zelienople. With 
his family, Mr. Strohecker belongs to the 
English Lutheran Church. In the support 
he gives to charitable movements his real 
kindness of heart is shown, but it is prob- 
able that his private gifts far excel any 
made in public. In politics he is a stanch 
Democrat and he has ever been an active 
citizen. He has served with usefulness 
and credit on the city council and on one 
occasion when he was a candidate for 
membership ou the Town Council, he was 
elected with every vote cast, with one ex- 
ception. 

CHARLES HEEMAN, inventor of the 
celebrated Herman Jaring moulding ma- 
chines, and vice president of the Herman 
Pneumatic Machine Company, manufac- 
turers at Zelienople of these machines and 
other labor saving tools, was born in Prus- 
sia, March 10, 1844, and remained in his 
native laud until he was twenty-two years 
of age, learning there his trade of machin- 
ist and pattern-maker. 



716 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



In 1866 Mr. Herman came to America 
and spent eight years in New York City 
and two years in New Haven, Connecticut, 
and then came to Pennsylvania and located 
at Pittsburg. For twenty-eight years he 
was interested in the' foundry of Kinzer & 
Jones, in that city, having charge of the 
pattern department and of the foundry im- 
provements in general. In the meanwhile 
Mr. Herman had perfected his invention of 
the now celebrated Herman Jaring mould- 
ing machines, and in 1897 he started into 
business himself as a manufacturer of 
these, under the firm style of Charles Mer- 
man & Son. The business proved a pros- 
perous one and later a company was or- 
ganized and shops built at Zelienople, the 
main office remaining at Pittsburg. 

The Herman Pneumatic Machine Com- 
pany manufactures the Herman Ja ring- 
moulding machines as a specialty, and 
other foundry tools. In 1906 the business 
was incorporated, with a capital stock of 
$75,000, and its officers are: Martin L. 
Heil, president; Charles Herman, vice 
president ; H. T. Frauenheim, secretary and 
treasurer; and H. C. Herman, general man- 
ager. The company owns a manufacturing 
plant well adapted to its necessities, a two- 
story brick building, 80 by 100 feet, with 
foundry connected, with dimensions of 10 
bj^ 100 feet. Employment is given about 
thirty-five men, double turn, the majority 
of whom are skilled machinists. The spe- 
cialty is one that excels all others in the 
market in many ways and all the leading- 
foundries of the United States are using 
these machines. 

Mr. Herman occupies a handsome resi- 
dence on New Castle Street, Zelienople, and 
has identified himself with the town's va- 
rious interests. He has had two sons, 
Alfred and H. C, the latter of whom is 
deceased. Alfred Herman has an interest 
in the business and has charge of the pat- 
tern room for the company. 

WALTER S. PATTERSON, ^1.1)., a 
leading physician and surgeon of P)ntler 



and coroner of Butler County, was born 
in 1878, at New Gralilee, Beaver County, 
Pennsylvania, where he was reared. 

After completing the public school 
course. Dr. Patterson entered the State 
Normal School at Slippery Rock, and one 
year later the Ohio Northern University 
at Ada. In 1901 he was graduated from 
old Jefferson Medical College, at Phila- 
delphia, after which he spent sixteen 
months gaining medical and surgical ex- 
perience, in the Atlantic Hospital and the 
Philadelphia City Hospital. He then lo- 
cated at Butler and here has met with a 
hearty recognition of his professional abil- 
ity. He is a member of both the county 
and State Medical Societies. As an active 
citizen he has taken an interest in public 
matters and in November, 1905, lie was 
elected coroner of Butler County, a posi- 
tion he has acceptably filled ever since. 

On November 3, 1902, Dr. Patterson was 
married to Miss Ella H. Haekett, a gradu- 
ate physician of the Woman's Medical Col- 
lege of Philadelphia, who later took a spe- 
cial course at Wills Hospital in that city 
and makes a specialty of eye troubles. Dr. 
and Mrs. Patterson have one son, Wilmer 
I. Both doctors are members of Grace 
Reformed Church. 

SAMUEL R. WALKER, a director of 
the First National Bank of Bruin and a 
well-known oil producer and agriculturist, 
resides on his farm of eighty-seven acres 
near the borough of Bruin. He also owns 
an additional farm of eighty-four acres in 
Parker Township. He was born in this 
township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
September 25, 1865, and is a son of Daniel 
and Annie E. (Gutherie) Walker. 

Daniel Walker was born in County Ty- 
rone, in Ireland, in 1831, and was there 
reared to maturity. He was about eight- 
een years of age when he sailed for Amer- 
ica in 3849, and after landing immediately 
liroceeded to Pennsylvania, where he has 
lieen since located. He came to Parker 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



717 



Towiisliip some time prior to the War of 
the Rehellion, where he toiled in the fields 
and prospered. He hecame a man of af- 
fluence and a respected citizen, and was 
frequently called up'ou to fill local offices 
of trust. He was joined in marriage with 
Miss Annie E. Gutherie, who was born in 
Armstrong -County, Pennsylvania, in No- 
vember, 1842, and of the children born to 
them the following survive : William G. ; 
Jennie, wife of Perry Snow of Armstrong 
County; George E., of Parker Township; 
Samuel R. ; Nancy A., wife of Silas Hiles. 
of Armstrong County; Annie M., wife of 
Oliver Hiles, of Armstrong County; John 
S., of Bruin; James M., of Parker Town- 
ship, Butler County; and Lulu M., wife 
of Jolni Brady of West Virginia. Relig- 
iously, Daniel Walker and his estimable 
wife are members of the United Presbyte- 
rian Church of Fairview. 

Samuel R.. Walker was reared to man- 
hood on the home farm in Parker Town- 
ship, and received his schooling in the pub- 
lic schools of his home comnnmity. At an 
early age he became identified with the oil 
industry and since 1886 has been a pro- 
ducer with good results. His farms are 
both under a high state of cultivation and 
well improved. He was one of the pro- 
moters and organizers of the First Na- 
tional Bank of Bruin, in which he is a 
stockholder and director. Mr. Walker 
formed a marital union with Miss Maggie 
F. Twaddle, a daughter of the late James 
Twaddle of Parker Township. Seven chil- 
dren were the issue of this union, namely: 
Wesley D., James C, Ralph H., McKinley 
(deceased), Edna B., Edward D., and 
Theodore R. Politically, the subject of 
this sketch is an enthusiastic Republican, 
and has served some years as a school di- 
rector. In religious attachment, Mrs. Wal- 
ker is a member of the Bruin Presbyterian 
Church. 

GEORGE FERDINAND HELLER, one 
of Winfield Township's substantial farm- 



ers, resides on his valuable estate of 
eighty-four acres, which lies on the east 
side of the Bear Creek Road, about two 
miles from Cabot. Mr. Heller was born 
April 28, 1859, and his parents were 
George and Mary (Kallenbach) Heller. 

The father of Mr. Heller was a native of 
Saxony, Germany, where he married, be- 
came the father of five children, and died 
in his old home. The mother was left with 
a family which she believed could be bet- 
ter reared in America; hence she crossed 
the ocean with her children and they set- 
tled at McKeesport, Penna. George F. 
was the youngest of the family, the others 
being as follows : Mary, who married An- 
drew Stopper and lives in Arkansas; Er- 
nestine, now deceased, who was twice mar- 
ried, first to Edward Hoffman and second 
to August Bair; John, who married Dora 
]\Iichal, and Henry Ernest, who -married 
Ennua Yunk. 

George Ferdinand Heller went to school 
at McKeesport for a time and was twelve 
years old when he accompanied the fam- 
ily to Allegheny County. Three years 
later he came to Butler County and here 
he has spent many years. He followed 
farming in early manhood and after he 
left home worked in the mills in Natrona 
for about sixteen years, thence going to 
the Westinghouse plant in East Pittsburg 
for one year. Mr. Heller then returned to 
Butler County and resumed farming, 
shortly afterward buying his present prop- 
erty, and here carried on general farming. 
His large and comfortable residence is sit- 
uated in the midst of a beautiful grove of 
chestnut trees. 

Mr. Heller was married (first) to Mag- 
gie Freehling, a daughter of George F. and 
Margaret Freehling. Mrs. Heller left 
three children at death — Tillie and Rose, 
who are now deceased, and Ellen, who re- 
sides at home. Mr. Heller was married 
(second) to Emma Caroline Rudiger, who 
is a daughter of Frederick and Christena 
Rudiger, of Butler Countv. Mr. and Mrs. 



718 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Heller have tliree cldldreu— Chester Gr^, 
Willis F., and Myrtle. They are active 
church people, belonging to the Methodist 
Episcopal body and have valued friends in 
this connection. Mr. Heller belongs to 
Lodge No. 743, I. 0. O. F., at Natrona, 
and to the Knights of Pythias at Saxon- 
])urg. 

PETER PISTORIUS, whose excellent 
farm of fifty-one acres is situated in Sum- 
mit Township, on the old State Road, about 
three miles east of Butler, was born on this 
farm on July 5, 1858, and is a son of Peter 
and Catherine (Gauer) Pistorius. 

The parents of Mr. Pistorius were both 
born and reared in Prussia. They were 
married shortly before embarking for 
America, in 1838, and two years after 
reaching the United States, settled on this 
farm in Summit Township. They came di- 
rect to Butler County, where the father 
worked for two years for John Oesterling 
before purchasing a place of his own. Both 
parents died in Smnmit Township. They 
were good, kind, worthy people, who 
worked hard and did everything they 
could for their children. Of the seven 
born to them, six still live, as follows: 
Barbara, who is the wife of Louis Schuler; 
Mary, who is the wife of Fred Killemyer; 
Annie, who is the wife of John Spinne- 
weber; Jacob, who lives in Summit Town- 
ship; Margaret, who is the wife of Sebas- 
tian Beck; and Peter. Catherine, the fifth 
member of the family, died on New Year's 
Day, 1907. She was the wife of Barton 
Killemyer. 

Peter Pistorius, who bears his father's 
name, has always lived on this farm, with 
the exception of two years, when he lived 
on the farm occupied bv his brother Jacob. 
He carries on general farming and raises 
tine stock. In June, 1907, he completed his 
substantial barn which has dimensions of 
40 by 54 feet. He is a member of the Ro- 
man Catholic Church at Herman. He has 
never married and lives very independ- 



ently in the old home, where, however, a 
wife could be made very comfortable. He 
is one of the well-known and respected cit- 
izens of this section. 

J. CLINTON ATWELL, M.D., a suc- 
cessful member of the medical profession, 
now engaged in active practice at Butler, 
was born in 1874, in Marion Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of David M. and Nancy (Daubenspeck) 
Atwell. 

David M. Atwell, father of Dr. Atwell, 
was born in Butler County in 1836, was a 
son of George Atwell, also a native of But- 
ler County and a grandson of Robert At- 
well, who came here from Ireland. He was 
a pioneer in the county. The mother of 
Dr. Atwell was a daughter of Jacob Dau- 
benspeck, an early and prominent citizen 
of the county. 

Dr. Atwell attended the schools near his 
home through his boyhood and then en- 
tered West Sunbury Academy, going from 
there to the Slippery Rock State Normal 
School and was graduated in the class of 
1898 from the Medico-Chirurgical College, 
and immediately entered into general prac- 
tice at Butler. He has identified himself 
with the county and State Medical Socie- 
ties and the American Medical Associa- 
tion. He served almost two terms as coro- 
ner of Butler County and is recognized as 
one of the ablest men in his profession in 
the city. He is interested in oil production 
and owns stock in a number of prospering 
enterprises. 

On October 10, 1900, Dr. Atwell was 
married to Miss Mollie Jennings, a daugh- 
ter of Henry Jennings, of Butler, and they 
here have had two children — Bess, who is 
deceased, and Marion, a bright girl of 
three years of age. Dr. and Mrs. Atwell 
are members of the United Presbyterian 
Church. He is affiliated with the Odd Fel- 
lows and the Elks, and is a member of the 
Countrv Club. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



721 



JOHN H. FLICK, who owns aud re- 
sides upon a fine farm of eighty acres in 
Middlesex Township, Butler County, 
Penna., is a prosperous farmer and sub- 
stantial citizen of that community. He 
was born on the old home farm, of which 
he now owns a part, September 22, 1848, 
and is a son of John Q. and Margaret Ann 
(Henry) Flick, and a grandson of John 
Flick. 

John Flick, the grandfather, was born 
in Somerset County, Penna., and was a 
soldier in the war of 1812. He settled in 
Middlesex Township, Butler County, at a 
very early date, and became owner of 125 
acres of unimproved and uncleared land. 
He was joined in marriage with Catherine 
Quinn, who was born in County Tyrone, 
Ireland, and was two years old when her 
parents brought her to the United States, 
settling in Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
Her death occurred January 1, 1870, at 
the age of eighty-one years. John Flick 
died May 10, 1870, at the age of eighty- 
four years. 

John Q. Flick, father of John H., was 
born in Middlesex Township, and at an 
early age learned the trade of a carpenter 
which he followed many years in connec- 
tion with farming. He died on the home 
place in 1869, at the age of fifty-one years. 
He was a Republican in politics, and filled 
numerous township offices at different 
times. Fraternally, he was a member of 
Bakerstown Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., of which 
he was past grand. He was united in mar- 
riage with Margaret Ann Henry, a daugh- 
ter of James Henry of West Deer Town- 
ship, Allegheny County, and five children 
were the offspring of their union: Cath- 
erine Amanda, wife of William Cunning- 
ham of Pittsburg; John II.; James of 
Pittsburg; Ellen, deceased wife of James 
Bartley; and Elizabeth, deceased wife of 
George Orris. Religiously, they were 
members of the Deer Creek United Pres- 
byterian Church, of which he was an elder. 

John H. Flick was reared and educated 



in Clinton Township, Butler County, aud 
when a young man learned the trade of a 
carpenter with his father. He followed 
that trade in Pittsburg for a period of five 
years, then returned to the home farm, 
where he has followed farming since. He 
has seventy acres under cultivation and 
raises corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes. 
He is a man of the higliest order of intel- 
ligence, and carries on his work along 
modern and scientific lines, with most ben- 
eficial results. In 1881, he erected his 
])resent comfortable home, and has gradu- 
ally brought his place up to the highest 
state of improvement. He has an oil well 
on the property, which has been producing 
in paying quantity for the past thirteen 
years. 

John H. Flick was united in the holy 
lionds of matrimony with Miss Nancy J. 
Hemphill, a daughter of James Hemphill, 
of Clinton Township, and they have had 
nine children, namely: Hannah S., de- 
ceased; Sarah Bertha, residing with her 
parents, is the widow of Curtis McCall, 
and has one son, Curtis Gerald; John 
Quinn, residing at Duff City, married 
Anna Carney and they have two children, 
Grace Marie and Ralph Doyle; J. A. Gar- 
field, residing at Flat Rock, Illinois, mar- 
ried Stella McBride and they have one 
son, Everett Clair; Thompson McKnight, 
residing at Saxonburg, married Emma Ma- 
han, of Middlesex Township, and they 
have one child, Helen Caryne; Rollo Ed- 
win ; Henry F., who has gone to Illinois to 
work in the oil business ; Charles Howard, 
aud Esther Ella. Mrs. Flick is a member 
of tlie Deer Creek United Presbyterian 
Church. Mr. Flick belongs to the frater- 
nal order of Maccabees, at Saxonburg. In 
politics he is a Republican, but is no poli- 
tician. 

JA^klES AVILEY. a prominent repre- 
sentative of one of Mercer Township's 
pioneer families, is engaged in general 
farming on a tract of 107 acres, and has 



722 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



been a lifelong resident of Butler Count}'. 
He was born on Ins present farm, July 5, 
1836, and is a son of James and Elizabeth 
(Tanneliill) Wiley. 

James Wiley, the father, was born in 
Mercer Township, on the present farm of 
his son and namesake, June, 18U9, and was 
a son of Alexander and Martha (Young) 
Wiley. Alexander Wiley came to this 
country from Ireland and settled on the 
land now owned by our subject in 1792. 
Here he and his wife both died at an ad- 
vanced age. They were the parents of four 
daughters and three sons, the latter being 
Samuel, Robert and James. 

James assisted his father in clearing the 
land, and obtained but a limited amount 
of schooling, his services being required 
at home. He subsequently inherited the 
land from his father and in 1833 married 
Elizabeth Tanneliill, who was born and 
reared in Slippery Rock TownshiiD. James 
died January 5, 1837, leaving two sons — 
Samuel, deceased, and James, the subject 
of this sketch. His widow subsequently 
married James McKisson, by whom she 
had the following children: William; 
Sarah, deceased ; John D. ; Alice C. ; and 
Elizabeth R., deceased. 

James Wiley, of the present generation, 
was reared and has always followed farm- 
ing on his present farm. His educational 
privileges were very limited, for when 
there was work to be done he was kept at 
home, and his attendance at school was 
thus greatly interrupted. On February 23, 
1860, he married Martha J. Barnes, a 
daughter of James and Sarah (McCune) 
Barnes, and of their union were born the 
following children: Samuel E., married 
Anna Mern, and has two children, Austin 
J. and Olive J. ; Amelda ; Wm. J. ; Robert, 
married Stella Taylor and they have two 
children, Frances M. and Dorothy E. ; John 
D., married Daisy Owens. 

Mr. Wiley is a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church, and gives his ]ioliti- 
cal support to the Prohibition party. 'Sir. 



Wiley's life has been characterized by un- 
tiring industry and strong determination, 
and it is these qualities which have gained 
him a place among the substantial citizens 
of Butler County. 

HENRY HERMAN LERNER, residing 
on his fertile farm of thirty-two acres, 
which is situated in Winfield Township, on 
the Butler-Freeport turnpike road, has 
been supplying gas to the American Com- 
pany at Pittsburg, from a valuable gas 
well on his place, for the past five years. 
Mr. Lerner was born March 23, 1854, in 
Jefferson Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of Francis X. and 
Johanna (Krause) Lerner. The parents 
of Mr. Lerner came to America from Sax- 
ony, Germany, in 1848, and settled in But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, where they were 
later joined by the aged paternal grand- 
father. The children of Francis X. Ler- 
ner and wife were: Harmon, Mary, an 
infant, who died in Germany; Anna, Ber- 
tha, Barney, Henry H., and Emma. 

Henry H. LerHer was reared in Jefferson 
Township and there attended school, but 
he has been a resident of Winfield Town- 
ship for a number of years, where he has 
always followed farming. His land is pro- 
ductive and is doubly valuable on account 
of its gas supply. On February 22, 1885, 
Mr. Lerner was married to Amelia Schroth, 
who is a daughter of William and Eliza- 
beth (White) Schroth, the former of whom 
carries on a harness-making business at 
Saxonburg, where he was one of the first 
settlers. Mr. and Mrs. Schroth have six- 
teen children. To Mr. and Mrs. Lei'ner 
have been born five children — Francis W., 
Elizabeth A., Edna C, Alpha C, and Will- 
iam B. Mr. and Mrs. Lerner are members 
of the Lutheran Church at Saxonburg. 
They are kind, hospitable people who have 
a wide circle of friends. 

JOHN A. BLACK, a member of the firm 
of D. H. Black & Company, well known oil 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



723 



producers of Bruin, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, has been identified with the oil 
industry since young manhood and has met 
with good results. He was born at Pe- 
trolia, Butler County, November 3, 1873, 
and is a son of William C. and Sadie Black. 

William C. Black was born at Saltsburg, 
Pennsylvania, and during most of his ac- 
tive career in business was engaged in the 
mercantile trade. He conducted a store at 
Petrolia some years, and later engaged in 
the same business in what was then Mar- 
tinsburg, now Bruin. lie died in this bor- 
ough after a long and well spent life. He 
was somewhat engaged in the oil business 
during his latter years. His wife was a 
native of Butler County, and as a result 
of their union three sons were born : John 
A. of this record; David II. of Bruin; and 
A\"illiaiii B., who lives in Texas. In jjoli- 
tics, William C. Black was a supporter of 
Eepublican principles. Eeligiously, he was 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He was affiliated with the Ma- 
sonic Order. 

John A. Black was reared in Martins- 
burg, and received a superior education in 
the public schools. He began work in the 
oil fields at an early age, and this has con- 
tinued his life work. He was joined in 
marriage with Miss Eosa Hill, a native of 
Monroe County, Ohio, and they are par- 
ents of four children — Beulah H., Mildred, 
Alice and George. He is a Eepublican in 
politics, and is deeply interested in all ques- 
tions of public importance. Fraternally, 
he is a member of Argyle Lodge, No. 540, 
F. & A. M., at Chicora, Pennsylvania. 

GUS SCHLEGEL, one of Butler's rep- 
resentative business men and leading flo- 
rists, was boi'n December 31, 1860, in Ger- 
many, where he obtained his education and 
from the age of fifteen years had been 
trained in the florist business. 

In 1889 Mr. Schlegel came to America, 
well qualified for work at his trade. He 
located first at Omaha, Nebraska, where he 
worked as a florist for five years, and from 



there went to St. Paul, Minnesota, wliere 
he remained for one and one-half years. 
His next place of residence was Chicago 
and followed his business there up to 1906, 
with the exception of two and one-half 
years, which he spent in New York. He 
then sought a promising place to go into 
business for himself and selected Butler, 
and bought an already established florist 
trade. He has made improvements in 
every branch of his business, has increased 
his stock and added facilities and now has 
20,000 feet under glass. His business is 
mainly in cut flowers and bedding plants. 
He has his greenhouses at No. 716 West 
Penn Street and his retail store at No. 
113 South Main Street. He is a practical 
florist and as he thoroughly understands 
his business, he makes a sure success of it. 
In his business dealings Mr. Schlegel is 
strictly honest and thus has gained the con- 
fidence of the best people of Butler, with 
whom he has a large trade. In 1896 Mr. 
Schlegel was married to Miss Lizzie C. 
(loetten. He is a member of the order of 
Modern Woodmen of America, and is also 
a member of the Iowa Bankers' Associa- 
tion. 

SCOTT OAKES, a well known agricul- 
turist and oil producer of Parker Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, Pennsylvania, has 
been a resident of Butler County since 
1876, and has been located on his present 
excellent farm of 100 acres since 1895. He 
was born in Indiana Co^mty, Pennsylvania, 
August 12, 1847, and is a son of Samuel 
and Elizabeth (Palmer) Oakes, the father 
a native of Ireland and the mother of In- 
diana Cormty, Pennsylvania. Samuel 
Oakes was six years of age when his father, 
Edward Oakes, brought the family from 
Ireland and located in Indiana County, 
Pennsylvania. There he grew to maturity 
and engaged in farming, living a long and 
useful life. He had passed the eighty-sev- 
enth milestone of life when death claimed 
him. 



724 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Scott Oakes was twelve j^ears of age 
when he left the parental home, and since 
that tender age has been on his own re- 
sources. He began working in the oil 
fields, in 1876, and much of the time since 
has been a producer, having met with un- 
qualified success. In 1895, he located on 
his farm of 100 acres in Parker Township, 
where he engages in general farming and 
stock raising. All that he possesses was 
gained through his individual efforts and 
represents years of persevering toil. 

Mr. Oakes was united in marriage with 
Miss Jennie Mardis, who was born in In- 
diana County, Pennsylvania, and two chil- 
dren have been born to bless their home, 
namely: Margaret, wife of Homer J. 
Adams; and Howard L., who resides near 
Renfrew, in Butler County. In religious 
attachment, Mr. and Mrs. Oakes are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Bruin. Politically, he is an enthusiastic 
Republican. Mr. Oakes' farm is under- 
laid with three veins of marketable coal 
and he is now operating in oil, which is 
found on his own farm and an adjoining 
farm. 

HENRY ERNEST HELLER, who is 
one of Wiufield Township's substantial cit- 
izens, resides on his well-improved farm 
of 100 acres, which is situated two miles 
east of Cabot, on the Denny's mill road. 
Mr. Heller was born in Saxe-Weimer, Ger- 
many, and is a son of Christian and Maria 
(Collenbach) Heller. The father of Mr. 
Heller was a man of prominence in his 
province — a government official, as was 
his father before him, the latter holding 
the office of forester. Many members of 
the family still remain in Saxony. 

Henry Ernest Heller remained in his 
own land until he was grown to manhood 
aud then came to America, finally becoming 
a resident of Wiufield Township, Butler 
County, and the owner of his present valu- 
able farm. Here Mr. Heller carries on 
general farming and dairying. He is an 



expert butter maker, having made a spe- 
cial study of this industry and his product 
commands the highest price paid for this 
commodity in any market. 

Mr. Heller was married after coming to 
America, to Miss Emma Yunk, who is a 
daughter of August and Martha (Hartung) 
Yunk. They have three children — -Albert 
A., Lillian Henrietta, and Milton H. Mr. 
Heller and wife belong to the German Lu- 
theran Church, of which he is organist. He 
takes no active interest in politics but is a 
good, law-abiding citizen and is always 
ready to do his part in the way of public 
improvements, increasing the efficiency of 
the schools, building up the churches and 
constructing good roads through the agri- 
cultural districs. 

GEORGE REIBER, who, for the 
greater part of half a century, was known 
throughout Butler County as a successful 
miller, was an excellent type of the for- 
eign-boim citizen to whom this country 
owes much of its greatness and prosperity. 
He was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, 
November 23, 1815, his parents being Mar- 
tin J. and Catherine Reiber. 

The father, Martin J. Reiber, was a na- 
tive of Goeningen, in Wurtemberg, where 
he was a successful florist. Emigrating to 
America in 1832, he followed his trade in 
New York City, where he engaged also in 
market gardening. Later he came to But- 
ler County, and for a time was proprietor 
of the Reiber Hotel, in Summit Township, 
subsequently becoming a resident of the 
borough of Butler, where he remained un- 
til his death in 1865. He married Cath- 
erine Fetzer, born also in Germany, who 
died in 1860. They had six children^ 
Catherine, Martin, George, Barbara, 
Jacob and Margaret. The youngest 
daughter became the wife of H. Julius 
Klingler, of Butler, and the eldest the wife 
of Martin Loefler. Martin J. Reiber was 
a well-known and respected citizen of But- 
ler and at one period of his life here, was 




'C/^ 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



a useful member of the city council. He 
was a charter member of St. Mark's Lu- 
theran Church and was one of its elders. 

George Eeiber, the second son in the 
family, passed his boyhood and early 
youtli in his native laud. In 1834 he fol- 
lowed his father to the United States, 
where his older brother, Martin, was also 
established. He began industrial life in 
America by following the family calling of 
market gardening in New York. On com- 
ing to Butler County in 1839, he settled in 
Summit Township, where he helped to ad- 
vance local industry by erecting a saw- 
mill. In 1845 he purchased a farm near 
Hannahstown, but two years later he re- 
moved to Millerstown, where, for several 
years, he conducted a store. In 1856 Mr. 
Eeiber entered into the business with 
which he was afterward so long connected, 
purchasing a grist mill and 137 acres of 
the Clymer tract, on the northeastern lim- 
its of Butler. Here he established a mill- 
ing enterprise, remodeling and improving 
the property several times iintil he finally 
had equipped it with the full roller sys- 
tem, and continued to conduct this busi- 
ness for some years. Possessing initial 
assets in his own imremitting industry, 
perseverance and old-fashioned German 
thoroughness, united with rugged health, 
he achieved in time the most gratifying 
success and was numbered among the most 
prosperous citizens of the county. He had 
other interests and from 1865 until 1873, 
operated a distillery. George Eeiber died 
January 11, 1904, widely regretted by 
those who esteemed him for his sterling 
qualities as a man and citizen. 

In 1842 Mr. Eeiber was united in mar- 
riage with Mary Eigger, who was a daugh- 
ter of Jacob Eigger, of Summit Township. 
They were the parents of eleven children, 
namely: Martin G. ; Caroline, wife of 
William F. Miller, of Butler; Henry, who 
is president of the Independent National 
Gas Company and resides at No. 465 N. 
Main Street; Wilhelmina, wife of Eev. Mr. 



Meiser, of Detroit ; Mary L. ; Anna M. ; 
Elizabeth; George L., who is treasurer of 
the Independent National Gas Company; 
and Edward, who is secretary of that cor- 
poration; Icla F., and Agatha, deceased. 
Mrs. Eeiber resides in a stately stone man- 
sion which undoubtedly is the finest pri- 
vate residence in Butler. 

JOHN E. KOCHEE, of Zelienople, the 
editor and proprietor of the Conno queues s- 
itig Valley Neivs, published in that place, 
is a native of Butler County, having been 
born on a farm in Jackson Townshij), 
July 22, 1870. His parents were John 
Henry and Elizabeth (Shanor) Koclier, 
and he is a grandson of John Kocher, who 
was born in Germany, and who, coming to 
America prior to 1835, settled on a farm 
in Jackson Township, near the Lancaster 
Township and Beaver County lines. This 
property at this date still forms a part of 
the Kocher estate. John Kocher had the 
misfortune to lose his first wife, she dying 
on board ship, while on the passage to this 
country. He then married a widow, Mrs. 
Susannah Wild, whose husband had also 
died on shipboard while on the voyage to 
this country. Her name in maidenhood 
was Susannah Gausz. Of this marriage, 
John Henry, the father of the subject of 
this sketch, was the only issue. 

John Henry Kocher was born on his 
parents' farm in Jackson Township, But- 
ler County, Penna., and there his entire 
life was spent, covering a period of sev- 
enty-two years, one month and nine days, 
and terminating on March 28, 1908. He 
was a lifelong member of St. Paul's Lu- 
theran Church at Zelienople, serving the 
church for more than thirty years as a 
member of the vestry, and for a greater 
part of the tim'e being presiding officer. 
He was first married to Elizabeth Shanor, 
a daughter of Daniel Shanor of Lancaster 
Township, and his wife Deborah, nee 
Moyer, a daughter of Samuel Moyer of 
Lancaster Township. She died in 1872 



IJI8T0RY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



and he mai-ried for his second wife Anna 
M. Ziegler, daughter of John Ziegier, later 
of JIarmony. Of the iirst marriage there 
Avere six ckildren, of whom live are now 
living. The offspring of the second mar- 
riage also numbered six children, there be- 
ing now four survivors. The record of the 
childi'en of the family is in brief as fol- 
lows : Edward S. was formerly a teacher 
in Butler County, for several years serv- 
ing as principal of the Zelienople schools. 
He is now residing at Northeast, Penna. 
He married Miss Ellen Pickett, of North- 
east. Daniel S. is a resident of Joplin. Mo. 
He married Cora Cullifer of Galena, Kan. 
Amelia is the wife of Edwin Stout, of 
Wadsworth, Ohio. Eliza is the wife of 
Geoigc A. Luntz of Jackson Township. 
Jacob I]., the direct subject of this sketch. 
Catlicrine is the wife of Paul Gerwig of 
Beaver County, Penna. Sophia married 
William T. (^erwig, and lives at South 
Bend, AVashington. H. E. Kocher, who 
married Margaret Allen of Whitestown, 
this county, and Alfred N. Kocher are res- 
idents of Jackson Township, this county. 
AVilfrcd and Ida are deceased. 

Daniel Shanor, the maternal grand- 
father of our subject, was a soldier of the 
War of 1812-1815, doing duty in the vicin- 
ity of the Great Lakes. Jacob Shanor, an 
uncle, became a citizen of Georgia previous 
to the Civil War and when that conflict 
broke out was pressed into service and 
was wounded. Abraham Moyer, in his 
time a popular, auctioneer and at one time 
a crier in the county court, was a great- 
uncle. 

John E. Kocher, the direct subject of 
this article, and the date of whose na- 
tivity has been already given, spent the 
first twciily (iiK- years of his life on the 
Kociicr hoiiicsic-Hl in Jackson Township, 
paiticipatiiig in tlie usual pleasures and 
occupations of country life. He began his 
education at the Old Fui-nace School in 
Beaver County. After mastering the 
somewhat limited curriculmn which ob- 



obtained in this primary institution of 
learning, he became a pupil, in 1892, in the 
Slippery Rock Normal School, from which 
he was graduated creditably in 1895, hav- 
ing in the meanwhile taught a term of 
school at Middle Lancaster, Butler County. 
After his graduation he turned his whole 
attention to educational pursuits, being 
elected principal of the Zelienople public 
schools, the duties of which office he as- 
sumed in September, 1895. In this occu- 
pation he continued for seven consecutive 
years, during which time he had the pleas- 
ure of seeing his sphere of labor increase 
from a four-room to a six-room school, and 
add an advanced course of high school 
work, in which he graduated four classes. 
During these years also he spent three 
summers at (Jioxc City Col !(■;;(' and one 
summer at Sarvcrsviilc, teaching the first 
term and organizing what is now "Cabot 
Institute," now located at Carbon Black. 

In January, 1901, he was commissioned 
by the State Superintendent of Public In- 
struction as a member of the Commit- 
tee on Permanent C^ertiflcates in Butler 
( Vninty. On December 28, 1901, Mr. Kocher 
deserted the ranks of pedagogy for those of 
journalism, becoming the proprietor of the 
C onnoquenessing Valley Netvs, into which 
he has infused some of his own cheery and 
go-ahead spirit. The Nenis is a welcome 
visitor in numerous homes throughout this 
section of the county, and takes rank 
among the newsy and up-to-date sheets of 
this region. It has already passed its thir- 
tieth anniversary and in Mr. Kocher 's 
hands bids fair to see many more years of 
prosperity and influence. 

Mr. Kocher was married, August 17, 
1899, to Miss Laura M. Sloan, daughter of 
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sloan, of New Brigh- 
ton, who previous to her marriage was a 
teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Kocher are the 
parents of one son, Ralph Sloan Kocher, 
born September 14, 1904. They are mem- 
bers of the Presbyterian church, in which 
]\fr. Kocher has been elected to the elder- 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



729 



ship. Politically lie is a Democrat. He 
lias served his home town as auditor and 
as borough treasurer, and has held a no- 
tary public commission since April, 1892. 

JOHN WHITMIRE, residing on his 
birthi)]ace farm, a finely cultivated estate 
of 100 acres, which is situated in Oakland 
Township, about one mile northwest of 
Boydstown, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
belongs to one of the old and honorable 
families of -this county. He was born 
March 10, 1835, and is a son of John and 
Catherine (Painter) Whitmire. 

John Whitmire the elder, was born in 
Berks County, Pennsylvania, and was 
brought to Butler County by his father, 
Francis Whitmire, when very young. Set- 
tlement was made near the present home 
farm in Oakland Township, and in this sec- 
tion the elder John Whitmire passed his 
life. He married Catherine Painter and 
they had eight children, of whom the four 
older ones — Margaret, Francis, Peter and 
Jacob — are all deceased, the eldest being 
accidentally drowned. John W^hitmire, 
bearing his father's name, is the eldest of 
the four survivors, namely: Elizabeth 
Catherine, who is the widow of Robert 
Morrow; Mary, who was the wife of Chris- 
topher Rider; and Susan, who is the wife 
of John Beatty. Christopher Rider died 
in May, 1894. 

John Whitmire was reared a farmer and 
has followed agricultural pursuits all his 
life, with the exception of ten months, dur- 
ing which he was serving his country as a 
private soldier in Company B, Sixth Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery. He enlisted in 
the fall of 1864 and remained in the serv- 
ice until the close of the war. He returned 
to his home and resumed his peaceful avo- 
cation and continued an active farmer un- 
til his sons grew old enough to take the re- 
sponsibility. At different times he has 
made many substantial improvements on 
his place and in 1877 he built his large and 
comfortable frame residence. 



On September 8, 1859, Mr,_ Whitmire 
married Jane Campbell, who died Novem- 
ber 23, 1903. She was a most estimable 
woman and her death was a grief to her 
family and a loss to the comnuinity. To 
this marriage were born ten children, the 
following of whom survive: Emma Zilla, 
who is the wife of Alonzo Campbell, of 
Prospect; John Elmer, who resides at Los 
Angeles, California; Charles Campbell, 
who lives at home; Harry Painter, who 
also lives at home; Everett Burton, mar- 
ried, who resides in the old home; Ada 
Pearl, who married William Timblin ; and 
Frank. The three children deceased are 
Minnie Catherine, William Alva and an 
unnamed infant. Mr. W^hitmire is a mem- 
ber of the English Lutheran Church. 

THEODORE L. SCHENCK, one of the 

most extensive dealers in real estate in 
Butler, who is also concerned in general 
contracting, was born November 4, 1874, 
in Butler, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Leonard Schenck, a well-known business 
man, who was born also in Butler, in 1848. 
Theodore L. Schenck completed his edu- 
cation in the Butler schools and then went 
to work in a local lirickyard, where he re- 
mained for six months. From there he 
went into the employ of Klingier & Com- 
pany, as office boy, and remained with that 
house for a year and then worked in the 
mill for the same length of time with the 
firm of S. G. Purvis & Company. The 
youth went then to Pittsburg, but he found 
no better opening there than was afforded 
in his native city and after six months he 
came back and learned the carpenter's 
trade. As his work in this line increased 
from year to year and his experience grew, 
Mr. Schenck soon found himself doing 
more or less contracting and he finally gave 
a large part of his attention to general 
contracting. He has prospered also in 
dealing in real estate, purchasing lots, 
building on them and making improve- 
ments and then selling or renting. For 



730 



HISTOEr OF BUTLER COUNTY 



liie iiiist seven years lie has been interested 
in these operations and can advanta- 
geously combine the two forms of business 
enterprise. At tlae present writing (1908) 
lie owns ninety houses and lots in Butler 
and is also concerned in the oil business to 
SOUK' extent. 

ill 1904, Mr. Schenck was married to 
.Miss ('. Louise Stein, who is a daughter of 
John Stein, of Butler. He is a member of 
Grace Lutheran Church. His fraternal 
connection is with the Knights of the Mac- 
cal)ees. 

JOHN H. DOWER, of the firm of Dower 
and Russell, well known contractors and 
drillers of oil wells, is a representative citi- 
zen of Bruin, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is at the jiresent time treasurer of the 
l)orough School Board. He was one of 
the most active in support of the proposi- 
tion to create the borough of Bruin, ami 
has always taken a forward position in 
matters pertaining to the develo]>iiient of 
the community and its resources. 

Mr. Dower was born in Venango County, 
Pennsylvania, December 8, 185(), and is a 
son of John C. and Clara (Sigworth) 
Dower, his father a native of Germany, and 
liis mother of Clarion County, Pennsylva- 
nia. John C. Dower, who now resides at 
Marionville, Pennsylvania, and is eighty 
years of age, was twelve years old when 
lirouglit liy his parents from Germany to 
the rnited States. He was reared to man- 
hood in Venango County, Pennsylvania, 
which was the field of his greatest busi- 
ness activity. He there farmed many years 
and also met with much success as an oil 
l)roducer. His wife died in February, 
1908, her death severing a union of devo- 
tion and companionship which had endured 
for more than half a century. 

John H. Dower was reared on the farm 
in his native county until his eleventh year, 
when his parents moved to Pioneer, Ve- 
nango County. There he attended the pub- 
lic schools, and later was in attendance at 



the State Normal School at Edinlioro, and 
the Jamestown Business College at James 
town, Pennsylvania. For more than thirty 
years he has been engaged as a contractor 
and driller of oil and gas wells, carrying- 
on a flourishing business. He came to Mar- 
tiusburg, now Bruin, Pennsylvania, in 
1884, and has resided here since. He has 
always been deeply interested in matters 
of public concern to the community, but 
especially so in educational affairs. He 
has been a director on the School Board 
ever since the incorporation of Bruin as 
a borougli, and was secretary of that body 
for a time. He is now discharging the du- 
ties as treasurer of the board. 

Mr. Dower was married to Miss Belle 
Sutton, who was born in what is now the 
borough of Bruin, and they are parents of 
three children, as follows — Fred S., Mary 
C.. and Helen. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics, while in religious attachment he and 
his wife are members of the Presbyterian 
Church. Fraternally, he is a prominent 
Mason, being a member of the Blue Lodge 
at Chicora, the Cha])ter at Butler, and 
of the Conmiandeiy at Franklin, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

THOMAS 1. WHIT^IIRE, a prominent 
citizen of Oakland Township and one of 
the principal owners of the valuable farm 
of ninety acres, on which he resides, which 
is situated about one mile northwest of 
Boydstown, adjoining the Whitniire S<-liool, 
was born on this farm, August L'7, jsjil, 
and is a meml)er of a su))stantial old But- 
ler County family. His parents were Will- 
iam and Mary M. (Andre) AVliitmire. 

William AVhitmire, father of Thomas L, 
was liorn on the fai'm just mentioned, July 
."), 1K2(), and was a son of Daniel Whitinire, 
who was tlie eldest of the three brothers. 
Daniel, Francis, and John Whitmire, who 
came together from Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania, in 1796, and settled in But- 
ler Countv. Francis Whitinire was the 
father of Daniel, Francis, and John. Will- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



731 



iaiu Wliitmire aud wife both died on this 
farm, the former in 1889, and the latter in 
1900. She was born and reared near West 
Sunbury, Bntler Count}'. Seven of their 
eight children survive, namely: Mrs. Liz- 
zie King, Samuel A., Thomas I., Mrs. 
Emma J. Wachof, Mrs. Anna Belle Boyd, 
Mrs. Dora E. Baker, and Airs. Minnie L. 
Kelly. 

Thomas I. Whitmire has always been 
that most independent of men, a farmer, 
from youth up, having devoted himself to 
agricultural pursuits. He raises all the 
staple crops of this section and his mead- 
ows show lierds of sleek cattle and his 
jmstures are filled with the stock that finds 
ready sale in every market. 

Mr. Whitmire married Annie E. Black, 
who is a daughter of John Black, of Oak- 
land Township, and they have four chil- 
dren, namely: Daniel Webster, Mary Cath- 
erine, Clara Lorinda, and Annie Laverne. 
Mr. Wliitmire and family belong to the 
Lutheran Church. He is an active citizen, 
taking, a deep interest in township affairs, 
aud he has been frequently elected to of- 
fice. He lias served acceptably as school 
director and as townshij) auditor and at 
present is one of the board of three town- 
ship road commissioners. 

HARRY LEE JOHNSON, superintend- 
ent of the Pittsburg Limestone Company, 
Limited, situated on the Buchanan farm in 
Mercer Townsliip, Butler ^County, Penn- 
sylvania, is a man of recognized business 
ability and through his individual efforts 
worked his way from a lowly ])osition to 
the important one he now occupies. He 
was born at Porestville, Butler County, 
March 8, 1878, and is a son of William P. 
and Catherine (Bell) Johnson, and a grand- 
son of William W. Johnson. 

William W. Jolmson, the grandfather of 
the subject of this sketch, was born in 
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, where the 
family was one of the earliest pioneer ones, 
his mother being the first white female 



child born in the county. When a young- 
man he sailed on Lake Erie for seven years, 
the lake being then under government con- 
trol. He then followed his trade as a shoe- 
maker a short time, after which he moved 
to Harrisville, Butler County. He oper- 
ated a pottery kiln at that point for some 
years, and then located at Forestville, 
where he died at the age of more than 
sixty years. Of the twelve children born 
to him and his wife, William P. and James 
twins, were sixth in order of birth. 

William P. Johnson was born and reared 
at Harrisville, and at the age of twenty- 
five years moved to Forestville, where he 
still conducts a blacksmith shop. He was 
married to Catherine Bell, by whom he 
had eight children: Harry Lee, whose 
name heads this record; Cora Belle, de- 
ceased; Mary Etta; Lawrence B. ; William 
L.-; Carry Catherine; Cecilia; and Charles. 

Harry L. Johnson attended the public 
schools at Forestville, and as soon as he 
was old enough began assisting his father 
in the shop, thoi'oughly mastering the 
blacksmith trade. At the age of eighteen 
years, he began working in the oil fields 
of Butler County, and later went to the 
oil fields of West Virginia, where he con- 
tinued for some ten years. He then l^egan 
his connection with the Pittsburg Lime- 
stone Company, working at blacksmithing 
at the quarry in Mercer Township. He 
demonstrated his worth and in the short 
space of two years' time was advanced to 
the position of superintendent. The quar- 
ries, located on the Bessemer Railroad, 
give employment to about 150 men, and 
are located on about fifty acres of the 
Buchanan farm. This farm was originally 
settled by James Donahue, whose daugh- 
ter, Catherine, was married to William 
Bell, the maternal grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch. Mr. Bell came into 
possession of a part of the land, and later, 
in conjunction with Mr. Donahue, disposed 
of it to Alexander Buchanan, by whose 
heirs it is, owned at the present time. 



732 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



November 2, 1898, Mr. Johnson was mar- 
ried at Butler, to Miss Elizabeth Shields, 
a daughter of Robert and Fannie (McEl- 
haney) Shields. Three children have been 
born to them, Muriel E., Amber, and Mary 
Elizabeth. They reside in the brick home 
at the quarry. He is the owner of good 
property at Forestville. Religiously, Mr. 
and Mrs. Johnson are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Harris- 
ville. Politically, he is a Prohibitionist. 

HARVEY DOWNY THOMPSON, 

whose fine farm of 122 acres is situated in 
Center Township, is one of Butler 
County's leading citizens, one whose home 
has been within her borders for a half 
century. He was born in the town of 
Bentleyville, in Washington County, 
Pennsylvania, September 24, 1829, and is 
a son of William and Ann (Wallace) 
Thompson. 

William Thompson was a innii ^losscssed 
of qualities far beyond the (ndiiiary. By 
trade he was a harness and saddU' maker 
and to this business he added a general 
store, which he conducted for many years. 
He was also in the transportation business 
and ran wagons with freight as far distant 
as Baltimore, Maryland, and on several 
occasions his son Harvey D. made the 
trip, transacted the business and safely 
returned. William Thompson also ac- 
quired two excellent farms. Late in life 
he removed to Greene County, and later 
to Noble County, Ohio, where "he died. He 
was thrice married and was the father of 
twenty-four children. 

Harvey D. Thompson grew to manhood 
mainly on his father's farm, and then 
learned the trade of coach-making, after 
which he located at Butler, where, in 1838, 
his two brothers, Wesley Thomas Fowler 
and Isaiah Wood Thompson, had started 
the first coach factory in the place. The 
three brothers conducted the factory until 
the Civil War broke out, when they closed 
their business and all three enlisted in the 



Federal army. Harvej^ D. enlisted first in 
the Sixty-third Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, but was later trans- 
ferred to the One Hundred and Fifth Regi- 
ment. After his return from military 
service, he located at Prospect and there 
engaged in the house painting business, 
which he continued until 1870, when he 
was elected, on the Republican ticket, 
sheriff of Butler County. In this im- 
portant office Mr. Thompson served for 
three years, with the greatest efficiency. 
In the spring of 1873 he settled on his 
present farm in Center Township, which 
originally contained 280 acres, and here 
he has lived ever since, carrying on a gen- 
eral line of agriculture. Mr. Thomjison 
has reached the age when ordinary men 
are disposed to think they have been in 
active life long enough, but with j\Ir. 
Thompson it is different and he still very 
capably manages his large farm and also 
finds time to serve in various offices of a 
public nature, when called upon, and also 
to be interested in his church and the quiet 
social life of the neighborhood. 

Mr. Thompson was married (first) to 
Mary Forrester, and of their five children, 
two survive : Stella Floi'ence, who is the 
wife of M. W. Albert ; and Millie Ida, wife 
of Louis Craig, who is engaged in a hard- 
ware business at Butler. Mrs. Thompson 
died while Mr. Thompson was serving in 
the sheriff's office and he subsequently 
married Catherine M. Roth. Five children 
were born to them, namely: Lewis, Louisa, 
George, Annie Lydia and Marietta Ger- 
trude. Mr. Thompson's third marriage 
was to Mrs. Lydia Ann (Myers) Kneiss, 
who was the widow of George Kneiss, who 
was formerly county recorder, being in 
office at the same time as was Sheriff 
Thompson. To this marriage one daugh- 
ter was born, Catherine Loveletta. 

Mr. Thompson is a member and liberal 
supporter of the First English Lutheran 
Church at Butler. Few men in this section 
are better known. For a long period he 




HARVEY D. THOMPSON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



735 



was a justice of the peace and lias also 
served as school director and overseer of 
the poor. 

EDWARD AVINTER, of Zelienople, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, was one of 
the ori,ninatt)rs and i)romoters of the Pitts- 
bui'i;-, llaniiony. Butler and New Castle 
Railway, which he now serves in the ca- 
pacity of cashier and i^aymaster. He is 
a native of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, 
having been born at Monaca, June 28, 
1852, and is a son of Rev. E. F. and Jo- 
hanna (Schwarz) AVinter. 

Rev. E. F. AVinter was for a jjeriod of 
fifty years a minister of the gospel and 
was a man of great prominence in this sec- 
tion of the country. He was the founder 
of what is known as Burry's Church, three 
miles west of Zelienople, which pulpit he 
filled for forty-four years, and also founder 
of St. Peter's German Evangelical Church 
in Zelienople. Under his pastorate these 
churches were of the most flourishing and 
had the largest enrollment of members of 
any in this part of the county. In addition 
to those named he also served a congrega- 
tion at Evans City and another at Middle 
Lancaster, making four charges at one 
time. He perhaps confirmed more commu- 
nicants and baptized more infants than 
any other minister ever located in this re- 
gion. He was representative of the high- 
est type of manhood, and was imiversally 
lovecl and esteemed by his fellowmen, re- 
gardless of any differences in religious be- 
lief they might hold. Rev. AA'inter was 
born in Frankfort-on-the-Main, Prussia, in 
181.3, and came to this country at about the 
time he reached his majority, locating first 
in Pittsburg, where he expected to meet a 
friend from his native land. However he 
was doomed to disappointment as the 
friend had already departed, and he was 
left "a stranger in a strange land." He 
soon after drifted to what was then known 
as AV'ater Cure, or Phillipsburg, now Mo- 



naca, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, 
where he acquired a small farm of fifteen 
acres near where the station of the Pitts- 
burg & Lake Erie Railway is now located. 
This property he sold in 1859 and moved 
to Zelienople, where he purchased of Jo- 
seph Schwartz, the Herr farm, afterward 
known as the AVinter farm. He resided on 
this place some twenty-five years, when 
his death occurred in 1884, at the age of 
seventy-one years. He converted it into a 
beautiful piece of property, setting out 
evergreens and shrubs under the direction 
of a landscape gardener whom he had en- 
gaged to come out from Pittsburg. This 
property continued in the family some 
eight years after the death of Rev. Winter, 
and is now owned and occupied by a Mr. 
Lockwood. 

Rev. E. F. AAlnter was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Johanna Schwarz, who 
was born in AVurtemberg, Germany, and 
accompanied her parents to America. Her 
father also was a minister, and upon com- 
ing to this country located in Ohio. Twelve 
children were the issue of this union, 
namely: Mary Ann, deceased wife of 
Henry Noss; Charles F., who is in busi- 
ness in Beaver Falls; Pauline, wife of I. 
N. Hunter of Eldora, Hardin County, 
Iowa; Ferdinand A., head of the firm of 
F. A. AVinter & Son of Altoona, which con- 
ducts the largest music house between 
Pliiladelphia and Pittsburg; Bertha, wife 
of Austin Peasce of Pittsburg, the latter 
being representative of the Union Central 
Life Insurance. Company at Pittsburg; 
Ei'nest, who died in infancy; Albert, a 
jeweler of Pittsburg; Edward, whose name 
heads this record; Dr. Frank E., a prac- 
ticing physician of Pittsburg, Pennsvlva- 
nia; Nettie E.; Mollie E., wife of Prof. 
Richard Griffith, professor of music in the 
Belleview and other schools of Pittsburg; 
and one who died in infancy. 

Edward AVinter received educational 
training in the public schools of Zelienople 



r36 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and New Brighton, after which he went to 
Pittsburg, where for eight years he was 
employed by the C. C. Miller Music Com- 
pany. He then returned to the home farm 
in order to care for his father during his 
declining years, and farmed the place for 
live years. In 1884 he went to Florida, 
where he established a reputation as an 
authority on the cultivation and growth of 
oranges. He met with severe losses in the 
freeze of 1895, and thereafter became gen- 
eral manager of the Florida interests of 
John B. Stetson of Philadelphia. He spent 
thirteen years in Florida and in addition 
to his own interests engaged as manager 
for others. He read a paper before the 
State Horticultural Society of Florida, 
which was considered of such merit and 
importance that the American Agricultur- 
ist (southern edition) devoted half a col- 
umn of its publication to the article. In 
the spring of 1897, Mr. Winter returned 
to Zelienople, where he has since resided, 
and for six years conducted what is now 
the Harmony Hardware Store. In March, 
1905, he dropped all other interests in 
order to devote his attention to the success 
of the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and 
New Castle Railway, then in contempla- 
tion, and of which he was one of the pro- 
moters. He became right-of-way man and 
traveled thousands of miles to secure a 
single right of way, working day and night, 
to find all the parties and secure the neces- 
sary rights of way. He met with unusual 
success and may well take pride in the 
operation of this road, which consists of 
about seventy-iive miles of track and is 
one of the best equipped lines in opera- 
tion. He is at the present director, cashier 
and paymaster of the road and is stationed 
at the Harmony Junction office. 

Mr. Winter was first married to Miss 
Annie M. Bacon, who was a lady of accom- 
plishment and educational attainments, 
and was a daughter of Prof. H. H. Bacon, 
deceased, of Georgia. After six years of 
married life she was called to her final 



.rest, being survived by her husband and 
two children : Anna Jeannette, an attract- 
ive young lady of education and refine- 
ment; and Albert, who is identified with 
the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and New 
Castle Railway. Mr. Winter was again 
married in 1898, to Miss Matilda Buhl, a 
daughter of the late Henry Buhl, Sr., of 
Zelienople. Religiously, they are mcinbcrs 
of the Presbyterian Church. Fratcnmily. 
he is a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows. 

GEORGE SCHENCK, general con- 
tractor at Butler, with business location 
at No. 413 West Jefferson Street, is a rep- 
resentative citizen. He was born at But- 
ler, in 1852, and is a son of Adam and 
Catherine (Oesterling) Schenck. Adam 
Schenck was born in Germany but was 
I'eared from the age of six years in Butler. 
He was n sliocmaker and shoe merchant 
for ]iiaii\ yc-irs in Butler County. 

George ScliiMick was four years old when 
his parents moved into the country and he 
gained his education in the country schools. 
When eighteen years old he came to But- 
ler and entered the shops of H. Bauer & 
Company, where he served an apprentice- 
ship of three years to the cariicntcr's 
trade. He then worked as a jdiiriH'x iiinii 
for one year, after which ]i(> hcg.-in ••on- 
tracting and continues in the same line of 
business. For some years his brother, 
Peter Schenck, was associated with him. 
To name all of the buildings which Mr. 
Schenck has erected would include the 
larger part of the finest stri;ctures of the 
citv, but the following may be mentioned: 
The A. Troutman Building, the Bickel 
Building, the Diamond Block, the Second 
Presbyterian Church, the Kirkpatrick 
Building, C. Koch & Sons' Building, the 
City Hospital, the Armory Building, the 
Waldron Block, the Richard Hughes Block, 
the wholesale groceiy of Leedom & Wor- 
rall, the Court House, the new Hotel Mon- 
roe, and numerous other buildings at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



Bntk'i' and many at other points, inclnd- 
iug- tlio Carnegie Jjihravy at (Jrove City. 
He has other interests in addition to his 
contracting. 

In 1876 Ml'. Sclienck was married to 
Miss Louise M. Porcht, who died in 1905, 
leaving five children: Alfred A., who is 
connected with T. W. Phillips, of Butler; 
George 0., wlio assists his father; Mar- 
garet L. ; Etta E.; and Walter Living- 
stone, who is in the office of T. W. 
Phillips. Mr. Schenck was married (sec- 
ond), in 1908, to Mrs. C. Duumyre. He is 
a member and liberal supporter of St. 
Mark's German Evangelical Lutheran 
Church and is secretary of the chnrch 
council. • 

CHARLES M. MYERS, vice-president 
of the First National Bank of Bruin, Penn- 
sylvania, is also proprietor of a meat 
market in that borough where he has been 
located since 1903. He is a man of tine 
business qualifications and a progressive 
citizen, wlio enjoys the confidence of the 
entire community. 

Mr. Myers was born in Wayne Town- 
shi]j, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
xApril 23, 1872, and is a son of Jacob R. 
and Martha (Blake) Myers, both of whom 
spent most of their Ifves in Armstrong 
County. Charles M. Myers was reared 
and educated in his native township, and 
at the early age of sixteen years began 
sliifting for himself. He has always been 
on his own resources, and the success he 
lias achieved in the business world is at- 
tributable solely to his own energy, indus- 
try and good management. For some 
years lie followed farming, and in 1900 
embarked in the butcher business at Slate- 
lick, in Armstrong County. His success 
was such that he sought a larger field of 
operation, and in 1903 moved to the bor- 
ough of Bruin, in Biitler County, where he 
has since continued. He became one of 
tlie promoters and organizers of the First 
National Bank of Bruin, of which he has 



been a director and A'ice-presidcnt since its 
inception. 

The subject of this sketch was united in 
marriage with Miss Ida M. Gibson, of 
Slatelick, Armstrong County, and they 
have two children, Beulah and Ralph L. 
lieligiously, he is a membei- of the Presby- 
terian church at Bruin. He is a Repub- 
lican in politics, and is deeply interested in 
matters of public imjiortance. 

JOHN C. CYPHER, a well known citi- 
zen of Winfield Townshij), who resides on 
his excellent farm of forty acres, which is 
situated on the Winfield road, about one 
mile east of Cabot, was born in Butler 
( 'ounty, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1852, and is 
a son of John and Mary (Hazlett) (Cypher. 
The fatlier of Mr. Cy])her was engaged in 
farming and working at the carpenter's 
trade through his active years. His father 
was one of the early settlers of the county, 
coming from West \'irginia. 

John C. Cypher obtained his education 
in the country schools and later learned 
the oil business. He married ]\largaret 
]\IcGee, who is a daughter of John and 
Ellen (Se)^nour) McGee. Her father was 
a well known man in this section of Butler 
County. He was born in the city of Pitts- 
burg, May 15, 1819, and was a son of 
Patrick and Lettia (Haggerty) McGee, 
who had come to Western Pennsylvania 
from County Donegal, Ireland. John Mc- 
Gee cleared up a farm and cultivated it 
while carrying on his work as a ' black- 
smith. The McGees were early and prom- 
inent people in Butler County. Mr. and 
Mrs. Cypher have had seven children, 
namely: John A., who is a railroad man 
(HI the Penjisylvania system, married Ade- 
laide Nieson and they have one son, Clark ; 
Clarence, who, with his brother Hugh, is 
in the oil business, being one of the young- 
est and most successful drillers in tliis 
section, married Catlierine McAnalan; 
Hugh F., who is in the oil business as 
above stated; Bervl, who carries on a 



738 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



dressmaking business at home ; Fredia G., 
Margaret E. and Willis A., who are all 
students. Mr. Cypher and family belong 
to the Catholic Church at Cabot. Polit- 
ically he is a Democrat. 

JOHN EWING MacTAGGART, who 
comes of an old and well known family of 
Mercer Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, has a valuable farm of seventy-five 
acres located about two miles southwest of 
Harrisville. He was born in the old log- 
house which stood just below his present 
dwelling, on August 11, 1873, and is a son 
of William and Nancy (Barnes) MacTag- 
gart. His grandfather, William MacTag- 
gart, Sr., was a civil engineer by profession 
and resided in Scotland. 

William MacTaggart, Jr., was born in 
Scotland and was a young man when in 
1868 he accompanied his brother, John, and 
his sister. Gene, who was the wife of James 
Sterling, to the United States. They first 
located at Sharon, Pennsylvania, but 
shortly a'fterward William moved to I'or- 
estville, in Mercer Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, where he was boss driver 
in the coal mine for eight years. He pur- 
chased the farm on which his sons now 
live from Thomas McCune and there spent 
the remainder of his days. He died in 
1893, at the age of fifty-one years, and 
his wife died in 1906, at the age of seventy- 
one years. She was in maiden life Nancy 
Barnes and was a daughter of James 
Barnes, an early settler of Butler county. 
Their marriage resulted in the birth of 
two sons : John Ewing ; and William 
James, who is unmarried and assists the 
subject of this record in farming. 

John E. MacTaggart received a com- 
mon school education, and when quite 
young began assisting in the work about 
the farm. He has always followed farm- 
ing and has been very successful. He was 
married, January 14, 1897, to Miss Mary 
Elizabeth Rowse, a daughter of Thomas 



and Charlotte (Martin) Rowse. Her 
mother died in 1891 at the age of fifty-five 
years, and her father in February, 1906, 
at the age of sixty-ni»e years. Mrs. Mac- 
Taggart was one of seven children born 
to her parents, namely: Charles, de- 
ceased; Thomas; Frederick; Lewis, de- 
ceased ; George, deceased ; Mary Elizabeth ; 
and John, deceased. Three children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. MacTaggart — Syl- 
vanus E., William Claire and Mildred 
Hazel. Religiously, they are members of 
the United Presbyterian church. He is an 
ardent Republican in politics. 

STEPHEN CUMMINGS, a leading 
member of the Butler bar, practicing in 
the local courts and also the superior and 
supreme courts, was born at Butler, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1860, and is a son of Isaac J. 
Cummings. 

Isaac J. Cummings was born in Mary- 
land and came to Butler County in early 
manhood. In 1867 he removed with his 
family to Minnesota, engaged in banking 
for a number of years, and died at Butler, 
in 1872. 

Stephen Cummings accompanied his pa- 
rents to Minnesota and lived in that State 
for the next ten years, attending school 
during that time, but returned to Butler 
when seventeen j^ears of age. For about 
nine mouths he worked as a pumper in 
the oil fields, after which he turned his 
attention to the study of law. His read- 
ing was done with Attorney L. Z. Mitchell 
and in 1881 he was admitted to the bar. 
He immediately opened an office at Butler 
and has continued in active practice ever 
since. He takes an alert citizen's interest 
in pulilic matters and on many occasions 
has proven his value to his communitj^, 
aside from his professional work. He is a 
member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. 
He maintains fraternal relations with the 
Woodmen of the World. 




GEORGE WALTER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



741 



CHARLES EDWARD WALTER, of 
the firm of George AValter & Sous, pro- 
prietors of the Butler Rolling Mills and 
dealers in hay, grain, seeds, etc., is one of 
the representative business men of Butler. 
He is a native of this city, born in 1870, 
and is a son of George and Elizabeth 
Walter. 

George Walter, the father, was boru in 
Butler, Penna., September 11, 1843, and 
was a son of Jacob and Mary Walter. He 
was educated in the Butler schools and 
learned the millers' trade with his father, 
with whom he was afterwards associated, 
at the latter 's death succeeding to the busi- 
ness. In 187G he was elected sheriff of 
Butler Cotmty, on the Democratic ticket, 
but was deprived of his office after a bitter 
legal fight. He filled the office of council- 
man for seven terms and was school direc- 
tor for three terms. He was a prominent 
member of the Masonic order and of the 
A. 0. U. W. In 1866 he was married to 
Elizabeth Troutman, a daughter of Adam 
Troutmau, of Penu Township. She died 
in 1874 leaving four children : Jacob A., a 
member of the firm of George Walter & 
Sons; Mary A., wife of E. 0. Chambers; 
Cliarles Edward, subject of the sketch; 
and G. Wilson, who is now deceased. In 
1876 George Walter married Mary Trout- 
man, a sister of his first wife, by whom he 
had one daughter — Kitty. Mr. Walter was 
a member of the Christian church, and was 
one of the well known and respected citi- 
zens of Butler, where he spent his entire 
business life, engaged in milling. His 
death took place in 1903. 

Charles Edward Walter was reared in 
his native city and attended her best 
schools. From early youth he has been 
interested in the milling business and for 
some ten years has been a member of the 
firm of George Walter & Sons. The busi- 
ness conducted by this firm is of large im- 
])ortance, their dealings covering a wide 
territorv. In 1906 Mr. Walter was mar- 
ried to" Miss Effie Richards of Toledo, 



Ohio, and they have two children, Nellie 
Margaret and George Edward. Mr. and 
Mrs. Walter are members of the Lutheran 
Church of Butler. Fraternally he is con- 
nected with the Elks, the Eagles and the 
Woodmen. 

JOSEPH II. ORR is a prominent eon- 
tractor and builder and dealer in lumber 
and building materials at Bruin, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he has been engaged in busi- 
ness many years and is widely known. He 
was boru in Armstrong County, Pennsyl- 
vania, July 9, 1850, and is a son of John G. 
and Susanna Orr, both natives of that 
county. The Orr family is an old estab- 
lished' one in Armstrong County, and is of 
English extraction. 

Joseph H. Orr was reared to manhood_ 
in his native county, and from his youth- 
ful days has engaged in mechanical pur- 
suits. He learned the trade of a carpenter 
with his father, who was successfully en- 
gaged in contracting for many years. He 
is a man of good education, receiving ex- 
cellent training in the public schools and 
in contact with the business world. In 
1872 Mr. Orr left Armstrong County, and 
for two years resided at East Brady, after 
which, in 1874, he took up his residence in 
Martinsburg, now known as Bruin. He 
established a business of his own here 
many years ago, and from a small begin- 
ning has developed it to large proportions. 
In addition to contracting and building, he 
deals in rough and finished lumber, sash, 
doors, sewer and building tile, brick, slate 
and paints. He is a ^progressive man and 
has always taken a deep interest in the 
affairs of the borough. He has served as 
a director of the schools of Bruin and has 
been treasurer of the borough. He is a 
Democrat in i3olitics. 

The subject of this sketch was united in 
marriage with Miss Martha Cos of Arm- 
strong County, and they became parents 
of nine children, seven of whom are liv- 
ing, namely: Emma R., wife of F. W. 



HTSTORr OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Heckmaii, of Marietta, Ohio, and mother 
of two children — Floyd, who is fifteen 
years old, and Meda, ten years old ; Myrtle 
(Jr., wife of James H. Ramsey of Bruin, 
who has one son, Joseph O., now twelve 
years old; Carrie B., wife of John W. 
Guthrie of Lawrenceville, Illinois, who has 
a daughter, Isabella, two years old ; Bur- 
ton M. of Bruin, Pennsylvania, who has 
two children — Gertrude, five years old, and 
Richard Arden, eight mouths old; Alvin 
R., has one girl, Amelia, who is nine 
months old; Harry L. ; and Hazel. Re- 
ligiously, Mr. Orr is a member of the 
^letliodist Episcopal Church, of which he 
formerly was a steward. In addition to 
his other business, he has oil interests in 
the vicinity. of Marietta, Ohio. 

PHILIP CYPHER, who is a well known 
and experienced contractor in oil and gas, 
confining himself entirely to this work, is 
a resident of the pleasant village of Mar- 
wood, his comfortable home being located 
west of the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, 
the residence stjimling in the midst of a 
carefully laid-out lawn, which contains 
fully an acre of ground. Mr. Cypher was 
born August 7, 1877, on the Cypher home- 
stead, -ndiich is situated two miles north- 
east of Marwood, and is a son of ^Martin 
and Eva (Bleighner) Cypher. 

Martin Cypher was also born on the 
Cyi)her homestead in Winfield Township, 
Butler County, and was a son of Philip 
and Nancy (Denny) Cypher, very early 
settlers, the former of whom cleared two 
adjoining farms. Martin Cypher taught 
school in Butler County for many years. 
He married Eva Bleighner and they had 
nine children borji to them. 

Philip Cypher bears his grandfather's 
name. He obtained his education in the 
schools located near his home and as soon 
as old enough, he went into the oil fields 
and has worked there winter and summer 
ever since, advancing in the business grad- 
ually as he gained experience and also ac- 



quiring property. He owns two gas wells 
and sells their product to different com- 
panies having interests in this locality 
He has been a successful contractor for tlu' 
past thirteen years and is one of the 
youngest in the business in this section. 

Mr. C}i)her was married October 2!). 
1901, to Lida Jack, who is a daughter of 
Williamson J. and Mary Ann (King) 
Jack. W. J. Jack was formerly a ver> 
prominent farmer and merchant at North 
Buffalo, Armstrong County. Mrs. Cypher 
has had one brother and one sister — Orlo 
A. and Effie B., the former of whom die:l 
September 18, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Cypher 
have two children: Winifred ^larie, born 
August 13, 1902; and ^b-Cunly Martin, 
born October 15, 1905. Mr. Cyi)lu'r takes 
a great interest in his family, his beautiful 
home and his comnmnity. He is too busy 
to dip deeply into polities, but his citizen- 
ship is of the kind that obeys the laws and 
lends infiuence to everything that prom- 
ises substantial benefits to the State in 
which he has spent his entii-f' life. 

JOHN ORR is engaged in general 
farming and has a fine estate of eighty-five 
acres, located in Mercer Township, Butler 
County, Penna. He was born on the farm 
now (iwned liy his brother, William Orr, in 
Mercer Townshi]), January 19, 1848, and 
is a sou of John and Ellen ^Margaret 
(Watt) Orr. 

John Orr, father of the subject of this 
sketch, was born in County Down, Ire- 
land, and w^as a mere lad when his father 
died. His mother was subsecpiently re- 
married and moved to America, finally 
locating at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where 
she passed away. John Orr followed his 
mother to the United States when he was 
about twenty-one years of age, and he too 
took up his residence in Pittsburg. He 
worked in the stone quarry there for about 
fourteen years, making fuses. Shortly 
after his marriage he moved to Butler 
County, in 1840, and purchased a farm in 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



743 



Mereev Towiisliij). There he aud his wife 
passed the remainder of their lives, he 
dying in January, 1884, at the age of 
eighty-nine years, and she in 1899, at the 
age of eighty-five years. Mrs. Orr also 
was a native of Ireland. They became pa- 
rents of the following children: James 
W., deceased; Nancy, wife of, George 
Jlicks; John; Charles; Perry; and 
William. 

.lolin On- was i-eared on the home farm, 
which he aided in clearing, and lived with 
his parents until he reached his majority. 
He then spent many years in the oil coun- 
try, and in 1874 purchased his present 
farm of the James (t. Harrigan estate. He 
follows general farming, and in addition 
is agent for the Worth Mutual Fire In- 
surance Company. He has served in that 
capacity since 1893, and is also one of the 
directors of the company, in which he is 
financially interested. 

Mr. Orr was married May 17, 1871, to 
]\liss Deborah Jane Braham, a daughter of 
W. P. Braham, and the following aie the 
issue of their union : Clarence, who married 
Edith Hamilton, by whom he had the fol- 
lowing children — Ila May, Anna Hamilton 
and Ethel; William B., who married Grace 
B. Laml) and is the father of the following 
— (ilen B""., Garth, John P. (deceased), 
Charles R. and Virgil K. ; Perry, who mar- 
ried Alice Moon and has two children — 
Raymond S. and John Stewart; and Nettie 
May, at home. Mr. Orr is a Republican in 
politics, and served as constable nine years, 
as overseer of the poor, assessor, super- 
visor and in other township offices. Re- 
ligiously, he and his family are members 
of the Presbyterian Churcli. 

F. W. LEIDECKER, a representative 
citizen, largely identified with the business 
interests of Butler, an experienced manu- 
facturer and oil producer, was born in 
1849, in the city of New York. When aged 
four years, Mr. Leidecker was taken bv 



his parents to L'lster ("ounty. New York, 
where he was educated in the ])ublic schools 
and remained until May 10, 1865, when he 
came to investigate into industrial condi- 
tions in the oil fields. He had but little 
capital at that time, and after locating in 
Titusville, he went to work in the adjacent 
oil district, moving later to Pleasantville, 
and for several years was employed as a 
driller and tool dresser. He also handled 
junk and second-hand tools, for a time, 
near Oil City, gradually investing in the 
oil coimtry and for a number of years has 
been an oil producer both in the Pennsyl- 
vania and Virginia oil fields. At the pres- 
ent date of writing (1908), he is operating 
in the Brush Creek fields, near Duff City, 
pumping eight wells and having thirty in 
operation at different points. He is finan- 
cially interested in several prospering oil 
companies and aside from this couunodity, 
be has other business connections. 

In 1873 Mr. Leidecker was married to 
Miss Margaret H. AVilson, who is a native 
of England, and they have six surviving 
ihildren, namelv: Frederica W., who is 
the wife of A." C. Richards, of Butler; 
Robert W., who is an oil operator in the 
Brush Creek fields; and Josephine May, 
Grace Maud, lona M., and Nevin C, all 
residing at home. Mr. Leidecker was 
reared a Lutheran but his family belong 
to the Episcopal Church. He is a mem- 
ber of the fraternal order of the Royal 
i\rcanum. 

(i^BORGE BALDIN is proprietor of a 
lilacksmith and general repair shop at 
Bruin, Pennsylvania, where he has suc- 
cessfully engaged in business since the 
spi'ing of 1897. He is widely known and 
conamands the patronage of many of the 
leading citizens throughout this section of 
the county, with whom he is very popular. 
He was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1874, and 
is a son of Herman and Amelia (Wine- 



744 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



hart) Baldiii. His parents were both born 
in Germany and now reside at Boyer's 
Post Office, in Butler County. 

George Baldin was five years of age 
wlien his parents moved from Brady's 
Bend to IMiirriusville, Butler County, and 
was but little older when they moved to 
Annaudale, Butler County. There he grew 
to manhood and attended the public 
schools; he later attended West Sunbury 
Academy for a time, and also the Pennsyl- 
vania State Normal School at Slippery 
Rock. He learned blacksmithing under his 
father, and was but fourteen years of 
age when he began shoeini; lioises. He 
mastered his trade most thnidughly, and 
it is the character of his work which en- 
abled him to build up the large business 
he now conducts. He is a man of good 
education, intelligent and public spirited, 
and every worthy measure for the benefit 
of the community finds in him an earnest 
and active supporter. 

September 15, 1896, Mr. Baldin was 
united in marriage with Miss Sarah Kep- 
ler, a daughter of the late George Kepler 
of Parker Township, Butler County, and 
they have been the parents of three chil- 
dren: Charlotte, who is now deceased; 
Pauline, and Isadore. Politically Mr. Bal- 
din is an unswerving Republican. 

HENRY WAGNER, engineer for the 
Standard Plate Glass Company, at Mar- 
wood, is one of the town's active citizens. 
Mr. AVagner was born in Jefferson Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, June 
15. 1861, and is a son of John and Barbara 
(Sachleins) Wagner. The parents of Mr. 
Wagner moved to Penn Township, from 
Jefferson, when he was three years old 
and there reared their ten children, the 
survivors all residing and following dif- 
ferent pursuits in Butler County. Those 
living are Minnie, Kate, Henry, Christo- 
pher, and Julia. Those deceased were 
named, respectively, George, John, Sam- 
uel, Anna, and James. 



Henry Wagner attended school in both 
Penn and Middlesex Townships, and in 
early manhood entered into training which 
prepared him for positions like the one 
he has held with the Standard Plate Glass 
Company for the past ten years. 

On November 21, 1897, Mr. Wagner was 
married to Mrs. Sadie (Gravatt) Barton, 
who is a daughter of Capt. Daniel and 
Martha (Girth) Gravatt, the former of 
whom served iii the heavy artillery from 
Pennsylvania during the Civil War. Mrs. 
Barton had two children; Mabel Tressa, 
an accomplished young lady living at 
home; and Henry Willard, who is a stu- 
dent in the Cabot Academy. Mr. Wag- 
ner's first wife died December 3, 1899, and 
on April 17, 1902, he married Susan Mor- 
rison. Mr. Wagner and family occupy a 
very attractive residence which is situated 
near the center of the town. He is a mem- 
ber of the order of Woodmen. He belongs 
to the Reformed Church and takes an 
active part in its affairs. 

SAMUEL SCHAFFNER, SR., one of 
Butler Township's well known and highly 
esteemed citizens, was born in Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1833, 
and is a son of Jacob and Mary Aim 
(Martin) Schaffner. 

The father of Mr. Schaffner was born 
in 1806, in Wissenberg, Germany, and 
was a son of Nicholas Schaffner. Jacob 
Sclinffnor was accompanied to America in 
is;;i ]}\ his wife and their three-year-old 
ilauglilei-. and he settled in that part of 
Butler Township, Butler County, which 
has been absorbed by the borough of But- 
ler. Later he bought forty acres of laud, 
adjoining the present farm of his son 
Samuel, and in the depth of the forest he 
l)uilt his log cabin. At a later period he 
rented a farm in Slippery Rock Township, 
on which he lived for five years and then 
returned to Butler and went into the coal 
business. He rented a coal bank that ad- 
joined his farm and paid a royaltj' until 




SAMUEL SCHAFFXER, SR. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



747 



he reached the vein of coal that extended 
through his own land. He continued to 
mine his coal very profitably and he also 
cultivated his forty acres. He was a man 
of more than ordinary capacity and be- 
came one of the township's most useful 
citizens. When he came to America he 
became an American and informed himself 
on public matters, voting first, intelli- 
gently, with the Whigs and later with the 
Republicans. He served in township 
offices and at one time was delegated to 
take the census of three townships. He 
lived to the age of seventy-one years. He 
married a most estimable woman, who was 
born and reared in his own neighborhood. 
They both were long active members of 
St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church. They 
had five children, namely: Frances, who 
became Sister Mary Crescintia, in a con- 
vent at St. Louis, Missouri; Samuel; 
Maria, who became the wife of Frank 
Koch, of Butler Township ; George, a resi- 
dent of Springdale, and John, residing at 
Butler. 

Samuel Schaffner passed through his 
boyhood years with many responsibilities 
resting on his shoulders. He was the 
eldest son and became his father's main 
helper. Three months during the winter 
he tried to be punctual at school, but there 
are many duties for a boy to perform, on 
a pioneer farm, during the seasons of cold 
and storm, not the least of these being the 
preparing of the firewood, and frequently 
the school attendance period was short- 
ened thereby. As he grew older he drove 
a team for his father, delivering coal and 
continued to work at home until his mar- 
riage, when he went into the coal business 
for himself, working in his father's coal 
bank. He continued in the coal business, 
more or less continuously until 1888, a 
period of forty years. During this time 
he had done a little farming, owning four 
tracts aggregating 146 acres, and he also 
drilled a number of oil wells on his place, 
which became small producers. 



In politics, Mr. Schaffner is a Repub- 
lican. He has always been a most patri- 
otic citizen. In 1864 he enlisted in Com- 
pany D, Sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, ancl served in the defense 
of Washington. Early in 1862, when Geu- 
ej'al Lee threatened to invade Pennsyl- 
vania, he went out in the State militia 
with the rank of fourth sergeant of Com- 
pany U, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Infan- 
try. He is a member of the Grand Army 
of the Republic post at Butler. 

On June 26, 1858, Mr. Schaffner was 
married to Josephine IIinchl)('r,i;cr. wlio 
was a daughter of Anthony IIiiiclilicri;ci', 
a pioneer of Butler Township. Mrs. 
Schaffner died February 2, 1893. She 
was a good Christian woman, a devoted 
member and regular attendant of St. 
Paul's Roman Catholic Church. Of the 
ten children born of this marriage eight 
reached maturity, namely: Josejihine, 
George A., Jacob F., Christopher, Sam- 
uel Jr., Frank 0., Edward and Herlievt. 
Josephine, who married Joseph WuUer, 
resides with her father and husband on 
the home farm. She has four children 
— Margie, Josephine, Alma, and Leo. 
George A., who lives in Butler, has three 
children — Josephine, Marie, and Jacoli. 
Jacob F. and Christopher live in A^irginia; 
Christopher has four children — Christo- 
pher, Walter, Ruth, and Harold. Samuel 
Schaffner, Jr., who is a resident of Butler, 
has five children — Samuel, Eugene, Laura, 
Gladys, and Bernard. Frank 0., who is a 
resident of Virginia, as also is Herbert, 
has two children — Lawrence and Mar- 
garet. Edward, now a resident of Butler 
Township, has one child — Edward. Mr. 
Schaffner attends St. Paul's Catholic 
Church. At various times during his long- 
life he has been elected to township offices, 
although he has never been a politician in 
the general acceptance of the term. He 
has served as a justice of the peace for 
five years. 



J4H 



mSTOK'V OF BrTLP]K COUNTY 



CVKrs H. liLAXEY, who in partnev- 
slii]) with his brother, W. E. Blaney, imder 
the linn name of Bhxney Brothers, is en- 
gaged in oil operations, is a well known 
I'esident of Oakland Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and makes his home 
at "The Woodbine." Blaney Brothers 
are ownei's of four oil wells located on 
leased land in Oakland Township, and 
have been operating in this vicinity for six 
years. 

Cyrns K. Blane>- was born in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1865, 
and is a son of Hugh and Susan (Eber- 
hart) Blaney. His father was a farmer in 
early life, and then turned his attention to 
the oil business. He is now deceased and 
is survived by his widow. 

Cyrus E. Blaney has been in the oil busi- 
ness pi'actically throughout his business 
career. He moved from Armstrong to 
Butler County in 1876 or 1877, and con- 
tinued here until 1893, in which year he 
removed to AVashington County, Pennsyl- 
vania. He lived there and in Allegheny 
County for ten years, then in 1902 re- 
turned to Butler C'ounty and located in 
Oakland Townshi]). His brothei- is a resi- 
dent of Pittsburg. They have met with a 
high degree of success in their business, 
and are progressive and ]iubli<--spirite(l 
men. 

The subject of this sketch was united in 
niariiage \\ith Aliss Ann Al. flyers, who 
was born and reared in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, but was a resich^nt of P)Utler 
County at the time of her marriage. She 
is a'daughter of Samuel Alyers. Six chil 
dren wei-e the offspring of this union, of 
whom live are living: Pay, wife of Paul \l. 
Oswald, (if P.ntler. bv whom she has a son. 
Kobert Cvrus: Margaret E. ; Edith ^I.: 
Edna; and Alai'v Alice. A son named 
Cvrus E., .Ir., died at the age of eight 
months, Fi-aternally, ^.Ir. Blaney is a 
member of the ]\Iasonic lodge, belonging to 
the Blue Lodge, Chapter and (\»mmand- 



ery ; he also is a niemlier of the Knights of 
the -Maccabees. 

.1. W. HrFEMAN, an enterprising and 
profjperous business man of Butler, who is 
engaged in contracting and in manufactur- 
ing concrete blocks, has been established in 
Ibis city for some years, but his birth took 
plai'c in the neighboring State of Ohio, in 
the town of Grand Rapids, November 13, 
]869. 

His schooldays were scarcely concluded 
before Mr. Huffman began to be self- 
sup})orting, becoming an employe of the 
firm of Loomis & Marble, implement deal- 
ers at Bowling Ureen, with whom he re- 
mained for three years, and then became 
traveling salesman for the Williams Man- 
ufacturing Company, of Kalamazoo, Michi- 
gan. During the seven years that he con- 
tinued with this concern, lie traveled over 
a large portion of the United States, his 
tei-ritory extending from Maine to Wash- 
ington on the Pacific coast. Mr. Huffman 
then embarked in business for himself, or- 
ganizing a i)lant at Pleasant Bend, Ohio, 
foi- the manufacture of brick and drain 
tile, which lie continued there for three 
\('nis and then trans])orted it to Mauvilla, 
Alabama, where he conducted it for two 
yeais. ^Ir. Huffman went then to Nash- 
ville, Tennessee, where he remained for 
three years "with the Pintsch Compressing 
Company, after which he returned to 
Grand Rapids, Ohio, having become inter- 
ested in the manufacturing of concrete 
blocks, a business he carried on there until 
be came to Butler and established his ])res- 
ent ])lant. So great an interest has ])een 
awakened in the use of concrete blocks-, in 
late years, that there can be no cjuestion 
about the continued success of a manufac- 
turing ent('ri»rise of this kind. The time 
is not far dist;int when concrete will form 
the composition of our houses and public 
buildings, thereby, in large measure, pre- 
venting the loss of life and property: by 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



■49 



fire. Mr. lluffmau is working to the 
cajjacity of his plant at the present time. 
In 1892 Mr. Huffman was married to Miss 
jMartha Dillinger, of ]\Iaconib, Ohio, and 
they have three cliihlren : Amelia, Oirin 
and Florence. 

JAMES MEEK, general iiUMvliant at 
Bonus, in Allegheny Township, Butler 
County, Penna., has been engaged in that 
Inisiness since 1897 and has a well estab- 
lished patronage. In addition he gives 
much of his attention to farming, having 
two farms in Allegheny Township, consti- 
tuting 14-1 acres in all. 

Mr. Meek was liorn in Edinburgh, Scot- 
land, June II, 1841, and is a son of James 
and Nellie (Brown) Meek, both natives of 
Scotland. He was nine years of age when 
he began working at the coal mines, and 
continued at that line of work in Scotland 
and England until 18G9, in which year he 
emigrated to America. He located in [Mer- 
cer C'ounty, Pennsylvania, and mined coal 
several years, then came to Butler County. 
He operated a coal l)ank in Parker Town- 
shi]5 for some time, and about the year 
187.1 or 1876 took up his residence in Allc- 
uhfiiy Township. Of late years he has 
devoted his energies mainly to agriculture 
and the mercantile business, although lie 
has met with some success as an oil pro- 
ducer. He was postmaster at Bonus for 
several years, continuing until the office 
was abolished. He is ])ossessed of supe- 
rior nmsical talent and for many years has 
given instructions in band anusie; he was 
leader of bands in Mercer and Butler 
Counties in years past, and has an estab- 
lished reputation. 

In 1869 Mr. Meek was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Mary Tate, a native of 
Scotland, and the following were the chil- 
dren liorn to them : Liliie, wife of Lincoln 
Pliillii)s of Allegheny Township; James, 
who lives in Indiana : Nellie, who also lives 
in Indiana; .lanet, wife of Taylor Ankers 
of Indiana; A\'illiam. wlio is in ()liio; 



.Mary J. of Pittsburg; Caroline, wife of 
Thomas Slater; Maggie, who is a resident 
of Illinois; Robert of Allegheny Town- 
shiii; Ritchie; and Emma and Minnie, 
twins. The subject of this sketch is Re- 
])ublican in i^olitics, but is inclined to be 
independent, voting for the man best fitted 
for the office. He is efficiently serving the 
township as a member of the School Board. 
Fraternally he is a member of the Inde- 
jiendent Order of Odd Fellows. He and 
his wife are consistent members of the 
Christian church. He is a man of wide 
ac([uaintance through his section of the 
country, and enjoys the good will and high 
esteem of his fellow citizens. 

JOHN GREENERT, an experienced and 
successful farmer of Winfield Township, 
resides on his fine farm of fifty acres, 
which is situated on the Denny mill road, 
about three miles from Cabot. He is a son 
of Henry and Kate (Gruust) Greenert. 
The father of Mr. Greenert came to Amer- 
ica when a small boy, with his father, who 
settled in Winfield Townshijv and cleared 
up the farm on which John Greenert now 
resides. 

.lohn (jreenert attended the schools of 
Winfield Township and has followed farm- 
ing as an occupation ever since early man- 
hood. He has an excellent tract of land 
and gives it the careful attention which 
causes it to produce abundantly. His main 
crops are wheat, hay, oats and corn. jMr. 
Greenert married Annie Kromfuf , who is a 
daughter of August and Laura (Link) 
Kromfuf, and they had nine children — 
Fred, Milton, Gilmore, Amelia, John, 
Laura, Kate, Clifford and Ellen — five of 
whom are living. Mr. Greenert and wife 
lielong to the Lutheran Church and are 
good Christian peo]i!e. He takes some in- 
terest in local ]iolitics and has served the 
township as roadmaster. 

DANIEL VorXKIXS. oil operator and 
one of Butler's leading citizens, was Imrn 



750 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



June 27, 185-t, sou of William and Sarah 
Younkius. He received a good education 
in the common schools of his district and at 
at Slate Lick, Armstrong County, Penua., 
AVorthington Academy, and until 1876 was 
engaged in farming on the homestead. In 
that year he came to the oil country and 
engaged in drilling and contracting at Pe- 
trol ia and later was interested in the busi- 
ness at Fairview. He followed the excite- 
ment to Bradford in 1878, and still later 
successively in McKean, Forest, Warren, 
Butler, and Allegheny Counties, locating 
permanently in Butler in 1884 and engag- 
ing in oi^erations in the Thorn Creek field, 
Butler County. Since then he has been 
contracting and operating in the fields of 
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. He has 
also invested in property and engaged in 
business enterprises in Butler, besides 
continuing his oil interests. Since taking 
up his residence here Mr. Younkins has 
taken an active part in the development 
of the town, being concerned, as partly in- 
timated above, in a number of its manu- 
facturing industries and financial institu- 
tions. He is a director in the Fanners' 
National Bank, of which his brother, John 
Younkins, is president; is also a director 
in the Guaranty Safe Dejosit & Trust Com- 
pany; chairman of the board of directors 
of the Evans Manufacturing Company, 
Limited; president of the Craigsville 
Woolen Manufacturing Company, and a 
member of the firm of Younkins Brothers, 
and of the East End Hose Company, of 
which latter he is treasurer. The manner 
in which he discharges the various obliga- 
tions which devolve upon him is proof that 
he is a man of more than ordinary business 
capacity. 

Mr. Younkins is a Democrat in politics 
and has been three times elected a mem- 
ber of the town council from the Fourth 
Ward, of which he is a resident; and dur- 
ing his services as councilman he was twice 
honored by being chosen chairman of that 
bodv. 



Mr. Younkins was married, September 
10, 1884, to Miss Eva E. Minteer, daugh- 
ter of Joseph Minteer, of Craigsville, 
Armstrong County, Penna. Seven chil- 
dren, have been born into their household, 
namely: Sarah Josephine, Mabel V., 
William M., Victor D., Florence E., Delma 
E. and James Kenneth. The family are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church and Mr. Younkins is liberal in sup- 
port of its various benevolent enterprises, 
as he is also generous to many more ob- 
scure charities. His family join him in the 
social and benevolent work of the church. 
Mr. Younkins' fraternal connections in- 
clude membership in the Woodmen of the 
World, the Odd Fellows, and the Knights 
of Malta. 

LESTER G. STOUGHTON, who is in 
partnership with his father under tlie firm 
name of O. W. Stoughton and Son, is ex- 
tensively engaged in farming and dairying 
in Center Township. They own a valuable 
and well-improved farm of 150 acres, keep 
an average of fifty-six head of cattle, and 
wholesale the milk. 0. W. Stoughton, 
senior member of this firm, is superin- 
tendent of the Butler County Home. 

Lester G. Stoughton was born in Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1878, 
and is a son of 0. W. and Permelia A. 
(Garvin) Stoughton. He was reared on 
the farm and has always followed farming 
and dairying. He received his education 
at the academy at Prospect, Penna. ; took 
a short course in dairying at State Col- 
lege, Center County, Penna, and a course 
in agriculture at State College, Center 
County, Penna., and he follows farming 
along scientific lines. He is a member of 
the U. P. Church at Holyukc. Pennsyl- 
vania. Mr. Stoughton married Miss Anna 
Walters of Evans City, and tliey ha\e lour 
children: Frank, Agnes, Paul, and Irene. 
Mr. Stoughton is a young man of recog- 
nized business al)ility and occupies a high 
place in the esteem of his fellow citizens. 




MR. AND MRS. JAMES M. KNOX AND CHILD 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



753 



JAMES M. KNOX, representative of 
one of the oldest pioneer families of 
Parker Township, Butler County, Penna., 
resides on a farm of 100 acres, which was 
settled by his great-grandfather, George 
Knox, upon his arrival in this country. 
The latter was a Scotch-Irishman and was 
the first of the family to settle in Butler 
County. James M. Knox was born in 
Perry Township, Armstrong County, 
Penna., December 20, 1856, and is a son 
of George and Jane (Steele) Knox, and 
a grandson of James Knox, who was born 
in Perry Township, Armstrong County. 

George Fnox, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Parker Township, 
Butler Coilnty, and for many years re- 
sided on the farm now owned by James M. 
Knox. He was one of the prosperous and 
substantial men of his day, and took a pro- 
gressive part in the development of the 
community. He was a Republican in poli- 
tics and served some years as a school 
director. His wife, in maiden life Miss 
Jane Steele, was born in Perry Township, 
Armstrong County, Penna., and was a 
daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Story) 
Steele, a granddaughter of Samuel Steele, 
and a great-granddaughter of John Steele, 
who was killed in a battle with the In- 
dians, the engagement being luiown in his- 
tory as the battle of Hannahstown. The 
widow of Jolm Steele survived him long, 
living to the remarkable age of 104 years, 
and was buried near Karns City in Butler 
County. Samuel Steele, Sr., son of John, 
was of Scotch-Irish parentage and was a 
boy of seven years when he accompanied 
his parents from Ireland to America. 
With other emigrants they lived for a 
period of ten years in the block house at 
Pittsburg. 

George and Jane (Steele) Knox became 
parents of six children, as follows : James 
M. ; Jennie E., wife of James E. Sammel, 
of Pittsburg; Nancy, wife of Edgar Say 
of Bruin, Butler County; Mary A. May, 
the wife of George Say, also of Bruin; 



Abraham L. of Parker Township; and 
Elda J., deceased. Religiously, the par- 
ents of this family were Presbyterians. 

James M. Knox was about seven years 
of age when his parents moved to Parker 
Township, and here he grew to man's 
estate, receiving a good education in the 
public schools. Prom youth up to the 
present time he has followed farming, and 
in connection_has been identified with the 
oil industry. For more than twenty years 
he has been an oil producer, finding it a 
very remunerative field of labor. He 
owns, in addition to the home farm of 100 
acres in Parker Township, some 140 acres 
in Perry Township, Armstrong County, 
much of it timberland, and a farm of forty- 
six acres in Allegheny Township, Butler 
County. He is a man of exceptional 
capacity for business, and his every trans- 
action has been characterized by foresight 
and good management. 

June 26, 1903, Mr. Knox was joined in 
marriage with Miss Mary Barto, a daugh- 
ter of the late Daniel Barto of Clarion 
County, Pennsylvania, and they have one 
son, George, born April 8, 1904. He is a 
Republican in politics, and has taken a 
deep interest in all matters pertaining to 
the welfare and development of the county. 

WILLIAM C. HUTZLER, who fills the 
important position of field superintendent 
for the Standard Plate Glass Company, in 
Butler County, is an example of the true 
self made man. His birth took place on 
July 13, 1865, on the Denny farm, about 
three miles northeast of Marwood, Penn- 
sylvania, and he is a son of- John and Mar- 
garet (Weaver) Hutzler. The father of 
Mr. Hutzler followed farming as an occu- 
pation. He married Margaret Weaver 
and they became the parents of the follow- 
ing named children: James F., William 
C, John, Ellen, Peter, Charles, Margaret, 
Mary, Sarah and Alice. James F. Hutzler 
of this family is cashier of the Farmers' 
National Bank at Butler. 



754 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



William C. Hutzler attended no other 
school than the Denny School in the neigh- 
borhood of the farm on which he was born. 
At a very early age he went to work and 
his industry has never ceased. His first 
real labor was ditch digging and from that 
humble position, through sheer persever- 
ance and native energy, in the space of ten 
years he had been advanced and given his 
present position, which he has held for the 
past three years. In an unusual degree he 
enjoys the esteem and confidence of his 
employers. 

On June 7, 1894, Mr. Hutzler was mar- 
ried to Agues Cypher, who is a daughter 
of Martin and Eva (Bleiclmer) Cypher, 
and they have six children — Ralph James, 
Pearl Agnes, John Martin, Harry Austin, 
Helen Marie, and Walter Joseph. The 
family home is located on Main Street, 
Marwood. With his wife and children, 
Mr. Hutzler belongs to the Roman Catholic 
Church, and to the congregation of St. Jo- 
seph's at Cabot. He takes a good citizen's 
interest in politics and has served as a 
member of the township election board. 

JOSEPH KUTSCH, general contractor 
in plaster, cement and tile work, has been 
a resident of Butler for only four years, 
but in that time has done a large amount of 
business and has established himself as a 
capable and reliable man in his line of 
work. He was born in 1879, in Germany. 

Mr. Kutsch attended the excellent Ger- 
man schools and in his own land served his 
apprenticeship to his trade. In 1903 he 
came to America and settled first at Fort 
City, near Kittanning, Pennsylvania, but 
shortly afterward came to Butler, and his 
first work, which was in the construction 
of the uew Methodist Church, gave him 
standing in trade circles and he has main- 
tained the same excellence in all his sub- 
sequent contracts. He lias proven himself 
a very enterprising citizen and has done 
much toward improving the western part 
of Butler. He has recently completed his 



own private residence at No. 522 MifiBin 
Street, which is of cement construction 
and of North German architecture. 

Mr. Kutsch was married in 1903, before 
leaving Germany, to Miss Mary Josephine 
Gilliam, and they have one child, Freder- 
ick Joseph, born December 4, 1905. They 
are members of the German Roman Catho- 
lic Church. He belongs to the order of 
the Knights of St. George, in which 
he is serving at Butler as secretary and 
treasurer. 

MARSHALL NEY HALLACK, who 
has been engaged in the oil fields of Alle- 
gheny Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, since 1876, and is now in the employ 
of the South Penn Company, is well known 
to the citizens of the community. He is a 
veteran of the Civil War, in which he 
served creditably for three and a half 
years. 

Mr. Hallack was born near Elmira, New 
York, April 3, 1844, and is a son of Caleb 
and Lurana (Stoll) Hallack, his father a 
native of Connecticut, and his mother of 
New Jersey. He was about sis years of 
age when brought by his parents to Troy, 
Pennsylvania, and after a time moved with 
them to Cuba, Allegheny County, N. Y., 
where he grew to maturity and obtained a 
good common school education. He en- 
listed at Elmira, New York, as a member 
of Company D, Thirteenth Regiment, New 
York Heavy Artillery, and subsequently 
was detailed to the musical department of 
that regiment. He continued to serve as 
a musician during the remainder of the 
war, and a part of the time was with the 
headquarters band at Norfolk, Virginia. 
During his service he was in the Army of 
the Potomac, and later with the Army of 
the James. He was honorably discharged 
in August, 1865, after three and a half 
years of service, and then returned to 
Cuba, New York, where he remained until 
he came to Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
in 1876. He located in Allegheny Town- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



755 



ship, and since that date has been prac- 
tically in the employ of the Standard Oil 
Company, with which the South Penn 
Company is affiliated. 

Mr. Hallack was joined in marriage with 
Miss Ellen J. Mooney, who was born in 
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and is a 
daughter of the late Adam Mooney of that 
county. The following are the issue of 
this union: Harvey 0. of Parker Town- 
ship, Butler County ; Thomas G. of Salem, 
West Virginia ; Minnie F. of Bruin, But- 
ler Coimty; Luella M., wife of R. A. Kelly 
of East McKeesport, Pennsylvania; and 
Edward C. of Allegheny Township. Re- 
ligiously, Mr. Hallack is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church at Foxburg, 
and is at present serving as class leader. 
He is superintendent of the Allegheny 
Cemetery in Alleghenj^ Township. He is 
a Republican in politics; and formerly he 
belonged to the Gr. A. R. Post at Parker's 
Landing. He is endowed with finest at- 
tributes of manhood, and well merits the 
high esteem in which he is held by his 
fellow men. 

JOSEPH WEAVER PATTERSON, of 
Cabot, Butler County, Pennsylvania, has 
been a mail carrier for the past seven 
years, and is also the owner of a valuable 
farm of 134 acres in Jefferson Township, 
located near the Shilo oil field. He was 
born in Freeport, Armstrong County, 
March 1.3, 1858, and is a son of Samuel 
and Barbara (Weaver) Patterson, and a 
grandson of James and Mary (Murphy) 
Patterson. 

James Patterson and his wife were 
natives of County Down, Ireland, and 
some time after marriage emigrated to 
America, becoming early settlers in Arm- 
strong County, Pennsylvania. 

Sanniel Patterson was born in Arm- 
strong County and settled on a farm when 
he was seventeen years old. He always 
followed that occupation and became one 
of the substantial men of Jefferson Town- 



ship, Butler County, where he was the 
owner of the farm now owned by his son, 
Joseph W. He and his wife became the 
parents of three children — James L., Mary 
Jane, and Joseph W. 

Joseph W. Patterson received his educa- 
tional training in the common schools of 
Jefferson Township, and at Witherspoon 
Institute, at Butler. He turned his atten- 
tion to farming, after leaving school, and 
continued without interruption until he 
received appointment as mail carrier. He 
is a man of superior business ability, a 
hard worker and a good manager. He is 
enterprising and public-spirited, and is 
highly respected by his fellow men wher- 
ever known. 

September 13, 1883, Mr. Patterson was 
united in marriage with Miss Anna M. 
Wright, a daughter of James and Eliza 
Wright, who were formerly residents of 
Butler County, but are now both deceased. 
Five children were born to bless this 
union : Carl R., who married Mabel Max- 
well and has a daughter, Winnifred; 
Lyda F., Agnes, Edith Lenora, and Anna 
Margaret. Religiously, they are members 
of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Patter- 
son has served as school director and 
county auditor, proving a most efficient 
officer. 

JAMES I. CAMPBELL, one of But- 
ler's leading citizens, treasurer of the 
Butler Wood-Fiber Plaster Company and 
also interested in oil production and farm- 
ing, was born in Concord Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, November 2, 
1851. 

Tlie late John A. Campbell, father of 
James I., was born also in Butler County, 
the family being a pioneer one of this sec- 
tion. John A. Campbell led an agricul- 
tural life and on many occasions was 
elected to township offices. He married 
Mary Milford and had nine children — 
Mrs. Jane Kighner, Thomas M., Lee Ann 
(Campbell), Amelia, deceased; John F. 



756 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



died in Civil War; Sophie (McClure), 
William H., James I., and Mary Nancy 
(Campbell), deceased. 

James I. Campbell was reared on the 
home farm and continued to be actively 
engaged in agricultural pursuits until 
1902, and for a number of years has been 
an oil producer, having seventeen wells on 
his own land and others on other property. 
He has other interests, being treasurer 
for the Wood-Fiber Company of Butler, 
owns stock in other enterprises and is con- 
cerned in real estate operations, particu- 
larly in connection with the East Oakland 
Land Company. 

In 1873 Mr. Campbell was married to 
Miss Sarah C. Whitmire, a daughter of 
Peter Whitmire, of Butler County. She 
died July 23, 1903, the mother of four sons 
and two daughters, namely: Harry W. 
and Charles P., both of Butler County; 
Orrin C, a graduate of the Philadelphia 
Medical College, who *is engaged in prac- 
tice in Armstrong County; John B., who 
operates the home farm; Margaret, who 
is the wife of Clarence V. Blair, of Butler ; 
and Myrtle P., who resides at home. Mr. 
Campbell is a member of the Second Pres- 
byterian Church. In 1905 he was married 
(second) to Miss Olive C. Cleeland, who is 
a daughter of William Cleeland. Mr. 
Campbell has been a resident of Butler 
since 1903. 

JAMES S. WILSON, who is widely 
known throughout Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, is a veteran of the Civil War and 
formerly was treasurer of the county, dis- 
charging the duties of that oflfice during the 
years 1891, 1892 and 1893. He at the pres- 
ent time is serving as burgess of the bor- 
ough of Slippery Rock. He was born in 
the borough of Butler, July 31, 1841, and 
is a son of Samuel S. and Ellen (Frazier) 
Wilson. 

Samuel S. Wilson in his early days was 
a woolen worker, and later took up the 
trade of a carpenter which he followed 



many years. He died when the subject of 
this sketch was a small boy. 

James S. Wilson was reared in Butler 
and attended the borough schools, but his 
schooling was very limited. After the de- 
mise of his father, he went to work on a 
farm in Connoquenessing Township, and 
later worked at what was known as Hick- 
ory Mill, now the Kiester Mills. After 
continuing there a short time he moved to 
Slippery Rock where he clerked in the 
store of E. Kingsbury. September 16, 
1861, he enlisted in Company H, Seventy- 
eighth Regiment, Pa. Vol. Inf., and on 
October 12, 1861, was mustered in with 
the Fourteenth Army Corps, Army of the 
Cumberland. He served through the vari- 
ous campaigns of the corps, from Louis- 
ville to Atlanta, through Kentucky, Ten- 
nessee, Georgia and Alabama. He never 
received any bodily injury, but his clothes 
were penetrated by bullets at different 
times, and at Stone River he narrowly 
escaped capture, which would have re- 
sulted in his imprisomnent at Anderson- 
ville. He was mustered out at Pittsburg, 
October 12, 1864, after which he clerked in 
a store in that city for four years. He 
then returned to Slippery Rock where he 
was married to the daughter of his former 
employer, Mr. Kingsbury, after which they 
moved to Oil City, Pennsylvania, where he 
was engaged as inspector of crude oil. In 
1874, he returned to Slippery Rock and 
embarked in the mercantile business with 
his brother-in-law, C. 0. Kingsbury, under 
the firm name of Kingsbury & Wilson, and 
they continued with uninterrupted success 
for eight years. At the present time, Mr. 
Wilson is extensively engaged in the real 
estate and loan business, and is a notary 
public. He is an enthusiastic Republican 
in politics, and frequently has been called 
upon to serve in offices of public trust. 

In 1868 Mr. Wilson was imited in mar- 
riage with Miss Harriet A. Kingsbury of 
Slippery Rock, and they became parents 
of the following children : Ellen M., widow 




WILLIAM P. DONALDSON 




HARRY A. DONALDSON CLIFFORD C. DONALDSON 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



759 



of James Patterson ; Ada M. ; Emma Ger- 
trude ; James . Garfield, of the Braddock 
Lmnber Company of Braddock, Pennsyl- 
vania ; Clara Alice, wife of Dr. Milton 
McClymonds, by whom she has a son, 
Eobert Wilson; Euth Frazier, wife of 
Samuel Biven of Sheridanville ; Harriet 
A., a graduate of Slippery Eock State 
Normal School; Bernice; and Harold 
Chester. The two last named are students 
at the Slippery Eock State Normal. Five 
of the children of this family are in the 
profession of teaching ; Ada M. and Emma 
Gertrude are instructors in the Thurson 
Preparatory School in Pittsburg, and Har- 
riet A. teaches in Bridgeville, Allegheny 
County. Eeligiously, the subject of this 
sketch and his family are members of the 
Presbyterian church, in which he has long 
been an active worker. He is one of the 
elders of that body. He also is a member 
of the Grand Army of the Eepublic. 

DONALDSON BROTHEES, general 
merchants at Winfield Furnace, are lead- 
ing citizens of Winfield Township. The 
firm is made up of three brothers, Clif- 
ford C, William P. and Harry A. Donald- 
son, all of whom were born in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, and are sons of 
Perry and Agnes (Smith) Donaldson, who 
are living retired in Armstrong County. 
The paternal grandparents were Robert 
and Mary (Campbell) Donaldson, who 
were probably natives of Scotland. 

The three brothers were reared together 
and attended school in Armstrong County, 
the younger brother also having enjoyed 
academic training at Cabot Academy. 
They were reared on the home farm and 
prior to entering the general mercantile 
business at Winfield, in 1903, when they 
purchased the store of W. H. Cooper, they 
followed agricultural pursuits. In poli- 
tics they are Eepublicans and the eldest 
brother, Clifford C, is postmaster at this 
point. William P. pays particular atten- 
tion to the grocery department and 



Harry A. gives assistance wherever 
needed. The brothers are very congenial 
and their combined interests in every 
direction present a pleasant picture of 
fraternal confidence and affection. They 
are all energetic, enterprising business 
men and have so fully met all demands 
that no other store has been opened in this 
place since they have come into the field. 
The brothers belong to the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Harry A. is at present 
taking a business course in Butler, Penna. 

JOHN J. MILFOED, who has been a 
resident of Allegheny Township, Butler 
County, Penna., since 1845, has a fine farm 
of 160 acres and is one of the most pro- 
gressive and substantial men of the town- 
ship. He was born in Venango County, 
Pennsylvania, December 5, 1835, and is a 
son of James and Susanna Milford, and 
grandson of Thomas Milford, who was one 
of the pioneer citizens of Venango County. 
James Milford moved with his family to 
Allegheny Township, Butler County, in 
1845, and there lived until his death at the 
age of seventy-five years. Of the children 
born to him and his wife, the following 
are survivors: John J., subject of this 
sketch; George W., who lives in Nebraska; 
Benjamin F. of Venango County, Pennsyl- 
vania ; Eobert F. of Wyoming ; William H. 
of ^Mercer County, Pennsylvania; and 
Jane M., wife of E. H. Crawford of Alle- 
gheny Township. 

Joim J. Milford was about ten years of 
age when his parents moved to Allegheny 
Township, Butler Coimty, and here his 
educational training was completed in the 
public schools. He has engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits since his boyhood days, 
and has accumulated a handsome prop- 
erty. His farm of 160 acres is under a 
high state of cultivation, and is one of the 
best improved in the township. He is a 
Republican in politics, and is treasurer of 
the road fund in Allegheny Township. He 
was formerly a member of the School 



760 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Board, and for three years was collector 
of county fimds for the township. 

Mr. Ivlilford was united in marriage with 
Miss Samantha Wiles, a daughter of the 
late Henry Wiles of Washington Town- 
ship, Butler County. To them were born 
nine children, of whom eight are now liv- 
ing, namely : Thomas J. of Butler County ; 
Charles, who lives in California; John D. 
of Allegheny Township; Finley; Annie; 
Mabel; OUie, wife of Forest Gordon of 
Emlenton, Pennsylvania; and Blanche. 
Religiously, the subject of this sketch is 
an attendant at the Allegheny Presbyte- 
rian church. He is well known through 
the community and is most highly re- 
garded. 

JOHN TRAUTMAN, one of Butler's 
substantial citizens, residing in his beauti- 
ful home at No. 317 Jefferson Street, owns 
a large body of valuable farming land and 
is interested in oil production on his own 
property. He was born in 1865, in Fair- 
view Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a sou of Paul Trautman. 

Mr. Trautman lived on the farm until he 
was nine years old and then accompanied 
the family in its removal to Buenavista, 
where he continued to attend school and 
remained until he was twenty-four years 
of age. After some experience in the oil 
fields, he went to Pittsburg where he was 
employed for four years in the mercantile 
house of Joseph Home, and after he came 
to Butler, went with Julius Kauffman and 
continued with him for seven years, fol- 
lowing which he was with the firm of 
A. Troutman & Sons, for two and one-half 
years. In September, 1903, in association 
with his brother, L. P. Trautman, he pur- 
chased the old family homestead farm of 
146 acres. He resides in the city of Butler 
but occupies himself in looking after his 
farm interests and the production of oil, 
there being twelve wells on his land. 

On June 8, 1905, Mr. Trautman was mar- 
ried to Miss Clara Blanche Miller, who is 



a daughter of Joseph S. Miller, a promi- 
nent resident of Butler. They have one 
son, Martin J. Mr. Trautman was reared 
in the faith of the German Lutheran 
Church. In 1889 he became identified with 
the order of Odd B^ellows and lias taken 
an active interest in the fraternity ever 
since, and he belongs also to the Elks. 

MARION E. BLAIR, a prominent citi- 
zen and a member of the School Board of 
Allegheny Township, of which he is a life- 
long resident, owns a valuable farm of 
175 acres, which he has under a fine state 
of cultivation. He was born December 2, 
1868, and is a son of James and Margaret 
(Byers) Blair. 

James Blair was born in Canada and 
was a son of Robert Blair, who was of 
Scotch-Irish extraction. When his son 
James was six months old he came to But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, settling at Eau 
Claire, where he developed a good farm. 
There James Blair was reared and his life 
was spent in Allegheny Township. He 
was a man of sterling character and for 
some forty years was identified with the 
important movements in his section. He 
was a strong supporter of the Democratic 
party and on its ticket was frequently 
elected to local office. He was a leading 
member of the Lutheran Church. His 
death took place in March, 1899, and in his 
demise Allegheny Township lost an ad- 
mirable type of man. He married Mar- 
garet Byers, who was born in Armstrong 
County. Pennsylvania, and she survived 
her husband but one year. The following 
children survive: Lavina Nancy, who is 
tlie wife of Nelson Hilliard, resides in 
Manistee County, Michigan; Margaret, 
who is tl;e widow of Isaac H. Robb, of Mer- 
cer County, Pennsylvania; Robert H., who 
lives at Franklin, Pennsylvania; George 
M., residing in Manistee County, Michi- 
gan; John M., residing at North Hope, 
Pennsylvania; Frank P., residing in Mer- 
cer County, and Marion E., in Allegheny 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



761 



Township, Butler County. Lavina Blair 
married Mannas Hankey and lives at Oak 
Ridge Station, Armstrong County, Penna. 

Marion E. Blair was educated in the 
schools of Allegheny Township and while 
he has given much attention to agriculture, 
he has been interested for the past eighteen 
years in oil production and for a quarter 
of a century he has been engaged in de- 
veloping the fine coal vein on his own land. 
His interests have been many and he has 
lived the happy life of a busy man, but he 
has always found time to attend to his du- 
ties as a good citizen. In his church rela- 
tions he is a member of the Allegheny 
Presbyterian body, in which he is an elder 
and has also served as a trustee and is one 
of its liberal supporters. In politics, he 
is somewhat independent but votes for the 
candidates who, in his judgment, will most 
faithfully carry out the laws of the land. 
He is serving as a school director in 
Allegheny Townshij^ and has ])een road 
supervisor. 

Mr. Blair was married (first) to Miss 
Margaret Sharp, of Mercer County, Penn- 
sylvania, and they had three children: 
Isabella, Frances Irene and James M. 
Mr. Blair was married (second) to Miss 
Gertrude Blair, a daughter of John 
Blair, who resides near Eau Claire, Butler 
County. 

JAMES COYLE, JR., assistant post- 
master at Fenelton, is a general merchant 
and operates his store under the firm name 
of James Coyle & Company. He formerly 
was in partnership with Mr. P. S. Fennell, 
under the firm name of P. S. Fennell & 
Company, but recently purchased his part- 
ner's interest. He is a successful business 
man, has a large and complete stock of 
merchandise, and commands his full share 
of the patronage of the community. 

Mr. Coyle was born on the old home 
place in Clearfield township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1864, 
and still resides on that farm. He is a son 
of James and Isabella (Shields) Coyle, his 



father being a native of County Donegal, 
Ireland. His grandfather lived and died 
in Ii'eland. James Coyle, Sr., was a mere 
boy when he came to the United States 
and became an early settler of Clearfield 
Township, Butler County, where he now 
lives on the old home fann. He married 
Isabella Shields and they became the pa- 
rents of the following children: Grace, 
Anthony, Cecilia, Bridget, James, Jr., An- 
drew, Dennis, John, Catherine, and Joseph, 
who is deceased. 

September 14, 1893, James Coyle, Jr., 
was united in marriage with Miss Mabel 
McBride, a daughter of Squire F. P. Mc- 
Bride, who is a very prominent citizen of 
Clearfield Township. Two children were 
born to bless this union — James Stuart and 
Emma. Religiously, the family belong to 
the Catholic church. Mr. Coyle has always 
a deep interest in all that pertains to the 
welfare of the community, and has served 
one term as school director. 

ALFRED W. CHRISTY is postmaster 
at Slippery Rock, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and has filled that official posi- 
tion since March, 1899. It is one of the 
important postal stations of the county, 
and maintains six rural routes. He has 
had wide experience in business affairs and 
is one of the substantial citizens of the 
community. 

Mr. Christy was born on a farm in 
Cherry Township, Butler Coimty, June 27, 
1849, and is a son of George and Mary 
(Wilson) Christy. His father was born in 
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and 
was a boy when his father, James, moved 
with his family to Cherry Township. Here 
he grew to maturity and lived the remain- 
der of his days, becoming a successful 
farmer and land owner. 

Alfred W. Christy was reared on a farm 
in Cherry Township, and received his edu- 
cational training in the disti'ict schools and 
the West Sunbury Academy. He engaged 
in teaching school for some eight years, 
and after leaving that profession followed 



762 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



farming and engaged in the mercantile 
business in his native township, conduct- 
ing a store at Monata. He then, in Feb- 
ruary, 1887, moved to the borough of Shp- 
pery Eock, where he has since maintained 
his residence. He purchased the store of 
Wilson & Sons, general merchants, which 
he conducted for eight years, then went on 
the road as traveling salesman for the 
shoe house of Stewart Brothers & Com- 
pany of Pittsburg. He continued with 
them for two years, after which he settled 
down in Slippery Eock, where his home 
had continued to be while on the road. As 
postmaster he has discharged the duties of 
ofBce with characteristic ability and effi- 
ciency, and to the entire satisfaction of the 
community. 

Mr. Christy was joined in marriage with 
Miss Dora Hackenberry, a daughter of 
John Hackenberry, and the following chil- 
dren were born to them: John H., who 
died at the age of thirty-four years ; Mary 
Corrine, wife of Een Pearson, Jr.; Mabel, 
who is assistant to her father in the post- 
office; Eosetta, who died .at the age of 
twenty years ; and Ethel, who was sis years 
old at her death. Eeligiously, they are 
members of the Presbyterian church, of 
which he is a ruling elder. Politically, Mr. 
Christy is a Eepublican, and has frequently 
been elected to public office. He served as 
justice of the i:)eace and school director in 
Cherry township, and was at one time 
postmaster at Monata. 

H. W. EBEELE, one of Butler's repre- 
sentative business men, a member of 
the firm of Eberle Brothers, contracting 
plumbers, was born October 9, 1877, at 
Allegheny, Pennsylvania, a son of John 
Eberle, a retired citizen of that city, who 
was formerly engaged in stove fitting and 
blaeksmithing. 

H. W. Eberle obtained his education in 
the excellent schools of Allegheny, after 
which he learned the plumbing trade with 
an Allegheny firm and worked there until 



1902. He tllen joined his brother, C. P. 
Eberle, at Butler, entering into partner- 
ship with him in the plumbing business. 
Expert work and thorough reliability in 
every department caused the firm to quickly 
prosper and the first quarters soon became 
too constricted. Eemoval was made to a 
building erected for the firm by Mr. J. H. 
Harper, but in turn this became too small 
and in 1906 the firm of Eberle Brothers 
built their own commodious three-story 
brick building at No. 302 Center Avenue. 
This is of brick construction, with pressed 
brick front ; the upper floors are fitted with 
all modern conveniences and are rented out 
as flats. The firm of Eberle Brothers 
leads in this city in plumbing contracting, 
and it is interested also in real estate and 
in oil production. 

In 1903 H. W. Eberle was married to 
Miss Katherine Kunkle, of Allegheny City. 
Mr. Eberle is a rhember of the Eeformed 
Church. 

HENEY C. CEITCHLOW, one of Penn 
Township's most respected citizens and a 
veteran of the great Civil War, resides 
in much comfort on his well improved 
farm of fifty-seven acres. He was born 
May 4, 1844, in Connoquenessing Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Jesse and Catherine (Wareham) 
Critchlow. 

The father of Mr. Critchlow was born 
in 1812, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and died in Allegheny County in March, 
1866. as the result of an accident. He was 
a tanner and a shoemaker and later en- 
gaged in farming. His wife Catherine 
was a daughter of Adam Wareham, and 
of their family of twelve children eight 
reached mature years, namely:. Dorcas, 
now deceased, who was the wife of Will- 
iam Eushenberger ; John, who served in 
the Civil War, as a member of the Elev- 
enth Eegiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Infantry, and fell before Eichmond; 
Catherine, who is the widow of Milton 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



765 



Jones, and lives at Butler; Adam, who 
was a member of the Eleventh Regiment, 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and 
was taken sick and died in a hospital on 
David's Island; Henry C. ; Mary Jane, 
who is the wife of Daniel Emerick, of 
Bakerstown, Pennsylvania; Eobert Gr., 
who lives in Penn Township; and David 
G., who is deceased. The family was 
reared in the Middlesex Presbyterian 
Church of which both parents were con- 
sistent members. 

Henry C. Critchlow attended school in 
his boyhood, near Hay's mill, and at that 
early age showed a remarkable talent for 
mechanical work. He never served any 
apprenticeship as carpenter, millwright, 
or stonemason, but he has only to call at- 
tention to the substantial buildings on his 
farm, which are of his own construction, 
to prove that he understands these trades 
very thoroughly. When he was eighteen 
years old he followed the example of his 
two brothers and enlisted for service in 
the Civil War. Those patriotic youths be- 
longed to the Eleventh Eegiment, but 
Henry entered Company D, One Hundred 
Thirty-ninth Eegiment, with which he 
went to Virginia. Enlisting in November, 
1862, he served for almost three years, 
during this long period facing danger 
and death on a hundred battle fields. He 
was with his regiment during the entire 
period except when he was confined in hos- 
pitals, owing to his having been severely 
wounded, first at Chancellorsville and aft- 
erwards at the fall of Petersburg. Mr. 
Critchlow belongs to Eeed Post, Grand 
Army of the Eepublic, at Butler. Al- 
though his life has lain along peaceful 
paths for many years, he can still recall 
the din of battle, the fierce rush of con- 
tending armies, the thunder of the cannon 
and the rattle of musketry — experiences 
which an old soldier cannot forget. 

After the return from the war, Mr. 
Critchlow lived in Allegheny County for 
several years and in 1873 came to Middle- 



sex Township, Butler County, and thence, 
in 1875, to Penn Township, where he 
bought his present farm, which he now 
has under good cultivation. He married 
Mary Emma Campbell, a daughter of 
William J. Campbell, of Glade Mills, and 
they have had a family of sixteen children, 
thirteen of whom still survive to honor 
their parents and to be credits to the 
community. These ai'e : Josephine, widow 
of Daniel Johnson, of Wellsville, Ohio; 
Milton, of Middlesex Township; Eobert. 
residing at home; William, a resident of 
Newcastle; Bert; Blanche, wife of Cyrus 
Snyder, of Wellsville, Ohio; Eollins, of 
East Pittsburg; Pearl, wife of William 
McCall, of East Pittsburg; Mamie, wife 
of John Kenethan, of New Castle ; Walter, 
the home farmer; Mary, Jennie, and 
Hazel. Those deceased are Julia, twin 
sister of Blanche, who died aged two 
years ; Frankie, who died aged four years ; 
and one daughter who died unnamed. 

ALEXANDEE AVILSON, auditor of 
Allegheny Townshi^j, has been engaged in 
the oil producing business for the past 
thirty-five years, and is one of the pioneer 
oil men of this section of Butler County. 
Mr. Wilson was born near Portersville,- 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, October 12, 
1850, and is a son of David and Sarah 
(Irvin) Wilson, the former of Scotch and 
the latter of Irish ancestry. 

David Wilson, who had come from West- 
moreland County, was in his day a well 
known farmer of Butler County. He was 
a Eepublican in politics. For many years 
he was an elder in the United Presby- 
terian Church, in the faith of which he died 
in the fall of 1892. Of his children the 
following survive : Ann, the wife of John 
E. Moore, of Portersville; Margaret, the 
wife of J. N. Blair, of Portland, Oregon; 
Henry, who resides in Venango County, 
Pennsylvania; and Alexander. 

Alexander Wilson spent his school days 
in Clay Township, whence he had been 



766 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



brought by his parents when a lad of five 
years, and where he lived on a farm until 
his eighteenth year. At this time he de- 
cided to start to make his own way in the 
world, and subsequently secured employ- 
ment in the oil fields of the Alleghany 
River, in Armstrong County. Later he 
came to Allegheny Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, where he has since been engaged as an 
oil producer. Mr. Wilson has been more 
than ordinarily successful in his business 
operations, and is rated among the sub- 
stantial men of Butler County. 

Mr. Wilson's first marriage was to Mag- 
gie H. Sloan, of Allegheny Township, by 
whom he had three children : Claudie M., 
wife of Winfield Brown, of Allegheny 
Township ; Roxie A., wife of S. M. Taylor, 
of Allegheny Township; and Clarence L., 
who resides at Point Riclimond, California. 
Mr. Wilson was married (second) to Mrs. 
Sarah B. Sloan, widow of Finley Sloan, 
late of Butler County. Mr. Wilson has 
always taken a more or less active interest 
in public matters and is now serving his 
tinvnslii]) in the capacity of auditor. He 
has always been ready to advance the cause 
of education, and for three years was a 
member of the Allegheny Township School 
Board. For many years he has been 
an elder in the Allegheny Presbyterian 
Church, arid he now serves as treas- 
urer of the Allegheny Church Cemetery 
Association. 

JACKSON E. BARD, president of the 
board of trustees of the Slippery Rock 
State Normal School and a member of the 
mercantile firm of Bard & Son of Slippery 
Rock, has been a member of that borough 
all his life. He was born here in 1851, and 
is a son of John T. and Isabelle (Cross) 
Bard. His father was a merchant and 
banker. 

Mr. Bard was reared in his native vil- 
lage, then known as Centreville, and at- 
tended the public schools. His first work 
was in his father's store, and after the lat- 



ter 's death he siacceeded him as president 
of the Centreville Savings Bank. He was 
nineteen years old when he was taken in 
as a partner to his father in the mercantile 
business, in which he has continued with- 
out interruption to the present time. He 
is in partnership with his brother, Horace 
E. Bard, but the old firm name of Bard & 
Son, established in 1870, remains as the 
name of their firm. In 1890, the two 
brothers erected the large business block, 
in which the store has since been located. 
They have a large general store and enjoy 
an extensive trade throughout this section 
of the country. 

Jackson E. Bard was united in marriage 
with Miss Mary Foresman, a daughter of 
Robert Foresman, a Presbyterian minister 
of Blairstown, New Jersey, and they be- 
came parents of five children: Alice, a 
graduate of Slippery Rock State Normal 
School and Westminster College at New 
Wilmington; Sarah, a graduate of Slip- 
pery Rock State Normal and at the pres- 
ent a student of the Pratt Institute in 
Brooklyn, New York ; John P. ; Hugh ; and 
Rebecca. Religiously, they are members 
of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Bard has 
been a member of the board of trustees for 
the Slippery Rock State Normal School 
since its inception, and is a member of the 
finance committee. He is a director of the 
Citizens' National Bank of Slippery Rock. 
Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias. 

WILLIAM AND CHARLES DIPNER. 
The Dipner family has long been one of 
prominence in Clearfield Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and the old home- 
stead of 180 acres lies about one mile east 
of Fenelton, on the Craigsville Road. The 
two whose names head this sketch and a 
sister. Miss Amelda Dipner, reside on the 
home place with their mother. Their 
father, Thomas Dipner, was a veteran of 
the Civil War, and passed from this life 
on November 1, 1906. Mention of him is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



767 



more fully made on another page of this 
work, in the sketch of John Dipner. The 
paternal grandfather was a native of 
Germany and became an early settler of 
Butler County. 

Thomas Dipner was united in marriage 
with Miss Lizzie Pierce, who comes of an 
old and respected family of the county. 
The following children were born to them : 
Emma, Jennie, John, William, Thomas, 
Amelda, Frank, Charles, Laura (de- 
ceased), and Kate. 

William and Charles Dipner have al- 
ways resided in Clearfield Township, re- 
ceiving a good common school education. 
They are owners of the home farm, the 
former haying 120 acres and the latter 
sixty acres; the farm is made up of four 
different tracts. They are engaged in 
general farming and rank among the sub- 
stantial men of the township. They have 
a large and conunodious two-story home, 
and the farm is otherwise equipped with 
good substantial buildings. 

Miss Amelda Dipner, who also resides 
at the old home, is a lady of culture and 
refinement. She is a graduate of Slippery 
Rock State Normal School, and for the 
past three years has been a teacher in the 
schools. Religiously, the members of the 
family are consistent members of the 
Lutheran church, excepting Charles, who 
united with the Methodist Episcopal 
church. Frank is a Methodist preacher 
at McKeesport, Pennsylvania. 

RUDOLPH J. KLEEMANN, who car- 
ries on a large plumbing business at But- 
ler, of which city he has been a resident 
for more than five years, was born August 
31, 1877, at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Kleemann was given a good public 
school education and then learned the 
plumbing trade and worked at it for some 
years in his native city. He then came to 
Butler where, about 1904, he established 
himself in quarters of his own, and his 
business rating is with the leading men of 



his trade in this section. He has invested 
in property here, purchasing a fine home 
at No. 261 Sullivan Avenue, and has 
assumed all the responsibilities of a good 
citizen. In 1897, Mr. Kleemann was mar- 
ried to Miss Bertha Kraft, and they have 
two children, Marion and Rudolph. Mr. 
Kleemann united with the German Luth- 
eran Church in his native city and has 
identified himself with the same organiza- 
tion at Butler. He belongs to the order of 
the Moose, the Modern Maccabees and also 
to the Master Plumbers' Association. 

SAMUEL N. LAUGHNER, a promi- 
nent citizen of Allegheny Township, now 
serving as township auditor, has been en- 
gaged in the oil producing business for 
more than a quarter of a century. He 
was born January 21, 1848, in Salem 
Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Michael and Elizabeth 
(Berry) Laughner, natives of Westmore- 
land County. 

Michael Laughner was about four years 
of age when he was taken by his parents 
from Westmoreland County to Clarion 
County, and he lived in the latter county 
until a few years previous to his death, 
which took place January 21, 1892, at the 
home of his son Samuel N. in Allegheny 
Township. Besides the latter, two of 
Michael Laughner 's children survive, 
namely : Annie D., the wife of John Grun- 
den, of Emlenton, Pennsylvania; and 
James L., a resident of Salem Township, 
Clarion County. 

Samuel N. Laughner was reared in the 
village of Salem, where he began his edu- 
cation in the public schools, later attending 
Emlenton Academy, and subsequently 
graduating from Duff's Commercial Col- 
lege at Pittsburg. For several years 
thereafter he was engaged in the capacity 
of clerk and bookkeeper in hardware firms 
at St. Petersburg and Beaver City, Penn- 
sylvania, but after leaving the latter place 
engaged in the oil industry, although for 



768 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



a short time he was also engaged in school- 
teaching in Clarion County. During the 
twenty-five or more years that Mr. Laugh- 
ner has been identified with the oil busi- 
ness in Butler County, he has become well 
and favorably known in business and finan- 
cial circles, and he is also known as a 
citizen who has the good of the community 
at heart, having served as auditor of his 
township for many years and also being 
a stanch advocate of the cause of educa- 
tion. 

Mr. Laughner was married to Maggie M. 
Black, daughter of the late Henry Black, 
formerly a well-known resident of Parker 
Township. In his political views Mr. 
Laughner is a Republican. Fraternally, 
he is connected with Lodge No. 521, F. & 
A. M. of Parker City, Venango Chapter of 
Franklin, and the Commandery, also at 
Franklin; with Parker City Lodge No. 
761, I. 0. 0. F., and the Encampment at 
Foxburg. He is a trustee of the Allegheny 
Presbyterian Church, and is secretary of 
the Allegheny Church Cemetery Associa- 
tion. 

ROBERT L. DeHAVEN, a successful 
operator in the oil and gas fields of Butler 
Coimty, Pennsylvania, is one of the young- 
est men in this section so engaged. He has 
been in this business for five years and re- 
sides in a comfortable home in Clearfield 
Township, where he can be near to his 
interests. He has twenty-five wells in 
operation, three of them being gas wells 
of settled production, the product being 
marketed to the Standard Plate Glass 
Works. He expects to begin drilling more 
wells in the near future, and the business 
outlook is exceptionally bright. 

Mr. DeHaven was born in Kittanning, 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in 1874, 
and is a son of William L. and Mary Jane 
(Hughes) DeHaven. His father is a well- 
known brick contractor of that place. The 
parental grandfather of the subject of this 
sketch was a soldier of the War of 1812, 



walking to Erie to join his company under 
Colonel Prescott. His great-grandfather 
was a soldier of the Revolutionary War 
and was one of the moneyed men of his 
time, making loans to the Continental 
Congress. 

Robert L. DeHaven was reared in Kit- 
tanning and there was graduated from the 
high school. He engaged in the printing, 
business about four years, after which he 
followed the trade of a brick layer in the 
employ of his father. He joined the union 
at New Castle, and later received a trans- 
fer to the union organization at Butler, 
where he had located. He withdrew from 
the union at the time he embarked in the 
oil business. 

July 4, 1899, Mr. DeHaven was united 
in marriage with Miss Mary Ellen Flick, 
a daughter of Abraham and Catherine 
(McCrea) Flick, and granddaughter of 
Joseph and Mary Jane (Henry) Flick, 
who came to the county from Allegheny 
County at an early period. Her maternal 
grandparents were Hugh and Mary (Sheri- 
dan) McCrea, who came from Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania. Mrs. DeHaven is 
a lady of accomplishment and moves in the 
best social circles of Butler. This union 
resulted in the birth of one son, William, 
on June 30, 1900. Religiously, they are 
members and active workers in the English 
Catholic church. 

FREDERICK A. FRISHKORN, who is 

prosperously engaged in the hardware, 
tin, and furnace business in Zelienople, 
was born in this village, July 26, 1862, son 
of Peter and Catherine (Beckert) Frish- 
korn. The father, Peter Frishkorn, was a 
native of Germany and come to Zelienople 
when a mere boy. He learned the trade 
of wagon maker and worked at it in con- 
nection with farming all his life. His wife 
Catherine, who also was a native of Ger- 
many, came to this country with her par- 
ents when a young girl, they settling in 
Zelienople. Her father. Christian Beckert, 




FREDERICK A. FRISHKORN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



771 



died here, after having been engaged for 
many years in agricultural pursuits. Mrs. 
Peter Frishkorn is still living, at the age 
of seventy-eight years. She has been the 
mother of nine children — all sons — five of 
whom are now living. They are as fol- 
lows : Christian, residing in Ellwood City ; 
John and Philip, deceased; George, a gar- 
dener, residing in Zelienople; William, 
who resides on the old homestead near this 
place, also a gardener; Frederick A., the 
subject of this sketch; Augustus, who re- 
sides in Allegheny, being employed in the 
Beckert seed store where he has worked 
since a mere youth; and Ferdinand and 
Theodore, who died when young. 

Frederick A. Frishkorn was reared in 
Zelienople, and in Prospect learned the 
tinners' trade, which he followed subse- 
quently in Chicago, 111., and in Erie, Mc- 
Keesport, Verona, and Fairview, Penna. 
In 1884 he came to Zelienople and entered 
into business in the old Harris House, a 
log building. He then moved across the 
street, having purchased property in that 
location. In 1907 he purchased the lot- 
where he is now located and erected the 
building in which he conducts his ex- 
tensive business. This building has dimen- 
sions of 22x90 feet, is two stories high, of 
brick construction and fronts on Main 
Street. When he started in for himself 
Mr. Frishkorn had but $17 capital and 
was obliged to borrow $200. The result 
of his venture has proved highly success- 
ful, amply justifying his self-confidence 
and marking him as one of the far-sighted 
and sagacious business men of this place. 
His persistent industry and up-to-date 
methods bid fair to be rewarded with a 
still further increase of prosperity, par- 
ticularly as since moving into his present 
store he has not been cramped for room. 

Mr. Frishkorn married Lucinda Wuster, 
a daughter of John Wuster of Lancaster 
Township, their marriage taking place 
about 1886. It has resulted in eight chil- 
dren, of whom there are seven now living, 



the eldest, Edgar, being deceased. The 
living are Arthur, Clyde, Floyd, Marguer- 
ite, Alberta, Viola, Clayton. The family 
are members of St. Peter's Reformed 
Church, while Mr. Frishkorn is a Democrat 
in politics. 

A. M. PATTERSON, M. D., who is now 
practically retired from professional work, 
has been a resident of Slippery Rock, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, since 1855. 
He is a progressive and public-spirited 
man and has been actively identified with 
the best interests of the borough, being 
especially active in matters pertaining to 
education. 

Dr. Patterson was born in Sommerset 
County, Pennsylvania, September 27, 1833, 
and is a son of David and Eliza (Mitchell) 
Patterson, his father being an agricultural- 
ist in that county. David Patterson in 
1850 moved with his family to West Sun- 
bury, Butler County, and there followed 
farming for some years. At the time of 
his death he was conducting a hotel at 
West Sunbury. 

A. M. Patterson attended the country 
schools in his native county, and the acad- 
emy at West Sunbury. It was his idea 
and ambition to follow the profession of 
teaching, which he did for some years. He 
taught for ten years in the academy at West 
Sunbury and the public schools, and for 
seven years in a select school at Slippery 
Rock. Having determined to prepare him- 
self for the medical profession, he entered 
Wooster University, in Cleveland, Ohio, 
and was there graduated in 1873 with the 
degree of M. D. He subsequently pursued 
a post-graduate course at the Long Island 
Hospital, in Brooklyn, New York. He be- 
gan practice in Slippery Rock in 1873, and 
continued in active practice until 1900, 
attaining high rank in the profession. 
Since that date he has been in practical 
retirement, although he still cares for a 
few of his old patients. He was the heavi- 
est subscriber to the fund to bring the 



772 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



State Normal School to Slippery Rock, 
and has served as trustee since its estab- 
lishment here. 

In 1860 Dr. Patterson was imited in 
marriage with Miss Sarah Patterson, a 
daughter of James A. Patterson of Slip- 
pery Rock Township, and there were three 
children born to them : Amy B., widow of 
Dr. James L. Hunt; Lewis, who died at 
the age of twenty-two months; and Gay- 
lord H. Patterson, who has attained dis- 
tinction in educational circles and at the 
present time fills the chair in economics in 
Kimball College, at Salem, Oregon. Re- 
ligiously, the Doctor and his family are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, of which he is a trustee. He is 
a man of wide acquaintance and most 
highly esteemed. 

NATHANIEL WALKER, once one of 
Butler County's prominent citizens, who 
was identified with manufacturing inter- 
ests and with public affairs, was born on 
the old Walker homestead farm in Cran- 
berry Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and was a son of Lewis Walker, who 
was one of the earliest settlers in Cran- 
berry Township. 

Lewis Walker was born at Newbury- 
port, Massachusetts, where the family had 
been established in colonial times. Prior 
to the Revolutionary War, Lewis Walker 
accompanied a family by the name of 
Plumer, when they penetrated to the wilds 
of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. When 
he attained manhood he started out for 
himself as a pioneer and secured a tract 
of 800 acres which now lies in Cranberry 
Township, Butler County. He lived until 
aged and died at Butler in 1845. He mar- 
ried a Miss Parks and they had the fol- 
lowing children: John, Parks, David, 
Samuel, Simpson, Nathaniel, Mary and 
Keziah. 

Nathaniel Walker continued to reside on 
the old homestead in Cranberry Township 
until 1846 and then moved to Sharon, in 



Mercer County, but not finding business 
conditions favorable there, in 1847 he 
came back to Butler and purchased the 
brick business which his brother David 
was then conducting, and for many years 
afterward he continued in the brick manu- 
facturing business. He proved capable in 
every relation of life. For many years he 
served as a justice of the peace and in 1862 
he was elected treasurer of Butler County. 
He was twice married, first to Grizella 
Crowe, who was a daughter of John and 
Jane (Pollock) Crowe, and second to 
Sarah M. Slater. The two children born 
to the first marriage were Samuel and 
John, and the four to the second were: 
Leonidas, an attorney at Denver, Colo- 
rado ; Caroline, who married W. D. John- 
son; Clarence, an attorney at Butler, and 
Leverett H., an officer in the Fourth Regi 
ment, United States Artillery. Prior to 
the organization of the Republican party, 
Nathaniel Walker was a Whig and for 
years he gave support to the anti-slavery 
movement. He was a Presbyterian in his 
religious convictions. 

Clarence Walker, second son of Nathan- 
iel and Sarah M. Walker, was born March 
24, 1848, at Butler, where he received his 
primary education. Subsequently he com- 
pleted a collegiate course at Witherspoon 
Institute and then read law with Judge 
McJunkin, at Butler. In 1871 he was ad- 
mitted to the bar and for the past forty 
years has been in the active practice of 
his profession in his native city. During 
these years he has at various times had 
business interests and has found time also 
to demonstrate his usefulness as a good 
citizen. 

In 1877, Clarence Walker was married 
to Miss Elizabeth M. McJunkin, who is a 
daughter of Hon. E. McJunkin, one of But- 
ler's most prominent citizens for many 
years. They have had the following chil- 
dren : Wayne McJunkin, Victor B., Helen, 
Lucille, Clarence L. and Elizabeth. Polit- 
ically, Mr. Walker is a Republican and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



773 



fraternally a member of the United Work- 
men and of the Royal Arcanima. 

JAMES M. ELLIOTT, a prominent and 
public spirited citizen of Parker Township, 
residing on his farm of 103 acres, was 
long identified with the oil industry but 
now gives his attention, entirely to agri- 
cultural pursuits. He was born September 
17, 1844, in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of John and Mary J. (Miller) 
Elliott, the former of whom was born in 
Ireland, and the latter in Indiana County, 
Pennsylvania. 

Until he was sixteen years of age, James 
M. Elliott remained in his native county 
and obtained his district school education 
there. He then accompanied his parents 
to Armstrong County and for some years 
thereafter assisted his father on the home 
place in Plum Creek Township. He has a 
twin brother, John S. Elliott. In 1868, 
during the oil excitement following the dis- 
covery of this commodity in Parker Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, Mr. Elliott came to 
this section, and as he is a self-made man, 
he undoubtedly had many years of hard 
work before he developed into an oil pro- 
ducer. In 1891 he retired from the oil 
business and for a short time lived on his 
farm in Derry Township, Westmoreland 
County, after which he took possession of 
his present valuable farm in Butler County. 

Mr. Elliott married Miss Mary McNa- 
nay, who was born in Clarion County^ 
Pennsylvania, and they have three chil- 
dren, namely: Bertha E., who is a suc- 
cessful teacher in the schools of Pittsburg ; 
Ross L., who resides at Philadelphia; and 
James P., who lives at Warren, Indiana. 
Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Parker's 
Landing, in which he is one of the board of 
stewards. In politics he is a Republican. 

JOHN L. DIPNER, justice of the peace 
in Clearfield Township and the owner of a 
fine farm of eighty acres which is situated 



on the east side of the Fenelton Road, is a 
thoroughly representative citizen of his 
section. He was born May 22, 1864, in But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Thomas and Elizabeth (Pierce) Dipner. 

The first of the Dipner family to come to 
this section of Pennsylvania was the grand- 
father, who was born in Germany and 
reached America about 1806. He cleared 
a large amount of land which is now occu- 
pied by his descendants. 

Thomas Dipner, who came from Mifflin 
County to Butler County, was born in 
1825. His death occurred in November, 
1906. He was a veteran of the Civil War, 
in which he served with courage under 
Grenerals Rosecrans and Grant. He en- 
listed at Pittsburg, in the One Hundred and 
Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teer Infantry, and participated in the fol- 
lowing great battles : The Wilderness, An- 
tietam, second battle of Bull Run, Gettys- 
burg and Shiloh. He was honorably dis- 
charged at Petersburg, Virginia, at the 
close of the war. 

John L. Dipner attended the Butler 
County schools and also did a large amount 
of private study, in consequence of which 
he is a very well informed man, not only 
on general subjects but also on law, having 
mastered this science at home. He ac- 
cepted the office of justice of the peace at 
the earnest solicitations of his fellow citi- 
zens and fills it most acceptably. 

On February 10, 1902, Mr. Dipner was 
married to Margaret Young, who is a 
daughter of John and Hannah (Daugh- 
erty) Young. Her father was a soldier in 
the Civil War and later became a farmer 
and oil operator. Mr. and Mrs. Dipner are 
members of the Lutheran Church. liis fra- 
ternal connections are with Lodge No. 836, 
Odd Fellows, at Craigsville; and Lodge 
No. 366 of the Independent Order of Amer- 
icans, at Worthington. 

ALPHEUS SWEESY, a successful agri- 
culturist of Butler County, whose excellent 



774 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



property of ninety-five acres is situated in 
Allegheny Township, was born in Mercer 
County, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1846, 
and is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Gal- 
laway) Sweesy, both descendants of old 
and honored Mercer County families. 

Alpheus Sweesy was seven years old 
when he was taken from his native place 
by his parents to Jones County, Iowa, but 
after several years there the family re- 
turned to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 
and there the youth received his education 
in the public schools. In early manhood 
he decided upon agriculture as his life 
work, and he has been very successful in 
his chosen line. For about twenty-five 
years he has been a resident of Butler 
County, and in the fall of 1895 he took up 
his home in Allegheny Township, where he 
now has a fine farm of ninety-five acres, 
on which he carries on general farming and 
stock-raising. 

Mr. Sweesy was married to Martha M. 
Smith, who was born in Marion Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is the 
daughter of the late AVilliam G. Smith, of 
Butler County. Three children have been 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Sweesy, namely: 
Warren P., Ira H. and Victor L., all of 
whom reside in Allegheny Township. 

In his political sentiments Mr. Sweesy 
is a Republican, and he has always taken 
an interest in the success of that party, 
serving as inspector of elections, member 
of the School Board and township road 
supervisor. He is one of the good, re- 
liable citizens of Allegheny Township, and 
has numerous friends throughout the 
community. 

GEORGE M. JACOBS, secretary and 
treasurer of The Evans Manufacturing 
Company, Limited, at Butler, is one of the 
city's enterprising and progressive young 
business men, who has been able to foresee 
and grasp opportunities and to honestly 
turn them to his own and his associates' 
advantage. He was born in 1871, at Oil 



City, Pennsylvania, where he was reared 
and given a public school education. ' 

Mr. Jacobs began his business career in 
a clerical capacity with the Standard Oil 
Company, and continued for about ten 
years and then came to Butler County and 
for six subsequent years was with the firm 
of Westerman Brothers, at Chicora, after 
which he entered the employ of R. M. Hays, 
at Pittsburg, with whom he remained for 
four years. In 1902 he came to Butler and 
for a time was connected with the United 
States Oil & Gas Well Supply Company 
and then became identified with Tlie Evans 
Manufacturing Company. One year later 
he was made secretary and treasurer of 
this concern and to its interests he devotes 
all his time and business capacity. 

In 1901 Mr. Jacobs was married to Miss 
Clara Fetzer, of Chicora, Pennsylvania, 
and they have one son, George Milford. In 
politics, Mr. Jacobs is a stanch Republican, 
seeing in the success of the principles of 
this party the continued prosperity of the 
country. He is a Knight Templar Mason 
and is a member of the Sterling Club. 

HENRY B. McKINNEY, president and 
general manager of one of Butler's im- 
portant business enterprises, the Butler 
Engine & Foundry Works, is one of the 
older business men of the city, and has 
been a resident of the county some thirty 
years. He was born in 1846, at Pittsfield, 
Warren County, Pennsylvania, a member 
of one of the old and substantial families 
of that section. 

Mr. McKinney was educated at Pitts- 
field and Waterford, Pennsylvania, and at 
Kingston, Ross County, Ohio, completing 
his preparation for a business life by tak- 
ing a commercial course at Poughkeepsie, 
New York. He found his best opening in 
the oil fields of Pennsylvania, starting on 
Benneyhoof Run, and for the past forty- 
three years he has been identified with oil 
interests in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, 
and West Virginia, for thirty years being 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



777 



a producei' in his native State. lu 1902 
he purchased the Butler Engine & Foun- 
dry Works and does a very large foundry 
and machine trade in the way of repairs 
and supplies, together with manufacturing 
steam and gas engines, each of seven sizes, 
strictly for the oil trade. He gives em- 
plojanent to forty workmen and notwith- 
standing the business depression felt by 
some houses, his volume of trade has been 
constantly on the increase. 

In 1871 Mr. McKinney married Mary J. 
Thompson, of Mercer County, and they 
have four children: Montgomery M., who 
is treasurer and buyer for the Butler En- 
gine & Foundry Company; and Sarah 
Gertrude, Lydia A. and John J., all at 
home. During the period of his children-'s 
college attendance, Mr. McKinney main- 
tained the home at Grove City and then 
returned to Butler. During his residence 
there he was made the nominee of the 
Democratic party for the State Assembly, 
and notwithstanding his short period of 
residence, came within twenty-seven votes 
of being elected. Mr. McKinney is a mem- 
ber of the First Methodist Church of 
Butler. Both of Mr. McKinney 's sons are 
Free Masons, belonging to the Com- 
mandery. 

PROF. GAYLORD H. PATTERSON, 
whose professional activity is in a tield for- 
eign to Butler County, is a product of the 
county and is one in whom its citizens take 
a just pride. He is a man of the highest 
educational attainments, holds degrees 
from some of our country's most famous 
institutions, and it is doubtful if there has 
been any other sent forth from Butler 
County w^ho has availed himself of his edu- 
cational advantages with such distinction 
as he. At the pi-esent time he tills the chair 
of economics in Kimball College, at Salem, 
Oregon. 

Gaylord H. Patterson was born and 
reared in Slippery Rock, and received his 
first instruction under his father. Dr. A. M. 



Patterson, a well known medical practi- 
tioner of that borough. He attended Grove 
City Normal one year, then attended Alle- 
gheny College at Meadville until near grad- 
uation, when he entered Ohio Wesleyan 
University at Delaware, Ohio. xVfter grad- 
uation from that institution he entered 
Yale University, from which he received 
the degree of JPh. D., and later Harvard 
University, where the degree of A. M. was 
conferred upon him. The trustees of Yale 
and Harvard elected him for the higher 
education; he was awarded the Williams 
Scholarship, and received a special prize 
of $500. He pursued a theological course 
in Boston University, and after graduation 
entered the ministry of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. His first pastorate was a 
country charge in New York, then the 
Sumner M. E. Church in Buffalo, and from 
there he went to Smithport, McKean Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania. He was next located one 
year in Southern Minnesota, and from 
there returned east to Andover, New York, 
where he continued one year. This was his 
last church charge, as he accepted a call to 
fill the chair of economics in Kimball Col- 
lege in Oregon, where he has acquitted 
himself with great credit. Professor Pat- 
terson has been twice married, his first wife 
being deceased. As a result of his second 
marital union he has one daughter, ^liss 
Louise. 

WILLIAM E. JAMISON, a representa- 
tive citizen, well known agriculturist and 
successful oil producer of Allegheny Town- 
ship, has rich land aggregating 149 acres 
situated in Armstrong and Butler Coun- 
ties. He was born in Allegheny Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, December 
17, 1856, and is a son of Henry and Isabel 
(Crawford) Jamison. 

The father of Mr. Jamison was born in 
Huntington County and his mother in But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Jamison 
came to Allegheny Township prior to his 
marriase and settled on the farm now 



778 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



owned by William E. At that time it was 
still covered with its native forest and 
Henry Jamison cleared the land and devel- 
oped an excellent farm, residing alone for 
some years and later with his wife, who 
came here a bride. They reared their chil- 
dren on this place and spent their subse- 
quent lives here. The mother of Mr. Jami- 
son died in 1876 and the father on June 13, 
1897. The following children survived 
them: Ann M., wife of Andrew Tippery, 
of Clarion County; Fannie, widow of John 
Minninger, residing at Westfield, New 
York; Susan E., who married Marshall 
Gaitlej', of Mercer County; Benjamin F., 
of Emlenton, Pennsylvania; Harriet, re- 
siding at Westfield, New York, is the widow 
of E. P. Thomas, formerly of Bruin, Penn- 
sylvania; Sarah, wife of Abraham Hart- 
man, of Allegheny Township; William E. ; 
and Nancy, wdfe of James Miller, of Bruin. 
Henry Jamison was a tine type of citizen, 
honorable and upright in his dealings, lib- 
eral in his charities and kind in his rela- 
tions with his fellow men. He was a val- 
ued member of the Allegheny Presbyterian 
Church and for some years served as a 
member of the chuix'h cemetery association. 
In his political life he was an ardent Re- 
publican by conviction and he gave hearty 
support to the cause of his party. 

William E. Jamison was educated in the 
public schools of Allegheny Township, and 
his life has been spent in this section, his 
interests being largely agricultural. He 
has also given attention to the oil industry 
and he has taken a somewhat active part 
in public matters. 

On December 23, 1S92, Mr. Jamison was 
married to Miss Ida Miller, who was born 
in Venango Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, a daiighter of James E. 
Miller, who resides at Franklin, Pennsyl- 
vania. In politics, Mr. Jamison is a Re- 
publican. He has served the township as 
road supervisor, performing the duties of 
that office in a very complete manner, and 
he has been verv active in church affairs. 



He and wife both belong to the Allegheny 
Presbyterian Church, of which he is a 
trustee and has been treasurer. 

J. H. EVERTS, a well known oil pro- 
ducer and prominent citizen of Allegheny 
Township, settled on the place on which 
he now lives, in 1881, and this has been 
practically his home ever since. He was 
born in Hamilton County, Indiana, May 18, 
1848, and he is a son of Milo and Mary 
(Stoops) Everts. 

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Everts 
was born in New England and later settled 
in the vicinity of Niagara Falls, New York, 
and there Milo Everts, father of J. H., was 
born. In the course of years he estab- 
lighed a home for his family in Hamilton 
County, Indiana, where he lived until 1860, 
when he moved to Armstrong County, of 
which his wife was a native. From there 
the family moved to Allegheny County. 

J. H. Everts accompanied his parents to 
Armstrong and Allegheny County and in 
the latter obtained a district school educa- 
tion. In early youth he found himself de- 
pendent in great measure upon his own re- 
sources and he met th» situation in such a 
way as to prove his business capacity and 
to gain the confidence of those with whom 
he was thrown in contact. In 1881 he came 
to Butler County and interested himself in 
the oil industry, gradually becoming a pro- 
ducer. He is a member of the Pollock 
Lime & Coal Company, with headquarters 
at Emlenton, and is a stockholder in the 
Farmers' National Bank at that place, of 
which he was one of the organizers. 

In 1864 Mr. Everts testified to his i)a- 
triotism by enlisting for service in the Civil 
War, entering Company I, Fifth Regiment 
Heavy Artillery, which became a part of 
the Army of the Potomac. As soon as the 
regiment reached Washington City, it was 
transferred to General Sheridan's com- 
mand and took part in all the stormy cam- 
paign through the Shenandoah Valley. He 
was honorably discharged in July, 1865, on 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



779 



account of the termination of hostilities, 
and returned to Pittsburg in the following 
August, after about one j^ear of hard serv- 
ice. He is a member of the Grand Army 
of the Republic Post at Farmington. 

In August, 1872, Mx-. Everts was married 
to Miss Hattie Thompson, who was born in 
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, a daughter 
of the late Alexander Thompson, of Alle- 
gheny Township. j\Ir. and Mrs. Everts 
are members of the Allegheny Presby- 
terian Church, of which he has been a trus- 
tee for a number of years. He has been 
moderately active in politics and has 
served both as assessor and as constable in 
Allegheny Township. 

JACOB BOOS, who was for the space 
of half a century an esteemed resident of 
Butler, and for the greater part of that 
time one of the prominent business men of 
the city, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany, October 21, 1835, son of Charles 
and Barbara (Eich) Boos. The father, a 
blacksmith by trade, served as a soldier in 
the German army; he died in 1880. His 
wife, Barbara, to whom he was married in 
1820, was a daughter of John Eich. They 
were the parents of four children — Bar- 
bara, who married John Fell, of Germany; 
William, now deceased ; Elizabeth, who be- 
came the wife of Jacob Halm, of Germany ; 
and Jacob, the subject of this memoir. 
The mother died in 1853, and was survived 
by her husband twenty-seven years. They 
were members of the German Reformed 
Church. 

Jacob Boos learned the blacksmith's 
trade in his native land, and emigrated to 
the United States in 1853— the year of his 
mother's death. He first .settled in Pitts- 
burg, where he worked at his trade imtil 
Se]itember 12, 1854. On that date he came 
to Butler and entered the employ of Wal- 
ter & Reiber, blacksmiths. In 1857 he en- 
gaged in business for himself as a black- 
smith and so continued for three years. 
He then, in 1860, purchased the George 



Egner farm in Butler Township, upon 
which he resided for ten years. In 1870 
he sold the farm and bought the interest 
of George Webber in the firm of Webber & 
Troutman, the style of the firm then be- 
coming Troutman & Boos. Two years 
later he purchased a half interest in the 
flouring mills of Grohman & Walter, which 
firm then became Walter & Boos, and he 
remained interested in this enterprise until 
1890. In 1881 he engaged in the grocery 
business at the corner of Main and Wayne 
Streets, and in 1889 he purchased the site 
and afterwards erected thereon a substan- 
tial store building, where he carried on a 
flourishing business until his death in June, 
1904. He was successful as a merchant, es- 
tablishing a reputation for enterprise and 
integrity that marked him as one of the 
substantial and reliable men of the city. 

Mr. Boos was married in 1856 to Miss 
Barbara AValter, a daughter of Jacob Wal- 
ter, of Butler. Her father was a native of 
Germany and one of the early settlers 
here; he was a blacksmith by trade and 
later engaged in the milling business. Mrs. 
Boos was born in Butler, December 29, 
1839, and has always been a resident of this 
county. Ten children came to complete 
the home life of Mr. and Mrs. Boos, of 
whom five are now deceased and five liv- 
ing. They were as follows : Annie Marie, 
who married Adam Hoifner, is now de- 
ceased ; George, also deceased ; Marguerite 
Louise, wife of William Voskamp, of Pitts- 
Inirg; Emma Elizabeth, wife of Charles 
Kaufman, of Pittsburg; Augusta Amelia, 
now deceased; Charles Albert, also de- 
ceased; Clara Julia, wife of Charles Gregg, 
of Butler ; Jacob William Wilson, deceased ; 
Catherine P., wife of Fred Harper, of But- 
ler, and Lyda Barbara, who resides with 
her mother. The surviving members of the 
familv belong to the English Lutheran 
Church. 

WATSON & WILLIAMS, progressive 
business men and leading grocers of Slip- 



780 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pery Rock, Butler County, Penusylvania, 
have engaged in business in this borough 
since October 25, 1901. In 1905 they 
erected a handsome two-story business 
block, probably the finest in the borough 
with the exception of the State Normal 
buildings. 

Roy A. Watson, of the firm of Watson & 
Williams, was born in Slippery Rock in 
1876, and is a son of J. N. and Margaret 
Emma (Wicks) Watson. His father was 
born and reared at Prospect, Butler 
County, and is a marble cutter by trade. 
Roy A. was reared in Slippery Rock and 
attended the public schools and the Slip- 
pery Rock State Normal School. Upon 
leaving school he went to work for J. C. 
Kerr, a general merchant, although he had 
prior to that time spent his spare hours 
from school in working in that store. In 
all he spent about ten years in Mr. Kerr's 
store, and upon quitting his employ in 1901 
became associated with Mr. Charles Clin- 
ton Williams in the grocery business. 
With a capital of $700 they put a stock of 
goods in the store room now occupied by 
a restaurant, and continued there about 
one year. They then moved to the store- 
room two doors north of their present loca- 
tion, and there carried on the business 
until their new building had been com- 
pleted. They had purchased an old brick 
Ijuilding, formerly a part of the college 
buildings, that stood on the banks of Wolf 
Creek, tore it down and cleaned the brick, 
which they used in- the construction of 
their business block. They handle a full 
line of staple and fancj^ groceries, notions 
and cigars and tobacco, and their trade 
extends for miles throughout the territory 
contiguous to the borough. 

Before engaging in his present business, 
Mr. Williams was extensively engaged in 
the saw-mill and lumber business in Biitler 
and Lawrence Counties. He was united 
in marriage with Carrie Smith, a daughter 
of James Smith of Carrolton, Penna. 

Mr. Watson married Miss Grace Estella 



Double, a daughter of Perry Double, and 
they have a daughter, Miss Lela Felicia. 

JOSEPH A. CRAWFORD, president of 
the School Board of Allegheny Township, 
and past commander of S. J. Rosenberry 
Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Eau 
Claire, resides on the farm of seventy 
acres, which is situated near Six Points, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, on which he 
was born on October 1, 1839. He is a son 
of James and Jane (McGarrah) Crawford. 

The -C'rawfords were probably among 
the very first settlers of Allegheny Town- 
ship. The grandfather of Joseph A. was 
James Crawford, and he was born in 
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and 
was unmarried when he accompanied his 
parents to Allegheny Township, Butler 
County, and he built the first log cabin on 
the present farm. His son, also James 
Crawford, completed the clearing of the 
farm, with the assistance of his sons, and 
spent his whole life here, dying when 
ninety years of age, in 1891. All the 
Crawfords have been men of ability and of 
substantial qualities and James Crawford 
was frequently elected to ofiSces of trust 
and responsibility, by his fellow citizens. 
He married Jane McGarrah, who was a 
daughter of Rev. Robert McGarrah, who 
was a pioneer preacher of the Presbyte- 
rian faith, in Clarion County, one of the 
best known and most faithful ministers in 
his day in that section. The children of 
James Crawford were (in order) : Abigail, 
Robert M., Lavinia, Gideon G., James H., 
John A., Joseph A., Emily C, and Jen- 
nie M. The surviving children of James 
Crawford are: Lavinia married George 
McCleland and has three children — Rev. 
M. D. McCleland of Pikeville, Ky.; Ida L. 
of Karns City, Penna., who married Ralph 
E. Rodgers; and Halsey C, who married 
Mary Kelley, and resides in Wilkinsburg, 
Joseph A. ; Emily C, who is the widow of 
James Stephenson, formerly of Summit 
Township, and resides with her brother 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



783 



Joseph A. ; and Gideon G., who resides at 
Emlenton, Pennsylvania. The Crawford 
sons were intensely loyal during the Civil 
War, four of them, Joseph A., John A., 
James II. and Robert M., being soldiers, 
and two of them died in Confederate pris- 
ons, John A. at Andersonville, and James 
H. in Florence prison. South Carolina. 
Rol)ert M. went to Kansas after the close 
of his military service, and from there to 
Missouri, where he died, far from the old 
homestead. He married Marilda Sloan 
and had one daughter, Hattie J., who mar- 
ried E. AY. Murphy, and has a daughter — 
Vera. 

Joseph A. Crawford grew to manhood 
on the home farm and was educated in the 
public schools of Allegheny Township and 
AVest Suubury Academy, and for a short 
time taught school. On September 20, 
1864, he was drafted for military service 
and was assigned to Company F, Fiftieth 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry, which 
was attached to the Army of the Potomac, 
and under the command of General Grant 
fought in the siege of Petersburg and in 
that and all the subsequent movements of 
his regiment, Mr. Crawford did his full 
soldierly duty, receiving his honorable dis- 
cliarge on June 3, 1865. He then returned 
to Allegheny Township and resumed his 
usual avocations and has resided ever 
since on the home farm, of which he is 
pai't owner. He has taken a very active 
interest in Grand Army affairs and twice 
has been honored by being elected com- 
mander of the local post. In politics he is 
a Republican. He is a member of the 
Scrub Grass Presbyterian Church, in 
Venango County, of which he is an elder 
and is also a member of the Session. He 
is a thoroughly representative citizen of 
Allegheny Township. 

ROBERT J. WHIT:\1IRE, whose farm 
of 150 acres, one of the finest in this sec- 
tion, is situated one-half mile south of 
P>nydstown, in Oakland Township, belongs 



to a stanch old Butler County family. He 
was born October 17, 1858, on what is 
known as the Jacob Whitmire farm, north 
of Oakland, and is a son of Jacob and 
Isabella (Brown) Whitmire. 

Jacob Whitmire was also born in Oak- 
land Township, and was a son of John 
Whitmire, Sr., who, in company with his 
brothers, Francis and Daniel Whitmire, 
came to this section in pioneer times. 
Jacob Whitmire was reared on the John 
Whitmire farm and he followed farming 
all his active life, and died in the spring 
of 1901. He married Isabella Brown, who 
died in 1899. She was a daughter of 
Robert Brown, of Clay Township, Butler 
County. Of the seven children born to 
Jacob and Isabella Whitmire, six survive. 

Robert J. Whitmire was reared on the 
Jacob AV'hitmire farm and from boyhood 
he has been interested in farm pursuits. 
He settled on his present property on 
May 2, 1889, and has made so many ad- 
mirable improvements here that it war- 
rants the name by which it is known, 
Sunnyside Farm. He carries on genei'al 
farming and raises excellent stock and to 
a considerable extent is a dealer in the 
same. 

Mr. Whitmire married Maggie W. 
Smith, a daughter of W. P. Smith and 
they have had ten children, namely : Cora 
M., who is a teacher at Jefferson Center, 
Jeti'erson Township; Alice E., who died 
aged fifteen years; and Mildred Isabelle, 
Grace E., Olive C, Lester P., Mabel M., 
Robert Raymond, who died in infancy, 
J. Everett, and LeRoy S. at home. Mr. 
Wliitmire and family belong to the Luth- 
eran Church at Springdale. He is a mem- 
ber of the F. M. C. He takes a very active 
interest in politics and is always willing 
to do his share in anything looking to the 
improvement of the public highways, the 
advancement of the schools or other pub- 
lic questions which good citizens are called 
u]ion to decide. 



784 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



JOSIAH i\DAMS, residing on his valu- 
able farm of 140 acres, which is situated 
near Adams Corners, on the Harrisville 
and Franklin Road, belongs to families 
who have been prominently identified 
with the development of Slippery Rock 
Township, for generations. He was born 
on a farm that adjoins his own, in Slip- 
pery Rock Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, October 3, 1832, and is a 
son of James and Eliza (Harris) Adams. 

The location of Adams Corners bears 
his family name, while Harrisville, three 
miles distant, was named for his maternal 
grandfather, Ephraim Harris, who pur- 
chased the 400 acres, which includes the 
site of that town, from James Hartley, an- 
other old pioneer with Jonathan Adams, 
who was the grandfather of the wife of 
Josiah Adams. James Adams and wife 
spent their lives in Slippery Rock Town- 
ship and died on the farm now owned by 
their son Josiah. 

Josiah Adams was reared in Slippery 
Rock Township and obtained his education 
in the country schools. In 1853 he started 
for California and remained in the far 
West until 1873, during this long period 
having spent his time in California, Ne- 
vada, Oregon, "Washington and Utah, team- 
ing, mining and farming. After he re- 
turned to Pennsylvania, in 1873, he was 
married to Miss Mary Hartley, a daughter 
of James and Isabella (Van Dyke) Hart- 
ley. Mrs. Adams was born and reared in 
Marion Township, Butler County. Her 
grandfather, James Hartley, was born in 
Westmoreland County and, as stated 
above, he once owned the land on which 
the flourishing town of Harrisville stands. 

Mr. and Mrs. Adams have had six chil- 
dren, namely: Samuel Dale, who died 
when aged twenty- five years; James A., 
who married Edith Shields, and has four 
children — Samuel Dale, Frances Catherine, 
Mary Isabella, and Eli James ; Harry, who 
married Mary Delia Bovard, deceased; 
Mary, wlio married W. E. James, of 



Chicora; Ralph, who married Effie Dible, 
resides at Mars, and they have three chil- 
dren, Kathleen Adelaide, Sarah and Ray 
Roosevelt; and. one deceased. Mr. Adams 
and wife belong to the Slippery Rock Pres- 
byterian Church. In politics he is a Re- 
publican. 

W. D. AVINTERS, one of Butler's rep- 
resentative business men, who is engaged 
in general contracting, railroad excavating 
and building, was born in 1874, at Alle- 
gheny, Pennsylvania, where he attended 
school during early boyhood. Since he was 
eighteen years of age, Mr. Winters has 
been engaged in the business to which he 
now devotes his entire time. He is a gen- 
eral contractor for grading, masonry, rail- 
road work. and mill foundations. It would 
be a heavy task to name all the work for 
which Mr. Winters has made himself re- 
sponsible, since he established himself at 
Butler, but his most prominent contracts 
were the following : The Butler Car Wheel 
Works, the Butler Bolt & Rivet Works, 
the Forged Steel Wheel Works, the power 
plant for the Steel Car Forge AVorks at 
Ellwood City, and all the grading around 
the Standard Steel Car Works at Butler. 
While residing at Allegheny, he took an 
active interest in j^olitics, but since coming 
to Butler has devoted all his energies to 
the developing of his business and in this 
line is recognized as one of the city's most 
enterprising men. In 1890 Mr. Winters 
was married to Miss Mary Haas, of Alle- 
gheny. He is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

CHARLES 0. POLM, a prominent agri- 
culturist and coal dealer in Allegheny 
Township, residing on his valuable farm 
of ninety acres, was born April 23, 1876, 
in Allegheny Township, Butler County, 
Pennsvlvania, and is a son of Thomas and 
Olive (Corbett) Polm. 

The venerable father of Mr. Polm, now 
in his seventy-fifth year, was born in 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



785 



Clarion County, Peuusylvauia, but a large 
portion of his life has been passed in But- 
ler County. He is of German extraction. 
He married a granddaughter of Stephen 
Corbett, an old settler of Butler County, 
who was a native of England. Mrs. Polm 
died in December, 1907, and seven children 
still survive, namely : Stephen, residing in 
xillegheny Township; AVilliam W., resid- 
ing near New Bethlehem; John L. and 
Frederick N., both residing in Allegheny 
Township ; Charles 0. ; Carrie Y., wife of 
George W. Gibson, living in Allegheny 
Township; and Mary'C, wife of W. C. 
Alworth, residing in Parker Townshii?. 
Mr. Polm takes much interest both in local 
matters and in the affairs of the outside 
world and gives hearty support to the 
Eepublican party. He is one of the lead- 
ing and most valued members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in this sec- 
tion. 

Charles 0. Polm obtained his education 
in the public schools of Allegheny Town- 
ship and he has given his main attention 
to farming and to developing his fine coal 
mine which is situated on his land, mining 
having been going on for some years with 
no sign of an exhaustion of the supply. 
He is an excellent business man and man- 
ages his industries in such an able manner 
as to ensure satisfactory results. He is a 
man of his word and enjoys the confidence 
of his fellow citizens. In polities he is a 
Eepublican but is no seeker for political 
office. He is an attendant and contributor 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Farmington, of which his venerable father 
is a pillar. 

WINFIELD S. KEISTER, residing on 
his well ini]n-oved farm of 150 acres, situ- 
ated near Keister Station, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, is one of the prominent 
citizens of this section and was born here 
in 1851, and is a son of Jesse and Margaret 
(Wolford) Keister. 

Jesse Keister, father of Winfield S.. was 



born in 1808, in Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania, and was fourteen years old 
when he accompanied his parents, in 1822, 
to Slippery Eock Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, where his father, Philip Keister, bought 
a farm situated about one mile west of 
the one now owned by his grandson, Win- 
field S. Philip Keister died on the farm 
on which he first settled. Jesse Keister 
was reared on that farm and remained 
there until his marriage when he settled 
on the farm belonging to Winfield S., but 
at that time it was a very dift'erent look- 
ing property, being covered with timber 
and brush and giving little indication of 
its ]iresent state of improvement and 
cultivation. Prior to the birth of Win- 
field S., the present fine country residence 
was erected and many changes had been 
effected. Jesse Keister married Margaret 
Wolford, who was born in Slippery Rock 
Township, on the farm now owned by 
Henry Wilson, just east of the borough of 
Slip])ery Rock, and her father was Henry 
Wolford. To this union eight children 
were born, one of whom died in infancy 
and four survive : Amelda, who is the wife 
of Alexander Mortland, of Indianapolis, 
Indiana; Henry, who lives at Seattle, 
Washington; Emma, who is the wife of 
John Boyles, of Grove City ; and Winfield 
Scott. Philip died aged thirty-six years; 
Jacob S. died aged twenty-nine years ; and 
Madison died aged thirty-six years. Ja- 
cob S. was a soldier in the Civil War, a 
member of the One Hundred Third Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantrj^ 
was taken prisoner by the Confederates 
at Phanouth, North Carolina, and was 
subsequently confined in the Andersonville 
and Florence prisons, dying in the latter, 
a true martyr for his country. The mother 
and father both died on the present farm, 
the former in 1890 and the latter in 1888. 
Winfield S. Keister has been engaged in 
farming ever since the close of his school 
period and is numbered with the experi- 
enced and successful agriculturists of the 



786 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



township. He carries on a general line of 
agricultnre and grows many strawberries 
and raspberries. His surroundings indi- 
cate a large amount of comfort, and his 
fields and flocks show thrift and industry. 
Mr. Keister married Miss Annie O'Neil, 
a daughter of Daniel 'Neil, and they have 
the following children : Henry B., James 
Lawrence, George F., Jesse, Nellie, Mar- 
garet and Madison. Jesse, Margaret and 
Madison are at home. Nellie is a student 
in the Slippery Rock State Normal School. 
The eldest son, Henry B., married Venetta 
Sutton, and is principal of the Chicora 
Schools. He is a graduate of the Slippery 
Rock State Normal School. Both James 
Lawrence and George F. are yard clerks 
for the Bessemer Railroad, at Branclitown. 

MICHAEL KRAMER, a well known 
resident of Clearfield Township, has a fine 
farm of fifty acres just off the state road; 
al)()iit a ([uarter of a mile from Coylesville. 
He was 1m. lu in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 
Scptcnilicr 7, 1849, and is a son of Jacob 
and Barbara (Holtz) Kramer. 

Jacob Kramer was born in Germany and 
was eighteen years old when he came to 
the United States, his parents remaining 
in the old country. About one year later 
he Avas married to Barbara Holtz and they 
became parents of the following children: 
.loseph, James, Michael, Katie, Jacob, 
John, Mina, Daniel and Barbara. By a 
second marriage he had Stella, Margaret 
and George. 

Michael Kramer was about ten years of 
age when his parents moved from Pitts- 
burg to Clearfield Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, and here he grew to maturity, receiving 
his education in the public schools. He 
early learned the trade of a carpenter, 
which he followed in connection with farm- 
ing. He is engaged in diversified farming, 
raising some stock. 

April 27, 1875, Mr. Kramer was united 
in marriage with Catherine Osterman, a 
daughter of Jose])h and Sarah (Hilner) 



Osterman, of Clearfield Township, Butler 
County. She is one of the following chil- 
dren born to lier parents : Grace, Marga- 
ret, Jacob, Kate; Peter, George and Cris, 
triplets; Maggie, William, Barbara and 
Catherine. Of these children Margaret, 
Jacob and Cris are now deceased. 

Michael and Catherine Kramer are pa- 
rents of the following children : Joseph ; 
Jacob, who married Sarah Opperman and 
has two daughters, Clara and Kate; Ed- 
ward, who married Mary Schuler and has 
two sons, Theodore and Raymond ; Fannie, 
who is attending school and is engaged in 
dressmaking; William, who lives on the 
home farm ; and Charles, who is in attend- 
ance at school. Religiously, the family l)e- 
longs to St. John's Catholic Church. 

JOHN N. MUNTZ, a native of Germany, 
there married Christina Rapp. They came 
to the United States, arriving at Baltimore, 
Maryland, July 4, 1804, proceeded to Co 
lumbiana County, Ohio, and finally to Har- 
mony, Butler County, Penna., where they 
were among the first to build a home, 
March, 1805. In 1806 they bought a tract 
of land in Beaver County, and lived there 
until Mr. Muntz's death, bv accident, on 
June 4, 1812. 

John G. Muntz, youngest child of John 
George Muntz, lived on the farm in Beaver 
County until the spring of 1820, when he 
joined his brother Henry, and they carried 
on a store at Zelienople, Butler County. 
In the fall of 1826 he went to Natchez, 
Mississippi, to fill the position of general 
manager of a store. He returned to Zeli- 
enople and in 1835 was appointed post- 
master at that place, which position he held 
until 1840, and then embarked in the mer- 
cantile business in Pittsburg, where he con- 
tinued until 1854. He then located in But- 
ler, and opened a general store, on the site 
of the Boos building, where he carried on 
business until 1861. In that year he en- 
tered the coal business, and was extensively 
engaged in operating until 1871. He was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



789 



then elected justice of the peace, which of- 
fice he held at the time of his death, April 
12, 1880. 

He was an ardent Democrat and an 
active and prominent worker in the party. 
Throughout his long residence in Butler 
he was a prominent member of the Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church, and also took a deep 
interest in the prosperity of the public 
schools, beiug a member of the School 
Board for a number of years. 

Mr. Muntz married Mary B. Negley, a 
daughter of John Negley, one of the first 
settlers of Butler, to whom were born five 
children, viz.: Mary A., wife of the late 
W. H. II. Fithian; Annie E., and Emeline, 
both of whom died in infancy; John N. 
and Catharine R., widow of Judson (1. 
Crane. 

John N. Muntz, only son of John Gf. and 
Mary B. Muntz, was born in Allegheny 
City, Penna., reared and educated in But- 
ler, and served an apprenticeship at the 
jirinter's trade, which he followed for a 
few years. In 1872 he commenced operat- 
ing in coal, which has since been his prin- 
cipal business. 

Mr. Muntz was married in 1886 to Mary 
D., daughter of the late John P. Kramer, 
of Sewickley, Allegheny County, Penna. 
They are the parents of three children, 
viz.: John Philip, Edward Kramer, both 
deceased; and Richard, who is a student 
at the University of Pittsburg. 

PHILIP S. FENNELL, who has been 
engaged in the mercantile business 
throughout his business career, is post- 
master of the village of Fenelton, which 
was established by his father and derives 
its name from that of the Fennell family. 
The family became established here as 
early as 18.30, having come from east of 
the mountains of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Fennell was born in Clearfield 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
Februarv 22, 1867, and is a son of Peter 



and Lydia (Schawl) Fennell. Peter, who 
was a farmer by occupation for many 
years, settled the town of Fenelton and 
through his influence a postoffice was 
established at this point, he becomiug the 
first postmaster. He engaged in the mer- 
cantile business and conducted the store 
until his death on September 5, 1907. 

Philip S. Fennell was reared and edu- 
cated in Clearfield Township, and in addi- 
tion to the mercantile business has fol- 
lowed farming. He has a valuable farm 
of fifty-three acres, located on the north 
side of the Butler Road, just at the edge 
of Fenelton, and has been to some extent 
engaged in stock raising. He entered his 
father's store, and after the latter 's death 
carried on the business in partnership 
with James Coyle, Jr. The partnership 
continues at the present time, the firm 
name being P. S. Fennell & Company, and 
their store is liberally patronized by the 
people of the community. Mr. Fennell has 
efficiently discharged the duties as post- 
master, and is a popular official. 

He was married to Miss Sarah E. Rie- 
ger, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth 
(Iceler) Rieger. Her father was a farmer 
and the family has always taken a leading 
part in the affairs of the commimity. Two 
children have blessed this union, Floyd R. 
and Edith J.oy. Religiously, the subject 
of this sketch is a member of the Metho- 
dist church, and is one of the stewards. 
He also is superintendent of the Sabbath 
School, which has thrived during his in- 
cumbency, having at present an enrollment 
of a})out 100 members. Fraternally, he 
was formerly a member of the Royal 
Arcanum. 

EGBERT A. TERWILLIGER, who is 
one of Allegheny Township's representa- 
tiye citizens, resides on his valuable farm, 
which contains about 100 acres, on which 
he carries on general farming and stock- 
raising. He was born in Clarion County, 



790 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Pennsylvania, Alareh 14, 1857, and is a son 
of John and Tena (Elder) Terwilliger. 

The parents of Mr. Terwilliger were 
both born in Clarion County, where the 
grandfathers were early settlers. The pa- 
ternal grandfather, Egbert Terwilliger, 
settled in Perry Township, Clarion Coun- 
ty, and was the founder of the family of 
this name in tiiat section. The parents of 
Mr. Terwilliger died in Perry Township, 
tiie father in 1895. Three of their children 
still survive, namely : William L., residing 
in Clarion Covmty; Peter H., also residing 
in that county ; and Egbert A., of Allegheny 
Township. 

Egbert A. Terwilliger obtained his edu- 
cation in the schools of Perry Township 
and his agricultural training on the 
father's farm. In 1883 he moved to Alle- 
gheny Township, Butler Coimty, settling 
on the fine property on which he has re- 
sided ever since. He has identified himself 
with public interests here and has served 
both as auditor and as school director. 

On January 4, 1881, Mr. Terwilliger was 
married to Miss Cora J. .Horner, who was 
born in Clarion County and is a daughter 
of the late Andrew Horner, formerly a 
prominent farmer in Perry Township. 
Mr. and Mrs. Terwilliger have had eight 
children, the five survivors being: George 
B., residing in Clarion County; William C., 
living in Allegheny Township; Roy C, 
Samuel P. and Florence M.. all residing in 
Allegheny Township. In politics, Mr. Ter- 
williger is identified with the Democratic 
party and he takes a somewhat active part 
in public matters, in so far as good citizen- 
ship and public spirit demand. Religious- 
ly, he is connected witJi the Presbvterian 
Church. 

CHARLES TAGGART, who was a well 
known and respected resident of Brady 
Township, where he owned property, en- 
gaged in farming and for many years fol- 
lowed the carpenter trade, died January 1, 
1883. He was born in Slippery Rock Town- 



ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1855, 
and was a son of Samuel and Mary (Gil- 
key) Taggart. 

The late Charles Taggart was a mem- 
ber of the One Hundred Thirty-seventh 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try, during the Civil War and his record 
shows that he was a faithful soldier. His 
one brother, John Taggart, was also a sol- 
dier and lost his life in the service. Mr. 
Taggart was widely known, his business 
frequently calling him to different parts of 
the county and his standing both as a busi- 
ness man and as a citizen was high. He 
left his family amply provided for, there 
being a farm of fifty acres, which his widow 
still owns, and twelve acres which she 
bought in 1892 and where she resides. 

Mr. Taggart was married to Miss Lau- 
retta Goi'don, who is a daughter of James 
and Catherine (Pryor) Gordon. James 
Gordon was born near West Sunbury, But- 
ler County. In his earlier years he engaged 
in farming but later became proprietor of 
one of the old landmarks of this section, 
the Old Stone House, in Brady Township, 
which he conducted for fourteen years and 
died there, in 1891. His widow survived 
until 1898. They had the^ following chil- 
dren: Armina, deceased, was the wife of 
Taylor Thompson; Lauretta, who became 
the wife of Charles Taggart; Adelaide, 
who married Elmer McGinness and lives 
at Spokane. Washington; Sarah, who is the 
wife of Lucas ('nxcrt of Grove City; War- 
ren, who is a tiMil (ii-csser in the oil fields; 
Salina, who is the wife of John Taggart, 
of Brady Township; William, deceased; 
and Viola, who is the wife of Harry Wads- 
worth, who is the ticket agent at Branch- 
town, Pennsylvania, for the Pennsylvania 
Railroad. 

Mr. and Mrs. Taggart had two children, 
Bii'die Louisa and Adelaide. Both daugh- 
ters were given educational advantages 
and grew into attractive and capable wom- 
en. The younger daughter carried on a 
millinery Imsiness at Slippery Rock, but 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



791 



Las recently sold out and resides with her 
mother. The older daughter not only 
graduated with credit from the Butler High 
School but was particularly proficient in 
penmanship and won the second prize for 
the same at the Butler Countj^ Fair. She 
also taught music. She married C. J. 
Loday and they had one daughter, Gladys, 
who is in her grandmother's care, as her 
own mother died in February, 1903. This 
was a heavy affliction to Mrs. Taggart and 
in her. several bereavements she has had 
the sympathy of the whole community. 
Since settling on her present farm she has 
made a number of improvements. It is a 
pleasant location for a home, being in the 
country, while the village of Keister is ouly 
a mile distant. 

DENNIS L. GALLAGHER, an agricul- 
turist of Clearfield Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, resides on a farm of 
forty acres about a mile from Coylesville 
on the Butler Road, and owns another of 
seventy-five acres on the same road about 
two miles from the village. He was born in 
Brookfield, Pennsylvania, in 1842, and is a 
son of John and Latitia (McLaughlin) 
Gallagher. 

Anthony Gallagher, grandfather of the 
suliject of this sketch, came from Fayette 
Couut}^, Pennsylvania, to Armstrong, But- 
ler Coimty, at an early day and there 
passed the remainder of his days. His 
wife's maiden name was McCue. John 
Gallagher was a prominent farmer of Jef- 
ferson Township, Butler County, and 
served as justice of the peace for more 
than score of years. 

Dennis L. Gallagher was reared on the 
old home fai-m and received a preliminary 
education in the district schools. He at- 
tended school at Brooksfield, and one year 
in St. Vincent College, in Westmoreland 
County. He has a comfortable home and 
well improved farm property. He has 
leased his property to oil operators, and 



has one well now being drilled on the place. 
He is deeply interested in matters of pub- 
lic welfare and is a progressive citizen. 

Mr. Gallagher was united in marriage 
with Miss Catharine M. Green, a daughter 
of John and Mary (Connor) Green, her 
family being a well known one in this sec- 
tion of the county. Religiously, they are 
devout members of the Catholic church. 

JAMES H. STEEN, proprietor of the 
Steen Creamery, a prosperous enterprise 
of Butler, was born March 8th, 1863, in 
Connoquenessing Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of the late 
William Steen. The father of Mr. Steen 
was born in Ireland and remained in his 
own country until he was eighteen years 
of age, when he emigrated to America and 
settled in Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
For many years he engaged in farming 
and milling, owning property in Connoque- 
nessing Township. 

James H. Steen remained on the home 
farm until he was twenty years of age, 
securing his ediication in the schools of 
his native township. For several years 
after leaving home he worked as a clerk 
in a general store at Petersville, where, 
later, he engaged in a feed and creamery 
business. This enterprise he continued 
there until 1904, when he transferred his 
interests to Butler and established the 
Steen Creamery in this city, at No. 417 
South Main street. The plant is a large 
one, the business being both wholesale and 
retail, the products being butter, ice cream 
and pasteurized milk. Having an experi- 
ence of fifteen years in this business, ^Ir. 
Steen is thoroughly familiar with all its 
details. Improved machinery is made use 
of, modern methods are used and sanitary 
and wholesome conditions prevail. Mr. 
Steen married (first) Miss Emma Rader. 
who died in 1893, leaving one child, Willa 
May. He was married (second), in 1900, 
to Miss Lavina Marshall, and they have 
two children, Irene and William Harold. 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



STEPHEN STOOPS, one of the most 
highly esteemed older citizens of Alle- 
ghenj^ Township, who resides on his val- 
uable farm of 127 acres, on which he set- 
tled in 1863, was born at what is now An- 
nandale, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
December 16, 1823, and is a son of Philip 
and Elizabeth (Vanderlin) Stoops. 

Both the Stoops and the Vanderlin fami- 
lies were very early settlers in Butler 
County, Grandfather John Vanderlin lo- 
cating near what is now Murrinsville, 
when all that section was covered with tim- 
ber. Philip Stoops followed farming all 
his life in Butler County. Four of his 
children survive, namely: Stephen; Eliz- 
abeth, who is the wife of Harry Arnold, of 
California; Philip, who resides in Clay 
Township, and Nancy, who was the wife of 
John Thompson (now deceased), of Con- 
cord Township. 

Stephen Stoops grew to manhood in 
Marion Township, Butler County, and has 
devoted himself to agricultural pursuits in 
the main, although he has also been en- 
gaged in the oil business. - Since 1863 he 
has been identified with the interests of 
Allegheny Township and here he has done 
his full duty as a man and citizen. In his 
political views he is a Republican and on 
the ticket of that party he has frequently 
been elected to local office. Mr. Stoops 
has witnessed many important changes in 
this section since he settled here, school- 
houses have been built, churches have in- 
creased and the public highways have been 
vastly improved and all of these matters 
have come under his consideration and 
have received close and careful attention. 

On April 29, 1852, Mr. Stoops was mar- 
ried to Miss Maria Hilliard, who died July 
27, 1891. She was a daughter of Peter 
and Elizabeth Hilliard, who lived in Wash- 
ington Township, Butler County. She 
was a most estimable Christian woman, a 
sincere member of the Mt. Vernon Presby- 
terian Church. Her death was a heavy 
burden to her husband and surviving chil- 



dren, seven in number, as follows: Eliza- 
beth, who is the wife of Morrison Hilliard, 
of Clay Township ; Abigail, who is the wife 
of Luther M. Starr, of Butler; John, who 
lives in Fairview Townshiji ; Sarah, who is 
the widow of William Morris, of Washing- 
ton Township ; Emeline, who lives in Alle- 
gheny Township; Nancy, who is the wife 
of W S. Jamison, of Greene County, and 
Henry, who lives in Fairview Township. 
Harriet and Margaret are deceased. Mr. 
Stoops is a valued member of the M<t. Ver- 
non Presbyterian Church, to which he has 
always contributed according to his means. 

GEORGE IFFT, one of Slippery Rock's 
prominent farmers, residing on one farm 
of fifty-two acres, situated three miles 
south of Harrisville, owns a second farm, 
containing fifty-eight acres, situated in 
Franklin Township. He was born in Bea- 
ver County, Pennsylvania, August 21, 
1836. and is a son of Peter and Elizabeth 
(Lamb) Ifft. The Ifft family is an old 
and prominent one in several parts of the 
United States. A nephew of George Ifft, 
Hon. George Nicholas Ifft, whose home is 
in Idaho, is ably representing the United 
States as consul to Germany. 

In 1845 the parents of Mr. Ifft moved 
from Beaver County to Franklin Town- 
ship, Butler County, and there he remained 
on the home farm until he was sixteen 
years old. After that he worked for about 
forty years as a blacksmith, learning the 
trade in Lancaster Township. In 1858, 
when he was about twenty-one years of 
age, he went to California, taking the Isth- 
mus of Panama route, and remained there 
for some tliirty years, although during 
this time he made several visits to his old 
home. He worked as a blacksmith and 
also as a gold miner and met with consid- 
erable success. In the fall of 1888 he re- 
turned to make his permanent home in 
Butler County and at that time settled on 
the present farm, where he carries on 
dairying and general agriculture. 




M 




WILLIAM H. LUSK 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



r95 



During a visit home, on April 16, 1872, 
Mr. Ifft was married to Miss Elzira Bran- 
non, who was born in Worth Township, 
Butler County, but was reared in Frank- 
lin Township. Her jjarents were Thomas 
and Mary Ann (Reed) Brannon. Mr. and 
Mrs. Ifft's two children were born in Cali- 
fornia — George Howard and Charles 
Adams. The latter owns a farm of 136 
acres in Mercer Township, Butler County, 
lie married Miss Eva Hogg and they have 
tlic fdllowing children: George Eugene, 
:\lary Elizabeth, Arthur Edwin, Edna L., 
and Valma Elzira. Mr. Ifft and family 
belong to the United Presbyterian Church. 
He has taken no active part in local poli- 
tics but, on account of his broadened views 
and years of unusual experiences, is often 
consulted on questions of moment in the 
township and he has thus often served his 
fellow citizens. 

WILLIAM H. LUSK, formerly a lead- 
ing member of the bar at Butler, was a 
type of citizen whose removal from the 
community is a common loss. He was 
born at Harmony, Pennsylvania, and was 
a son of Dr. Amos and Agnes S. (Clow) 
Lusk, and a grandson of Dr. Loring Lusk. 

For several generations the Lusks have 
been more or less prominent in profes- 
sional life and identified with the same in 
Butler and adjacent counties. The grand- 
father of the late AVilliam H. Lusk was 
born in 1799, in Ontario County, New 
York. While reading medicine with his 
brother-in-law at Mercer, Pennsylvania, 
Loring Lusk was married to ]\Iary Smith. 
In 1823 he entered upon the practice of 
medicine at Harmony, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, later removing to Beaver 
County. During the construction of the 
Pittsburg & Erie Canal he was engaged 
in contracting, but in 1844 he resiuiicd 
medical practice at Harmony, where he 
continued until 1854, when he removed to 
Lewis County, Missouri. In 1861, at the 



opening of the Civil War, he accepted the 
appointment of surgeon of the Twenty- 
first Regimeut, ^Missouri Volunteer Infan- 
try, and remained in the service for one 
year. In the meanwhile, his son. Dr. Amos 
Lusk, had established himself at Zelie- 
nople, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and 
to that place Dr. Loring Lusk retired, em- 
barking in a drug business which he con- 
tinued to conduct until his demise in 1878. 
Dr. Amos Lusk, father of the late Will- 
iam H. Lusk, was born May 31, 1828, at 
Harmony, Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
After a thorough preparation he entered 
upon the practice of medicine in 1849, and 
in 1854 he received his diploma from the 
medical department of the W^estern Re- 
serve College at Cleveland. From 1853 
until 1857 he served as surgeon at the 
United States Marine Hospital at Pitts- 
burg, and then joined his father at Canton, 
Missouri, where he continued to practice 
until the opening of the Civil War. He 
then established "himself at Zelienople, in 
his native county, where he engaged in 
continuous practice for a period covering 
thirty years. In addition to his profes- 
sional responsibility. Dr. Amos Lusk was 
interested for many years in business. In 
1883 he established the firm of Amos 
Lusk & Son, which was a successful bank- 
ing firm up to the time of Dr. Lusk's 
death, following which event the son sold 
his interest. Dr. Lusk was also justly 
celebrated as a linguist, having a genius 
foi' acquiring command of different 
tongues than his own. It is said that he 
studied no less than twenty-five different 
languages and that he mastered twelve. 
H? married Agnes S. Clow, of Westmore- 
land County, Pennsylvania, and they had 
six children, namely: William H., James 
L., Joseph R., Amos M., Mary V. and 
.lulian, all of whom became prominent in 
the communities where the circmnstances 
of their lives placed them. Dr. Amos 
Lusk died November 17, 1891. His burial 



79G 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



was eoiidiicted according to the Masonic 
ritual, he having been a charter member 
of Harmony Lodge, F. & A. M. 

The late William H. Lusk possessed 
many of the leading characteristics of his 
distinguished father, a love of knowledge, 
a (|ui(k pcic(']ition, a ready sjTupathy and 
a uriiiMniis >i)irit. He completed his liter- 
ary (Mhicjition at a local academy and hav- 
ing access to his father's extensive library, 
lie passed many hours in the beneficial 
enjoyment of its treasures. His tastes led 
him into the study of law rather than med- 
icine and he prepared for the bar under 
Attorney AV. D. Brandon of Butler and was 
admitted in the autumn of 1877. His abil- 
ity was immediately recognized and he 
enjoyed a substantial patronage up to the 
time of his death September 5, 1907. Al- 
though peculiarly well equipped for public 
life, he took very little interest in politics, 
contenting himself with the mere perform- 
ance of the duties resting upon him as a 
good citizen. He voted with the Repub- 
lican jjartv, as had his father. 

In 1882,' WiUiam H. Lusk was united in 
marriage with Matilda Endres, who sur- 
vives, residing at her pleasant home No. 
234 West Pearl Street. Mrs. Lusk is a 
daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Woos- 
ter) Endres, who were prominent in Butler 
and Beaver Counties. Mr. and Mrs. Lusk 
became the parents of four children, 
namely: Arthur H., Amy M., James L., 
and Elizabeth C. Amy M. is the wife of 
Prank R. Frost, a civil engineer, a govern- 
ment employe, located at Chattanooga, 
Tennessee. They have one daughter. Amy 
Lucille. Mrs. Lusk is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church. 

GEORGE WORRALL, treasurer of the 
Tjeedom & Worrall Company, wholesale 
grocers, at Butler, is one of the city's act- 
ive and enterprising business men. He 
was born in 1869, in Morgan County, Ohio, 
where he was educated in the public 
schools. 



When twenty years of age, Mr. Worrall 
went to Marietta, Ohio, and entered the 
employ of the wholesale grocery house of 
Penrose & Simpson, and continued there 
for ten years, learning the business from 
the ground up. He then organized the 
Worrall Grocery Company, in that city, 
which he managed for three years and 
then sold out to the Eldridge-Higgins Com- 
pany, and came to Butler. Finding a 
promising business field here, he organ- 
ized the Leedom & Worrall Company, 
which, in 1904, was incorporated with a 
capital stock of $150,000, the officers of the 
same being: Nelson Moore, of Rochester, 
New York, president; D. H. Sutton, vice 
president; P. W. Leedom, second vice 
president ; George Worrall, treasurer ; and 
J. H. Leedom, secretary. This is a very 
large enterprise. The firm has seven men 
constantly on the road covering all West- 
ern Pennsylvania. 

In 1893 Mr. Worrall was married to 
Miss Lillian Leedom and they have one 
child, Ralph. Mr. and Mrs. Worrall are 
members of the Congregational Church. In 
fraternal life he is connected with the 
Knights of Pythias. His interest in i^oli- 
tics is in no way personal, but he lends his 
influence at all times to forward move- 
ments for the preservation of life and 
property and for the advancement of edu- 
cation and morality. 

SILAS H. EVANS, a prominent citizen 
and successful agriculturist, residing on 
his valuable farm of 130 acres, situated in 
Allegheny Township, has also been more 
or less identified with the oil industry for 
a ni;mber of years. He was born in Dela- 
ware Grove, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 
June 18, 1848, and is a soil of Edward E. 
and Mary Eliza (Black) Evans. 

Edward E. Evans was a son of Thomas 
Evans and both were born in a southern 
State. In youth he accompanied his par- 
ents to ]\Iercer County, where he lived until 
1 859. He then came to Butler County and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



797 



settled in Wasliingtou Township, where he 
engaged in woolen manufacturing, operat- 
ing what is known as the Hopewell mill, 
turning out the usual grades of woolens 
and yarns which were in demand in the 
neighboring towns and villages and in the 
lumber districts. He continued his indus- 
try into the eighties, his death taking place 
in 1898, when he was in his eighty-fourth 
year. He married for his second wife Isa- 
bella Black, who is still living, being now 
in her eighty-eighth year. He was widely 
known and thoroughly respected all 
through Washington Township, where he 
frequently was elected to office and per- 
formed every duty of a public-spirited cit- 
izen and good man. In his political sen- 
timents he was a Republican. For many 
years he was an elder in the New Salem 
Presbyterian Church. Four of his children 
survive, namely : Silas H. ; Joseph T., re- 
siding at Bradford; George E., living in 
Allegheny Township; and Oscar E., living 
at Beaver, Pennsylvania. Th-ree of his 
sons who are deceased — Thomas H., Clar- 
ence P., and Alfred B. — were soldiers in 
the Civil War. 

Silas H. Evans grew to manhood in 
Washington Township and was educated 
in the district schools there and in a school 
at London, Mercer County. He began to 
work in his father's mill when he was 
twelve years old and continued there until 
he was twenty-one. He did not have a 
natural leaning toward manufacturing and 
when he was free he entered the employ of 
Hon. R. A. Mifflin, who conducted a mer- 
cantile business -at North Washington, first 
as a clerk and later as bookkeeper. Mr. 
Evans continued there for six years and 
then becaiiic bookkeeper for Chambers 
Seutt, a iiicri-liniit at Fairview, with whom 
he remained foi- some years. In 1900, Mr. 
Evans settled on his present farm in Alle- 
gheny Township. 

In October, 1878, Mr. Evans was mar- 
ried to Miss Abigail C. Gibson (now de- 
ceased), a daughter of the late George G. 



Gibson, a former resident of Allegheny 
Township. Mr. Evans was married, sec- 
ond, to Sarah McMahan, daughter of Geo. 
McMahan of Parker Township, one of five 
sisters. Mr. Geo. McMahan celebrated his 
golden wedding on June 24, 1908, and died 
June 28, 1908, just four days later. Mr. 
Evans is a member, as was also his wife, 
of the New Salem Presbyterian Church, in 
which he has been an elder for a number 
of years. In politics he is a Republican. 
He has always taken an interest in those 
movements which have promised to be of 
benefit to his section and is in hearty ac- 
cord with those supporting good govern- 
ment, temperance, education and morality. 

GEORGE N. CHANDLER, owner of 136 
acres of farm land, which lies in Slippery 
Rock ToAvnship, about one and one-half 
miles east of tlie borough of Slippery Rock, 
is a representative citizen of this section 
of Butler County. He was born on a farm 
in Plain Grove Township, Lawrence Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, December 2, 1854, and 
is a son of Samuel T. and Mary Ann (Den- 
niston) Chandler. 

Samuel T. Chandler was a native of Ver- 
mont and he came to Western Pennsyl- 
vania in early manhood and prior to his ■ 
marriage was a school teacher. Afterward 
he engaged in farming, and in the spring 
of 1860, purchased the farm now belonging 
to his son, George N. He married Mary 
Ann Denniston and they had eight chil- 
dren, six of whom still survive. Samuel T. 
Chandler died in 1884 and his widow lived 
until 1903. 

George N. Chandler has resided on his 
present farm since he was six years old 
and its excellent condition as to cultiva- 
tion and improvements, is largely owing 
to his industry and good management. ]\Ir. 
Chandler is a general farmer, a man of 
practical ideas and has few equals in this 
section in knowledge of general tillage and 
farm management. 

]\fr. Chandler has five sisters, namelv : 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Margaret, who is the widow of J. M. Law- 
rence ; Eliza H., who is the widow of New- 
ton Stevenson ; Mary Ellen ; Emma F. and 
Sarah. The two other children, William 
and an infant, are deceased. Mr. Chand- 
ler takes no very active part in politics, 
but he has always been nmnbered with the 
reliable and public-spirited citizens of the 
township. He is a member of the I. 0. 
0. F. at SUppery Eock. 

WALTER EVANS, one of Butler's rep- 
resentative citizens, who is engaged in a 
general insurance business, with offices in 
the Bickle Block in this city, was born in 
1838, in what is now the borough of But- 
ler, and is a member of one of the old and 
prominent families of this section. He is 
a son of A. M. and Ann Eliza (Neyman) 
Evans. 

Both the Evans and Nej-man families 
deserve honorable mention among the 
pioneer families of Butler County. Capt. 
Henry Evans, the paternal grandfather, 
was the founder of his family here, com- 
ing in 1800. He subsequently served in 
the War of 1812, acquiring his military 
title, and later, in the thirties, he was 
elected and served as sheriff of Butler 
County. In many ways he w^as one of tlie 
leading men of his day. He dicil in is.')!), 
in his seventy-fifth year. His cliildreu 
bore the following names: John, A. M., 
George W., Hiram J., Permelia, Margaret 
A., Lydia and Jane. The parents of Mr. 
Evans are deceased, but his mother lived 
to the unusual age of ninety-one years, 
dying in December, 1903. 

Walter Evans sj^ent his boyhood on his 
father's farm and attended the local 
schools as lie had (iii])()rtuiiitv. From 18(54 
until 1872 lie was iutcivstt'd in the oil liusi- 
ness in the Western Pennsylvania fields, 
and in 1885-6 he engaged in manufacturing 
in Huron County, Ohio. For eight years 
he was connected with the Standard Plate 
Glass Company and since retiring from 
that association he has been engaged in a 



general insurance business, handling risks 
in about a dozen of the oldest and most re- 
liable companies in America. 

In 1865 Mr. Evans was married to Miss 
Joyce Jones, of East Brady's Bend, Arm- 
strong County, and they have three chil- 
dren: George A., Elizabeth and Valeria. 
George A. Evans was educated in the But- 
ler schools and at Valparaiso, Indiana, and 
for thirteen years was connected with the 
Standard Plate Glass Company, after 
which he went into the insurance business 
with his father. Both daughters are grad- 
uates of the Butler High School and the 
younger one is a teacher there. The fam- 
ily has always been one of social promi- 



WILLIAM H. CUBBINS, agriculturist 
and oil producer, is one of Allegheny 
Township's leading citizens and has re- 
sided on his present farm in the northwest 
corner of the township, since 1880. He 
was born March 22, 1854, in the Isle of 
Man, and is a son of Thomas and Eleanor 
(Kelley) Cubbins, both natives of Eng- 
land. 

The father of Mr. Cubbins, who was a 
sea captain, died when he was five years 
old and he was reared by his mother, with 
whom he remained until he was fourteen, 
at which time he started out to make his 
own way in the world. Upon the first op- 
portunity offered he emigrated to America 
and went to Venango County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where there was plenty of work to 
be found in the oil regions. Later he went 
to Pittsburg and for several years worked 
for a large oil company in their refining' 
department, during all this time gradually 
learning details of the business winch sub- 
seijuently made him a successful producer 
on his own accoimt. In 1877 he came to 
Troutman, Butler County, where he first 
engaged in oil production, and in 1880, he 
settled on his present place in Allegheny 
Township and has continued his oil enter- 
prises, ^fr. Cubbins has been the builder 




WILLIAM G. DOUTHETT 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



801 



of his own fox'tunes and has reached his 
present status of independence by travel- 
ing no royal road but rather one marked 
by constant industry and enterprise, as- 
sisted by a natural gift of good judgment. 
While in Venango Mr. Cubbins had charge 
of the first glass still that restored sul- 
phuric acid to the same condition that it 
was in before it had been used for refining 
oil, so that it could be used over for the 
same purpose. 

Mr. Cubbins married Miss Clara A. Og- 
den, a daughter of the venerable Joseph 
M. Ogden, a well known resident of Ve- 
nango County. They have one daughter, 
Flossie L., who is a student in the Penn- 
sylvania State Normal School, at Slippery 
Eock. Mr. and Mrs. Cubbins are mem- 
bers of the Scrub Grass Presbyterian 
Church. He is a man of pronounced tem- 
perance views and lends his influence to 
all movements in that direction in his 
neighborhood. In politics, he is a Repub- 
lican. 

W. J. MORRISON, secretary of the 
Board of Trustees of the Slippery Eock 
State Normal School, has been identified 
with this educational body since 1896 and 
is a representative citizen of the township 
of Slippery Eock. He was born in the 
city of Philadelphia, and is a son of John 
and Hannah (Wallace) Morrison, both of 
whom he survives. 

In his boyhood, Mr. Morrison accom- 
panied his parents to Mercer County, 
Pennsylvania, and they settled in Liberty 
Township. He attended the country 
schools and assisted his father until 1862, 
when he entered the Federal Army to 
serve as a soldier in the Civil War then in 
progress. From Mercer County he en- 
listed in Company G, One Hundredth Reg- 
iment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
and served imtil he was honorably dis- 
charged in May, 1865. His regiment was 
a part of the Virginia branch of the gen- 
eral force, commanded for a time by Gen- 



eral Burnside, and Mr. Morrison partici- 
pated in all the battles, marches and dan- 
gers that his regiment encountered during 
those memorable years. 

After the close of his military service, 
Mr. Morrison returned to Liberty Town- 
ship, where he remained until 1866, when 
he married and removed then to Slippery 
Rock Township, where he took charge of 
the Christley mill, his uncle, Robert Mc- 
Knight, having been the first operator. 
Mr. Morrison ran the mill for two years 
and then moved to a farm in Plain Grove 
Township, Lawrence County, where he 
lived three years before coming to his 
present farm, in 1871. Here he owns 180 
acres of valuable land, favorably located 
near Keisters, on which he carries on gen- 
eral farming and dairying. 

Mr. Morrison has six children : Bessie, 
"who is the wife of J. S. Keister; Annie 
T. who is the wife of John Lincoln ; Mary 
L., who is the wife of Cyrus Maybury; 
William W. ; Eugene Floyd, and John B., 
who lives in Allegheny. In politics, Mr. 
Morrison is a stanch Republican and on the 
party ticket was elected justice of the 
peace, in which office he served most ac- 
ceptably for three years. He is a mem- 
ber and liberal supporter of the Presby- 
terian Church. 

WILLIAM G. DOUTHETT, a member 
of the enterprising firm of Douthett & 
Graham, proprietors of the largest cloth- 
ing and gents' furnishing goods establish- 
ment in the city of Butler, is also identified 
with other enterprises which serve to 
make his business standing one of large 
importance. He was born in Forward 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
March 20, 1862. 

Mr. Douthett was reared on his father's 
farm and when sixteen years of age 
assumed its management and successfully 
conducted it until January, 1891. At that 
time he moved to Butler, where he carried 
on a livery business until August 1, 1892, 



802 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



when he sold his interests in that line. In 
March, 1893, he embarked in the clothing 
business, in partnership with Hart W. F. 
Graham, establishing the present firm and 
adopting the firm name of Douthett & 
Graham. The business is favorably lo- 
cated on the corner of Main and Cunning- 
ham Streets and the complete, carefully 
selected and up-to-date stock attracts the 
patronage of the most fastidious trade in 
the city. Mr. Douthett has numerous 
other business interests. He is vice-presi- 
dent and a large stockholder in the Guar- 
anty Safe Deposit and Trust Company. 
For the past five years he has been en- 
gaged in producing oil, through wise 
investment and excellent management 
making a success of the industry. At the 
present time the daily production of the 
oil and gas wells in which he is interested 
is very large. 

Although his personal interests require 
a large proportion of his time, Mr. Douth- 
ett finds opportunity to prove himself a 
good citizen and well-rounded man. He 
is now serving as a member of the school 
board and has served several terms as 
president of the Butler Board of Trade 
and the city is largely indebted to him and 
his public-spirited activity for the locating 
here of the factories which have served to 
add so much to the city's prosperity. 
Liberal himself, he has the faculty of in- 
teresting others in movements promising 
to benefit the community, and the city has 
no more useful or thoroughly representa- 
tive citizen. 

Mr. Douthett married Sarali C. Bartley, 
a daughter of Williamson Bartley of Penn 
Township. They have four children : Jen- 
nie B., Elizabeth B., William G. Jr., and 
Kathryn B. The family residence is at 
No. 415 West Jefferson Street, Butler. 

Mr. Douthett has been active in church 
work for many years. He is a member of 
the United Presbyterian Church, president 
of its board of trustees and assistant 



superintendent of the Sunday-school, in 
which he has been a teacher since the age 
of twenty-seven years. At present he en- 
joys the honor of filling the office of finan- 
cial agent of the Butler Presbytery, an 
office that requires the ability of a prac- 
tical business man but is seldom filled by 
a layman. He has had the satisfaction of 
being able to prove that in the past year, 
under his management, the quota of con- 
gregations that have met the requirements 
of the Presbytery, has been double that of 
previous years. In politics he is a Repub- 
lican. 

JOSIAH D. McKEE, whose valuable 
farm of 100 acres is favorably situated in 
Allegheny Township, is one of the es- 
teemed and representative men of Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. He was born on 
this farm, March 23, 1846, and is the only 
surviving child of his parents, John and 
Jane (Crawford) McKee. 

The parents of Mr. McKee both died in 
Allegheny Township. The father had set- 
tled on the present home farm when it was 
yet in an undeveloped condition and spent 
his entire life here. He was a man of 
standing in his community, at various 
times held local positions of trust, gave 
liberal support to the cause of education 
and for many years was an elder in the 
Scrub Grass Presbyterian Church. 

Josiali D. McKee attended school at Six 
Points, in his boyhood, where he had such 
advantages as were then offered. His life 
has been devoted to farming and stock 
raising and to maintaining the status of a 
broad-minded, public-spirited man and 
useful citizen. He married Miss Jennie 
R. Steirly, wlio was born in London, Eng- 
land, and is a daughter of James Christian 
Steirly, who is a resident of Oil City. Mr. 
and Mrs. McKee have four children : John 
Clyde, who married Myrna Gordon in 
November, 1906; Ethel M., George Earl 
and Ralph Crawford. In his political 
views he is a Republican and under a for- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



803 



mer law he served for a time as director 
of the township poor farm. 

N. S. SNOW, who is engaged in a gen- 
eral contracting business at Butler, has 
been a resident of this city for some twen- 
ty-two years and is numbered with the 
substantial and representative citizens. 
He was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1869. 

In his childhood, Mr. Snow was brought 
to Butler County and he lived on a farm 
until he was fifteen years old, in the mean- 
while obtaining a good common school edu- 
cation. He then began to work as a 
teamster and for three years was engaged 
at Chicora, and from there came to Butler, 
where he learned the carpenter trade. He 
has been engaged in work in that line ever 
since and for the past five years has been 
doing general contract work. He is one 
of the stockholders in the Butler Building 
& Loan Association. Among the many 
fine residences which he has erected in this 
city is his own, which stands at No. 402 
East Penn Street, which he completed in 
1907. He owns other real estate in the 
same part of the town. Wliile not a poli- 
tician, he takes an intelligent and thought- 
ful man's interest in public affairs and 
gives due attention to the issues of the day. 

In 1893 Mr. Snow was married to Miss 
Grace Minster, of St. Joe, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and they have four chil- 
dren : Arthur, Hazel, Kenneth and ,7ean- 
etta. With his family, Mr. Snow belongs 
to St. Paul's Catholic Church. He is iden- 
tified with the fraternal order of Wood- 
men of the World, and has belonged to the 
Volunteer Fire Department of Butler for 
the past seventeen years. 

ADAM H. RENICK, one of the leading 
and influential farmers of Slippery Rock 
Township, and owner of a fine farm of 180 
acres, was born in the southern part of 
this township in 1866, and is a representa- 
tive of one of the pioneer families of this 



county. He is the son of William and 
Caroline (Snyder) Renick, and a grand- 
son of David Renick, both natives of Ger- 
many. William Renick was but nine years 
old when he came to this coimtry with his 
father, who settled for a time in Saxon- 
burg. William was a blacksmith by trade 
and during the early fifties came to Slip- 
pery Rock Township and worked at his 
trade here until 1870, after which he de- 
voted his time to agricultural pursuits un- 
til his death, which occurred July 17, 1901. 
He was united in marriage with Caroline 
Snyder, who came to this country with her 
parents when one year old, her birth hav- 
ing occurred in Germany, February 22, 
1830. She is still living and makes her 
home with our subject. Eight children 
were born to William and Caroline Renick : 
Jacob G., a sketch of whom is also found 
in this work; Daniel ; Louisa, deceased wife 
of Fred Doerr ; George W. ; Margaret, wife 
of A. M. Hall; Adam H., our subject; 
Frederick ; and Charles, a resident of Erie 
County, Pennsylvania. 

Adam H. Renick was reared and edu- 
cated in Slippery Rock Township and has 
made farming his principal occupation dur- 
ing the greater part of his life. During his 
early manhood he was engaged for a time 
as a clerk for the Pearson Bros. Clothing 
Company of New Castle. His farm, upon 
which he now resides, is located about 
three miles east of the village of Slippery 
Rock on the Pittsburg-Franklin Pike. He 
has two gas wells and one oil well in oper- 
ation and is one of the enterprising and 
highly respected farmers of the township. 
Mr. Renick was joined in marriage with 
Clara Wimer, a daughter of Finley Wimer. 

WILLIAM McGINNIS, who resides on 
his well-improved farm of 100 acres, 
which is situated in Allegheny Township, 
is a representative citizen of this section 
of Butler Coimty. He was born in Ve- 
nango County, Pennsylvania, March 2, 



804 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1838, and is a son of James J. and Christie 
A. (Russell) McGinnis. 

James J. McGinnis, father of William, 
was born in Northumberland County, 
Pennsylvania, and in early manhood 
moved to Clarion County, and acquired a 
farm of 100 acres, in Richland Township. 
Later in life he moved to Venango County, 
where he owned a farm of fifty acres, in 
Scrub Grass Township. His surviving 
children are: William; John W., residing 
in Allegheny Township ; and James B. and 
Johnston, both residing in Scrub Grass 
Township, Venango County. The mater- 
nal grandfather of this family was Samuel 
Russell, an early pioneer in Butler County. 

William McGinnis attended the early 
subscription schools in Scrub Grass Town- 
ship, not having the opportunity to enjoy 
the advantages which the children of the 
present day have almost forced upon them. 
He was trained to be a farmer and has fol- 
lowed agricultural pursuits very closely 
through life. In the fall of 1872 he settled 
on the farm which he now occupies, one 
which, under his excellent management, is 
counted as one of the best in the township. 

On March 19, 1863, Mr. McGinnis was 
married to Miss Martha J. Russell, who 
was born in Concord Township, Butler 
County, a daughter of David and Martha 
(Cubbison) Russell, and they have the fol- 
lowing children : David Z., residing in Al- 
legheny Township; Joseph R., living in 
Iowa; James C, farming in Allegheny 
Township; Mary, wife of George Morris, 
of Adams Township ; Martha E., widow of 
Reuben Douglass, of Venango County; 
Christie A., wife of Sherman Been, of Al- 
legheny Township; Idella, wife of Rev. 
Willis McNeill, of Kansas; and Eliza J., 
residing at home. Mr. McGinnis is a mem- 
ber of the Associate Presbyterian Church, 
at Eau Claire, in which he is an elder. In 
his political preference he is a Prohibition- 
ist. Mr. McGinnis enjoys the respect and 
confidence of his fellow citizens, among 



whom so many years of his life have been 
usefully spent. 

GEORGE E. HOWARD, treasurer and 
manager of the Butler Brick & Tile Com- 
pany, of Butler, is an engineer by profes- 
sion and has been a resident of this city 
for twenty years. He was born at Cuya- 
hoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio, Decem- 
ber 21, 1871. 

In his native State, Mr. Howard attended 
first the local schools, later Buchtel Col- 
lege, at Akron, and then entered Cornell 
University, where he was graduated in 
1893, with his degree of M. E. He found 
his first promising business opening at 
Butler and for eight years was in the em- 
ploy of the Standard Plate Glass Company 
of this city, going from there to Saginaw, 
Michigan. There he built the Saginaw 
Plate Glass Company's plant, which he 
managed imtil 1903, when he returned to 
Butler and bought out the controlling in- 
terest in the Butler Brick & Tile Works, 
of which he has served as general man- 
ager ever since. He is not idle profession- 
ally, having many calls as consulting en- 
gineer. 

In 1901 Mr. Howard was married to 
Miss Jean Campbell, a daughter of T. C. 
Campbell, and they have two children — 
Juliette Campbell and George Edwin. Mr. 
Howard is a member of St. Peter's Epis- 
copal Church and is the leader of the 
church choir. His interest in public affairs 
does not lead him to be active politically, 
but he is a representative of that edu- 
cated, thoughtful class, whose residence in 
any community is for its betterment. 

DAVID T. BENNETT, of Allegheny 
Township, residing on his excellent farm 
of 100 acres, is a well-known, popular and 
reliable citizen of this section, where, for 
many years, he has also been identified 
with the oil industry. He was born in In- 
diana County, Pennsylvania, July 18, 




W. H. H. RIDDLE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



807 



1861, and is a son of Elijah and Elizabeth 
J. (Sherman) Bennett. 

The father of Mr. Bennett was a native 
also of Indiana County, while the mother 
came from an old settled family of Jmii- 
ata County. In 1865 they moved to Wis- 
consin and four years later to Parker's 
Lauding, Butler County, where Elijah Ben- 
nett engaged for a time in the oil business. 
For a short time he resided in Allegheny 
Township. He has been deceased for some 
years but his widow, now in her seventieth 
year, still survives and resides at Hillsdale, 
Michigan. 

David T. Bennett was eight years old 
when his parents came to Parker's Land- 
ing and he attended school there for some 
years, but since he was twelve years old 
he has been more or less identified with 
the oil industry and at present makes oil 
drilling his leading interest. Mr. Bennett 
married Miss Aurilla S. Bell, who was born 
in Perry Township, Clarion County, Penn- 
sylvania, a daughter of the late James Bell. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have five children, 
namely: David T., Jr., Edna B., Grace, 
Elmer P. and William L. Mr. Bennett and 
wife are members of the Presbyterian 
Church. In politics he is a Democrat. 

W. H. H. RIDDLE, a well known and 
successful attorney of Butler, who is also 
prominently connected with the agricul- 
tural interests of the county, was born in 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Decem- 
ber 11, 1840, and is a son of Samuel L. and 
IVfarv A. (Schroder) Riddle. 

Samuel L. Riddle, father of W. H. H., 
settled in Fairview Township, Butler 
County, in 1854. and for a quarter of a 
century was engaged there in agricultural 
pursuits. He then returned to Allegheny 
County, where the rest of his life was 
spent. 

W. H. H. Riddle, after beginning his 
education in the public schools, attended 
successively the academies at Sunbury and 
Harrisville. He then pursued the study of 



law under the direction of Col. John M. 
Thompson, and was admitted to the bar in 
1864. In the following year he was elected 
district attorney, in which office he served 
with credit. He has since continued in 
the practice of his profession and has built 
up a profitable clientage. At times he has 
taken part in public affairs, and in 1884 
was a delegate to the Republican National 
Convention at Chicago, which nominated 
Blaine and Logan. Mr. Riddle takes a 
strong interest in agriculture and has done 
much in a practical way for its scientific 
development in this country. He was one 
of the founders of the Butler Agricultural 
Association. All the Farmers' Institutes 
that have been held in Butler County, un- 
der the supervision of the State Board of 
Agriculture, and later under the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture to the present date, 
have been managed by Mr. Riddle. Mr. 
Riddle has long been a helpful member of 
the State Agricultural Society. 

On February 18, 1862, Mr. Riddle was 
married to Angeline Walker, whose father, 
Robert Walker, was one of the early set- 
tlers in the northern part of Butler 
County. Of this marriage there have been 
three children: Edwin S., an attorney at 
law and a court stenographer ; and Matilda 
and Lillian. Mrs. Riddle died March 13, 
1905. Mr. Riddle was married (second) 
July 2, 1908, to Mrs. Jennie (Ayres) 
Graham, widow of Robert Graham of 
Etna, Penna. All the members of the 
family occupy the old family home, a beau- 
tiful I'esidence at No. 224 East Fulton 
Street, Butler. 

LEWIS C. SANKEY, a native of But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, was born on his 
present farm in Slippery Rock Township, 
November 4, 1859, and is one of the highly 
respected agriculturists of the township. 
He is a son of Thomas and Jemima (Keis- 
ter) Sankey, also natives of Butler County, 
the former having died in 1905 on our sub- 
ject 's farm, which he purchased and 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



farmed for many years during his active 
business career. The mother of the sub- 
ject of this sketch is still living and re- 
sides with her son. The following children 
were born to Thomas and Jemima Sankey : 
Mary, wife of Cass Wigton of Branchton, 
Pennsylvania; Anna, wife of Frank Hine- 
man of Troutman, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania; William, a fanner of Slippery 
Rock Township; Lewis C, the subject of 
this sketch; Margaret, widow of Thomas 
McElvey ; Adeline died at the age of twen- 
ty-two years. 

Lewis C. Sankey has always resided on 
his present farm and has made farming 
his life occupation. His farm, consisting 
of eighty-three acres, is well improved and 
highly cultivated and he has one gas well 
and one oil well, both in operation. The 
large frame house in which Mr. Sankey re- 
sides was built by his father in 1884. 

Mr. Sankey was joined in the holy bonds 
of wedlock with Laura Porter, who was 
reared in Marion Township, this county, 
and is a daughter of John and Martha Por- 
ter. Mr. and Mrs. Sankey are the parents 
of the following children : Clair, William, 
Pearl, Frederick, Martha, and Clara. In 
fraternal circles Mr. Sankey is affiliated 
with the Junior Order of American Me- 
chanics. 

WILLIAM L. BENNETT, one of Alle- 
gheny Township's prominent and substan- 
tial citizens, who has been engaged for a 
number of years in oil-well drilling and 
contracting, resides on his valuable farm 
of 150 acres, wliich is located near Six 
Points, Butler County. He was born in 
Indiana Covmty, Pennsylvania, July 2, 
1859, and is a son of Elijah N. and Eliza- 
beth (Sherman) Bennett. 

The father of Mr. Bennett was born in 
Indiana County and died in Butler County. 
The mother was born in Juniata County 
and resides at Hillsdale, Michigan. In 
1865 they moved to Wisconsin and in 1869 
to Pai'ker's Landing, Butler County, Penn- 



sylvania, where Elijah N. Bennett engaged 
in oil production. 

^Villiam L. Bennett attended school at 
Parker's Landing. In the spring of 1879 
he left Butler County and went to Colo- 
rado, spending four years in the far West 
before he returned to Pennsylvania. He 
engaged for a time in oil producing in Mc- 
Kean County, and later visited the oil re- 
gions in various States, finally returning 
to Butler County and in 1895 he settled on 
his present valuable farm. He has had ex- 
perience in the oil industry from his youth 
and few men in the business in this sec- 
tion are better qualified or better informed 
concerning this great industry. For some 
years he has been engaged in contracting 
and drilling. 

Mr. Bennett was married to Miss Flor- 
ence B. Whited, who was born in Jackson 
County, Ohio, a daughter of Joseph 
Whited, now a resident of White Bluff, 
Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are 
members of the Presbyterian Church, of 
which he has been a trustee. In his politi- 
cal views he is a Republican. At different 
times he has consented to accept political 
office and has served as constable in Alle- 
gheny Township and at present is serving 
as a highway commissioner. He enjoys 
the confidence and commands the respect 
of his fellow citizens with whom he has 
liad personal and business relations for so 
many years. 

HARRY T. TURNER, a representative 
citizen of Butler, an engineer by profes- 
sion and formerly president of the Etna 
Manufacturing Company of this city, was 
horn in 1864, in England, and when five 
years old was brought to America, son of 
Henry and Emily (Overy) Turner. 

The parents of Mi\ Turner located first 
at Petroleum Center, on Oil Creek, moving 
later to Parker's Landing and subsequent- 
ly to other oil fields in the state, so that 
the boy almost grew up in the oil business. 
When he came first to Butler, he became 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



an employe at the electric light plant and 
remained there for twelve years and dur- 
ing a large part of that time was the chief 
engineer of the works. Later he became 
interested in the Etna Manufacturing 
Company and in the course of events was 
elected president of that corporation and 
served in that capacity until 1908, when 
he sold his interest. He has an enviable 
record back of him of business integrity 
and unusual business ability. Like many 
men of present fortune, he overcame many 
early obstacles and through his own ef- 
forts won his place in the business world. 
On March 5, 1890, Mr. Turner was mar- 
ried to Miss Lizzie A. Kamerer and they 
have four children — Irene, Eliza, Vernon 
and Harry. Mr. Turner is an official mem- 
ber of Grace Lutheran Church. In fra- 
ternal life he is identified with the Macca- 
bees and the Knights of Pythias. 

SHERIDAN C. KARNS, one of Alle- 
ghany Township's best known citizens, has 
been engaged in the coal industry for the 
past thirty-five years and has been a resi- 
dent of this township since he was ten 
years old. He was born at Emlenton, Ve- 
nango County, Pennsylvania, December 2, 
1848, and is a son of AVilliam K. and Sarah 
(Perry) Karns. 

AVilliam K. Karns was born in Butler 
County. Pennsylvania, and died in 1901. 
He followed shoe-making and also con- 
ducted a hotel at Emlenton, for a number 
of years, and then removed to Allegheny 
Township, Butler County, where he re- 
sided for a quarter of a century. 

Sheridan C. Karns attended school first 
at Emlenton and then in Allegheny Town- 
ship, Imt early in life began to depend 
upon his own efforts, being one of the men 
who have prospered in spite of early draw- 
backs. He has been a man of business 
prominence in Allegheny Township for 
many years, his main interest being deal- 
ing in coal and in this connection he is 
known all over Butler County. 



Mr. Karns was married (first) to Miss 
Jane Jones, who left three children, name- 
ly: Jesse P., Charles M. and Delia, who 
is the wife of William Shakely. Mr. 
Karns was married (second) to Miss Mar- 
garet Beals, and they had two children, 
Melville E. and Irene. He was married to 
his present wife. Miss Ellen J. Joseph, 
and they have six children, as follows: 
Edward C, Clarence, Laura M., William 
T., Newton and Sadie. In politics, Mr. 
Karns is a Republican, but he is no poli- 
tician, chosing rather to devote all his at- 
tention to his business. He is a member 
of Emlenton Lodge No. 644, Odd Fellows, 
and to Tent No. Ill, Knights of Macca- 
bees, also at Emlenton. 

AMOS HALL, a leading citizen of 
Branchton, where he conducts a general 
store and owns a large amount of valuable 
property, was born on the old Hall home 
place in Clay Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, near Halston, April 6, 1840. 
His parents were Jesse and Mary (Alex- 
ander) Hall. 

Jesse Hall was born in Cecil County, 
Maryland, and lived there through his edu- 
cational period and until he married and 
had six children, when he came to Butler 
County, in 1837. Mr. Hall settled on the 
tract since known as the Hall homestead, 
containing 540 acres situated about equally 
in four townships — Clay, Brady, Cherry 
and Slippery Rock. Mr. Hall and his 
wife both spent their remaining years on 
that farm. 

Amos Hall gi-ew to manhood in Clay 
Township, attended the country schools 
and engaged in farming until he enlisted 
for service in the Civil War. In May, 
1862, he entered Company F, One Hun- 
dred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry, and served 
in the Army of the Potomac for a 
period that covered ten months, dur- 
ing this time taking part in the bat- 
tle of Chancellorsville. He was a 



810 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



brave and cheerful soldier, performing 
every required duty and was honorably 
discharged and mustered out at Harris- 
burg. He then went to work at the car- 
penter trade at Franklin, Pennsylvania, 
and after his marriage, in 1868, he settled 
for a year on his father-in-law's farm in 
Clay Township. From there Mr. Hall 
then returned to the old homestead, where 
he remained for twenty years and then 
came to Branehton. He still owns 100 
acres of that part of the old farm lying in 
Clay Township. 

In April, 1889, Mr. Hall opened his gen- 
eral store at Branehton, which he has con- 
ducted ever since, with the exception of 
three years, when W. J. Hindman was 
proprietor, Mr. Hall leasing his building 
for that time and selling his stock. At 
the end of the lease, Mr. Hall re-entered 
business, and in August, 1903, he erected 
his present substantial cement block, a 
two-story building, 22 by 60 feet in dimen- 
sions, where he carries a very large stock 
of carefully selected goods, bought with 
the especial view of meeting the wants of 
the surrounding country from which comes 
a heavy trade. For four years he was 
postmaster of the village. He owns a 
handsome residence and other improved 
property. 

In 1868 Mr. Hall was married to Miss 
Angeline Francina Allen, who is a daugh- 
ter of Ephraim and Margaret (Allen) Al- 
len. Mrs. Hall was born near Muddy 
Creek Church, in what was then Center, 
but is now Clay Township, Butler County. 
To this marriage were born five children, 
namely: Mary Eva, who married David 
E. Stevenson, of Bremen, Ohio, has two 
children — Harold Paul and Gladys Olive; 
Jesse Allen, who is a railroad man; 
Charles Linus, who died aged eleven 
years ; Maud, and Bertha Leora, who mar- 
ried Clifford M. Newell, has two children 
— Dorothy Evelyn and Alice Lucile. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hall are members of the Metho- 



dist Episcopal Church at Branehton, of 
which he is one of the trustees. 

JOHN C. WILLIAMS, member of the 
well known firm of Williams & Son, oil 
producers, has been a resident of Scrub 
Grass Township, Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania, since 1894. He was born near 
Kittanning, in Armstrong County, Penn- 
sylvania, November 19, 1852, and is a son 
of Jacob and Sarah (Heasley) Williams, 
and a grandson of those well known old 
pioneers, Jacob Williams and Henry Heas- 
ley. 

John C. Williams obtained his education 
in the district schools of Armstrong Coun- 
ty and assisted on his father's farm until 
he was about twenty-four years of age, 
when he came to the oil fields at Petrolia 
and secured work there. After several 
years in that section he went to the Ve- 
nango County fields, where he became an 
oil producer, in Scrub Grass Township, 
and later went to the northern part of 
Allegheny Township, Butler County, 
where he found excellent business encour- 
agement and remained as an oil producer 
for ten years. From there he then came 
to his present location in Scrub Grass 
Township and continues in the oil busi- 
ness, having his son, Edwin M., as a part- 
ner. The firm of Williams & Son is known 
all through the oil territory and the name 
stands both for business success and for 
reliability. 

On September 3, 1870, Mr. Williams was 
married to Miss Marinda E. Bish, of Madi- 
son Township, Armstrong County, a 
daughter of Samuel Bish, who was a very 
prominent citizen of that county. Mr. and 
Mrs. Williams have three children, two 
sons and one daughter: Edwin M., Dana 
C. and Leonora M. Edwin M. is assistant 
principal of the Emlenton High School and 
is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State 
Normal School at Clarion, Pennsylvania. 
Dana C. is a graduate of the State Normal 




MR. ANT) MRS. WILLIAM B. McGEARY 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



813 



School at Clarion and also of the Roches- 
ter Business College and is now conduct- 
ing a drug store at Wampum, Pennsyl- 
vania. The only daughter is the wife of 
Dr. F. F. Urey, a prominent physician of 
New Castle. Mrs. Urey is a graduate of 
the musical department of Grove City Col- 
lege. 

In politics, Mr. Williams is affiliated 
with the Democratic party. He belongs 
to the Maccabees and the Modern Wood- 
men of America, being connected with the 
Emlenton lodges. His venerable father 
still survives, residing in Madison Town- 
ship, Armstrong County, in his eighty- 
eighth year, but his mother passed away 
when he was only three years old. 

WILLIAM B. McGEARY, one of But- 
ler's enterprising business men, whose 
interests have been largely centered here 
for the past twenty years, was born in 
1858, at Millerstown, in Allegheny County, 
Pennsylvania. In infancy his parents re- 
moved to Lawrence County, and in 1865 
they moved on a farm in Muddy Creek 
Township, Butler County, not far from 
Portersville. 

Mr. McGeary attended the public schools 
of Muddy Creek Township and spent 
enough of his youth on the farm to make 
him thoroughly acquainted with its man- 
agement. In 1878 he was appointed mail 
carrier and continued to serve the Govern- 
ment in this office until 1882, when he en- 
gaged in the mill business and was con- 
nected with flour mills at Prospect for five 
years. From Prospect, Mr. McGeary came 
to Butler and conducted the West End 
Grocery Store for two years, for two years 
longer was with the firm of H. J. Kling- 
ler & Company, and then went into busi- 
ness for himself. In 1894 he established 
a water plant at the corner of Fifth 
Avenue and Homewood Avenue, and from 
two artesian wells he supplies about 100 
residences. This enterprise is his main 
interest, althpugh he has others, one of 



them being the shipping of draft horses 
from Iowa, in which he has been concerned 
since 1900. He has proved himself a good 
citizen, reUable and useful, reflecting 
credit upon his father, who, in his day, 
was one of the leading citizens and for 
over thirty yaars a justice of the peace in 
Muddy Creek Township. The last years 
of the latter 's Ufe were spent in Butler, 
where he died in 1907. William B. Mc- 
Geary has served as an efficient member 
of the city council of Butler and has con- 
sistently displayed a good citizen's inter- 
est in civic affairs. 

In 1881 Mr. McGeary was married to 
Miss Mary E. Jones, who is a daughter of 
Samuel Jones, of Muddy Creek Township. 
For some thirty years he has been identi- 
fied with the Odd Fellows. He and his 
wife are members of the First Presbyte- 
rian Church at Butler. 

ERNEST J. DODDS, oil producer, op- 
erating in the Butler County fields, is a 
well known business man of Butler, of 
which city he has been a resident for som^ 
seventeen years. He was born in Scioto 
County, Ohio, April 13, 1866, son of Jo- 
seph B. and Mary (Dodds) Dodds. 

Joseph B. Dodds was a soldier in the 
Civil War and served in an Ohio regiment. 
He died shortly after returning from the 
service. 

Mr. Dodds was not more than two years 
old when his parents moved to Butler 
County. They settled near Prospect and 
there E. J. grew to manhood. He was 
educated in the township schools and at 
Grove City College. Ever since leaving 
school he has been interested in the oil in- 
dustry and is particularly well kno^m in 
the Butler fields. In 1891 Mr. Dodds was 
married to Miss Melissa Snodgrass, a 
daughter of John Snodgrass, of one of 
the old settled families of Butler County. 
They have one son, Kenneth. Mr. and 
Mrs. Dodds are members of the United 
Presbyterian Church. 



814 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



CLAEK W. HOON, whose valuable 
farm of 110 acre§ is situated in Oakland 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
was born on this farm on September 24, 
1863, and is a son of Anthony and Mary 
Ann (Beatty) Hoon. 

Anthony Hoon was born at Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania, in 1817, and was one year 
old when his parents came to Butler Coun- 
ty. His father, Henry Hoon, settled in 
Oakland Township in 1818, and the land 
has remained in the possession of his de- 
scendants. Anthony Hoon spent his life 
as a farmer, in Oakland Township, where 
he died in 1900. He married (first) Mar- 
tha Black and (second) Mary Ann Beatty, 
who died in 1897. She was born in Ire- 
land, a daughter of Hugh Beatty, who 
brought his family to this section in her 
girlhood. 

Clark W. Hoon was reared on his pres- 
ent farm, which is a part of the original 
tract secured by his grandfather. Since 
leaving school he has devoted himself to 
farming and to following the butchering 
business, in the winter seasons, being asso- 
ciated in the latter industry with his 
brother, William T. Hoon. Mr. Hoon's 
farm is well imjaroved, the comfortable res- 
idence having been built by his father in 
1867, and in 1895, with his father, Clark 
W. built the substantial barn. 

Mr. Hoon married Emily Pattou, who 
was reared in Oakland Township and is a 
daughter of John Patton. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hoon have five children — Marie, Harriet, 
Euth, Alice and Harold. The family be- 
longs to the United Presbyterian Church 
at iSutler. Politically, Mr. iEoon is a Dem- 
ocrat and has frequently been elected to 
township offices. The Hoons have always 
been numbered with Oakland Township's 
best citizens. 

DAVID E. DALE, of the prominent real 
estate firm of Abrams & Dale, at Butler, 
extensive dealers in real estate and leading- 
fire insurance men, has been a resident of 



this city since 1876. He was born in Slip- 
pery Eock Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, April 18, 1862, and is a son of 
the late Eev. Abner Dale. 

Eev. Abner Dale was born in Center 
County, Pennsylvania, at Dale's Mills, and 
settled in Pairview Township, Butler 
County, in 1858. He died June 16, 1875. 
He was a well-known man and for many 
years was a minister in the German Ee- 
formed Church. 

David E. Dale was reared in Mercer and 
Butler Counties and was educated in the 
Butler public schools, Witherspoon Acad- 
emy and Thiel College. For seven years 
he served the county as deputy registrar 
and recorder and then embarked in a mer- 
cantile business, in 1890 being elected reg- 
istrar and recorder of Butler County. He 
served officially during 1891, 1892 and 
1893, in the meanwhile continuing his mer- 
cantile interests, this business being con- 
ducted under the firm name of Colbert & 
Dale, and continued until May, 1898. Since 
that date he has been a member of the firm 
of Abrams & Dale, real estate and fire in- 
surance, with offices in the Younkins 
Building. 

On October 7, 1891, Mr. Dale was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Wick, who is a daugh- 
ter of the late Alfred Wick, one of the 
old residents of Butler County. They have 
two children: Sarah and David E. Mr. 
and Mrs. Dale are members of the First 
Presbyterian Church at Butler. He is 
prominent in fraternal circles, belonging 
to the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the 
Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees, the 
Odd Fellows' Club and the Country Club. 
He was sent as the grand representative 
from the Grand Encampment (Odd Fel- 
lows) of Pennsylvania to the Sovereign 
Grand Lodge and attended the late meet- 
ing of the organization held at Denver, 
Colorado. 

WILLIAM A. MAGEE resides on his 
fine farm of 116 acres located just off the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



815 



State Eoad about three miles southeast of 
Coylesville, in the extreme southeast cor- 
ner of Clearfield Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He was born in this town- 
ship, about one and a half miles from his 
present farm, December 8, 183-t, and is a 
son of William and Anna (O'Donuell) Ma- 
gee, and grandson of John and Cecelia 
Magee. John Magee came to this country 
from County Donegal, Ireland, and settled 
on what was thereafter known as the Ma- 
gee homestead in Clearfield Township, But- 
ler County, Penna. Here he lived in pio- 
neer fashion, in a log cabin, and devoted 
his energy to the clearing of his fai'm. 
William Magee, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was reared on the home farm 
and followed the trade of a carpenter in 
addition to farming. 

William A. ^lagee was reared in Clear- 
field Townshii? and there attended the dis- 
trict schools. During the Civil War' he 
served two years in the Union army and 
saw much hard fighting. He enlisted July 
15, 1863, at Pittsburg, in Company A, Six- 
ty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer In- 
fantry, and thereafter served in Company 
F of the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Reg- 
iment, and Company G of the One Himdred 
and Ninety-first Regiment. He was in the 
Army of the Potomac. Of the soldiers of 
that war now living in his vicinity, he is 
the oldest. At the close of the war he re- 
turned to the farm and has followed farm- 
ing ever since. He has a good farm, well 
developed and improved, and under a high 
state of cultivation. 

February 25, 1868, Mr. Magee was united 
in marriage with Miss Margaret McClaf- 
ferty, a daughter of William and Sarah 
(McGiuley) McClafferty, she coming of 
one of the leading families of the vicinity. 
They have a son, William S., who is a car- 
penter by trade, an oil operator and a 
farmer; he was married to Mary McBride 
and they had four children, the two oldest 
of whom died in infancy. The third, Will- 
iam A., also is deceased, and the youngest. 



Mary Margaret, is the only one of the chil- 
dren living. Religiously, Mr. Magee and 
his family are members of the St. John's 
Catholic Church. He at one time served as 
school director in this township, and has 
always given enthusiastic support to such 
measures as tended to benefit the commu- 
nity. 

GOTTLIEB M. ZEIGLEE, an influen- 
tial farmer and highly respected citi- 
zen of Jackson Township, residing on 
a fine farm of 165 acres, was born Septem- 
ber 27, 1855, on his present farm and is a 
son of David and Catherine (Musselman) 
Zeigler. 

Abram Zeigler, grandfather of our sub- 
ject, came to Butler County from the east- 
ern part of Pennsylvania, and purchased 
all of the holdings of the Ecouomites, 
which land he afterwards sold in small 
tracts, retaining a large farm, which is 
now owned by our subject. His death oc- 
curred here after reaching advanced years. 
David Zeigler was born in Pennsylvania 
east of the Alleghenies, and when young 
came to Butler County with his parents. 
Here he was reared and spent his entire 
life engaged in farming. He married Cath- 
erine Musselman, who died at the age of 
seventy-six years. To them was born a 
family of twelve children: Abram, mar- 
ried Sarah McTeer and resided near 
Evans City; Henry, a resident of Zelie- 
nople, married Mary Sechler; David mar- 
ried Elizabeth Stauffer and resides in Ze- 
lienople; Elizabeth, widow of Louis Shie- 
ver, resides on the farm with our subject; 
Gottlieb, subject of this sketch; Anna, de- 
ceased; Catherine; Rebecca; Reuben, twin 
to Gottlieb; Joseph, deceased, and two who 
died unnamed. David Zeigler died at the 
age of seventy-eight years. 

Gottlieb Zeigler was reared on his pres- 
ent farm and attended the common schools 
of Harmony and Zelienople, after which 
he engaged in farming on his present farm, 
which is part of the original tract pur- 



816 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



■ chased by bis graudmotber. He is one of 
the successful and progi'essive residents of 
Jackson Townsbip and bas always taken 
an active interest in tbose tbings wbicb 
tend toward tbe advancement of tbis com- 
munity. He is a Republican in politics, 
and is fraternally a member of tbe 
Knigbts of Pythias of Harmony. The re- 
ligious connection of the family is with 
the English Lutheran Church of Zelie- 
nople. 

Mr. Zeigler was united in marriage with 
Ida Randolph, a daughter of 'Squire Ran- 
dolph of Zelienople. Four children were 
born to subject and wife: Walter; Clar- 
ence; Virginia; and Emma, who married 
Walter Zebner of Zelienople. 

EDWARD E. WIEGAND, general con- 
tractor at Butler, has been a resident of 
tbis city for a period covering thirty-five 
years. He was born in Germany, in 1849, 
but bas belonged to the United States since 
1867. 

Although Mr. Wiegand was but eighteen 
years of age when be came to America, he 
had a common-school education and had 
provided himself with a self-supporting 
trade, having learned that of cabinet 
maker in his native place. He found his 
first home in Forest County, Pennsylva- 
nia, where be worked as a cabinet maker 
and builder, following tbe same later at 
Titusville and Warren, where he also be- 
came interested in oil. He came to Butler 
in 1873 and soon engaged in general con- 
tracting and building, which occupation 
he bas since followed. For about seven 
years be was associated with George Mc- 
.Junkin. For a number of years Mr. Wie- 
gand bas had limited oil, coal and real- 
estate interests, in and around Butler. 

In 1875 Mr. Wiegand was married to 
Miss Margaret Kulp, who was born in Ger- 
many, but had long resided in Butler. 
They bad two sons born to them, both sur- 
viving: Frederick A., who is associated 
with his father in the general contracting 



business, married Miss Julia Storey, and 
Frantz L., who is with tbe Oil Well Sup- 
ply Company, of Butler. He married Miss 
Augusta Krug. Mr. Wiegand bas been 
an active and useful citizen and bas served 
in tbe City Council and also on tbe Board 
of Health. He is a member of the Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church. 

WILLIAM SLATER, one of Summit 
Township's representative citizens and for 
many years an active farmer, resides on 
bis estate of fifty acres, which is situated 
at Carbon Center. He was born on this 
farm, June 10, 1832, and is a son of Jacob 
and Mary (Reintzel) Slater. 

Jacob Slater was born near St. Joseph's 
Station, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and was a son of John Slater, who came to 
this section from east of the Allegheny 
Mountains. Jacob Slater, with three of 
his brothers, served in the War of 1812. 
He came from the war to what is now Sum- 
mit Townsbip, where be bought 160 acres 
of land just east of Carbon Center, and 
settled on it in 1814. Here both he and 
bis wife spent their remaining years. Of 
their family of eleven children only two 
remain, Mary, who is the widow of Will- 
iam Kiley, and William, of Summit Town- 
ship. 

With tbe exception of one year when Mr. 
Slater was in the army, during the Civil 
^A'ar, be has been a continuous resident on 
bis present farm. After many years of 
activity here he bas practically retired. 
He bas an honorable war record. On Sep- 
tember 13, 1864, be enlisted at Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, in Company G, One Hun- 
dred and Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, in which he served 
until he received bis honorable discharge, 
in the following June, on account of the 
closing of tbe war. He saw some desper- 
ate service and took part in a number of 
skirmishes and in three battles, including 
the two days of fighting at Hatcher's Run. 
After bis return be resumed farming and 
that continued to be his business. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



819 



Mr. Slater was married (first) to Susan 
Benson, and they had nine children, name- 
ly: Ellen Jane, widow of William Frey; 
Louis; James; William, deceased; Susan, 
wife of James McCray ; Mary, wife of John 
Shoj^ne; and Joseph, Benjamin and Au- 
gustus. The mother of this family died 
in 1890. Mr. Slater was married (second) 
to Mrs. Eva Kealing, a widow. They are 
members of the Catholic Church in Oak- 
land Township, Butler County. 

W. H. GOEHRING, senior member of 
the wholesale fruit and produce firm of 
Goehring & Richards, of Butler, has been 
a resident of this city for twenty-four 
years and is thoroughly identified with its 
business and other interests. He was 
born in 1864, at Freeport, Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Goehring continued to reside in his 
native place until 1877. His boyhood was 
one of more or less hardship and from the 
age of eleven years he enjoyed no school 
advantages. At that time he was put to 
work in the old boat yards at Freeport, 
where coal barges were built. After leav- 
ing what was a distasteful position, he be- 
came a newsboy and still later went to 
work for the Pittsburg & Western Rail- 
road (which later became the B. & O.), 
first as newsboy on the train and later as 
a brakeman on the line between Etna and 
Wurtemberg, which had not yet been com- 
pleted as far as Allegheny. Following his 
career for the next eight years, it is found 
that he remained for that period in rail- 
road work, in the meanwhile having been 
frequently promoted. When he retired 
from railroading he was occupying the 
position of extra passenger conductor, and 
had the honor of running the first standard 
gauge baggage car on the New Castle 
Division. Before leaving the railroad he 
had already become interested in the 
wholesale fruit and produce business and 
established himself at Butler, after a short 
period of residence at Zelienople. He con- 
ducted that business unaided for twenty- 



two years, doing his best and reaping sat- 
isfactory rewards for his efforts. Increas- 
ing demands with the extension of his 
trade led to his admission of A. C. Rich- 
ards, a faithful employe, to partnership, 
in 1906, at which time the present firm 
name was adopted. This firm is the lead- 
ing one at Butler dealing at wholesale in 
fruit and produce, handling and shipping 
and dealing all over the country. 

In 1883 Mr. Goehring was married to 
Miss Katherine Shaffer, who was born at 
Harmony, Butler County, and died in 
1890. Two children survived her, namely : 
Richard H., who resides at Boston, Massa- 
chusetts ; and Florence, who is the wife of 
Thomas Deifenderfer, of Butler. Mr. 
Goehring was married (second) in 1896, to 
Miss Emma Cronewett, who is a daughter 
of the Rev. Mr. Cronewett, pastor of St. 
Mark's German Lutheran Church, of which 
Mr. and Mrs. Goehring are members. 
Their infant child is deceased. Mr. 
Goehring belongs to the well known local 
social organization, the Country Club. 

SIMEON NIXON, proprietor of the 
Nixon Hotel, the leading hostelry not only 
of Butler but of all this section of the 
State, was born in 1876, in Penn Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of the late Simeon Nixon. 

The father of Mr. Nixon was one of 
Butler County's prominent citizens, closely 
identified for years with all the developing 
enterprises of this section. He was also 
a veteran of the Civil War, to which serv- 
ice he gave four years of his life, his first 
enlistment being in a local company, and 
later in the Sixth United States Cavalry. 
After the return of peace he served in 
county offices, for a long period being coun- 
try registrar and recorder. He was born 
in Butler County, in 1833, and made it his 
home until shortly before his death, in 
1902, which took place at Los Angeles, Cal- 
ifornia, while there in search of health. 

Simeon Nixon, named for his honored 



820 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



father, was reared in Butler County, at- 
tended the Butler common and high schools 
and later was graduated in the Pittsburg 
College of Pharmacy. He was engaged in 
a drug business at Pittsburg for two years, 
after which, in association with his brother, 
J. Brown Nixon, he took charge of the Cen- 
tral Hotel, at Butler, conducting it until 
1906. In July of that year the Nixon 
Hotel was opened and Mr. Nixon took 
charge. This fine hotel is perfect in every 
appointment, with cuisine and service un- 
excelled. It is an ideal hotel, catering both 
to permanent and transient patronage. It 
offers comfort, luxury and elegant sur 
roundings, with reasonable rates. 

On July 27, 1898, Mr. Nixon was mar- 
ried to Miss Cora Clarke, of Pittsburg. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Nixon are prominent 
in the city's social life, and he is numbered 
with the most progressive citizens. 

JOSEPH MILTON McKINNEY, whose 
truck farm of eleven acres is situated in 
Connoquenessing Township, has a tract of 
land which has been found rich in oil, 
there being three wells here which are be- 
ing worked under lease. Mr. McKinney 
was born in the borough of Connoquenes- 
sing, Butler County, Pennsylvania, May 
23, 1856, and is a son of Peter C. and 
Louisa (Welsh) McKinney. 

The father of Mr. McKinney was born 
in Forward Township and when he 
reached manhood learned the blacksmith's 
trade at what was then known as Peters- 
ville, but now is the borough of Conno- 
quenessing. He followed his trade in a 
shop of his own until witliin a few years 
of his death, when he opened a shop at 
Tarentum, but a stroke of paralysis soon 
compelled him to give up business and his 
death occurred in 1901. He was a man 
who was held in esteem by his fellow citi- 
zens and at different times acceptably 
served in local offices. In politics he was 
a Republican and fraternally he was an 
Odd Fellow, being connected with the 



Harmony lodge. He married first Louisa 
Welsh, a daughter of John Welsh, who 
was one of the early merchants of Peters- 
ville, and they had two children: Joseph 
Milton and Powell, the latter of whom is 
deceased. Mr. McKinney married, sec- 
ond, Elizabeth Knox, a daughter of Will- 
iam Knox, and had four children by this 
union, namely: Tillie V., Chester, Eras- 
tus and Lola. 

After Joseph M. McKinney completed 
his school attendance, he went into his 
father's shop and learned the blacksmith 
trade and remained there working with 
his father until, when the latter moved to 
Tarentum, he succeeded to the old line of 
custom. He gave this business his entire 
attention until May, 1908, when he sold his 
shop and land surrounding it. Both he 
and father had a wide acquaintance and 
the old shop was long a meeting place for 
people from all over the township, and by 
the old forge many questions of local mo- 
ment were discussed in friendly spirit. 
Since retiring from his shop work, Mr. 
McKinney has found pleasant emplo^anent 
in looking after the cultivation of his lit- 
tle fai"m, and the outdoor exercise demand- 
ed may add years to his life. 

Mr. McKinney married Miss Margaret 
Nicklas, a daughter of Philip Nicklas, and 
they have had two children, Dora Velma 
(deceased) and Mary Louisa, who resides 
at home. Mr. McKinney is a member of 
the White Oak Springs' United Presbyte- 
rian Church. He belongs to I. O. O. F., 
Evans City lodge. In his political views 
he is a Republican and he has served as a 
councilman of the borough, as school di- 
rector and on the election board. 



JACOB FREDERICK, one of Summit 
Township's most esteemed citizens, resides 
on his well improved farm of 105 acres, 
which is situated one mile north of the vil- 
lage of Herman, was born in the old house 
which is still standing on this farm, Sep- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



821 



tember 6, 1848, and is a son of George and 
Katrina Frederick. 

Both parents of Mr. Frederick were 
born in Germany and came to America 
prior to their marriage. They resided for 
many years on this old homestead farm, 
where the mother died January 9, 1882, 
and the father, November 15, 1887. They 
were good, quiet. Christian people and 
were respected and esteemed in the neigh- 
borhood. Of their large family of four- 
teen children, only four survive, namely: 
Henry, Jacob, Peter and Mrs. Elizabeth 
Milheim, all of Butler County except Pe- 
ter, who is a limiber dealer in Chicora, 
Penna. 

Jacob Frederick has been engaged in 
agricultural pursuits on his present farm 
ever since he has been old enough to han- 
dle farm implements, and this long experi- 
ence, together with his good judgment and 
intelligent recognition of all that goes to 
the making of a good farmer, has contrib- 
uted to his success. He has steadily 
made improvements on the property ever 
since it came into his possession and in 
1896 he erected his present tine residence 
and other substantial buildings, in con- 
trast to which stands the old farmhouse 
which, in spite of its inconveniences, was 
a happy and comfortable home for many 
years. 

In 1885 Mr. Frederick married Bar- 
bara Elizabeth Gensler, who was born 
in Germany and lived there until she 
was twenty-five years of age. She 
had two brothers and three sisters, 
all of whom, except the youngest, 
still reside in Germany. The latter and 
the parents died in that country. Mr. and 
Mrs. Frederick have two children, George 
H. and Albert Jacob, both of whom reside 
at home. Mr. Frederick and family be- 
long to the German Lutheran Church. 

On Sunday, September 6, 1908, Mr. 
Frederick reached his sixtieth mile-stone 
in life and a very pleasant celebration 
awaited him, the nature of which was a 



surprise party. A feature of the occasion 
was the bountiful dinner served in the old 
house in which he had been born and 
twenty of his old friends and relatives sat 
at table with him. It was a surprise to 
him, but was one he is not likely to forget 
through the rest of his life, so beautifully, 
completely and affectionately had it all 
been planned and carried out. 

S. C. KELLY, president of the Butler 
Wood-Fiber Plaster Company, of Butler, 
one of the city's growing business enter- 
prises, is interested in other ventures in 
different sections and is one of the most 
progressive of the younger circle of busi- 
ness men here. He was l)orn in 1881, on 
a farm, near Mt. Chestnut, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Thomas H. 
Kelly. 

Thomas H. Kelly was also born in But- 
ler County, in 1853. For a number of 
years he was identified with the oil indus- 
try in Pennsylvania, but for the past 
eleven years he has looked after the min- 
ing interests of himself and son, in Alaska. 
Together they also own valuable real es- 
tate in Missouri. 

S. C. Kelly attended the country schools 
near his home through boyhood and later 
took a commercial course and was grad- 
uated from the Butler Business College, 
in 1896. Immediately afterward he went 
to work for W. S. Wick, lumber dealer, 
with whom he continued for three years, 
after which he spent two years with the 
Oil Well Supply Company, at Sistersville, 
West Virginia. After he returned to But- 
ler he spent several years with the Butler 
Builders' Supply Company. In 1904, 
when the Butler Wood-Fiber Plaster Com- 
pany was organized, he was elected presi- 
dent and general manager, which position 
he has held since. 

In February, 1904, Mr. Kelly was mar- 
ried to Grace Mclntire, who is a daughter 
of C. E. Mclntire, a manufacturer of But- 
ler, and they have two sons, Thomas C. 



822 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and Harold E. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly are 
members of the Second Presbyterian 
Church at Butler. 

MRS. MARY W. NICKLAS, a highly 
respected and much esteemed lady resid- 
ing at Connoquenessing, where she owns 
valuable property, including two produc- 
ing oil wells, is the widow of Conrad Nick- 
las, formerly the leading general merchant 
of this village. Mrs. Nicklas was born in 
Jackson Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a daughter of Jacob and 
Mary (Ziegler) Wise. 

The father of Mrs. Nicklas was a child 
when his parents came from east of the 
Allegheny Mountains and settled in Jack- 
son Township, Butler County, where he 
spent the remainder of his life, farming 
being liis business. He died when aged 
sixty-eight vears. Of his five children 
born to his marriage with Mary Ziegler, 
four grew to mature years, namely: 
Nancy, now deceased, who was the wife of 
Jacob Rise; Jacob and John, twins, and 
Mary W., who became the wife of Conrad 
Nicklas. Jacob Wise was married (sec- 
ond) to Sarah Moyer and ten children 
were born to that union. 

Mrs. Nicklas as Mary W. Wise grew to 
womanhood in Jackson Township and at- 
tended the country schools. She was then 
married to Conrad Nicklas, at that time 
an enterprising and successful young busi- 
ness man. He was born in Connoquenes- 
sing Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and spent his life in this section, 
his death taking place August 1, 1899, 
when aged fifty-six years. 

The Nicklas family was established in 
America by Peter Nicklas, grandfather of 
Conrad, who came from Germany and set- 
tled first in Summit Township, Butler 
County. Later he moved to Connoquenes- 
sing Township. Philip Nicklas, son of 
Peter and father of Conrad, was also born 
in Gennany and was fourteen years old 
when his parents came with him to Amer- 
ica. He married Mary Zeglo, a native of 



Germany, and they had thirteen children, 
Conrad being the second son. Other sons 
cultivated the home farm of ninety acres, 
for the father, but Conrad turned his at- 
tention to merchandising. He first bought 
an interest in the business of John Kalten- 
bach and later became sole owner and un- 
til his fatal illness continued to success- 
fully conduct a general mercantile busi- 
ness at Connoquenessing. He was an ex- 
cellent business man, one of foresight and 
judgment and became largely interested in 
oil production. He left his family amply 
provided for and during his whole life had 
been a good citizen, liberally supporting 
public measures and giving to the church 
and the cause of education. 

To Conrad Nicklas and wife five chil- 
dren were born, namely: Mary Bertha, 
who is the wife of John Mecklen, of Con- 
noquenessing; Ferdinand P., who resides 
at home; Nancey Gertrude, deceased; Ja- 
cob, who lives at home, and Conrad %¥., 
who carries on the mercantile business. 
Mr. and Mrs. Nicklas were members of the 
English Lutheran Church for many years 
and he was a member of its board of trus- 
tees. In his political views he was a Dem- 
ocrat, but the only offices he was ever will- 
ing to accept was that of school director. 

A. F. ROCKENSTEIN, the affable pro- 
prietor of the Arlington Hotel, one of But- 
ler's most popular hostelries, is a native 
of Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was 
born in 1875. 

Joseph Rockenstein, father of A. F., has 
long been a prominent business man of 
Butler, of which city he also is a native. 
The family has always been one of busi- 
ness standing in this section. 

A. F. Rockenstein obtained his educa- 
tion in the schools of Butler and has chosen 
his native city as the field of his business 
activities. He began work in a grocery- 
store, but after a trial of two years, en- 
tered the Charles Duffy dry goods store 
and aftpr completing a clerkship of six 




JOHN S. HOBAUGH 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



825 



years, retired with a pretty fair knowledge 
of tliat business. In 1900 he first became 
interested in the hotel business, being with 
the Lowry House for some four years 
thereafter, for one year was with the Lyn- 
dora Hotel, and in 1905 he leased the Ai'- 
lington Hotel, which he has successfully 
conducted ever since. He has maintained 
a high standard of excellence ever since 
taking charge and his patronage is con- 
stantly on the increase. He has twenty 
guest rooms and his uniform rate is $2 
per day. 

In 1903 Mr. Rockenstein was married to 
Miss Alice Kelly, who is a daughter of 
Walter Kelly, a resident of Bruin, Butler 
County, and they have two children : Fran- 
cis Wellington and Verena Inez. 

JOHN S. HOBAUGH, general stone 
contractor at Butler, with office at No. 337 
North Washington Street, undoubtedly 
controls the largest amount of the im- 
portant work in his line, in this city. He 
was born in 1870, at Indiana, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of G. M. Hobaugh, a 
retired citizen of Butler. 

John S. Hobaugh was seven years of age 
when his parents moved to Oil City, in 
Venango County, where the family resided 
until he was sixteen years old, when re- 
moval was made to I3utler County. He 
learned his trade with his father, who was 
formerly a successful contractor, and for 
the past twelve years Mr. Hobaugh has 
been himself engaged in contracting. But- 
ler is noted for the elegance of its private 
residences and the beauty and stability of 
its business and public structures, and in 
naming those which have been erected by 
Mr. Hobaugh, his prominence in his line 
of work becomes evident. A partial list 
includes: The John Bickel Building; the 
y. M. C. A. Building; the Levi M. Wise 
and J. H. Troutman Buildings; the First 
Englisli Lutheran Church; Grace Luth- 
eran ChuiTh; the Institute Hill School 



Building; the County Home; the Second 
Presbyterian Church; the Kirkpatrick 
Buildings; the Ledom-AVorrall Company 
Building; the I. 0. 0. F. Building; the 
Nixon, the Atlas and the Clinton Hotels; 
the Butler High School; and the private 
residences of A. E. Rieber and C. N. Boyd. 
In the erection of buildings of the above 
character, not only was used the most 
superior materials but the very best talent 
was required for construction, and the 
descendants of Mr. Hobaugh will still be 
able to point to the enduring character of 
those foundations and elaborate stone 
work long after his activities have ceased. 
Not only has Butler benefited by his skill, 
other points having called in his services, 
notably Grove City, where he built the two 
beautiful stone churches as well as the 
Carnegie Library. 

In 1892, Mr. Hobaugh was married to 
Miss Villa M. Hill, of Indiana, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they have a family of seven 
children. Mr. Hoh;nii;ii is a member of the 
Methodist Episcoiml Cliunli. Fraternally, 
he is a Royal Areli Mason. 

JACOB PISTORIUS, who is president 
of the School Board and one of the lead- 
ing citizens of Sunnnit Township, resides 
on his valuable farm of eighty acres, which 
is situated on the old State Road, one mile 
east of Butler. This is the old Pistorius 
homestead and here he was born, Novem- 
ber 17, 1819, and is a son of Peter and 
Catherine (Gower) Pistorius. 

Jacob Pistorius grew to manhood on 
this farm and then went to Pittsburg, 
where, for almost eighteen years he was 
employed in a rolling-mill. In March, 
1887, he gave up his mill work and re- 
turned to the old home in Summit Town- 
ship, where he has ever since successfully 
carried on general farming and dairying. 
He has taken an active part in township 
affairs and has been particularly inter- 
ested in the public schools. He has served 



826 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



seven years, as a member of the School 
Board and is now its presiding officer. 

Mr. Pistorius married Mary Holzapfel 
and they have had ten children, namely: 
John P., Jacob H., Joseph, Catherine, 
Clara, Herman, Leo, Paul, Martin, and 
Theodore, all of whom survive except lit- 
tle Paul, who died when four days old. 

RICHARD BURKE, an old and vener- 
ated citizen of Butler County, Pennsylva- 
nia, has spent all his life in Clearfield 
Township, and is now retired from busi- 
ness activity. He was born in County 
Clare, Ireland, in 1830, and is a son of 
Timothy and .Tohanna (O'Neil) Burke. He 
was reared to manhood and educated in 
his native country. At the age of twenty- 
one years he came to the United States and 
settled on the farm which has since been 
known as the Burke homestead. 

July 10, 1853, Mr. Burke was united in 
marriage with Katherine O'Neil, a daugh- 
ter of Daniel and Bridget (McCrea) 
O'Neil. The McCrea family is an old and 
prominent one in this part of Butler Coun- 
ty. Thirteen children were born to bless 
this union, all born on the home place, 
namely, Bridget, wife of Edward Burke; 
John M. ; Daniel, deceased; Hugh, de- 
ceased; Mary, deceased; Thomas, de- 
ceased; Josie (O'Neil) ; William, who is in 
the oil business; Hugh Francis, who is a 
farmer and engaged in the oil business; 
Daniel, who married Kate Pursell ; James ; 
Edward ; and Richard, Jr. John M. Burke, 
eldest son and second child of Richard and 
Katherine Burke, was first married to Josie 
Slater, and they had three children — Ed- 
ward, Kate and William. He was married 
a second time to Miss Margaret Rogers, by 
whom he has five children^Mary, John, 
Thomas, Annie and Daniel. Josie, the sev- 
enth child born to Richard and Katherine 
Burke, married D. J. O'Neil, by whom she 
has the following children: Tressa, Clar- 
ence, Evaline, Charlotte, Charles, de- 
ceased; Edward, and Francis. Hugh 



Francis, the ninth in order of birth, was 
born in 1872 and is unmarried. He has a 
farm of eighty-seven acres, one-half in 
Clearfield Township and the remainder 
across the line in AVest Franklin Township, 
Armstrong County. He gives his atten- 
tion mainly to oil and gas operations and 
is a very successful man. 

Richard Burke, the father of this fam- 
ily, is living in the enjoyment of good 
health, at an age of almost four score of 
years. He has followed farming through- 
out his active career, making no specialty 
of his work and raising just enough stock 
for use on the farm. Religiously, he and 
his family are members of the Catholic 
Church, to which they contribute liberally. 

W. H. McGAFFIC, one of Butler's reli- 
able citizens and representative business 
men, who is engaged in an insurance busi- 
ness, with office at No. 105 West Jefferson 
Street, was born October 14, 1851, in Bea- 
ver County, Pennsylvania. 

In his infancy, the parents of Mr. Mc- 
Gaffic moved to Crawford County, and in 
1865 from there to Slippery Rock, Butler 
County, and there he grew to manhood and 
obtained his education. For two years he 
was engaged there in the manufacture of 
carriages, but sold his business and went 
to Karns City, where he was a clerk for 
three years and for nine years was en- 
gaged there in a mercantile business of 
his own. For fourteen years he was also 
an oil producer, from 1882 to 1896. After 
disposing of that he returned to Slippery 
Rock and was in business there for two 
years before he came to Butler and em- 
barked in the life and accident insurance 
business. He represents only old and reli- 
able companies, such as the State Mutual 
of Massachusetts and the Maryland Casu- 
alty, of Baltimore, Maryland, and handles 
a large amount of risks. 

On December 31, 1872, Mr. McGaffic was 
married to Miss Harriet E. Riddle, a 
daughter of James D. Riddle, who was a 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



827 



pioneer and prominent citizen of Slippery 
Eock. Mr. and Mrs. McGaffic had one 
daughter, Hallie Frances, who married 
Howard C. Hazlett of Butler. She died 
September 22, 1906, leaving two children — 
Margaret Elizabeth and William Thomas. 
Mr. and Mrs. McGaffic are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a 
Thirty-second degree Mason and is past 
eminent commander of Mt. Calvary Com- 
mandery, No. 67, at Greenville. 

LOUIS F. STRACKE, a prosperous 
resident of Adams Township, where he 
owns eleven and one-half acres of excellent 
land on whicli he carries on poultry-rais- 
ing, has lived on his farm since 1903. He 
was born in 1861, in Germany and came to 
America when twenty-eight years old, in 
1889. 

In his boyhood, Mr. Stracke went to 
work in a rod-mill and learned that trade, 
and then entered the German army, in 
which he served the required two years as 
a member of the Tenth Company of the 
Sixteenth Regiment of Infantry. Having 
thus proved his patriotism and fulfilled 
the laws of his native land, he will never 
find himself debarred from visiting the 
old home, even if he no longer desires to 
remain there. After reaching America he 
came to Pennsylvania and soon found 
work at his trade at Rankin, and later at 
Braddock. On account of failing health 
he decided to settle for a time at least, in 
the country, and bought his present farm 
of Freeman Davison, and is making it 
profitable by raising choice poultry for 
market. 

In 1891 Mr. Stracke was married (first) 
to Caroline Bailey, a native of Germany, 
who died February 8, 1900, leaving two 
children — Charles, who was born Septem- 
ber 11, 1892, and August, who was born 
August 4, 1894. In 1902 Mr. Stracke was 
married (second) to Mrs. Amelia Bender, 
a daughter of Carl Garmer and the widow 
of Martin Bender. She had six children 



born to her first marriage but the only one 
living is Mary, who married Frank Hill- 
man, and has one daughter, Amelia. Mr. 
Stracke has one child by his second mar- 
riage. 

JOHN E. PURUCKER, joint proprietor 
with C. L. Frederick, of the Chicora Ma- 
chine Works, is one of the enterprising 
and prosperous business men of Chicora, 
and is also interested in oil and gas pro- 
duction in Butler County. He was born at 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, January 18, 
1878, and is a son of F. W. and Louise 
(Stoechr) Purucker. 

The parents of Mr. Purucker are natives 
of Germany. When they came to America 
they settled at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 
where the father conducted a butchering 
business until 1880, when he removed to 
C'liicora, where he continues his enterprise. 
He is one of the town's representative and 
substantial citizens. He has reared eleven 
of his family of fourteen children, three 
dying in infancy. The following survive: 
Callie, William F., John E., Emma, Clara 
(Bye), Louise, Loretta, 0. R., R. 0., Es- 
ther, and Helen. 

John E. Purucker was about two years 
old when his parents came to Chicora. 
After he completed his school attendance, 
he assisted his father both in his meat 
business and on the latter 's farm in Done- 
gal Township, and when eighteen years of 
age, learned the machinist trade. He 
worked for three years with the firm of 
Stone & Vandemayrk and was only twenty- 
one years old when he started into busi- 
ness for himself, under the firm name of 
Stone & Purucker. In 1902 he purchased 
Mr. Stone's interest and continued the 
business for two years alone, when he sold 
a half interest to C. L. Frederick. This 
firm does all kinds of repair work and is 
one of the town's prospering enterprises. 
Mr. Purucker is quite extensively inter- 
ested in oil and gas production and on his 
farm of eighty acres, in Donegal Town- 



828 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUXTT 



ship, be lias a producing gas and also a 
producing oil well. He is Ukewise inter- 
ested in a second farm, owns valuable real 
estate at Butler and is a stockholder in dif- 
ferent enterprises in Chicora. 

Xotwithstanding his many business in- 
terests, Mr. Purucker has not neglected his 
duties as a citizen and at the present writ- 
ing (1908) is usefully serving as a mem- 
ber of the Town Council. In politics he 
is a Eepublican. Fraternally he is a Ma- 
son and belongs to the Blue Lodge and 
Chapter at Butler. He is a member and 
liberal supporter of the German Lutheran 
Church. 

:MAETIX KABEL, a wide-awake and 
progressive farmer of Clearfield Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, resides 
on a fine fann of seventy-nine acres, lo- 
cated on the east side of the Saxonburg 
and Coylesville road. He was born on the 
old home place about four miles south of 
his present farm, in Clearfield Township, 
February 12, 1851, and is a son of Martin 
and Barbara (Krear) Kabel. 

Martin Kabel, Sr., was bom in France 
and came to the United States when a 
young man, his parents never leaving 
their native land. He located on the old 
home farm in Clearfield Township, Butler 
Count\', and followed farming the rest of 
his life. His farm of seventy acres is a 
fine body of land and is owned jointly by 
his heirs. He and his wife became par- 
ents of five children, as follows : George, 
deceased; Joseph; Martin; Barbara: and 
Elizabeth. 

Martin Kabel, Jr., has always been a 
resident of Clearfield Township, and re- 
ceived his education in the district schools. 
He and his brothers were brought up to 
work hard, assisting on the home place 
from their boyhood days. Martin has al- 
ways followed farming and has met with 
good results. He purchased the property 
on which he now lives from Frank Bieden- 
bach, and by persevering effort has con- 



verted it into a well-improved place. He 
follows general farming and raises some 
stock. 

September 14, 1875, Mr. Kabel was 
joined in marriage with 3kliss Helen Bern- 
inger, a daughter of Baselius and Tressa 
(Neff) Berninger of Center Township, and 
the following are the issue of this union: 
George, Joseph L., Barbara, A. J., F. M., 
Catherine, and Fema. Eeligiously, the 
family are veiy active members of the 
CathoUc Church. 

AY. P. EOESSIXG, of the firm of 
Roessing & Son, leading undertakers and 
funeral directors at Butler, is a native of 
this city, born in 1848, and is a son of 
George C. Eoessing. 

George C. Roessing, whose death oc- 
curred in 1891, was one of Butler's promi- 
nent citizens for many years. He was 
born in Gennany, in 1827, and came to 
America and settled at Butler, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1847. Prior to 1861 he engaged 
in a furniture business and in undertaking, 
but in that year he closed out his former 
line but continued the latter and also be- 
came interested at this time in carriage- 
making. The latter industry he continued 
until 1886, when he discontinued it and 
gave his whole attention to the undertak- 
ing business from which he also retired in 
1889. He was active in politics and his 
solid c[ualities as a citizen were frequently 
recognized by his election to local offices. 
For twenty years he served as a justice of 
the peace and his decisions were seldom 
reversed. 

W. P. Eoessing attended school at But- 
ler until he was thirteen years old when 
his father put him to work in the carriage 
factory, where he learned the trade of 
carriage-building. In 1872 he became his 
father's partner, both in the carriage- 
making and undertaking business. "When 
his father retired from the firm in 1889, 
he purchased the entire interests of the 
concern and continued business alone until 



AXD EEPRESEXTATR^ CITIZENS 



831 



1905, when he admitted his son, Fred T. 
Eoessing, to partnership, at which time 
the present style was adopted. This un- 
dertaking firm is one of the oldest business 
houses in Butler, now including three gen- 
erations of the same family, and through 
all these years its relations with the public 
have been thoroughly honorable. 

In 1877 W. P. Eoessing was married to 
]SIiss Truesdale Byrer, who was born in 
Armstrong Cotmty, Pennsylvania, and is 
a daughter of D. L. Byrer. They have five 
children, namely: Florence, Fred T., Jean 
Wallace, Lucille H., and Marguerite P. 
Fred T. Eoessing was educated in the But- 
ler schools and at Westminster College. 
He was sixteen years old when the Span- 
ish-American War was declared, and he 
enlisted for service in the same, entering 
Company E, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteer Infantry. In a short time he fell 
a victim to the prevailing malarial fever, 
which necessitated his return home, after 
his honorable discharge. In 1905 he be- 
came his father's partner in business, hav- 
ing thoroughly prepared himself by at- 
tending schools of emblaming. In 1906, 
he was married to Miss Laura M. Stein, 
who belongs to one of the pioneer families 
of Butler County and is a daughter of 
L. B. Stein. With his father, he belongs 
to the Elks and he is also an Odd Fellow. 
Mr. Eoessing and family belong to the 
First Presbyterian Church at Butler. 

CAELTON HENEY BARNARD, oil 
producer and contractor in tin and slate 
roofing, is one of Butler's representative 
business men, having resided here for 
twenty years. He was bom at Windsor, 
Ashtabula County, Ohio, December 18, 
1862. and is a son of Francis Barnard, who 
was a veteran of the Civil War. 

C. H. Barnard grew to manhood in his 
native place and attended the local schools 
imtil boyhood was over, when he worked 
for three years in a saw and planing mill 
at Windsor. He then came to Butler, 



Pennsylvania, and worked at his present 
trade for three years with the firm of Dal- 
zell Brothers, of Youngstown, with whom 
he learned his trade. He worked the fol- 
lowing year for J. E. Castor, of Butler. 
Since then he has been contracting in tin 
and slate roofing, doing a large business, 
and for the last three years has also been 
engaged in oil production, working in the 
Butler fields, where he has at present writ- 
ing (1908), nine producing wells. He has 
other business interests, being a stock- 
holder in the People's Telephone Com- 
pany, the Leedom-Worrall Grocery Com- 
pany and in other concerns. 

In 1887 Mr. Barnard was married to 
Miss Ida Heath, of Williamsfield, Ashta- 
bula Coimtj', Ohio, and they have two sons, 
Francis G. and Hallet Carlton. Mr. Barn- 
ard and family attend the Baptist Church. 
He is an Odd Fellow and belongs to Wind- 
sor Lodge, No. 329, of Windsor, Ohio. 

WILLIAM A. PUEVIANCE. general 
merchant at Connoquenessing, of which 
borough he is a leading citizen, at present 
filling the office of burgess and frequently 
serving on its legislative council, was born 
on Powder MiU Eun, in Forward Town- 
ship, Butler County. Pennsylvania, Feb- 
ruary 14, 1854, and is a son of William 
Alexander and Sophia (Strichenen) Pur- 
viance. 

The parents of Mr. Purvianee were na- 
tives of Butler County. His father was a 
man of local prominence, but he lived only 
into middle life. His family of eight chil- 
dren bore the following names: Eliza- 
beth, who resides at Allegheny, Pennsyl- 
vania; J. Thompson and Henry C, both 
of whom are deceased ; Mary, who married 
James Hollingsworth. of Pittsburg; Sophia 
and Hallie, both residents of Allegheny; 
William A., and Benjamin F., who resides 
at Pittsburg. The parents were members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

William A. Purvianee was two and one- 
half vears old when his father died. After 



832 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



a period of school attendance in his native 
township, he went to Zelienople, where he 
was a pupil in Prof. Kitzel 's private acad- 
emy and studied piano music under Eev. 
Winters. His musical talent he inherits 
from his father, who was a master of the 
violin. In 1874 Mr. Purviance established 
himself in a general mercantile business at 
his present location, and some four years 
later admitted his brother to partnership, 
the firm style being J. T. & W. A. Purvi- 
ance. This continued until the death of 
J. T. Purviance, when William T., through 
purchase, became sole proprietor. This is 
the oldest established business in the 
borough. 

Mr. Purviance was married to Miss Ella 
Plaisted, a daughter. of James E. Plaisted, 
of Butler Township, and they have three 
children: Frank R., Nora Verne and W. 
Marjorie. The son is in business at Alle- 
gheny. The elder daughter is a graduate 
of the Slippery Rock State Normal School 
and also an accomplished pianist. For 
several terms she taught school in the 
borough, after which she married Dr. S. B. 
Ralston, and they reside at Avalon, Penn- 
sylvania. The younger daughter resides 
at home. Mr. Purviance and family be- 
long to the White Oaks United Presbyte- 
rian Church. 

In politics, Mr. Purviance is a stanch 
Republican. In addition to the public of- 
fices mentioned, he has served as treasurer 
of the borough and has always been one of 
the most progressive men in the place. He 
is a director of the Connoquenessing Tele- 
phone Company, also treasurer and was 
one of its promoters. 

HARRY M. QUINN, superintendent of 
the Forged Steel Car Company, at Butler, 
is an experienced man in his line of work, 
having been employed in other large plants 
for years, and a skilled machinist since 
early manhood. He was born January 27, 
1864, in the city of Philadelphia and there 
attended school and learned his business. 

For more than twenty years Mr. Quinn 



worked as a machinist in his native city, 
but in 1903 he came to Western Pennsyl- 
vania and became a master mechanic in the 
employ of the Pressed Steel Car Company 
at Allegheny. Two years later, in 1905, 
he became superintendent of a plant at 
McKees Rocks, and in February, 1907, ac- 
cepted his present responsible position 
with the Forged Steel Car Company at 
Butler. 

In 1887 Mr. Quinn was married to Miss 
Katherine Fannau, of Philadelphia, and 
they have three children, Marie, Genevieve 
and Katherine. Mr. and Mrs. Quinn are 
members of St. Paul's Catholic Church. 
He is also a member of the order of 
Knights of Columbus. Mr. Quinn is a 
man whose coming to Butler adds to the 
good citizenship of the place. A skilled, 
i-eliable workman, a man of family and a 
consistent church member — such men are 
welcome additions to any community and 
the community is fortunate in securing 
such a class as permanent residents. 

WEBSTER KEASEY, one of the lead- 
ing citizens of Winfield Township, who is 
largely identified with the lumber and oil 
interests of this section, was bom in But- 
ler County, Penna., February 4, 1856, son 
of Henry and Elizabeth Keasey. 

Henry Keasey came to Butler County as 
an experienced furnace man, being called 
here to become manager of the furnace at 
Winfield, which was owned by Mr. Speer. 
He continued to manage the plant as long 
as the business was continued at that 
point. Subsequently he purchased the 
Duff farm, a valuable piece of agricultural 
property, containing . 200 acres and sit- 
uated in Winfield Township. Here he 
died on May 1st, 1890. 

Webster Keasey acquired his education 
in the public schools. On leaving home 
he secured employment in the oil fields of 
Butler and McKean Coimties. In 1879 he 
drifted to Colorado, where for a time he 
was engaged in railroad contracting, after- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



833 



wards returning to the old homestead m 
WinJfield Township. He next formed a 
partnership with J. A. Ranson and in 1893 
they leased the lime quarries which are at 
present operated by the A. G. Morris Lime 
& Stone Co., Limited. In 1894 a company 
was organized, of which Mr. Keasey was 
one of the board of directors, and which 
later sold out its interests to the Acme 
Company. Mr. Keasey takes some inter- 
est in public matters, especially in his own 
community. In May, 1894, he was ap- 
pointed postmaster of Rough Run. 

Mr. Keasey married Nannie Campbell, 
who is a daughter of John and Annie 
Campbell, and their family numbers five 
children. Their home is in a stately man- 
sion, constructed of ijressed brick and 
equipped with all modern conveniences. It 
is situated in the midst of a fine grove, on 
a hill overlooking the town of Cabot. 

E. J. RENNO, dealer in granite and 
marble monuments at Butler, with busi- 
ness quarters at No. 108 and 110 West 
Cunningham Street, conducts one of the 
city's oldest enterprises, it having been 
established by his late father, in 1870. Mr. 
Renno was born in 1881, at Butler, Penn- 
sylvania, and comes of pioneer stock. 

The Renno family was founded in But- 
ler County, in 1836, by John Renno, the 
grandfather of E. J. Renno. He was born 
in France. His life was devoted entirely 
to agriculture. His son, George Renno, 
was born in Butler Coimty and after es- 
tablishing the business which has been con- 
tinued by his son, he followed the same 
until the close of his life. He is recalled 
as one of Butler-'s reliable men and good 
citizens. 

E. J. Renno was reared and educated 
at Butler and in boyhood began to assist 
his father in the shop and later, develop- 
ing talent and inclination for the same 
business, he learned its details and became 
an expert workman. After his father's 
death, in 1904, with his brother, F. W. Ren- 



no, he succeeded to the business, which he 
purchased entire, in 1906. He is a stock- 
holder in the Southern Vineyard Company 
and is numbered with Butler's substantial 
citizens. In 1902 Mr. Renno was married 
to Miss Agnes Mackey, of Youngstown, 
Ohio, and thej^ have two children, Paul and 
Mildred. Mr. Renno is a member of the 
English Lutheran Church. His fraternal 
connections include the Odd Fellows, both 
the lower order and the Encampment; the 
Knights of Pythias, Uniform Rank, and 
the Modern Maccabees. In politics he has 
never been very active, although he has 
frequently demonstrated his attitude of 
good citizenship by supporting public 
measures and contributing to worthy local 
enterprises. 

JOHN (1. STRUTT, one of the self- 
made men of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, 
who conducts a first-class livery establish- 
ment, was born October 4, 1869, in Zelie- 
nople, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Will- 
iam L. and Margaret (Richard) Strutt. 

William L. Strutt, who for twenty-eight 
years was a livery stable proprietor of Ze- 
lienople, died at the age of sixty-one years, 
his wife having died when John G. Strutt 
was but two years old. They were the par- 
ents of five children : Joseph, who resides 
in Ohio; E. C. ; Charles; John G., and 
Anna. The parents were members of the 
German Lutheran Church. 

John G. Strutt attended the public 
schools of Zelienople, and after leaving 
school began work at the livery business. 
All of his life has been spent in Zelienople, 
with the exception of ten years, when he 
was engaged in the butcher business in 
Pittsburg. He is a self-made man in the 
true sense of the word, having started in 
life without means, and through energy 
and economy has worked his way to the 
front rank among the business men of this 
community. For three years he worked 
for thirty dollars per month, and during 
that time saved $100, with which he en- 



834 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



gaged in the livery business, purchasing 
the interests of Householder & Meeder. 
For eleven years he has conducted his pres- 
ent establishment, and he now keeps eight- 
een head of horses, and does a large busi- 
ness in Zelienople and the surrounding 
country. He owns his own livery barn, in 
addition to other valuable real estate. 

Mr. Strutt was married (first) to Miss 
Annie May Lutz, by whom he had six chil- 
dren, namely: Roy, Clarence, Edna, An- 
nie May, Grace and Hester Jane. Mr. 
Strutt 's second marriage was to Mrs. Etta 
R. Stover (nee Feathers), a widow, whom 
he married in March, 1907. 

Mr. Strutt is fraternally connected with 
the Elks, of Rochester, Pennsylvania, the 
Maccabees and the Odd Fellows. In po- 
litical matters he is a Republican. His 
religious connection is with the English 
Lutheran Church. 

J. P. SHULL, of the firm of Shull & 
Badger, brick manufacturers and eon- 
tractors, at Butler, has been a resident of 
this city for nineteen years and is num- 
bered with its reliable and progressive 
business men. He was born in 1868, in 
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and is a 
son of John W. Shull, who located on his 
farm in Marion Township, Butler County, 
about 1873. 

J. P. Shull attended what was known as 
the old Ray School in his boyhood, and 
after a reasonable time there he went to 
Franklin in Venango County, where, when 
seventeen years of age, he started to learn 
the bricklayers' trade which he has found 
a satisfactory and profitable one. For 
about eleven years he has been in partner- 
ship in general brick contracting, with 
Frank W. Badger, and in 1903 they 
bought out the brick manufacturing plant 
of Reed & Company. Both members of 
the firm are men of recognized reliability 
and they have a large volume of business. 
They divide their labors, Mr. Shull look- 
ing after the manufacture of the brick, 



and Mr. Badger after the contracts. A 
large number of Butler's substantial build- 
ings have been erected by this firm and 
among these may be mentioned : The Poor 
Farm building; the Butler County Gen- 
eral Hospital; the Y. M. C. A. building; 
J. G. & W. Campbell's hardware store; 
the Koch building; and the I. O. 0. F. 
Temple. The motto of this firm has been 
from the first, thorough reliability. 

In 1890 Mr. Shull was married to Miss 
Teauie A. Gilmore, who is a daughter of 
John C. Gilmore, of Marion Township, 
Butler County, and they have two chil- 
dren, Verna and Iva. Mr. and Mrs. Shull 
are members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Butler. Their pleasant home is 
at No. 312 West Penn Street. 

ASHLEY W. GROSSMAN, who resides 
on his well-improved farm of 175 acres,- 
which is situated two and one-half miles 
southwest of Slippery Rock Borough, in 
Slippery Rock Township, through which 
runs the Slippery Rock and Brady Town- 
ship line, is a prosperous general farmer 
and representative citizen of this section. 
He was born March 29, 1854, in Brady 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Hugh C. and Mary Ann 
(Moos) Grossman. 

Hugh Grossman was also born in Brady 
Township and was a son of Simon Gross- 
man, one of the early settlers. He followed 
farming all his active life. He married 
Mary Ann Moos, who was born east of the 
Allegheny Mountains, and they had twelve 
children born to them, ten of whom are 
still living. Both parents of this family 
died on the old homestead in Brady Town- 
ship. 

Ashley "W. Grossman attended the coim- 
try schools and helped on the home farm 
until his marriage, although he had pre- 
viously purchased his present farm, which 
he owns jointly with his wife. It is a val- 
uable property and the handsome frame 
residence, which was built in 1899, is one 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



837 



of the best arranged and most comfortable 
homes in this section. 

On January 1, 1884, Mr. Grossman was 
mari'ied to Miss Mary Belle Cooper, who 
is a daughter of Harvey and Lucinda (Les- 
lie) Cooper. They have had thirteen chil- 
dren, a large and happy family, named as 
follows: Hugh Clifton, Louis, Harrison, 
Grant, Walter, Sadie, Hazel, Garrett, 
Laura and Lawrence, twins, Isabel and 
Verne, the eleventh child dying unnamed. 
The others survive, with the exception of 
Grant, who died when thirteen years of 
age, Sadie who was taken when ten years 
old, and one of the twins, Lawrence, who 
died at the age of four months. Mr. Gross- 
man takes a good citizens' interest in pub- 
lic matters and does his part in providing 
for good schools and good roads in his 
township, two main essentials considered 
by the substantial men in every commu- 
nity. The township line mentioned above, 
crosses his farm just south of his build- 
ings, but he votes in Slippery Rock Town- 
ship, and therefore pays his taxes there. 

JOHN C. WILES, a valued member of 
the City Council of Chicora and a leading 
citizen of this place, has been identified 
with the interests of this section for many 
years. He is proprietor of the oldest liv- 
ery barn at Chicora and also engages in 
the undertaking business. Mr. Wiles was 
born February 28, 1866, at Petrolia, in 
Fairview Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania. His parents died when he was 
nine years old and his one brother, Charles, 
is also deceased. 

Mr. Wiles was ten years old when he 
went to Armstrong County and lived there 
on a farm until 1892, when he came to Chi- 
cora and went into the livery business with 
a Mr. Titley, who, at .that time owned sev- 
eral famous race horses. Star Pointer be- 
ing among them. The new firm started 
their livery business in the barn now 
known as Vencle & Son, and conducted it 
together for six years, when Mr. Wiles 



bought his partner's interest and carried 
on the business by himself for the next 
five years, selling out at that time to Ven- 
cle & Rumbaugh. For one year he en- 
gaged in buying and selling horses, ship- 
ping them all over the country. In 1903 
he purchased his present stables, known 
as the old Dolan barn, one of the first liv- 
ery barns started here. The former pro- 
prietor was a W. E. Titley, but not the 
same Titley with whom Mr. Wiles had pre- 
viously been in partnership. In taking 
charge of this barn, Mr. Wiles was pre- 
pared to make many improvements and 
he has made of it a first-class establish- 
ment, one that is a credit to the place. Mr. 
Wiles is a very popular citizen. For ten 
years he has held the office of foreman of 
the Independent Hose Company and he has 
the reputation of being the best man to 
handle a fire in a place of the size of Chi- 
cora, in the State, having proven his ca- 
pacity on several occasions. In ])olitics 
he is a Republican, has served five times 
as judge of elections and, as stated above, 
is one of the councilm"en. 

On January 18, 1891, Mr. Wiles was mar- 
ried to Miss Winnie Foringer, who was 
born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
on her husband's birthday, February 28, 
1866, and what is additionally interesting 
is that their second daughter has the same 
birthday. Mrs. Wiles is a daughter of Jo- 
seph and Hannah (Barnhart) Foringer. 
Her father was a very early settler in Arm- 
strong County, in which he conducted a 
mercantile business for thirty-four years 
and was the first postmaster at Taylor. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wiles have two children: 
June, born June 5, 1894; and Winnifred, 
born February 28, 1903. 

Mr. Wiles is identified with a number 
of fraternal organizations. He is worship- 
ful master of the Masonic Lodge at Chi- 
cora, and belongs to the Chapter at But- 
ler ; has passed all the chairs in the orders 
of Knights of Pythias and the Maccabees 
and has attended the meetings of the 



838 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Grand Lodge of these bodies; and is also 
an Elk and an Odd Fellow. 

G. P. DAUBENSPECK, a highly re- 
spected resident of Butler, to which city 
he came in 1908, when he retired from his 
farm in Parker Township, belongs to one 
of the old pioneer families of Butler Coun- 
ty. He was born October 30, 1845, in 
Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of George Daubenspeck. 

Mr. Daubenspeck was reared on the old 
family homestead in Parker Township and 
attended the district schools. His active 
years were devoted to agriculture and he 
still retains his valuable farm of eighty 
acres, situated in Parker Township. 

In 1868 Mr. Daubenspeck was married 
to Miss Mary Elizabeth Perry, who is a 
daughter of Thomas Perry, and they have 
four living children: Richard Perry, who 
is a minister in the Presbyterian Church; 
Philip Burton, who is superintendent of 
the Turner Oil Company of California; 
Elizabeth Jane, who is the wife of S. A. 
Bell, of West Virginia, and Maria, who 
resides at home. Mr. Daubenspeck and 
family are members of the Reformed 
Church. 

WILLIAM A. McQUISTON, a promi- 
nent agriculturist of Allegheny Township 
and a member of the township school 
board, gives attention to the cultivation 
of his excellent farm of eighty-five acres 
and is also identified with oil production 
in both Butler and Venango Counties. He 
was born March 29, 3863, in Concord 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Alexander C. and Mar- 
garet (Gibson) McQuiston. 

The grandfather, Alexander C. McQuis- 
ton, was born in Ireland and was the first 
of the family to settle in Concord Town- 
ship, where his son, Alexander C, was sub- 
sequently born. Like his father and a 
number of his descendants, Alexander C. 
McQuiston, the second, has always fol- 



lowed agricultural pursuits and for a num- 
ber of years has lived in Allegheny Town- 
ship. He married Margaret Gibson, who 
also survives. She was born in Allegheny 
Township and is a daughter of Col. James 
A. Gibson, an officer in the State militia at 
one time and, for some years, proprietor of 
a foundry at Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. 
In the old annals of Butler County, both of 
these names frequently appear as belong- 
ing to the most representative people. In 
1905 the venerable Alexander C. McQuis- 
ton and wife, then being aged respectively, 
eighty-one and seventy-five years, enjoyed 
the celebration of their golden wedding. 
They have the following children: Eliza- 
beth J., who is the wife of B. L. McKee, 
of New Paris, Ohio ; Amy, who is the wife 
of G. W. Davis, of Pittsburg; William A.; 
Eva C, who is the wife of J. A. O'Neil, 
of Franklin, Pennsylvania; James M., of 
Glintonville, Pennsylvania; Clara, of 
Franklin; and Nettie B., who is the wife of 
Charles Whitman, of Pittsburg. 

William A. McQuiston was reared in 
Concord Township imtil he was fourteen 
years old and then accompanied his par- 
ents to Allegheny Township, where he has 
resided ever since. Mr. McQuiston is a 
self-made man, having depended upon his 
own efforts since he was seventeen years 
of age. In 1893 he became interested in 
the oil industry and has made the business 
profitable. He married Miss Emma Clay, 
of Scrub Grass Township, Venango Coun- 
ty, who is a daughter of the late George 
AV. Clay, of that section. Mr. and Mrs. 
McQuiston have had three children: Myr- 
tle E., George L. and David B., the eldest 
being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. McQuiston 
are members of the Scrub Grass Presby- 
terian Church, in which he has been a trus- 
tee for many years. He is serving in his 
second term as a member of the School 
Board of the township and has been secre- 
tary of this body. He belongs to the order 
of Knights of Maccabees, being identified 
with Emlenton Tent, No. 111. He is a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



839 



man who stands deservedly high in the 
conhdence of his fellow citizens. 

T. J. SHUFFLIN, treasurer and gen- 
eral manager of the Peoples' Telephone 
Company, at Butler, and engaged in the 
business of tank manufacturing, has been 
a resident of this city for twenty years and 
since early manhood has been identified 
in some way with the oil industry. He 
was born in December 7, 1855, in the State 
of New York, where his boyhood was 
spent and his education secured. 

In 1879 Mr. Shufflin started in his pres- 
ent manufacturing enterprise, at Brad- 
ford, Pennsylvania, and has built up an 
immense business, his tanks being shipped 
all over the United States and to Nova 
Scotia. He has had plants at various 
points, in 1886 coming to Millerstown, But- 
ler County, from Kane, McKean County, 
and in 1888, he located at Butler and estab- 
lished his oil tank manufacturing plant on 
McClain Avenue. He has been a large 
operator in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, 
Ohio and Indiana. He is interested in 
several of the prospering business enter- 
prises of Butler and was oue of the organ- 
izers of the Peoples' Telephone Company, 
becoming a director and treasurer, and 
for the last two years has also been gen- 
eral manager. His business standing is 
high and his personal character is indi- 
cated by the frequency with which his fel- 
low citizens call upon him to assume civic 
offices. Formerly he was president of the 
Butler Board of Trade, and is serving as 
president of the City Hospital Association 
since the second year of its organization. 

In February, 1889, Mr. ShufHin was mar- 
ried to Miss Maiy Green, of Wyoming 
County, New York. They are members of 
St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. He 
belongs to the order of Knights of Colum- 
bus, the Catholic Mutual Benefit Associa- 
tion, the Knights of Pythias and the Elks. 
He has been a very active citizen and has 
served two terms in the city council. 



HAROLD E. DEAN, one of the leading 
business men of Zelienople and proprietor 
of the well known firm, H. E. Dean & Com- 
pany, the only exclusive gentlemen's fur- 
nishing and clothing store in the village. 
He was born February 26, 1873, in Tauket- 
ville. New York, and is a son of L. and 
Amy (Foote) Dean and a grandson of 
Richard Dean. 

L. Dean, father of our subject, was bom 
in Lewis County, New York, and was a 
carriage maker by trade. He was for 
many years a resident of Lewis County, 
where he married Amy Foote, also a na- 
tive of that county. Of their union were 
born the following children: Leon F., a 
resident of Oklahoma, engaged there in 
the oil business ; Cora M., the wife of L. S. 
Doutt of Leetsdale, Pennsylvania; Elvie 
F., a milliner, resides at home; Emily, 
also lives at home, and Ralph. Mr. and 
Mrs. Dean are both living, the former at 
the age of sixty-nine years, while his wife 
is in her fifty-ninth year. 

Harold E. Dean received his education 
in the common schools and after complet- 
ing same at Petrolia learned tailoring, at 
which he worked for a number of years. 
In July, 1897, he came to Zelienople and 
entered the merchant tailoring business, 
continuing with much success at that until 
1901, when he established his present busi- 
ness, under the firm name of the H. E. 
Dean & Co. The firm enjoys an extensive 
patronage and carries the best line of its 
kind in this part of the county. 

Mr. Dean started in business entirely 
upon his own resources and his success 
has been due to his own efforts combined 
with honest and conservative business 
methods. In politics, our subject is a Re- 
publican and is fraternally a member of 
the I. 0. 0. F. No. 648, Harmony of Har- 
mony; the F. & A. M. No. 429 at Zelien- 
ople; the Pittsburg Consistory^ — thirty- 
second degree Mason. 

In 1893 Mr. Dean was married to Jen- 
nie E. Pike of Passaic, New Jersey, and 



840 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



she died April 6, 1907, leaving six children, 
namely : Eleanor M., Amy M., Harold E., 
Jr., Miles E., Samuel R. E. and Cora P. 

HON. JAMES M. GALBREATH, who 

was elected judge of the Court of Common 
Pleas in January, 1902, and whose- com- 
mission began the first Monday of Janu- 
ary, 1903, is of one of the earliest pioneer 
families of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
its history in this coimtry dating back to 
the coming of his great-grandfather, 
Robert Galbreath. He was born in Win- 
field Township, September 27, 1852, is a 
son of Robert Galbreath, and grandson of 
William Galbreath. 

Judge Galbreath was reared on the farm 
and obtained a primary education in the 
public schools of his home district. He 
subsequently attended State Lick Acad- 
emy, in Armstrong County, and Wither- 
spoon Institute at Butler. He was gradu- 
ated from Princeton College, at Princeton, 
New Jersey, in 1880, and immediately 
thereafter began the study of law under 
the direction of W. D. Brandon of Butler. 
After his admission to the bar in 1882, 
he practiced alone in Butler until 1884, 
then formed a partnership with J. B. Mc- 
Junkin, a combination of legal talent 
which continued with uninterrupted suc- 
cess until his ascendency to the bench. 

In 1882, Judge Galbreath was united in 
marriage with Sallie E. Mitchell, a daugh- 
ter of John Mitchell of Butler, and they 
have three children, Edith, Irene and 
John. In politics, our subject is a Repub- 
lican, and served six years as school direc- 
tor, ever evincing a deep interest in the 
cause of education. He is a member of 
the United Presbyterian church of Butler, 
of which he has served as trustee many 
years. 

JOHN CROWE resides on a fine farm 
of 160 acres, his residence being in For- 
ward Township, although a part of the 



land lies across the line in Penn Township. 
He was born on the home place January 
8, 1875, and is a son of David and Ellen 
Jane (iVuderiion) Crowe, and a grandson 
of John Crowe. 

John Crowe, the grandfather, came to 
this country from Ireland at an early date 
and located at Pittsburg. He there be- 
came owner of a forty-acre tract, which 
is now located in central Pittsburg, and 
this he traded for three teams of horses. 
With these teams he later hauled cannon 
from Fort Pitt to Erie, and while en route 
passed the farm now owned by the subject 
of this sketch. Their attention was at- 
tracted to what was a fine barn in those 
days, and which still stands on the place. 
Later Mr. Crowe retui'ned and purchased 
the place, which he mostly cleared, and 
spent the remainder of his days upon it. 
He and his wife were parents of the fol- 
lowing children : Mary Douthett, Samuel, 
William, John and David. 

David Crowe was born on the home 
place in Forward Township, as were his 
brothers and sister. He spent all his life 
there and engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
He was first married to Sarah Dodds, by 
whom he had three children, namely: 
Lena, wife of John Renfrew; Elizabeth, 
wife of James Douthett, and Letitia, wife 
of Allison Douthett. His second marriage 
was with Miss Ellen Jane Anderson, and 
they became parents of the following: 
James; Luella, wife of George McCaw; 
Rebecca, deceased wife of S. G. Clay; 
Nevin; Samuel R. ; Etta, wife of J. J. Mc- 
Candless; John, and Jennie, wife of Rob- 
ert Riley. 

John Crowe was reared and has always 
lived on the home farm. He is engaged in 
general farming, and has displayed un- 
usual business ability. His farm is well 
improved, and is all under a high state of 
cultivation. 

In 1895 Mr. Crowe was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Lillian Logan, a daughter 




HON. JAMES M. GALBREATH 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



843 



of Erastus and Elizabeth (Renfrew) Lo- 
gan, and they have two children, Logan 
and Floyd. Religiously, they are mem- 
bers of the Reformed Presbyterian church. 

PHILIP GROUSE, superintendent of 
J. Gr. & W. Campbell's foundry, at Butler, 
has had almost a life-time experience in 
foimdry work, having commenced to learn 
the trade in his boyhood. He was born in 
1849, at Butler, a son of Philip Croiise, 
whose name he bears. 

The father of Mr. Crouse was born in 
the city of Pittsburg and became a resi- 
dent of Butler County about 1840. Dur- 
ing all his active life he was engaged in 
the foundry business and at Butler was 
a member of the firm of Campbell & 
Crouse. He was somewhat active in poli- 
tics and was identified with the Democratic 
party. His death took place at Butler. 

Philip Crouse was reared in his native 
city and attended school through early 
boyhood. After learning the foimdry 
trade he spent a few years east of the Alle- 
gheny Mountains, working in several 
states and then returned to Butler, where, 
for the past thirty years he has had charge 
of the Campbells' foundry. During all 
this period Mr. Crouse has carefully 
watched the developments in his line of 
work and has kept the foundrj^ over which 
he is superintendent up to its highest 
working standard, introducing machinery 
as he has proved its efficiency and has con- 
tinually increased the output without add- 
ing undue expense. His experience and 
his fidelity are appreciated by his em- 
ployers. 

In 1867 Mr. Crouse was married (first) 
to Miss Elizabeth Dougan, who died in 
1876, there being one surviving son of that 
marriage, Philip Harrison Crouse, resid- 
ing at Butler. In 1878 Mr. Crouse was 
married (second) to Miss Anna Garber, 
who died in 1892, leaving three children — 
Katie, William and Ellen — the latter of 
whom is the wife of Frank Eastlev, of But- 



ler. In 1894 Mr. Crouse was married to 
Miss Clara Stehle, and they have one son, 
Louis. Mr. Crouse is a member of St. 
Paul's Catholic Church and he belongs to 
the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association. 
He is also a member of the order of Elks. 

PATRICK LOGUE, who has been a 
resident of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
f5r the past thirty-one years, is located in 
Clearfield Township, where he and his son, 
Michael, are owners of about 300 acres of 
valuable land, in two separate farms. He 
has a fine brick home about one mile south 
of the Catholic church, and is one of the 
substantial men of the community. 

Mr. Logue was born in Ireland in 1827, 
and in boyhood came to the United States, 
locating at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He 
began life's struggle without means and 
without help from anyone, and the success 
he has achieved is due to his own hard 
work and good business management. He 
hauled lumber for some years in Pittsburg, 
and subsequently engaged in the lumber 
business for himself. He was there mar- 
ried and reared his children, and it was 
not until 1877 ho moved to Butler County. 
His original purchase here was a tract of 
150 acres, . and to this he subsequently 
added sixty seven acres. His son, Mi- 
chael, is the owner of a farm of sixty-five 
acres, also in Clearfield Township. 

Mr. Logue was married in Pittsburg to 
Miss Mary McGrady and they became par- 
ents of eight children, six of whom are liv- 
ing, as follows: Jennie, widow of James 
McCrea ; Dennis, a railroad conductor, who 
lives in Canada; Michael, who married 
Sarah Slater; Agnes, who married Harry 
Hinchberger of Butler and has four chil- 
dren — Clarence, Agnes, Ralph and Ed- 
ward; James, who is single and living at 
the home place, and Margaret, wife of Le- 
land Rundell, by whom she has a daugh- 
ter, Mildred. Religiously they are promi- 
nent members of the Catholic church, to 
the support of which they contribute lib- 
erally. 



844 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



JOHN G. KOCH, of the firm of C. Koch 
& Sons, proprietors of the leading fancy 
and staple grocery house at Butler, was 
born at Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1861, and 
is a son of Charles and Cresentia (Steger) 
Koch. 

The late Charles Koch was born in Ger- 
many, emigrated to America and settled 
at Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1854, and died 
in this city in 1872. He was engaged for 
years in a hardware business and was a 
prominent factor in the city's life. He 
married Miss Cresentia Steger, a native 
of Germany, who died in 1907. They had 
a family of four sons and one daughter, 
namely : Frank W. and John G., of the gro- 
cery firm of C. Koch & Sons; Caroline, 
Charles T. and Stephen A. Mr. Koch sold 
out the hardware store and embarked, in 
1872, in a grocery business, which he con- 
ducted but a few months when he died and 
Mrs. Koch, after his death, continued the 
business alone until 1887, when her two 
sons became members of the firm and the 
present style was adopted. Mrs. Koch 
continued her interest in the enterprise 
until her death, after which F. W. and 
John G. Koch became joint and sole own- 
ers, retaining the old name that had almost 
become a trademark. This is one of the 
oldest grocery businesses at Butler and, in 
a way, is a memorial of the mother of the 
present owners, her thrift, prudence and 
excellent management having placed it on 
a firm foimdation. In 1905 the firm erected 
the fine three-story brick building at No. 
126 North Main Street, Butler, which is 
one of the substantial structures in the 
business district. It has a frontage of 
twenty-four feet and a depth of 128 feet. 
A heavy trade is carried on, the house car- 
rying a complete stock of the very best 
goods in its line. 

In 1895 John G. Koch was married to 
Miss Elizabeth Kohler, of Johnstown, 
Pennsylvania. The whole family belongs 
to St. Peter's Catholic Church. Mr. Koch 
is identified with the Knights of Columbus. 



DAVID M. DICKEY, a well-known gen- 
eral farmer of Slippery Rock Township, 
was born September 30, 1847, on his pres- 
ent farm of seventy acres, and is a son of 
John and Eliza (Cross) Dickey. 

John Dickey was a native of Pennsyl- 
vania and spent his boyhood days on a 
fai-m near Kittanning in Armstrong Coun- 
ty. He was twice united in marriage, his 
first wife having been Nancy Templeton of 
Armstrong County. The second union was 
formed with Eliza Cross, the mother of 
our subject. 

David M. Dickey grew to man's estate 
on his present farm, which is part of the 
old Dickey homestead, and here has always 
followed general farming. He has made 
all of the improvements on the place, in- 
cluding all the barns and other necessary 
out-buildings. He was joined in marriage 
with Mary E. Hunter, a daughter of Will- 
iam Hunter of Eau Claire, Pennsylvania, 
and of their union have been born the four 
following children: Elsie, Parker, Iva, 
and Elizabeth. 

MICHAEL QUIRK, who resides on his 
excellent farm of fifty acres, which is sit- 
uated near Brinker Station, in Summit 
Township, on the Bottom road, about three 
miles southeast of Butler, has resided here 
since 1888. He was born September 25, 
1852, in Ireland, and is a son of Thomas 
and Catherine (Quinlan) Quirk. 

Michael Quirk was reared on the home 
farm in Ireland, on whicli both his parents 
died. In 1870 he shipped for America and 
reached Butler County, Pennsylvania, on 
August 10, 1870, shortly before his eight- 
eenth birthday. He came with little capi- 
tal except good health and habits of indus- 
try and he found these just the possessions 
he needed when he went to work as a farm 
hand, first in New Jersey, and later as a 
railroad hand on the construction of the 
Western Pennsylvania Railroad. In the 
building of this line he assisted for several 
years and after that job was finished, he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



847 



found employment in a rolling-mill at Ben- 
nett Station, in Allegheny County. Mr. 
Quirk continued to work in the mill for the 
next ten years, earning good wages, but 
later found a better situation as a member 
of the repair gang on the Pennsylvania 
Railroad. In the meanwhile he had in- 
vested his earnings in land, buying his 
present farm, which he completely cleared 
and erected all the substantial buildings. 
Mr. Quirk is a man of very practical ideas 
and has shown good judgment in purchas- 
ing land near a city, for each year it will 
grow in value. He has earned all he pos- 
sesses and has reason to feel some pride in 
the fact. 

In 1873 Mr. Quirk was married to Cath- 
erine Grieb, who was born in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter 
of John Grieb. Mr. and Mrs. Quirk have 
four children, namely: Mary, who is the 
wife of George Schaffner, Jr. ; Alice, who 
is a nurse in Mercy Hospital, at Pittsburg; 
Annie, who belongs to the Catholic Order 
of St. Frances Sisters, in Allegheny Coun- 
ty; and Thomas, who lives at home. Mr. 
Quirk and his family are all members of 
the Roman Catholic Church at Herman. 

CHARLES DIVENER, general farmer 
and representative citizen, who lives oi 
his valuable property in Donegal Town- 
ship, where he has 101 acres of land and 
two producing oil wells, was born in a 
land that has contributed many very 
worthy citizens to the United States. His 
birth took place September 21, 1839, in 
Prussia-Germany. 

The father of Mr. Divener, George H. 
Divener, was born in Priassia-Germany, 
September 3, 1801, and died June 7, ]868. 
The mother was born in the same land, 
June 23, 1809, and died August 9, 1880. 
They came to America and settled in But- 
ler Coimty, in 1847, and the father worked 
for two years at ore mining, at Brady's 
Bend, Armstrong County, and then moved 
his family to that place, where he followed 



mining until 1857. He then bought a farm 
from Ernest Muter, in Donegal Township, 
Butler County, where his son now resides 
and engaged in its cultivation and also 
worked at his trade of weaver. He fol- 
lowed weaving all through the winter sea- 
sons and when he died left a web of cloth 
on the loom. There was some difficulty 
experienced in iinding a weaver, in this 
vicinity, who was able to run the web from 
the looms, the weaving industry not being 
a general one in this neighborhood. He 
mari'ied Dorothy Mary Kaufhold, on Octo- 
ber 25, 1830, and they had the following 
children: George H., John F., Charles, 
William E. and Caroline E., one of whom 
survives. 

Charles Divener attended the public 
schools in Armstrong Coimty, as oppor- 
tunity offered, uutil he was about sixteen 
years old, and after that helped his father 
both in the mines and at the farming and 
later became interested in the oil industry. 
In 1880 he bought his present farm from 
the other heirs, and gives his attention to 
its cultivation together with oil production. 

On February 22, 1870, Mr. Divener was 
married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Freder- 
ick, who is a daughter of Leonard and 
Elizabeth Frederick. They came to Amer- 
ica in 1849, from Germany, settling in 
Butler County, where both died. Mr. and 
Mrs. Frederick had the following children : 
Peter, Elizabeth, John, George, Catherine, 
Philip, Mary E., Adam, Maggie, Christiana 
and Henry, the three survivors being Mrs. 
Divener, her sister Catherine, and George. 
Mr. Divener is a leading member of the 
German Lutheran Church and is one of its 
trustees. The only public office he has 
ever consented to hold was that of over- 
seer of the poor, which office he held for 
four years. 

JENNINGS C. McCANDLESS, a lead- 
ing citizen of Connoquenessing Township, 
and a very successful oil producer, was 
born in Center Township, Butler County, 



848 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Pennsylvania, April 18, 1848, and is a son 
of John F. and Nancy (Hayes) McCand- 
less. 

The paternal grandfather, William Mc- 
Caudless, came to the United States from 
County Down, Ireland, and took up 800 
acres of land in what is now Center Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty. John F. McCandless 
was born on a farm adjoining that now 
owned by his son, William H., and moved 
to the latter farm at the time of his mar- 
riage, in 1832. John F. McCandless and 
wife began their married life in a rude log 
structure that had neither windows nor 
door hung, but he soon put up a two-story 
log structure, which had the unusual addi- 
tion of a front porch and this house was 
considered a model of comfort and conve- 
nience by all his neighbors. Here a gener- 
ous, pioneer hospitality was dispensed, the 
McCandless family being noted for its 
hearty good cheer. In 1832 John F. Mc- 
Candless liad married Nancy Hayes, a 
daughter of William Hayes, who was a na- 
tive of Scotland. They had the following 
children. Mrs. Mary J. Findley, residing 
in Kansas ; Mrs. Nancy A. Miller, residing 
at Euclid, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Emeline 
Glenn, residing in Allegheny County ; Will- 
iam Harrison, residing in Center Town- 
ship ; John Milton, who died in 1865 ; Jen- 
nings C. ; Porter and Minerva, both of 
whom died in infancy; and Mrs. Sarah 
Belle Wilson, residing in Allegheny Town- 
ship, Butler County. The father of the 
above family died in 1869, aged sixty-seven 
years, his wife having passed away many 
years before, aged forty-three years. 
They were worthy members of the Muddy 
Creek Presbyterian Church. 

Jennings C. McCandless was reared in 
Center Township and with his brothers 
and sisters, attended the country schools. 
His mother died when he was five years old 
and when his older sisters married and left 
home, he also, about 1865, started out for 
himself. He spent three years in Michi- 
gan and Wisconsin, but when the discov- 



ery of oil made the Parker field known all 
over the country, he returned to Butler 
County and went to work at Parker's 
Landing. He helped to develop that field 
and for fifteen consecutive years was en- 
gaged in oil production at Bruin. In 1890 
he came to Petersville, in Connoquenessing 
TownshiiD. In partnership with his 
brother-in-law, William Walker, he did a 
large amount of business, under the firm 
name of Walker & McCandless, and for a 
short time this firm had the distinction of 
owning the biggest well in Pennsylvania, 
one that flowed thirty-five barrels of oil an 
hour. This firm has worked in these re- 
gions ever since and has developed about 
100 wells. 

Mr. McCandless married Miss Angeline 
Walker, who is a daughter of Abraham 
Walker, of Slippery Rock Township, and 
they have had four children, namely: 
Blanche, who is the wife of Charles K. 
Rea, of Connoquenessing Township; 
Frank, who resides at Chanute, Kansas; 
Mabel, deceased, who was the wife of E. 
H. Bailey, Jr.; and Leanna, who is the 
wife of Stephen Straight, of Braddock, 
Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. McCandless 
have been members of the Presbyterian 
Church since youth and while residing at 
Bruin, Mr. McCandless was an elder. In 
his political views he is a Republican. 
Since coming to Connoquenessing he has 
served frequently in public offices and has 
been a useful member of the School Board 
and for some years served as treasurer of 
the borough. 

L. H. CRAIG, a representative business 
man of Butler, conducting a general hard- 
ware store at No. 223 Center Avenue, has 
thoroughly identified himself with the in- 
terests of this city since coming here in 
1900. He was born at Freeport, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1862, and is a son of the late 
Theodore J. Craig. 

The parents of Mr. Craig moved from 
Freeport to Chicora, Butler County, when 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



849 



he was small, the father being a bricklayer, 
a trade which he followed all through his 
active life. 

L. H. Craig attended the Chicora schools 
and his lirst work was done as a clerk in 
a general store at Carbon Center, where 
he remained for three years and then en- 
tered the oil fields. For a quarter of a 
century Mr. Craig continued to be inter- 
ested in the oil industry, confining his 
operations to the Pennsylvania fields. 
While no longer as active as formerly, he 
still is financially interested in oil. In Jan- 
uary, 1907, he entered the mercantile ranks 
at Butler, purchasing the hardware store 
of Weiter & Gibson, and has done a large 
business in this line ever since. 

In 1888, Mr. Craig was married to Miss 
Millie I. Thompson, who is a daughter of 
Harry D. Thompson, formerly sheriff of 
Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. Craig have 
six children, namely : Estella F., Paul W., 
Melviu L., Loretta A., Harry D., and Ed- 
win C. Mr. Craig and family belong to 
Grace Lutheran Church. He- is identified 
with several fraternal organizations, in- 
cluding the Odd Fellows and the Knights 
of Pythias. 

WILLIAM J. BRENNAN, one of Chi- 
cora 's respected and esteemed retired citi- 
zens, who was identified with the boiler 
manufacturing business here for twenty 
years, was born December 11, 1843, and is 
a son of William and Catherine (McDon- 
ald) Brennan. 

The parents of Mr. Brennan never came 
to America. They have long since passed 
away, as have all of their children, with 
the exception of William J., Michael and 
Anna. The others were Martin, Patrick, 
William, John, Thomas, Mary, Eliza and 
Catherine. 

William J. Brennan was the fifth mem- 
ber of his parents' family. He remained 
in his native land until 1869, and after 
coming to America settled at Sharon, 
Pennsylvania . He had learned the trade 



of boilemiaker in the city of Dublin and 
had worked at it for seven years. At 
Sharon he found employment in the same 
line, later went to Leetonia, Ohio, and from 
there to New York, where he was employed 
by the Continental Boiler Works. From 
New York he went to Chicago, from there 
to Sharon again, later to Oil City and from 
there to Parker's Landing, and in 1873 he 
came to Chicora and started to work for 
P. C. Kelley. Still later, Mr. Brennan 
bought out Mr. Kelley and for twenty 
years conducted the works himself, only 
retiring from active business life in 1904. 
Mr. Brennan has been quite a traveler in 
his day and has seen much more of the 
world than many of his fellow citizens and 
in visiting the industries in his line of 
work, in different cities, he gained a thor- 
ough knowledge of all methods and this 
contributed to his success when he went 
into business for himself. 

In Washington County, New York, in 
July, 1875, Mr. Brennan was married to 
Miss Mary Fitzpatrick, who is a daughter 
of Bernard and Catherine (Dugan) Fitz- 
patrick. Mrs. Brennan was born in 
Queen's County, Ireland, June 29, 1847. 
They have had three children, namely: 
Catherine, who was born October 6, 1876, 
married Charles Sutton of Chicora and 
they have three children, C. Wayne, Mau- 
rine and Irene ; William, who was born 
September 11, 1878, is in the oil business 
and resides with his parents, and John 
F., who died in 1884. Mr. Brennan and 
family are devoted members of the Roman 
Catholic Church at Chicora. Mr. Brennan 
has two brothers in America that he can 
not locate. 

JOSEPH S. DAUGHERTY, the well 
known proprietor and manager of the 
Etna Flour Mills of Slippery Rock Town- 
ship, is a native of this township, and was 
born on his father's present farm in 1877. 
He is a son of Loyal and Mary (Shepard) 
Daugherty and a grandson of Zery Shep- 



850 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ard, who during his lifetime owned and 
operated the Etna Flour Mills. 

Joseph Daugherty was reared in his na- 
tive township and is a graduate of the 
Slippery Rock State Normal, graduating 
with the class of 1899, after which he 
taught for two years in Middlesex Town- 
ship, Butler County. For the past five 
years he has been manager of the Etna 
Mills, the output of which is sold to local 
trade as well as wholesaled to the mer- 
chants of this community. The mill is 
fitted with Griscomb and McFeely machin- 
ery, made in Philadelphia, and the chief 
brand of flour manufactured is called the 
Fan(!y Roller flour, the excellent quality 
of which insures it a large sale on the 
market. Mr. Daugherty is thoroughly in- 
formed concerning the business in every 
department and requires two assistants in 
operating the mill. 

Mr. Daugherty is unmarried and lives 
with his parents in a large brick house on 
the latter 's farm of fifty acres adjoining 
the mill property. In connection with the 
milling business Mr. Daugherty and his 
father and brother, W. Gr., carry on gen- 
eral contracting in the oil fields, his father 
being one of the best known oil contractors 
in this section of the state, as well as 
throughout Allen, Hancock and Wood 
Counties of Ohio. 

Three children were born to Loyal and 
Mary Daugherty, namely: Joseph, our 
subject; William G., a driller in the oil 
fields ; and Lottie, who is the wife of Nor- 
man Straub of Pittsburg. 

Joseph Daugherty is a successful and 
energetic business man and well deserves 
the reward which his efforts have secured 
for him. In fraternal circles he is asso- 
ciated with the Masonic Order. 

JAMES H. McELROY, Sr., residing on 
his finely cultivated farm of forty-five 
acres, in Allegheny Township, which he 
devotes to general agriculture and fruit 
growing, has been a i-esident of this town- 



ship for the past thirty-two years. He 
was born February 28, 1838, in Lawrence 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Jo- 
seph and Elizabeth (Taggart) McElroy. 

The McElroy family originated in Ire- 
land, where Hugh McElroy, the grand- 
father, was born. In early manhood he 
came to Butler County, Pennsylvania, and 
here reared an honorable family. Joseph 
McElroy was born in Butler County but 
lived in Lawrence County for some years ; 
later he returned to Butler County, where 
he died in 1893. 

James H. McElroy lost his mother when 
he was but six years old. His father mar- 
ried again and when he was nine years old 
the family came to Butler County and set- 
tled in Brady Township. He had but 
meager educational opportunities and 
from youth had his own way to 
make in the world. He has always 
been interested in farming and espe- 
cially in fruit growing, but before he 
acquired land of his own, engaged for a 
number of years in teaming, in Brady 
Township. In the fall of 1876 he came to 
his present property and this he has im- 
proved and developed into a very valuable 
farm. He still is active in its management 
and is justly proud of his productive or- 
chards, having set out many of the trees. 

On November 10, 1859, Mr. McElroy was 
married to Miss Martha J. Thompson, who 
was born in Cherry Township, Butler 
County, February 21, 1841. She belongs 
to an old and prominent family of this 
section, being a daughter of Joseph A. and 
Polly (Patton) Thompson. Her father 
was born in Scotland and when three 
weeks old was brought by his parents to 
America, who came directly to Butler 
County and settled in Cherry Township. 
Mrs. McElroy 's grandparents were Joseph 
and Annie (Smith) Thompson. Mr. and 
Mrs. McElroy have had eight children, 
namely : Joseph M., who lives in Venango 
County; Mary E., who is the wife of James 
Curmans of Parker's Landing; Annie K., 




LOUIS F. TKAUTAIA; 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



853 



who is the wife of James McQuiston, of 
Clintonville, Pennsylvania; Margaret D., 
who is the widow of N. Grant, late of Alle- 
gheny Township; John W., who lives in 
Indiana; Daisy B., who is the wife of 
Homer Simon, of Venango County; James 
H., who lives in Venango Coimty; and 
Blanche P., who is the wife of Samuel Cob- 
bitt, of Clintonville, Pennsylvania. Mr. 
and Mrs. McElroy are members of the 
Presbyterian Church and they are people 
whose lives coincide with their professions. 
Formerly Mr. McElroy was an active 
member of the order of Odd Fellows. In 
his political identification he is a Repub- 
lican. He has given many years of atten- 
tion to educational interests, serving as 
school director, and as one of the town- 
ship's most reliable men, has frequently 
been elected a member of the township 
Board of Elections. 

J. H. LEEDOM, secretary of the Lee- 
dom & Worrall tirm, wholesale groceries, 
at Butler, one of the city's large business 
enterprises, was born at Butler, in 1877, 
and is a son of the late T. J. Leedom. 

T. J. Leedom was born in Bucks County, 
Pennsylvania, and came to Butler County 
about 1870 and established himself in 
business and was identified with it until 
the time of his death, in 1904. 

After J. H. Leedom completed his school 
attendance, he entered the employ of the 
Standard Oil Company and during the 
several years in which he continued with 
that corijoration, he was located at various 
points in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and 
Ohio. In 1900, with his brother, P. W. 
Leedom, and George Worrall, he engaged 
in a wholesale grocery business at Mar- 
ietta, Ohio, which they transferred to But- 
ler, in 1904. The Leedom & Worrall 
Wholesale Grocery Company is the largest 
enterprise of its kind in this section and 
its trade covers all Western Pennsylvania. 

In 1901 Mr. Leedom was married to 



Miss Luella St. Clair, of Indiana, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they have one son, Robert A. 
Mr. Leedom is a member of the order of 
Elks. He is essentially a business man 
and takes comparatively a small amount 
of interest in politics, but he by no means 
neglects the duties pertaining to good 
citizenship. 

LOUIS P. TRAUTMAN, one of But- 
ler's progressive citizens, who has been 
many years identified with oil production, 
was born on the family homestead, near 
Buena Vista, in Pairview Township, But- 
ler Coimty, Penna., January 23, 1872, and 
is a son of Paul Trautman, who was one of 
the early settlers in his section. 

Mr. Trautman was reared in Fairview 
Township, and was educated in the Buena 
Vista schools. For some years he assisted 
his father on the farm and then, coming to 
Butler, learned the barber's trade, at 
which he worked for thirteen years. Oil 
was discovered on the homestead in 1872, 
with large wells, and after about seventeen 
years (1889) a crop of wells was devel- 
oped. Mr. Trautman 's father died in 
1903, and the subject of this sketch, with 
his brother John, then bought the old home 
farm in Fairview Township and has been 
engaged in the development of oil ever 
since, there being now twelve producing 
wells on the farm, with a probable con- 
tinuation of the output. 

In 1902 Mr. Trautman was married to 
Gertrude Kelly, who is a daughter of 
W. J. Kelly of Bruin, Butler County. 
They have one child, Athleen Ruth. Mr. 
Trautman was reared in the faith of the 
German Lutheran church. He is a mem- 
ber of the fraternal order of Eagles, and 
of the Woodmen of the World. 

WILLIAM KRAUSE, general mer- 
chant and prosperous business man of 
Coylesville, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
has been a resident of this village for 



854 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



twelve 5^ears. He was born at Hannalis- 
towu, Jefferson Township, in Butler 
County, August 25, 1872, and is a son of 
Robert and Maria (Campliire) Krause. 
His father is a veteran of the Civil War, 
and is a general merchant at Marwood; a 
record of him and his family appears on 
another page of this work. Richard 
Krause, grandfather of the subject of this 
record, came to this country from Saxony, 
Germany. 

William Krause was quite young when 
his parents moved to Mai'wood, where* he 
grew to maturity and received a common 
school education. He then entered Duff's 
Business College at Pittsburg, in which 
institution he pursued a commercial 
course of study and was graduated. 
Throughout his business career he has 
been identified with merchandising; he 
worked in his father's store at Marwood 
until he moved to Coylesville, and for six 
years served as assistant postmaster of 
that village. Upon his removal to his 
present place he purchased the store of 
F. P. Gormley, which had been established 
by John McUucken and subsequently 
owned and conducted by M. J. 'McBride, 
prior to its ownership by Mr. Gormley. 
Prior to the arrival of the railroad in this 
section, Mr. Krause served six years as 
postmaster of Coylesville. He is a man 
of exceptional business talents and has 
established a high-class trade in the com- 
munity, carrying a superior grade of 
stock. 

November 6, 1895, Mr. Krause was 
joined in marriage with Miss Edith 
Humes, a daughter of Thomas and Eliza- 
beth (Gilleford) Humes, whose mother 
was a brother of the distinguished Dr. 
Gilleford of Allegheny. They have three 
sons, namely: Everett, who is attending 
the Fairmont School at Cleveland, Ohio; 
Melford, who is three years of age, and 
Curtis Gorman, aged one month. They 
reside in a comfortable home adjoining 
the store. 



JAMES McGARVEY, a prosperous and 
representative citizen of Chicora, where 
he is conducting a dairy business, also 
oversees his valuable fai-m of ninety acres, 
which is situated in Fairview Township, 
Butler County. He was born October 7, 
1838, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of James and Martha (Fos- 
ter) McGarvey. James McGai-vey, Sr., 
was born in 1798 and died January 9, 
1889. 

The father of Mr. McGarvey was born 
in Coimty Donegal, Ireland, and came to 
America when aged twenty-one years. For 
a few years he lived in the city of Phila- 
delphia and then crossed the State to 
Pittsburg, where he opened a small store. 
In a short time, however, he left the city 
and purchased a farm in Washington 
Township, Armstrong County, on which 
lie passed the rest of his life. He was the 
father of seven children, as follows : Eliza 
and Alexander, James, John and 0. C, all 
deceased; Catherine and Mathilda. 

James McGarvey attended the public 
schools in Washington Township and as- 
sisted his father on the home farm until 
his marriage, after which he brought his 
bride to Butler County and then settled in 
the vicinity of Parker, where he followed 
teaming for a few years. In 1873 he 
moved to Millerstown, where he resided 
for twelve years, and then bought his farm 
in Fairview -Township. Mr. McGarvey 
conducted that farm for some twenty-one 
years, retiring in 1903, at that time pur- 
chasing a fine residence property at Chi- 
cora, and here he has continued to make 
his home ever since. He carries on a dairy 
industry and nominally oversees the farm, 
which is capably operated by his son, 
Charles McGarvey. 

On November 24, 1868, Mr. McGarvey 
was married to Miss Margaret J. Murphy, 
who is a daughter of Benjamin and Jane 
(Green) Murphy. The Murphy family 
settled many years ago in Armstrong 
County and they had numerous descend- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



855 



ants, Mrs. McGarvey being one in a fam- 
ily of ten children. The others were: 
James, Elizabeth, Eebecca, Samuel, Isa- 
bella, Walter, Lavina, Theodore and 
Sarah. Samuel was a soldier in the Civil 
War and was killed on the field of battle. 
To Mr. and Mrs. McGarvey have been 
born seven children, as follows : Samuel C, 
Benjamin, Martha J., William, Mary, 
Charles and one that died in infancy. The 
eldest son, Samuel C, is engaged in the 
practice of medicine at Bridgeville, Penn- 
sylvania. He married Mary Stamm of 
Butler County, and they have two children, 
Orpha and Byron. Benjamin is an oil pro- 
ducer residing in Wood County, Ohio. He 
married Loma Moke and they have one 
child. Vera. Martha J. married Charles B. 
Kemmer and they live on a farm in Arm- 
strong County. They have five children, 
Guy, Ernest, Burnell, Gertrude and Nora. 
William, who is farm boss for the Ohio 
Oil Company, resides in Wood County, 
Ohio, where he married Minnie Wagner 
and has one child, Loretta. Mary married 
James Foster, who carries on a dairy 
business in Armstrong County. Charles 
resides on his father's farm in Fairview 
Township. He married Eva Taylor and 
they have two children, Hazel and William 
T. Mr. McGarvey and family belong to 
the Lutheran Church at Chicora. Mr. Mc- 
Garvey has been an active and useful citi- 
zen and has served for three years as 
councilman and for the same length of 
time as school director and as township 
collector. 

CYRUS HARPEE, a veteran of the 
Civil War and a prominent citizen of 
Zelienople, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
has been a life-long resident of this county. 
He was born March 1, 1 839, on his father's 
farm in Jackson Township, and is a son 
of Thomas and Margaret (Swartz) Har- 
per, and a grandson of Thomas Harper, 
Sr., who served in the Revolutionary War. 



Thomas Harper, father of Cyrus, was 
born on Mingo Creek, Ohio, in 1798, where 
he grew to man's estate. About 1820 he 
came to Butler County and settled in Jack- 
son Township, residing near Zelienople 
for about twenty years, when he purchased 
a tract of land in Cranberry Township, 
where he remained until his death in 1874 
at the age of seventy-six years. He mar- 
ried Margaret Swartz, who was born in 
1798 and whose father was a resident of 
Elizabethtown, Allegheny County, Penna. 
There were fifteen children born to the 
parents of our subject: N. W., who died 
in Chicago; George, deceased, was a resi- 
dent of Dayton, Ohio; Oliver, deceased; 
Catherine, deceased; Margaret, deceased; 
Eliza, deceased; Sarah, deceased wife of 
Dr. D. L. Starr of Cincinnati, Ohio ; Nancy, 
deceased wife of Frank Gaushell of Quincy, 
Illinois; Andrew, deceased; Henrietta, 
wife of Silas Gillespie of New_ Castle, 
Pennsylvania; Marion died in infancy; 
John, deceased, resided at Huntington, 
West Virginia; Caroline (Taylor), resided 
in Nebraska, where her death occurred; 
Cyrus, subject of this sketch; and Thomas, 
who died in infancy. 

Cyrus Harper was but two years old 
when he came with his parents to Cran- 
berry Township, where he was reared on 
a farm. In 1862 he joined the army and 
enlisted in Company A, Fifteenth West 
Virginia Volunteer Infantry. He served 
until the close of the war and participated 
in nineteen important engagements, in- 
cluding those of Cloyt Mountain, West 
Virginia; New Eiver Bridge; Halltown, 
Va. ; Harpers Ferry; Smokers' Gap, Vir- 
ginia; Winchester; Lynchburg; Fishers 
Hill; Cedar Creek; Petersburg; Gettys- 
burg; Appomattox, and numerous skir- 
mishes. Mr. Harper was discharged and 
mustered out at Wheeling, West Virginia, 
June 5, 1865, after which he returned to 
Butler County and engaged in agricultural 
pursuits in Cranberry Township until 



856 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



1906. Mr. Harper owns considerable 
property in this section of the county, 
having a fine farm of 100 acres, five resi- 
dence properties in Zelienople, and two in 
Ambridge, and one in Butler. 

In politics Mr. Harper is a Republican 
and was elected on that ticket treasurer 
of Butler County, serving in that capacity 
for, three years. He was also justice of 
the peace in Cranberry Township for three 
terms. In fraternal afiiliation, lie is a 
member of Col. Joseph H. Wilson Post 
No. 496 G. A. R. of Zelienople; also the 
I. 0. 0. F. and the F. & A. M. 

In January, 1866, our subject married 
Elizabeth Dalzell, a daughter of Hugh 
Dalzell of Allegheny County, and of their 
union were born the following children: 
Edwin F. G., an attorney, married Mar- 
garet Roberts of New Castle and they have 
one child — Elenora Blanche. Laura is de- 
ceased. Blanche married J. C. Dwight 
of Mars. Pearl is the wife of J. P. Ander- 
son of Cherry Vale, Kansas. Howard C, 
a physician of Jamestown, Pennsylvania, 
is a graduate of the Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege of Philadelj^hia; lie married Jennie 
McMaster and has one child, Miriam. Guy 
is deceased. Mrs. Harper died in 1879, 
and in 1882 Mr. Harper married Luella 
Sarver, a daughter of Jacob Sarver. The 
following children were born of the second 
union: Hallie, married William Cashdol- 
lar and has two children, Clara and Roy. 
Percy V. resides with our subject ; he mar- 
ried Mary Ramsey, a daughter of Samuel 
Ramsey of Butler County, and they have 
one daughter, Ruth Viola. Roy resides at 
home. 

JAMES G. RUNKLE, proprietor of 
"The Toggery," Butler's leading gents' 
furnishing store, is one of the city's enter- 
prising and successful business men. He 
was born in 1863, in Mercer County, Penn- 
sylvania, and passed his early life there. 

Mr. Runkle completed his education at 
Grove City College and gained his first 



business experience in a store at Jackson 
Center, where he worked through one year 
and later was engaged in a store at Fre- 
donia, for two years. Following this he 
managed a store at Jackson Center for a 
year, after which he filled the position of 
assistant manager of a large cooperative 
store at Tarentum. He then went with the 
wholesale grocery house of Jas. W. Hous- 
ton & Co., of Pittsburg, and traveled for 
this firm for ten years, subsequently was 
with The Robert McCoy Company for six 
years, during four of these being manager 
of their branch store at Butler. In 1904 
Mr. Runkle embarked in his present busi- 
ness, has built up a lai'ge trade and sup- 
plies its most exacting demands in the way 
of haberdashery. 

In 1891 Mr. Rimkle was married to Miss 
Alice J. Westlake, who is a daughter of 
Hon. George S. Westlake of Millbrook, 
Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Runkle are 
members of St. Paul's Reformed Church, 
in which he has been an elder for twelve 
years. He has taken a hearty interest for 
a long period in the Y. M. C. A., and has 
been one of the directors of this organiza- 
tion at Butler for sixteen years. He is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias. In 
politics, Mr. Runkle is not active, but 
nevertheless every claim of good citizen- 
ship made on him is satisfied, and every 
obligation fulfilled. 

DR. HARRY M. WILSON, who enjoys 
a forward position among the medical 
practitioners of Butler County, has been 
engaged in practice in Evans City, Penn- 
sylvania, since January 1, 1891, and is also 
vice-president of the Citizens National 
Bank of that place. He was born in 
Luthersburg, Pennsylvania, is a son of Dr. 
George and Anna (Huber) Wilson, and 
a grandson of Dr. Joseph Wilson. 

Dr. Joseph Wilson was born in the 
North of Ireland, and after a careful pre- 
l^aratory training engaged in the practice 
of medicine there. Religiously, he was of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



857 



the Presbyterian faith and was compelled 
to leave Ireland at the time of the religious 
persecutions. He sailed for America and 
upon his arrival located at Brookville, 
Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He de- 
voted his time to the practice of medicine 
and farming, as that section of country 
was but sparsely settled at that time. He 
and his boys gradually cleared a large 
farm which they cultivated and maintained 
as a home until the children left to make 
homes for themselves. He was the father 
of a large family of children, of whom but 
one, George, entered the medical profes- 
sion. 

George Wilson was born in this country 
and spent his boyhood days on the farm 
near Brooksville, the most of which he 
helped to clear. He took up the study of 
medicine imder the direction of Dr. James 
Dowliug, and later attended lectures at 
Jetferson Medical College in Philadelphia, 
from which he was graduated. He em- 
barked in practice at Luther sburg, Penn- 
sylvania, and continued there with uninter- 
rupted success until his death in 1893, at 
the age of eighty years. His wife, who 
in maiden life was Anna Huber, died at 
the age of sixty-five. Nine children were 
born to them, six of whom grew to matur- 
ity, namely: Edgar, now deceased; Dr. 
Joseph C, a graduate of the medical de- 
partment of the University of Maryland, 
who is located at Titusville, Pennsylvania ; 
Dr. Charles A., a graduate of the Ken- 
tucky School of Medicine, located at Du- 
Bois, Peniia. ; Col. John P. of Punxsutaw- 
ney, Penna. ; Anna, who was a school 
teacher and died at the age of twenty-one 
years ; and Dr. Harry M., the youngest of 
the family. 

Harry M. Wilson received a preliminary 
educational training at the State Normal 
School at Edinboro, Penna., after which he 
studied medicine under the preceptorship 
of his brother. Dr. C. A. Wilson at Du- 
Bois, Pennsylvania. He then attended 
lectures in the Medical Department of 



the University of Maryland, and was 
graduated with the class of 1889. His first 
two years of professional work were 
passed at Stanton, Pennsylvania, aftei* 
which, on January 1, 1891, he located at 
Evans City. His office and comfortable 
home are located on Main Street. He is a 
member of the Jefferson County Medical 
Society, the Butler County Medical Soci- 
ety, the Pennsylvania State Medical 
Society, and the American Medical Asso- 
ciation. He also is a member of the 
National Association of Railway Surgeons. 
He is medical examiner for all the old line 
life insurance companies at Evans City. 

Doctor Wilson was married June 3, 1896, 
to Miss Blanche Starkey, a daughter of 
George L. and Agusta C. Starkey of 
Washington, D. C. She was but two years 
old when her father died as the result of 
wounds received during the Civil War. 
Two children were born to them : Myrtle 
Katherine, and Doas Starkey. Frater- 
nally, the Doctor is a thirty-second degree 
Mason; belongs to the Mystic Shrine ; the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and 
the Knights of Pythias. Politically, he is 
a Democrat. 

GEORGE A. BRUNERMER, who has 

ninety acres of his valuable farm of 103 
acres, situated in Connoquenessing Town- 
ship, under careful cultivation, is not only 
a successful agriculturist but also an ex- 
perienced oil man. He was born in Con- 
noquenessing Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, October 3, 1853, and is a son 
of Henry and Jane (Graham) Brunermer. 
The grandfather, Frederick Brunermer, 
was born, reared and married in Germany, 
and when he first emigrated he settled 
with his wife and two children, in Canada, 
where he continued to live until after the 
birth of two more children, when he moved 
to Butler County, Pennsylvania. Henry 
Brunermer, father of George A., was born 
in 1825, in Forward Township, Butler 
County, and died November 23, 1896, in 



858 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



his sixty-ninth year. When eighteen years 
old he went to Canada and there learned 
the carpenter and millwright trades and 
when twenty-one he returned to Butler 
County and spent the remainder of his life 
in this section. He was engaged in a con- 
tracting business for many years in part- 
nership with Harrison Dyke, under the 
firm name of Dyke & Brunermer. In 1865 
he bought a farm in Connoquenessing 
Townshi)), of which his son George A. be- 
came manager. In ])olitics a Bepul)lican. 
Mr. Brunermer was elected by his party 
to a number of local offices and filled them 
honestly and satisfactorily. He married 
a daughter of Alexander Graham and they 
had nine children born to them, namely: 
George A. ; Elizabeth, who married Hanse 
Anderson, of New Castle; Ada, residing 
at New Castle, the widow of Eev. Samuel 
Krohn; Laura and Anna, both residents 
of New Castle; Daniel Graham, who lives 
in Connoquenessing Township ; Agnes, who 
married Howard Oaks, of Butler Town- 
ship; Blanche, who married Orie Hayes, 
residing in Connoquenessing Township; 
and Etta, who married Philip Carothers, 
of Youngstown. The parents were worthy 
members of the White Oak Springs United 
Presbyterian Church, in which the father 
was an elder for many years. 

After he completed his period of school 
attendance, George A. Brunermer became 
a driller in the oil fields and in pursuing 
that occupation, he visited the oil sections 
in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, then 
went to Allentown, New York, where he 
drilled for ten years and for four years 
was engaged at Little Washington". In 
1893 he came back to Connoquenessing 
Township and secured leases of oil land 
and worked as driller and driver, but since 
1899, when he purchased his present farm, 
he has been mainly interested in farming 
and stockraising. In addition to growing 
corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes, he has 
an annual bountiful yield of apples. He 



has two producing oil wells on his own 
land. 

Mr. Brunermer married Miss Cora Jes- 
sie Collins, a daughter of George Collins, 
of Jamestown, Pennsylvania, and they 
have three children: Ella J., wife of 
Joseph Anderson, of Butler ; Hazel Euth, 
and Henry Clare. He is a member of the 
White Oak Springs United Presbyterian 
Church, of which he has been an elder for 
some years and has also served in the office 
of Sunday-school superintendent. In poli- 
tics he is a Eepublican. 

JOHN E. McNAMAEA, a representa- 
tive citizen and prosperous agriculturist 
of Parker Township, residing on his very 
valuable farm of 180 acres, is also a 
veteran of the Civil W^ar and has served 
as commander of Campbell Post, No. 107, 
Grand Army of the Eepublic, at Petrolia. 
He was born in County Cork, Ireland, May 
24, 1844, and is a son of Matthew and 
Mary (Eyan) McNamara. 

The parents of Mr. McNamara were 
natives of Ireland. When he was five 
years old, death deprived him of his 
mother, and shortly afterward his father 
emigrated to America, settling first at 
Brady's Bend, in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, but later coming to the 
present farm in Parker Township, Butler 
County. Here John E. McNamara grew 
to manhood and after he completed his 
school attendance, he engaged in teaching 
school for a short time, after which he 
became a soldier in the Federal ^"my. He 
enlisted, in September, 1864, in Com- 
pany I, Eighty-eighth Eegiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry, which became a 
part of the Army of the Potomac, in Gen- 
eral Hancock's Corps, under General 
Grant. Mr. McNamara saw much hard 
service, taking part in the battle at 
Hatcher's Eun, the long series of engage- 
ments in front of Petersburg, the battle 
of Weldon Eailroad, and the vigorous 











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AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



861 



campaign which was closed by the sur- 
render of General Lee, at Appomattox, 
He was honorably discharged in June, 
1865, when he returned to Parker Town- 
ship and resumed the quiet occupations 
which had interested him previously. 

Mr. McNamara married Miss Edith 
Forquer, who was born in Washington 
Township, Butler County, and is a daugh- 
ter of the late William Forquer of that 
section. Mr. and Mrs. McNamara have 
the following children: Mary, wife of 
F. C. Campbell, who has one son, John M. ; 
Elizabeth, who married Samuel Harmon, 
of Armstrong County, Penna., October 7, 
1898; Margaret; John C, division super- 
intendent for the Oil Well Supply Com- 
pany located at Steubenville, Ohio ; Anna, 
bookkeeper for the Clay Pool Lumber 
Comi^any at Kittanning, Armstrong- 
County, Penna.; Agnes and Estella, who 
were both pupils at the State Normal 
School at Slippery Rock and are now 
teaching school in Allegheny County, 
Penna. ; Matilda, who died at the age of 
seventeen years and who was to graduate 
the year of her death from the State Nor- 
mal School at Slippery Rock; Irene and 
Josephine. The family belong to the 
Roman Catholic Church. Mr. McNamara 
is serving in the office of school director 
and has also been township auditor and 
road supervisor. Nominally he is a Demo- 
crat, but he reserves the right to vote in- 
dependently when liis judginent so dic- 
tates. 

JOHN F. MUREIN, stock dealer, resid- 
ing at No. 320 West Cunningham Street, 
Butler, was born in Marion Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1849, 
and is a son of Hugh and Jane (Grormley) 
Murrin. 

The late Hugh Murrin was one of But- 
ler County's well known men. He was 
born in Venango Township and was a son 
of John Murrin, who came from Hunting- 
ton County to Butler County and secured 



land from the Grovernment in Venango 
Township, in 1798. After an active and 
useful life, which caused his memory to be 
commemorated in the naming of the vil- 
lage of Murrinsville, he- died in 186.3. 
Hugh Murrin was born in 1817 and died 
in September, 1885. He was a large 
farmer and for many years conducted a 
hotel. He married Jane Gormley, who 
was born in Ireland. 

John F. Murrin was reared on his 
father's farm and obtained his education 
in the public schools of Marion Township. 
His main interests have been connected 
with the livestock business for many years 
and he has dealt very extensively, buying 
and shipping fat stock to eastern markets. 
In 1904 he removed from the farm and 
established his home at Butler but still 
continues in the same line of business, in 
which his years of experience have made 
him an expert. He owns a number of 
houses and lots in this city and is more 
or less interested in city realty. 

In 1889 Mr. Murrin was married to Miss 
Saretta Seaton, who was born and reared 
in Marion Township. Mr. and Mrs. Mur- 
rin are members of St. Paul's Roman 
Catholic Church at Butler. 

GEORGE W. HINES, a well known and 
highly respected farmer of Slippery Rock 
Township and owner of about 228 acres 
of farm land, has been a life-long resident 
of Slippery Rock Township. He was born 
on his present farm May 13, 1855, and is 
a son of William and Margaret (Robison) 
Hines and a grandson of Richard Hines, 
one of the early settlers of Butler County. 

Richard Hines, grandfather of our sub- 
ject, was born in Ireland and came to this 
country about the time the Revolutionary 
War began. He gave his services to the 
country and in return received a tract of 
500 acres in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
the greater part of it lying in Brady Town- 
ship. After the close of the war he en- 
gaged in farming on this land until the 



862 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



time of his death. He married Elizabeth 
Brandon. On this farm, William Hines, 
father of our subject, was born and reared 
to manhood and later engaged for many- 
years in agricultural pursuits. He mar- 
ried Margaret Eobison, a daughter of 
James Eobison and a native of Slippery 
Rock Township. To them were born the 
following children: William Perry, a 
resident of West Liberty, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania; Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Mar- 
tin) ; James M. ; Susanna (Mrs. Mc- 
Camant), deceased; Margaret J. (Mrs. 
Hay); George W., our subject; Robert C; 
Rebecca E. (Mrs. McDeavitt) ; Sarah M. 
(Mrs. Castor) ; and John A., deceased. 
William Hines died on the homestead 
farm March 30, 1878, and his widow sur- 
vived him imtil November 9, 1895. 

George W. Hines was reared on his 
present farm and has always made farm- 
ing his occupation. In connection with 
his farming interests, however, he has for 
a number of years been engaged in the 
saw-mill business, having for some time 
been associated with Al Hay and John 
Ralston. He is still engaged in the same 
business, his present partners being John 
H. McDeavitt, Joseph Boyd and William 
McDeavitt. Mr. Hines resides on 100 
acres of the old homestead farm, lying 
partly in West Liberty Borough, and re- 
cently purchased a tract of 128 acres, 
known as the William B. Cooper farm, in 
Slippery Rock Township about one mile 
west of the borough of Slippery Rock. 

Mr. Hines was first united in marriage 
with Sarah E. Cooper, and to them were 
born six children, but three of whom are 
living, namely: Clyde F., a surveyor; 
John H. ; and William P. Those deceased 
are Celetta, Robert, and Alvin. After the 
death of Mrs. Sarah Hines Mr. Hines mar- 
ried Myrtle M. Taylor, who was born and 
reared in Worth Township and is a daugh- 
ter of William E. and Adeline A. Taylor. 
Her father was a surveyor and died in 
1894. He is still survived by his widow. 



To Mr. and Mrs. Hines have been born 
three children, as follows: George S., 
Margaret A., and Everett C. 

FRANK S. and JOSEPH L. BECK, 
farmers and oil operators of Clearfield 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
have a fine farm of 100 acres located about 
two miles and one-half east of Herman. 
They are sons of Adam Joseph and Bar- 
bara (Saner) Beck, and grandsons of 
George Frank Beck. 

George Frank Beck was born in Ba- 
varia, Germany, and upon coming to the 
United States settled on a farm of thirty 
acres in Clearfield Township, Butler 
County, this being the nucleus of the farm 
now owned by his grandsons. 

His son, Adam Joseph Beck, was born 
September 12, 1841, and engaged in farm- 
ing throughout his active career. He took 
charge of the home farm after his father's 
death, and by persevering and good man- 
aging was able to add to the place. His 
first additional purchase was that of an 
adjoining tract of forty-one acres, and 
shortly prior to his death he bought an- 
other piece of land consisting of thirty-one 
acres, making the total a little more than 
100 acres. He was a man of the highest 
honor and integrity, and enjoyed the con- 
fidence and good will of his fellow citizens. 
He served the township two terms as su- 
pervisor. His death occurred on Decem- 
ber 8, 1906, and he was buried in the ceme- 
tery at Herman. He was a devout Chris- 
tian and a faithful member of the Catholic 
church. Mr. Beck was united in marriage 
with Miss Barbara Saner, who was born in 
Pittsburg and is of German parentage. 
She lived in Pittsburg until her marriage, 
since which time she has lived on the old 
Beck homestead in Clearfield township. 

Frank S. Beck was born on the home 
place June 3, 1887, and Joseph Lewis Beck 
was born on the same place, May 14, 1889. 
They were reared here and attended the 
local schools, and after the death of their. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



863 



father assumed the mauagement of the 
farm, becoming undoubtedly the youngest 
farmers in the township. Reared to work 
and of ambitious natures,, their chief de- 
sire is to furnish their mother a home and 
peace and comfort. Joseph L. looks after 
the farming interests chiefly, and Frank S. 
devotes his attention to the oil interests. 
They are producing about three barrels of 
oil per day and contemplate drilling in the 
near future. They follow general farming 
and raise some stock. They have but re- 
cently fixed up the house which has 
adorned the place so many years, and now 
have a very comfortable home. Relig- 
iously, both are members of the Catholic 
church. 

JOHN F. LOWRY, capitalist, a retired 
citizen of Butler, who owns much property 
here and for many years was a very active 
business man, was born in this city on 
October 12, 1850, and is a son of Alexander 
Lowry, one of the pioneers of the county. 

John F. Lowry completed his education 
in Witherspoon Institute and for several 
years after conducted a livery stable and 
after that he succeeded his father as pro- 
prietor of the Lowry House, one of the old 
hostelries of the city. He conducted this 
public house for several years and after 
disposing of it ran a livery stable again, 
for six years, and then became interested 
in real estate. His time is occupied in 
looking after his large interests in this 
line. He owns a tract in the borough lim- 
its which he has platted under the name 
of Hilldale. He is a stockholder in vari- 
ous prospering enterprises and has always 
been considered a man of much business 
foresight. Politically, he is a Republican 
and he served during nine years as a mem- 
ber of the Butler coimcil and during that 
period the larger number of the streets 
were paved, his influence ever being ex- 
erted in the direction of permanent public 
improvements. 

On Julv 19, 1877, Mr. Lowry was mar- 



ried to Miss Martha Belle Thompson, of 
Pittsburg, who died December 4, 1903. 
Three sons survive — Gardner C, Robert 
S. and Walter Thoinpson. The eldest son, 
Gardner C, is a graduate of Grove City 
College, and is connected with the Butler 
Savings & Trust Company. Robert S. is 
a practicing physician at Ellwood City, 
Pennsylvania. He attended Lehigh Uni- 
versity two years, spent three years at 
Jefferson Medical College, and was grad- 
uated from the Medico-Chirurgical College 
of Philadelphia. The youngest son, Wal- 
ter Thompson, is a graduate of Grove City 
College and is a student in the medical 
department of the University of Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Mr. Lowry is a member of the First 
Presbyterian Church at Butler. Frater- 
nally he is identified with the Masons and 
Odd Fellows. 

PETER McCOLLOUGH, one of But- 
ler County's prominent and substantial 
citizens, who is engaged in oil production 
and insurance, at Chicora, retains posses- 
sion of his valuable farm of 116 acres, in 
Fairview Township, on which he re- 
sided until 1896. He was born in Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
April 10, 1835, and is a son of William and 
Elizabeth (Rumbaugh) McCoUough. 

The McCoUough family was established 
in Butler County at a very early day by 
Captain John McCoUough, a native of 
Virginia, who gained his title through 
service in the War of 1812. He was fhe 
grandfather of Peter McCoUough and the 
father of William McCoUough. The lat- 
ter was born and spent his "entire life in 
Fairview Township, Butler County. He 
married Elizabeth Rumbaugh, who was 
born in Armstrong County, and they had 
ten children, namely: Polly, Phebe, Sarah, 
Elizabeth, John, David, Henry, Peter, Wil- 
liam and Samuel, the survivors being 
David, Peter and Samuel. The parents of 
this family were most worthy people and 



864 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



through their long and useful lives were 
beloved and respected. 

Peter McCollough went to school with 
his brothers and sisters, in Fairview 
Township, and until he was twenty years 
old assisted his father on the home farm 
and, after his marriage, in 1856, took pos- 
session of it. He continued to operate the 
farm, growing grain and raising stock, and 
also developed oil on his land, there being 
three producing wells on the property at 
the present time. In 1898 he purchased 
property at Chicora and moved to the 
town in the same year. He is one of the 
most active business men of the place and 
aside from his own affairs, lends his in- 
fluence to all public-spirited measures 
which promise to benefit the whole com- 
munity. 

In 1856 Mr. McCollough was married 
(first) to Miss Anna Daubenspeck, a 
daughter of Jacob and Catherine Dauben- 
speck, of Washington Township. Mrs. Mc- 
Cul lough died March 11, 1897, having been 
the mother of eight children, namely: 
Catherine, who was born August 8, 1857, 
and died February 23, 1861; Emma, who 
was born October 30, 1858, mai-ried Ross 
McDermott, and they reside at Butler; 
Henry C, who was born November 7, 1860, 
married Mary Miller and they live at But- 
ler and have one child; Newton C, who 
was born December 28, 1863, married Mil- 
lie Sherman and they live at Butler and 
have one son; Euphemia, who was born 
August 6, 1865, married John Steindorf 
and they live in California and have two 
children; Clara M., who was born Novem- 
ber 6, 1869, married Finley Milford and 
they live at Foxburg and have three chil- 
dren; Jacob W., who was born October 5, 
1872, married'Glara Craig and they live in 
East Butler and have three children; and 
Jessie 0., who was born June 4, 1879, mar- 
ried George Glenn and they live in Michi- 
gan and have two children. Mr. McCol- 
lough was married (second) June 6, 1900, 
to Miss Martha Emery, of Washington 



Township, Butler County, where she was 
born October 4, 1858. Their infant son, 
born May 3, 1901, died on the same day. 
Mr. McCollough is a leading member of 
the English Lutheran Church at Chicora. 
He belongs to the Order of Knights of 
Pythias. For many years Mr. McCollough 
has shown his interest in educational ad- 
vancement in this part of the county by 
serving as treasurer of the School Board 
and as school director. He is a good citi- 
zen but is no seeker for office and when 
elected road supervisor, declined to serve. 

ALEXANDER TAYLOR, a venerated 
and highly respected citizen of Allegheny 
Township, Butler County, Penna., has 
been a resident of the township for more 
than a quarter of a century and has been 
engaged in farming and the production of 
oil. He has a half interest in a tract of 
108 acres, most of which is under cultiva- 
tion, and takes rank among the substantial 
and progressive men of the community. 
He was born in Coimty Down, Ireland, 
January 27, 1836, and is a son of James 
and Nancy (McMurray) Taylor, both na- 
tives of that country. 

Alexander Taylor was reared to man's 
estate in Ireland, and there received a 
common school education. He turned his 
attention to agricultural i^ursuits in his 
boyhood days and continued at that occu- 
pation in his native land until 1857. He 
then went to Liverpool, from whence he 
took passage in a sailing vessel for New 
York City. He landed on June 12th, after 
a voyage of one month, and immediately 
thereafter made his way to Beaver 
County, Pennsylvania. He "farmed in that 
coimty several years, then was located for 
a time at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In 
1866 he located at Parker's Landing, and 
shortly after came on to Allegheny Town- 
ship, Butler County, where he has since 
continued with uninterrupted success. 

February 6, 1862, Mr. Taylor was united 
in marriage with Miss Eliza Gorman, who 




A. C. RICHARDS 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



867 



was boru in County Down, Ireland, and 
was a daughter of James H. Gorman. Of 
ten children born of their union, five sur- 
vive, as follows: James A. of Allegheny 
Township; John H. of Parker's Landing; 
Jennie D. of Baltimore, Maryland; Will- 
iam, of Pittsburg; and Samuel M., who 
also lives in Allegheny Township. Mrs. 
Taylor was called to her final rest, De- 
cember 23, 1905. She was a woman of the 
highest Christian type, was a member of 
the Episcopal chui'ch, and her death was 
sadly mourned by her family and the many 
friends in the community, with whom she 
had been so long acquainted. Mr. Taylor 
also is a member of the Episcopal Church. 
He is a Republican in politics, and evinces 
an intelligent interest in matters of im- 
portance to the community. 

A. C. RICHARDS, of the firm of 
Goehring & Richards, wholesale dealers in 
fruits and produce, with business quarters 
at No. 333 East Main Street, Butler, is 
one of the city's enterprising young busi- 
ness men. He was born in Iowa, Septem- 
ber 19, 1877. 

Mr. Richards was small when his par- 
ents removed from Iowa to Kansas, his 
father taking charge of a ranch near 
Silver Lake, and later removing to Topeka, 
Kansas, where the child grew into a youth 
of sixteen years. Wliile in Topeka Mr. 
Richards' father died. He then came to 
Butler, with his stepfather and mother, 
where he completed his education, after 
which he entered the employ of the Street 
Railroad Company. In 1902 he went to 
work for his present partner, Mr. Goehr- 
ing, and in February, 1906, was admitted 
a member of the firm, at which time the 
present style was adopted. This business 
is the only one of its kind at Butler, and, 
covering the whole field, is constantly 
gaining in volume and importance. The 
firm does an entirely wholesale trade and 
handles and ships all kinds of produce 
and fruit. Mr. Richards has additional 



interests and is a stockholder in the But- 
ler Fair Association. 

In January, 1902, Mr. Richards was 
married to Miss Frederica W. Leidecker, 
who is a daughter of F. W. Leidecker, a 
prominent oil producer of Butler. They 
have two charming little children, Freder- 
ick Lewis and Lucille May. In politics, he 
is identified with the Republican party. 

ABRAM AVESTLEY MOYER, junior 
member of the well Imown firm of Silter, 
Swain & Moyer, operating one of the 
largest general stores of Harmony, Butler 
County, was born October 8, 1870, in Lan- 
caster Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Samuel A. and Liz- 
zie (Measel) Moyei'. 

Samuel Moyer, a native of Butler 
County, and now a resident of Harmony, 
followed farming as an occupation during 
his years of business activity. He mar- 
ried Lizzie Measel, also a native of Butler 
Coimt.y, who is still living at the age of 
fifty-nine years. They are the parents of 
two children — Martha, the wife of John 
Erb of Harmony, and Abram W., the sub- 
ject of this sketch. The paternal grand- 
parents of our subjects were Abram and 
Martha Moyer, who for many years re- 
. sided in Lancaster Township and died in 
Butler, Pennsylvania. Michael and Sophia 
Measel, the maternal grandparents of sub- 
ject, were natives of Germany, who came 
to this country and located in Lancaster 
Township, Butler County, Penna., where 
they both died. 

Abram W. Moyer was reared in Lan- 
caster Township, where he attended the 
common schools, after which he attended 
the schools of Zelienople until nineteen 
years of age, when he accepted a situation 
as clerk in the general store of G. D. 
Swain of Harmony. After remaining in 
the employ of Mr. Swain for a period of 
four years, he carried mail to Prospect for 
the following three years. In February, 
1904, he became a member of the firm and 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



has now been associated with the firm for 
a period of fifteen years, the business hav- 
ing been established thirty-five years ago, 
now carrying a stock worth $15,000. It is 
one of the largest stores of its kind in 
Harmony and during the busy season sev- 
eral extra assistants are required to meet 
the demands which the extensive patron- 
age of the firm commands. 

In 1897 Mr. Moyer was imited in mar- 
riage with Pina Foster, a daughter of A. 
H. and Hattie Foster of Mazon, Illinois. 

Mr. Moyer is a Democrat in politics and 
has served as a member of the town Coun- 
cil. He is fraternally affiliated with the 
Knights of Pythias, the I. 0. 0. F. and the 
Royal Arcanum Local Lodge. Mr. and 
Mrs. Moyer are members of the Grace Re- 
formed Church of Harmony. 

J. ANDREW EHMER, oil producer, 
who has resided at Butler for some thir- 
teen years, is a representative citizen of 
the place and has long been identified with 
many of its interests. He was born in 
Summit Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1868 and has always made his 
home in his native county. Andrew Eh- 
mer, the father of J. Andrew, was born in 
Germany and he settled in Butler County, 
where he carried on farming until his 
death, which took place July 12, 1886. 

J. Andrew Ehmer was reared in 
Summit Township and during boyhood 
attended the little brick schoolhouse stand- 
ing not far from his father's farm. His 
first independent business was groceries 
and general merchandising apd for thir- 
teen years he conducted a store at Butler, 
at 240 Second street, at the end of that 
time selling out on account of failing 
health, retiring in March, 1908. For some 
years he has been interested in oil produc- 
tion and occupies himself with looking 
after these interests. He has always been 
counted a good citizen, his influence ever 
having been exerted in the direction of 
good government, but he is no politician. 



On April 14, 1896, Mr. Ehmer was mar- 
ried to Miss Louise Fisher, a daughter of 
George Fisher, of Jefferson Township, 
Butler County, and they have two children, 
Harry and Pearl. Mr. and Mrs. Ehmer 
are members of the German Lutheran 
Church. 

FRED PEFFER, one of Evans City's 
most successful business men, has con- 
ducted a store for the sale of pianos and 
organs in that village for almost a quarter 
of a century. He was born on the old home 
farm in Lancaster Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1862, 
and is a son of William F. and Sarah 
(Heberling) Peffer. 

William F. Peffer was born in Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania, and when a young 
man accompanied his parents to Butler 
County. His father, Jacob F. Peffer, set- 
tled first near Harmony, then moved to 
Lancaster Township, where he resided at 
his death. AVilliam F. Peft'er has always 
engaged in farming and is now living with 
his wife on the old home place in Lancas- 
ter Township. They are parents of four 
children : William Fred, whose name heads 
this sketch; John A.; Mary A., wife of 
David A. Wright ; and Paul H. 

William Fred Peffer was reared on the 
old home place and obtained an intellec- 
tual training in the district schools there, 
and in the schools of Harmony. He 
worked on the farm until he was twenty 
years old, then traveled through the coun- 
try selling and repairing organs. About 
the year 1886, he opened his store for the 
sale of pianos and organs in Evans City 
and has since conducted a thriving busi- 
ness. 

In October, 1887, Mr. Peffer was united 
in marriage with Miss Clara Stoner, a 
daughter of James Stoner, and they have 
three children, Elizabeth, Sarah, and 
Pauline. Fraternally, he is a member of 
Evans City Lodge, No. 817, I. 0. 0. F., of 
which he was secretary a number of years; 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



869 



and of the Encampment, I. 0. 0. F. Re- 
ligiously, be and his wife are members of 
the Presbyterian church, of which he is an 
elder. In political affiliation, he is a Re- 
publican. 

JAMES LOYAL CHRISTIE, M. D., a 
leading physician at Connequenessing, 
where he also conducts a drug store, has 
been a resident of this borox;gh for more 
than thirty years and is closely identified 
with its various interests. He was born 
April 19, 1852, in Concord Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
William A. and Sarah Jane (McJunkin) 
Christie. 

The Christie family is of Scotch-Irish 
descent and probably the grandfather, 
John Christie, was born in Scotland and 
cfime to Westmoreland County in his youth 
and later became a pioneer in Butler 
County. He served in the War of 1812. 
He married Margaret McLane, who was 
born in the north of Ireland. The grand- 
father died in 1859 and Dr. Christie pi-izes 
very highly a gun that his grandsire car- 
ried in the army. 

William A. Christie, father of Dr. Chris- 
tie, was born January 13, 1823, in Concord 
Township and died at Unionville, June 6. 
1905. He followed farming in Concord 
Township until 1859, when he moved to 
Center Township and lived there during 
the remainder of bis life. At various times 
he held responsible positions in county and 
township, serving five terms as justice of 
the peace in Center Township and for 
three years as county commissioner in 
Butler County. He was a man of sterling 
integrity and for over thirty years was an 
elder in the Muddy Creek Presbyterian 
Church. He married a daughter of James 
McJunkin, of Clay Township, and four of 
their six children grew to maturity : James 
Loyal; Lina, who is the wife of Dr. A. 
Hollman of Unionville; William M., of 
Medford, Oklahoma; and Harry C, of 
Kansas. City, Missouri. 



Dr. Christie attended the common 
schools in Center Township, later Wither- 
spoon Institute, at Butler and then Grove 
City Academy, the latter being the nucleus 
of the present Grove City College. He 
then entered upon the study of medicine 
and pursued his reading under the direc- 
tion of Dr. A. M. Neyman, of Butler, and 
from his preceptorship went to the West- 
ern Reserve Medical College at Cleveland, 
Ohio, and was graduated in the spring of 
1877, at the Miami Medical College at Cin- 
cinnati. He found an opening for practice 
at Connoquenessing and has never discov- 
ered any reason for separating himself 
from the good people of this place. Dr. 
Christie is probably as well known in this 
section as any resident, having profes- 
sional relations with the majority and tak- 
ing so active an interest in the life of the 
place that it could not be otherwise. In 
1888 he opened a drug store, where he 
makes up prescriptions, thus being confi- 
dent as to the quality of his drugs, and in 
addition to carrying the stock usually 
found in first-class establishments of this 
kind, also handles paints. In his political 
views he is a Republican, has served as 
auditor and for twelve years was a mem- 
ber of the School Board. He is vice presi- 
dent of the Connoquenessing Telephone 
Company, of which he was one of the or- 
ganizers, the other officers being: Greer 
McCandless, president, and J. C. Brandon, 
secretary. 

Dr. Christie was married (first) to Sa- 
rah Richardson, a daughter of William 
and Eliza Richardson. She died January 
1, 1888, aged thirty-two years. She had 
been a devoted member of the United 
Presbyterian Church all her life. Two 
sons survived her: Frank and Karl. The 
former graduated from Westminster Col- 
lege in 1906 and resides at Butler. The 
latter was graduated in the same year 
from Reno College and lives in Pittsburg. 
Dr. Christie was married (second) to Miss 
Tyne Jamison, who is a daughter of Rev. 



870 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



William Jamison, and they have two chil- 
dren, Ealph and Mildred. Dr. Christie's 
four children have been afforded excellent 
educational advantages and all have been 
students in the Butler High School. He 
is a member of the White Oak United 
Presbyterian Church, of which he has been 
a trustee since 1881. He is identified with 
a number of medical organizations, includ- 
ing the county and State societies and the 
American Medical Association. 

BAENEY STEIGHNEE is a well known 
oil operator of Herman, Summit Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and has 
been a resident of the county since his 
early boyhood. He was born in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1850, and is a son 
of Christopher and Mary (Schree) Steigh- 
ner. His father was a very prominent 
farmer, the facts concerning him and other 
members of the family being given in 
greater detail on another page of this vol- 
ume. He and his wife were parents of the 
following children : Joseph, John, Barney 
(whose name heads this sketch), Christ, 
I5arhara, Catherine, Lena, and Mary. 

Barney Steighner was a small boy when 
brought to Butler County, and he here re- 
ceived his intellectual training in the pub- 
lic schools. He followed farming many 
years, but more recently he has devoted 
his energy to the oil fields, and has at- 
tained much success as an operator. He 
and his family reside in a handsome and 
commodious house at Herman. 

The subject of this sketch was joined in 
marriage with Miss Elizabeth Gallagher, 
a daughter of John and Catherine (Bleich- 
ner) Gallagher, her father being a promi- 
nent farmer of the county. The following 
were the issue of this union : Edward, who 
married Margaret Knauer and has nine 
children — Harry, Clarence (deceased), 
Dora, Elmerine, Eaymond, Alvin, Ealph, 
Edward, and Pearl; Agnes, deceased; 
Felix, Christ H., William A., and Lillian, 



wife of Walter Howard, a well known oil 
man of Butler County, by whom she has 
two children, Ardelle and Eegis. Eelig- 
iously, they are consistent members of the 
Catholic church at Herman. 

CALVIN C. COCHEANE, one of But- 
ler's prominent citizens, who for years has 
been identified with the oil industry, has 
resided in his beautiful residence at No. 
634 Fairview Avenue, Butjer, since Octo- 
ber, 1889. He was born near Kittanning, 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in 1849. 

Mr. Cochrane remained in his native 
place until he was sixteen years old, secur- 
ing a good public school education that 
made him available as a clerk in his 
brother's- store, at Macomb, Ulinois; but 
after one year he returned to Kittanning 
and from there went into the oil fields. His 
connection has never ceased and he is now 
interested in a pipe line business. For 
thirty years he has been connected with 
the National Transit Company. He is 
well known all over the oil territory and 
his years of experience in almost every 
Pennsylvania field makes him an authority 
in all that concerns it. 

In 1883, Mr. Cochrane was married to 
Miss Mary I. Thompson, of Parker, Penn- 
sylvania, and they had one child. May, 
whom they lost when at the engaging age 
of four years. Mr. Cochrane is a member 
of the Eoyal Arcamnn. 

PHILIP DAUBENSPECK, one of But- 
ler's most esteemed citizens, whose gener- 
ous benefactions to schools, churches and 
charities have made his name revered for 
many years past, is a worthy representa- 
tive of one of the oldest and most honor- 
able pioneer families of Butler County. 
Philip Daubenspeck was born August 28, 
1829, in Parker Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of George and 
Elizabeth (Barnhart) Daubenspeck. 

The father of Mr. Daubenspeck was 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



873 



born in Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and at a very early period of his 
life came to Butler County as it now is 
and secured a farm in Parker Township, 
which was then but an uncleared wilder- 
ness. He married Elizabeth Barnhart, 
who belonged to another old family of the 
county, and they reared a family of seven 
sons and three daughters, namely : Daniel, 
Philip, David, Abraham, William, George 
F., Jacob, Lavina, Susan and Mary. 
Daniel and William both died while serv- 
ing as soldiers in the Civil War. David 
died in 1907. Lavina was accidentally 
killed in a railroad accident. George 
Daubenspeck lived to see his pioneer farm 
cleared, cultivated and improved. For 
many years he was a man of importance 
in his section and his descendants have 
been worthy representatives. 

Philip Daubenspeck attended the dis- 
trict schools in boyhood and assisted his 
father in taking care of the farm until he 
entered the coal mines, where he worked 
for a time, but later returned to farming. 
He continued to reside in Parker Town- 
ship imtil 1882, when he and wife moved 
to Butler and took possession of their 
comfortable home at No. 330 Center Ave- 
nue. On September 25, 1851, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Nancy Scott, who was born 
in Ireland and is a daughter of James 
Scott. They are members of the Second 
Reformed Church. 

Since coming to Butler, Mr. Dauben- 
speck has interested himself in handling 
real estate, but there are those of his 
fellow citizens who seem to think that his 
chief occupation is in his liberal dispensa- 
tion of charity, his generosity to the pub- 
lic including rich gifts to church, college 
and hospitals, while his benefactions to 
the poor will never be fully known, for his 
giving has been done too unostentatiously. 
He justly deserves the name of philan- 
thropist and the affectionate and respect- 
ful regard which he has inspired in his 
fellow citizens. 



DALLAS M. YOUNG, of the prominent 
clothing firm of Green & Yoimg, at Butler, 
is one of the city's most enterprising and 
progressive young business men. He was 
born December 23, 1880, near Sunbury, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Thomas B. Young, who is one of the 
most prominent oil operators in this sec- 
tion. 

Dallas M. Young was educated in the 
local schools. Grove City College, the Slip- 
pery Rock State Normal School, and com- 
pleted his studies, with a view of entering 
into business, at the Butler Commercial 
College. For two years he was identified 
with the oil industry, after which he turned 
his attention to mercantile life and on 
August 1, 1901, in association with Paul E. 
Green, bought out the clothing firm of 
T. H. Burton, at Butler, establishing the 
firm of Green & Young. Energy and en- 
terprise, together with ample capital, soon 
advanced this firm to the front rank among 
Butler's representative business houses. 
The firm owns two valuable properties on 
Main Street, Butler, and each partner has 
farming interests in the county. 

In December, 1903, Mr. Young was mar- 
ried to Miss Anna Katherine Leidecker, 
who is a daughter of Henry Leidecker, a 
prominent oil producer of Butler County. 
Mr. and Mrs. Young are members of the 
Second Presbyterian Church at Butler. 
He is affiliated with both the Masons and 
Odd Fellows. 

CHARLES R. GOEHRING, owner of a 
farm of ninety acres in Forward Town- 
ship, located on the traction line about 
twelve miles southwest of Butler, comes 
of an old and respected family of the 
county. He was born on his present farm 
May 19, 1872, and is a son of William and 
Sarah (Rape) Goehring. 

William Goehring was born near Zelie- 
nople, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, his 
father being one of the pioneers of that 
vicinity. He remained on the home place 



874 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



until liis marriage, then purchased a farm 
on Muddy Creek, on which he lived until 
he bought the farm in Forward Township, 
on which Charles E. Goehring now lives. 
The latter years of his life were spent in 
retirement at Evans City, where he died in 
1901, at the age of seventy-one years. 
Mrs. Goehring, who also was born near 
Zelienople, in Butler County, is now living 
at the old home in Evans City. They had 
the following children: John; Gellard; 
Matilda, wife of Gus Beam; Sarah, wife 
of John Entrest; Soijhia, wife of George 
Milliman; Nettie, wife of C. Murberger; 
Ella, deceased wife of Martin Spithaler; 
Christina, wife of Henry Liitz; Susan, 
wife of W. A. Lutz; Charles Eaymond; 
and Abigail, wife of Henry Knauff. 

Charles Eaymond Goehring was reared 
and has always lived on the farm where 
he now resides. He received his educa- 
tional training in the public schools and 
early turned his attention to agricultural 
pursuits. He assumed charge of the home 
place the year prior to his marriage, and 
although most of the buildings were previ- 
ously erected he has made numerous im- 
portant improvements and kept the land 
imder a high state of cultivation. Oil was 
developed on the property in 1888, and 
there are now six paying wells on it. He 
follows general farming, and is a pro- 
gressive and successful business man. 

September 15, 1898, Mr. Goehring was 
united in marriage with Miss Amelia 
Gross, a daughter of William Gross, and 
they have two children, Frances May, and 
Twila Alberta. Eeligiously, they are mem- 
bers of the Eeformed Church. In political 
affiliation, Mr. Goehring is a Eepublican 
and takes an active interest in the success 
of that party. 

FEED EYLES, one of the substantial 
business men of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, 
whose large piano and musical instrument 
establishment is located in the First 
National Bank Building on New Castle 



Street, was born August 8, 1865, in Alle- 
gheny, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Emil A. and Barbara 
(Jenny) Eyles. 

Emil A. Eyles was born in Frankfort, 
Germany, and came to this country with 
his parents in young manhood, settling in 
Allegheny where for eighteen years he was 
connected with Hartley Brothers, tanners 
and belt manufacturers of Pittsburg. 
From Pittsburg he removed to East Pales- 
tine, where the remainder of his life was 
spent, and where for some years he served 
as postmaster. He served as a member of 
the Forty-fourth Eegiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, and it was from the 
elTects of a biiUet wound, received at the 
battle of Lookout Mountain, that he died 
in 1888. His wife, who was born in 
Switzerland, came to the United States 
when six years old with her father, 
Baltzaher Jenny, who was one of the early 
restaurant keepers of Allegheny. Her 
death occurred in 1904, in Allegheny. All 
of the six children of Emil A. and Bar- 
bara Eyles are still living, namely: Ed- 
ward, who for eighteen years has been 
connected with the Adams Express Com- 
pany, at Allegheny, and married Emma 
Waiil; Albert, also with the Adams Ex- 
press Company, married a Miss Weaver; 
Julius, who is connected with the Pittsburg 
Printing Company, and for many years 
with the Gazette and Despatch, married 
Mrs. Eebecca Kohler ; Fred ; Susan mar- 
ried John Coyne, a conductor on the Pitts- 
burg & Lake Erie Eailroad, and resides 
at McKees Eocks; and Amelia, the wife 
of Dan Eollins, who is connected with a 
hide and leather firm of Pittsburg as head 
bookkeeper, lives in a suburb of Pittsburg. 

Fred Eyles attended the public schools 
of the Third Ward, Allegheny, as well as 
the High School, which he left at the age 
of seventeen years to engage in his present 
business. He played at the old Allegheny 
Exposition, became a teacher of music, and 
for a number of years acted as agent for 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



875 



Lechner & Schoenberger of Pittsburg. 
For the past six years, Mr. Eyles has been 
engaged in the piano and musical instru- 
ment business in Zelienople, where he has 
built up a large trade. He makes a si^e- 
cialty of Kranich and Richmond pianos. 
Mr. Eyles has devoted his entire business 
life to his present occupation, and he has 
become known as the composer of some 
very fine music. Over forty compositions 
have come from him, and all have been 
exceedingly popular, and enjoyed a large 
sale. 

Mr. Eyles was married to Margaret 
Mendel, a daughter of Henry Mendel, of 
Allegheny, and two children have been 
born to this union: Elmer W., formerly 
assistant foreman at the Iron City Enamel- 
ing Works, who also conducts a moving 
picture theatre ; and Harvey R., a student 
of the Zelienople High school. 

Mr. Eyles 's fraternal connections are 
with the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fel- 
lows, the Modern Woodmen, and the Elks, 
and he is also a member of the Sons of 
Veterans. He is a Republican in politics. 
His religious belief is that of the English 
Lutheran Church. 

0. H. NICHOLAS, one of Butler's active 
and enterprising business men, has been 
a resident of this city for thirty-two years 
and now controls a large transfer and 
transportation business and has interests 
in other enterprises. He was born in Con- 
noquenessing Township, Butler County, 
Peiuisylvania, in May, 1870, and is a son 
of tile late Henry W. Nicholas, who came 
to Butler in 1876". 

0. H. Nicholas obtained his education in 
the public schools and his first money was 
earned when he became the emjiloye of 
the Pennsylvania Railroad and wheeled 
the mail bags from the railway station to 
and from the jiost-office. He proved re- 
liable and later was employed in the car 
inspection department and was given 
charge of the freight and baggage room at 



Butler. He was thus employed until 1902 
when he went into the transfer business 
for himself and has operated with such 
efficiency that he has been given the larger 
amount of city patronage. He has ex- 
cellent accommodations in the way of 
transfer wagons, quite equal to any to be 
found in larger cities. He is a stockholder 
in other enterprises, notably the Butler 
Compressed Air & Vacuum Cleaner Com- 
]3any. 

In August, 1895, Mr. Nicholas was mar- 
ried to Miss Amelia Oesterling, of Butler 
Count}% and they have the following chil- 
dren : Ralph Albert, Orin Henry, Charles 
William, Robert Edgar, four fine sons, and 
a wee daughter, Emily Elizabeth. Mr. 
Nicholas and wife are members of St. 
Paul's Reformed Church of the South 
Side, in which he is a deacon. He is a 
member of the Knights of Maccabee. 

JACOB G. RENICK, one of Center 
Township's most prominent citizens, jus- 
tice of the peace and the owner of 305 
acres of fine farming land which is situ- 
ated on the graded or Sunbury Road, 
about seven miles north of Butler. Mr. 
Renick was born on a farm in Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, seven miles south 
of the city, September 3, 1852, and is a 
sou of William and Caroline (Snyder) 
Renick. 

William Renick and wife were both born 
in Germany but were not married until 
after they came to America. By trade he 
was a blacksmith and when his son Jacob 
G., was one and one-half years old he 
moved to Slippery Rock Township, where 
he operated a blacksmith business for 
many years. He also invested in farming 
land and prospered, so that at the time of 
his death, he owned 1,100 acres. 

After Jacob G. Renick had completed his 
education, which he obtained in the coun- 
try schools and the Iron City College at 
Pittsburg, he went to the oil fields, where 
he found work as a tool dresser and also 



876 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



did some contracting and later becamef a 
lumber contractor. He purchased a port- 
able saw-mill and worked all over Butler 
County for some seven years and then 
turned his attention to farming, settling 
on what was the old Moses Thompson 
farm. He continued his lumber business 
to some degree until within the past sev- 
eral years. With the assistance of his 
sons he carries on extensive farming oper- 
ations and raises some fine stock. 

Mr. Eenick was married (first) to Nar- 
cissa Christy, who left two children at 
death: Clyde and Flossie, the latter of 
whom is the wife of S. J. Wick. Mr. 
Eenick was married (second) to Ada 
Sproull, who is a daughter of Hugh 
Sprouir, a resident of Cherry Township. 
Ten children were born to the second 
union, the eight survivors being Paul, 
Grace, Hugh D., Bertha, Hazel, Beatrice, 
Lillian and Alice. Grace is the wife of 
Oscar Fleeger. Few citizens of Center 
Township are better known than Mr. 
Eenick. He is highly esteemed as a man 
of judgment and probity by his fellow citi- 
zens who have elected him a justice of the 
peace, tax collector and road supervisor. 
On all matters of public interest in the 
township his advice and counsel are sought. 

ADAM ENDEES, who has the distinc- 
tion of being the oldest male resident of 
Zelienople and the oldest also of Harmony, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, bears well 
his weight of eighty-five years and looks 
out on life with that clearness of mental 
vision that comes only through long ex- 
perience and the solving of many of the 
perplexing problems which still face the 
younger generations. He was born Decem- 
ber 26, 1823, near Falseburg, in the 
province of Alsace-Lorraine, and is a son 
of Adam and Christina Endres. 

In 1835 the parents of Mr. Endres de- 
cided to emigrate to the United States and 
they set sail from Havre de Grace on a 
vessel bound for New York, which port 



they safely reached after a voyage of fifty- 
two days, and landed at Castle Garden. 
The objective point was Zelienople, where 
other emigrants known to them had al- 
ready settled. In those days the distance 
between New York and Butler County was 
only covered by a long and tortuous route. 
By steamboat the party went from New 
York to Albany, from there by the Erie 
Canal to Butfalo, and from there again by 
water to Erie, Pennsylvania. At that 
point a wait of nine days had to be en- 
dured before wagons could be secured to 
transport the travelers to Zelienople. In 
the meanwhile, the father was offered a 
tract of 106 acres of land for $700, this 
now being a part of the busiest section 
of the city of Erie, but advantage was not 
taken of that offer, the family thereby los- 
ing a fortune. The father finally selected 
land in Beaver County, about four miles 
from Zelienople and that remained the 
family home until the death of his wife. 
By trade he was a wagonmaker. He was 
a man of excellent business qualifications 
and proved himself a great addition to the 
good citizenship of the section in which he 
settled, doing all in his power to develop 
the neighborhood in which he lived and to 
help those who were less fortunate than 
himself. In 1858, after his mother's death, 
Adam Endres the younger bought 300 
acres of land adjacent to Zelienople and 
moved on it, his father accompanying him. 
The latter died aged sixty-eight years. 
The family consisted of two children: 
Adam and Caroline. The latter married 
Lewis Teets, of Beaver County, where she 
died when aged seventy-six years. She 
was six years younger than her brother. 
Adam Endres was only twelve years old 
when the family reached Zelienople, then 
a small settlement of log cabins. He can 
recall many exciting events of that time 
and one of these would probably have re- 
sulted in the family returning to Germany 
had not the father's money been all in- 
vested in the new home. It was a new 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



877 



experience to the careful, tidy house- 
keeper, his mother, to start to housekeep- 
ing in a log cabin and no doubt the pros- 
pect was very discouraging to her. It was 
also terrifying when, the first night, a 
great snake fell on her bed, so alarming 
her that she could sleep no more and spent 
the hours in tears. With forests, heavy 
underbrush, undrained swamps, there were 
plenty of places in which all wild things, 
including serpents, could conceal them- 
selves in all this section at this time, and 
many subsequent adventures finally wore 
away the first feelings of terror. Mr. 
Endres, himself, killed the last rattlesnake 
ever found or reported seen in Beaver 
County. After acquiring his first farm he 
made dairying his main industry, keeping 
as many as twenty-four head of cows. 
For thirty-two years he rfiade a weekly 
trip to Pittsburg, where he supplied the 
old Monongahela House and other hotels, 
together with a number of the most par- 
ticular people with high class butter, get- 
ting the best prices then paid for this 
luxury. He owned at one time 300 acres 
also in Beaver Township but has disposed 
of all that land. His present farm, ad- 
joining Zelienople, is very valuable and he 
can foresee the day when a part of it will 
be converted into busy marts of trade for 
his descendants. When he first visited 
Allegheny, now a rich and busy city, there 
was only a wide expanse of land for the 
eye to rest on. In 1880 Mr. Endres built 
his present comfortable residence. 

In 1846 Mr. Endres was married (first) 
to Miss Elizabeth Wurster, a daughter of 
Jacob Wurster, who was one of the first 
settlers in Jackson Township. Mr. Endres 
was married (second) to Miss Maria 
Voegtley, whose grandfather owned all the 
land which is now included in the upper 
part of the city of Allegheny, at the time 
the Endres family came to Western Penn- 
sylvania. Mr. Endres has had ten chil- 
dren, the four sur^dvors being: Caroline, 
who is the widow of George Bastian, re- 



sides at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and 
has three sons and one daughter; Sarah, 
who married Herman Speirer, formerly a 
merchant at Rochester, Pennsylvania, and 
has three sons and one daughter ; Matilda, 
who is the widow of W. H. Lusk, a sketch 
of whom appears on another page of this 
work, formerly an attorney at Butler, 
where she lives, has two sons and two 
daughters; and Jacob, who resides on the 
home farm, married a daughter of George 
Teets, of Beaver County, and they are 
parents of five children. The oldest son, 
Daniel, who lived with his father, died in 
1907, aged fifty-eight years. He married 
Ella Smith, of Ohio, who, with two sons, 
survives him. Four children, all young, 
died within a period of nine days, from 
an epidemic of diphtheria — Catherine, 
Lena, Sophia and Charlotta. George died 
aged one year. 

Mr. Endres is a Republican in his polit- 
ical convictions and he takes a hearty in- 
terest in both public and local affairs. He 
has alwaj^s been a law-abiding citizen and 
has done his full share in the developing 
and improving of this section. His life 
spans a very important period of the 
world's history and his remarkable mem- 
ory can recall events and conditions of 
more than a half century ago which are 
surprising and very interesting. He has 
frequently served in political offices in the 
township, particularly as supervisor and 
as a member of the School Board, while 
for more than fifty years he has served as 
a member of the church council of the 
English Lutheran Church; 

In looking back over the circumstances 
of his long life, Mr. Endres is disposed to 
think that the old days were, in many 
ways, the best days, in spite of their hard- 
sliips. Conditions of living were so differ- 
ent then. Hospitality was the rule, every 
stranger was a welcome visitor to each 
hearth and this confidence was seldom vio- 
lated. In those days there were no class 
distinctions, all were on the same plane. 



878 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and people were not judged by the clothes 
they wore or the display they could make, 
but by the better test of upright living and 
honest dealing with their fellotr men. 

ROBERT FISHER, proprietor of the 
Butler Dye Works, located at No. 128 East 
Wayne Street, has been a resident of this 
city for fourteen years. He was born in 
1853, in England. 

In 1881 Mr. Fisher came to America. In 
his native land he had learned his business, 
under his father, who was a dyer all his 
life. Mr. Fisher was employed as a dyer 
for the Hamilton Manufacturing Com- 
pany, at Lowell, Massachusetts, for ten 
months after reaching the United States, 
and then accepted a position as dyer in the 
felt mills at Rahway, New Jersey, and con- 
tinued there for eight months. From New 
Jersey he went to Kent, Ohio, where he 
was employed for over three years in the 
Kent Worsted Mills, as boss dyer and fin- 
isher, going from there to Philadelphia as 
boss dyer for John Beardsley & Sons. He 
then went into business for himself at 
Jamestown, New York, which he carried 
on for three years, after which he came to 
New Castle and engaged in business in 
that city for a short time, when he was 
called to Fitchburg, ^Massachusetts, and 
from there to Jamestown, New York, and 
at the latter place he held the position of 
boss dyer for the Empire Worsted Mill, 
for four years. At the end of this period, 
Mr. Fisher returned to Pennsylvania and 
established himself in business at Butler. 
He has erected here a very fine plant which 
he has equipped with all the necessary ap- 
pliances for the best kind of work and his 
long and valuable experience, with some 
of the largest mills in the country, gives 
him a great advantage over any business 
competitors. He is also interested in the 
Butler Silk Mills and it was mainly 
through his enterprise and enei'gy that this 
industry was brought to Butler. 

In 1877 Mr. Fisher was married to Miss 
Sybil Hartley, and they have three chil- 



dren: Abel, who is associated with his 
father in business ; and Emily and Joseph, 
both at home. Mr. Fisher is a member of 
the Business Men's Association. In his 
views on public questions he is a Socialist. 

xVNDREW WILLIAM BARNHART, a 
retired farmer of Butler Townsliip, re- 
siding on his valuable property which 
contains 130 acres of well improved land, 
is also a veteran of the Civil War, whose 
scars are his best certificate of service. 
He was born in Donegal Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1839, and 
is a son of William and Anna Maria 
(Daubenspeck) •Barnhart. 

Jacob Barnhart, the grandfather, was 
the founder of the family in Butler 
County. He was born in Germany and 
came to Donegal Township among the 
.very early settlers. He married a Miss 
Spangler. 

William Barnhart, father of Andrew 
William, was born in that section of Done- 
gal Townhip known as Barnhart Hollow, 
now Chicora. He was an elder in what 
was known as the White Oak Grove Ger- 
man Reformed Church, in Fairview Town- 
ship. His death occurred when Andrew 
William was about six years old. He 
married a daughter of George Dauben- 
speck, a farmer in Parker Township, and 
they had the following children : Solomon, 
now deceased, served in the Civil War 
first as a lieutenant and later as a cap- 
tain; Ann married Frank Mays and both 
are deceased; David and George are both 
deceased; Gabriel is engaged in farming 
in Connoquenessing Township; Andrew 
William; and Kamerer, deceased. The 
widow of William Barnhart was married 
(second) to Andrew Mays and they had 
two children, both of whom died young. 

Andrew William Barnhart, through an 
attack of scarlet fever in childhood, had 
his hearing so impaired that he never at- 
tended school until he was a young man; 
thus he is mainly self educated. Soon 



:i1 




MR. AXD MRS. ANDREW W. BARXHART 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



after his mother's second marriage, he 
left home and worked in various places, 
assisting in building coal barges, lumber- 
ing and farming, up to 1862, when he en- 
listed for service in the Civil War, his 
hearing in the meantime having become 
almost normal and not preventing his be- 
ing received as a soldier. As a member 
of Company G, One Hundred Thirty- 
fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Infantry, he was sent to Harrisburg, 
and took part later in the battles of Fair- 
fax Court House, Antietam, Snider 's Gap, 
White Plains and Fredericksburg. At the 
latter battle he was shot in both legs, was 
wounded three times by balls and cut by 
bullets, and all these injuries made it nec- 
essary for him to go to a hospital, where 
he was detained until June, 1863. He was 
then honorably discharged at Harrisburg, 
and returned as soon as possible to his 
home. For the two succeeding years, Mr. 
Barnhart was obliged to use crutches. His 
first work after he had sufficiently recov- 
ered, was to operate a meat wagon, doing 
his own butchering and selling meat, eggs 
and butter on a route. After giving that 
business up, as it entailed too heavy work 
in his still crippled condition, he worked 
for a time at making lap shingles. Next 
he went into the Venango oil fields above 
Oil City, where he was employed through 
one season. He was then married and 
settled down to farming in Sugar Creek 
Townshiji, in Armstrong County, where 
he remained until 1886, when he came to 
Butler Township and settled on his pres- 
ent farm. Until within a few years he 
has carried on large oijerations here in 
grain and stock, but is now taking well 
earned ease after his years of activity. 
He is a Republican in his political views 
and is keenly alive to all that concerns 
every part of the world, doing a large 
amount of reading and forming his judg- 
ments from exact knowledge. He has con- 
sistently refused all political preferment. 



Mr. Barnhart was married (first) to 
Melinda Murtland, a daughter of William 
Murtland, of Fairview Township. To this 
marriage tlie following children were born: 
Clara A., who married Edward F. Boyer, 
of Lancaster Township; Minnie A., who 
married AVilliam Vensel, of Donegal 
Township; Mina Eva, who married J. D. 
Henry, of Allegheny County; Luretta, 
who married W. E. Sarver, of Butler ; and 
Lena Temple and William Landis, both 
of whom dieTi youug. 

In 1895 Mr. Bai'nhart was married (sec- 
ond) to Mrs. Susan Detrick, who is a 
daughter of Henry Dufford, of Connoque- 
uessing Township, Butler County, where 
she was born August 11, 1842. By her 
first marriage she had the following chil- 
dren: Ida, who married Frederick Ar- 
nold, of Renfrew; William Calvin, who 
lives near Renfrew; Sarah Margaret, de- 
ceased; Elizabeth Ann, deceased, was the 
wife of William Herter; Cora Emma, de- 
ceased, was the wife of Philip Weil; 
Charles W., who is engaged in farming- in 
Connoquenessing Township; Hosea Frank- 
lin, deceased; Lulu Susan, who married 
Simon D. Morrison, of Penn Township; 
and Bertha May, who married John A. 
McClymonds, of Penn Township. Mr. and 
Mrs. Barnhart are both members of St. 
John's Reformed Church. He belongs to 
the Grand Army Post at Butler. 

JAMES SYLVESTER McCLAFFER- 
TY, general field superintendent of The 
Phillips Company and one of the heirs of 
the old McClafferty homestead of 100 acres 
located on the Butler and Kittanning Pike, 
about one and a half miles east of Coyles- 
ville, was born on this farm April 30, 1855. 
He is a son of Neal and Mary (Gillespie) 
McClafferty, and a grandson of William 
McClafferty, who was a native of Ireland. 

William McClafferty upon coming to 
this country from Ireland settled upon the 
old homestead in Clearfield Township, 



882 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Butler County, Pennsylvania, and lived 
here the remainder of his days. Here Neal 
McClafferty was reared to maturity and 
lived all his days, becoming a man of con- 
siderable importance in the commimity. 
He married Mary Gillespie and they be- 
came parents of the following children: 
Sarah, wife of W. A. Greenwood; James 
Sylvester; William, deceased; Joseph, an 
oil operator; Dennis, deceased; Amanda; 
Frances, deceased; Daniel, deceased; Cor- 
nelius, who is in the oil business and has 
spent the iJast few years in India; Kath- 
erine, deceased wife of Michael Wyland; 
and a twin to Amanda who died unnamed. 

James S. McClafferty received his edu- 
cation in the public school of Butler 
County, and his first business experience 
was at pumping oil. At the age of twenty- 
one years he went West, farming in Kaix 
sas for three years, then spent six years 
in Chicago as a cattle shipper. Upon his 
return to Butler County, he entered the oil 
field, in which he had had some experience. 
He began at the very bottom and worked 
his way up. He entered the service of the 
Phillips Company about eight years ago, 
and by faithful and conscientious service 
gained the commendation of his employ- 
ers, who in 1906 advanced him to be gen- 
eral field superintendent. He lives on the 
old home place and has a fine modern home 
built on the cottage plan. 

Mr. McClafferty was first married May 
28, 1888, to Miss Mary E. Boyle, a daugh- 
ter of Dennis and Mary (McGenley)- 
Boyle. She died October 26, 1889, leaving 
one son, Cornelius Walter, who is a stu- 
dent in the Butler schools. The subject 
of this sketch formed a second marital 
union with Miss Cecelia Coyle, a daughter 
of James and Belle (Shields) Coyle of 
Fenelton, and they are parents of eight 
children : Emma ; Mary Ellen ; Genevieve ; 
James Earl; Albert, deceased; Albertus; 
one who died in infancy, unnamed; and 
Thomas Anthony. Those living are all at 
home and in their school period. Mr. Mc- 



Clafferty served one term as school direc- 
tor. Religiously, he and his family are 
devout members of the Catholic church 
and are very active in church atfairs. 

C. P. EBERLE, a member of the well 
known firm of Eberle Brothers, contract- 
ing plumbers at Butler, doing an extensive 
business with commodious quarters at No. 
302 Center Avenue, was born December 
15, 1872, in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of John Eberle, who 
now resides at Allegheny, in comtortable 
retirement. 

C. P. Eberle was reared at Allegheny 
and enjoyed excellent school advantages 
there, after which he learned the plmnb- 
er's trade and continued to work at it in 
his native place until 1902, when he came 
> Butler. After working in this city for 
six months he recognized that this would 
be an excellent field in which to establish 
a first class plumbing business, and 
shortly afterward, in partnership with his 
brother, H. W. Eberle, the present firm 
was formed. This was in 1902 and they 
started in in the Copley Building, on Cen- 
ter Avenue, which soon proved inadequate 
on account of increasing business, and 
they then moved to a building erected for 
them by Mr. Harper, which again proved 
too small, and in 1906 the firm erected 
their own present brick block. It is three 
stories high, with dimensions of twenty- 
five by seventy feet, the upper floors being 
fitted up as flats, with all modern conven- 
iences. The firm carry on an extensive 
business as contracting plumbers and they 
are interested also in oil production and in 
city real estate. 

In 1898 C. P. Eberle was married to 
Miss Minnie L. Hagerman, of Allegheny, 
and they have two children, Carl Freder- 
ick and Ruth K. Mr. Eberle and wife are 
members of the Reformed Church. Fra- 
ternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Knight 
of Pythias. On public questions he has 
firm convictions but he takes no very 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



active part in political campaigns, having 
neither time nor inclination for public 



ANDREW RIEGER, general farmer, 
residing on a fine farm of 150 acres, which 
is situated ia Center Township, on the 
Mercer Road, five miles north of Butler, 
was born in Clearfield Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1860, 
and is a son of Henry and Anna (Eisler) 
Rieger. 

Henry Rieger was born in Germany and 
accompanied his parents to America, 
reaching Pittsburg when he was a child of 
four years. His father, Jacob Rieger, soon 
secured a farm in Summit Township, But- 
ler County, and there the family settled. 
Henry Rieger grew to manhood there and 
then married a daughter of a neighbor, 
Andrew Eisler, and with his wife moved 
to Clearfield Township, where he died in 
1897. His widow still survives and lives 
in Butler County. There were ten chil- 
dren born to Henry Rieger and wife and 
they all survive. 

Andrew Rieger was reared in Clearfield 
Township and in early manhood went to 
Warren County, where he spent ten years 
engaged in a lumber business. With the 
exception of that period, he has devoted 
his entire attention to farming. Imme- 
diately after his marriage, in 1888, he 
bought the W. A. Christy farm of sixty- 
five acres, where he resided until he sold 
it to W. E. Ralston and then bought his 
present farm in Center Township, to 
which he came in May, 1908. It is excel- 
lent land and Mr. Rieger knows how to 
manage it and to bring every part of it up 
to a high state of production. 

In 1888 Mr. Rieger was married to 
Emma Martin, who is a daughter of James 
Martin, of Clearfield Township, and they 
have a happy family of nine children, in 
which there has never been a break, 
namely: Bertha Delia, Stella May, Henry 
Martin, Andrew Willis, Paul Marcus, 



Edna Nellie, Frank Gilbert and Ralph Les- 
ter and Clarence Clifford, twins. Mr. 
Rieger and family belong to Grace Lu- 
theran Church, in which he is an elder. 
He has taken an active part in township 
affairs for a number of years, at all times 
promoting its interests and during a long- 
period serving in office as the choice of his 
fellow citizens. At present he is auditor 
of Center Township and has served as. 
school director, tax collector, assessor and 
as judge of elections. As may be seen, he 
is one of the representative men of his 
community. 

HON. RALPH W. E. IIOCH, the pre- 
siding municipal officer of Chicora, having 
been elected mayor of this borough, on the 
Democratic ticket, March 1, 190(J, was born 
at Chicora, Pennsylvania, in 1882. He is 
a son of Augustus and Elizabeth Hoch. 

Augustus Hoch, father of Mayor Hoch, 
is also a native and has been a lifelong 
resident of Chicora. He is prominently 
identified with oil and gas interests in But- 
ler County and is associated with his 
brother, A. A. Hoch, in the hardware and 
oil well supply business in this place. At 
Haunestown he was united in marriage 
to Elizabeth Krug, who was born at Sax- 
onburg, Pennsylvania, and they have two 
children, Martin and Ralph. The for- 
mer is superintendent of the gas plant at 
Chicora. He married Blanche Simpson 
and they have one daughter, Helen. Mr. 
Hoch is a leading member of the German 
Lutheran Church. He is identified with 
the Knights of Pythias. 

Ralph W. E. Hoch received his prepar- 
atory education in the Chicora scliools and 
then spent three terms at the Slippery 
Rock State Normal School, after which he 
became associated with his father in the 
hardware and gas well supply business. 
He belongs to the order of Elks and 
Knights of Pythias. Like other members 
of the prominent family to which he be- 
longs and to which he has added distinc- 



884 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tion, lie is connected with the German Lu- 
theran Church. He is a type of the intelli- 
gent, progressive, public-spirited young 
American business man and his election to 
the office which he so ably administers, re- 
flects credit upon his fellow citizens. 

SAMUEL G. PURVIS, proprietor of 
the Purvis Pharmacy, located at No. 213 
South Main street, Butler, is one of the 
city's representative business men and 
public spirited citizens. He was born in 
Butler, in 1878, and is a son of Samuel D. 
Purvis. 

The Purvis family has been identified 
with Butler County for a long period. 
Samuel I)., father of Samuel G., was born 
at Butler in 1842. He has been a life-long 
resident of this city and has been exten- 
sively engaged in the lumber business. He 
is an active and useful citizen and has 
served two terms as a member of the 
School Board. 

Samuel G. Pui'vis completed the com- 
mon school course in his native city in 1893 
and graduated from the Butler High 
School in 1896, immediately entering the 
Western University of Pennsylvania at 
Pittsburg, and was graduated from the 
Pharmaceutical department of that insti- 
tution in 1899. In the same year he passed 
with credit the rigid examination before 
the Pharmacy State Board of Examiners, 
and then entered into the drug business at 
Allegheny. He remained there for three 
years and then returned to his native city 
and established the Purvis Pharmacy, at 
his present location. Here Mr. Purvis 
deals in first class drugs, piats up his pre- 
scriptions himself, and enjoys a large gen- 
eral and medical trade. 

Mr. Purvis married, June 28, 1905, Miss 
Bertha IMcEllianey, who is a daughter of 
the late James ]\lcElhaney, of Butler, and 
they have one son, James D. Mr. Pui'\'is 
and wife are members of the United Pres- 
byterian Church. He is a Knight Templar 
Mason and belongs to the Sterling Club. 



ALBERT H. MEEDER, one of Zelieno- 
ple 's substantial business men and popular 
citizens, who is engaged in a mercantile 
business at this place and is also largely 
interested in oil production in various sec- 
tions, was born September 15, 1869, at 
Petersville, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of George and Magdalena 
(Millerman) Meeder. 

The father of Mr. Meeder came to Butler 
County in 1850 and settled first in Summit 
Township, near Butler. He later moved to 
Connoquenessing Township, living there 
about five years, and in 1893 he moved to 
Zelienople. His death took place in 1907. 
His widow survives. They had ten chil- 
dren and of this number the following sur- 
vive: Philip, who resides in Connequenes- 
sing Township ; Edwin, who is a merchant 
at Zelienople; Albert H.; Theodore W., 
who resides in Cleveland, Ohio; Lena, who 
married Dale Thorn, of Connoquenessing 
Township ; Catherine, who is the widow of 
Henry Asche, resides at Tarentum, Penn- 
sylvania; Maggie, who married Jacob 
Scherer of Connoquenessing Township; 
Caroline, who married George Harris, of 
New Castle; and Dora, who married 
George Preston, of New Brighton, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Albert H. Meeder attended the public 
schools of Little Creek and from there en- 
tered Duff's Business College at Pitts- 
burg, completing the commercial course of 
that institution. He then entered the em- 
ploy of W. H. lift, a former merchant at 
Zelienople, as a clerk, where he gained his 
first mercantile experience, and later 
served in the same capacity for three 
years, with Boggs & Buhl, at Allegheny. 
When he left that firm he came to Zelie- 
nople and entered into partnership with 
his brother, Edwin Meeder, under the firm 
name of A. H. Meeder & Co., and this 
partnership continued until 1903. In 
March, 1906, he embarked in his present 
enterprise, starting in the First National 
Bank Building, from which he moved to 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



887 



his present location in 1907. In 1903 wlien 
his pai'tnership ceased in the A. H. Meeder 
& Co. firm, Mr. Meeder began to take an 
interest in the oil industry and he has de- 
veloped this into one of the leading con- 
cerns in which he has made investments. 
He now owns oil interests in Ohio, lllinuis 
and in Beaver Count}', Pennsylvania, and 
the attention he devotes to these and to his 
large mercantile business, gives him little 
time to engage in anything else. However, 
Mr. Meeder is an earnest citizen and has a 
deep sense of public duty and when called 
upon to perform citizenship offices, he ex- 
erts himself to do so. In his political 
views he is a Democrat. 

In 1893 Mr. Meeder was married to Miss 
Emma Hensel, a daughter of Gottlieb Hen- 
sel, of Zelienople, and they have two 
daughters, Ruth and Leola, both of whom 
are attending school. The family l)elongs 
to the German Lutheran Church. 

GEORGE W. SCHNUR, who owns 
eighty acres of fertile farm land in Siun- 
mit Township, has been in the market gar- 
dening business for some twelve years and 
owns six well equipped hot-houses. He 
was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, May 
19, 1858, and is a son of Peter and Eliza- 
beth (Pry) Schnur. 

Peter Schnur was born in France and 
was four years old when his father, 
George Schnur, brought his family to 
America. For a time they lived at Cin- 
cinnati, where the father worked as a 
stone-mason, afterward coming to Penn- 
sylvania, where Peter Schnur worked for 
many years in the mills at Pittsburg. In 
1879 he moved to a farm adjoining that 
of his son George W., in Butler County. 
At Pittsburg he married Elizabeth Fry, 
who was born in that city. 

George W. Schnur was nineteen years 
old when the family came to Butler 
County. As far back in his childhood as 
he can remember he recalls his interest in 
gardening, and as a boy he worked at this 



industry whenever occasion offered. How- 
ever, finding stone-mason work more prof- 
itable, he learned that trade and worked 
at it for twelve years after coming to 
Summit Township. As soon as he ac- 
quired sufficient land and capital, lie went 
into his present business, of which he has 
made a success. He made many improve- 
ments on his place, building his house and 
barn and his six hot-houses, with di- 
mensions of 112 feet by 155 feet, all cov- 
ered with glass. He has introduced mod- 
ern methods in his work and supplies a 
large wholesale trade at Butler, making a 
specialty of lettuce and greenhouse plants. 
Two years after coming to Butler 
County, Mr. Schnur was married to Mag- 
gie Etzel, daughter of Bruno Etzel. She 
was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong- 
County, Pennsylvania, but was reared in 
Summit Township. Mr. Schnur is one of 
a family of fifteen children and he has had 
twelve, seven of whom are living, namely : 
Clara, who is the wife of Harry Redman, 
of Pittsburg; Edward, who is associated 
with his father in gardening; Albert; 
William ; Loretta, who is the wife of John 
Steighner; and Leo and Paul. With his 
family he belongs to and gives generous 
support to St. Mary's Catholic Church at 
Herman. He is a member of the Catholic 
Mutual Benefit Association. 

SAMUEL McKAY, one of Butler's suc- 
cessful business men, who has followed 
brick contracting in this city for the past 
three years, was born August 16, 1870, in 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is a 
son of Samuel and Mary (Pinkerton) Mc- 
Kay. The parents of Mr. McKay moved 
to Center Township, Butler County, when 
he was eight months old, and there he was 
reared and educated. The mother died in 
1902, but the father still resides on his, 
farm in Center Township. 

Samuel McKay assisted his father until 
he was twenty-one years of age and then 
learned the bricklayer's trade, at which 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



lie Lias worked ever since. During tlie 
comparatively short period in which he 
has done contracting, he has turned out 
some of the most creditable work to be 
found in the city, among the most promi- 
nent specimens being the brick work on 
the Lance building in Springdale; the ad- 
dition to the Sam. Oram's building at Lyn- 
dora; the Cemetery offices, and the fine 
residences of J. E. Marshall, on West 
Pearl Street ; that of Fred Devlin, on West 
Fulton Street; that of Mrs. Bowers, on 
West Penn Street, and a number of others. 
Mr. McKay's own fine brick residence is 
situated at No. 422 Broad Street, and he 
also owns a valuable farm in Center Town- 
ship. 

In 1898 Mr. McKay was married to Miss 
Birdie McCandless, who was born at 
Unionville, Pennsylvania. They have two 
children, Bella May and Orville Blair. Mr. 
and Mrs. McKay are members of Grace 
Lutheran Church. 

CHRISTIAN STEIGHNER, who has a 
fine farm of 120 acres located on the old 
state road about one mile south of Fenel- 
ton, in Clearfield Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is a successful oil 
operator and an extensive breeder of fast 
harness horses. He has the distinction of 
being the only breeder of fast horses, on 
an extensive scale, in the county and has 
achieved some remarkable results. Mr. 
Steighner was born at Buffalo Furnace, in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, June 
24, 1852, and is a son of Christ and Mary 
(Schell) Steighner. His grandfather was 
Leonard Steighner, who was born and 
lived all his life in Gennany. 

Christ Steighner was born in Germany 
and came to America in his younger days. 
He was a farmer by occupation and in .the 
early thirties purchased the farm owned 
by his son in Clearfield Township, Butler 
County. He cleared this property and 
lived upon, it imtil his death at the ad- 
vanced age of ninety-three years. He died 



in 1908 and was in good health up to the 
time of his death. 

Christian Steighner, whose name heads 
this record, attended the schools of Butler 
County and is a well educated man. For 
a period of thirty-five years he has en- 
gaged in oil operations, and at the present 
time has four good producing wells on his 
place. His farm is devoted to stock rais- 
ing, and on it he has a good track, three 
laps to the mile, where he and his sons are 
generally to be found exercising and train- 
ing horses. He bred and trained Flora 
Bell, 2.271/3, the first "30" horse bred in 
Butler County. He also bred a horse 
which as a yearling took a public record 
of 1.16 on the half mile track at Kittan- 
ning, and as a four-year-old a record of 
2.1614 in competition on the same track. 
He bred Joe Pointer, who made a record 
of 2.051^ on the Cleveland track; Little 
John, 2.221^; Maple Grove, 2.3014; Billy 
Chimes, 2.241^4; Harry Pointer, 2.2214; 
and Laura Bell, 2.27. He now has a lot 
of young horses which he is schooling on 
the home track. His farm is highly im- 
proved; he has a fine two-story home, a 
large barn and other necessary buildings 
essential to the successful prosecution of 
his business. 

Mr. Steighner was married November 7, 
1883, to Miss Mary Wilber, a daughter of 
Martin and Kate (Iseman) Wilber of But- 
ler County, and they are parents of four 
children, namely: Cora, who married Icey 
Duffy and has three children — Nettie, 
Floyd and Leroy; Christian, who is in the 
oil business with his father; Martin; and 
Ellen. The two last named are students. 
Religiously, the family belongs to the 
Catholic church. 

LORENZO G. lilOORE, formerly county 
auditor of Butler County and for the past 
twenty-three years a valued citizen of 
Butler, is engaged in business in this city 
at No. 121 South Main Street, where he 
deals in hardware, paints, oils and var- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



nish. Mr. Moore was born in 1851, in 
Brady Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Samuel and a grand- 
son of Samuel Moore. 

The father of L. G. Moore was born in 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and ac- 
companied his father, Samuel Moore, to 
Brady Township, Butler County, in 1826. 
Grandfather Samuel Moore bought 200 
acres of land which had been entered from 
the Government by a man named Single- 
ton, in 1786, and L. G. Moore owns the 
original deed bearing that date. The 
Moores were farmers and the father of 
L. G. continued to cultivate the homestead 
until 1904, when he retired to New Castle, 
where his death occurred in 1907. 

L. G. Moore attended the country 
schools and completed his education at the 
Edinboro State Normal School, later tak- 
ing a commercial course in Duff's Busi- 
ness College, at Pittsburg, i^or several 
years he was variously engaged and 
visited different parts of the State,, and 
after he returned to Butler he entered a 
general store as a clerk, and continued 
there until 1885, when he became a clerk in 
the store he now owns. In 1891, in part- 
nership with George A. Cypher, he bought 
the business, which was conducted until 
1906 under the style of George A. Cypher 
& Co., when Mr. Moore purchased Mr. 
Cypher's interest and has remained in 
possession, doing a satisfactory amount 
of business in his line. He is a stockholder 
in several enterprises of the city, and, 
with Mr. Cypher, owns a farm in ]3utler 
County. He has always taken a hearty in- 
terest in all that concerns the welfare of 
the city. 

JOHN LINCOLN MOORE, who owns 
the old A. J. Mooi"e farm of ninety-three 
and one-lialf acres, which is situated in 
Center Township, near Oneida Station, 
follows general farming and also conducts 
a dairy and operates a milk route through 
Butler. Mr. Moore was born on this fine 



old farm March 24, 1867, and is a son of 
Andrew J. and Nancy Jane (Cowan) 
Moore. 

Andrew J. Moore was born in Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
where he was reared. In early manhood 
he worked on the river but shortly after 
his marriage he settled on his farm in 
Center Township, where he lived until the 
close of his life, in 1888, when aged fifty- 
seven years. He was twice married and 
was the father of twelve children. 

John Lincoln Moore has resided all his 
life on the old home farm. For the past 
twelve years he has conducted his dairy 
and for almost eleven years, as steady as 
clock work, has daily visited his patrons 
at Butler. In that city he was married 
June 27, 1893, to Miss Alice Christley, a 
daughter of Harvey and Mary Jane Christ- 
ley, and they have four children : Ermileda, 
Harvey, Florence and Everett. They are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Mr. Moore is interested in both 
oil and gas production and has four pump- 
ing oil wells, producing twenty-two barrels 
of oil a day, and two gas wells. 

JOSEPH ANGERT, who fills the re- 
sponsible office of chief of the police 
department at Butler, has been a resident 
of the city since 1888 and has occupied 
his present position since 1906. Chief 
Angert was born October 19, 1865, in Oak- 
land Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and was there reared and educated. 

Michael Angert, father of Chief Angert, 
was born in Germany and came to Butler 
County in 1852. He spent his subsequent 
years in Oakland Township, engaged in 
farming, and died there in the spring of 
1891. 

When Joseph Angert came to Butler he 
entered the factory of the Butler Plate 
Glass Company, where he continued to be 
employed for twelve years and from there 
he went to the Standard Steel Car Works, 
with which concern he remained for five 



890 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



years. When he left the ear works it was 
to accept a position on the police force, 
where he demonstrated his fitness for the 
office he now fills. A large amount of per- 
sonal courage together with much execu- 
tive ability, tact, judgment and firmness, 
are required to make an efficient police 
commander and these qualities belong to 
Mr. Angert, together with others as ad- 
mirable. 

In 1889, Mr. Angert was married to 
Miss Bridget Gallagher, and they have six 
living children, namely: Myrtle, Harry, 
Calista, Victor, Leo and Genevieve. The 
family belong to the St. Paul's Roman 
Catholic Church. Chief Angert is a mem- 
ber of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Asso- 
ciation and also of the Woodmen of the 
World. 

CHARLES LIVINGSTON De WOLF, 
M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon 
as well as leading citizen of Chicora, was 
born March 24, 1877, in Fairview Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Dr. Willard L. and Jennie S. 
(Thompson) De Wolf. 

The parents of Dr. De Wolf are both 
natives of Butler County. Dr. Willard L. 
De Wolf, who is now actively engaged in 
practice at Butler, is a graduate of Jeffer- 
son Medical College, of Philadelphia. Of 
his three children one died in infancy, 
Harry R. is engaged in a drug business at 
Chicora, and the third is Charles L. 

Charles Livingston De Wolf enjoyed ex- 
cellent educational and social opportuni- 
ties, his family being a leading one in this 
section. From the common schools he 
entered the Chicora High School and from 
there the State Normal School at Slippery 
Rock. After two years of training there 
he entered Allegheny College at Meadville, 
where, for three years, he took a general 
course, and in 1898 became a student in the 
medical department of the University Col- 
lege of Philadelphia. From that institu- 
tion he was most creditably graduated in 



the spring of 1902, one of a class of one 
hundred and seventy-five. He established 
himself at Chicora and has a large and 
lucrative practice here. 

For some time he has been surgeon for 
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at this 
point and also for the Chicora Coal & 
Coke Company, and he is medical exam- 
iner for the Pittsburg Life and Trust 
Insurance Company, the Germania Life, 
the State Mutual Life, the Mutual of New 
York, the National, the Prudential and the 
iEtna Life; and the order of Knights of 
Maccabees, of which he is a member. He 
belongs also to Argyle Lodge, F. & A. M., 
at Chicora, and the Knights of Pythias. 
He retains membership in the following 
college fraternities: The Sigma Alpha 
Epsilon and the Theta Nu Epsilon. Dr. 
De Wolf is interested also, to some degree, 
in the oil business. He is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Chicora. 

JAMES FOSTER STRUTHERS, bur- 
gess, and an honored and highly esteemed 
citizen of Harrisville, is a veteran of the 
Civil War. He was born August 25, 1827, 
on his father's farm near Struthers, Ohio, 
and is a son of John and Sarah (Duff) 
Struthers. 

John Struthers, grandfather of our sub- 
ject, at an early period settled near 
Youngstown, then a part of Trumbull 
County, now known as Mahoning County. 
He was politically, a Whig and the first 
sheriff of Trumbull County. His youngest 
son, Thomas, was a lawyer and for many 
years a resident of Warren, Pennsylvania. 
He subsequently purchased land and built 
a furnace ui)on the present site of Struth- 
ers, the town having been so called in his 
honor. 

John Struthers, father of James F., was 
born and reared on a farm near Youngs- 
town, Ohio, and later engaged in farming 
near Struthers. In about 1841 he moved 
with his family to Pennsylvania, but later 
returned to Struthers, where he died at 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



893 



the age of eighty-five years. He married 
Sarah Duff, who survived him some years, 
and they reared a family of nine children, 
namely : Elizabeth, married A. A. McBride 
and .both are deceased; James Fostei", our 
subject; William, deceased; Ebenezer, de- 
ceased; Thomas, deceased; John, de- 
ceased, served in the 111th Pennsj^lvania 
Volunteer Infantry; Jane, married J. A. 
Hunter (both are deceased), and Sarah. 

James F. Struthers was reared in an 
old hewn log house, and assisted with 
clearing his father's farm. He obtained a 
limited amount of schooling, attending the 
old log schoolhouse, but the greater part 
of his time was devoted to farm work. At 
the age of sixteen he began learning the 
plasterer's trade, at which he worked for 
a period of eight years. For a number of 
years he engaged in milling at various 
places, the last mill he had in charge, be- 
ing that of Reed Walker, of Harrisville. 
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he en- 
listed in Company B, 134th Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Mc- 
Cune, and served one year in the army, 
participating in the battles of Fredericks- 
burg and Chancellorsville, also the battle 
of Antietam. After obtaining his dis- 
charge, he returned to his family in Law- 
rence County, after which he engaged in 
milling at Grove City, Pennsylvania. Mr. 
Struthers owned and operated a farm of 
fifty acres in Lawrence County for many 
years and in 1881 came to Harrisville, 
where he has since continued to reside. 
Mr. Struthers was first united in marriage 
in 1856 to Catherine Martin, who died 
leaving four children, namely: Jennie 
married a Mr. Leonard; Ella is the wife 
of Seymour Young; Clara, deceased wife 
of Robert Riddle; and Charles, who mar- 
ried (first) Tnra Gillmore (deceased) and 
(second) Millie Patton. In 1880, our sub- 
ject married Millie Hays Davidson, widow 
of Harper Davidson, by whom she had one 
child, Lula, wife of R. Aiken. 

Mr. Struthers is politically a Democrat 



and has served in various town offices. He 
was a member of the town council, and in 
1905, was elected burgess of Harrisville 
and is still serving in that capacity. He 
is a member and trustee of the Presby- 
terian Church. In November, 1908, Mr. 
Struthers went to Lynchburg with the old 
soldiers to the imveiling of a monument 
erected in commemoration of Humphrey's 
Division. 

FREDERICK ZEHNER, who does a 
large business at Zelieuople, dealing in 
vehicles, farm implements, feed, grain and 
seed, is a representative man of this sec- 
tion and a member of one of the old and 
respected German- American families of 
Butler County. He was born June 24, 
1862, in Jackson Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Frederick 
and Margaret (Reibold) Zehner. 

The Zehner family was founded in But- 
ler County by the grandfather, Frederick 
Zehner, who settled in Jackson Township, 
when he came to Pennsylvania from Ger- 
many. His son, Frederick Zehner, was 
born in Germany, in 1829, and was ten 
years old when the family emigrated to 
America. He was a youth of excellent un- 
derstanding and when twenty years of age 
taught school, instructing in both German 
and English. The greater part of his life 
was spent on his farm in Jackson Town- 
ship, where he served for more than thirty 
years as a justice of the peace. He was 
the promoter and organizer of the German 
Mutual Insurance Society of Zelienople, 
which began business in 1866, and was a 
charter member of the same, and for 
twenty years served as secretary of the 
society. His life was a busy and useful 
one but was not prolonged into old age, 
his death taking place July 4, 1891, when 
sixty-two years old. Both he and wife 
were buried at Zelienople. They had the 
following children: Louisa and Mary, 
both deceased; Mrs. Amelia Wahl, of 
North Sewickley Township, Beaver Conn- 



894 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ty; Mrs. Annie Berberick, of Allegheny- 
County ; two that died in infancy ; Charles, 
a farmer in Jackson Township ; Frederick ; 
Henry, a farmer in Allegheny County ; and 
Edwin, deceased. 

Frederick Zehner, who bears the name 
of both father and grandfather, attended 
school in Jackson Township and remained 
on the home farm until he was twenty-two 
years of age, when he came to Zelienople 
and for three years was in the employ of 
the general mercantile firm of Iflft & Gel- 
bach. In 1887 he purchased the interest of 
the senior partner and became a member 
of the firm of J. A. & W. H. Gelbach, which 
continued until 1890, when Mr. Zehner 
sold his interest and embarked in business 
for himself. In this undertaking he has 
met with commercial success and has de- 
veloped a business that is one of the larg- 
est of its kind in Butler County. He is 
a director of the First National Bank at 
Zelienople and is a leading citizen in 
everything that concerns the best interests 
of the town. 

On September 22, 1887, Mr. Zehner was 
married to Miss Josephine Gudekunst, a 
daughter of Jacob Gudekunst, of Jackson 
Township, and they have had the follow- 
ing children born to them: Walter N., 
who was married September 22, 1908, to 
Miss Emma Jane Zeigler, of Jackson 
Township ; Mark F., who is a graduate of 
the Butler Business College; and Esther 
Josephine, Sarah, Charlotta, Iva Margue- 
rite, Martha Louisa and John Orin. Mr. 
Zehner and family are members of the St. 
John's English and German Lutheran 
Church. 

In politics, Mr. Zehner is an active and 
influential Democrat. He has served in 
many offices and positions of responsibil- 
ity, both as a loyal party man and also as 
an efficient and public-spirited citizen. He 
has been a useful member of the Town 
Council, a member of the School Board, 
a member of the Board of Health and has 
been borough treasurer. Under the ad- 



ministration of the late President Cleve- 
land he served for four years and one 
month as postmaster of Zelienople, being 
acknowledged to have been one of the best 
public officials in that office that the, bor- 
ough has ever had. His party has shown 
him many marks of favor, making him a 
member of the Democratic County Execu- 
tive Committee and a member of the Com- 
mittee on Resolutions when he was sent as 
a delegate to the Democratic State Con- 
vention in 1906. He is on record as a 
hearty supporter of Hon. Lewis Emory for 
Governor of Pennsylvania. In August fol- 
lowing, Mr. Zehner was appointed a mem- 
ber of the committee to visit Judge Emory 
and to notify him of his nomination. On 
December 10 he was appointed for 1909 
to serve as mercantile appraiser for Butler 
County. 

CHARLES RIEGER, a life-long resi- 
dent of Butler County and a prominent 
citizen, who was elected in 1908 to the office 
of county commissioner, was born in Clear- 
field Township, August 3, 1873, and is a 
son of Henry and Anna (Eizler) Rieger. 

Henry Rieger, born in Germany, May 
20, 1833, was brought to Pennsylvania in 
1838 by his parents. A few years later 
he settled in Butler County and from there 
he enlisted for service in the Civil War, 
entering Company I, Seventy-eighth Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in 
which he served until the close of the war. 
He owned land in Clearfield Township and 
he then resumed farming there and re- 
mained until the end of his life, his death 
taking place March 2, 1897. He was one 
of the township's representative men. His 
widow survives and resides at Butler. She 
was born in the State of New York, Octo- 
ber 28, 1835. Mrs. Rieger has ten children, 
all living, as follows: Mary, Catherine, 
Andrew, William H., Daniel, Sarah E., 
Anna Martha, Charles, Albert L., and 
Ida Mae. 

Charles Rieger was reared and educated 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



895 



in Clearfield Township and engaged there 
in agricultural pursuits until March, 1907, 
when he came to Butler, where he occupies 
a comfortable residence at No. 120 Fourth 
Avenue. Prior to this he had been closely 
identified with Republican policies in the 
management of the public affairs of his 
township and had served there as tax col- 
lector and treasurer. After coming to 
Butler he was connected for three months 
with the coimty commissioner's office. He 
has many friends and he finally gave waj^ 
to their solicitations and in January, 1908, 
entered into the race, with seven other 
candidates, for the office of county com- 
missioner. He won the nomination by a 
majority of 940 votes over all others in the 
field, a record-breaker in the county. His 
subsequent election was thus assured. Mr. 
Rieger is a member of the German Lu- 
theran Church. 

ERNST FRANK ENdELHART, a well 
known agriculturist of Clearfield Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, resides 
on a farm of eighty acres located on the 
Butler Road about one mile west of Fenel- 
ton. He was born in Jefferson Township 
January 17, 1858, and is a son of Nicholas 
and Katherine (Bauer) Engelliart, and a 
grandson of George Engelhart. 

George Engelhart was a native of Ger- 
many where he lived until 1837. then 
moved with his family to America, locat- 
ing near Saxonburg, in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. Nicholas Engelhart and 
his wife became parents of the following 
children: Ernst, subject of this record; 
Philip; Annie; Sarah, wife of Henry 
Heller of "West Virginia ; and Martin, de- 
ceased. Philip and Annie Engelhart reside 
on the old home place near Saxonburg. 
The father of this family was born in Ger- 
many and was seventeen years old when 
lie accompanied his parents to the United 
States. He became a prosperous farmer 
near Saxonburg, and was much respected 
bv his fellow citizens. 



Ernst F. Engelhart was reared and edu- 
cated in Jefferson Township, and has al- 
ways been a resident of the county. He 
has followed farming all his life and has 
a well improved property; he has a com- 
fortable two-story dwelling, and good sub- 
stantial outbuildings. He follows general 
farming, raising just enough stock for his 
own use on the farm. ]\Ir. Engelliart has 
taken a deep interest in all that pertains 
to the welfare of the community and takes 
rank among its progressive and public 
spirited men. He has served eleven years 
as school director, having been appointed 
to that office twice and elected upon the 
other occasions of his service. 

Mr. Engelhart was united in marriage 
with Miss Katie Fennell, a daughter of 
Abraham and Mary (Toy) Fennell, and 
thev became parents of the following chil- 
dren: Clara, Charles, Frank N., Walter, 
George, and Ruth, the last named being- 
four years of age. Frank N. and Ruth are 
the only ones now living. Frank N. Engel- 
hart is eighteen years of age, and in addi- 
tion to attending school does most of the 
work on the farm. He is a young man of 
energy and enterprise. Religiously, the 
subject of this sketch is an active member 
of the ^fethodist Episcopal Church. 

FRANK W. BADGER, of the firm of 
Sluill & Badger, brick manufacturers and 
contractors, has been a resident of the city 
of Butler for the past eighteen years and 
is a native of the county and a representa- 
tive of one of its pioneer families. He 
was born September .30, 1865, and is a son 
of Matthew and a grandson of James 
Badger. 

James Badger came to Butler County 
with his parents and they all passed their 
lives in this section. Matthew Badger, 
father of Frank W., was born in Butler 
County in 1838 and for many years has 
been a prosperous farmer in Franklin 
Township. 

Frank W. Badger siioiit liis bnvlioo:! in 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



atteudiug the public school and in helping 
on the farm, and the first work he did in- 
dependently was a job of cutting stave 
bolts. Since 1891 he has been engaged in 
the brick business and for fourteen years 
has been engaged in brick contracting. 
About 1897 he entered into partnership 
with Mr. ShuU and in 1904 they increased 
their capacity by purcliasing a brick plant 
at Butler and have done a large business in 
brick and brick work. Mr. Shull takes the 
responsibility of providing the material 
and Mr. Badger secures the contracts and 
this arrangement has been profitable to 
both members of the firm. Among the 
substantial and attractive buildings for 
which tlie.y have furnished the brick may 
be mentioned: the Y. M. C. A. building; 
the bank building at Wilmington, Pennsyl- 
vania; Grace Lutheran Church; the City 
Hospital ; the Institute' Hill School build- 
ing; the Campbell hardware firm's build- 
ing; the Butler I. 0. 0. F. Temple; and a 
fine Methodist Church at Grove City. 

In 1888 Mr. Badger was married to Miss 
Lucy Smith, of Crawford County, and 
they have two children, Howard and Her- 
man. Mr. Badger and wife belong to the 
Baptist Church. He is a member of the 
order of Path Finders. 

LEONARD HEIST, who resides on liis 
well improved farm of 117 acres, which is 
situated on the lower Greece City road, 
about four miles north of Butler, in Center 
Township, owns very valuable land, a fine 
coal bank having been found on the farm. 
He was born in Beaver County, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1855 and was about nine years 
old when he accompanied his parents to 
Butler Countv. Thev were Nicholas and 
Barbara (Smith) Heist. 

Nicholas Heist and wife were both born 
in Germany and when they came to Amer- 
ica they had two children and three more 
were added to the family subsequently. 
Leonard was the first one born in Amer- 
ica, the brothers and sisters being: Mrs. 



Lizzie Elliott, of Center Township ; Philip, 
a farmer of Center Township; Mrs. Kate 
Michael and Mary, both of Center Town- 
ship. For some years Nicholas Heist 
rented land in Summit Township and later 
in Center Township, and in 1870 he bought 
a farm of fifty acres in the latter, which is 
now occupied by his son, Philip Heist. On 
that farm both Nicholas Heist and wife 
died. By trade he was a wagonmaker. 

Leonard Heist has lived in Center Town- 
ship ever since he was about fourteen 
years of age and he has devoted himself to 
farming. He came to his present place 
soon after his marriage, it having been 
liis wife's old homestead. In 1880 Mr. 
Heist was married to Miss Mary Shodd, a 
daughter of George Shodd, and they have 
had nine cliildren, namely: Mary Marga- 
ret, married George Hendricks and they 
have two children, Mary Alberta and Geo. 
Gilbert; Charles P., married Christina 
Spithaler; George J.; Albert Augustus; 
Paul J. ; Anna C. ; Lillian B. ; and Alice E. 
and Arthur L., twins, the latter of whom 
died aged four months seventeen days. 
Mr. Heist and family belong to the Ger- 
man Lutheran Church. He is known as 
an honest, upright man, in every way a 
good and representative citizen. 

JOHN A. GRAHAM, an honored vet- 
eran of the Civil War, and a highly es- 
teemed resident of Connoquenessing 
Township, owns a fine farm of sixtj^ acres 
here on which he has resided since 1889. 
He was born September 7, 1838, in Conno- 
iiuenessing Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Alexander 
and Elizabeth (Rainey) Graham and a 
grandson of Daniel Graham. 

The father of Mr. Graham was born in 
Scotland, ]\Iay 1, 1791, and died March 13. 
1855. He accompanied his parents to 
America in boyhood and was feared on a 
pioneer farm in Connoquenessing Town- 
ship. He assisted his father in getting the 
farm cleared nnd put under cultivation 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



and later succeeded to the property and 
carried on agricultural pursuits through- 
out his active life. His wife was a mem- 
ber of another old pioneer family of this 
section. They had the following children : 
Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Henry 
Brunermer; Hiram, deceased; Sidney, de- 
ceased, was the wife of Robert Lemmon, 
also deceased; Thomas, deceased; Daniel, 
deceased, was a victim of the cruelties 
practiced on prisoners at Andersonville, 
Georgia, during the Civil War; John A.; 
and Theophilus, who resides in Westmore- 
land County, Pennsylvania. The parents 
of the above family were quiet, indus- 
trious, virtuous people and were worthy 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at White Oak Springs. 

John A. Graham was afforded better 
educational opportimities than many of 
his aecpiaintances enjoyed and after leav- 
ing the local schools he pursued a course 
of study at Witherspoon Institute at But- 
ler, and subsequently taught school at 
Petersville and later in Ohio. In 1861 he 
enlisted as a soldier in the Union Army 
and served until the close of the war, in 
Company G, Twenty-seventh Regiment, 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He 
fared better than his brother Daniel, who 
died from the effects of starvation during 
his mouths of imprisonment as stated 
above. Mr. Graham returned to Butler 
County and resumed farming and in 1878 
he went to Kansas. He took up a home- 
stead, on which he lived for fourteen 
years, but hard work brought on ill healtli 
and on February 15, 1889, he was pros- 
trated by a stroke of paralysis and then 
returned to his native township. He pur- 
chased his farm and has continued to re- 
side here ever since. His land is well 
adapted to agriculture and his annual 
yield of corn, oats, wheat, hay and pota- 
toes, is satisfactory. He has taken an 
active interest in advancing his community 
and bettering general conditions in every 
direction. In politics, he is a Republican 



and he has acceptably served as constable, 
assessor and school director. 

Mr. Graham was married to Miss Mary 
A. Wade, who is a daughter of William 
and Mary A. Wade, of Jackson County, 
Ohio. She was born in Beaver County, 
Pennsylvania, and was three years old 
when her parents moved to Ohio. Mr. and 
Mrs. Graham have four children : AVilliam 
W., James A., Sarah Jane and Henry B. 
Mr. Graham and family belong to the 
White Oak Springs United Presbyterian 
Church, of which he is an elder. 

PHILIP J. SPOHN is numbered among 
the exiaerienced and successful farmers of 
Summit Township. He resides on his val- 
uable farm of fifty-eight acres, situated 
near Herman and he was born on what is 
known as the old John Spohn farm, about 
one mile west, November 24, 1845. His 
parents were John and Eva (Hoffman) 
Spohn. 

The Spohn family is of French extrac- 
tion and the father of Philip J. Spohn was 
born in Alsace, France, March 22, 1814. 
He was a son' of Martin and Margaret 
Spohn, who subsequently followed their 
son John to America and died on their 
farm in Clearfield Township, Butler 
Countv. John Spohn came to the United 
States' in 18.30 and in 18.33 he settled on 
a wild tract of land in Summit Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania. Prior to 
coming here he had worked as one of the 
builders of the Erie Canal aud the money 
he received was invested in land. He had 
the foresight to select land advantageously 
situated and to its clearing and cultivating 
he devoted the rest of his life. He was 
married (first) to Mary Euntrine. After 
lier death he married Eva Hoffman, who 
l>elouged to an old family of Summit 
TownshiiJ, and to them were born ten chil- 
dren, namely: Mary, Catherine, Philip J., 
Margaret, John, Eva, Auna J.. Joseph, 
Nicholas J. and Magdalena. All those who 



900 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



survived infancy married and liad chil- 
dren of their own and many were resi- 
dents of Summit Township. The mother 
of this family was born in Bavaria, Ger- 
many, and was about twelve years old 
when she accompanied her parents to 
America. She died in February, 1900, and 
her husband survived her almost five 
years, dying on January 1, 1905, when 
aged ninety-two years. He was one of 
Summit Township's best men. 

Philip J. Spohn has devoted a large 
part of his life to gardening and the rest 
to general farming. For twenty-four 
years he raised all kinds of farm produce 
which he sold at wholesale. He lived on 
the home farm for many years but in De- 
cember, 1905, settled on his present prop- 
erty. Through his business he came into 
contact with many of the leading men of 
Butler and other places in the county and 
Mr. Spohn can recall many pleasant occa- 
sions and can claim many warm friends 
among his old business acquaintances. 

Mr. Spohn married Lena Albert, a 
daughter of Nicholas Albert. She was 
reared in Oakland Township. A family of 
twelve children was born to them: Hed- 
wig married Clements Foltz and they have 
six children; Celia, who lives at home; 
Louise married George Baldauf and they 
have eight children; and Amelia, who re- 
sides in Butler, unmarried, these being the 
only survivors. Mr. Spohn and family be- 
long to the Catholic Church, the congrega- 
tion of St. Mary's at Herman, of which 
Mr. Spohn 's father was one of the foun- 
ders. 

ANDREW M. AKINS, oil producer, 
who has been a resident of Butler since 
1896 and is identified with a number of the 
city's successful enterprises, has been con- 
nected with the oil industry for a numlier 
of years. He was born July 19, 1848, in 
Sweden, and was three years old when his 
parents brought him to America. 

The Akins family settled in Warren 



Count}', Pennsylvania, and Andrew M. 
attended school near his father's farm, 
both in Pennsylvania and across the line 
in the State of New York. He first went 
to work in a brickyard and this kept him 
busy in the summer and in winter he 
worked at lumbering. Later he conducted 
a brickyard for himself, at Warren, for 
two years, and in 1871 he entered the oil 
fields in AVarren County, coming to Butler 
County in 1873. He located in Fairview 
Township and engaged extensively in the 
oil business, at one time having interests 
in Allen County, Ohio. He has visited all 
the oil regions and has been financially 
interested in Allen County and in Butler 
and Washington Counties, Pennsylvania. 
His business judgment has regulated his 
investments and he has prospered greatly. 
On June 14, 1876, Mr. Akins was married 
to Miss Lucinda M. Kramer, who was 
born in Indiana, and they have four chil- 
dren, namely : Maude May, who is a grad- 
uate nurse, residing at Washington, D. C. ; 
Alice, who is with the firm of Leedom & 
Worral; Arthur, who is a student in the 
Pennsylvania State College; and Edna, at 
home. Mr. Akins and family belong to the 
First Methodist Episcopal Church at But- 
ler and he is a member of its board of 
trustees. He is one of the city's earnest 
and active citizens and at the present writ- 
ing (1908) is serving as councilman from 
the Fifth Ward. In his public life Mr. 
Akins is actuated by the motives that attest 
good citizenship. 

HON. JOHN DINDINGER, now re- 
tired, has been one of Zelienople's most 
active and useful citizens and one of But- 
ler County's leading men of affairs. He 
was born in Franklin Township, Beaver 
County, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1839, 
and is a son of Louis and Christina (Mil- 
ler) Dindinger. 

The parents of Mr. Dindinger were born 
in Germany, the father in 1800 and the 
mother six years later, and they came to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



901 



America in 1830. The father died in 1878 
and the mother in 1880. They settled first 
at Harmon}-, in Butler County, but shortly 
afterward purchased the farm on which 
they lived, in Franklin Township, Beaver 
County, until 1876. Their children were 
as follows: a babe that died; Margaret, 
deceased, was the wife of Solomon Schaf- 
fer; George resides on his farm in Lancas- 
ter Township; Mary died aged eight 
months ; Jacob lives at Wami^um, in Law- 
rence County; John, of Zelienople; Caro- 
line, deceased, was the wife of Lewis Karl ; 
Christina, deceased; William lives at Zel- 
ienople, and Henry, deceased, resided at 
Allegheny. 

John Diudinger obtained his education 
in the district schools near his home and 
for six months enjoyed advantages at 
Zelienople. He continued to live and as- 
sist on the home farm until he was twen- 
ty-one, when he embarked in a mercantile 
business at Lillyville, in Beaver County, 
where he was employed by a Mr. Auten- 
reitli. He remained with him imtil 1862, 
when he enlisted for service in the Civil 
War, entering Company G, One Hundred 
Sixty-eighth Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteer Infantry. This regiment was 
mainly organized at Pittsburg and went 
from there to Washington, D. C, thence 
to Newport News, Virginia, and from there 
to Suffolk, and during his nine months of 
service he was stationed in Virginia, North 
Carolina and Maryland and on every occa- 
sion ]ierformed the soldierly duty demand- 
ed of him. 

In the spring of 1864 Mr. Dindinger 
again became a merchant, opening wp a 
general mercantile and produce business 
in Perry Township, Lawrence County, 
which he continued until April, 1872, when 
he sold out to his brother and then bought 
a farm in Beaver County. This he oper- 
ated until April, 1874, when he came to 
Zelienople and re-entered the mercantile 
Inisiness in which he continued to be inter- 
ested and to which he gave all his atten- 



tion not demanded by public matters, un- 
til 1901, when he relieved himself of busi- 
ness responsibilities entirely, disposing of 
his mercantile interests to his sons. In 
1879 he put up his commodious store build- 
ing, and in 1888 he erected his handsome 
residence. 

Although his business connections were 
large and his commercial integrity never 
questioned, the public services of Mr. 
Dindinger have probably made him more 
fully and better known to his fellow citi- 
zens. From early manhood, when he tes- 
tified to his loyalty by becoming a defender 
of his country's liberties, he has been a 
zealous Republican and a hearty upholder 
of the principles for which that party 
stands. Under the administration of 
President James A. Garfield he was ap- 
pointed postmaster at Zelienople and 
served as such under President Arthur, 
after the foul assassination of President 
Garfield, until 1885, during this period in- 
creasing the efficiency of the office and also 
faithfully working to strengthen party 
l)ouds. In recognition of his many servi- 
ces both to his party and to his country. 
Mr. Dindinger was elected a member of 
the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 
1896, served most acceptably during his 
first term and without difficulty was re- 
elected and served until 1900. Mr. Dind- 
inger was a valuable man in that adminis- 
trative body, his business judgment and 
knowledge being generally recognized and 
his views on questions being received with 
respect by his coadjutors, always being- 
practical. 

Mr. Dindinger was married December 
2-f, 1863, to Miss R. T. Pyle, of Perry 
Township, Lawrence County, a daughter 
of Caleb Pyle and a member of a family 
that came to Pennsylvania with William 
Penn. They have had seven children, 
namely: Lewis Wilbur, who died aged 
eighteen months; Francis Howard, who 
died aged seven years; Adella, who 
died aged sixteen years; Clarence L., a 



902 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



merchant at Zelienopolis, who married 
Amelia Wilson, and they have two chil- 
dren, Olive and John; Eva Viola, who 
married Dr. H. E. Gray, of Plain Grove, 
Pennsylvania, has one daughter, Ethel; 
Estella Eola, who is the wife of J. A. 
Hiekok, and Norman Roy, who is engaged 
in a mercantile business in Zelienople. 

For many years Mr. Dindinger has been 
a member of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Zelienople. He belongs to Col. 
•Joseph H. Wilson Post, No. 496, Grand 
Army of the Republic. 

HENRY BINSACK, a prominent and 
prosperous farmer of Summit Township, 
whose fine farm of 131 acres, upon which 
he lives, lies on the road running from 
Bonny Brook to Herman, one mile north 
of the latter village, was born in Germany, 
May 14, 1844, and is a son of John and 
Elizabeth (Miller) Binsack. 

In 1847 John Binsack brought his family 
to America and came directly to Butler 
County. At that time all of Summit Town- 
ship was a wilderness and in the midst of 
a forest, this sturdy German pioneer built 
his cabin. He was a man of great indus- 
try and had a frugal and helpful wife. 
They reared their children to be of assist- 
ance to them and they lived to witness the 
former wild land transferred into a pro- 
ductive farm. They continued to live here 
during the rest of their lives. 

Henry Binsack gave his father much 
help on the farm during his boyhood and 
youth and consequently had fewer educa- 
tional opportunities than he desired, but 
this has never prevented his managing his 
farm in a thoroughly businesslike manner 
and in prospering in his undertakings. In 
addition to doing a part of the clearing, 
Mr. Binsack has done much improving. 
In 1897 he built his large barn, a very sub- 
stantial structure, and in the summer of 
1903, he erected his commodious and com- 
fortable frame residence. His farm is well 



stocked and his surroundings indicate 
thrift and good management. 

Mr. Binsack married Miss Katherine 
Hammond, a daughter of John Hammond, 
and they have seven children, namely: 
John, who assists his father in the manage- 
ment of the farm ; Louis, who also has his 
duties on the farm; Lizzie; Delia, who is 
the wife of Henry Lowery and they have 
three children; Jacob; Annie, who is the 
wife of Frank Seibert; and Edward. Mr. 
Binsack and all his family 'belong to the 
Liitheran Church at Butler. 

W. R. GILMORE, one of Butler's active 
business men, who is a general contractor 
in all kinds of tin roofing, tin spouting and 
brass work, enjoys the distinction of being 
the only workman in this city who does 
fine brazing work. He was born in Tus- 
carawas County, Ohio, March 9, 1874, and 
obtained his education in the schools at 
Dennison. 

Mr. Gilmore was an ambitious boy and 
first learned the art of telegraphing and 
later, in 1891, decided to learn the tinner's 
trade, and served an apprenticeship of 
four years in his father's shop. For some 
years afterward, he worked at different 
points over the country, going as far west 
as San Francisco and east to New York. 
He then became interested in railroading 
and entered the employ of the Pittsburg 
& Western Railroad, beginning as brake- 
man and advancing to be conductor. He 
enjoyed railroad work and continued until 
he met with an accident in December, 1904, 
in the yards at the Standard Car Works, 
which terminated his connection with that 
industry. Since. then he has devoted him- 
self entirely to liis trade and controls a 
large amount of the tin and brass contract- 
ing in this section. 

In June, 1895, Mr. Gilmore was married 

to Miss Olive L. Benson of Urichsville, 

, Ohio, and they have four children: Lot 

Hughes, Miriam Louise, Thomas Carr. and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



903 



Robert Martin. Mr. Gilmore and family 
attend the St. Paul's Reformed Church. 
He is a member of the Uniform Rank of 
the oi-der of Knights of Pythias. 

RUDOLPH BARNHART, a senior 
member of the tirm of R. Barnhart & Son, 
general merchants at Connociuenessing, 
was born April 4, 1842, at Millerstown, 
Perry County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Frederick and Catherine (Tliorne) 
Barnhart. 

The early records of the Barnhart fam- 
ily are interesting for it was a pioneer one 
and its sons and daughters not only have 
been noted themselves for the sturdy vir- 
tues of their German ancestry, but, 
through intermarriage, are connected with 
many of the other leading families of other 
nationalities, all of whom had much to do 
with the early development and growth of 
prosperity, particularly in Western Penn- 
sylvania. Great-grandfather Barnhart was 
boru in Germany and was eighteen years 
old when he left his native land, an under- 
taking much more serious than it is at the 
present day, and came to America. He 
subsequently settled in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, where he married 
and there his son, Rudolph Barnhart, was 
born. 

The latter grew to manhood and then 
married Sarah Rise and shortly afterward, 
he came to Butler County and stoi^ped only 
long enough on the present site of Butler 
to note that the timber looked inferior, in- 
dicating a less rich soil than in other sec- 
tions. He found land to his taste in Fair- 
view Township, cleared four acres and 
sowed it with wheat. The tract is now 
included in what is the present Kincaid 
farm. He returned then to Westmoreland 
County and when he came back to his 
wheat fariu in the following spring, he 
was accompanied by the Hemphill family. 
He discovered that the wild inhabitants 
had taken charge of his farm and what 
grain the turkeys had not scratched out, 



the deer had devoured, and somewhat dis- 
couraged, he listened to the urgings of the 
Hemphills and accompanied them to what 
is kuown as Hemphill Hollow. He se- 
cured land which now bears the name of 
Barnhart Hollow, about one mile from Mil- 
lerstown and there he built his cabin, on 
the south side of the creek and then 
brought his wife to the new home. 

At that time all this region was a wilder- 
ness and when he found it necessary to re- 
turn in the following year and attend a 
session of court in Westmoreland County, 
it was with great misgivings concerning 
the safety of his wife during this time. 
The nearest neighbors were the McCul- 
loughs, live miles distant, but one of the 
daughters came to stay with Mrs. Bai'n- 
hart during her husband's absence. The 
great fear entertained by them all was that 
some wild animal might attack them, and 
that this fear was not without foundation 
was proved when, on the second morning, 
the two women found an explanation of 
the noises they had heard outside the night 
before. When they summoned sufficient 
courage to venture out, they discovered 
the carcass of a huge bear, that had prob- 
ably been fatally wounded by a hunter and 
in its rage it had tried to find shelter in 
the little cabin. Women in those days were 
full of courage and without doubt the pelt 
of tliat bear was all preserved before Mr. 
Barnhart had returned from Westmore- 
land court. This little log cabin came to 
be the center of life in the township, a 
gathering place not only for religious serv- 
ices, but for a long time it was the election 
l)ooth and very likely, on occasion, served 
as a courthouse. Rudolph Barnhart died 
in 1851, aged seventy-five years and prob- 
ahly his wife did not much longer survive. 
They liad the following children: William, 
who moved to Ohio and died there ; Philip ; 
Frederick; Mrs. Susan Andrews; Mrs. 
Tena Wenzel; Mrs. Elizabeth Andrews; 
Rudolph, who died young; Simon; An- 
di-pw. who conducted a store at Millers- 



904 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



town for thirty years; Mrs. Polly King, 
who resides near Buena Vista, Pennsyl- 
vania; and Mrs. Catherine Eberhart. The 
family belonged to the Reformed Church. 

Frederick Barnhart was born in 1809, 
and died in 1879, aged seventy years and 
ten months. He was a farmer all his life 
and was a man of high standing in his 
community, a supporter of the schools and 
a deacon and elder in the Reformed 
Church. He held a nmnber of public of- 
fices in his township. In his early political 
life he was a AVhig, but later became iden- 
tified with the Republican party. He mar- 
ried a daughter of Peter Thorne, a pioneer 
settler where Buena Vista now stands. She 
died January 31, 1901, aged eighty-one 
years. Six children were born to this mar- 
riage, four of whom died young, the two 
survivors being Rudolph and Elizabeth, 
the latter of whom is the wife of J. J. 
Barnhart, a resident of Harmony, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Rudolph Barnhart grew up on the home 
farm, attended the township schools and 
spent one term at the Rymersburg Acad- 
emy. He has always been more or less a 
musician and in 1862 he enlisted as a mem- 
ber of the band in Company K, One Hun- 
dred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penn- 
sylvania Volunteer Infantry, playing the 
fife, and remained in the service for nine 
months. He then returned to the home 
farm and remained there until after the 
excitement had gradually subsided, follow- 
ing the discovery of the rich oil deposits 
at Millerstown, and then moved to a farm 
in Lancaster Township, four miles from 
Harmony. He continued to operate that 
farm for fourteen years and then moved 
to Petersburg. This was about two years 
before that place experienced its oil boom. 
He remained there and engaged in farm- 
ing until 1889, when he erected his present 
store building at Connoquenessing, and, in 
partnership with his son, Frederick E., 
embarked in a mercantile business. This 
is the leading enterprise of its kind at this 



place. The business is carried on under 
the firm name of R. Barnhart & Son, and 
has a high commercial rating, being backed 
by plenty of capital. A large and well- 
assorted stock is carried and the whole 
surrounding district is its field of distri- 
bution. 

Mr. Barnhart married Miss Mary Ann 
Shakeley, who is a daughter of John 
Shakeley, residing near Chicora, and they 
had two sons born to them: William and 
Frederick E. The older son, AVilliam, re- 
sided at Zelienople, where he died in 1904, 
in his thirty-ninth year, leaving a widow 
and four children. 

Frederick E. Barnhart, junior member 
of the mercantile firm of R. Barnhart & 
Son, was born January 9, 1868. While he 
is known all through the county as a mer- 
chant and excellent man of business, he 
also has more than a local reputation as a 
musician. He early developed talent and 
after a thorough course on the piano and 
violin, under Professor Mehafy, at Pitts- 
burg, he engaged in teaching music for 
some years, and for six years conducted a 
singing school. He married Miss Dora 
Miller and they have one child, Ethel. He 
is a member of the order of Modern Wood- 
men, at Zelienople. Both he and his hon- 
ored father are official members of the Re- 
formed Church, in which he is a deacon 
and in which his father has been deacon or 
elder ever since he was twenty-three years 
of age. It is interesting to note that in the 
church choir may each Sabbath be seen 
Rudolph Barnhart, his son and wife and 
daughter, all contributing to the music. 
Mr. Barnhart is a Republican and has 
served as school director of this borough. 
Formerly he was a member of the Grand 
Army Post at Chicora. 

JOHN OESTERLING, who is a repre- 
sentative citizen of Summit Townshi]"), re- 
sides on his well-improved farm of 106 
acres, which is situated about one and one- 
half miles north of Bonny Brook. He was 




WILLIAM S. BRANDON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



9U7 



born on the old Oesterliug farm, on the 
State Road, the old homestead being situ- 
ated at the point where the Summit road 
crosses it, on April 17, 1852, and is a son 
of Leonard and Margaret (Floor) Oes- 
terling. 

When John Oesterling was two years 
old, his parents moved to Brady's Bend, 
in Armstrong County, but he remained 
with his grandfather, for whom he was 
named, and continued to reside with him 
until this relative died, when he was twelve 
years of age. He then joined his parents 
at Brady's Bend, and when they removed 
to the farm on which they still reside, 
some five years later, he accompanied 
them. During his live years at Brady's 
Bend, Mr. Oesterliug learned a trade in 
the rolling-mills at that place, but after 
coming to the farm, never resumed work at 
his trade. He followed farming exclusive- 
ly until 1887, when he entered into the oil 
business and subsequently, at different 
times, engaged in oil contracting. He still 
does drilling, in addition to his farm work, 
but has sold his oil tools to his son, John 
A. Oesterling, who does a large amount of 
oil contracting. Mr. Oesterling and fam- 
ily have resided on the present farm since 
1898. 

Mr. Oesterling married Miss Mary C. 
Herrold, who was born on the old Fisher 
farm, in Summit Township, but was reared 
on the farm on which she and husband live. 
It formerly was the property of her father, 
the late Gottlieb Herrold. Mr. and Mrs. 
Oesterling have had ten children, as fine 
a family as has ever been reared in Sum- 
mit Township, and when typhoid fever in- 
vaded it in the fall of 1907, the whole com- 
munity grieved when three members 
passed away from that epidemic. Herman, 
a most estimable young man, aged twenty- 
six years ; Morgan, no less promising, was 
twenty-two, while Mary had only com- 
pleted her thirteenth year. This family 
bereavement was hard to bear, but Mr. and 
Mrs. Oesterling still have seven surviving 



children, namely : "William L., John A., 
Amelia, Simon A., Carrie, Raymond, and 
Warren. Amelia is the wife of Samuel 
Mitchell. Mr. and Mrs. Oesterling are 
members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church. 
Mr. Oesterling takes a great deal of inter- 
est in the public schools in his township 
and has served for four years as a school 
director. 

WILLIAM SHERxMAN BRANDON, 
gerieral contractor and builder at East 
Butler, has been a resident of this place 
since September, 1907. He was born on a 
farm in Connoqueuessing Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, February 2(1, 
1867, and is a son of William W. and 
Sarah (Heckart) Brandon. William W. 
Brandon is a well known farmer in Con- 
noquenessing Township, where he still re- 
sides. 

William S. Brandon attended the coun- 
try schools until he was about fifteen years 
of age, when he began to learn the car- 
penter's trade, at Butler. In early man- 
hood he taught schools at Evans City and 
Harmony, but his main business has been 
in the line of his trade. He is a skilled 
workman and has been very successful. 
During the past two years he has erected 
thirty-two houses in East Butler and has 
had no difficulty in disposing of them as 
soon as completed. He handles quite a 
large amount of real estate. 

Mr. Brandon married Mabel Lotz, who 
is a daughter of William D. Lotz, of Read- 
ing, Pennsylvania, and they have three 
children, Agnes Ruth, Dorothy and Fran- 
ces. He is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church and a liberal contributor to its 
suppoi-t. He belongs to the Woodmen of 
the World, the Odd Fellows and the Home 
Guards of America. 

LEWIS PARKS WALKER, better 
known as " 'Squire Walker," is one of the 
best-known residents of the city of Butler, 
where he was born March 10, 1833. His 



908 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



IDareuts were David aud Jane (Gilliland) 
Walker, and be is a grandson of Lewis 
Walker, one of the earlj' settlers of But- 
ler County. 

Lewis Walker, who was a native of New- 
buryport, Mass., emigrated to what is now 
Allegheny County, Penna., with the Plum- 
mer family, prior to the Revolutionary 
AVar. He was about twenty-one years old 
when he came to Butler County and set- 
tled on an eight-hundred-acre tract of land, 
in what is now Cranberry Township. Sub- 
sequently he removed to Butler, of which 
place he was an enterprising and prosper- 
ous citizen, erecting several houses on 
North Main Street. His death took place 
in 1844. His wife was in maidenhood a 
Miss Parks, and they had a family of eight 
children, whose record in brief is as fol- 
lows: John, now deceased, who resided in. 
Cranberry Township; Parks, who died in 
Wheeling, W. Va. ; David, who served as 
quartermaster of the Seventy-eighth Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers, and died at Mercer s- 
Imrg, Ky. ; Samuel, who died at Cincinnati, 
Ohio; Simpson, who died in Washington, 
D. C. ; Nathaniel, who died in Butler; 
Mary, deceased, who was the wife of James 
Borland ; and Keziah, who married James 
Frazier and is also now deceased. 

David Walker, son of Lewis, and father 
of the subject of this sketch, was born in 
Cranberry Township, Butler County, 
Penna., in 1803. His youth was spent on 
the home farm, but later, giving up agri- 
cultural pursuits, he went to Pittsburg, 
where for some time he was engaged in 
the manufacture of brick. He subsequent- 
ly returned to Butler and established a 
brick yard here, which, after carrying on 
for several years, he sold in 1847 to his 
brother Nathaniel. From this time until 
1854 he was engaged in business as a 
dealer in horses and cattle, which he drove 
to the New York markets ; and subsequent- 
ly to this he obtained and executed a con 
tract for making a cut on the North West- 



ern Railroad three miles below Butler. 
His successful business career was cut 
short by the opening of the Civil AVar and 
not long after his life was brought to an 
untimely end from the same cause. En- 
listing in 1861 in Company H, Seventy- 
eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, he served 
with that regiment in the field until the ex- 
posure and hardships incident to military 
life resulted in his death, which occurred 
in February, 1862. In politics he was at 
first a Whig and later a Republican. He 
served as justice of the peace in Butler 
Township for ten years. He was a con- 
sistent member and liberal supporter of 
the Presbyterian Church of Butler. His 
wife, Jane, was the daughter of John Gilli- 
land, and their family numbered seven chil- 
dren, namely: Elizabeth, who became the 
wife of Rev. D. Hall ; Lewis P., whose 
name appears at the head of this sketch; 
Mary E., who married William Slack ; Ke- 
ziah, wife of F. W. Rhoades ; Hugh B., de- 
ceased; Sarah B., wife of 0. D. Levis; and 
Martha J., wife of J. W. Yeaman. Mrs. 
Jane AValker died in 1848. She was a 
member of the Presbyterian Church. 

Lewis P. Walker, the direct subject of 
this article, was well grounded in the ele- 
ments of knowledge in the common schools, 
and began industrial life under his father's 
mentorship, remaining with the elder Wal- 
ker until 1856. For eight years following 
he was engaged in hauling goods between 
Butler and Pittsburg. On the construc- 
tion of the railroad he entered into the oil 
business at Petroleum Center, Venango 
County. He continued in business at this 
point for about ten years, at the end of 
which time, or in 1874, he returned to But- 
ler, where he continued in the oil business 
and was also engaged in the lumber busi- 
ness up to 1880. " Mr. Walker filled the of- 
fice of justice of the peace in Butler for 
fifteen years and being subsequently ap- 
pointed notary public has since served in 
that office. He is one of the charter mem- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



909 



bers of Butler Lodge, No. 94, A. 0. U. W., 
and is a member of the Presbyterian 
Cliurch. 

Mr. Walker was married iu 1856 to 
Mary D. Bell, of Butler, whose father, 
William Bell, foi'merly of Warren, Penna., 
constructed the second courthouse in But- 
ler. Mrs. Walker died in 1901, having been 
the mother of six children, as follows: 
Emma J., a trained nurse formerly lo- 
cated in Charlotte, N. C, now residing at 
home'; William S., residing in Colorado, 
who is a train dispatcher for the Denver 
& Rio Grande; Harry L., who died at the 
age of thirty-three years; Frank H., of 
Butler ; Flora B., wife of Thomas E. Davis, 
of Butler; and Mary L., wife of A. G. 
Denny, residing on the old Walker home- 
stead. 

W. I. SIPE, proprietor of a general 
store at Fenelton, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, is one of the most active and pro- 
gressive men of that village and is identi- 
fied with various business interests. He 
was born on the old Sipe homestead in 
Clearfield Township, which his father now 
owns and which was settled at an early 
date by his grandfather, John Sipe, Sr. 
The date of his birth is June 8, 1879, and 
he is a son of William S. and Callie (Pon- 
tius) Sipe, his mother being now deceased. 

Mr. Sipe was reared on the farm and 
received his educational training in the old 
Brady School, the Chicora High School 
and the Cochranton Preparatory School, 
being a graduate of those institutions. He 
engaged in teaching in Butler County for 
three years, after which he held a position 
one year as traveling salesman. He then 
purchased of F. P. Gormley the store he 
now owns, and at first had W. "P. Sipe, his 
brother, as a partner, later buying out his 
interest. He came to this village in 1901 
and has progressed with it, his stock hav- 
ing been more than doubled in the time 
which has since elapsed. He has contrib- 
uted largely toward the development of 



the community, identifying himself with 
all measures and enterprises calculated to 
be a benefit. He is an oil operator, hav- 
ing a well in operation which promises 
good results. He also is a prime mover 
iu a telephone comjjany, now in its infancy, 
which will give the farmers good service 
at the minimum cost. Its lines will ter- 
minate at the south border of the town, 
and there connect with Chicora by trunks, 
giving it the advantage of a large ex- 
change. Mr. Sipe has a large acquaintance 
throughout this section, and is most highly 
esteemed. 

September 10, 1901, W. I. Sipe was 
united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth C. 
Miller, a daughter of Nicholas and Mary 
(Kratz) Miller. Her father was a well 
known farmer and oil operator of Clear- 
field Township. Three children were born 
of this union: Harry Melanchthon Wes- 
ley, deceased; Alberta Marie and Howard 
Isaiah. Religiously, they are members of 
the Methodist Church, and Mr. Sipe has 
served as Sunday school superintendent 
and class leader. He was formerly an ac- 
tive member of the Woodmen of the World, 
but since his removal to the village has 
been unable to attend its meetings. 

HENRY M. WISE, a sul)stantial citizen 
and leading business man of Harmony, 
where he conducts an extensive lumber 
business, was born at Harmony, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, January* 1, IS.j-l, 
and is a son of Jacob F. and Sarah 
(Moyer) Wise. 

The Wise family is of German extrac- 
tion and it was established in Bucks Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, by the great-grand- 
father. The grandfather, John AVise, was 
born in Bucks County, there married and 
then moved to a farm in Beaver County, 
where he died, aged fifty years. His 
widow lived to be eighty-eight vears old. 
They had the following "^children : Jacob. 
John, Killian, Samuel, Catherine, Marv, 
Henry and Hannah. The survivors are: 



910 



HISTOliY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



i\Jary, wife oi' lleury Moyer; llaunuli, 
wife of John Y. Zeigler, and Samuel, who 
Jives iu Beaver County. 

Jacob F. Wise, fatlier of Henry M., was 
born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Jan- 
uary 12, 1818, and accompanied his par- 
ents to Beaver County. He married Sarah 
Moyer, a daughter of Benjamin Moyer, 
who came to Butler Count.y from east of 
the Alleglicuv Mountains "and scltlcd in 
Lancaster Townshiii. Tiic .\l,>yci- .■liildivu 
were: Jolin, a\Iio died in Indiana; Henry, 
who lives at Harmony; Samuel, who also 
lives at Harmony; Elizabeth, deceased, 
was the wife of Conrad Stamni, of Beaver 
County; Sarah; Mary, deceased, who was 
the wife of Peter Otto; Susan, who is the 
widow of a Fosbeiner, and Catherine, wid- 
ow of Peter Textor, formerly lived at 
Pittsburg, but now resides in Jackson 
Township. 

When Jacob F. Wise came first to Jack- 
son Township, Butler County, he went to 
work for Abram Zeigler, whose daughter 
he subsequently married, and to that union 
tliere were born five children, namely: 
Abiani, who died in infancy; Nancy, de- 
ceased, who married Jacob Rice, of But- 
ler; John and Jacob, twins, died aged 
twenty-seven and twenty-eight years, re- 
spectively; Mary, widow of Conrad Nick- 
las, lives in Connoquenessing Borough. 
The second marriage was to the mother of 
Henry M. Wise and he was their second 
child, the other members of the family be- 
ing: Alfred, residing at Butler; Benja- 
min, residing at Spokane, State of Wash- 
ington; Susan, postmistress at Harmony, 
and the widow of Jacob Fiedler; Levi, an 
attorney at law, and the editor of the But- 
ler Eagle; Sarah, widow of J. R. Moore, 
of Ben Avon, Allegheny County; Israel, 
residing on the old homestead farm near 
Harmony; Noah, residing at Zelienople; 
.Teremiah, deceased, and Catherine (de- 
ceased), who married Edward Stnuffer. 
The father of the above family followed 
farming and his death took ]tla('e on the 



liome farm near Harmony. The vener- 
able mother of Mr. Wise died October 29, 
1908, aged eighty-three years. 

After completing the usual district 
school course, Henry M. Wise attended 
school in Zelienople for six months, where 
better advantages were afforded. In 1870 
he took charge of a distillery, which he 
conducted until 1875. In the following 
year he entered the Harmony Savings 
r>;uik as ciisliicr and remained there until 
J.SS4, when he embarked iu a liunber busi- 
ness and has maintained his interest in 
this line ever since, dealing extensively. 
He has many other interests and is vice 
president of the First National Bank of 
Zelienople. 

In 1877 Mr. Wise was married to Miss 
Jeanette Lusk, who is a daughter of the 
late Dr. Joseph A. Lusk, formerly of Har- 
mony, later of Butler, where he died. His 
widow survives and resides in the latter 
city. Mr. and Mrs. Wise have had two 
children, Howard and Joseph, the latter 
of whom died when aged eight months. 
The former resides at Harmony and is as- 
sociated with his father in the lumber busi- 
ness. He married Miss Annie Anderson 
of Rochester, Pa., a (laui;hter of Mrs. G. 
Anderson, nml has one eliild, llenrv How- 
ard, horn Xovenil.er I'A), 1!)0S. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wise are members of the 
Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a 
Republican and is serving in his third 
term as justice of the peace. He is an in- 
fluential member of his party and for a 
number of years has served on the Re])ul)- 
lican (Vuiiity Committee, lie is ideiilifieil 
with the leading fraternal organizations, 
belonging to Harmony Masonic Lodge, No. 
429; ITarmony Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 
6'i8; Harmony Knights of Pythias, No. 
311 ; the Royal Arcanum, No. 698, and the 
Knights of Maccabees. 

JOHN R. HENNINGER, attorney at 
law at Butler, where he is numbered with 
the heading members of his profession, was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



911 



boi'u April 12, 187U, in Penn Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Frederick Henninger. 

Frederick Henninger was born in Ger- 
many and came to Butler County in the 
fifties. In 1868 he purchased his present 
farm in Penn Township and is one of the 
prominent men of the county. 

John E. Henninger was rcai-tMJ on the 
home farm and from the ctiiinlry schools 
entered Edinboro and Clarion Slate Nor- 
mal Schools, and was graduated from the 
latter institution in 1892. While teaching 
school he prepared for Dickin Law School 
and was gradviated therefrom with the de- 
gree of B. L., in 1896. He immediately 
located at Butler. He has been concerned 
in many important cases of litigation in 
the local courts and in the Superior and 
Supreme Courts. He is a member of the. 
Butler County Bar Association. For three 
years he served in the important office of 
district attorney, being elected on the 
Democratic ticket. On November 3, 1897, 
Mr. Henninger was married to Miss Mar- 
garet Weber, who was born also in Penn 
Township. Mr. and Mrs. Henninger are 
members of the English Lutheran Church 
at Butler. 

LEWIS B. OESTERLING, who owns a 
fertile farm of fifty-seven acres, which is 
situated just east of Carbon Center, on 
the line separating Summit and Clearfield 
Townships, carries on a general farming 
business and engages in teaming wdien Iiis 
land does not need his attention. He was 
born in Brady's Bend, ^Vrmstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, May 18, 1868, and is a son 
of Leonard and Margaret (Floor) Oester- 
Hng, who are venerable and respected resi- 
dents of Carbon Center. 

Lewis B. Oesterling was less than two 
years old when his parents came to Sum- 
mit Township and here he was reared and 
educated. He is the youngest son and 
next to the youngest member of liis par- 
ents' family of twelve children. He camo 



to his present farm in the spring of 1905. 

Mr. Oesterling married Clara Pfatf , who 
is next to the youngest member of her par- 
ents' family of nine children, the others 
being: Mrs. Margaret McMillen, Anna 
Catherine, Harry, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth 
Fennel, Mrs. Freda Faber, Mrs. Louisa 
Esler, Mrs. Laura Cowan and William. 
All are living except Mrs. Fennel, who died 
May 26, 1908. The parents of Mrs. Oes- 
terling were Nicholas and Anna Margaret 
(Reibold) Pfaff, both of whom were born 
in Germany. The father came to Amer- 
ica when he was twenty years of age and 
tlie mother w^hen aged eleven years. They 
lived at Brady's Bend, Armstrong County, 
where the father worked for a time in the 
coal mines and then bought the farm on 
which he died in 1904. The mother still 
survives. 

Mr. and Mrs. Oesterling have three chil- 
dren: Leonard Paul, Nicholas Pfaff and 
Anna Margaret. The family belong to 
the German Lutheran Church. 

JACOB C. BRANDON, Justice of the 
Peace in the borough of Connoquenessing, 
l)elongs to one of the old and substantial 
families of Butler County. He owns a 
valuable farm of sixty-eight acres, situ- 
ated in Connoquenessing Township, but 
he was born in Forward Township, Janu- 
ary 15, 1844. His parents were John W. 
and iiutli .\ini Catherine (Beighley) Bran- 
don. 

.lohu W. Brandon, father of Jacob C., 
was born in Foi*ward Township, Butler 
Couuty, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1814, 
a son of John and Sarah Brandon. He 
grew to manhood under the parental roof 
and then acquired land of his own, in Con- 
mxiueuessing Township, where he engaged 
in farming through life and died there Sep- 
tember 9, 1890. This farm became widely 
known for its richness in oil. In early life 
he was a Whig and later a Republican, but 
during his last years was affiliated with 
the Prohibition party and served as chair- 



912 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



mau of its county committee. He served 
one term as county commissioner and for 
many 3^ears was a justice of the peace. 
He was a leading member of the Mt. Nebo 
Presbyterian Church and one of its elders. 
John W. Brandon married Ruth Ann Cath- 
erine Beighley, December 24, 1840. She 
was -born in Connoquenessing Township, 
Butler County, March 17, 1820, and still 
survives. This venerable lady is a mem- 
ber of the Second Presbyterian Church at 
Butler. There were ten children born to 
this marriage, as follows : William W., 
residing in Connoquenessing Township; 
Sarah Jane, wife of Peter H. Eckert, of 
Kansas ; Jacob C. ; John Calvin, deceased ; 
Susan, wife of John A. Brandon, of Con- 
noquenessing Township; Martha Elmina, 
wife of Samuel Wright, of Zelienople; 
Quincy, deceased; Washington D. ; James 
E. and Junius, deceased. 

The paternal grandfather, John Bran- 
don, was of Dutch extraction. He served 
in the War of 1812 and was the founder 
of the family in Butler County. It was 
remarkable that he should have become a 
man of importance and means in the new 
settlement, as he suffered all the rest of 
his life from injuries received during his 
military service. His father, William 
Brandon, was born in Holland and be- 
longed to the House of Brandenburg. He 
was a soldier in his own land before com- 
ing to the Colonies and served in*the Pa- 
triot army through the whole of the Revo- 
lutionary War. After its close, William 
Brandon settled in Mercer Cormty, Penn- 
sylvania, but did not long survive. He 
married Sarah Livingston, who came of a 
French Huguenot family, who had escaped 
from France and gone first to Scotland 
and subsequently crossed the Atlantic and 
settled in Eastern Pennsylvania. They 
had six sons. In religious faith the fam- 
ily has been Presbyterian for generations. 

The maternal grandfather of Jacob C. 
Brandon was Jolm Beighley. He was 
born in Westmoreland Countv, Pennsvl- 



^■ania, and was four years old when his 
parents brought him to Butler Coimty. 
The family lived in Connoquenessing 
Township, where John Beighley followed 
milling for a time and then went as a pio- 
neer to Wisconsin, where both he and his 
wife died. He was a soldier in the War of 
1812. His father was Henry Beighley, 
who was also born in Westmoreland Coun- 
ty, and his father, the great-great-grand- 
father of J. C. Brandon, was born on the 
sea during tlie passage of his parents from 
Germany to America. The tracing of these 
old families brings to light many interest- 
ing facts and in considering the exploits 
of these hardy people who dared so much 
and faced so bravely the hardships which 
met them on every side, the conviction 
must be forced on their descendants that 
they were, indeed, people of intrinsic worth 
and forebears whose deeds and virtues de- 
serve to make their names perpetuated. 

Jacob C. Brandon was reared on the 
home farm and obtained his education in 
the district schools. He has always been 
interested in farming to some degree, and 
is a skilled carpenter, doing all his own 
work in this line and quite a large amount 
for his neighbors. In 1868 Mr. Brandon 
went to Kansas, taking up a homestead 
there and remained in Washington Coun- 
ty, in that State, until 1873. For fifteen 
years prior to 1905, he engaged in the 
iorick manufacturing business, first at 
Grove City, in 1891, removing his plant to 
Butler, wiiere he continued the business 
until 1905, giving employment to about fif- 
teen workmen. He then returned to the 
farai and gives attention to its cultivation, 
although he has other interests that also 
claim his attention. Formerly this farm 
was very rich in oil and there remains one 
very valuable producing well. 

In his political views, Mr. Brandon is a 
Prohibitionist. He has always been a 
loyal citizen and in August, 1862, lie en- 
listed in Company D, One Hundred Thirty- 
seventh Pennsvlvania '^^olunteer Infantry, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



915 



and served nine months in the Army of the 
Potomac. He has never sought political 
office, but on many occasions his fellow 
citizens have elected him to positions of 
civic responsibility. He is serving his 
township at present as assessor and in the 
office of justice of the peace. He was one 
of the organizers of the Connoquenessing 
Telephone Company, a very prosperous 
local enterprise, of which he is secretary. 
Mr. Brandon was married (first) to Miss 
Nancy Steen, a daughter of William Steen. 
of Connoquenessing Township, and six of 
their children grew to maturity, namely: 
William J., a United Presbyterian minis- 
ter, who is a missionary in the Punjaub 
District, India; Ella, who is the wife of 
Rev. John A. Erbe, of Perrysville, Ohio; 
Cameron G., who resides at Butler; Ethel 
Clare, who is the wife of C. B. Miller, su- 
perintendent of the Hammond Steel Car 
Works, and Orry Dight and Loyal J., both 
at home. The mother of these children 
died May 31, 1901, aged fifty-seven years. 
She was a consistent member of the United 
Presbyterian Church. Mr. Brandon was 
married (second) to Miss Mary White, of 
Mercer County. They are leading mem- 
bers of the United Presbyterian Church. 

LEONARD OESTERLING., Sr., a well 
known and much esteemed resident of Car- 
bon Center, residing on his valuable farm 
of 100 acres, was born in the hai'bor of 
Bremen, Germany, after his parents had 
embarked for America, April 18, 1831, and 
was two weeks old when the vessel got 
imder way. He is a son of John and Eliza- 
beth (Ripper) Oesterling. 

After reaching Pennsylvania, the par- 
ents of Mr. Oesterling settled on a farm 
in Summit Township, Butler County, near 
the present village of Herman, but in six 
weeks' time moved to a more desirable 
place, the old Oesterling homestead, which 
is situated near where the Summit road 
crosses the old State road, in Summit 



Township. Both parents died on that 
farm. 

Leonard Oesterling was about six years 
old when his father and mother settled on 
the old farm above mentioned and he con- 
tinued to live there until he was twenty- 
one, when he married and afterward re- 
sided for a year and a half on a rented 
farm in Summit Township and then moved 
to Brady's Bend, Armstrong County. For 
sixteen following years, Mr. Oesterling 
worked in the rolling mills there and then 
returned to Summit Township, buying his 
present farm in 1870. He continued to 
work two more years in Armstrong 
County, in the mills and then took up his 
residence in Summit Township, where he 
engaged in farming until a few years 
since, when he retired, turning the active 
operation of the farm over to his sons. 

In 1852 Mr. Oesterling was married to 
Margaret Floor, who was born in Ger- 
many and was eighteen years old when 
she came to America, leaving her parents 
in the old country. Of Mr. and Mrs. Oes- 
terling 's children two died at birth. The 
survivors were as follows : John, who 
owns over 100 acres of land in Summit 
Township, is a well known citizen; Mary, 
who is the widow of William Kellerman, 
resides in Summit Township; Adam, who 
died aged nine months; Leonard, Jr., a 
substantial farmer of Summit Township; 
George, who died aged one year; Simon, 
who died aged nine months; Maggie, wlio 
married Morgan Davis, of Butler; Will- 
iam, who is a farmer and oil man of Sum- 
mit Coimty; Lewis Benjamin, who is also 
one of Summit Township's representative 
men ; Emma, who died aged one year ; and 
Annie, who is the wife of William Regar, 
of Clearfield Township. Mr. OesterKng is 
a member of the German Lutheran 
Church. 

LEONARD OESTERLING, Jr., gen- 
eral farmer in Summit Township near 



916 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Carbon Center, residing on his farm of 
fifty acres, has also been engaged in oil 
contracting for the past twenty years. He 
was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1856, 
and is a son of Leonard and Margaret 
(Floor) Oesterling. 

The venerable parents of Mr. Oesterling 
still survive and reside at Carbon Center, 
aged respectively eighty and seventy- 
seven years. The father was born on the 
ship on which his parents had embarked 
for America, before it left the harbor of 
Bremen, Germany, and his infant cries 
were lulled by the sounds of the sea dur- 
ing the long passage. His father, John 
Oesterling, brought his wife and infant 
son to Summit Township, Butler County. 
The latter grew to manhood on the home 
farm and after his marriage he moved to 
Ai-mstrong County, where, for twenty- 
three years he worked as a puddler in the 
rolling mills. In 1869 he bought and 
moved to the farm on which he still lives, 
it adjoining the one owned by his son, 
Leonard. 

Leonard Oesterling, Jr... was fourteen 
years of age when his parents returned to 
Summit Township and this has been his 
home ever since. For twenty years lie 
has been in the oil business as a contractor 
driller and is well and favorably known 
over the whole district. He is also a suc- 
cessful farmer. His property was first 
purchased by his father from the heirs of 
Joseph Gold, and in 1895 Mr. Oesterling 
bought it of his father and has made the 
many excellent improvements, including 
the building of house and barns. 

Mr. Oesterling married Rachel Knouse, 
who is a daughter of Andrew Knouse, a 
well known citizen, and they have six chil- 
dren, namely: Lewis Edward, who oper- 
ates a pumping station for the Standard 
Oil Company at New Cumberland, West 
Virginia ; Annie, who is the wife of Henry 
Carter, of Little Washington, Pennsyl- 
vania; Ilan-v, who is engaged in a black- 



smith business at Carbon Center ; Leonard 
La Verne, who is employed in a pumping 
station at Clymer, Butler County; and 
Earl and Gertrude. Mr. Oesterling and 
family belong to the German Lutheran 
Church at Butler. 

J. EMORY BRANDON, well known 
resident of Butler, where he is identified 
with manufacturing interests, had been a 
representative of the Equitable Life Insur- 
ance Company for almost a decade and has 
been a resident of this city for the past 
sixteen years. He was born in 1857, in 
Connoquenessing Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John W. 
Brandon. 

The Brandon family is a pioneer one of 
this county and it was established by the 
grandfather, John Brandon, in early days. 
The late John W. Brandon was born in 
Foreward Township, where his life was 
partly spent, his business being agricul- 
ture. 

J. Emory Brandon was mainly reared 
on the family farm, where he resided until 
he was thirty-three years of age, engaged 
in farming. When failing health indicated 
that he must change his mode of life, he 
left the farm and moved to Butler, where, 
with the exception of two winters spent 
in Florida, he has lived ever since. He 
controls a large territory in the interest of 
the Equitable Company and does a propor- 
tionate amount of insurance business. He 
is interested also in the Spang Manufac- 
turing Company. 

In 1890 Mr. Brandon was married to 
Miss Nannie Rose, of Mercer County, 
Pennsylvania, and they have had three 
children, Rose and Elmer, both of whom 
are making very satisfactory records at 
school, and Marie Catherine (deceased). 
Mr. Brandon is one of the leading mem- 
bers of the Second Presbyterian Church 
and a member of the Sessions. His inter- 
est in politics is that of a fair-minded citi- 
zen who desires to see the laws upheld and 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



917 



the community advanced in biisiuess, edu- 
cation and morals. 

GEORGE FORCHT, for the past thirty 
years auditor of Summit Township, re- 
sides on an excellent farm of eighty acres 
on which he has an oil well which has been 
constantly producing for the past thirty- 
one years and is one of the oldest in the 
township. He was born on this farm 
]March 19, 1852, and is a son of John and 
]\[argaret (Eitenmiller) Forcht. 

The parents of Mr. Forcht were natives 
of Germany. They came to America in 
youth and were married at Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, where they lived for twenty 
years, the father following his trade of 
saddler.- Of their eleven children, five sur- 
vive, namely: John P., residing at But- 
ler; William G., residing in western Can- 
ada; George; Albert, residing at Hazel, 
South Dakota ; and Amelia, wife of Henry 
Grohmau, residing at Butler. In 1850, the 
parents of Mr. Forcht moved on this farm 
where they continued to live imtil 1879, 
when they retired to Butler, where the 
mother died when, aged eighty-five years, 
and the father when aged ninety-four 
years. 

George Forcht has followed farming all 
his life and has been interested in the oil 
business to the extent of pumping his own 
wells. He has had nine wells drilled on 
his land, six of them proving active, but 
none are at present operative with the one 
exception above mentioned. ]\Ir. Forcht 
married Emma E. Grohman, and they 
have had a family of ten children born to 
them, namely: William J., who is a drug- 
gist at Butler; Gertrude, who lives at 
home; Lillian, who is a stenographer re- 
siding at Pittsburg; Verna, who married 
Archie Schenck, has one child, Earl; and 
Howard, Arnold, Edna, Arthur, Walter 
and Margaret. The family home is a com- 
modious frame residence which Mr. Forcht 
Imilt in 1889. He is a man of consequence 
in his community and his fellow citizens 



have shown how highly they esteem him 
by keeping him in the responsible office of 
auditor for so many years. He is one of 
the leading members of the German Lu- 
theran Church at Butler. 

JACOB KECK, who enjoys the distinc- 
tion of being the oldest justice of the peace 
at Butler, in point of service, having con- 
tinuously filled the office for forty-one 
years, has also been one of the city's use- 
ful and active business men. He was born 
in Germany, June 26, .1830, and came to 
the United States when nineteen years of 
age. 

Mr. Keck came to Butler in 1850 and 
after serving an apprenticeship to the cab- 
inetmaker's trade, he worked for seven 
years as a journeyman and then entered 
into business as a cabinetmaker and un- 
dertaker, at Butler, which business he con- 
tinued for about thirty-three years. He 
was active also in other lines, in 1884 being 
interested in a book and stationery busi- 
ness and also in a merchant tailoring busi- 
ness. He also acquired property in the vi- 
cinity of Butler and owns one of the rich 
farms in the environs of the city. In a 
business way he has been identified with 
several organizations and at present is 
serving as secretary of the AVorkmen's 
Building and Loan Association of Butler. 
In addition to the attention necessarily 
given to these various business concerns, 
Judge Keck has completely and efficiently 
performed every duty attached to the of- 
fice of justice of the peace. During this 
period of forty-one years in office and the 
handling of hundreds and hundreds of 
cases and the peaceable adjusting of many 
vexing problems, he has had not more than 
six cases reversed by the higher courts, 
and this fact indicates the legal ability and 
sound judgment possessed by Judge Keck. 
He has always taken a lively interest in 
local politics and is a stanch adherent of 
the Democratic party. 

In 185.3 Mr. Keck was married (first) to 



918 



HISTORY OF' BUTLER COUNTY 



Miss Margaret Kradel, who died in 1872, 
leaving tliree children, namely: George 
F., who is engaged in a merchant tailoring 
business at Butler; Elizabeth, who is the 
wife of Lewis Keck, residing at Butler; 
and Louisa, who is the wife of Harry S. 
Klingler, also of Butler. Mr. Keck was 
married (second) to Miss Louise T. Trout- 
man, who is a daiaghter of Adam Trout- 
man, of Pittsburg. The two children of 
the second marriage are : Theodore C. H., 
who is a well-known attorney at Butler; 
and Gertrude M., who lives at home. Mr. 
Keck and family belong to the Lutheran 
Church. 

DR. JAMES HAMILTON RALSTON, 
one of the leading physicians of Butler 
County, located at Harmony, Pennsylva- 
nia, was born January 7, 1865, and is a 
son of William and Hannah (Riddle) Ral- 
ston. 

John Ralston, great-grandfather, of .pur 
subject, was among the early settlers of 
Butler County. He came here from 
Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Penn- 
sylvania, but first located at New Castle, 
Ijawrence County, where he contemplated 
building a mill, but owing to conditions 
which he deemed not suitable for. building, 
moved up to Slippery Rock, and about 
1765 built the first mill in that locality. 
John Ralston lived to an advanced age and 
was the father of a large family of chil- 
di-eu. He was a man of powerful physique, 
a citizen of sterling worth, honorable and 
true in business, and generous and reliable 
in friendship. 

William Ralston, grandfather of our sub- 
ject, was born in 1800 at Slippery Rock, 
now Centerville. In 18.30 he located on the 
Little Connoquenessing and died there in 
1898 at the advanced age of ninety-eight 
years. He married Mary Sharp, who was 
boi-n in Ireland and at the age of thirteen 
years came to this country with her ]>ar- 
ents, who locatedjiear Butler, Pennsylva- 
nia. The following children were born to 



the graudiDtirents of Dr. Ralston: John, 
died in 1886 in Butler County ; James, who 
died in Andersonville prison, owned a 
small farm, which was purchased by his 
father' after his death. Oil was discov- 
ered on same later on, and there his father 
erected a mill; Albert is engaged in busi- 
ness in Oregon; William, father of sub- 
ject, resides in Butler County; Mrs. Bri- 
son Martin resides at Wliitestown, Butler 
County; Martha married a Mr. Brown of 
Unionville; Mary married Isaac McClung 
of Unionville, Pennsylvania. 

William Ralston, our subject's father, 
was born near Butler, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is still living, and aJ- 
though now in his seventy-second year, is 
.still hale and hearty for one of his years. 
He is a miller by trade and for many years 
owned and operated a mill in Concord 
township and also one in Prospect Bor- 
ough. He married Hannah Riddle, who 
was born in Franklin Township, Butler 
(bounty, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of 
Samuel Riddle, who was born and reared 
at Prospect, where he died aged forty- 
five years. Mrs. Riddle died aged forty- 
two years. Mrs. Ralston had two sisters 
and two brothers, namelj^: Matilda, mar- 
ried Dr. Hamilton and died in California; 
Rachel, married Robert Borland; Irwin, 
died in Texas; and Hamilton, who served 
in the United States Army, died in Ari- 
zona. William Ralston and his estimable 
wife were the parents of the following chil- 
dren: Dr. Samuel Ralston, graduated 
from the Jefferson Medical College and 
also took a course of study at the Mt. 
Union College of Ohio and at Grove City. 
He married Mary Swain of Harmony, But- 
ler County; Mary, deceased wife of Dr. R. 
E. Redmond of Grove City ; Albert, whft . 
attended the public schools and Prospect 
Academy, married Eva Wagle of Pros- 
pect. He is now deceased; James, the sub- 
ject of this sketch; and William, who re- 
ceived his education at Prospect, died un- 
married. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



919 



James Hamilton Ealston, our subject, 
was reared at Prospect and obtained Ms 
educational training at Grove City Col- 
lege and at Mt. Union, Obio, after wbich 
he took a four-years' course at Jefferson 
Medical College, graduating in 1901. Dr. 
Ealston first embarked in the practice of 
his profession at Slate Lick, Armstrong 
County. In November, 1904, he located 
at Harmony, where he now enjoys a lucra- 
tive practice as well as the confidence and 
esteem of all those with whom be has been 
brought in contact. 

In 1885, when just twenty years of age, 
Dr. Ealston was united in marriage at 
Dayton, Ohio, with Theodosia Thayer, a 
daughter of Oscar Thayer of that city. 
The great-grandfather of Mrs. Ealston 
served two terms as mayor of Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

Five children have been born to Dr. and 
Mrs. Ealston: Mary C, wife of Floyd 
Wengel of Harmony, has one child, Bruce; 
William, aged nineteen years, is still at 
home ; Samuel, is in Virginia ; Irwin, lives 
at home; Camilla. Fraternally, Dr. Eal- 
ston is a member of the Knights of Pyth- 
ias, and the K. 0. T. M. He is also a 
member of the American Medical Associa- 
tion, the Medical Association of Pennsyl- 
vania and the Butler County Medical As- 
sociation. He is a Eeijublican in politics, 
as were all of his ancestors. 

FEEW H. STEWAET, general farmer 
and prominent citizen of Connoquenessiug 
Township, residing on his valuable farm of 
150 acres, was born in Lancaster Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, June 
25, 1871, and is a son of Archibald G. and 
Mary (Hays) Stewart. 

The Stewart family is a very old one in 
Pennsylvania, and, as the name indicates, 
may be traced to Scotland. Eobert Stew- 
art, the great-great-grandfather of Frew 
H., was an early settler in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, and served in the 
Eevolutionary War. He remained in the 



military service of the State, as his name 
in 1781 is on the pay roll of Captain 
Evans' company, Second Pennsylvania 
Eegiment. His laome was in a remote re- 
gion, with the nearest neighbor fifteen 
miles distant. In 1796 he came to Butler 
County and located at Stewartsville, now 
Portersville, where he was appointed the 
first postmaster. He married Margaret, 
daughter of Colonel Christy, also a Eevo- 
lutionary soldier, and a settler at Porters- 
ville, in 1800. Of the eleven children born 
to this marriage, Samuel was the eldest 
son. 

Samuel Stewart, the great-grandfather 
of Frew H. Stewart, probably accompa- 
nied his parents to Butler County, as rec- 
ords show that he built a cabin on the west 
side of Portersville and lived on tlie farm 
now owned by the Cheesman family. In 
1803 he moved to Connoquenessiug Town- 
shi^D, purchasing a farm in the woods. He 
married Nancy Scott, a daughter of John 
Scott, and of their twelve children, Will- 
iam was the second born. 

William Stewart, grandfather of Frew 
H., was born in Connoquenessiug Town- 
ship, in 1805, and in boyhood went to live 
with his Grandfather Scott on a farm west 
of Mouudsville. He remained there into 
early manhood and then returned to his 
father's farm, which he helped to clear 
and later purchased sixty acres of its 
northern part. In 1827 he married Eliza 
Frew, who was born in 1806, a daughter of 
John Frew, of Lawrence County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they had eight children, Archi- 
bald G. being the sixth in order of birth 
and the youngest son. They were among 
the foimders of the Moundsville United 
Presbyterian Church. 

Archibald G. Stewart was born in Lan- 
caster Township, Butler County, Pennsvl- 
vauia, April 30, 1838. He attended C. H. 
Dimlap's Normal School at Prospect and 
prepared himself for teaching and spent 
several years alternately working the home 
farm and teaching school. He remained on 



920 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



the home place about one and one-lialf 
years after bis marriage, and tben moved 
to Wortb Township. In the spring of 
1864, he enlisted for service in the Civil 
War, entering Company A, Sixth Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. This 
regiment was niade guard of General Sher- 
idan's supply train and during almost the 
whole period of service, until the close of 
the war, was detailed for this important 
work. After he returned from the army, in 
the fall of 1865, Mr. Stewart sold his AVorth 
Township farm and moved into Lancaster 
Township, where he lived for seven years 
and then returned to Worth Township for 
four years, in the spring of 1876, settling 
on the farm now owned by his son, Frew 
H. Here Mr. Stewart continued to reside 
until the fall of 1899, when he retired to 
Grove City, where he is one of the highly 
esteemed older citizens. He belongs to the 
Grand Army Post there and formerly was 
both chaplain and commander of the Pros- 
pect Post. During his years of residence 
in Gonnoquenessing Township, he served 
as a justice of the peace and in numerous 
other offices, being school director, tax col- 
lector and overseer of the poor. On May 
22, 1862, he married Mary E. Hays, who 
is a daughter of William Hays, of Lancas- 
ter Township, and of their eight children, 
the following five grew to maturity : Anna, 
who resides with her aged i^iarents at 
Grove City, is the widow of J. W. McJun- 
kin; Frew H. ; Frank W., who is a prac- 
ticing physician at Colfax, Iowa; Herbert 
W., a graduate of Grove City College, who 
is now a student in the Western Theolog- 
ical Seminary at Allegheny; and Roy M., 
residing at home, who is a telegraph "oper- 
ator at Grove City. The parents are mem- 
bers of the Presbyterian Churcli and for 
many years the father was a ruling elder 
in the Mt. Nebo Church. 

Frew H. Stewart has devoted himself 
almost exclusively to agricultural pursuits, 
having received thorough training under 
his father. About one-fifth of his large es- 



tate is timbered. He raises corn, oats, 
wheat, hay, potatoes and buckwheat, util- 
izing improved machinery and carrying on. 
his operations after the most approved 
methods. He keeps about twenty head of 
cattle and nine milch cows, and makes- 
choice butter for private customers at But- 
ler. 

Mr. Stewart married Miss Sarah Dutter,. 
who is a daughter of Jesse Dutter, of 
Franklin Township, Butler County. They 
are members of the Mt. Nebo Presbyterian 
Church, Mr. Stewart being one of the eld- 
ers. He is affiliated with the Republican 
party, but has always declined political 
office. 

HENRY KECK, one of Summit Town- 
ship's well known citizens and general 
farmers, resides on his farm of eighty 
acres, which is situated adjacent to Green- 
wood Cemetery, which propertj^ once was 
a part of this farm. Mr. Keck was born 
on a farm in Smnmit Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, one and one-half 
miles distant from this one, Felu-uary 28, 
1854, and is a son of Martin ami Mary 
(Rimp) Keck. 

Martin Keck and wife were lx)th )x)rn in 
Germany and both came unmarried to But- 
ler County and they were later married at 
Summit. The Kecks and the Rimps owned 
adjoining farms. There were six children 
born to Martin Keck and wife, namely: 
John, while working on a steamboat on 
the Mississipisi River, near Memphis, was 
attacked by cholera and died there; Mat- 
thias, who died aged fifty-two years, reared 
a family of nine children; Lewis, who is a 
foreman in the plate glass works, lives in 
Butler ; Christian ; Henry, and Philip, who 
follows the blacksmith business in Union 
County, Iowa. The father of this familv 
died in October, 1886. The venerable 
mother, who will celebrate her ninety-first 
birthday on October 18, 1908, resides with 
her son Henry. 

Henry Keek was born on the old Rimp 




ROBERT E. GALLAGHER. D. D. S. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



923 



farm, but was small when liis parents 
moved to the old Keck farm and there he 
was reared. He has lived on his present 
farm since the fall of 1877 and some years 
ago sold the land to the township which 
now is Greenwood Cemetery. With the 
exception of one summer, during which 
he worked on a steamboat running- on the 
Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, he has been 
engaged in general farming and trucking 
all his mature life. After his marriage he 
settled on this farm which was the old 
homestead of his father-in-law, Adam Ret- 
tig, who owned three farms in the town- 
ship. 

Mr. Keck married Christina Rettig and 
they have nine children, namely: Minnie, 
who married Henry Kurtz, has four chil- 
dren, Gilbert, Elinor, Merle and Alberta; 
Bertha, who married Harry Bowsher; 
Charles, who married Lillie Cradle, has 
one child, Florence; Amelia, who married 
Lewis Frederick, has one child, Leroy ; 
Philip, who works in the glass works at 
Butler; Lillie, who lives at home; Ferdi- 
nand, who is engaged in farming in Michi- 
gan, and Herman and Oliver, both reside 
at home. Mr. Keck and family belong to 
fhe German Lutheran Church. Mr. Keck 
is interested in the public schools and 
served four years as school director in his 
district. 



ROBERT EDGAR GALLAGHER, D. 
D. S., a prominent professional man at 
Zelienople, is also identified with its busi- 
ness interests, being treasi;rer of the 
Home Realty Company, and interested in 
other enterprises. Dr. Gallagher was 
l)orn in Worth Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, October 14, 1865, and is a 
son of William and Sophia C. (Coulson) 
Gallagher. 

The parents of Dr. Gallagher were both 
l)orn in Butler Countv, and the mother 
still survives. The father died in 1870, 
aged fiftv- seven years. He was a farmer 



for many years in Worth Township. The 
Gallagher family is an old pioneer one of 
this part of Pennsylvania and was 
founded in Butler Coimty by John Galla- 
gher, the great-grandfather of Dr. Galla- 
gher. He came with his family from 
County Down, Ireland. James Gallagher, 
the eldest son of John and the grandfather 
of Dr. Gallagher, was small when he ac- 
com]ianied his jaarents to America. He 
was twice married, his first wife being 
Sarah Forester and they lived and died 
in Muddy Creek Township, Butler County. 
They had three children, the son becoming 
the "father of Dr. Gallagher. The latter 
had five brothers and sisters, namely: 
James, deceased ; John, who resides near 
Petersville; Hannah, who is the wife of 
Harry M. Lebengood and resides at Cam- 
den, New Jersey; Stella, who is the wife 
of Lewis Smith, of Beaver Falls ; Malissa, 
who is the wife of John Kelly and resides 
at Zelienople. 

Dr. Gallagher attended the country 
schools in Worth Township until he was 
fifteen years old and then became a stu- 
dent at Witherspoon Institute, at Butler, 
following which he taught school for some 
five years. In 1895 he entered the Penn- 
sylvania College of Dental Surgery at 
Philadelphia, where he was graduated in 
the class of 1898 and then located in that 
city and practiced there for seven years. 
In 1905 he came to Zelienople where his 
skill has built up a large and lucrative 
pi'actice. Dr. Gallagher keeps fully 
abreast of the times in his profession and 
is a member of the C. N. Peirce Dental 
Society and also of the W^estern Pennsyl- 
vania Odontological Society. He belongs 
to Cosmopolitan Lodge, No. 433, Knights 
of Pythias, at Philadelphia, and to the 
Knights of Maccabee at Zelienople. Po- 
litically he is a Republican. He retains 
his college membership with Psi Omega 
fraternity. He is a member of the Episco- 
l>al Church. 



924 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



EDWIN MEEDER, oue of the foremost 
merchants of Butler County, and the pres- 
ent nominee of the Democratic party for 
rej^resentative from this district, was born 
in Connoquenessing Township, Butler 
County, Penna., January 24, 1864, son of 
George and Lena (Millerman) Meeder. 

His parental grandfather was Tobias 
Meeder, a native of Germany, who emi- 
grated to this country, bringing his fam- 
ily with him, and settling in Summit Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna., near the 
present site of Summit Station. He was 
there engaged in farming, but subsequent- 
ly moved to Connoquenessing Township. 
He and his wife were the parents of six 
children — Frederick, George, Tobias, Sa- 
lome, Magdalena and Caroline. Freder- 
ick married Caroline Hoelin and lived and 
died in Cranberry Township. George was 
the father of the subject of this sketch and 
is mentioned more fully in the succeeding 
paragraph of this article. Tobias married 
Caroline Gerwig and is now a retired 
farmer. He has resided in Butler County 
since 1850 — thirteen years in Summit, from 
there to Cranberry Township, and thence 
to Zelienople, of which place he is now a 
resident. Salome, who became the wife of 
John Troll, removed to Minnesota and is 
now deceased. Magdalena, who was the 
wife of Victor Buch, moved to Milwaukee, 
in which city she died. Caroline, who mar- 
ried Christopher Vogus, died in Wiscon- 
sin. The father of these children died in 
1873 at the age of seventy-three years; 
the mother died in Germany aged forty- 
eight years. 

George Meeder, who was born in Ger- 
many January 26, 1828, settled here about 
1848. He married Lena Millerman, who 
is still living, and they were the parents 
of ten children, of whom four sons and 
five daughters still survive. Their record 
in brief is as follows: Phillip, born in 
May, 1856, now resides on a farm in Con- 
noquenessing Township; he married Jean- 
ette Ramsey of Cranberry Township. Ed- 



win was born in 1864. Albert H. married 
Miss Hensel of Zelienople. Theodore W. 
resides in Cleveland ; he married a lady of 
Mansfield, Ohio, and travels for H. J. 
Heinz & Co. Magdalena is the wife of 
Dale Thom, of Connoquenessing Township, 
a farmer. Margaret married Jacob 
Shieves, a farmer of Connoquenessing 
Township. Catherine became the wife of 
Henry Ashe, of Saxonburg, a blacksmith, 
and moved to Tareutum, Allegheny Coun- 
ty, where her husband died. Caroline be- 
came the wife of George Harris of New 
Castle, a butcher. Dora first married Will- 
iam Barnhart, a farmer of Connoquenes- 
sing Township, and after his death be- 
came the wife of George Preston, a moul- 
der of New Brighton, Penna. 

The father of the above mentioned chil- 
dren died March 6, 1908, when in his 
eighty-first year. 

Edwin Meeder acquired his literary edu- 
cation at Witherspoon Institute and Curry 
University, Pittsburg. He then spent three 
years teaching in Butler County, after 
which he taught two years in Minnesota, 
and then entered into a mercantile busi- 
ness, in which he continued for a year. He 
married in Minnesota and then, in 1887, 
returned to Zelienople, where he was clerk 
in a stoi'e imtil the spring of 1892. His 
next industrial employment was as trav- 
eling salesman, in which he continued for 
about two years and a half, or until the 
fall of 1894. For two years thereafter he 
was engaged in settling the estate of Mr. 
Ifft. In 1896 he founded the mercantile 
firm of A. II. Meeder & Co., the business 
being carried on for eight years subse- 
quently under that style. In 1904 the part- 
nership was dissolved, since which time 
Mr. Meeder has been in business alone. 
His establishment, which is devoted to gen- 
eral merchandise, is the largest in the 
county outside Butler, it having grown 
from "$8,000 to $50,000 per annum. Mr. 
Meeder is secretary and treasurer of the 
Zelienople Light & Power Company, and 



AND.. REPRESENTAT[\'E CITIZENS 



925 



for a time was first viee-president of the 
First National Bank of Zelienople. lie 
lias been a Democrat from his earliest 
years of responsibility, and has taken an 
active part in local politics. Without 
seeking it he received the nomination for 
representative on the Democratic ticket in 
1908, and there can be no donbt, if his 
business and personal records afford any 
clue, that he would make an acceptable 
public servant. 

Mr. ]\Ieeder was married, in 1887, to 
Miss Ida EUing, a daughter of Henry El- 
ling of Carver County, Minn. Their fam- 
ily includes two daughters and three sons 
— Lillian, Lena, Clarence, Victor and Ells- 
worth. 

EVERETT L. RALSTON, attorney at 
law, at Butler, is a representative of one 
of the oldest families of Butler County. 
He was born in 1857, in what is now the 
borough of Slippery Rock, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a. son of John Rals- 
ton. 

John Ralston was born in Slippery Rock 
Township, Butler Coimty, where his par- 
ents were pioneers, about 1837. He learned 
the carpentertrade, but his life was main- 
ly devoted to agricultural pursuits. He 
was a man of quiet -unambitious life and 
his death took place-in the section in which 
he was born. 

Everett L. Ralston was afforded excel- 
lent educational advantages and in 1881 
he was graduated from Grove City Col- 
lege. Prior to this he had,laught school 
and following his graduation he entered 
upon the study of law under the preceptor- 
ship of Hon. Charles McCandless and was 
admitted to the bar in 1885. For a time 
he was in partnership witli John M. Greer 
and later with J. B. Greer, a son of Judge 
Greer, the latter partnership continuing 
for some years. Since it was dissolved he 
has practiced alone, both in the local 
courts, the Supreme Court of the State 
and the United States District C^urt. He 



has gained high staudiug iu his [>rofession 
and on many occasions has been counsel 
in very important cases of litigation, in 
many of which he secured full justice for 
his clients. He is a member of the Butler 
County Bar Association. 

Mr. Ralston was married iu 1889 to Miss 
Carrie H. Smith, who is a daughter of 
W. P. Smith, of Center Township, Butler 
-County, and they have three children: 
Charles E., who is a student at Grove City 
College, his father's alma mater; J. Perry 
and Robert Clifford, who are students in 
the Butler High School. Mr. and Mrs. 
Ralston are members of the United Pres- 
byterian Church. His fraternal connec- 
tions are with the Knights of Pythias and 
the Woodmen of the AVorld. 

JOHN P. :\IILLER, a well known agri- 
culturist of Summit Township, residing 
on the farm of sixty-two acres which is 
owned jointly by himself and wife, was 
born at Butler, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, April 29, 1845, and is a son of An- 
drew and Elizabeth (Nicholas) Miller. 

Both parents of Mr. Miller were born in 
Germany. The father lived in his native 
country until he reached young manhood 
and then came to Butler Covmty, Pennsyl- 
vania, securing work- in a tannery at Zel- 
ienoi^le, where he remained for a time and 
then went to Butler, where he established 
the first brewery in the place. The moth- 
er of John P. Miller was brought from 
Germany to America when six years of 
age by her father, Peter Nicholas, who set- 
tled at Zelienople, where he reruained for 
a few years and then moved to what was 
then Clearfield, but what is now Summit 
Township. Peter Nicholas liought a farm 
near Herman, and there his daugliter Eliz- 
abeth grew to young womanhood. Andrew 
Aliller continued his brewery business at 
Butler for a number of years, but retired 
for some time before his death. 

John P. Miller went to school through 
bovhood and then began work in his fath- 



926 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



er's brewery and after his father retired 
from business he continued the brewery 
for some 3'ears and then turned his atten- 
tion to farming. In March, 1880, Mr. Mil- 
ler and wife came to their present farm, 
one on which she had been reared from the 
age of five years. Mr. Miller was mar- 
ried at Butler to Rosanna Hoffman, who 
was born at Petersburg, Huntington Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of 
Conrad and Barbara (Wagner) Hoffman. 
They were born in Germany, but were mar- 
ried in America. Shortly after the mar- 
riage of their daughter they rented the 
farm in Summit Township and moved to 
Butler, where both subsequently died. 
This farm at one time was drilled in a 
number of places for oil, and wells pro- 
duced for a certain period, but at present 
there is but one well in operation. Mr. 
and Mrs. Miller have had eleven children 
born to them and they also have a number 
of grandchildren. The family record is as 
follows: John Louis married Clara Tait 
and they have six children. Mary Eliza- 
beth married Robert Clay and they have 
five children. Laura married John Knause 
and they have one child. Charles E. mar- 
ried Rose Gallagher and they have two 
children. Emma married Benjamin Tait 
and they have five children. Albert mar- 
ried Lydia Frederick. Frank is a contract- 
or and oil worker, and Lester R. and Lee 
W. also reside at home. One babe died 
unnamed and the third child. Flora, lived 
but five months. 

N. C. McCOLLOUGH, a prominent citi- 
zen of Butler, attorney at law, oil producer 
and an active politician, has been a resi- 
dent of this city for some fifteen years. 
He was born in 1864, in Fairview Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Peter and a grandson of William 
McCoUough. 

The founder of the MeCollough family 
in Butler County was John McCoUough, 
the great-grandfather of N. C. MeCol- 



lough. Peter McCoUough, the father, was 
a son of William McCoUough, and was 
born in B'airview Township in 1835. For 
many years he was a leading citizen and 
large farmer in his native township and he 
still survives, residing at Chicora, Penn- 
sylvania. The old McCoUough j^roperty 
was secured in 1799 and some member of 
the family has resided on it until the pres- 
ent. 

On the old homestead, N. C. McCoUough 
passed his boyhood, securing his education 
first in the township schools and later at 
Grove City College, where he was gradu- 
ated in 1887. He then engaged in teaching 
and followed this profession in Butler 
County and later in Kansas and before 
seriously taking up the study of law at 
Butler, he served two terms as county su- 
perintendent of schools. In 1897 he was 
admitted to the bar and has been engaged 
in practice ever since. Mr. McCoUough 
owns large holdings in the oil fields of 
Pennsylvania and is extensively engaged 
as a producer. He is a stockholder in the 
Guaranty Safe Dej^osit & Trust Company 
and in other business concerns of impor- 
tance. He is an ardent Republican and a 
hard worker for his friends. For the past 
two years he has been chairman of the 
Republican County Committee. In 1907 
Mr. ]\IcCollough was married to Miss Ame- 
lia Sherman, a resident of Butler. They 
are members of the English Lutheran 
(Mnireli. Fraternally he is a Mason, an 
Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. 

JOHN CRAMER, one of Summit Town- 
ship's substantial and representative men, 
resides on his fine farm of 137 acres, which 
lies on the Kittanning turnpike, about six 
miles east of Butler. He was born No- 
vember 10, 1856, in Deer Creek Township, 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Jacob and Barbara Cramer. 

The parents of Mr. Cramer removed 
from Allegheny County to Clearfield 
Township, Butler County, in his infancy 




JAMES A. Mcdowell 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



929 



aud there he was reared. The mother died 
on that farm, after which the father retired 
to Butler, where he died in the spring of 
1908. 

John Cramer obtained his education in 
the schools of Clearfield Township and as- 
sisted his father on the farm until he was 
twenty-five years old, when he purchased 
some oil wells and has been interested in 
the oil and gas business ever since. He 
settled on his present farm on April 1, 
1904, where he has much excellent farming 
land and has three oil wells there, owning 
a nimiber of other wells in other sections. 

Mr. Ci'amer was married first to Eva 
Langraf and had two children — Albert and 
Mary. He married second Catherine Kirt, 
who is a daughter of John Kirt and they 
have the following children : Leo, Agatha, 
Elinor, Walter and Cassia. Mr. Cramer is 
one of the best known men in this part of 
the country and his judginent in regard to 
oil and gas territory is considered very 
valuable. 

FRANCIS WALLACE CUNNING- 
HAM, a prominent dentist of Zelienople, 
was born in this borough, a son of Dr. 
Abelard V. and Jennie (Wallace) Cunning- 
ham. His ])aternal grandfather was Dr. 
Robert Ci;nningham, who was born in Lan- 
caster County, Penua., in 1806, and who 
spent his early life in that locality. He 
was of Irish descent. Coming to Beaver 
County he there purchased a farm in 
North Sewickley Township, on which he 
resided, and was for twenty-eight years 
engaged in the practice of medicine. His 
wife in maidenhood was Jane Allison, who 
came of a prominent family in that local- 
ity. They were the parents of seven chil- 
dren. 

Dr. Abelard V. Cunningham graduated 
in medicine at the Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege of Philadelphia and has been engaged 
in the practice of his profession in Zelie- 
nople for many years. He is a specialist 



in the treatment of cancerous growths. He 
is also examining surgeon for several of 
the large life insurance companies. His 
wife Jennie, to whom he was united in 
] 869, is a daughter of Francis and Adeline 
(Ferguson) Wallace. Their family num- 
bers in all nine children. 

Francis Wallace Cunningham was 
reared in his native village of Zelienople, 
obtaining his primary education in the 
common schools of the locality. He then 
took a course of study in Geneva College, 
and was graduated in dentistry at North 
Pittsburg in 1905. The above-mentioned 
studies were supplemented by a commer- 
cial course in the New Castle Business Col- 
lege. After thus qualifying himself in an 
educational sense, he established himself 
in Zelienople, where he is now engaged in 
a successful practice as a dental surgeon. 
In 1899 he was joined in marriage with 
Sadie Thomas, a daughter of AVilliam and 
Jane (Martin) Thomas, of Johnstown, 
Penna. Dr. and Mrs. Cunningham are the 
]3arents of seven children — Abelard Vin- 
cent, Harold, Leroy, James Wallace, Syl- 
via Murton, Vivian, Ethel, and Kenneth 
Robert. Dr. Cunningham is independent 
in politics. He has served for the past 
nine years as clerk of the council, having 
lioen a member of that body for the same 
length of time. 

JAMES A. McDowell, general ce- 
ment contractor at Butler, is one' of the 
city's well known and thoroughly reliable 
business men. He was born November 1, 
1866, at Franklin, Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania. 

* In 1873, when Mr. McDowell was seven 
years old, his parents moved to Butler 
County, and the boy obtained his educa- 
tion in the Butler schools. He then learned 
the plastering and cement business with 
his father and for the last seventeen years 
he has been contracting for all kinds of 
cement work, and as each year Sees ce- 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



meiit eiiteiiug more and more iuto the 
buildiug lield, Mr. McDowell's enterprise 
continues to proportionately expand. 

August 4, 1892, Mr. McDowell was mar- 
ried to Miss Etta M. Coyle, wlio was born 
and reared in Parker Township. They 
have one child, Clare L. Mr. McDowell 
owns a fine property at No. 706 W. Penn 
Street. He is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. He has served as a 
member of the City Council and also as 
borough auditor and in all public offices 
he has displayed ability and sound judg- 
ment. He belongs to several organiza- 
tions, to the Odd Fellows, to the Home 
Guards of America, to the Butler Fire 
Company and the Protected Home Circle. 

Mr. McDonald was a member of Com- 
pany G, Twenty-tirst Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania National Guards, during the Span- 
ish-American War, and was appointed as 
corporal, serving two years, when he was 
honorably discharged. 

HUNTER E. COULTER, a member of 
the Butler bar and one of the city's repre- 
sentative and substantial citizens, was 
born in 1860, in Allegheny Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania. 

Alexander Coulter, father of Hunter E., 
came to Butler County from the eastern 
part of Pennsylvania and settled on a 
farm in Allegheny Township. He fol- 
lowed farming there and also conducted a 
blacksmith Imsiness in the Pennsylvania 
oil fields. 

Hunter E. Coulter was reared on the 
home farm and from the public schools en- 
tered Grove City College and in 1884 was 
graduated from the Edinboro State Nor- 
mal School. He had commenced to teach 
school almost in boyhood and continued to 
teach for about nine years, teaching one 
year in Butler. In 1886 he began the 
study of law at Butler in the office of Lewis 
Z. Mitchell, and in 1887 he was admitted 
to the bar and entered into partnership 
with T. M. Baker. This association con- 



tinued until 11)05, when Mr. Baker with- 
drew in order to engage in banking. Mr. 
Coulter practices in the county, and su- 
preme courts. He takes an active interest 
in civic government and for seventeen 
years has been clerk of the council and 
during five years of this period has also 
served as borough solicitor. He has nu- 
merous interests outside his professional 
ones and is a stockholder in two of the city 
banks and is a member of the board of di- 
rectors of the Butler Steam Laundry. 

In 1888 Mr. Coulter was married to Miss 
Emma C. Barger, of Armstrong County, 
and they have three children : Clarence 
G., a student in the Butler High School; 
Byron Jay, who is learning the machinist 
trade with the Spang Company; and Sarah 
Eleanor, who resides at home. Mi'. (*oul- 
ter and family belong to the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

PETER NEU, a prominent farmer of 
Summit Township and a leading citizen, 
at present filling the position of road su- 
pervisor in a very efficient manner, re- 
sides on his valuable property containing 
ninety-three acres, sitiiated at Carbon Cen- 
ter. Mr. Neu has resided on this farm 
since 1868 but he was born twenty years 
earlier, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Janu- 
ary 16, 1848. His parents were John and 
Mary (Baldauf) Neu. 

The parents of Mr. Neu were both born 
in Germany, but they were not married un- 
til after they came to America. The 
father's business was coal mining and he 
rose from the lowest position in the mine to 
that of pit boss on tlae inside of the mine. 
He was an industrious and steady worker 
and accumulated money which he later in- 
vested in the purchase of land, buying 
three farms, aggregating 270 acres, to one 
of which he moved. Both John and Mary 
Neu died in Siunmit Township. 

During boyhood, Peter Neu worked with 
his father in the coal mines and he was 
twenty years of age when the family came 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



931 



to Summit Township, after which he and 
his brothers, operated the three farms. 
TJie one he now owns was not the one on 
which his parents settled, all the buildings 
on that farm having been removed by the 
B., E. & P. Railroad. On this farm, Mr. 
Neu put np all the substantial buildings 
and made all the improvements. He cai"- 
ries on general farming and has three oil 
wells on his property. He is one of the 
five survivors of a family of seven chil- 
dren, namely : Catherine, who is the wife 
of Jacob Gillenberger, of Pittsburg ; John, 
who was drowned in the Monongahela 
River before the family came to Butler 
County: Peter; Joseph, who died in 1905; 
Annie: Ileiiiy, who resides at Beaver 
Falls: jind IMiilip, who died in infancy. 

In early manhood, Peter Neu married 
Barbara Ijeinenliaugli, who is a daughter 
of Peter Leinenbaugh, and they have had 
eight children, as follows: Amalie Cath- 
erine (deceased) ; Edward Joseph (de- 
ceased) ; Rosalie M., who married John 
Conrad; Clara M., who married Albert J. 
Carter; Francis P.; Emma C, who mar- 
ried Marsh Leonard; Charles E., married 
Clara Leonard; and John L. J. Mr. Neu 
and family belong to the Roman Catholic 
Church. 

DR. ABELARD VINCENT CUNNING- 
HAM, a prominent physician of Zelieuople 
for a period of forty-one years has been 
engaged in the practice of medicine in this 
borough, has won prestige in this locality 
as a representative of the calling to which 
his energies have been devoted through 
life. He was born January 14, 1837, in 
North Sewickley Township, Beaver Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Dr. Rob- 
ert and Jane (Allison) Cunningham. 

Dr. Robert Cunningham, father of the 
subject, was of Irish descent and was born 
in September, 1806, in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, where his early life was 
spent. He came to Beaver County, pur- 
chased a farm of Dr. Loring Lusk in North 



Sewickley Township, where for twenty- 
eight years he was engaged in the practice 
of medicine. He wedded Jane Allison, who 
was born in 1808, a daughter of James Al- 
lison, a prominent attorney, who was twice 
a member of Congress from that district, 
and a sister of John Allison, who was pay- 
master in the army under President Lin- 
coln and Reg. United States Treasurer un- 
der President Grant. Seven children were 
born to Dr. and Mrs. Cunningham : Louisa, 
Avife of Edward White of Iowa; Adison, 
a farmer residing at Bridge Water, Bea- 
ver County; Dr. A. V. Cunningham, sub- 
ject of this sketch; Dr. Dewees Cunning- 
ham, was assistant surgeon in the army 
and engaged in practice at Wurtemburg, 
Lawrence County, until his death ; Juliette, 
died in 1848, aged ten years; Cecelia, de- 
ceased wife of Dr. Stewart of Akron, also 
deceased; and Jennie, married Lorenzo C. 
Kirker, of Beaver Falls, where she resides 
at the present time. Dr. Cunningham died 
September, 1860, and his wife April 30, 
1851. 

Dr. A. V. Cunningham, our subject, was 
educated at North Sewickley and Beaver 
Academies and graduated irom the Jef- 
ferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 
1880, having previously attended that col- 
lege during 1863 and 1864. He first began 
practicing at Wampum, Lawrence County, 
after which, for about one year, he located 
at Poland, where he became an intimate 
acquaintance of President McKinley. In 
1867 Dr. Cunningham came to Zelieuople, 
where he has been constantly and success- 
fully engaged in the practice of his pro- 
fession iintil the present time. Dr. Cun- 
ningham has made a wonderful discovery 
of a cure for cancerous growths, one of the 
worst maladies to which mankind is heir, 
and has treated hundreds of cases with 
success. He has testimonials as well as 
growths preserved, which seem almost in- 
credible to one who has not seen the results 
of his wonderful work. He has in his pos- 
session specimens of all kinds of the ma- 



932 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



lignaut growth. This remedy has been 
J^nown to Dr. Cunningham for many years, 
but owing to the ethics of his profession 
has refused to make it known to the world 
imtil in later years, when impelled from 
a, sense of duty to maukind and humanity. 
Dr. Cunningham is of an inventive turn of 
iniud and has invented an instrument for 
administering chloi'oform to his patients. 
He has also invented a single-tree which 
liolds the trace by a patent spring known 
as the Resilient Spring, for preventing the 
trace from leaving the single-tree. 

Dr. Cunningham has been for a nunibei- 
of years a member of the Butler County 
Medical Society and is examining surgeon 
for a number of the large life insurance 
companies including the Equitable of New 
York; the Monti)elier of Vermont, for- 
merly the New York Life, and the Mutual 
Life Insurance Company of New York. He 
was for some years local surgeon of the 
B. & 0. R. R. He is religiously a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Church and in poli- 
tics independent. 

He is now serving his second term as a 
member of the Board of Pensioners, on 
which lie had at one time previously served 
four years. He has served several terms 
as a member of the school board and as 
"burgess and clerk of the borough council. 

On September 16, 1869, Dr. Cunningham 
wedded Jennie Wallace, who was l)oiii and 
reared in Zelienople, and is a <l;iiinlilcr nt' 
Erancis and Adeline (Ferguson) Walliwe. 
To them were born the following children : 
Nora Viola ; Francis Wallace, a graduate 
of the Pittsburg Dental College; Abelard 
Vincent, a dentist residing in Zelienople; 
Jennie, wife of Brant Sankey of Zelie- 
nople; Lee S., a painter; Walter C, siiper- 
intendent of the crating department of the 
enameling works; Ralph, a machinist of 
Zelienople; and Adeline F. 

C. H. KENNEDY, proprietor of the 
Kennedy Bottling Works at Butler, is a 
leading and representative business citi- 



zen who is identified with a number of the 
successful enterprises of this section. He 
was born in 1857, near Kennedy's Mill, in 
Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania. 

When Mr. Kennedy was three years old 
his parents moved to Muddy Creek Town- 
ship, Butler County, but shortly afterward 
went to Tennessee, subsequently returning 
to Lawrence County. C. H. Kennedy 
si>ent his early life on a farm and also 
worked with his father's threshing ma- 
chine and later spent four years at the 
l)lacksmith trade. He learned the bottling 
business at New Brighton and Sharon and 
from the latter place came to Butler Sep- 
tember 10, 1890, at which time he bought a 
small bottling plant already established 
and has continued in the business ever 
since. Mr. Kennedy has prospered through 
his energy and enterprise and now occupies 
his own building which is situated at No. 
158 Race Street, Butler, and is equipped 
with modern machinery that makes the 
manufacture of all kinds of soft drinks, 
in which he deals, sanitar)^, healthful and 
economical. He does an immense business 
and his ti'ade relations cover a wide terri- 
tory. He is a stockholder in the Butler 
County National Bank, in the People's 
Telei^hone Company, the Butler Savings 
and Trust Company and the Butler Ice 
Company. He has taken an active inter- 
est in local politics and has served three 
years as a member of the city council. 

In 1888 Mr. Kennedy married Esther 
E. Boyer, of Sharon, Pennsylvania. They 
have one daughter, Dorothy Elizabeth. 
Mr. Kennedy is a member and liberal sup- 
l)orter of the First Presbyterian Church. 
1 le is a member of the order of Maccabees 
and of the Federal Casualty Company. 

JOHN KNAUSE, residing on the old 
Knause farm of seventy-two acres, situ- 
ated in Summit Township, of which he is 
one-third owner, was born on a farm in 
Oakland Township, Butler County, Penn- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



933 



sj'lvauia, March 20, 1863, and is a sou of 
Jacob and Margaret (Bigger) Knause. 

The parents of Mr. Knause came to the 
Summit Township farm in 1867 and here 
the fatlier .died on July 3, 1884, and the 
mother, on November 5, 1900. Thus John 
Knause has hved on this farm ever since 
he was four years old and from boyhood 
has been engaged in farming. He is part 
owner of the homestead, his two sisters, 
Mrs. W. H. Baruhart and Mrs. Harry J. 
O'Donnell, owning the other two-thirds. 
It is good land and Mr. Knause is consid- 
ered one of the best and most successful 
farmers of this section. 

In 1884 Mr. Knause was married to Miss 
Laura Miller, who is a daughter of John 
P. Miller, a prominent resident of Butler 
County, and they have one child, Alberta. 
Mr. and Mrs. Knause are members of the 
Lutheran Church. He takes no very ac- 
tive interest in politics, but he has opin- 
ions and performs all duties pertaining to 
good citizenship when township affairs are 
under public consideration. 

WINFIELD S. SCOTT, a representa- 
tive citizen of Summit Township, a daiiy- 
nian and owner of fifty acres of excellent 
farming land, was born in Summit Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, Pennsylvania, Decem- 
ber 12, 1860, and is a son of Mitchell and 
Catherine (Moser) Scott. 

George Scott, the grandfather of Win- 
tield S., was the first settler on the pres- 
ent farm, which he secured from the Gov- 
ernment. He was of Scotch-Irish descent 
and came to this section at a verj' early 
day, finding himself almost alone when he 
built his log cabin in the forest. He 
cleared his land and made improvements 
which greatly increased the value of the 
property, which, in turn, came into the 
possession of his son, Mitchell Scott, who 
was born on the farm in 1820. The latter 
grew to manhood here and then married 
a daughter of Solomon Moser. Mr. Moser 
was of German parentage, but of Ameri- 



can birth. He owned property in Oak- 
land Township, where Mrs. Scott was born 
and reared. Mitchell Scott and wife took 
up their domestic life in the old house 
which stood in the vicinity of the handsome 
residence in which their son, Winfield S., 
resides. They had -two children, both sons, 
and both survive: John, a resident of 
Butler, and Winfield S. on the old farm. 
The father was the first to pass away, his 
death taking place in November, 1892. 
The mother survived until January, 1899. 
They were well known throughout the 
township and were numbered with the 
most respected people. 

AVinfield S. Scott has been engaged in 
farming ever since he reached an age to 
make use of farm implements, and his life 
has been passed in Summit Township. In 
addition to operating his own farm, he 
rents fifty additional acres, which he also 
cultivates. For the past twelve years he 
has been in the dairy business and oper- 
ates a milk route through Butler. 

■ On May 25, 1892, Mr. Scott was married 
to Miss Sadie Christie, who is a daughter 
of Newton and Mary (Robb) Ciiristie. 
Airs. Scott was born in Greece City, Con- 
cord Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, on the same farm on which her 
grandfather, Hughes Christie, was born, 
one w^hich had been settled by her great- 
grandfather, Andrew Christie. Her par- 
ents still reside in Concord Township, 
among the old, respected and sulistaiitial 
residents. Her maternal <;ranilt';itlK'r. 
Isaac Robb, was born in Oakland Town^ 
ship, the Robbs being also old people in 
Butler County. Both Mr. and Mrs. Scott 
can well lay claim to pioneer ancestry. 
They have -four children: Wesley N., Oli- 
ver W., Mary Catherine and Eugene 
Mitchell. The* family belong to the First 
Presbyterian Church at Butler. They en- 
joy the comforts of a modern and attract- 
ive residence which Mr. Scott built in 
1892. He is not actively interested in poli- 
tics, but he is a good citizen and in local 



934 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



affairs is apt to cast his vote for the can- 
didates he believes will give attention to 
matters of neighborhood interest, the mak- 
ing of good roads and the adding to the 
efficiency of the schools being of para^ 
mount importance. 

MARTIN HEIM, a well known citizen 
of Butler Township, where he conducts a 
large business in building stone, leasing 
two quarries for the purpose, was born in 
Summit Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, October 10, 1852, and is a son of 
John and Elizabeth (Ober) Heim. 

The father of Mr. Heim was born in a 
German province, came to America in 
young manhood, and died in Summit 
Township, Butler C'ounty, in 1862, when 
aged fifty-two years. In Philadelphia he 
learned the trade of piano builder, which 
he followed in that city for several years, 
but after his marriage he came to Butler 
County and bought a farm of ninety-three 
acres in Summit Township. At the time 
he located there, this beautiful, fertile 
farm, which his son ]\Iartin now owns, was 
a great belt of woodland. He worked hard 
and cleared a large part of the property. 
He married a daughter of Martin Ober, 
who came to Philadelphia from France. 
The children of John and Elizabeth Heim 
were three in number, as follows : Henry, 
who lives at Warren, Pennsylvania ; Cath- 
erine, who is the wife of Joseph Shebel, of 
Clearfield Township; and Martin, of But- 
ler Township. The parents of Mr. Heim 
were worthy members of the Catholic 
Church at Herman. 

Martin Heim learned the carpenter 
trade after he left school and worked for 
some years at this trade and for a few 
years afterward as a farmer and then 
opened his first stone quarry, where he 
now resides. Later he sold that quarry 
and now has three others leased. These 
are quarried for sandstone and his trade 
is mainly local, but he has furnished the 
stone that went into the construction of 



the i)ublic school building at Springdale 
and of many of the finest residences at 
Butler. His industry gives employment 
to about nine men. 

Mr. Heim married Annie Benedict 
Kost, whose parents came to Butler Town- 
ship in 1837. Mr. and I\lrs. 1 Icim have ten 
children, as follows: Joseph, AVilliani and 
Anthony, all residents of Pittsburg ; Theo- 
dore, Frank, Viola, Victor, Loretta, Anna 
and Mildred, at home. Mr. Heim and 
family belong to St. Peter's Roman Catho- 
lic Church. In politics he is a Democrat. 
He is a member of the Catholic Mutual 
Benefit Association, Branch No. 56, and is 
one of its executive committee. 

W. J. TROUTMAN, a representative 
citizen of the city of Butler and a member 
of the leading mercantile firm of A. Trout- 
man's Sons, was born at Butler, Penns3d- 
vania. May 20, 1868, and is a son of the 
veneralili' Adaiii Tmutmnn, one of But- 
ler's most esteemed letired residents and 
pioneer business men. 

W. J. Troutman was reared in his na- 
tive city and was educated in the schools 
of Butier and the Capitol University at 
Columbus, Ohio, supplemented by a thor- 
ough business course in the Columbus 
Business College, where he was graduated 
in 1887. He then accepted a position with 
the Butler Savings Bank as assistant book- 
keei^er and continued in the bank for two 
years, following which he entered the firm 
of A. Troutman & Son, which, on the re- 
tirement of the founder, became A. Trout- 
man's Sons. This firm conducts the larg- 
est dry goods and department store in 
the cit}". Mr. Troutman is a man of enter- 
prise and is interested in other prospering 
concerns of city and vicinity. 

In 1890 Mr. Troutman was married to 
Miss Josephine Martha Stock, of Butler, 
Pennsylvania, and they have one child, 
Helen Margaret. He is a member of the 
German Lutheran Church. He takes an 
active interest in everything pertaining to 




MARTIN HEIM 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



937 



the welfare of Butler aud is a inember of 
the vokmteer fire clej)artiiieut. 

PERRY E. GOULD, a well known farm- 
er and stock dealer in Butler Township, 
where he owns 125 acres of fine land and 
has 100 acres under cultivation, was born 
in Clay Township, Butler County, Penna., 
November 5, 1859, and is a son o"f ^Villiam 
and Martha (Surles) Gould. 

William Gould, the father of Perry E., 
was born in County Down, Ireland, a sou 
of Robert Gould, and died at Butler, 
Penna., in November, 1897, aged almost 
eighty-three years. He was seven years 
old when his parents brought him to Amer- 
ica, the long Vdvimc liring made in a sail- 
ing vessel, and he rduld recall to his chil- 
dren many incidents of the settling of the 
family in Clay Township, where his father 
bought several hundred acres of land. 
William Gould grew^ to manhood on that 
pioneer farm and spent his whole life there 
until about two years before his death, 
when he moved to Butler. His wife was 
a daughter of Reuben Surles, who came to 
Butler County when his daughter was 
small. Mrs. Gould was born in New Jer- 
sey, but the remainder of her life was 
passed in Butler County. The children of 
William Gould and wife were: George, 
who was a brave soldier in the Union army, 
was killed at the battle of Bull Run ; Sarah, 
who is the wife of Josiah Neyman of Oak- 
land Township; Jane, deceased, who mar- 
ried Beatty Thorn, who resides in Iowa ; 
Henry, who is a resident of Butler; Phebe, 
who married Perry Broman, residing at 
Oil City; Mary, who married Alfred Flie- 
ger, of New Castle; Thomas, who lives in 
Clay Township; Perry E.; Robert Harvey, 
who resides in Washington Township; Syl- 
vester, deceased, who was a resident of 
Kansas, and Arabella, who married Rev. 
Henry Hotfman, of Petersville. The par- 
ents of this family were i)eoi3le of most 
worthy type. They were consistent mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 



Perry E. Gould remained on the home 
farm and found plenty of work to occupy 
his time until he was twenty years of age, 
in the meanwhile having been a more or 
less regular attendant at school in Clay 
Township. After leaving home he went 
into the oil country and for the next six- 
teen years gave his attention to the oil in- 
dustry. He then took up his home in But- 
ler and lived there for four years, but in 
1892 he bought a farm in Concord Town- 
ship aud removed to it, remaining there 
until in March, 1898, when he sold it to 
advantage and purchased his present farm 
in Butler Township. Here Mr. Gould 
raises corn, oats, wheat, haj^ and garden 
produce. He does a considerable amount 
of business also in buying and feeding 
horses and cattle. 

Mr. Gould married Anna M. Whitmire, 
a daughter of Jacob Whitmire, of Oakland 
Township, and they have one son and one 
daughter: Hazel and Paul Perry. Mr. 
Gould and familj^ belong to the United 
Presbyterian Church. While no active 
politician, Mr. Gould is a stanch Republi- 
can and a hearty supporter of its policies 
and candidates. He is numbered with the 
township's representative men. 

JAMES W. HUTCHISON, an able 
member of the Butler bar, who has been 
a resident of this city since 1887, was born 
in Parker Township, Butler County, 
Penna., June 17, 18G4, and is a son of 
James G. Hutchison. 

In the early part of the Nineteenth Cen- 
tury, William and David Hutchison, the 
former of whom was the grandfather of 
James W., came from the eastern part of 
Pennsylvania to find homes in the western 
section. David settled in Armstrong 
County, and William took Tip his residence 
in Parker Townshi]!, lUitlcr Covmty. There 
James G. Hutchison spent his life. 

James W. Hutchison was reared in Par- 
ker and Washington Townships and was 
given superior educational advantages. 



938 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



After completing- his academic studies at 
North Washington, he entered Westmin- 
ster College, from which he was creditably 
graduated in 1887, having completed a 
business course at Duff's Commercial Col- 
lege in 1885. In the fall of 1887 he came 
to Butler and pursued his course of law 
reading in the office of Attorney S. F. Bow- 
ser, and was admitted to the bar Decem- 
ber 2, 1889. He has devoted almost two 
decades to practicing law in this city and, 
having all the qualities essential to suc- 
cess in his profession, he has prospered 
along that line. He practices in the local 
courts and also in the Superior and Su- 
preme Courts, and the importance in which 
he is held was indicated when Judge Jo- 
seph Buffington, in 1899, appointed him 
referee in bankrui)tcy for Butler County. 
In addition to his large practice, Mr. 
Hutchison is interested in business enter- 
prises to some extent. 

In 1889 Mr. Hutchison was married to 
Miss Ida M. Campbell, of Bradford, 
Penua., who died in 1900, leaving two chil- 
dren, Eileen and Paul. In 1903 Mr. 
Hutchison was married (second) to Miss 
Helen Victor, of Erie, Penna. He is an 
active citizen and has never declined to 
take part in sliapiug public sentiment 
whenever the welfare of the city has been 
at stake. He has been a useful member of 
the School Board. In politics, he is iden- 
tified with the Republican party. He is 
affiliated with a number of fraternal or- 
ganizations, the Knights of Pythias, the 
Odd Fellows and the Knights of Malta, be- 
ing particularly interested in the first 
named, holding the office of grand inner 
guard of the Grand Lodge of the order of 
the State of Pennsylvania, and belongs to 
Company No. 25, Uniform Rank, at But- 
ler. He is a member of the United Pres- 
byterian Church. 

ALBERT ANDERSON PARK, a prac- 
tical miller and formerly a member of the 
Mars Milling and Feed Company, is a 



well-known and substantial citizen of this 
place. He was born July 20, 1866, on the 
old home farm, in Adams Township, But- 
ler County, Penna., and is a son of Sam- 
uel and Emma (Anderson) Park. 

Matthew Park, the great-grandfather,, 
came to Pennsylvania from Ireland, at a 
very early date. He built a sawmill in 
the woods, on a deep stream of water and 
operated it during the remainder of his 
life, being the first of the Park family to 
be identified with mill interests of any kind 
in Butler County. He was succeeded by 
his son, Samuel Park, and for years they 
resided together in a commodious house of 
two stories, which was constriicted of logs,, 
and was built about 1813. Samuel oper- 
ated the old Park grist mill, which possibly 
was erected by his father, and it was built 
in 1833 and is still standing. Samuel Park 
married Jane Roseborrow, a native of 
Ohio, who lived to be ninety -three years of 
age, but Samuel Park died when aged six- 
ty-five years. They had eight children, 
namely: John, William, Samuel, Levi,. 
Lavina, Martha Jane, and two sons who 
died young. The only survivor of the fam- 
ily is Lavina, who married Thomas Park, 
of the same surname as herself, but of a 
different family. 

Samuel Park was born in the big log- 
house at Mars, in 1827. He remained at 
home, being a dutiful and useful son. In 
1876 he built what is known as the Mars 
mill and gave it the name of the Globe 
Roller Mill, it being the first steam grist 
mill in this section of the country. He 
operated the mill and also cultivated his 
farm of 200 acres of land in Adams Town- 
ship. When about twenty-eight years of 
age, he married Emma Anderson, who was 
born at Greenville, Penna., and was ten 
years old when she came to Butler County,, 
where she has lived ever since, and follow- 
ing the death of her husband, in 1901, has- 
made her home with her daughter, Mrs. C. 
J. Ingram. The children of Samuel and 
Emma Park were: Nelson L., deceased; 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



939 



Mary J., wife of J. D. Mahan ; Albert An- 
derson; Harry G. ; William B., and Eda 
M., who is the wife of C. J. Ingram, and 
four children who died young. 

Albert Anderson Park was reared on the 
farm and learned all the details of farm 
work, but he had niunerous other duties, 
some of great responsibility, during boy- 
hood. He was only ten years old when he 
began to assist in the mill. His father was 
the first postmaster at Mars and at eight 
years of age, Albert A. must have been 
considered a very reliable and trustworthy 
lad, for to him was entrusted the carrying 
of the United States mail bag from Wex- 
ford, in Allegheny County, to Mars. He 
made the trip once a week, every Saturday, 
on horseback, meeting the stage at Wex- 
ford, and during the ten years of mail car- 
rying, there is no record of his ever mak- 
ing a single mistake. It was through the 
efforts of Samuel Park and ex-Judge Mar- 
shall that a post-office was established and 
it was a matter of much accommodation to 
the whole country side. The emoluments 
were not large, $8 a month being paid to 
the carrier for the first year, and $35 al- 
lowed for the office business. Later, Mr. 
Park became miller for his father and still 
later rented the mill and when the father 
died he rented from the other heirs and 
continued the business. He then took M. 
W. Dunlap as a partner and they did busi- 
ness under the name of the Mars Milling 
Company, and conducted a feed store and 
a coal yard, as adjuncts. Later, C. Gal- 
braith, W^. J. Link and J. W. Lee were 
admitted to partnership and the enter- 
prise became the Mars Milling and Feed 
Company. Mr. Park continued with the 
concern until 1907, when he sold his inter- 
est but still operates the mill for the com- 
pany. It has proved a very successful busi- 
ness investment for all concerned. 

In October, 1899, Mr. Park was married 
to Mayme C. Marshall, widow of Charles 
Marshall and daughter of Jacob M. Miller, 
of Callery. They have one child, Clyde C. 



]\lrs. Park has one son by her former mar- 
riage, Harry Marshall, who is agent for 
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at Callery. 
Mr. and Mrs. Park are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church. In 1907 he 
erected the present handsome brick resi- 
dence, which is one of the most attractive 
and comfortable homes at Mars. In poli- 
tics, like his father, Mr. Park is identified 
with the Republican party. 

W^ILLIAM J. BARKLEY, one of 
Franklin Township's representative and 
public-spirited citizens, resides on his val- 
uable and well-improved farm of 203 acres, 
carrying on general agriculture. He was 
born March 17, 1847, at Pittsburg, Penna., 
and is a son of George and Margaret 
(Behm) Barkley. 

Both parents of Mr. Barkley came to 
America when twelve years old, with their 
parents, from the same village. The pa- 
ternal grandfather settled in Pennsylva- 
nia, in Muddy Creek Township, Butler 
County, and when his son George was thir- 
teen years old, he sent him to Pittsburg 
and for ten years the latter was employed 
by the Penn Mill Cotton Factory. From 
there George Barkley entered a foundry 
in Allegheny, where he remained several 
years and then turned his attention to 
farming, spending one year in Lancaster 
Township before returning to the old 
homestead in Muddy Creek Township, 
where he died in May, 1876, aged fifty- 
seven years. In politics he was a Demo- 
crat and he served in local offices. He mar- 
ried Margaret Behm, who was a daughter 
of Nicholas Behm, and she was reared at 
Zelienople. George Barkley and "wife had 
the following children: Catherine, who 
married Henry Heyle, of Franklin Town- 
ship; William J.; Sarah, who married 
Samuel Knox, of Grove City; Mrs. Mar- 
garet Snyder, who resides at Butler; 
Emma, who married David West, of 
Franklin Township; and Mary, the widow 
of Jonathan Jones, who resides in Law- 



940 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



rence County. George Barkley and wife 
were members of the German Lutheran 
Church at Prospect, in which he served 
some years as a deacon. 

William J. Barkley was reared and edu- 
cated in Butler County and he remained 
on the home farm until his marriage, when 
he purchased his present fann from his 
father. It is a large tract of valuable land 
but Mr. Barkley has about all of it under 
cultivation. His farming is carried on ac- 
cording to modern ideas and he is one of 
the largest growers of fine stock in this 
section. 

Mr. Barkley married Josephine Snyder, 
who was a daughter of John Snyder, of 
Brady Township, and they had five chil- 
dren born to them, namely: George, who 
resides at home ; Clara, deceased, who was 
the wife of John Pontius, of Butler; Jes- 
sie, who married W. E. Heyle, of Pros- 
pect ; Frank, who is principal of the schools 
of Freedom, in Beaver County ; and Mabel, 
who is the wife of Charles S. Bolton, of 
Wheeling, West Virginia. The beloved 
mother of the above family died May 23, 
1908, aged fifty-nine years. She was a 
coilsistent Christian and was a member of 
the Lutheran Church. 

In politics, Mr. Barkley is a Democrat, 
but his personal popularity in his township 
is so great that he has been kept in some 
public office for many years, although the 
normal Republican vote is double that of 
the Democratic. For twelve years he has 
served as a school director, for three years 
as supervisor, one year as tax collector and 
for four years as overseer of the poor. He 
is a member of the Lutheran Church at 
Prospect and has served as a deacon in 
the same. 

JOHN STAPLES, one of Adams Town- 
ship's representative citizens, resides on 
his excellent farm of 100 acres, on which 
he carries on a general line of agriculture. 
He was born in Forward Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, December 23, 



1835, and is a son of Job and Susan (Hays) 
Staples. 

The father of Mr. Staples was born and 
reared in the city of New York and came 
to Pennsylvania in early manhood. For a 
few years he taught school in different lo- 
calities and gradually worked his way 
westward until he reached Butler County, 
where he bought a farm of 200 acres which 
was then in Cranberry but is now situated 
in Forward Township. He resided on that 
farm for a number of years, doing a large 
part of the clearing, but later moved to 
Adams Township and in 1853 settled on 
the farm which is now owned by his son 
John. Here he died in 1861, aged,, seventy 
years. He married Susan Hays, a native 
of Butler County, who died aged sixty- 
eight years. They had sixteen children, 
John Staples being among the younger 
ones. 

John Staples has led a quiet, useful life, 
devoting himself mainly to farming, and 
has never desired any other place of resi- 
dence than Butler County. Here he has 
rich land well stocked and improved, a 
happy, united, intelligent family, and 
friends of many years' standing. Per- 
forming readily every duty demanded by 
good citizenship, he enjoys the esteem and 
commands the respect of his fellow citi- 
zens. 

In 1865 Mr. Staples was married to Miss 
Mandana Ray and they have had children 
as follows: Nancy E., Susan, Walter B., 
Agnes and Amy, twins, Claire, William, 
and Maude. Of the above family Susan 
married W. E. Dunbar and has one child. 
Hazel. Walter B. married C. May Rhodes 
and they have two children, Dorothy and 
John. Agnes married B. J. Little and they 
have one child, Eleanor. Claire attends 
college at Grove City. Maude and Will- 
iam are deceased. The latter married 
Catherine Kauffman and they had two 
children, Gladys and Marjorie. Mr. Sta- 
ples and family belong to the Presbyterian 
Church. In politics he is a Republican. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



943 



SAMUEL 0. BELL, one of Parker 
Township's representative citizens and 
substantial farmers, residing on his valu- 
able estate of 125 acres, which is situated 
near Glenora, was born in Wasliington 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
August 26, 1844, and is a son of Samuel 
and Mary (Shiria) Bell. 

Samuel 13ell was born in Washington 
Township and was a son of William Bell, 
who was born in Scotland and was an 
early settler in Butler County, where he 
died. Samuel Bell married Mary Shiria 
and they had two sons, Samuel O. being 
the only survivor. 

Samuel 0. Bell was but nine months old 
when his fatlier died and when three years 
old was taken to the home of his paternal 
grandparents, William Bell and wife, who 
resided near North Washington. He re- 
mained there until he was eight years of 
age and then went to live at the home of 
his maternal uncle, William Shiria, at An- 
nandale, Butler County, where he contin- 
ued to reside for about four years. He 
then returned to his mother, who had con- 
tracted a second marriage, with James Al- 
worth, when he was yoimg. Mr. Bell as- 
sisted his step-father in his agricultural 
operations until he reached his majority, 
when he started out for himself. For some 
years he worked in the oil fields and is 
still interested in the oil industry, having 
several producing wells on his own farm, 
of which he took possession about 1872. 

Mr. Bell married Miss Matilda Alworth, 
who was born in Parker Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. She is now de- 
ceased. She was a woman of many vir- 
tues and was a consistent member of the 
United Presbyterian Church. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bell had three children born to them, 
namely: Lillie M., who looks after the 
comfort of her father in the old home; 
Mary E., who is the wife of Prank Smith, 
of Parker Township ; and Flora B., who is 
the wife of Philip Deal, of Parsonville, 
Pennsylvania. Mrs. Mary E. (Bell) 



Smith has one daughter, Edna Margaret. 
Flora B. (Bell) Deal has two children, 
Lillian Marie and Lawrence Edward. Mrs. 
Samuel 0. Bell died 1888 in her forty- 
seventh year. 

In his political convictions, Mr. Bell is a 
Republican. He has been an active citi- 
zen, working at all times for the best in- 
terests of his neighborhood, and at differ- 
ent times has been elected to office. He 
has served as tax collector and inaugu- 
rated reforms in keeping the public high- 
ways in condition, during his excellent 
administration as road supervisor. 

ALFRED J. BLACK, a prominent gen- 
eral farmer and stock raiser, residing on 
his one farm of eighty acres in Cherry 
Township, about one-half mile south of old 
Annandale, owns a second farm of forty- 
eight acres, separated on the south by a 
narrow strip of land which belongs to his 
brother, James T. Black. Alfred J. Black 
was born on this second farm, in Cherry 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
July 18, 1849, and is a son of Adam and 
Mary (Turner) Black. 

Adam Black was born on the above- 
named farm, a son of Robert Black, who 
came to Butler County from across the Al- 
legheny Mountains, at a very early day. 
Robert Black took out the first patent and 
in 1828 secured the first deed for 250 acres 
of land in Cherry Township, and was 
given an allowance which made the aggre- 
gate 280 acres, at that time all in one tract. 
It is now divided into four farms, two of 
which are owned by Alfred J. Black; a 
third farm, of forty-seven acres, is owned 
by James T. Black, a brother; and the 
fourth farm of 100 acres, is owned by Rob- 
ert M. Black, a cousin, residing at Bruin. 
This farm has never been out of the Black 
family, with the exception of two acres, 
which were once sold, but were soon re- 
claimed by the Blacks. The aged grand- 
father died on this land. His son Adam 
succeeded and he passed his life on the 



944 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Black property, following agricultural pur- 
suits. He married Mary Ann Turner, who 
was born in Parker Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and there were nine 
children born to them, as follows : Robert 
P., who is a farmer in Concord Township ; 
William P., deceased ; Elizabeth, deceased, 
was the wife of Giles Vogan; John M., 
who lives in Allegheny Township; Alfred 
J.; Jane, who is the wife of Hilton Tin- 
ker, of EUwood City; Clementine, who is 
the widow of Dr. Clarence Bard ; Ella, who 
is the wife of Smiley Smith ; and James T., 
who is a farmer in Cherry Township. The 
father of the above family died in 1888. 
The mother survived until February, 1908, 
dying when aged eighty-eight years. 

Alfred J. Black was reared on the old 
Black farm and with the exception of 
three years spent at Butler, 1891-94, he 
has passed his whole life here. During 
those three years he worked in the car de- 
partment of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- 
road, going later to the Pittsburg & West- 
ern, at iirst being car inspector and later 
yard superintendent. For a short time 
prior to his marriage he worked occasion- 
ally in the oil fields, but his main business 
in life has been farming, in earlier years 
attending to all the work himself, but since 
his two stalwart sons have attained man- 
hood, he has plenty of valuable assistance. 
He continued to reside on his forty-acre 
farm until 1904, when he moved to the 
eighty-acre tract, and has both farms under 
cultivation. 

Mr. Black married Mary I. McCoy, who 
was born at Harrisville, Pennsylvania, and 
is a daughter of Thomas McCoy. They 
have three children : George Herbert and 
Adam Rozell, both at home; and Nellie, 
who is the wife of Sherman Hockenberry. 
They have one son, Howard Alfred. Mr. 
Black and family belong to the Pleasant 
Valley Presbyterian Church. He has long 
been a leading member of this body and is 
one of its elders. In his views on public 
questions, Mr. Black is a strong adherent 



of the Prohibition party, while his sons are 
both Democrats. 

COL. ALEXANDER DOWRY, in whose 
death the city of Butler lost one of its old- 
est and most venerable citizens, bore the 
reputation, in the days of his active busi- 
ness career, of being one of the most suc- 
cessful and best known hotel men in tl*e 
State. He was a native of Pennsylvania, 
born in Blair County (then a part of 
Huntingdon County), February 18, 1814, 
and was a son of Alexander and Margaret 
(Bouslough) Lowry, both natives of Hunt- 
ingdon County. 

The Lowry family in America dates 
back to early colonial days, when Lazarus 
Lowry, great-grandfather of our subject, 
came from North of Ireland, in 1729, and 
settled in Donegal, Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania. He located upon the cele- 
brated farm known as "Donegal," now 
owned by Senator Cameron. This place 
passed into the hands of his son. Col. Alex- 
ander Lowry, one of the most noted Indian 
traders in the history of Pennsylvania, 
who lived upon it some years, then sold 
out and moved to Huntingdon County, 
where his son, Alexander Lowry, Jr., was 
born. 

Col. Alexander Lowry, whose name 
heads this sketch, lived in his native county 
until he grew to manliood, and attended 
the primitive schools of that period. At 
the age of eighteen years he became ap- 
prenticed to the trade of a cabinetmaker, 
sei-ving three years, after which he worked 
as journeyman until 1837. In 1839 he em- 
barked in the hotel business at Yellow 
Springs, Blair County, continuing there 
until 1842, when he removed to Water 
Street, on the line of the Pennsylvania 
Canal. He conducted a hotel at that point 
imtil 1846, then was proprietor of the 
American House at Holidaysburg about 
four years. In September, 1850, he re- 
moved to Butler and purchased the Beatty 
House, situated on the site of the present 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



945 



Troutman Block, which thereafter was 
known as the Lowry House as long as the 
bnilding was used for hotel purposes. 
Colonel Lowry sold there in 1866 and pur- 
chased the present Lowry House, which he 
conducted with success until 1873, which 
year marked his retirement from the hotel 
business. He had disposed of this prop- 
erty in 1873, at the commencement of the 
oil excitement, but again purchased it in 
1879. After abandoning the hotel busi- 
ness he resided in a comfortable home on 
West Pearl Street, the remainder of his 
life. He lived a long and useful life and 
during his residence of nearly half a 
century in Butler aided materially in the 
development of the city and its resources. 
Colonel Lowry was united in marriage, 
in 1841, with Miss Margaret Spear, of 
Williamsburg, Blair County, Pennsylva- 
nia, who died at Butler, December 11, 1886. 
They became parents of the following chil- 
dren : Belle W. ; W. A., who is serving as 
prothonotary of Butler County; Charles 
S. ; Jolm F. ; Porter W., who has attained 
prominence as a lawyer of Butler; George 
W. ; Thomas L., and J. L. 

HENRY EDWIN DRUSHEL, one of 
Forward Township's excellent farmers 
and leading public men, resides on his val- 
uable property which contains ninety-six 
acres, on which he carries on general agri- 
culture. He was born on his grandfather's 
farm, in Beaver County, Penna., Decem- 
l)t'r 24, 1868, and is a son of Rhinehart and 
Caroline (Mickley) Drushel. 

Rhinehart Drushel was born in Germany 
and was six years old when his parents 
came to America. His father, Henry 
Drushel, settled on a farm in Beaver Coun- 
ty, where he spent the remainder of his 
life. The names of some of Henry Drush- 
el 's children were: Margaret, who mar- 
ried Henry Shelly; Elizabeth, who mar- 
ried Fred Knepp; Jacob and Rhinehart. 
Rhinehart Drushel remained on the home 
farm and when he had married he still 



continued to live there for a short time, 
afterwards coming to Butler County and 
purchasing the farm now owned by his son, 
Henry Edwin, it then being the property 
of Jacob Wooster. Very little clearing 
had been done and scarcely any improv- 
ing. All through his active life he devoted 
himself to making this farm a valuable and 
comfortable home and died here in 1888, 
aged fifty-two years. He married Caro- 
line Mickley, daughter of Michael Mickley, 
and her parents came to America from 
Germany. She died in 1905, when aged 
about sixty years. They had three chil- 
dren: Henry Edwin; Amelia, who died 
when eleven years of age, and Mary, who 
married William Freshcorn. 

Henry E. Drushel was three months old 
when his parents came to his present farm 
and this has been his home ever since. As 
he grew up he attended the covmtry schools 
and he also assisted his father in clearing 
and later in cultivating the land. This 
farm was once a part of the old Chew es- 
tate and a portion of the old stone house 
in which the Chews lived is still standing. 
Mr. Drushel continues to make improve- 
ments and he carries on a general farming 
line, introducing modern methods into his 
work and making use of improved ma- 
chinery. 

Mr. Drushel married Miss Matilda Ra- 
der, who is a daughter of Oswald Rader, 
and they have seven children, namely: 
Charles, Philip, Clarence, Benjamin, Roy, 
George and Margaret. With his family, 
Mr. Drushel belongs to the Reformed 
Church, in which he is a deacon. In poli- 
tics he is a Democrat. He has taken a 
hearty interest in public affairs in his 
township and has served in numerous offi- 
ces, including those of auditor and tax col- 
lector. 

LEWIS M. ROTH, D. D. S., who has 
been engaged in the practice of dentistry 
at Prospect for the past twenty-five years, 
was born April 13, 1858, at Prospect, But- 



946 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ler County, Penna., and is a son of Lewis 
and Lydia (Beighley) Roth. 

David Roth, the grandfather, was a na- 
tive of Bethlehem, Penna., and he served 
in the War of 1812, with the rank of col- 
onel. He was a locksmith by trade and 
added the manufacture of coffee mills by 
hand to his other enterprises. He became 
a vei-y popular citizen of his section, so 
much so that his fellow citizens elected him 
to the Legislature. He had no taste for 
politics, and the record tells that it was in 
order to escape the kind intentions of his 
friends that he left his old neighborhood 
and moved into what was then the wilder- 
ness, in Butler County, settling in Frank- 
lin Township. 

Lewis Roth was bom at Bethlehem, 
Northampton County, Penna., accom- 
panied his parents to Butler County and 
died here when aged seventy-six years. 
In early manhood he worked as a black- 
smith, later was in partnership with James 
Anderson, in conducting a general store 
at Prospect, later farmed for a time and 
subsequently resumed mercantile life. In 
politics he was a Democrat and on one oc- 
casion, when he was his party's nominee 
for the office of county treasurer, he lacked 
but 100 votes of election, although the 
coimty was strongly Republican. He gave 
his children excellent educational advan- 
tages and took a deep interest in their wel- 
fare. He was one of Prospect's repre- 
sentative citizens, held all of the borough 
offices and sustained the most cordial re- 
lations with those who knew him in either 
business or social life, his manner being 
kindly and his nature tolerant. All of his 
sons have become prominent in profes- 
sional life, there being five of them, three 
of whom are clerg^'men. Rev. H. Warren 
Roth, D. D., is at present manager of the 
Passavant Hospitals at Pittsburg, Chicago 
and ]\Iilwaukee. Rev. David Luther Roth, 
D. D., is pastor of a Lutheran Church at 
Pittsburg. Rev. Theophilus B. Roth is edi- 
tor of the Young Lutheran, published at 



Greenville. John M. is a practicing attor- 
ney in Michigan, having been admitted to 
the bar at Butler. The yoimgest member 
of the family is Dr. Lewis M., of Prospect. 

Lewis M. Roth went from the public 
schools of Prospect to Thiel College, at 
Greenville, Penna., and became interested 
in dentistry, studying this science first 
with Dr. B. F. Lepley, at Prospect. He 
studied in the dental department of the 
University of Michigan, later the Western 
Reserve Medical College at Cleveland and 
still later the Eclectic Medical College at 
Cincinnati. He engaged in the practice 
of dentistry first in Kansas and then re- 
turned to Prospect, where he has been a 
continuous resident ever since and has 
been one of the city's most useful and pub- 
lic-spirited men. 

In political sentiment. Dr. Roth has al- 
ways been a Democrat. At various times 
he has filled almost every borough office 
and is serving his third consecutive term 
as a member of the School Board. He is 
also a member of the borough council and 
was one of the leaders in the movement 
which resulted in the paving of the streets. 
His party chose him as their standard 
bearer, in 1904, for the office of county 
treasurer, but Republican influence was 
too strong to be overcome. 

Dr. Roth was married to Miss Annie 
Criswell, who is a daughter of James Cris- 
well, a well Imown resident of Slippery 
Rock Township, Lawrence County, Penna., 
and four children have been born to them, 
namely: Maj% Lois, George and Mar- 
garet. Dr. and Mrs. Roth are members of 
the Emanuel Lutheran Church at Pros- 
pect, in which he, like his father before 
him, has served as a deacon for many 
years. 

JOHN H. WILSON, a leading member 
of the Butler bar and city solicitoi", was 
born in 1868, at Nashville, Tennessee, but 
he has been a resident of Butler County, 
since childhood. 



AND KEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



947 



Mr. Wilson was reared at Harmony, 
Butler County, and he obtained his early 
education in the public schools, subse- 
quently entering Grove City College, where 
he was graduated in the class of 1891. 
For several years he engaged in teaching 
school, and studying law in the office of 
Attorney Levingstone McQuistion, at But- 
ler, and he was admitted to the bar in 
1893. He entered into a law partnership 
with Mr. Vanderlin, the firm name being 
Vanderlin & Wilson, which continued for 
two years, when it was dissolved and since 
then Mr. Wilson has been alone. In 
March, 1907, he was elected city solicitor 
and has been an efficient and useful pub- 
lic officer. He takes a good citizen's inter- 
est in politics and is in perfect accord with 
the principles of the party to which he has 
given allegiance since he reached man- 
hood. 

In 1899 Mr. Wilson was married to Miss 
Catherine E. Levis, of Eochester, Penn- 
sylvania, and they have one child, John L. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the 
First Presbyterian Church. Fraternally, 
]\rr. AVilson is identified with the Masons, 
the Odd Fellows, and the Royal Arcanum. 

JOHN SHEPPAED CAMPBELL, one 
of Cherry Township's most prominent cit- 
izens, formerly a county commissioner of 
Butler Coimty, and now serving in his 
twenty-first consecutive year as justice of 
the peace, is also an honored veteran of 
the Civil War. He resides on his valuable 
farm of 100 acres, which is situated three 
miles north of -West Sunbury. Mr. Camp- 
bell was born on a farm in Washington 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
April 30, 1838, and is a son of Robert and 
Jane (Sheppard) Campbell. 

Robert Campbell, father of John S., was 
also born in Washington Township and 
was a son of John Campbell, who came to 
Western Pennsylvania from east of the 
Allegheny Mountains, and was a very early 
settler in Butler County. Eobert Camp- 



bell was a plasterer by trade and a small 
farmer. He died when his son, John S., 
was fifteen years old. He married Jane 
Sheppard, who was born in Parker Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, and who died when 
John S. was ten years of age. He was sec- 
ond in order of birth of the family of six 
children, the others being: Lurena; 
Amanthus, who is the wife of James C. 
Glenn, of Clay Townsliip, Butler County; 
Milton, who lost his leg at the battle of 
Gettysburg and subsequently died in the 
hospital ; Oliver Perry, who is postmaster 
at West Sunbury ; and Elizabeth Jane, who 
died in infancy. 

When a little boy of but ten years, John 
S. Campbell found himself an orphan. He 
was not destitute of kindred, but most of 
the uncles and aunts had families of their 
own and no care and kindness given him 
in his tender years could replace that of 
ills own parents. For a couple of years 
he lived with his uncle, Zerab Sheppard, 
who was a farmer and shoemaker in Par- 
ker Township, and then was turned over 
to other relatives among whom he lived, 
working for his keep, imtil he was old 
enough to go out as a farm hand and make 
wages for himself. The opening of the 
Civil War settled his immediate future, 
for in June, 1861, he enlisted as a private 
in Company C, Eleventh Eegiment, Penn- 
sylvania Eeserves, for three years, and 
served in that regiment continuously 
through the whole term, lacking fifteen 
days, when, at the battle of the Wilderness, 
he was captured. He was taken to Ander- 
sonville Prison, where he was detained 
from May until December 16, 1864, when 
he was exchanged at Charleston, South 
Carolina. From there he came on to An- 
napolis, Maryland, where he was pros- 
trated with tj'i^hoid fever. He was given 
a furlough home on this account and came 
to Butler, where he remained totally un- 
able to rejoin his regiment until the follow- 
ing April. He went then to Annapolis 
and from there was sent to Pittsburg, 



948 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



where lie was honorably discharged, with 
the rank of corporal. 

The Andersonville prison was not the 
only Southern fortress with which Mr. 
Campbell became acquainted during those 
years of suffering and hardship. At the 
battle of Gaines Mills he was first cap- 
tured and was incarcerated in Libby 
prison and was taken from there to the 
notorious Belle Isle prison at Richmond, 
Virginia, but after forty days was ex- 
changed. On December 13, 1862, he was 
wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg 
and this caused him to be kept at a hospital 
in Washington City for six months. Mr. 
Campbell has a record of which any vet- 
eran might be proud, proving that he was 
never absent from tlie post of duty during 
his long service, except when in a hospital 
or when in the enemy's hands. He is a 
valued member of the Grand Army Post 
at West Sunbury. 

Upon retiring from the army, Mr. 
Campbell returned to Butler Coimty and 
on April 25, 1865, he was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Sarah McElvain, who was 
born and reared on the present home farm 
in Cherry Township. Her parents were 
George and Mary Ann (McGill) McElvain, 
the former of whom died in 1854, and the 
latter in 187U. George McElvain was a 
large farmer and owned 200 acres of land. 
He was the father of nine children, only 
three of whom reached maturity, namely: 
Nancy Jane (Mrs. Jamison) of Petrolia; 
Annis (Mrs. Russell) ; and Sarah, who is 
the wife of Mr. Campbell. 

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Campbell were nine in number and all sur- 
vive except the eldest, Leonora. She mar- 
ried ITomer Love, since deceased, and they 
had two children, a son, who died, and a 
daughter. Fern, who survives. The other 
members of the family are: George M., 
who is in the ice cream business at Alle- 
gheny, married Melissa Kelley, since de- 
ceased, and they had three children : Hazel, 
Dwight L. and Genevieve; William M., 



who is connected with an ice cream com- 
pany in Chicago, married Jennie Young 
and they have two children: Ralph and 
Dorothy; Delia, who married B. M. Hock- 
enberry, has three children: Benj., Mar- 
garet May and Alice Lenora; Audley 
Bruce, unmarried, who is associated with 
his brother in business at Allegheny; 
John, who assists his father on the home 
farm; Mabel, who is a trained nurse in the 
Markeltown Sanitarmm; Homer, who is 
in business at Allegheny; and Edith, who 
is the wife of William J. Hockenberry, of 
West Sunbury. 

Mr. Campbell and family are members 
of the Presbyterian Church at West Sun- 
bury, of which he is one of the elders. For 
many years he has been a factor in county 
politics, voting always with the Republican 
party. Since serving as county commis- 
sioner, he has more or less restricted his 
activities to township affairs. He has a 
long and enviable record as a justice of 
the peace, serving now in his fifth con- 
secutive term. 

IRA S. ZEIGLER, president of the 
First National Bank of Zelienople, and a 
prominent oil ojierator in Butler County, 
was born July 4, 1866, in Jackson Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania. His 
parents are David M. and Elizabeth 
(Stautfer) Zeigler. 

The parents of Mr. Zeigler were both 
born in Jackson Township, coming of pio- 
neer ancestry. The paternal grandfather 
was David Zeigler and he was a son of 
Abraham Zeigler, who came to Butler 
County from Bucks County, Pennsyl- 
vania, at a very early day. He purchased 
a large tract of land which embraced the 
territory held by the colony known as 
Economites. David Zeigler spent his life 
in Jackson Township, where he engaged 
in farming and stock raising. The mater- 
nal grandfather was Henry Stauffer, who 
purchased his land, when he came to But- 
ler County, of Abraham Zeigler and they 




IRA S. ZEIGLER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



951 



continued to be neighbors during the rest 
of their lives. Four children of David 
Zeigler are living, namely : Henry M., who 
resides at Zelienople ; G. M., who is a suc- 
cessful farmer living on the old homestead 
in Jackson Township ; David M., and Mrs. 
Elizabeth Shriver. 

For many years David M. Zeigler, 
father of Ira S., has engaged in farming 
near Harmony, Butler County, on the 
Prospect and Harmony road. He married 
Elizabeth Stauffer and they had the fol- 
lowing children born to them: Frederick 
S., Homer E., residing at Mars in Butler 
County; Miles P., deceased; Rose, wife of 
Dr. Beatty, of Butler; Ira S.; and Dot, 
deceased, who was the wife of F. E. Long- 
well. 

Ira S. Zeigler was reared on the home 
farm and was afforded an academic edu- 
cation. At the age of nineteen years he 
entered the office of the P. & W. Railroad, 
at Harmony, where he learned telegraph- 
ing and subsequently served as an oper- 
ator at different points. In August, 1888, 
he was appointed agent at Bakerstown 
and three months later was promoted to 
the agency at Girard, Ohio, which position 
he resigned in the fall of 1891 in order to 
give his entire time to the wholesale coal 
business, in which he had previously en- 
gaged. In the fall of 1891, in the year 
following his marriage, he came to Zelien- 
ople and continued in the coal jobbing bus- 
iness until the amalgamation of coal in- 
terests, in the summer of 1893, having 
been a heavy dealer and at one time he 
had controlled the whole outjiut of slack 
in the Beaver Valley. 

Mr. Zeigler gained his first banking ex- 
perience in the bank of Gelliach Brothers, 
which firm he served as bookkeeper. Later 
he was employed by the Patterson-Lock- 
wood Oil Company and the Patterson Nat- 
ural Gas Company and was bookkeeper 
for both concerns. On August 21, 1896, 
Mr. Zeigler purchased the Connoquenes- 



sing Valley News, from the firm oL Young 
& Stoughton, and his energy was soon 
shown by the extension of its patronage. 
In Jime, 1898, he purchased the Globe, a 
weekly newspaper published at Evans 
City, and subsequently he consolidated it 
with the News, and he continued in edi- 
torial and newspaper work until Decem- 
ber 28, 1901, when he disposed of his in- 
terests in order to give more attention to 
other business affairs, which had grown 
to considerable magnitude. During the oil 
excitement at Scio, Ohio, in 1898, Mr. Zeig- 
ler was attracted to that place with other 
men of business forethought, and he was 
successful in securing leases which later 
proved very profitable. At present his op- 
erations in oil are in many fields, includ- 
ing Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and 
Ohio. In the last named state he operates 
under the name of the Ira S. Zeigler Com- 
pany, an incorporated concern, but in the 
other fields he works independently. In 
January, 1907, Mr. Zeigler was elected 
president of the First National Bank at 
Zelienople and his business career has 
been of such a nature that his mere name 
would add strength and confidence to any 
institution. In large measure, Mr. Zeigler 
has been the director of his own fortune, 
in his youth laying a foundation of busi- 
ness integrity on which he has success- 
fully built. 

In 1890 Mr. Zeigler was married to Miss 
Clara Pennell, who is a daughter of Syl- 
venus Pennell, of Girard, Ohio, and they 
have four children: Blanche E., Florence 
Hester, David P. and Lueile. With his 
family, Mr. Zeigler belongs to the Pres- 
byterian Church. In his political views, 
Mr. Zeigler is a Republican. He sei'ved 
eight years as a notary public and three 
terms as a member of the Zelienople town 
council. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a 
member of Butler Chapter No. 273, and 
past master of Harmony Lodge, No. 429, 
F. & A. M. 



952 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



JOHN H. SUTTON, who is extensively 
engaged in handling real estate in Butler 
County and for years has been promi- 
nently identified with the production of 
oil, is also a surviving officer of the great 
Civil War. Mr. Sutton was born Novem- 
ber 11, 1838, in Clay Township, Butler 
County, Penna., and is a son of Jeremiah 
and a grandson of Piatt Sutton. 

The family of Sutton was founded in 
Butler County by the grandfather, prior 
to 1800. Jeremiah Sutton was born in 
Concord Township, Butler County, in 
1808, and died in 1852. He combined shoe- 
making with farming. 

Until he was thirteen years of age, John 
H. Sutton remained on the home farm and 
then went to North Washington, where he 
worked in a store conducted by Harper 
Brothers, until he was nineteen, when he 
went West and spent three years in Iowa 
and Colorado. After he returned to But- 
ler County he enlisted for service in the 
Civil War, in 1861 entering Company C, 
Eleventh Regiment, Penna. Reserves. He 
participated in all of the engagements in 
which his command took part, and at Fred- 
ericksburg, December 13, 1862, he was 
wounded and was taken prisoner. He was 
held at Libby Prison for two months and 
was then transferred to Annapolis, Mary- 
land. For six months he suffered in a hos- 
pital there and then secured a parole and 
was discharged, but was too exhausted by 
wound and disease to be able to take ad- 
vantage of his release before September, 
1863. For fourteen months after his re- 
turn to the quiet and care of home, he was 
obliged to use a crutch, and even yet the 
old wound gives him trouble and contin- 
ually reminds him of those days in battle 
and subsequent suffering. As second lieu- 
tenant of his company he performed every 
duty of a soldier with courage, fidelity and 
cheerfulness. 

After he had sufficiently recovered from 
the effects of his wound and imprisonment, 
Mr. Sutton entered into partnership with 



his old employers. Harper Brothers, in a 
mercantile business at North Washington, 
and was associated with them for three 
years, after which he retired to a farm in 
Washington Township for several years. 
In 1872 he was elected clerk of the courts 
of Butler County and then removed to 
Butler, which has been his home ever since. 
He served in that office for three years and 
then became interested in oil production, 
an industry with which he has ever since 
been connected. He helped to drill the 
first producing oil well in Butler County, 
and in the enterprise he was associated 
with Capt. W. H. Timblin, Alfred Wick 
and others, and the development came on 
the farm of James Millford, in Allegheny 
Township. Since that time he has drilled 
more than 100 wells in Butler County. He 
is largely interested in both city and 
county real estate and is an expert on the 
values of different sections. 

On March 1, 1864, Mr. Sutton was mar- 
ried to Miss Maria M. Mechling, who died 
May 30, 1907. She was a daughter of Jo- 
seph and Nancy Mechling, deceased. Mr. 
and Mrs. Sutton had seven children born 
to them : Emma L., who is the widow of H. 
W. Christie; Frank M., who is traffic man- 
ager for the Westinghouse people, and 
lives at Wilkinsburg; Agnes E., who is the 
wife of W. E. McClung, resides on Fulton 
Street, Butler; Maud H., who resides with 
her parents; W. D., residing at Hoboken, 
Pennsylvania, is an employe of the Penn- 
sylvania Railroad; Angle A., who resides 
at home; and J. C., who is a practicing 
physician at New Brighton, Pennsylvania. 
For fifty years Mr. Sutton has been a 
member of the official board of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. He is a Repub- 
lican in politics. 

REV. JACOB WILHELM, for many 
years a very highly esteemed resident of 
Jefferson Township, where he owned a 
valuable farm of fifty-three acres, was a 
minister of the Lutheran Church and was 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



953 



held in such high regard that he was sent 
as a missionary to Africa. He survived 
the dangers that attend those who leave a 
civilized land in order to minister to al- 
most savage people, and after his return 
to America he came to Butler County and 
in 1868 settled on the farm on the Glade 
Mill road, two miles from Saxonburg, on 
which his son resides. 

Jacob Wilhelm was married to Frede- 
rica Maier and to them were born the fol- 
lowing children: Gotlieb T., Frederick P., 
John P., Emanuel J., Clara C. M., Martha 
L. D., Amelia E. L., Emma M. T. and Han- 
nah J. F. Two members of the above fam- 
ily are deceased. 

Gotlieb T. Wilhelm was born in 1870, at 
Evans City, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and he obtained his education in his native 
county. He engaged in farming even in 
his school days and still carries it on in 
conjunction with his other industries. He 
does a large amount of teaming and is an 
oil operator and contractor and at the 
present time of writing (1908) he has two 
fine prodvicing oil wells on his farm and 
owns an interest in five gas wells which 
are situated in the immediate vicinity. He 
is one of the most enteri)rising young busi- 
ness men of this section, in which he is well 
and favorably known. He has taken con- 
siderable interest in polities' and served 
two terms as constable of Jefferson Town- 
ship. He is a member of the Lutheran 
Church. 

JOHN J. SHERIDAN, member and 
general manager of the well known busi- 
ness firm. The John J. Sheridan Com- 
pany, machinists and blacksmiths and 
dealers in second-hand oil well supplies, 
at Mars, Pennsylvania, was born Novem- 
ber 1, 1866, at Reading, Berks County, 
Penna. 

James Sheridan, father of John J., was 
born in Ireland and was brought to Amer- 
ica in childhood, his parents settling at 
Reading, Penna., and in that great indus- 



trial city, James Sheridan learned the 
blacksmith trade. In 1868 he left the rail- 
road shops in which he had been working, 
and entered the oil fields, and in 1868, 
opened a shop of his own, at Franklin, 
Venango County, and ever since then, at 
different times, has operated a shop at 
that point. In 1894, in association with his 
two sons, John J. and William A., he 
founded the present Sheridan shops at 
Mars, and together they conducted the 
business imtil March, 1901, when William 
A. and James Sheridan sold their interests 
to C. L. Norton and Joseph Colestock, at 
which time the name of the organization 
was changed from James Sheridan & Sons, 
to The John J. Sheridan Company. The 
capacity of the plant was then doubled 
and the company now occupies a space 
210x175 feet, and have excellent trans- 
portation facilities, on account of abutting 
on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Em- 
ployment is given to ten men and the busi- 
ness is in an exceedingly flourishing condi- 
tion. 

John J. Sheridan, the able general man- 
ager of the large business above described, 
is a practical machinist and blacksmith. 
From early boyhood until he was eighteen 
years of age, when he became an appren- 
tice under his father, he had attended 
school through the winters and assisted in 
the shops during the summers, and thus 
had become acquainted with the details of 
the business before actually starting to 
learn it. He remained in the shop at 
Franklin until he came to Mars. He is one 
of the substantial citizens of this place and 
is a stockholder in the Mars National Bank. 

THOMAS J. GRAHAM, general farmer 
in Penn Township and one of the repre- 
sentative citizens of this section, was born 
March 16, 1847, at what is now Glenshaw, 
Allegheny County, Penna., and is a son of 
Robert and Sarah Ann (Wigfield) Graham. 

The Graham family was established in 
Butler County by the grandfather, Robert 



954 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Graham, who came from east of the moun- 
tains and settled on the present site of the 
city of Butler, in 1797, and the distinction 
belongs to him of having been one of the 
first settlers. He was much more, for he 
was a man of energy, enterprise and judg- 
ment and in association with the Cunning- 
ham family, also early settlers, he assisted 
in the founding of churches, schools and 
enterprises of various kinds that gave an 
impetus to industries which have made 
Butler and Butler County what it is today. 

Robert Graham, father of Thomas J., 
was born in the little pioneer settlement of 
Butler, in 1807, a son of Robert and Sararh 
(Brown) Graham, and died in August, 
1873. After learning the trades of brick- 
maker and bricklayer and working at the 
same, he became a building contractor and 
also acquired farming lands. His father 
had been a prominent Whig and in his 
early years he also supported that party 
but later became identified with the Re- 
publicans and to the close of his life took 
an interest in the success of that organiza- 
tion. He married a daughter of Matthew 
Wigfield, who had settled as a pioneer in 
what is now Clinton Township. Of the 
nine children born to this marriage, the 
following six grew to mature years : Eliza, 
now deceased, who married Theodore 
Huselton; James H., who is a resident of 
Allegheny; Wilson W., deceased; Mary, 
deceased, who married Arthur Hays; Ma- 
tilda, who married William Kennedy ; and 
Thomas J. The parents of this family 
reared their children by Christian precept 
and example. They were worthy members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being 
one of the founder families of the Thorn 
Creek Church. The father survived the 
mother, her death taking place May 17, 
1861, when she was aged fifty-six years. 

Thomas J. Graham attended the country 
schools and from boyhood has been accus- 
tomed to all the details which make up a 
successful farmer. On his Penn Township 
farm he raises bountiful crops of corn. 



oats, wheat, hay and potatoes, keeps 
twelve head of cattle and manufactures a 
high grade of butter. 

Mr. Graham married a daughter of Ross 
Porter, a farmer of West Deer Township, 
Allegheny County. Mary A. Porter was 
reared and educated there, but her mar- 
ried life was spent in Butler County. She 
died in 1903, aged fifty -five years. Of the 
seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gra- 
ham five survive, namely : Cora, who is the 
wife of Thomas L. Huselton, of Perm 
Township, has three children, Mary, Mar- 
tha and Victor; Alma and Robert W., both 
residing at home; Eliza, who is the wife 
of William Montag, of Jefferson Center; 
and Porter, who married Ella Lavery, has 
a son, John Porter, and resides in Jeffer- 
son Township. Mr. Graham is a member 
of the United Presbyterian Church and has 
served as a trixstee of the Shiloh church. 

In politics Mr. Graham has been a very 
active Republican. He was elected town- 
ship collector in 1882 and is serving in his 
third term and has also filled the offices of 
school director, auditor and treasurer. For 
five years prior to 1900, he was a justice 
of the peace. He has sustained the repu- 
tation of the Graham family for public use- 
fulness and good citizenship. 

HON. ELMER E. BELL, the popular 
mayor of Butler and one of the most ener- 
getic and public-spirited of her citizens, 
was born in Mercer Countj^ Pennsylvania, 
March 12, 1862, and is a son of Amzi and 
Eliza (Stewart) Bell. 

Mayor Bell spent his boyhood and early 
youth assisting his father in farming the 
lands he rented at different points. There 
were six children to rear and educate and 
the parents were able to give them no bet- 
ter advantages than those aft'orded by the 
country schools. In 1896 Elmer E. Bell 
was appointed county detective by District 
Attorney Christley, and he continued in 
that office until 1899. He then entered the 
employ of the glass company at Butler and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



957 



had charge of the power plant until 1902. 
He was then connected with the Davis Lead 
Company in the capacity of engineer for 
two years, after which he returned to the 
glass company and remained in that con- 
nection until 1906, when he was elected to 
the honorable office he so efficiently fills. 
He was the candidate on the Republican 
ticket and was elected by a majority of 303 
votes over his opponent, John W. Vogel. 
Mayor Bell married Miss Lizzie Byles, 
who is a daughter of Dr. Cornelius A. 
Byles, who is a prominent physi'-:an of 
Fredonia, Mercer CountJ^ Peniia. The 
Mayor's residence is at No. 609 Brown 
avenue, Butler. Both he and wife are mem- 
bers of the Second Presbyterian Church. 
He was reared in this faith by parents who 
were noted for their zeal and piety. His 
fraternal connections unite him with the 
Woodmen and the Maccabees. 

WILLIAM OESTERLING, general 
farmer and oil well contractor and driller, 
resides on his farm of fifty-four acres, 
which is situated at Carbon Center, Sum- 
mit Township. He was born at Brady's 
Bend, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
January 15, 1867, and is a son of Leonard 
and Margaret (Floor) Oesterling. 

William Oesterling was three years old 
when his father settled on the farm at Car- 
bon Center, where he still resides, and here 
the child grew to youth and manhood. 
When he was twenty-one years old he be- 
gan work in the oil fields as a driller and 
as such was employed in Armstrong, But- 
ler and Allegheny Countie's. For about ten 
years he was in partnership with his 
brother, in oil contracting, and he still con- 
tinues his interest in the oil business. In 
1894 he purchased his present farm from 
his father and moved on the place in the 
fall of 1895. In 1898 he erected the large 
frame residence, selling the one he had 
built in 1895, to the B. R. & P. Railroad. 
There is still another house standing on 
the farm, which Mr. Oesterling rents out. 



He is a man of first-class business qualifica- 
tions and stands high personally in his 
neighborhood. 

Mr. Oesterling married Emma L. Forcht, 
who is a daughter of Henry and a niece of 
George Forcht, well known residents of 
Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. Oesterling 
have three children, Florence, Ethel and 
Bertha. They belong to St. Mark's Lu- 
theran Church at Butler. 

GEORGE MILLIRON, superintendent 
of the works of the A. G. Morris & Son 
Lime and Stone Company, at West Win- 
field, Butler County, Penna., was born at 
Brady's Bend, Armstrong County, this 
state," August 31, 1869^ and is a son of W. 
H. Milliron. He received a good common 
school education, and began industrial life 
as a laborer in the quarries, since which 
time he has worked his way up to the re- 
sponsible position he now holds. For the 
past eighteen years he has been engaged 
in the mining and manufacture of lime. 
While he was obtaining a practical knowl- 
edge of mining limestone and preparing it 
for the market, he also made a study of 
geology, mining engineering, and the com- 
mercial end of the business, and he is now 
one of the best informed men in this field 
of industry. He has held his present posi- 
tion with A. G. Morris & Son since 1900, 
the business being the largest of its kind 
operated in western Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Milliron was married June 11, 1900, 
to ]\Iiss Bird, daughter of W. J. Campbell, 
of Winfield Township. Mrs. Milliron is a 
granddaughter of William Wise, who was 
a prominent furnace man in the days 
when the charcoal iron furnaces were in 
operation in western Pennsylvania. He 
superintended the Buffalo furnace in Arm- 
strong County and assisted in the opera- 
tion of the West Winfield and Pine Creek 
furnaces. Mrs. Wise lighted the first fire 
in the old Buffalo furnace. 

Mr. and Mrs. Milliron reside in a com- 
fortable cottage at West Winfield, and are 



958 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



among the leaders in tlie social affairs of 
the town. They attend the Presbyterian 
Mission at West Winfield and take an 
active interest in all church and benevo- 
lent affairs. Mr. Milliron is a member of 
the Maccabees and is a Democrat in poli- 
tics. 

CHARLES W. ALLEN, a general 
farmer residing on his valuable estate of 
seventy acres, which is situated in Franklin 
Township, was born in Franklin Township, 
Butler County, Penna., in what is now the 
village of Prospect, March 9, 1864, and is 
a son of Samuel and Kate M. (Witty) 
Allen. 

The father of Mr. Allen was born in 
1841, at Whitestown, Penna., and died in 
February, 1907. His leading occupation 
was farming, although for two years he 
conducted a hotel at Prospect and resided 
for several years at West Liberty. He 
subsequently settled on the farm in Frank- 
lin Township which his son Charles W. now 
owns, and there spent the remainder of his 
life. He was a member of the Odd Fellow 
organization at Prospect. He married a 
daughter of John Witty and they had the 
following children : Charles, Mary, Robert, 
George, Harry and Margaret, the last men- 
tioned of whom is the wife of David Sny- 
der of Brady Township. Of the above fam- 
ily Mary and Robert ai-e deceased. The 
parents were members of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian Church, in which the father 
was active, serving as a trustee and for a 
long period as superintendent of the Sun- 
day-school. 

Charles W. Allen was reared and at- 
tended school in Franklin Township and, 
with the exception of about sixteen years, 
during which period he was employed as 
a pumper and tool dresser in the oil fields, 
he has confined his attention to farming. 
His land is productive and his main crops 
are potatoes, hay and corn, thirty-five 
acres being devoted to the latter grain. 
He is well known all through this section. 



has friends on every hand and is a valued 
member of the order of Maccabees at Pros- 
pect. 

CASPER FEHL, a well known resident 
of Forward Township, Butler County, 
Penna., is the owner of a fine farm of 105 
acres, located in that and Connoqueuessing 
Township. He was born in Pittsburg, 
March 23, 1854, and has lived in Butler 
County since 1858. 

George Fehl, grandfather of the subject 
of this sketch, was born in Germany and 
there grew to manhood. Sometime after 
the death of his wife, he, accompanied by 
his two children, Michael (now deceased) 
and Elizabeth, mother of Casper Fehl, 
came to the United States and located in 
Pittsburg, where he worked in a plate glass 
works tor some years. They all later 
moved to Butler County, making the trip 
afoot, while their goods were hauled in the 
wagon. They settled on a farm in Forward 
Township, which the mother of the subject 
of this sketch now owns. She is now past 
seventy-five years of age and makes her 
home with her son. 

Casper Fehl was about four years of age 
when his people came to Forward Town- 
ship, and the farm on which they located 
was unimproved and uncleared. They 
erected a log cabin and a barn, and set 
about getting the land mto a cultivatable 
state, and in this work, as he grew older, 
Casper assisted. Oil was later struck on 
the place, and became the source of con- 
siderable income. In 1874, he began work- 
ing at the trade of a mason, and continued 
at it for a period of seventeen years, with 
a high degree of success. He made a pur- 
chase of twenty-five acres of land in Con- 
noqueuessing Township, to which he added 
from time to time, and on which lie erected 
a fine set of buildings. Unfortunately the 
barn was destroyed by fire in 1898, and all 
its contents lost. In 1899 he erected a large 
and substantial modern barn which now 
stands on the place. He is engaged in gen- 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



959 



eral farming and raises some stock. He 
lias tit'ty-five acres in Forward Township, 
where he Uves, his home being on the north 
side of the Butler and Harmony road. He 
has four producing wells on the place, and 
for a time worked a coal bank at Wahlville, 
in partnership with Mr. George Hicks. He 
has always been energetic and industrious, 
and the success achieved has been by hard 
knocks and honest dealings with his fellow 
men. 

September 4, 1880, Mr. Fehl was united 
in marriage with Miss Catherine L. Miller, 
a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth 
(Young) Miller, and they are parents of 
the following children : Frank, Cora, Vina, 
Joseph, Iva, Linda and Clarence. Reli- 
giously, the family belong to the Reformed 
Church. In politics, he is a stanch Demo- 
crat, and has served as township tax col- 
lector, school director, and in other capaci- 
ties. 

JOHN STEIN, one of Butler's substan- 
tial citizens and reliable business men, is 
proprietor of an extensive baking plant, in 
his building on the corner of Main and 
Wayne streets, Butler. He was born in 
1847, in Wurtemberg, Germany, and re- 
mained in his native land until he was nine- 
teen years old. 

When John Stein reached the United 
States he selected the city of Pittsburg for 
his home and there he went to work in a 
bakery store, learned the business and con- 
tinued to live in Pittsburg for two years. 
In 1874 he came to Butler, where he found 
work at his trade, but in February, 1875, 
he returned to Pittsburg and continued 
work as a baker there until 1876. Then Mr. 
Stein returned to Butler, with the intention 
of embarking in a bakery business of his 
own. Like many another successful busi- 
ness man, he was compelled to begin in a 
small way, his first bakery being estab- 
lished in a rented log house. There are 
many who recall the first Stein bakery and 
have watched its gradual development with 



interest for it has become one of the large 
city enterprises. Through his industry and 
good management, coupled with the excel- 
lent quality of his goods, Mr. Stein pros- 
pered and in 1887 he was able to build a 
two-story brick building on the corner of 
Wayne and Main Streets, with dimensions 
of 61x65 feet. His business continued to 
expand and to meet the growing 'demands 
Mr. Stein has added a third story to his 
building and has also invested in other val- 
uable property. 

In 1874 Mr. Stein was married to Miss 
Eliza Rudolph, who was born in Germany 
and came to America when twenty years of 
age. Mr. and Mrs. Stein have eight chil- 
dren, namely: Louise, who married Theo- 
dore Schenck, a prominent citizen of But- 
ler, and Paulina, Caroline, Marie, Emma, 
Waldo Harry, Elma and Hilda. Mr. Stein 
and family belong to St. Mark's Lutheran 
Church. In politics he is a Democrat. 

WILLIAM BACHMAN, residing on his 
finely improved farm of sixty acres, which 
is situated m Jefferson Township, on the 
south and east of the Saxonburg and Cabot 
road, about one mile north of the former 
village, was born on his father's homestead, 
September 24, 1865, and is a son of Augiist 
and Mary (Smith) Bachman. 

August Bachman was born in Germany 
and came to Butler County many years ago 
and followed farming in Jefferson Town- 
ship. His father also came to America but 
died shortly afterward. August Bachman 
Tuarried Mary Smith and they had the fol- 
lowing family of children bom to them, all 
of whom survive except the eldest: Han- 
nah, Henry, Joshua, William, Charles, 
John, Emma, Lewis, August and Joseph. 

William Bachman attended school in 
Jefferson Township and his first work done 
away from home, was in a brick-yard. He 
then learned the carpenter's trade, at which 
he continued to work until 1907, when he 
purchased his present farm, which he culti- 
vates and also raises stock for his own use. 



960 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



He lias done a large amount of building in 
the county and the improvements on his 
own place were made by himself. His hand- 
some residence and substantial barn, both 
of which have slate roofs, scarcely have 
equals in this section. He is also interested 
in oil production and has visited the oil 
fields all over Butler County and at present 
has fourteen producing wells. He is a man 
of business enterprise and his investments 
have i^roved good ones as he made them 
judiciously. 

In Januarj', 1891, Mr. Bachman was mar- 
ried to Miss Emma Rudert, a daughter of 
William and Hannah (Lensner) Rudert, of 
Jefferson Township, and they have the fol- 
lowing children: Aaron, Nora, Wilbert, 
Nelma, Mary and Raymond, Nora and 
Raymond being deceased. The eldest son, 
now a bright youth of sixteen years, is be- 
ginning to learn the carpenter's trade with 
his father. The family belong to the Lu- 
theran Church at Saxonburg. 

WILLIAM T. HOON, a prominent citi- 
zen and prosperous farmer, resides on his 
excellent farm of 110 acres, situated in 
Oakland Township, this being a part of the 
original tract on which his grandfather, 
Henry Hoon, settled in 1818. He was born 
on this farm on March 1, 1859, and is a son 
of Anthony and Mary Ann (Beatty) Hoon. 

Henry Hoon came to Butler County from 
Harrisburg, Penna., bringing his family 
and many of his household possessions. 
His grandchildren still preserve his rifle 
and the old copper kettle, which, in those 
days, was the thrifty housewife's most val- 
ued possession. Grandfather Hoon built 
a log house on his wild farm in Oakland 
Township and the remainder of his life was 
mainly given to the clearing and improving 
of his land, the larger part of which is still 
owned by his descendants. 

Anthony Hoon, father of William T., was 
born in Dauphin County, Penna., August 
27, 1817, and was one year old when his 
parents brought him to Oakland Township, 



on which his subsequent life was spent. He 
married Mary Ann Beatty, who was born 
in Ireland and in girlhood was brought to 
Oakland Township by her father, Hugh 
Beatty. Born in 1824, she died October 7, 
1897, aged seventy-three years. Her hus- 
band survived her imtil February 27, 1900, 
his age being eighty-two years and six 
months. Of Anthony Hoon's twelve chil- 
dren, the following survive: Robert B., 
Henry A., Hugh B., A. I., William T., Clark 
W. and Mary E. Robert B., Hugh B. and 
A. I., all reside at Mercer, Pennsyl- 
vania. Henry A., residing at Avelon, Penn- 
sylvania, and Robert B., are children of his 
first marriage, with Martha Black. 

William T. Hoon was reared on his pres- 
ent farm and has always devoted himself 
to agricultural pursuits. On June 20, 1888, 
he married Laura M. Hutchison, who was a 
daughter of William J. Hutchison. Mrs. 
Hoon died August 17, 1906. They had four 
children ; Vangie L., who died aged twenty- 
one months; and George A., Loyal R. and 
Carl H. Since the death of Mrs. Hoon, Mr. 
Hoon's sister. Miss Mary E. Hoon, a most 
estimable lady, has looked after his house- 
hold. In the year following his marriage, 
Mr. Hoon erected his large frame house, 
having built his substantial barn in 1884. 
Mr. Hoon is a member of the United Pres- 
byterian Church at Butler. In polities he 
is a Republican and he has frequently been 
elected to township offices, in which he has 
served most acceptably. 

HENRY JOHN IFFT, owner and pro- 
prietor of the large general store conducted 
under the title of George Ifft & Sons, is one 
of the best known citizens and business men 
of Evans City, Penna. He was born in the 
country near that village May 1, 1849, and 
is a son of John George and Sophia (Reeb) 
Ifft, and grandson of John George, Sr., and 
Anna Barbara (Pfeifer) Ifft, the two last 
named dying in Hessen, Darmstadt, Ger- 
many, their native land. 

John George Ifft, father of the subject of 




R. R. LLOYD 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



96:; 



this skctcli, was born iu VoUmarz, Hessen, 
i);l^lll^t;^(lt, (iermany, and was sixteen 
yea IS dM when he accompanied his two 
older brothers, Michael and Peter, to 
America and located in Bntler County, 
Penna. He took to agricultural pursuits 
and i^rospered, and in 1850 he purchased 
the Daniel Boggs farm at Evans City, on 
which he passed the rcinaiiidcr of his days, 
lie hcc;iliU' illtcivstcil with his SOUS in the 
gcucrnl stoi'c ill IsiiS wiiich bore his name, 
hut ihd not participate actively in its man- 
agement. He was joined in marriage with 
Sophia Reeb, who was born in Alsace, 
France, and was fourteen years of age 
when she accompanied her father, Nich- 
olas Reeb, to the United States. Her 
father became a resident of Butler County, 
and lived there until his death in 1870, at 
the age of eighty-seven years. Mr. Reeb 
served twelve years as cavalryman under 
Louis Napoleon. This union resulted in 
the birth of eight children, as follows: 
George, who died in April, 1908; Cath- 
erine, widow of Peter Pfeifer; William H., 
who died in December, 1894; Sarah, wife 
of George G. Lutz; Henry John, whose 
name heads this sketeh; J. Nicholas, who 
lives oil tl:e nil! iioiiie ])hiee and is a breed- 
er of l)loo(h'.l stock; Lewis J. of Washing- 
ton, D. C. ; and a daughter who died in in- 
fancy. Mr. Ifft died in April, 1891, at the 
age of seventy-four years, and his widow 
in December, 189.3, at the age of sevent}'- 
three years. 

Henry J. Ifft was about one year old 
when his parents moved to the old home 
place, where his boyhood daj's were spent. 
He attended the old township school about 
four months in the year, to which he 
walked, it l)eing two miles from his home. 
At the age of seventeen, in May, 1866, he 
left home for Pittsburg, where for thir- 
teen months he worked in the grocery of 
James Montooth & Son, on Smithfield 
Street. He then spent nine months in a 
store in Allegheny, after which, in March, 
1868, he returned "to Evans City and estab- 



lished a general store with his father and 
brothers under the name and style of 
George Ift't & Sons. In 1874, the store of 
J. M. White was purchased and the two 
stores consolidated, and two years later a 
large and commodious store building was 
erected on the corner of Pittsburg and 
Washington Streets, which the firm has 
since occupied. In 1886, a ware house was 
erected along the railroad and is provided 
with a private siding. John George Ifft 
withdrew from the business in 1880, John 
N. in 1883, Lewis J. in 1890, and William 
in 1893, the subject of this sketcn becom- 
ing at that time sole owner. He carries a 
large and complete line of dry-goods, 
groceries, boots and shoes, hardware and 
farm iiiipleiiients, and flour and feed, com- 
mandiug a li))eral patronage at the hands 
of the people throughout this section of 
the county. 

November 7, 1872, Henry J. Ifft was 
rinited in marriage with Miss Agnes A. 
Lyons, a daughter of John Lyons, who 
was a veteran of the Civil War. Her 
)>rother. Major R. W. Lyons, was formerly 
mayor of Pittsburg and he also served in 
the" Civil M^ar. Nine children were the re- 
sult of this union, four of whom died in 
infancy. Those who grew to maturity 
were : Carrie Leona, wife of Charles Lynch 
of Evans City, Pennsylvania, by whom she 
has three children: George lift, James 
Donald, and Mary; Lyon, Charles W., who 
assists his father in running the store; 
Mary Josephine; Frances Beulah; and 
Emiiia Kathlyn. Mr. lift is a Democrat 
in politics, has served on the School Board 
and in the council and is at present a mem- 
lier of the board of directors of Evans City 
C*emetery Association. He was reared in 
the Lutheran faith, but is now a member 
of the United Presbyterian Church, to 
which his family also belong. 

R. RUSSELL LLOYD, treasurer and 
manager of The Lloyd Company, Incor- 
porated, wholesale dealers in confection- 



964 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



erj', c'igar.s and tobacco, was born at 
Apollo, Armstroug Coimty, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Col. David I), and Mary 
(Fritzins) Lloyd. 

A\lien Mr. Lloyd was eight years old his 
parents moved to Beaver Falls and thei-e 
he obtained his edncation. When he left 
school he went into factory work and has 
filled almost every position in factories, 
learning the business from the ground up. 
He began for himself on a small scale, at 
Apollo, as wholesale confectioner, and re- 
mained there until his enterprise had 
practically outgrown the village and then 
went to Butler, where with his father he 
embarked in the wholesale business which 
is one of the city's most prospei'ous con- 
cerns at the present time. In 1904 The 
Lloyd Company was incorporated, with a 
capital stock of $20,000. Its officers are 
Col. David D. Lloyd. ])resident; R. Russell 
Lloyd, treasurer and manager; and W. E. 
Lloyd, secretary. Tlie company keeps four 
men on the road, and the territory cov- 
ered includes six counties in Western 
Pennsylvania. The success of this busi- 
ness is due to the excellent qualities of the 
goods handled and to the honorable busi- 
ness iiu'tliods and careful, intelligent and 
(•(iiis('r\ati\(' adiiiiiiistration of its ati'airs. 
]\lr. Lloyd is a menibei- of the fraternal 
orders of the Elks and Eagles and he 
belongs also to the Country Club. He was 
reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
of which he is a member. 

WILLIAM JOHN EMRICK, general 
merchant at Butler, has been a resident of 
this city for twenty-two years and is 
identified with many of her interests and 
has been a helpful factor in developing a, 
number of her enterprises. He was born 
August 12, 1858, in Siunmit Township, 
Butler County, Penna., and is a son of 
John and a grandson of Andrew Emrick, 
who came to Butler County in 1803. 

John Emrick, father of W. J., was born 
in 18.31, in Butler County, and developed 



into one of the leading citizens of this sec- 
tion. He resided on his farm in Summit 
Township. In 1864 he enlisted for service 
in the Civil War, entering Company F, 
One Hundred Sevenui Regiment, in the 
Army of the Potomac, and was present at 
the surrender of General Lee at Ap- 
pomattox. On December 14, 1855, he was 
married to Miss Maria A. Burkhart, who 
died in August, 1906. They had the fol- 
lowing children: Daniel Baxter and Will- 
iam J., both residents of Butler; Asa Wa- 
ters, a resident of Allegheny; Albert F., a 
resident of Benavon, Pennsylvania; Sam- 
uel M., a resident of Butler; Catherine R., 
wife of A. M. Swartz, of Allegheny City; 
and Barbara A. and Mary E. The latter 
is the wife of Samuel Hughes, of Butler. 
A number of the family above named have 
reared children of their own and when the 
aged grandfather .died, his remains were 
followed to the grave by eighty-six grand- 
children and twenty-two great-grandchil- 
dren. 

AV. J. Emrick was reared on a farm four 
miles from the Butler County Court House 
and was educated in the local schools and 
at Witherspoon Institute. His first essay 
at business was as a clerk for D. 11. Sut- 
ton, at Maharg, with whom he remained 
for eight years, after which he was 
with John Berg & Son, for a short time, 
and then accepted a position as foreman 
for the W. C. Myers dry goods store at 
Pittsburg. He remained there for two 
years and then came to Butler, where 
he served as a clerk for the well known 
merchants, D. L. Aiken and J. E. Camp- 
bell, for four years. His long experience 
in the mercantile line convinced him that 
he was fully capable of directing a busi- 
ness of his own and about this time, in as- 
sociation with S. M. Wright, he bought out 
his former employers, the firm name be- 
coming Emrick & Wright. In October, 
1897, Mr. Eminck established his general 
mercantile store at No. 806 Center Avenue, 
and the steady growth of his trade soon 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



965 



necessitated larger quarters, aud in 1902 
he erected his present tine two-story store 
building, with dimensions of 2Ux6U feet. 
He has commodious wareroom space in the 
rear and he has equipped his building with 
modern comforts and appliances. In 1893 
he had built his fine residence which ad- 
joins his store, at No. 804 Center Avenue. 
In 1882, Mr. Emrick was married to 
Miss Nancy J. Cruikshank, who belongs to 
one of the old and honorable families of 
Butler County. They have seven children, 
namely: Samuel Dwight, who is a student 
in the dental department of the University 
of Pittsburg; Ada E., who is a music 
teacher of Butler ; John Leroy, who is with 
his father in the store ; Egleton Byers, who 
is a High School student; and Alice Ger- 
trude, Hazel Olive and Catherine Irene, 
all at school. The family belong to the 
First Presbyterian Church, Mr. Emrick 
being a member of the official board. His 
fraternal connections include the Modern 
Woodmen and the Knights of Pythias. He 
is not active in politics, although he has 
ever shown good citizenship when public 
affairs demanded stringent measures. 

JOHN S. DODDS, general farmer in 
Franklin Township, residing on his well 
cultivated farm of sixty acres, is a promi- 
nent and respected citizen of this section 
and is also a veteran of the Civil War. He 
was born July 4, 1840, in Franklin Town- 
ship, Butler Cormty, Penna., and is a sou 
of Thomas and Nancy (McGrew) Dodds. 

The parents of Mr. Dodds were born 
and reared in Franklin Township, 
where the grandparents had been early 
settlers. Thomas Dodds followed the car- 
))eiiter trade in his earlier years but later 
devoted himself entirely to farming. In 
politics, prior to the organization of the 
Republican party, he was a Whig. He was 
a man of character and frequently was 
elected to office in his township. His wife, 
Nancy McGrew, was a daughter of James 
McGrew, and they had the following chil- 



dren: Mary, who married Enos McDon- 
ald, of Pi'ospect; William, whose home is 
in Colorado; Margaret, residing at Mt. 
Chestnut, who is the widow of John Mc- 
Candless; James, who died of fever while 
serving in the Civil War as a member of 
Company G, One Hundred Thirty-fourth 
Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry; 
John S., whose name appears at the head 
of this sketch; Elizabeth, deceased, who 
Avas the wife of William McDonald; Mar- 
tha, who is the widow of Samuel Moore, 
of New Castle; and Thomas, who lives at 
New Castle. The parents were members 
of the United Presbyterian Church at 
Prospect. On both sides Mr. Dodds comes 
of Irish ancestry. 

John S. Dodds spent his boyhood at- 
tending the district schools and making 
himself useful on the home farm. In Au- 
gust, 1862, he enlisted for service in the 
Civil War, entering Company G, One Hun- 
dred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Vol- 
unteer Infantrj^, for nine months, and re- 
enlisted, in 1864, in the Sixth Penna. 
Heavy Artillery, in which he served until 
the close of hostilities. He took part in 
many serious battles but was spared to re- 
turn home, practically unharmed. He is 
a member of John H. Randolph Post No. 
404, Grand Army of the Republic, at Pros- 
pect, of which he is past quartermaster. 
After he returned from the army he set- 
tled on his present farm, which he has 
carefully cultivated ever since, producing 
very satisfactory crops of wheat, hay, 
corn, oats and potatoes. He is an active 
Republican and has served his township 
most acceptably as supervisor, tax col- 
lector, school director and auditor. 

Mr. Dodds married Miss Ellen Dick, a 
daughter of William Dick, of Franklin 
Township, and they have the following- 
children: James V., of Zelienople; William 
H., of Brookl>Ti, New York; Thomas J., 
also of Brookl^Ti, New York ; Carl, of New 
Castle, Pennsylvania ; Ford, of Zelienople ; 
Harry W., of Muddy Creek Township; 



966 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Everette M., of Freedom, Peuusylvauia; 
Clyde, of New Castle; Raymoud, residing 
at home; and Jessie Bell, who is the wife 
of Lester Brown. Mr. Dodds and family 
belong to the United Presbyterian Church 
at Mt. Chestnut, of which he has been a 
trustee. 

ISAAC M. FLEEGER is the owner of 
a farm consisting of fifty-six acres, located 
about one mile north of Unionville, in Cen- 
ter Township, Butler County, Peuna., upon 
which he has lived since 1899. He was 
born near the borough of Mercer, in Mer- 
cer County, Penna., October 22, 1858, and 
is a son of Christopher and Emeline (Wes- 
ton) Fleeger, the former a native of Cen- 
ter Township, and the latter of New York 
State. 

After marriage, Christopher Fleeger 
moved to Mercer County, but one year 
later returned to Center Township, where 
he and wife remained until 1870, in which 
year they purchased a farm in Mercer 
County, and again took up their residence 
in that county, where they remained until 
their respective deaths. 

Isaac M. Fleeger was in infancy when 
his people returned to Center Township, 
and when nine years of age went to live 
with the family of John McBride in Frank- 
lin Township. He continued with the lat- 
ter until he was twenty-one, engaged in 
farm work, then went to live with his par- 
ents, who at that time were located in Mer- 
cer (*ounty. After two years of assisting 
his father on the farm, he returned to the 
emi>loy of Mr. McBride, with whom he re- 
mained some two or three years longer. 
He was married in 1884, to Miss Margaret 
McCandless, who was born and reared in 
Connoquenessing Township, and is a 
daughter of John McCandless. They set 
up housekeeping in Cherry Township, 
where Mr. Fleeger worked for a short time 
in a coal bank; he then worked one sum- 
mer for Mr. McBride in Franklin Town- 
ship, after which he farmed his father-in- 



law's place in Connoquenessing Township 
for two years. He next moved to Butler 
Township, where he operated a coal mine 
which he leased from Abraham McCand- 
less, for three years, then moved to the 
McDonald farm in Connoquenessing Town- 
ship. Five years later he removed to the 
Robert McBride farm in Franklin Town- 
ship, and after one year there, in 1899 pur- 
chased his present farm of fifty-six acres 
in Center Township from the Fleeger 
heirs. Having begim a poor lad, without 
help or favor he worked his waj^ to a de- 
sirable position among the leading men of 
the community. He follows general farm- 
ing and stock raising, and is meeting with 
deserved success. 

The marriage of Isaac M. and Margaret 
(McCandless) Fleeger resulted in the birth 
of the following children: William G. ; 
Sarah A., who is the wife of John Miller, 
by whom she has a daughter, Ruth Al- 
berta ; Floyd A. ; Cecil C. ; and Clara Mar- 
garet. Religiously, he and some of his 
family are members of the Unionville 
Presbyterian Church, but AVilliam G. and 
Sarah A. belong to the German Lutheran 
known as the Hollow church. 

JOSEPH BRANDON COOPER, of the 
grocery firm of Smathers & Cooper, is one 
of the foremost business men of Evans 
City, Penna., and comes of an old and re- 
spected family of Butler Countv. He was 
born on the old home farm in Forward 
Township, September 21, 1875, and is a 
son of James and Caroline (]\farburger) 
Cooper, and grandson of Joseph Cooper. 

Joseph Cooj^er, the grandfather, settled 
in the woods of Forward Township at a 
very early date, made a clearing for his 
cabin, and then set about the task of clear- 
ing the farm of its heavj^ growth of timber 
and underbrush. He had quite a reputa- 
tion as a wood chopper, and even in his old 
age could swing an axe with greater skill 
than the younger men. He was the father 
of a large family of children, as follows: 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



967 



James; Joseph; Samuel, deceased; Kath- 
erine, widow of John Davis ; Ethel I., wife 
of Lewis Bloom; Sophia, widow of Jesse 
Knox ; Nancy, wife of Taylor Wise ; Chris- 
tina, wife of John Keefer; Alma, wife of 
Andrew McFarland; Sarah, wife of John 
Loose; and Melissa, wife of John C. Ro- 
hiser. The Cooper family each year Jiolds 
a reunion which is attended by more than 
400 members of the family, "the last one 
held being at Butler in August, 1908. Jo- 
seph B. Cooper, subject of this sketch, 
serves as treasurer of their organization. 

James C'Ooper, father of Joseph B., was 
born on the farm in Forward Township, 
and in his youth helped in its clearing. At 
an early age he learned the trade of a car- 
penter, and erected many of the early 
houses and barns in his vicmity. He built 
the business block now occupied b.y the 
store of Smathers & Cooper at Evans City, 
it being all hand work from the rough 
lumber. He and his wife now live on the 
old Cooper home place in Forward Town- 
sliip, two miles north of Evans City. He 
was united in marriage with Caroline Mar- 
burger, a daughter of Henry Marburger, 
who died in 1907, at the age of ninety 
years. They became parents of the fol- 
lowing children: Mary, who died in 1907, 
and was the wife of John Berringer; 
Sophia, wife of Curtin Bradley; Samuel; 
Joseph Brandon; George; Susan, wife of 
Ferd Ziggler; and Edward. 

Joseph B. Cooper spent his boyhood 
days on the home place in Forward Town- 
ship, and attended the district schools of 
that vicinity and later the high schools at 
Evans City for two terms. He engaged in 
agricultural pursuits on the home place 
until 1904, when he purchased a half in- 
terest in tlie store of Mr. A. J. Smathers, 
who had been in business in Evans City 
since 1888. Mr. Smathers had the misfor- 
tune of being struck by the street car at 
Mars, June 7, 1908, his death resulting 
from the accident. Mr. Cooper has since 
carried on the business in connection with 



his former partner's heirs. He has a large 
and complete stock and enjoys a good 
trade in the village and surrounding coun- 
try. 

April 17, 1901, Mr. Cooper was joined in 
marriage with .Miss Kitty Burke, a daugh- 
ter of F. E. and Sylvia (Tealsmith) Burke, 
and they started housekeeping in the house 
in which the subject of this sketch was 
born. They have one daughter, Frances 
Seeland, born September 6, 1906. Re- 
ligiously, they are members of the United 
Presbyterian Church, of which he is a 
trustee. In political affiliation, he is a 
Democrat. Fraternally, he is a member of 
Evans City Lodge No. 817, I. 0. 0. F.; and 
Encampment No. 317, I. 0. 0. F. 

LOUIS STEIN. Among the old-time 
merchants of Butler who have now passed 
away, few are more worthy of remem- 
brance than he whose name begins this 
article. He came of sturdy old German 
stock and of a family of more than usual 
intelligence, his father being a professor 
in the Medical University of Bonn. Louis 
Stein was born in the city of Marburg, 
Hessen, Germany, July 3, isil. 

When the father of Mr. Stein was hon- 
ored by the appointment to a professor- 
ship at Bonn University, the family took 
up its residence in the old college town and 
Louis had the advantage of being educated 
there. In 1832 he came to America, where 
he was employed during his first five years, 
in an importing house in New York City. 
In 1837 he established a mercantile biisi- 
ness at Wapakoneta, Ohio, where, in part- 
nership with Bernard Roessing, he contin- 
ued in business until 1840, when they came 
to Butler. The mercantile firm of Roessing 
and Stein continued until 1871, when Mr. 
Stein purchased Mr. Roessing 's interest 
and carried on the business alone until 
February, 1882. He then admitted his son, 
William A., to partnership and the firm be- 
came L. Stein & Son, and with some 
changes in the handling of commodities, 



968 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the business continued unitl 1885, when 
Louis Stein retired. Although he withdrew 
from all responsibility at this time, he con- 
tinued interested m the progress and suc- 
cess of the firm and until within a short 
time of .his death, might be seen almost 
every day, in some department of the store. 
He lived to the age of eighty-four years 
and havmg led a temperate, sane and 
healthy life, avoided many of the ailments 
peculiar to advanced years. His death oc- 
curred July 20, 1894. His social disposi- 
tion, united with the strictest business in- 
tegrity, gained for him many friends and 
few men in the commercial circles of the 
city enjoyed a greater degree of popular- 
ity. 

In politics, ]\Ir. Stein was a firm Demo- 
crat, but the measure of his public service 
was as a member of the School Board, on 
which he served for some years. He was 
a member of the German Lutheran Church 
at Butler and his support of the same was 
always liberal and cheerfully bestowed. 

In August, 1848, Louis Stein was mar- 
ried to Matilda Dieker, a daughter of An- 
thony Dieker, of Wapakoneta, Ohio. They 
had sis children, namely: Emily, Julia, 
William A., Louis B., Albert 0. and 
Charles. Charles and Emily are deceased, 
the latter of whom was tne wife of .John 
N. Patterson. Julia married J. F. Strong 
and resides at Cincinnati. The three sur- 
viving sons of Louis Stein are all men of 
business sagacity, occupying prominent 
places in the commercial life of Butler. 

WILLIAM WATSON, one of Butler 
County's representative business men, 
now living retired in a comfortable home 
at_No. 442 East Pearl Street, Butler, for 
thirty-two years was prominently identi- 
fied with the mercantile interests of Frank- 
lin Township. He was born near Whit- 
horn, in Wigtonshire, Scotland, February 
12, 1838, and is a son of Alexander and 
Elizabeth (Arnot) Watson. 

On account of his hearing Mr. Watson, 



November 1, 1908, sold his store and prop- 
erty at Mount Chestnut and retired to But- 
ler, Pa., where he resides at 442 East Pearl 
Street. 

William Watson, of the firm of William 
Watson & Son, general merchants, with 
stores both at Mount Chestnut and Isle, is 
one of the best known men of Franklin 
Township, with which section he has been 
identified for the past thirty-two years. 
He was born near Whithorn, in Wigton- 
shire, Scotland, February 12, 1838, and is 
a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Arnot) 
Watson. 

Alexander Watson was born also in Wig- 
tonshire, in 1810, and died in Butler 
County, Penna., when aged eighty-three 
years. He married Elizal3eth Arnot, who 
was born in 1806 and died when aged 
eighty-six years. In 1845, Alexander Wat- 
son and family removed to England and 
lived in different sections of that country 
until 1849, when they embarked on a sail- 
ing vessel for America. The long voyage, 
which required six weeks, is easily recalled 
by Mr. Watson, who was then a boy of 
eleven years. His parents settled near 
Freeport, in Buffalo Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, where the father 
first rented and later purchased land and 
lived there during the remainder of his 
life. Both he and wife were consistent 
meml^ers of the Presbyterian Church. They 
had four children, namely: John A., who 
resides in Buffalo Township; William; 
Alexander, who lives near Helena, Mon- 
tana; and Isabella, who is the widow of 
John Myers, of Buffalo Township. 

William Watson has had a long and 
eventful life, many of the details being un- 
usually interesting. He attended school in 
Buffalo Township and remained at home 
until the spring of 1858, when he went to 
the Territory of Kansas. For about one 
year after reaching there he worked on a 
farm near Lawrence and then secured a 
contract to cut timber in the Delaware In- 
dian Reservation. About this time came 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1X39 



the discovery of gold at Pike's Peak aud 
the subsequent public uproar aud Mr. Wat- 
sou became affected by the geueral excite- 
ment. In partnership with his brother, 
John A. Watson, he bought three yoke of 
oxeu and a wagon and easily obtained a 
load of freight and passengers. The party 
arrived safelj' on the present site of the 
city of Denver, aud at that time the pres- 
ent beautiful city consisted of but thirteen 
mud-covered shanties. During this jour- 
ney, Mr. Watson and his companions be- 
came accustomed to sights which no pre- 
vious experience had prepared them for. 
He was particularly impressed with the 
vast herds of Buffalo and was ten days in 
jjassing them on the range, there being 
Imudreds of thousands of those animals, 
of whicli now almost the only specimens 
are those in captivity. 

Mr. Watson remained in the vicinity of 
Denver all that summer, engaged in pros- 
pecting for gold, and when the season was 
well advanced he engaged, for several 
months, in hauling lumber into Denver 
After this work was completed he came 
down the Platte River and wintered in 
Missouri. On his journey clown he had 
an experience which he relates somewliat 
as follows : "One night, when about twelve 
miles up the river from Fort Kearney, the 
company went to sleep in the wagons as 
usual but the wind changed so suddenly 
to the North that they had to quickly 
rouse and turn the ends of the wagons to 
the storm to prevent them being upset. In 
the morning the snow was falling and the 
wind was howling. They hurried the cat- 
tle together and started for Fort Kearney, 
the storm, in the meanwhile, growing 
worse every minute, and when they tinally 
reached Fort Kearney, with the expecta- 
tion of receiving assistance, the com- 
mandant there refused them the shelter of 
one of the abandoned shanties about the 
fort, this refusal making it necessary for 
them to endure the storm for a half mile 
farther, where thev found a ranchman who 



was willing for the party of sixteen to 
crowd into a little adobe hut with dimen- 
sions of 8 to 10 feet. Two of the travelers 
wrapped themselves in blankets and slept 
in the wagon, for want of space in the hut, 
but one of the oxen, which had only the 
shelter of a hay-stack, was frozen and on 
the following day a second ox shared its 
late. This noted storm occurred Novem- 
Ijer 11, 1859, and lasted for two and one- 
half days." 

Mr. Watson engaged in cutting wood on 
a farm until the spring came and then went 
to Brownsville, Nebraska, where he bought 
a pony and outfit and with it started out 
alone to the Little Blue River, where he 
joined others and then proceeded to Rus- 
sell's Grulch, where he mined in the moun- 
tains until in the fall of 1861. He then re- 
turned home on a visit, and shortly after- 
ward enlisted in Company D, Sixth Regi- 
ment, Penna. Heavy Artillery, and was in 
the regular service for about ten months, 
or until the close of the war, being con- 
nected with the force defending Washing- 
ton during the greater part of the time, 
lie entered the service as first corporal 
and was promoted to be sergeant. After 
he returned from the field to the forts, he 
jiut in his time studying artillery practice 
and became so proficient that he was de- 
tailed as an artillery instructor. 

After the close of his military life, Mr. 
Watson bought a farm in BuiTalo Town- 
ship, on which he remained for ten years, 
selling in 1876 and buying an interest in 
the business of Alexander Campbell & 
Sons, at Mount Chestnut. AVithin two 
years, Mr. AVatson ac(|uired the whole bus- 
iness and he conducted it under his own 
name until 1892, when he admitted his son, 
Edwin A., to partnership and the firm 
name was changed to William Watson & 
Son. In addition to general merchandise, 
the firm handled farm machinery, fertiliz- 
ers and feed. In 1897, they established a 
store in the northwestern part of Franklin 
Township, at Isle, of which Edwin A. Wat- 



970 



HI8T0RY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



son has charge. He is also station and ex- 
press agent at Isle and has his exjaress 
office in his store. William Watson gave 
the name to that village and station, in 
memory of a little town that stood within 
two miles of his birthplace in Scotland. 
This firm has done the largest mercantile 
business in Franklin Township. On No- 
vember 1, 1908, William W^atson sold his 
Mt. Chestnut store and property, defec- 
tive hearing having induced his retirement 
from business. Both father and son are 
Republicans in their political sentiments. 
The latter was formerly the postmaster at 
Isle and the former served for about six- 
teen years, although not consecutively, as 
postmaster at Mount Chestnut, giving' up 
the office when the rural mail delively 
went into effect. Mr. Watson has never 
been a seeker for political honors but has 
had frequent ax^pointments in that line. 
He served many years as a school director 
and to his judgment, in the early days, may 
be attributed the excellence of the schools 
of his district, for he has always been a 
practical man. For many years he has 
served on leading committees in the po- 
litical councils of his party and has been a 
delegate to Congressional and Senatorial 
conventions. 

Mr. Watson was married (first) to Mary 
E. Sarver, who died in 1874, aged thirty- 
two years. She was a daughter of Jacob 
Sarver, of Buffalo Township. They had 
four children, namely: Clara E., who is 
the wife of Prof. S. L. Cheeseman, of Slip- 
pery Rock; John W., who resides at Seat- 
tle, Washington; Edwin A., who is in busi- 
ness with his father; and A. Walter, who 
is in Alaska. Mr. Watson was married 
(second) to Mary M. Campbell, who is a 
daughter of Joseph Campbell, of Concord 
Township. Mrs. Watson was formerly a 
successful teacher. Four children have 
been born to this union, as follows : Charles 
C, who is a traveling salesman, residing at 
Butler; E. Merle, who lives at Isle; Clyde 
N., who is engaged in the life insurance 



business at Butler; and Jessie M., who 
lives at home. Mr. and Mrs. Watson are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Mount Chestnut, of which he 
has been an elder for twenty years. 

1). F. ]\IcCREA, the g'enial proprietor 
of the Butler Hotel, has been a resident 
of this city for a period covering about 
twenty years. He was born in 1858, at 
Saint Joe, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Daniel McCrea. The 
father of Mr. McCrea was born at Blairs- 
ville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and 
came to Butler County when young. He 
became a substantial farmer and an in- 
fluential menil)er of the Democratic party 
in his section. 

D. F. McCrea was reared on his father's 
farm and when he was released from 
school he obeyed the lure to the oil fields, 
which, at that time, attracted young men 
from all surrounding sections. Mr. Mc- 
Crea was fortunate in his investments and 
has been more or less identified with oil 
production ever since. He has operated 
in manv of the most productive oil regions 
of the "country, from 1883 to 1885, being 
interested in the Los Angeles oil fields, 
California. He is a stockholder and a di- 
rector in the Butler County Fair Associa- 
tion and is generally interested in affairs 
in Butler County. 

In 1900 Mr. "McCrea was married to 
Mrs. Thomas Stiles. In politics he is a 
Democrat. He has been closely associated 
with the hotel business for years and is a 
member of the Pennsylvania State Hotel 
Association, is ])it'siilcn1 of the Butler 
County Hotel Men's Association, and be- 
longs also to the Elks. 

MATTHEW SMITH GREER, whose 
valuable farm of 100 acres of some of the 
finest land in Jefferson Township is sit- 
uated on the Saxonburg and Cabot high- 
wav. about one mile west of Cabot, occu- 




D. F. McCREA 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



973 



pies the farm on which he was born, 
March 24, 1851. He is a son of Thomas 
and EUzabeth (Coojier) Greer. 

Thomas Greer was born in County 
Down, Ireland, and when five years old 
was brought to America by his parents, 
Matthew and Isabella (Bruce) Greer. 
About 1819 they settled in Washington 
County, Pennsylvania, from which section 
Thomas Greer later came to Butler 
County. He had five children, namely: 
John M., Robert B., William H., Matthew 
S. and Samuel AV. 

Matthew S. Greer obtained his educa- 
tion in the schools of Jefferson Township. 
The only time he ever left the home farm 
to work, was for a short period on the con- 
struction of the Western Pennsylvania 
Railroad when he stretched the first tele- 
graph wire into Butler. With tliis excep- 
tion, Mr. Greer has devoted himself to the 
cultivation and improvement of his land. 
All of his surroundings indicate thrift and 
comfort, while his residence is one of ele- 
gance and fine proportions. It is of mod- 
ern type, of brick construction and slate 
roof and contains ten rooms. It is by far 
the finest private residence in this section 
of the county. 

On January 6, 1892, Mr. Greer was mar- 
ried to Miss Elizabeth Young, who is a 
daughter' of Lewis and Mary (Stepp) 
Young. The father was a carpenter and 
lived in different sections in Pennsylvania, 
Ohio and Virginia and served as a soldier 
in the Civil War. He died in 189-t. He 
married Mary Stepp, who survives, and 
they had the following children : Mary M., 
Clara B., Sarah C, Amanda A., John Wes- 
ley, Mary S., Hattie M., Thomas L. and 
Elizabeth, and one infant deceased. Mr. 
and Mrs. Greer have two sons and one 
daughter: Anna Elizabeth, William 
Thomas and Robert Lewis, all students. 
Mr. and Mrs. Greer are active members of 
the Lutheran Church and he is a member 
of the church council. He is an Odd Fel- 



low and is connected with Saxonia Lodge, 
No. 496, at Saxonbiirg and has passed all 
the chairs, while Mrs. Greer is a charter 
member of the auxiliary order of Rebekah 
Mr. and Mrs. Greer are hospitable people 
and their beautiful home is frequently the 
scene of pleasant family and social gath- 
erings. 

ROBERT II. BROWN, who comes of 
one of the earliest pioneer families of But- 
ler County, Penna., was for many years 
owner and proprietor of the well known 
Brown's Mills in Forward Township, 
which are not now in operation. He owns 
a farm of fifty-one acres at that point, and 
is now living a retired life in the enjoy- 
ment of the fruits of his early toil. He has 
been a resident of Butler County for more 
than eighty-four years, having been born 
on the old homestead at Brownsdale, Sep- 
tember 11, 1824, and has never lived else- 
where. He is a son of Adam and Sarah 
(Brown) Brown, a grandson of Adam 
Brown, and a great-grandson of Adam 
Brown. 

Adam Brown, Sr., the great-grand- 
father, came to this country from Ger- 
many, and at the time of his death was liv- 
ing at Newville, Penna. He came out to 
what he called the Indian territory, now 
Butler County, and purchased a tract of 
400 acres of land. He had four sons : John, 
Joseph, Adam and Ray. 

Adam Brown, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, also was a native of 
Germany but very quickly mastered the 
English language. Prior to the Revolu- 
tionary War, he built the first wharves in 
Baltimore, his father being the contractor 
for the work. He came into possession of 
the 400 aci-es of land which his father had 
purchased at what is now Brownsdale, and 
settled there in the woods. The town was 
not laid out until many years later. He 
continued to reside on that place until his 
deatli. He and his wife were parents of 



974 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the following children: John, Adam, Jo- 
seph, Tliomas Ray, Betsj'' (MoAndlass), 
Mai-tiia (White), and Peggie (White). 

Adam Brown, father of Robert H., was 
born within one mile of the big spring at 
Newville, in Cumberland County, Penna. 
He was d small boy at the time the family 
removed to Butler County, and he here ac- 
quired a good education. The home prop- 
erty was all left under his care, and he also 
jjurchased and cleared the land on w^iicn 
the subject of this sketch now lives. He 
was married to Sarah Brown, who was no 
relation although bearing the same sur- 
name, and they both died on this place. 
The following were the children born to 
them : Robert H. ; Adam, deceased ; John, 
deceased; Joseph, deceased; Nancy (Ham- 
mel) ; Ruth (Anderson); Sarah (Layton), 
deceased; and Margaret Ann, deceased 
wife of R. Henderson. 

Robert H. Brown was about nine years 
old when his parents moved from Browns- 
dale to the farm on which he now lives. 
He has spent his life since on this place 
except a period of eleven years, when he 
lived at Brush Creek, having sold the farm 
to Philip Gelbach, but at the end of that 
period repurchased it. The first mill on 
the farm had been built by Reese Evans, 
prior to the coming of the Browns, and 
Adam o^Derated it for some years, but as 
soon as his sons arrived at sufficient age 
they took charge of it. They later tore it 
down and erected a big merchant mill, 
which was destroyed by fire about 1858 or 
1859. Robert H. Brown later built the 
mill which is now standing, and conducted 
it with a high degree of success for many 
years. He at the same time engaged in 
farming operations. During the earlj^ 
years Brown's Mill was the only one in 
this section, and was patronized from far 
and near. Now, as his old friends drive by 
the umised building, the wish is often 
heard expressed that "old Bob was still 
in the business." The location is admir- 



able for, a modern milling plant, on the 
Glade Run, and at the forks in the road. 
Mr. Brown was married in 1851 to Miss 
Margaret Wilson, who died without issue. 
He subsequently formed a second marital 
union with Miss Cynthia Miller, by w^hom 
he had the following children: Estella; 
Mary and Wilda, twins; Robert; John; 
and Nora Byrle. Religiously, he is a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
He is an unswerving Republican in poli- 
tics, but was too busy with his mill to think 
of running for office. He was in the milling 
business for more than a half century, and 
in that time witnessed a w^onderful trans- 
formation in the chai'acter and conditions 
of the country, its villages and cities, and 
in its citizenship. 

A. H. SARVER, vice president of the 
Farmers National Bank, at Butler, with 
large manufacturing interests at different 
points, has iiiaintaincd his home in this 
cit}^ for the past twenty years. He belongs 
to one of the old established families of 
Western Pennsylvania, and was born at 
Sarvei", Butler County, in 1866. He is a 
son of John F., a grandson of Benjamin 
and a great-grandson of Benjamin Sarver. 

It was the elder Benjamin Sarver who 
was born in Germany and came to what is 
now the village of Sarverville, in Butler 
County, almost liefore any other venture- 
some settler had penetrated that far into 
the wilderness. He built there one of the 
earliest flour mills in the country, and the 
little settlement was first known as Sar- 
ver 's Mill and the succeeding village re- 
tained the name of the founder of the 
place. It is probable that Benjamin Sar- 
ver (2) was born at Sarver 's Mill, near 
which he acquired property, and left a 
number of descendants. The late John F. 
Sarver was bom on the old Sarver home- 
stead, in 1839, followed farming there for 
many years and later engaged in a mer- 
cantile business at Ekastown, where his 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



975 



death took jjlace in 1904. Like his father 
and grandfather, he was a man of sterUug- 
character. 

A. H. Sarver was reared on the home- 
stead and attended school at Prospect, 
after which he followed school teaching for 
four years. He then engaged in the car- 
riage business at Ekastown, and later was 
with the firm of Martincourt & Company, 
at Butler, for eight years. Still later he 
was manager for the Duraut-Dorit Car- 
riage Company of Flint, Michigan, for the 
district embraced by Western Pennsyl- 
vania and West Virginia. For the last 
seventeen years he has been manager in 
the same territory for the Brookline Manu- 
facturing Company, and during the last 
year also for the Buick Motor Company, 
for the same district. He is the owner of 
the Washington Buggy Companj^, of 
Washington, Pennsylvania, which is under 
the management of his brother, D. K. Sar- 
ver, and Jacob Wyant. Mr. Sarver also 
owns a half-interest in the Diamond Auto- 
mobile Company, of Pittsburg, and is also 
officially connected and personally in- 
terested in financial institutions. 

In 1893, Mr. Sarver was married to Miss 
Ottie Pillow, and they have one child, 
Eleanor. Mr. Sarver is a member and a 
trustee of the First Presbyterian Church 
at Butler. 

SUMNER B. BADGER, general mer- 
chant at Boydstown, Oakland Township, 
and formerly postmaster, was born Au- 
gust 29, 1865, in Brady Township, Butler 
County, Penna., and is a son of Thomas 
and Sarah (Anderson) Badger. 

The Badger family has been established 
in Butler County for a great many years, 
it being the birthplace of Grandfather 
James Badger. He was the father of 
seven cliildren, all of whom were born in 
Butler County, where many of them be- 
came people of more or less pi-ominence. 

Thomas Badger, father of Sumner B., 
was born in Slippery Rock Township, But- 



ler County, where he lived until he was 
eight years old, at which time his father 
moved to Brady Township and on the 
home farm there he spent the remainder 
of his life, a period of seventy-one years, 
his death occurring on May 13, 19U7. He 
married Sarah Anderson, whose mother, 
Rachel Anderson, was a daughter of 
Stephen McKinley, a close relative of the 
late President William McKinley. The 
Badger and Anderson families were dou- 
bly connected, Samuel W. Badger, a 
brother of Thomas, marrying Susan An- 
derson, a sister of Mrs. Thomas Badger. 
To Thomas and Sarah Badger were born 
eleven children, all biit two of these surviv- 
ing, the oldest and the youngest being de- 
ceased: Anderson, who died aged sixteen 
months ; and C. C, who was a Cumberland 
Presbyterian minister, who died in Decem- 
ber, 1904. The others are as follows: 
James, who lives at Wurtemberg, Law- 
rence County; Thomas J., who lives in 
Brady Township; Rachel, who is the wife 
of Andrew McClintock, Hves at EUwood 
City; Lizzie, who is the wife of Henry 
Young, resides also at Ellwood City; Mar- 
tha, wlio is the wife of J. W. McKissick, 
the village blacksmith of Boydstown; Jen- 
nie, who is the wife of Peter Bowers ; Sum- 
ner B. ; David S., who resides in Lawrence 
Count}'; and John, who lives in Concord 
Township, Butler County. The venerable 
mother, now in her seventy-sixth year, re- 
sides with one of iier daughters. 

Sumner B. Badger grew to manhood on 
the home farm in Brady Township and 
was educated in the public schools and 
AVest Sunbury Academy and was grad- 
uated from the latter institution in 1891. 
He had qualified himself so thoroughly 
that he then passed the State examination 
demanded for teachers and thus secured a 
pei-manent certificate. He began to teach 
in Lancaster ToAvnship and after one term 
there, taught two terms m Brady Town- 
ship and five years in Concord Township, 
during three years of this period being also 



976 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



in a mei't-antile business at Troutman, im- 
der the firm name of Balsiger & Badger. 
In July, 1895, after selling his interest at 
Troutman to his partner, Mr. Badger 
came to Boydstown and in the same sum- 
mer erected his present commodious build- 
ing, which he utilizes both as a store and a 
dwelling. In October, 1895, he was ap- 
pointed postmaster at this point and 
served until 1903, when Eural Mail Deliv- 
ery, Eoute No. 2, was established, out from 
Butler. 

Mr. Badger was married (first) June 
27, 1893, to Miss Emma Z. Wick, who died 
February 22, 1899. She left two children : 
Lois P. "and Ruth M. Mrs. Emma Wick 
was educated at Sunbury Academy and 
prior to her marriage was a teacher in the 
public schools. On September 15, 1908, 
he was married (second) to Miss Sadie 
Eobb, who is a daughter of Christy Robb. 
Mrs. Badger is a cultured, educated lady 
and was a member of the same graduating 
class at the West Sunbury Academy, as 
Mr. Badger. She has also been a success- 
ful teacher, following her vocation in Clin- 
ton and Oakland Townships. Mr. Badger 
is an elder in the North Butler Presbyte- 
rian Church and for eight years has been 
superintendent of the Sunday School. In 
politics he is not active, although, at all 
times he is ready and willing to promote 
public movements which promise to con- 
tribute to the general welfare. He is an 
honorable business man. 

JOHN W. KALTENBACH, Justice of 
the Peace at Renfrew, and one of Penn 
Township's prominent farmers, was born 
in Cranberry Township, Butler County, 
Penna., July 31, 1837, and is a son of Jacob 
and Katherine (Geiss) Kaltenbach. 

The father of Mr. Kaltenbach was born 
in Baden, Germanv, and came to America 
in 1832 and died of cholera in 1850. He 
learned the cabinetmaker's trade and 
worked for one year at Pittsl)urg, after 
which he moved to Harmony, in Butler 



County, and continued to work there at his 
trade until 1848. He died on a farm 
that he acquired in Connoquonessing 
Township. His five children were: Mrs. 
Catherine Moss of Allegheny; John W. ; 
Mary, wife of Alexander Stevenson, of 
Allegheny; Jacob, icsiding on the old home 
place, and Mar<;;irct. deceased, who was 
the wife of Jolni Newell. He was a 
worthy member of the German Lutheran 
Church and both he and wife were re- 
spected members of their community. 

John W. Kaltenbach attended the 
Graham School in Connoquenessing Town- 
shiji and remained on the home farm until 
1859, going then to Pittsburg, where he 
worked in a meat market until 1861, when 
he enlisted for service in the Civil War, 
entering Company K, Seventy-first Regi- 
ment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry. This 
service was prolonged to three years and 
eight months and during this long period 
Mr. Kaltenbach participated in twenty-two 
battles, escaping all injury except a slight 
wound at the second battle of Bull Run. 
He was a brave and fearless soldier and 
on every occasion did his fully duty. He 
is a member of the Union Veteran Legion 
at Butler. 

After his return from the army, Mr. 
Kaltenbach embarked in a mercantile 
business at Petersville, where he continued 
for five years. In 1871 he came to his 
present farm which contains about 140 
acres. It was then rough, neglected land, 
but all that state has long since passed 
away under his management, and he has 
ninety acres of it under a fine state of cul- 
tivation, wliile, for the last twenty-six 
years oil has been purchased here and 
eight wells are now pumping. His im- 
provements are of a substantial character 
and the value of his place ranks with the 
best in Penn Township. 

In 1866 Mr. Kaltenbach was married to 
Rachel Sauer, who is a daughter of Sam- 
uel Sauer, of Mercer County, and they 
have eight children, namely: Delia May, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



977 



wife of Harve}^ Smith of Counoquenessiug 
Township ; John H., of Scio, Ohio ; Minnie 
B., wife of William C. Dietrich, who re- 
sides on the Kaltenbach farm ; William H., 
who operates the oil well industry; Sam- 
uel and ]\[ontg-omery, both residing at 
home, and Miles, who is an oil operator in 
West Virginia. Mr. Kaltenbach and wife 
belong to St. John's Reformed Church, in 
which he has been on elder for many years. 
In politics he is a Republican, with inde- 
pendent tendencies. His fellow citizens 
have testified to their esteem and confi- 
dence by electing him, at various times, to 
toMTiship offices, and he has accepted all 
excejit those of constable and sujiervisor. 
lie is one of the oldest justices of the peace 
in Butler County in point of service, hav- 
ing held the office continuously for the past 
twent3'-five j'ears. 

HERMAN SCHILLING, owner of a fine 
farm of 100 acres in Forward Township, 
Butler County, Penna., located about three 
and a half miles east of Evans City, on the 
Freeport road, is a representative of that 
sturdy German class who came to this 
country at an early period, with little or 
no means, and by dint of hard labor and 
careful saving made a home and accumu- 
lated a ('(>nii)etency. He was born in Ger- 
many, Septeml)er 23, 1836, and is a son of 
Lawrence and Margaret (Metz) Schilling, 
and» grandson of John Schilling, who was 
a farmer and spent his entire life in his 
native land. 

Lawrence Schilling was a boy of fifteen 
years when his father died, and it became 
necessary for him to assist in the support 
of the family. He learned the trade of a 
wagon maker, and conducted a shop in 
Germany until 1856, when he moved to 
America, locating near Evans City, Butler 
Coimty, Penna., whither his son, Herman, 
had preceded him some two years. He 
rented a farm for about six months, then 
purchased of Hugh Wallace the farm on 
which the subject of this sketch now lives. 



The place was but little cleared and was 
provided with a small log shanty, in which 
the family lived some years. He contin- 
ued on this place all his days, dying in 
1888, at the age of eighty-seven years. 
His wife preceded him to the grave some 
nine years, dying at the age of sixty-nine 
years. They were married in Germany, 
and were parents of three children : 
Christina, who never came to America, 
married John Heim and both are now de- 
ceased; Dorothy, who was the first of the 
family to move to America, the -year of 
her arrival being 1853, located first at 
Pittsburg, where she married John Helm, 
and later moved to Evans City, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he carried on blacksmithing, 
and Herman, who is the youngest of the 
family. 

Herman Schilling was reared to matur- 
ity in his native land and received fair edu- 
cational training in the schools of that 
country. He assisted his father in the lat- 
ter 's shop until 1854, in which year he 
emigrated to America. After forty-nine 
days on the water, during which time they 
encountered storms and a roiigh sea, he 
arrived in' New York City, thence made 
his way by rail to Pittsburg, Penna. From 
the latter point he made the journey in a 
peddler's wagon to Evans City, which was 
then a very small place. His first occu- 
pation there was hauling coal to the school 
houses for Martin Wahl, who had a coal 
bank, and for this work he received the 
paltry sum of $3.00 per month and his 
board. He continued for five months, 
saving most of his wages, and then worked 
for John Birmingham, a farmer located 
near Pittsburg, until the arrival of his 
parents in 1856. With them he settled on 
his present farm, which he started in to 
clear of its timber and brush, and in time 
placed it under a high state of cultivation. 
He helped to tear down the old log cabin 
which stood on the place and to erect the 
large frame house which replaced it and 
still stands in a good state of repair. 



978 



IlISTOKY OF BUTLEB COUNTY 



Upou the death ot lii.s father, Herman 
Schilling succeeded to the owners! lip of 
the farm, and is still activel.v engaged in 
its cultivation, following general farming. 
Mr. Schilling was married on July 14, 
1861, to Miss Matilda Schilling, who also 
was born in German}', and was a daughter 
of Godfrey Schilling. She died February, 
1906, at the age of sixty-six years. The 
following children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Schilling: Emma, who became the 
wife of John Horneffer, both now de- 
ceased, left two children who live with the 
subject of this sketch, Elizabeth and 
Lewis; George, who died in 1888, at the 
age of twenty-three years; Matilda, wife 
of William Miller, by whom she has four 
children, Elizabeth, Martha, Esther and 
Freeda ; Lewis, who runs the home farm, 
married Freeda Burkert and has two chil- 
dren, Emma and Herman; and Elizabeth, 
who died at the age of twenty-six years, 
was the wife of Hugo Miller. Politically, 
Mr. Schilling is a Democrat. In religious 
attachment, he is a member of the Luth- 
eran Church. 

DAVID PORTER KELLY, formerly 
one of the best known and most highly re- 
spected residents of Bi'uin, Penna., died 
at his home in this place, on February 13. 
1905, after a long, useful and exemplary 
life of sixty-nine years. He was born in 
Parker Township, Butler County, Penna., 
March 12, 1836, and was a son of David 
and Jane (Tweedy) Kelly. 

The late David P. Kelly grew to man's 
estate in Parker Township and attended 
the district schools, acquiring a good edu- 
cation which he later supplemented by tak- 
ing an active and intelligent interest in 
both public and local affairs. A large i)art 
of his life was given to his agricultural 
pursuits, which he carried on with the 
careful and thorough methods which in- 
sured success, but his time was also de- 
manded by his fellow citizens who desired 
his judicious services in many public of- 



tices. At the time of his death he was 
serving as a member of the School Board 
of the borough of Bruin. In his political 
attitude he was a Prohibitionist, and on 
every occasion espoused the cause of tem- 
perance. For many years he was a ruling- 
elder in the United Presbyterian Church 
at Fairview. 

Mr. Kelly was twice married, (tirst) to 
Margaret McGarvey, who died October 17, 
1872, leaving two children : Xancy J., who 
is deceased; and Salina M., who is the wife 
of Frank Black, a resident of Bruin. Mr. 
Kelly was married (second) on May 6, 
1878, to Miss Sarah M. Glenn, who was 
born in Clay Township, Butler County, 
Penna. She is a daughter of John and 
Dorcas (McElvain) Glenn. Her father 
accompanied his mother and brothers 
from Westmoreland County, Pennsylva- 
nia, to Clay Township, Butler County, 
where his father had previously pur- 
chased land. Later John Glenn served as 
captain of a company in the War of 1812, 
and in subsequent years became a man of 
substance and a prominent citizen of Clay 
Township, serving many years as a justice 
of the peace. He died in 187-t, when aged 
eighty-two years. One of his sons, Samuel 
Glenn, was a very prominent citizen of 
Butler County. He served in the Civil 
War as a member of Company G. Oni' 
Hundred Thirty-seventh Regiment, Penna. 
Volunteer Infantry, and parti('i]>ated in 
the memorable battles of South Mountain, 
Antietam, Chancellorsville and Cranii)t(in 
Gai"). Later he engaged in teaching school 
and was well known in educational circles 
and for three years was the able county 
superintendent of the schools of Butler 
County. He was a valued member of Dick- 
son Post, Grand Array of the Republic, at 
West Sunbury. 

Mrs. Kelly was carefully educated at 
the West Sunbury Academy, and was so 
ai)t a pupil and so receptive a student that 
when only seventeen years of age she se- 
cured a certiticate entitling her to teach 




MR. AND MRS. DAVID P. KELLY 



AND REPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



981 



school, and she coutiuned to teaeli for 
about twelve years, both in Butler and 
Venango Counties, and still recalls that 
as a very enjoyable pfiiod of her life. Mr. 
and Mrs. Kelly liml Iniir children, namely: 
Lucy H., who is (Icccascd; Bessie W., who 
is the wife of Harvey Snow, of Petrolia; 
Ethel G., who resides with her mother at 
Bruin; and Bertha E., who is deceased. 
Mrs. Kelly is a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church at Fairview and is 
very active in both the Home and Foreign 
jMissionary Societies of this body. Miss 
Ethel G. Kelly is possessed of musical tal- 
ent and is a member of the church choir. 

JOHN C. SAY, capitalist, and one of 
Butler's most active business men, is ex- 
tensively engaged in the real estate busi- 
ness and is manager of the East Oakland 
Land Company, of which he was the or- 
ganizer. :\[r. Say ))elougs to a family that 
had reached the American colonies before 
the days of the Eevolutionary War, and 
that has belonged to Butler County since 
the closing years of the Seventeenth Cen- 
tury. He was born at Crawford Corners, 
Butler County, Penna.. May 31, 1858, and 
is a son of David and Abigail (Fletcher) 
Say. 

David Say, father of John C. Say, was 
a son of James Say, who settled in the 
northern part of Butler Countv, prior to 
1800. David Say was born in 1810 and 
became a man of large property. In his 
earlier years he was a drover and bought 
cattle in the western part of the State and 
drove them across the mountains, dispos- 
ing of them in the East. For many years 
he was a large farmer and stockraiser. 
Five of his children still survive: David 
E., residing in Maryland; Thomas, resid- 
ing in Clarion County; Mary A. (Wen- 
ner), residing in Butler; Elizabeth (Neu- 
nemaker), living in Venango Countv, and 
John C. 

John C. Say was reared from infancy 
in Clarion Countv and there he tirst en- 



gaged in business, becoming early inter- 
ested in lumber. For about twenty years 
he engaged in buying timber tracts in Clar- 
ion and Forest Counties and manufactured 
lumber, and after retiring from that in- 
dustry conducted a store at Tylersburg for 
six years, and then came to Butler. For 
four years he carried on a retail lumber 
business, but for the past eight years he 
has devoted his attention to dealing in real 
estate, almost entirely handling his own 
property. He has been an important fac- 
tor in improving the city, in the way of 
putting out trees, constructing sidewalks 
and clearing unsightly places, together 
with erecting high class houses, one ex- 
ample being the Monroe Hotel. He was 
the organizer of the East Oakland Land 
Companj', which purchased the St. Paul's 
Orphan Home ])ro])(M-ty, a tract of forty 
acres, on wliich tlii< company is building 
fine brick residences of modern style and 
equipments. Since its organization, he has 
been general manager, secretary and treas- 
urer. As a citizen he has been very active 
and has served usefully on the city council. 
In 1882 Mr. Say was married to Miss 
Mary A. Starr, who was born in Venango 
County, and died October 19, 1908. They 
had three children : Martha J., who is the 
wife of T. C. Kerr, of Clarion County; 
William E., a contractor at Butler, mar- 
ried Anna Gould, and John H., a hardware 
merchant at Butler, married Jennie Wray, 
of Clarion Coimty. 

HENRY N. TROUTMAN, one of But- 
ler's representative business men, having 
charge of the flour and feed department for 
H. J. Klingler & Company, is a native of 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, born in 1863. 

Paul Troutman, father of Henry N., was 
born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, where he 
remainded until 1855, when he came to 
America and to Butler County. He be- 
came an extensive and successful operator 
in the oil fields and was sent as an ojiera- 
tor to Oil Creek during the first excite- 



982 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



meut. Later he eutered into a mercantile 
business and for fifteen years conducted a 
store at Buena Vista. He was a great trav- 
eler and crossed the Atlantic Ocean many 
times. His death took jalace in 19U3. He 
married Caroline Wolf, who still survives. 

Henry N. Troutman was educated in the 
public schools of Butler County, the North 
Washington Academy and the Ohio State 
University, leaving the latter in order to 
assist his father in his store. Later Mr. 
Troutman was in the employ of R. S. Nich- 
ols & Company and of S. G. Purvis & Com- 
pany, large lumber firms, and for the past 
fourteen years he has held his present 
position with the H. J. Klingler Com^jany. 
He has a wide acquaintance throughout the 
county and handles much country trade. 

In 1885 Mr. Troutman was married to 
Miss Ella B. Orris, of Baldwin, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and they have the 
following children: Edward R., Mamie, 
Carl, Pauline, Hazel, John, Geraldine and 
Harold. The eldest daughter is the wife 
of W. A. Spielman, a resident of Apollo, 
Armstrong County. Mr. Troutma-n and 
family belong to St. Mark's German Luth- 
eran Church. He is a member of the A. 0. 
U. W. 

JAMES MICHAEL McNALLY, Jus- 
tice of the Peace at Lyndora and a well 
known resident of Butler County, was born 
in Rush Township, Moni'oe County, New 
York, December 19, 1874, and is a son of 
James Michael and Elizabeth A. (Hayes) 
McNally. 

The father of Mr. McNally was born in 
Southern Vei-mont, where his father had 
settled after serving in the War of 1812. 
He was a native of Ireland. James Mc- 
Nally was a blacksmith by trade. When 
aged forty-two years he turned his atten- 
tion to farming, settling at that time on a 
farm in Rush Township, Monroe County, 
New York, and followed agricultural pur- 
suits until the close of his life. He died 
July 17, 1888, aged sixty-two years. He 



was a Democrat in i)olitics and he served 
in the office of justice of the peace in Rush 
Township. He married a daughter of 
John Hayes, of Albany, New York, and 
they had two children: James Michael 
and Mary, the latter of whom is the wife 
of Sidney Downs, of Toronto, Canada. 

James Michael McXall\' olitaiiicd his edu- 
cation in the i)uhlic schools of Monroe 
County, at East Henrietta Academy 
and St. Bernice Theological Seminary, 
at Rochester, New York, graduating from 
the latter institution in 1889. In the fol- 
lowing summer he started a dancing school 
at Perry Lake, New York, which he con- 
tinued for three years, following which he 
conducted a dancing academy at Buffalo, 
for two more years. In 1897 he went to 
Pitts))urg and there entered the employ 
of the Pressed Steel Car Comjjany as air 
brake inspector and remained four years 
and then, in the same capacity, came to 
Butler, with the Standard Steel Car Com- 
pany. Mr. McNally continued with this 
concern until May 4, 1908, when he as- 
sumed the duties of his ]ii-eseiit office. Mr. 
McNally is an actix'e iiolilicinii and a loyal 
worker for the Democratic paity. 

In early manhood, Mr. McNally married 
Miss Sarah Van Dyke, who is a daughter 
of Jackson Van Dyke, of Marion Town- 
ship. They have three children: Mary, 
Margaret and James. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- 
Nally are members of St. Paul's Roman 
Catholic Church. He belongs to the Inde- 
pendent Order of Foresters, of which he 
is cliief ranger of Court No. 4545, and also 
to the Knights of St. George. 

JOSEPH ASH, who resides on a farm 
of forty-four acres in Forward Township, 
Butler . County, Penna., is a well known 
citizen of the community and has had a 
A'aried experience in the field of business. 
He was born on the old home farm in For- 
ward Township, September 29, 1832, and 
is a son of Sylvester and Martha (Boggs) 
Ash, and grandson of Joseph Ash. 



AX I) KEPRESEXTATIVE CITIZENS 



983 



Joseph Ash, the grandfatlier, was boni 
in Wales and early in life came to the 
United States, settling in the woods of 
Forward Township, Butler Country, Penna., 
where he acquired 200 acres of uncleared 
land. In the early days, when Indians 
were yet numerous in this section and the 
dangers many, he carried the mail from 
Pittsburg to Franklin on foot. He cleared 
a small part of his farm, but died when 
comparatively young, leaving his widow 
and their children in poor circumstances. 
Four of their children grew to maturity 
and lived to rii)e old ages, namely: Rachel, 
Elizabeth, Isaac and Sylvester. 

Sylvester Ash was but five years old 
when his father died, and it became neces- 
sary for him and his brother to go to work 
at very youthful ages, and notwithstand- 
ing this strain they both grew to be men of 
large statTire and great physical strength. 
He aided in clearing the home farm, and 
came into possession of 100 acres of it. 
He farmed and followed carpentering dur- 
ing all his active days, and died in 1883 at 
the age of seventy-three years, having 
spent his entire life in Butler County. He 
was survived some eight years by his wid- 
ow, who in maiden life was ]\Iartha Boggs ; 
she was born in Evans City, and was a 
daughter of Robert Boggs, one of the very 
earliest settlers of the community. They 
were parents of five children who grew up, 
namely: Joseph; Isaac, a lawyer of Oil 
City, Penna.; Robert; Anderson, who is on 
the old home farm, and Elizabeth, widow of 
Lewis Gansz. 

Isaac Ash was reared to manhood on the 
home farm and attended school in the prim- 
itive log school-house which was located 
about a mile and a half from his home. 
The pathway lay through almost unbroken 
woods, and it was the custom of the older 
boys to take their axes and cut wood for 
old Prof. Mc^Iillen, to be burned in the 
old fashioned fire place at one end of the 
room. After his marriage, Mr. Ash went 



to Evans City and opened a general store, 
which he conducted for four years, then 
sold out to his brother-in-law, Milton 
White. He had, in the meantime, come 
into possession of a farm of sixty-six acres 
in Forward Township, and on this he lo- 
cated, clearing and farming it. He learned 
the trade of a carpenter under his father, 
with whom he worked many years, and 
they erected most of the farm-houses and 
buildings of the neighborhood at that 
period. Later he went into the lightning 
rod business, which he followed success- 
fully for thirty-two years, rodding some 
3,600 buildings in this section of Pennsyl- 
vania, many of the rods being in use and 
good condition at the present day. Retir- 
ing from that business he purchased a val- 
uable tract of forty-four acres in Forward 
Township, located along the traction line 
about twelve miles southwest of Butler, 
where he now lives and engages in farm- 
ing. He cleared the place, on which he 
operated a sawmill, cutting up over 900 
logs. 

]\lr. Ash was first married to Susan 
(lansz, who died about one year later, and 
he formed a second union with Susan E. 
A\niite. They expect to celebrate their 
golden wedding anniversary in June, 1909. 
Seven children were born to them, three 
of whom died voung. Those living are: 
Ada, wife of Br. F. V. Brooks of Washing- 
ton, D. C. ; Jessie, wife of W. A. Pearce ; 
Josephine, wife of W. D. Riggs, and Cath- 
erine, wife of George Starkey, a banker 
of Washington, D. C. Religiously, they 
are Methodists. 

CHARLES BAUER, a leading farmer 
of Summit Township, resides on his valu- 
able and well improved farm of eighty- 
three acres, which is located six and one- 
half miles east of Butler, lying on the Kit- 
tanning road, with the dividing line from 
Clearfield Township running just east of 
his residence. He was born August 27, 



984 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



185G, in Jefferson Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Penna., and is a son of Frederick and 
Hannah (Krumpe) Bauer. 

The parents of Mr. Bauer were both 
born in Germany and came to America as 
children. Frederick Bauer owned a fifty- 
acre farm in Jefferson Township, but 
traded it and later bought a farm situated 
directly across the road from the one on 
which Charles Bauer resides, this being 
when the latter was about twelve years of 
age. Frederick Bauer was a man of con- 
siderable property and good business judg- 
ment, during his active years, and both he 
and wife still survive, residing at Butler, 
the former having reached his seventy- 
seventh year and the latter her sixty-ninth. 

Charles Bauer purchased his farm from 
his father and with the exception of a few 
j'ears during which he engaged in teaming 
at Pittsburg, he has given attention to 
farming and threshing. For twenty-three 
consecutive years he engaged in threshing, 
for the first three years by horse power, 
but for twenty later years he used a steam 
thresher and kept his machinery up to 
date. AVlien Mr. Bauer bought his farm 
the improvements consisted of a log house 
and barn, but he soon tore them down and 
put up new and substantial buildings, com- 
pleting the comfortable residence in the 
summer of 1895. He has an excellent 
property and cultivates his land with care 
and success. Mr. Bauer has other inter- 
. ests in addition to his agricultural ones. 
From 1893 until 1906 he devoted a part of 
his time to canvassing for the sale of the 
McCormick Harvesting machinery and met 
with excellent results. For some five 
years he has put in a part of his time in 
selling commercial fertilizer for the Amer- 
ican Agricultural Chemical Company, and 
for the last nine months he has also been 
interested with a home company in oper- 
ating for oil. This company has com- 
pleted one dry hole and two small pro- 
ducing oil wells. 

Mr. Bauer married Mina Krumpe, who 



is a daughter of Charles Krumpe. She 
was born and reared in Clinton Township, 
Butler County. They have had three chil- 
dren, Beulah, the youngest, dying when 
eight years of age. The two other daugh- 
ters are Nora and Clara, the latter of 
whom lives at home while the former is 
the wife of J. F. Miller and has one son, 
Carl. Mr. Bauer and family belong to the 
Lutheran Church at Butler. 

J. GEORGE ARMBRUSTER, one of 
the well known business men of Butler, 
where he is engaged in a general paint con- 
tracting business, was born in Germany in 
1860 and remained in his native land until 
he was twenty-three years of age. 

When Mr. Armbruster came to America 
in 1883 and located at Butler, he was al- 
ready a capable workman in the trade 
which he had thoroughly learned in Ger- 
many, and shortly afterward he entered 
into a general contracting business in 
which he continues to be active. From the 
first he has taken a hearty interest in the 
prosiaerity of the place in which he has 
established his home, has invested in 
property and has so gained the confi- 
dence of the residents of the Fifth Ward 
as to be their representative in the 
city council. From boyhood he has been 
greatly interested in horticulture and has 
devoted much study to this subject and has 
many practical ideas concerning it which 
would be profitable to the horticultural 
organizations if presented to them. ]\Ir. 
Armbruster also possesses the love of mu- 
sic, which is a national German inheritance, 
and for eighteen years he has been a mem- 
ber of the church choir at Butler. 

In 1887 Mr. Armbruster was married to 
Miss Susie Andre, who was born and 
reared in Butler County, and they have 
three children: Otto, Ernest and Helen. 
With his family, Mr. Armbruster belongs 
to the congregation of St. Mark's Luth- 
eran Church and served for a number of 
vears as a member of the official board. 




ALBERT E. BUTLER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



987 



He has trade membership in the Master 
Painters' Association of Pennsylvania. 

ALBERT E. BUTLER, one of the 
prominent oil pi-oducers of Parker Town- 
ship, residing- near Brnin, Pennsylvania, 
was born at Kittanning, Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, September 1, 1861, 
and is a son of Jesse and Mary (Oaks) 
Butler (now deceased), June 13, 1907. 

Jesse Butler was born near Meadville, 
Pennsylvania. He came to Butler County 
in 1870 and was one of the pioneer oil men 
of Parker Township and during his ten 
years of residence here was an extensive 
producer. In 1880 he removed to West- 
moreland County and lived there until his 
death. He was twice married, the mother 
of Albert E. being a native of Indiana 
County, Pennsylvania. The children of 
Jesse Butler are: William J., residing at 
Pittsburg; John D., formerly of Cherry- 
vale, Kansas (now deceased); Albert E. ; 
Ira E., residing at New Kensington, Penn- 
sylvania; Harry, residing at Pittsburg; 
Richard H., who died November 3, 1908, 
lived in Westmoreland County; and Lulu, 
who is the wife of J. A. McKallip, of 
Leachburg, Pennsylvania. 

Albert E. Butler accompanied his father 
to Butler Coimty in 1870 and he has de- 
voted himself almost exclusively to the oil 
business ever since, although he owns 
some farming land in Parker Township, 
on which he resides. He has taken a very 
active part in political life and as a dele- 
gate attended the Republican State Con- 
vention which was held at Harrisburg. He 
seeks no political office for himself, but is 
a loval worker for his party and friends. 

On June 8, 1881, Mr. Butler was mar- 
ried to Miss Nellie Larkin, of Cleveland, 
Ohio, and they have two children : Luhi, 
who is the widow of Dr. Frank Hazlett, 
late of Butler; and Regla M. Both daugh- 
ters reside at home. Mr. Butler is a Thir- 
ty-second Degree Mason. He has been 
more than usual! v successful in his oil in- 



vestments and is numbered with the oil 
capitalists of this section. 

C. PERD HYLE, a prominent under- 
taker and furniture dealer of Evans City, 
Pennsylvania, is a well known resident of 
the community in which he has lived all his 
life. He was born in Harmony, Penna., 
June S, 1874, and is a son of Jacob and 
Margaret (Dambach) Hyle. 

Jacob Hyle was born in ]\Iuddy Creek 
Township, Butler County, and is a son of 
Martin Hyle, who was a native of Ger- 
many and settled in the woods of Butler 
County, Penna., at a very early period. 
This old pioneer was the father of the fol- 
lowing family of children: Henry, John, 
Martin, Philip, George, Jacob, Christine, 
Margaret, Catherine and Mary, deceased. 
Jacob, father of the subject of this sketch, 
was born in 1840, and spent his boyhood 
days on the home farm. He later pur- 
chased a farm of his own in Muddy Creek 
Township, on which he lived until 1873, 
then moved to Harmony and engaged in 
the hotel business for a period of ten 
years. At the end of that time he went 
to Wampum, Penna., where he continued 
the hotel business for six years. He was 
next located at Beaver Falls for eight 
years, and in 1892 embarked in the hotel 
business in Evans City. After a period of 
four years he went to California and be- 
came an orange raiser and shipper, fol- 
lowing that business until his i-etirement 
from business activity in 1906. He still 
resides in that State. His wife, Margaret 
Dambach in maiden life, died in 1888. 
They had two children, namely : H. Pierce 
of Youngstown, Ohio, and C. Ferd. 

C. Ferd Hyle lived at home until his 
marriage in 1893, and received his educa- 
tion in the public schools. He then went 
into the furniture and undertaking busi- 
ness with his father-in-law, Henry Young, 
a pioneer in that business in Evans City. 
Thev continued in partnership until 1905, 
when Mr. Hyle started into business for 



988 



ITISTOR'Y OP BUTLER COUNTY 



himself. His residence and business are 
located on Pittsburg Street, and he com- 
mands the patronage of the people 
throughout the vicinity of Evans City. 
He has been very active in the affairs of 
the city, and since the organization of the 
John Irwin Fire Company in 1892 has 
served as secretary except for one month. 
A. S. Pfeifer is chief, E. S. Conkel is cap- 
tain, Albert Lutz is president and assistant 
chief, and George Pehl is treasurer of that 
organization. 

Mr. Hyle was joined in marriage Sep- 
tember 27, 1893, with Miss Mame Yoiing, 
and they have a son, Victor P. In polit- 
ical affiliation, he is a Democrat, and a 
member of the School Board. Fraternally 
he is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 
429, F. & A. M.; the Chapter at Butler; 
Knights Templar at Greenville, and took 
the Thirty-second degree at Pittsburg. He 
also is a member of Syria Temple, A. A. 
0. N. M. S., at Pittsburg. In religious 
attachment, he is a member of St. John's 
Reformed Church. 

JOHN FERGUSON, general farmer 
and reliable citizen of Middlesex Town- 
ship, where he resides on a finely devel- 
oped and improved estate of over 100 
acres, was born in Pine Township, Alle- 
gheny County, Penna., May 30, 1846, and 
is a son of Jolm and Mary (Duff) Fergu- 
son. 

The father of ~Slv. Ferguson was born 
in County Down, Ireland, in 1807 and 
came to America in 1833, accompanied by 
his wife and their one child. From New 
Yoi-k he l)rought his family to Pittsburg 
and several 3^ears later to what is now 
Muddy Creek Township, Butler County, 
where he followed farming for some years. 
Before the birth of his son John, he re- 
moved to Allegheny County, Pine Town- 
ship, and from there in 1851 to Allegheny 
County, West Deer Township, which re- 
mained his home until the time of his 
death, June 28, 1891. In his tirst vears in 



political life in America he was affiliated 
with the Democratic party, but in his later 
years connected himself with the Republi- 
can party. Six children were born to him, 
namely : Eliza, who is the widow of Will- 
iam Y^oung, resides at Youngstown, Ohio; 
Mary, deceased, was the wife of William 
Marshall; Nancy, deceased, married Will- 
iam Laughlin, who was killed while serv- 
ing in the Civil War; John; Jennie, who is 
the widow of John Scott, of New Kensing- 
ton, and Thomas, who resides in Allegheny 
County. 

Jolm Ferguson remained on the home 
farm until his marriage. In 1868 he 
bought his present property from the Mc- 
Gonigles, who were early settlers, and 
kept on acquiring land until he owned 300 
acres. In 1907 he divided his property 
with his sons, but retains over 100 acres 
for his own use. For many years his 
farming operations have been extensive. 
He has made dairying a feature also and 
still keeps hftccn cows in order to produce 
the fine butter which he has long sold to 
private customers at Pittsburg. After 
Mr. Ferguson took possession of this place 
he had considerable timber to clear ot¥. 
His place is attractive on account of its 
trim, well kept appearance and the sub- 
stantial and a])proi)riate buildings which 
he has erected, and liere he enjoys life with 
the content that comes after honest effort. 

On September 15, 1868, Mr. Ferguson 
was married to Nancy Ellen Crawford, 
who is a daughter of Robert Crawford, 
who formerly resided in what is now Rich- 
land Township, Allegheny Coimty. Mr. 
and Mrs. Ferguson have had ten children, 
the survivors being: Harry, who lives in 
Middlesex Township; Robert, who resides 
at Butler; Mary, who is the wife of John 
AVilson, of Middlesex Township; John, 
who lives in Middlesex Township; Emma 
Eliza, who is the wife of Frank Harbison, 
of Bakerstown; Thomas, who lives at Tul- 
sa, Oklahoma; Roy C, still remaining at 
home, and Clara, who is the wife of George 



AXI) IJEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



989 



Harbison, of Bakerstown. Mr. Ferguson 
with his family belongs to the Bakerstown 
Presbyterian Church, of which he was a 
trustee for twenty-one consecutive years. 
He is also a member of the Session. 

In his political as in other views, Mr. 
Ferguson is level-headed. He is not a poli- 
tician in the general meaning of the term, 
but he is identified with the Republican 
party and has held a number of the town- 
ship offices, now being road supervisor. 
He has always been interested in educa- 
tional matters and for fifteen successive 
years served as school director. His fel- 
low citizens know him as a man of sterling 
character and they respect and admire him 
and defer to his judgment in large degree 
in public matters. 

WILLIAM EDGAR BROWN, a native 
and life-long resident of Butler County, is 
one of the representative Imsiuess men of 
Harrisville, where he is engaged in con- 
ducting- a meat market. He was born 
.June 18, 1855, in this village and is a son 
of William P. and Isabella (Leech) Brown, 
and a grandson of Ebenezer Brown. 

Ebenezer Brown was one of the very 
earliest settlers of Butler County, having 
come here with his brother James from 
Huntington County, Pennsylvania. They 
located on a tract of 600 acres in Mercer 
Townshi]) and engaged in general farm- 
ing here the remainder of their lives. 
Ebenezer and his brother James married 
the Porter sisters, their father owning the 
adjoining farm. Ebenezer died on this 
farm at the age of sixty-seven years, and 
was the father of the following children: 
Alexander, Jane, William P., Samuel, 
Ebenezer, John, Elsie and Joseph. 

William P. Brown, father of the subject 
of this sketch, was born on his father's 
farm in Mercer Township and at an early 
age learned the cabinetmaker's trade at 
Pittsburg and Philadelphia. In about 
18:^7 he came to Harrisville and engaged 
in conducting a cabinet and undertaking 



establishment, in which he was very suc- 
cessful. His death occurred in 1882, and 
his wife died in 1859, aged thirty-nine 
years. He was the father of six children 
by his first wife, namely: Charles M., 
elsewhere mentioned in this work; Harriet 
J., deceased; Eveline, deceased; Robert 
T. ; Margaret, deceased, and William Ed- 
gar. Mr. Brown was married secondl}^ to 
Sarah Van Dike. Mr. Brown was in poli- 
tics, first a Whig and afterwards a Repub- 
lican, as well as an ardent supporter of 
the temperance cause. He was opposed to 
slavery and helped many a negro in mak- 
ing his way through the states to Canada. 
William Edgar Brown passed his boy- 
hood days in attending school and also in 
his father's cabinet shop, where he learned 
the trade. About 1877 he purchased and 
located on a farm, following that occupa- 
tion until 1896, when he disposed of his 
farming interests and on November 19th 
opened a meat market in Harrisville. 
Here he has been successfully engaged in 
the market business since that time. On 
May 31, 1877, he was united in marriage 
with Rebecca N. Braham, a daughter of 
William P. Braham, and they became the 
parents of three children, namely: Leigh 
AV., residing in New Mexico; Carrie May, 
an instructor in the Public Schools, and 
Frank, who died aged three years. In poli- 
tics Mr. Brown is an adherent of the Re- 
publican party and the religious connec- 
tion of the family is with the T.Tnited Pres- 
byterian Church of Harrisville. 

HIRAM C. BRICKER, proprietor of 
the Butler Hide and Fur Company, which 
has commodious (|uarters suitable for their 
extensive business at Nos. 104-106-108 Mil- 
ler Street, is identified also with other im- 
])ortant interests in this section. He was 
born May 10, 1865, in Buffalo Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of the late John Bricker. The Bricker 
family was founded in this section of Penn- 
sylvania in pioneer days and both grand- 



990 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



father and father of Mr. Bricker were na- 
tives and prominent agriculturists in But- 
ler County. John Bricker also conducted 
a blacksmith business for many years. 

Hiram C. Bricker remained on the home 
farm in Buffalo Township until he was 
twenty-two years old, giving assistance to 
liis father after leaving school. He learned 
the blacksmith business and when he went 
to Butler, worked for two and one-half 
years in the shops of the Ball Engine 
Works; After this he went on the road 
in the interest of H. P. Schultz, of Eaven- 
na, Ohio, and traveled until 1902, when 
he established his present enterprise at 
Butler. In 1904 he erected the present 
large building and the business continues 
to yearly expand. Mr. Bricker is also in- 
terested in farming and in the oil industry 
and in addition owns and operates a phos- 
phate factory. He has originated and es- 
tablished his business enterprises, to a 
large degree, and his prominence and re- 
liability in the city's commercial circles is 
well founded. 

In 1886 Mr. Bricker was married to Miss 
Eugenia Doyle, of Freeport, and they have 
three children : William Curtis, who is as- 
sociated with his father, and Agnes and 
Charlotte. Mr. and Mrs. Bricker enjoy 
membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He belongs to the fraternal order 
of Woodmen of the World and also to the 
United Commercial Travelers' Associa- 
tion. 

NICHOLAS ANDEEW DOMBAET, 
M. D., a well known member of the medical 
profession of Butler County, is one of the 
progressive citizens of Evans City. He 
was born on the old family homestead in 
Forward Township, Butler County, De- 
cember 23, 1879, is a son of George and 
Mary (Hartung) Dombart, and a grand- 
son of John Dombart. 

John Dombart, the grandfather, was 
born in Hessen, Germany, and some time 
subsequent to his marriage to Margaret 



Fetch, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, 
came to the United States with his wife 
and located in Adams Township, Butler 
County, and were among the early settlers. 
They later moved to Forward Township, 
where their deaths occurred. They were 
parents of seven children, namely: John; 
William J.; George; Katherine, now de- 
ceased, who was the wife of August Gries- 
bach ; Margaret, wiio is the wife of George 
Householder; Anna, who is the wife of B. 
Fox, and Barbara, who is the wife of John 
Winner. 

George Dombart was born in Adams 
Township and when five years old moved 
to Forward Township and spent his boy- 
hood days on the home farm, which he 
helped to clear, experiencing many of the 
hardships of pioneer days. Upon his fath- 
er's death he succeeded into the owner- 
ship of the home farm, which contained 
106 acres of valuable land. There he 
farmed and resided until 1890, when he 
moved to Evans Citj^ where he now re- 
sides in a fine home he erected near the 
Lutheran Church, but he still operates the 
farm in Forward Township. He was 
united in marriage with Mary Hartung, 
who was born in Adams Township, Butler 
County, and is a daughter of Nicholas 
Hartimg. To this union were born eight 
children, as follows : Nicholas Andrew, 
whose name heads this sketch; Louisa; 
Anastus G. ; Myrtle ; Edward, Harvey, and 
two who died in infancy. 

Dr. N. A. Dombart was about ten years 
old when his parents located in Evans City, 
and he there completed the course pre- 
scribed in the public schools, graduating 
in 1895. He took a short course at Slip- 
pery Eock, and in 1897 matriculated at the 
Western University of Pennsylvania, now 
known as the University of Pittsburg. He 
was graduated with the class of 1901, with 
the degree of M. D., being one of the 
youngest members of the class. During 
ills four years there he did interne work 
in the Penn Hospital of Pittsburg, and 




JAMES F. McKEE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



993 



upon leaving was well qualified to at once 
enter into active practice of his profession. 
He successfully took the State examination 
in December, 1901, and on January 1st, 
following, opened an office for practice, on 
Pittsburg Street, where he still continues, 
his residence also being on that street. In 
addition to a large private practice, he is 
surgeon for the Pittsburg, Butler, Har- 
mony & New Castle Electric Railroad, and 
official medical examiner for the United 
States Marine Corps in this section. He 
is a member of the Butler County Medical 
Society. 

January 8, 1903, Doctor Dombart was 
imited in marriage with Alberta Wilson, a 
daughter of Ex-County Commissioner 
George W. Wilson. Fraternally, he is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias, Knights 
qf the Maccabees and Modern AVoodmeu 
of America, all of Evans City. In relig- 
ious attachment, he is a member of the Re- 
formed Church. He is a Democrat in poli- 
tics, and is treasurer of the School Board, 
of which he was president during the year 
1907. He is also a member and trustee 
of the John A. Irvine Fire Company of 
Evans City. 

C. J. BRANDBERG, a member of the 
firm of Kesselmau & Company, manufac- 
turers of oil well drilling tools, at Butler, 
is a representative business man of this 
city, where he has resided for more than 
twenty years. He was born May 27, 1847, 
in Sweden, and was twenty-six years of age 
wlien he came to Ainerica. 

Mr. Brandberg settled first at Dunkirk, 
New York, and for three years worked as 
a blacksmith in the Dunkirk Iron Works. 
From there he came to Pennsylvania and 
for seven years was in the employ of the 
Gibbs & Steret Manufacturing Company, 
at Titusville. From there he went to Pe- 
trolia and worked there for three years for 
the firm of Ireland & Hughes, and one year 
at Pittsburg, for the same firm. In 1887 
lie came to Butler and entered into part- 



nership with William Kesselman as a 
member of Kesselman & Company. Both 
members of the firm are practical woi'k- 
men and their business has been continu- 
ally enlarged during the past twenty years 
and in addition to their Butler shops they 
have a large plant at Parkersburg, Vir- 
ginia. 

In 1878, at Titusville, Mr. Brandberg 
was married to Miss Lydia Deitrich and 
they have two children: Guy A., who is 
a physician at Butler; and Mabel, who re- 
sides at home. Mr. Brandberg is a mem- 
ber of the Second Presbyterian Church at 
Butler. 

JAMES FREE McKEE, justice of the 
peace at Prospect and one of Franklin 
Township's representative citizens, is also 
a veteran of the great Civil War, in which 
he faithfully served his country for neai'ly 
three years. He was born near Craw- 
ford's Mills, Westmoreland County, Penn- 
sylvania, September 8, 1833, and is a son 
of William and Hannah (Postlethwaite) 
McKee. 

David McKee, the grandfather of James 
F., was one of the earliest pioneers of 
Westmoreland County, and was also a sol- 
dier in the Revolutionary War. As early 
as 1774 he came to Westmoreland County, 
from Scotland, and secured a tract of land 
on which he made a small clearing, also 
putting up a cabin. Times were too un- 
settled, however, the Revolutionary War 
soon developing, and David McKee re- 
turned to the eastern part of the state, 
where he had formerly resided for at least 
a short period, and before he returned to 
his land in 179.3, he had been a soldier in 
the Patriot army. In that year he came 
again to Westmoreland County with the 
forces sent out to quell the whiskey insur- 
rection, and never returned again to the 
east, his family joining him in about 1800. 
In that year he built the first saw-mill at 
the settlement later known as Crawford's 
Mills, but died three years later. 



994 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



William McKee, father of James F. Mc- 
Kee, was born in 1792, at Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, and from 1800 was reared 
in Westmoreland County, where he fol- 
lowed an agricultural life. He was well 
known all through Allegheny Township, 
which he served in local offices. He mar- 
ried a daughter of John Postlethwaite, 
who was a Huguenot refugee, and of their 
eight children, seven grew to maturity, as 
follows: John, David and Nancy, all now 
deceased; Mary, who lives in Otterdale 
County, Minnesota, and is the widow of 
William Wilson; Margaret, who is de- 
ceased; James F. ; and Sarah Jane, also 
deceased, who was the wife of Robert S. 
Dinsmore. The parents of this family 
were members of what is now known as 
the Apollo Presbyterian Church, in which 
the father was an elder. 

James F. McKee prepared himself for 
educational work in the township schools, 
and in a local academy. In 1852 he began 
to teach and was thus employed more or 
less continuously until 1892, when he 
taught his last term, his pupils being Met- 
lakahthi Indians, in Alaska, in which coun-' 
try he lived during 1891 and 1892. In the 
intervals of teaching he engaged in farm- 
ing, in different sections, and in 1888 he 
came to Franklin Township, where his 
farm of thirty acres is situated. In Au- 
gust, 1862, Mr. McKee enlisted for service 
in the Civil War, becoming a member of 
Company C, One Hundred Thirty-ninth 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try, and was discharged in June, 1865, 
during the larger part of this period being 
attached to the Signal Corps. He is past 
commander of John H. Randolph Post, 
Grand Army of the Reimblic, at Prospect. 

Mr. McKee was married (first) to Mary 
Ann McMahan, who died in 1871, aged 
thirty-five years. She was a daughter of 
Eoberty McMahan, a resident of Williams 
Coimty, Ohio. She was survived by one 
daughtei': Susan Elizabeth, who is the 
wife of Charles B. Wiard, residing at Ue 



Soto, Kansas. J\Ir. McKee was married 
(secondly) to Miss Mary Ann Jones, of 
Prospect. He and his wife are members 
of the Prospect Presbyterian Church. In 
national campaigns he votes with the Re- 
jjublican party, but in local affairs is an 
Independent. From 1892 until 1897 he 
served as justice of the peace and was 
again elected in 1907. He has also been 
auditor of Prospect. 

WILLIAjM J. BURTON, Justice of the 
Peace and general farmer in Peuu Town- 
ship, was born in Slippery Rock Town- 
ship, Lawrence County, Penna., October 
18, 1843, and is a son of Thomas and 
Mary (Barnes) Burton. 

Thomas Burton, father of William J., 
was born in Beaver County, Penna., June 
12, 1799, and died December 24, 1883. His 
father, also Thomas Burton, was a native 
of County Down, Ireland, and came to 
Beaver County as one of the very early 
settlers. The second Thomas Burton was 
a farmer through his active life. In 1812 
he moved to what is now Lawrence County 
and from there, in 1870, to Butler and in 
1878, to Penn Township, where his death 
occurred. He was a prominent Repub- 
lican and served as auditor and as judge 
of elections while living in Slippery Rock 
Township. He married a daughter of 
Thomas Barnes, a resident of Mercer 
County, and eight of their family of ten 
children reached maturity. Nancy, de- 
ceased, was the wife of Conrad Cline; 
Mrs. Mary Young, deceased; Thomas A., 
deceased; Eliza Jane, residing at Beaver 
Falls; John and Margaret, both deceased; 
Mrs. Martha Small, residing at St. 
Charles, Ma(hson County, Iowa; Mrs. 
Sarah Young, residing at New Castle; Su- 
san, deceased : and A\'illiam J. The par- 
ents of the above family were members of 
the United Presbyterian Church, in which 
the father served as a trustee. 

William J. Burton secured an excellent 
common school education and later taught 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



995 



school in Neshaniiock Township, going 
from the school room into the army. He 
served for ten months in Company I, 
Sixth Regiment, Penna. Heavy Artillery, 
and returned safely although often in dan- 
ger of life and liberty. He resumed farm- 
ing on the homestead and continued there 
until the spring of 1869, when he went to 
Mill brook, Mercer Cormty, where he en- 
gaged in a mercantile business for a year 
before removing it to Butler, where he 
carried it on for five more years. In the 
spring of 1876 he started into farming in 
Butler Township, but three years later 
came to Penn Township and in December, 
1887, he bought his present farm of 114 
acres. He lias all under cultivation with 
the exception of thirty acres in timber, and 
l)roduces corn, oats, wheat, hay and pota- 
toes. 

Mr. Burton was married in Penn Town- 
ship to Miss Ella E. Bartley, who is a 
daughter of Williamson Bartley, and they 
have had eight children, namely : John P., 
deceased; Minnie, who is the wife of W. 
S. Douthett, residing in Forward Town- 
ship ; Cora, who is the wife of Harry "Wi- 
ble, residing at Sharon ; Lina E., deceased ; 
and Ola M., Thomas W., Martha Jane and 
Elmer C, all at home. Mr. Burton and 
family belong to the Shiloh United Pres- 
l)yterian Church. 

In politics, Mr. Burton is stanch in his 
Rejmblicanism and he has held almost all 
of the township offices. He has been a 
.iTistice of the peace for the past eight 
years and still has two years to serve. He 
is one of Penn Township's representative 
citizens. He has been an active member 
of the Grand Army Post at Butler for a 
number of years. 

T. H. BROWN, a representative citizen 
of Butler, serving in the City Council as 
representative from the First Ward, is 
identified with a number of the business 
interests of this section. He was born 
March 11, 1858, at Hazel Green. Grant 



County, Wisconsin, where he was reared 
and educated. 

In 1872 Mr. Brown entered the employ 
of the Bradj^'s Bend Iron Company, at 
Brady's Bend, Armstrong County, and one 
year later he went to Fairmount, Clarion 
County, where he was one of the first men 
to be employed by the Fairmount Coal 
Company, with which he continued until 
1876, when he came to the Butler oil fields. 
Since September, 1881, he has been in the 
employ of the Standard Oil Company, 
United Pipe Line Division of N. T. Co., 
in which he has capably and faithfully 
filled a number of positions and now holds 
the important one of ganger. His duties 
require a large part of his time to be spent 
at Butler. At different times he has be- 
come interested and invested in (itliei- en- 
terprises, an inijiortant one bciiin' the Sligo 
Coal and Cdke Company of ('larioii ( 'oun- 
ty, of which he is secretary and a director. 

In 1884 Mr. Brown was married to Miss 
Anna E. Stone, who is a daughter of Abra- 
ham Stone, of Chicora, Pennsylvania, and 
they have two children: Fannie E., who 
married H. E. Goodrich, who is with the 
Pennsvlvania Railroad Company, at Pitts- 
burg; "and Zetti I. Mr. and Mrs. Brown 
are members of the Second Presbyterian 
Church. Mr. Brown is active in church 
affairs and for four years served as su- 
perintendent of the Sabbath school at Zeno 
Glade Run. 

As a citizen, Mr. Brown has been use- 
fully active and as councilman has applied 
to public affairs the keenness of business 
perception which has advanced his private 
interests, and has consistently supported 
every effort of the official body to advance 
the general welfare, aside from any desire 
for political preferment. He is identified 
with a number of fraternal organizations; 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias and 
the Modern Woodmen of America; is a 
Royal Arch Mason and with the other 
members of his familv, belongs to the 
Eastern Star. 



996 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



DAVID ROBERT MORROW, who has 
been identified with various branches of 
the oil business throughout his active busi- 
ness career, is foreman of the Midland Di- 
vision of the South Penn Oil Company, at 
Evans City, Penna. The plant was for- 
merly operated by the Forest Oil Com- 
pany, which, in 1902, was taken over by 
the South Penn Oil Company. Mr. Mor- 
row located in Evans City in 1903, and as- 
sumed the duties of his present position, 
and has twelve men under his direction 
in the local yard. The plant covers ten 
acres in the village, and he has under his 
management a large number of producing 
wells. He was the first foreman of this 
division, . and has given evidence of unu- 
sual ability in the discharge of his duties. 

Mr. Morrow was born in Indiana 
County, Penna., August 21, 1851, and is 
a son of David and Margaret (Lytle) Mor- 
row. The paternal grandfather was a na- 
tive of Ireland, and upon coming to the 
United States located in Indiana County, 
Pennsylvania, where he followed farming. 

David Morrow, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Indiana County, 
and was there reared to maturity. He was 
the owner of a good farm which he oper- 
ated until his death, which occurred in 
1851, prior to the birth of David R. Mor- 
row. He married Margaret Lytle, who 
also was born in Indiana Coimty, and is 
a daughter of Robert Lytle, who came to 
this country from Ireland. She still re- 
sides in her native county at the advanced 
age of eighty-six years. Mr. and Mrs. 
Morrow became parents of five children, 
as follows : Jennie ; Thomas ; Dr. John 
W., a practicing physician of Marchand, 
Indiana ; Catherine, wife of Jessie Will- 
iamson; and David Robert. 

David R. Morrow was reared on the 
home farm, and notwithstanding the fact 
that she was left a widow with five chil- 
dren to care for, his mother gave him good 
school advantages, he attending the public 



schools and the academy at Dayton, Penna. 
In 1868, he went to the oil fields of Ve- 
nango County, Penna., where he was em- 
ployed as pumper one year. He then went 
into the pipe line business, helloing to lay 
the first line from Pitthold to Coriopolis, 
and in 1876 entered the producing depart- 
ment of the Standard Oil Company at 
Bradford, continuing there until 1903, the 
vear which marked his removal to Evans 
City. 

.Mr. Morrow was married July 6, 1871, 
to Miss Clara Cochran, a daughter of Sam- 
uel Cochran, and they have a son, Harry 
Edward, who lives at McKee's Rocks, 
Penna. The latter was united in marriage 
with Miss Gertrude McFarland, and they 
have one daughter, Grace. David R. Mor- 
row is a memebr of Bradford Lodge, No. 
Ill, L 0. 0. F., and in political affihation 
is a Republican. He was reared in the 
United Presbyterian faith. 

A. E. REIBER, president of the Guar- 
anty Safe Deposit and Trust Company, of 
Butler, and also identified with many other 
of the city's successful business enter- 
prises, is a leading member of the Butler 
bar and in 1890, was elected to the office of 
district attorney on the Democratic ticket. 
He was born at Butler in 1864, and is a 
son of the late Martin Reiber. 

Martin Reiber was a native of Germany 
and was one of the early leading business 
citizens of Butler for many years. He 
married Mary Yetter and they had a fam- 
ily of eight children, seven of whom still 
survive. 

A. E. Reiber was born and reared at 
Butler and was primarily educated in her 
public schools. Later he graduated from 
Witherspoon Academy and then entered 
the University of Princeton, where he 
graduated B.A., in 1882. Immediately he 
began the study of law in the office of At- 
torney T. C. Campbell, and in 1885 was 
admitted to the bar, and since has ac- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



997 



quired a large clientage. He is a member 
of the Bar Association and is a practi- 
tioner in the Supreme Court of the State. 
In 1897 ]Mr. Reiber was married to Miss 
Florence Smith, who is a daughter of Rev. 
E O. Smith, and they have two children: 
Marten A. and Mary Elizabeth. Mr. Reiber 
and family are members of the First Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church at Butler, and he 
is serving on its ofiicial board. Socially, 
he is a member of the Country Club. 

AVILLIAM C. STOOPS, a prominent 
dairyman and farmer of Franklin Town- 
ship, resides on his well-improved farm of 
120 acres, on which he successfully car- 
ries on his agricultural enterprises. He 
was born in Butler Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1869, and 
is a son of William and Rebecca Jane 
(Rose) Stoops. 

William Stoops, father of William C, 
was born October 2, 1821, in Cherry Town- 
ship, about two miles above Sunbury, and 
was a son of Philip and Elizribeth (Van- 
derliu) Stoops, the former of whom, a 
blacksmith and farmer in Cherry Town- 
ship, lived to the age of ninet> years and 
the latter to the age of eighty. William 
Stoops devoted his life mainly to agricul- 
ture but he had many other interests, in 
his younger days teaching school, later 
serving bravely in the War of the Rebel- 
lion and subsequently filling public of- 
fices with fidelity and efficiency. On Sep- 
tember 4, 1861, he enlisted in the Federal 
Army, entering Company H, One Hundred 
and Second Regiment, Penna. "Wiluuteer 
Infantry, and at the battle of Fair Oaks, 
on May 31, 1862, he received so severe an 
injury that after confinement in the Doug- 
las Hospital at Washington City for three 
months, he was honorablv discharged Au- 
gust 30, 1862. He returned to Cherry 
Township and in the following year was 
elected prothonotary and then moved to 
Butler, where he lived during his term of 
office. Later he ](urchased a farm in But- 



ler Township which is now owned by Will- 
iam Barnhart, on which he resided for 
twenty years. In 1887 he moved on the 
farm now owned and operated by his son, 
William C, and there he died August 22, 
1892. In politics he was a Republican and 
while living in Butler Township served as 
school director and as justice of the peace. 

William Stoops was married (first) to 
Sarah Cochran and they had seven chil- 
dren, namely: Ocilla, now deceased, who 
was the wife of Dr. S. A. Johnson, of But- 
ler; Philip Dexter, who is a Presbyterian 
clergyman and principal of a school in 
Idaho; Clarinda, now deceased, who was 
the wife of Josiah Allen ; Paulina, now de- 
ceased, who was the second wife of Josiah 
Allen; Jennie, who married Rev. Newton 
E. Clemenson, and lives at Logan, Utah; 
and Serelda R., now deceased, who was the 
wife of E. W. Layman. On September 28, 
1868, William Stoops was married (sec- 
ond) to Rebecca J. Rose, who was a daugh- 
ter of John Rose, of Center Township. 
She was born December 8, 1832. Three 
children were born to this marriage. Will- 
iam C, Mary Lillian, who is the wife of 
Daniel CI. Brunermer, of Connoquenessing 
Township; and Eva Valeria, who married 
Edward Watson, and resides at Isle. Will- 
iam Stoops and wife were members of the 
United Presbyterian Church in which he 
served as an elder for twenty years. 

William C. Stoops was educated in the 
public schools and at Prospect Academy, 
and was graduated at the latter institution 
in 1892, following which, for five years, 
he engaged in teaching school, in Frank- 
lin, Connoquenessing and Middlesex 
Townships. His last term in the school 
room was in the winter of 1894-5. In the 
fall of the latter year he was married and 
then began cultivating the home farm and 
has resided here ever since. On eighty 
acres of his land he raises corn, oats, 
wheat, hay and potatoes and he keeps 
twelve cows for dairy purposes, making 
a high grade of butter for private eus- 



998 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



toiiieis. He is a incnilicr of Prospect 
Graui^-e, Patrons ol' I iii.^haiidry. 

In the fall of 1895. Mr. Stooj.s was mar- 
ried to Luella M. Clark, who is a daugh- 
ter of Dr. N. AY. Clark, of Whitestown, 
Butler County, and they have five children, 
namely: Arthur N., Kathleen M., Blair 
W., Ruth A. and Helen E. Mr. Stoops 
and family belong to the United Presbyte- 
rian Church at Mount Chestnut, in which 
Mr. Stoop is an elder. In his political 
views he is a stanch Republican and he 
has taken a good citizen's interest in town- 
ship affairs. He has served many terms 
as a school director and has also been 
township auditor. 

On both sides of the family, Mr. Stoops 
comes of an ancestry noted for its longev- 
ity. The materaal grandfather, John 
Rose, came to Center Township, Butler 
County, as one of its earliest settlers. 
From Sussex C*ounty, New Jersey, he went 
out as a soldier in the War of 1812. His 
wife was a daughter of Nathaniel Steven- 
son and was five years old when her father 
came to Butlci- ('oniit\. She was born 
January 30, 17!).;. and liied when aged 100 
years and five months. Her parents were 
Nathaniel and Mary (Allen) Stevenson, 
the latter of whom lived to the age of 100 
years and six months. Nathaniel Steven- 
son settled in Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania, after serving for three and 
one-half years in the Revolutionary War, 
and in 1798 he moved to Franklin Town- 
ship, Butler County, buying 400 acres of 
land, and there he died when aged eighty- 
six years. 

JAMES M. SUTTON, senior member of 
the firm of J. M. Sutton & Son, proprietors 
of the flour mill at Harrisville, Butler 
County, Penna., and dealers in high grade 
flour and feed of all kinds, has had wide 
experience in this field of business. He is 
a native of Butler County, having been 
born on the old home farm in Concord 
Township, September '28, 1847, and is a 



son of Joseph M. and Jemima (Morrow) 
Sutton, and a grandson of Piatt Sutton. 

Piatt Sutton, the grandfather, came to 
Butler County, Penna., from New Jersey 
shortly after the Revolutionary War end- 
ed, becoming one of the earliest of the pio- 
neers of Concord Township. He entered 
actively into the early life of the commu- 
nitj', and was one of the organizers of the 
old Concord Church. He and his wife 
were parents of the following children: 
Nancy, wife of John Harper; Margaret, 
wife of Scott Jameson; Polly, wife of John 
Sutton ; Phoebe ; Joseph M. ; Jeremiah ; 
Piatt, and James, all now deceased. 

Joseph M. Sutton was born on the old 
home farm in Concord Township, and there 
grew to maturity. He became a success- 
ful farmer and a man of influence in the 
community, and lived to reach the ad- 
vanced age of eighty-three years. He was 
joined in marriage with Jemima Morrow, 
who was born in Armstrong County, 
Penna., and is now living at the ripe oid 
age of eighty-three years. The following 
were the oft'spriug of their marriage: 
Piatt; Thomas J.; James M.; John F.; 
Jeremiah P.; Willis, who died at twelve 
years of age ; Mary Ann, who is deceased ; 
Nancy J., who is the wife of A. Litzen- 
burg, and Eliza B., who is the wife of Ed- 
ward Farnsworth. 

James M. Sutton spent his bo\iiooil days 
on the home farm and at the age of twenty 
years started to learn the milling trade 
with his uncle, James Sutton, with whom 
he continued for two years. He was next 
employed one year at the old H. Gibson 
Mill in Allegheny Township, conducted by 
William Turner, after which he rented and 
operated for two years an old mill at 
Maple Furnace. After spending three 
years in the oil fields, he was employed 
successively at the Courtney Mill in Mer- 
cer Coimty, the Cornelious ]Mill at Me- 
Coytown, the Rogers Mill owned by Rob- 
ert Gilkey in Mercer County, the old 
Campbell Mill owned by Thomas Elliott, 




SOLOMON R. STOUGHTON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1001 



the Fisher Mill near Eastbrook, in Law- 
rence County; the Hope Mill near Mercer 
County, the New Hamburg Mill owned by 
John Wheeler and the Old Etna Mill owned 
by Shepherd & Daugherty near Slippery 
Rock. In 1895 he came to Harrisville and 
began work in the mill now owned by him, 
being in the emploj' of Samuel B. Bing- 
ham. He purchased this plant in 1903, 
increased its capacity from ten to twenty 
barrels per day and has established a thriv- 
ing business, having his son, J. Chalmer, 
as his partner. The leading brand, "Pui'- 
ity Flour," has an established prestige 
throughout this section of the State, and 
meets with a ready sale on the market, and 
they also manufacture a pure buckwheat 
flour, and handle all kinds of feed. 

In 1871 Mr. Sutton was joined in mar- 
riage with .Miss Elizabeth Turner of Law- 
rence County, and the following children 
were born to them: Emma J., married 
(first) Irvin Greenman, who died about 
five vears after, and she married (second) 
Robert Dick; Millie; Dorcns E.; J. Chal- 
mer, who is in business with his father, and 
Frank R., who married Ethel Brown. In 
religious attachment, he is a member of 
the Methodist Ejtiscopal Church, of whicii 
he is a trustee. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton have 
an adopted son, Leonard, who is a nephew 
of Mrs. Sutton. Politically, Mr. Sutton is 
a strong believer in the principles of the 
Prohibition party. He is a man of stand- 
ing and ability, and has many friends 
throughout the comnumity. 

SOLOMON R. STOUGHTON, a thriv- 
ing agriculturist of Franklin Township, 
was born on his present farm of 116 acres, 
February 1, 1878, son of John C. and 
Mary Jane (McCandless) Stoughton. The 
Stoughtons were early settlers in Clay 
Township, Butler County, and John C. 
Stoughton was born on the old homestead 
there and came to the present farm of his 
son Solomon at the time of his marriage. 
At that time this section was practically a 



wilderness, and he cleared off all but three 
acres of the farm. He became one of the 
foremost citizens of the township, taking 
an active part in the development of its 
various resources. He was frequently 
elected to public office and served at dif- 
ferent times and for a number of years as 
school director, collector and supervisor. 
His wife, Mary Jane, was a daughter of 
James McCandless, of Franklin Township, 
and they became the parents of seven chil- 
dren, all of whom attained maturity, and 
of whom there are now three survivors. 
They were as follows: James, a resident 
of Claytonia; Mary, now deceased, who 
was the wife of Henry Miller; Elizabeth, 
wife of James L. Wilson, of Brady Town- 
ship; Annie, now deceased, who was the 
wife of Samuel Lawrence, of Muddy Creek 
Township; Ella, also deceased, who was 
the wife of William Stine, of Brady Town- 
ship; Mrs. Sydney Jane Conroy, of New 
Castle; and Solomon R., whose name ap- 
pears at the head of this sketch. Mr. and 
]\Irs. John C. Stoughton were members of 
Mt. Zion Baptist Church, of which Grand- 
father Stoughton was one of the founders. 

Solomon R. Stoughton has spent his life 
in his native state, the greater part of it 
up to the ]n"esent time in the immediate 
vicinity of his home. His time has been 
largely devoted to agricultural pursuits, 
but for three years he was engaged in op- 
erating a saw-mill and threshing-machine, 
in ])artnership with James L. Wilson. He 
also spent seven years in the oil fields. 
Ilis present farm consists of 116 acres, of 
which he devotes about eighty to the rais- 
ing of corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes. 
He keeps four horses and fourteen head of 
cattle, and manufactures choice butter for 
a select family trade in Butler. He easily 
ranks as one of the prosperous citizens of 
Franklin Township, and is as well liked 
and respected as he is widely known. 

Mr. Stoughton was married at the age 
of fifteen years to Emma Stillwagon, who 
is a daughter of Adam Stillwagon, of Slip- 



1002 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pery liock, and they have six children : 
Howard Eay, Stella Grace, Mabel Ger- 
trude, Ira B'rank, Clyde, and Blanche. Mr. 
Stonghton's politics identify him as a 
member of the Republican party. He is 
fraternally connected with the Maccabees 
and with Mt. Chestnut Grange, Patrons of 
Husbandry. For three years he belonged 
to the National Guards at Butler. 

ALFRED MAURHOFF, who owns a 
finely ciiltivated farm of thirty-two acres, 
which is located in Jefferson Township, 
on the Hamastown Road about one-half 
mile west of the village, was born April 
20, 1841, at Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, and 
is a son of Emil and Johanna (Pollard) 
Maurhoflf. 

The father of Mr. Maurhoff was born 
in Germany, from which country he emi- 
grated, and in 1833 came to Saxonburg, 
Pennsylvania, where he conducted a store 
some years, and was also squire and post- 
master for twelve years. About 1842 he 
returned to Germany for a time, but sub- 
sequently came back to Butler County, 
where he purchased a small farm. He had 
the following children: Clara, Alfred, 
Edward F., Emil E., Adelia, Aurora and 
George, all of whom survive except Adelia 
and Aurora. 

Alfred Maurhoff attended school at Sax- 
onburg and later assisted his father, but 
since jjurchasing his present farm has de- 
voted himself to its cultivation and im- 
provement. He raises grain, hay and 
l)otatoes and some stock, and is numbered 
with the good farmers of his neighbor- 
hood. Mr. Maurhoff also conducted a gen- 
eral store at Saxonburg for four years, 
and at the present time is drilling for oil 
on his fai'm. He served in the Civil War 
and was honorablv discharged in August. 
1863. 

On February 12, 1867, Mr. Maurhoff was 
married to Miss Louise Koegler, a daugh- 
ter of .John G. and Anna Eliza (Heidrich) 



Koegler, substantial farming people of 
Winfield Township. Mr. and Mrs. Maur- 
hoff have four children, namely: Carrie 
A., wild married E. H. Voland, a farmer 
and daiiyiiian in Winfield Township, and 
has six children — Walter, Delia, Edwin, 
Alberta, Leroy and Willis ; Nelson G., who 
was born May 20, 1872, is his father's right 
hand man on the farm; Elmer J., who is 
bookkeeper for a Pittsburg plumbing firm, 
and Odessa, who is the wife of Charles 
Kroneberg, a farmer in Winfield Town- 
ship. Mr. Maurhoff and family are mem- 
bers of the German Lutheran Church at 
Hamastown, in which he has frequently 
served as a member of the Council. He 
takes a good citizen's interest in all public 
matters in Jefferson Township and at dif- 
ferent times has served as supervisor and 
on the Board of Elections. He has always 
been a highly respected member of the sec- 
tion in which he has lived. 

CHARLES I. DUNBAR, who conducts 
a grocery on Pittsburg Street at Evans 
City, Pennsylvania, is one of the most suc- 
cessful and enterprising merchants of that 
village. He was born on his father's farm 
in Forward Township, Butler County, 
March 8, 1878, and is a son of Ii"vin and 
Sarah (Weisz) Dunbar, and grandson of 
William Dunbar. 

William Dunbar, the grandfather, was 
one of the early settlers of Forward Town- 
ship, where he lived and farmed for many 
years. He was the father of the follow- 
ing family: William, a member of the 
One Hundred Thirty-fourth Regiment. 
Penna. Volunteer Infantry, during the 
Civil War; John, who was killed in the 
Second Battle of Bull Run and was a mem- 
ber of the Eleventh Regiment, Penna. Vol- 
unteer Infantry ; Solomon ; Alexander, who 
also was a member of the One Hundred 
Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer 
Infantry; Alfred, a mem1)er of the Fourth 
Cavalry of Pennsylvania; Alpheus, also a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1003 



member of the Fourth. Cavalry; Daniel; 
Anna, deceased wife of Miller McKinney; 
a twin sister to Anna, and Irvin. 

Irvin Dunbar was born on the home farm 
in Forward Township, and received his 
education in the schools of the township, 
such as they were at that time. He en- 
gaged in farming on the home place until 
1888, in which year he moved with his fam- 
ily to Evans City, where he now resides. 
He was joined in marriage with Sarah 
Weisz, who was bom in Jackson Town- 
ship, where her father, John AVeisz, was 
an early settler. They are parents of the 
following children: William; Elizabeth, 
wife of Harry Spanogle ; Charles I. ; Harry 
and Elery. 

Charles Irvin Dunbar was about ten 
years of age when his parents moved to 
Evans City, where he was reared to ma- 
turity and attended the public schools. At 
the age of twelve years he began working 
in the grocery store of John Ramsey, where 
Mr. Dunbar's store is now located. He 
continued with him one year, then in the 
grocery of A. J. Smathers for seven years, 
after which he was employed a few years 
by the Bell Telephone Company. About 
the year of 1902, he started a grocery at 
the old Smathers' stand, and two years 
later moved to his joresent location on the 
north side of Pittsburg Street. He car- 
ries a complete line of staple and fancy 
groceries, and enjoys the generous patron- 
age of the community. 

Mr. Dunbar was married December 14, 
1904, to Miss Ada McBryer, a daughter of 
David and Loretta McBryer of Jefferson 
County, Pennsylvania. They have one 
daughter, Eleanor May, born June 23, 1906, 
They reside in a comfortable home on Har 
rison Street in Evans City. Religiously 
they are members of the M. E. Church 
Mr. Dimbar is a member of Lodge No. 292 
K. P.; Lodge No. 817, L 0. 0. F., and 
Lodge No. 11,147, Modern Woodmen of 
America. He is a Republican in politics, 
has served as a member of Evan City 



Council, and is now serving his second 
term as Republican County Committee- 
man. 

WILLIAM J. SNELL, general contract- 
or at Butler, which city has been his place 
of residence since 1903, was born in 1875, 
in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, where 
he grew to manhood and obtained a good 
common school education. 

With his father, Henry C. Snell, a gen- 
eral contractor, W. J. Snell learned the 
carpenter's trade, but before he devoted 
himself to carpenter work, being then only 
seventeen years old, he engaged in teach- 
ing school, which he continued for seven 
years. He then went into general con- 
tracting at Dubois, in Clearfield County, 
where he remained until 1903, when he 
came to Butler. There are many exam- 
ples of Mr. Snell 's best work, standing on 
the fine streets and avenues of this. city and 
a few cited examples of buildings for which 
he was the contractor, will show his trade 
standing: The residence of W. S. Mc- 
Crear, one of the finest in Butler; the 
United Presbyterian Parsonage; the resi- 
dence of W. F. Rumberger and C. N. Boyd ; 
the Hotel Monroe; all high class buildings. 
Mr. Snell is interested also to some extent 
in the oil business. 

In 1898 Mr. Snell was married to Miss 
Mary Dobson, who was boim in Jefferson 
County, Pennsylvania, and they have two 
children, William Percy and Beulah Marie. 
Mr. Snell and wife are members of the Sec- 
ond Presbyterian Church. He belongs to 
the orders, Modern Woodmen and Pro- 
tected Home Circle. 

DAVID B. DODDS, representative citi- 
zen and prosperous farmer of Penn Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna., resides on the 
farm on which he was born, September 20, 
1850, and is the one survivor of the family 
of two children bom to his parents, who 
were Adam and Margaret (Sutton) Dodds. 

John Dodds, the grandfather, came to 



1004 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



America from Comity Down, Ireland, set- 
tling in Cumberland County, Penna., as 
early as 1800. He lived there for eight 
years and then bought several hundred 
acres of land near what is now the village 
of Brownsdale, in Penn Township, Butler 
County, bringing his liousehold goods with 
him to the new home on what was called a 
slide car, a primitive vehicle made by fast- 
ening two poles, one on each side of a horse 
and letting the ends drag on the ground. 
He was a man of foresight and this was 
shown in many waj^s, one of which was the 
bringing of cherry stones from the flour- 
isliing cherry orchards of Cumberland 
Count}'. These stones or pits, he planted 
carefully on his pioneer farm and from 
these grew tlie first cherry trees in the 
settlement. Later he moved from his first 
farm to the one which his grandson now 
owns, situated on the plank road. He 
had served as a soldier in the War of 1812 
and was familiarly known as 'Squire 
Dodds, from having served for many years 
as a justice of the peace. He was one of 
the founders of the United Presbyterian 
Church both at Butler and Brownsdale. 
His death took place in 186l'. Of his seven 
sons, Adam, father of i^avid B., was the 
youngest. 

Adam Dodds was born on the present 
farm of his son, in Penn Township, April 
16, 1816, and died in 1887. He learned the 
cabinetmaking trade with George Miller, 
of Butler, and remained with him for 
twelve years, after which he carried on 
farming on the homestead, which he inher- 
ited. He married a daughter of David 
Sutton. They were consistent members of 
the United Presl)yterian Church. 

David B. Dodds has spent his life on the 
homestead fai'm and has given his atten- 
tion to its cultivation and improvement. 
It is one of the most valuable pieces of 
property in the township, producing un- 
der Mr. Dodds' careful management, 
abundant crops of corn, oats, wheat, hay 
and potatoes, in fact all those necessities 



for the feeding of mankind, which make 
farmers the most independent class in the 
world. In addition, Mr. Dodds has ten 
producing oil wells on his farm, the first 
drilling having been done in June, 1899. 

Mr. Dodds married Miss Mary M. Bart- 
ley, who is a daughter of Williamson 0. 
Bartley, of Penn Township, and they have 
four children: Adam Brown, Williamson 
Bartley, Cloi-a Mae and James Clarence. 
The two younger children reside at home. 
Adam Brown lives at Tarentum, Allegheny 
County. He married Lauretta Ilazlett of 
Ford City, Penna., and they have one son, 
William Edward. Williamson Bartley re- 
sides in Penn Township. He married Ella 
Reith, who lived near Saxonburg, and they 
have one child, Erma Mae. Mr. Dodds is 
a member of the Brownsdale LTnited Pres- 
byterian Church. He is a stanch Repub- 
lican and has served in local offices. He 
is a fine example of the enteriDrising and 
progressive agriculturist of the present 
day and has a frank and hearty manner 
together with the sterling qualities which 
make him valued as a citizen and as a 
neiglibor. 

F. H. DAA'Y, justice of the peace, at 
Butler, and the owner of a fine farm situ- 
ated near Jackson Center, Mercer County, 
Pennsvlvania, was born in that eountv, 
January 7, 1854. 

Mr. Davy was reared in Mercer County 
and obtained his education there and for 
some thirty years engaged there in gen- 
eral farming. In 1894 he came to Butler, 
where he oiicrat('(l a meat business for one 
year and tlicii cinlinrkcd in the dairy busi- 
ness, which lie ciuitinned I'or nine years. 
Then for the following three years he was 
connected with the Grand Union Tea Com- 
pany. He has taken an active interest in 
local politics and is in close accord with 
the sentiments of the Republican party. 
In May, 1908, he was elected to the office 
of justice of the peace. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1007 



On September 6, 1877, Mr. Davy was 
married to Miss Catherine A. Moon, and 
they have three children: George H., who 
is employed in the Boyd drug store at But- 
ler; Mary E., who is a popular teacher in 
the Butler public schools; and Ella, who 
resides at home. Mr. Davy is a member 
of the order of Woodmen of the World. 

AUGUSTUS HERMAN BEHM, who 

resides eleven miles southwest of Butler, 
in Forward Township, has a tine and well- 
improved farm of 172 acres, a part of 
which belonged to the old Behm home- 
stead. He was born on this farm, Janu- 
ary 23, 1854, and is a son of Nicholas and 
Louisa (Rennick) Behm, both natives of 
Germany. 

Nicholas Behm, Sr., grandfather of the 
subject of this sketch, lived in Hessen, 
Germany, where he farmed until he moved 
with his family to America. They located 
in Pittslturg, Penna., and later to Butler 
County. He and his wife were parents of 
the following children, all now deceased : 
John; Mrs. John Metz; Margaret, wife of 
George Barkley; Nicholas, Jr.; and 
George. 

Nicholas Behm, Jr., was born in Hessen, 
Germany, and was about fourteen years 
old when brought to America, the voyage 
consuming about three months. While lo- 
cated at Pittsburg, lie husked corn where 
Ohio Street now runs in that city. He 
worked for a time in a brickyard in Alle- 
gheny, and was there married to Louisa 
Rennick, who was born in Saxony and was 
eight years old when brought to America. 
He and his wife moved to Butler County, 
while it was yet in its undeveloped state, 
the forests being still standing. He pur- 
chased a 100-acre farm for $900, of wihch 
a part is now included in the farm of his 
son, A. H. Behm. He erected a log house 
and barn, and set about clearing the land, 
which he subsequently put under a high 
state of cultivation. He remained on this 
farm until his death in 1885, at the age of 



sixty-six years. He is still survived by 
his widow. The following children were 
the offspring of their marriage: Mar- 
garet, Mary, William, John, Carolina, 
Anna, Augustus Hei'man, Amelia, Louisa, 
Hanuah, Christina, and Lena. Mary and 
Christina are deceased. 

Augustus Herman Behm was reared on 
the home i^lace and during his boyhood 
days attended the district schools during 
the winter months. He has seventy acres 
of the home farm, on which he has always 
lived, and in addition piirchased an adjoin- 
ing tract from Market and Goehring. He 
now has 172 acres all told, and erected all 
the modern and substantial buildings 
which stand on the place. There are three 
oil wells in operation on the farm, and he 
follows general farming and stock raising. 

Mr. Behm was united in marriage Feb- 
ruary 8, 1883, with Miss Mary Matilda 
Goehring, a sister of Charles Goehring, 
a sketch of whom appears on another page 
of this work. Seven children were born to 
bless this marriage, namely: Clyde, Leah, 
Charles, Hariy, Etta, Iva, and Bryan. Mr. 
Behm is a Democrat in politics, and has 
served as township auditor and school di- 
rector. Fraternallv, he is a member of 
Evans City Lodge, No. 817, I. 0. 0. F. 

JOSEPH W. HERVEY, general far- 
mer, resides on his excellent farm of 
seventy-one acres, which is situated in 
Oakland Township, skirting the Upper 
Greece City road, about three miles north- 
east of Butler. He was born in Pittsburg, 
Penna., December 19, 1852, and is a son of. 
John and Agnes (Shaw) Hervey. 

John Hervey, father of Joseph W., was 
born in County Down, Ireland, March 10, 
1820, and tirst came to America at the 
age of eighteen years. As soon as he had 
accumulated a little capital he returned to 
Ireland for the rest of the family. He 
brought with him to the United States his 
parents, his brothers and his sisters, and 
they settled at Tarentum, Penna. It is a 



1008 



HISTOEr OF BUTLER COUNTY 



curious coincidence tliat his grandmother's 
family name was also Hervey, hut as the 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch 
was born in Scothuid and the grandmother 
in Ireland, there was pi'obably no rela- 
tionshi}). John Hervey was engaged for 
a time in a clothing "business in Pitts- 
burgh, but his health failing, he gave up 
that occupation and obtained work in a 
saw-mill. Afterwards he was engaged in 
the oil business in West Virginia, and still 
later tried farming in Missouri and in Al- 
legheny County, Penna., near Turtle 
Creek. He subsequently resided in West 
Virginia and in Tarentum, and died Sep- 
tember 29, 1896, at Braddock, Penna. Mrs. 
John Hervev, who was born in Pittsburg, 
March 10, 1828, died May 21, 1901. 

Joseph W. Hervev was a l)ov when his 
father left Pittsburg. The family lived 
for ten years at Tarentum, Allegheny 
County, and from there went to West Vir- 
ginia, where they remained two years. The 
next two and a half years was sjjent on 
the farm in Missouri. The subject of this 
sketch was about sixteen years old when 
his parents moved back to Tarentum, 
where he lived for ten more years, subse- 
quently going thence to Sharpsburg, Al- 
legheny County, where he resicled with his 
wife and his parents for four years. He 
tlien came to Butler and was emjjloyed 
here for fifteen years by S. G. Purvis & 
Company as engineer, of which trade he 
had previouslv acquired a knowledge. In 
March, 1898, 'he left the employ of that 
concern and settled on his present farm, 
which, although known as the William 
Barkley farm, he ]3urcliased from Orville 
Craig. Although not brought up to agri- 
culture, Mr. Hervey has had so much prac- 
tical experience along other industrial 
lines that he has needed but to apply the 
business princi]iles thus learned, with such 
special knowledge of he has been able to 
ac(|uire, to make a success of his new vo- 
cation, and he now raises good crops of 



corn, oats, hay and ])otatoes, and has some 
excellent stock. 

In 1894 Mr. Hervey was married to 
Theresa May Humes, a native of Alle- 
gheny County, and a daughter of Thomas 
and Elizabeth Humes. Mrs. Hervey, how- 
ever, resided for a number of years in 
Butler County before her marriage. Mr. 
Hervey was previously married to Emma 
L. Giesler, a daughter of David Giesler, 
of Allegheny County, and she died in 1892 
without issue. He takes a strong interest 
in educational matters, has served three 
years as school director in Oalvland Town- 
ship, for two years being secretary of the 
board. Pie belongs to the order of Wood- 
men of the World, and both he and his 
wife are members of the United Presby- 
terian Church at Butler. 

JAMES T. MARSHALL, one of Penn 
Townshii)'s rei)resentative and progres- 
sive citizens, residing on his finelj^ im- 
])roved farm containing tifty acres, is one 
of the most extensive potato and straw- 
berry growers in this section. Mr. Mar- 
shall was born in Harri.sville, Butler 
County, Penna., March 17, 1849, and is a 
son of William and Rebecca (Kearns) 
Marshall. 

The Marshall family is of Scotch-Irish 
extraction. James Marshall, grandfather 
of James T., was one of the early settlers 
in what is now Penn Township, coming to 
America from County Antrim, Ireland. In 
Novemlier. 1797, he was married to Jean 
Peebles, and tliev came to the United 
States in 1822, 'locating, at Pittsburg, 
Penna. In 1824 Grandfather Marshall 
bought 300 acres of land in Penn Town- 
ship and oil this he lived until the time of 
his death, in 1854, when aged eighty-six 
years. His widow survived until 186;!, 
dying at the age of eighty-five years. They 
were people noted for their many virtues 
and were consistent members of the Cov- 
nanter Church. Their eleven children 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1009 



were born in Ireland, and AVilliam was the 
lifth in order of birth. 

William AJarshall was born in County 
Antrin!, Ireland, in 1810, and died in his 
sixty-sixth year. He was twelve years of 
age when the family came to America and 
frequently told his children concerning the 
wild condition of Penn Township at that 
time. In his youth he learned the hatter's 
trade, in Pittsburg, and subsequently went 
into business for himself, conducting 
stores at different points. AVhen his son, 
James T., was two years old, he gave up 
merchandising and settled on a part of the 
homestead in Penn Township, on which 
he lived until after the close of the Civil 
War, when he went to Tennessee, where he 
followed farming for about four years. 
After he returned to Butler County he 
lived retired. He was a Republican in 
l)olitics but never accepted any office ex- 
cept that of school director. AVilliam 
^Marshall married a daughter of Thomas 
Kearns, a reputable citizen of Pittsburg. 
Mi-s. Marshall was the eighth member of 
her parents' family of fifteen children, all 
of wliom grew up and had families of their 
own. There were seven children born to 
William Marshall and wife, namely: 
James Thomas; Julia, widow of AVilliam 
AVatson, of Penn Township; Elizabeth, 
deceased ; Rebecca, wife of James Hunter, 
of Ekastown, Butler County; "William, of 
St. Louis, Alissouri; and Charles and Ed- 
ward Montgomery, both of whom are de- 
ceased. The family was reared in the 
faith of the Presbyterian Church. 

James T. Afarshall attended the country 
schools through l)oyhood and had his prac- 
tical training in agriculture, on the home 
farm. In 1873 he came to his present 
farm and he owns 131 acres additional, a 
part of which is the old homestead. Mr. 
Marshall has successfully carried on sev- 
eral industries here, his dairying being- 
one of importance. With the assistance of 
his three sons and a hired man, he culti- 
vates TOO acres and has made specialties 



of strawberries and tine potatoes. He util- 
izes modern machinery and is interested 
in improved methods of cultivation, taking 
advantage of those which seem to him 
profitable. Mr. Marshall has made im- 
provements on his property which make it 
a place of mark in the county. His sub- 
staniial barn is one of the best in the 
township and he has a silo of about fifty 
tons capacity. In 1908 he erected one of 
the handsomest mansions in this section 
of the country, an ideal i-ural home, beau- 
tifully located, and equipped with every 
modern improvement regardless of ex- 
pense, in its building following out plans 
of his own as to comfort and convenience. 
It is of natural stone construction, three 
stories in height, while its inside finish- 
ings are the best known to modern build- 
ers. Its roomy porches look out over 
handsome grounds. 

Mr. Marshall married Susan B. John- 
ston, who was born in Penn Township, 
and they have had seven children, namely : 
William Ellsworth, who is a minister in 
the Presbyterian Church, at New Flor- 
ence; Susan Ola, who is the wife of 
Charles Brown, of Penn Township ; Mary, 
deceased; James R., Charles Clyde and 
Edward Dean, all reside at home and as- 
sist in the management of the large estate. 
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are active inem- 
bers of the Middlesex Presbyterian 
Church. Mr. Marshall is a Republican but 
is only a politician to the extent of good 
citizenship. 

VICTOR A. BARNHART, who is en- 
gaged in the real estate and insurance 
business at Evans City, Pennsylvania, is 
well known in Butler County, where he 
was prominently identified with education- 
al work for some years prior to engaging 
in his present iiekt of operation. He was 
born in the vicinity of Green Castle, in 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, May 25, 
1878, and is a son of Daniel S. and Ruth A. 
(Miller) Barnhart. 



1010 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Daniel S. Barnhart was also born in 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and was 
reared to agricultural pursuits'. He later 
became a merchant at Green Castle, where 
he and his wife now reside, she also being 
a native of Franklin County. Twelve 
children were the issue of their union, of 
whom Victor Albertus was the eighth. 

Victor A. Bamhart spent his early youth 
on his father's farm near Green Castle, 
and was nine years of age when his par- 
ents moved to that village. He assisted 
liis father about the stoi'e and attended the 
public schools, graduating from Green Cas- 
tle High School in 1896. He later attend- 
ed Mercersburg Academy, graduating in 
1898, and Franklin and Marshall College, 
from which he was graduated in 1902. He 
then became an instructor in the schools 
of Green Castle, serving during the school 
year of 1902-1903; the following school 
year he sei'ved as teacher in the schools of 
West Newton, and during the year 1901- 
1905 was principal of the school at St. 
Paul's Orphans' Home at Butler. He was 
principal of the public schools of Evans 
City during 1905-1906, and the following 
school year taught science in Butler High 
School. His success as an educator was 
pronounced, but other fields offering great- 
er financial returns he gave up the profes- 
sion and in June, 1907, started in the real 
estate and insurance biisiness at Evan^ 
City. He maintains an office on Pittsburg 
Street, and during his short residence in 
the village has succeeded beyond his ex- 
pectations. 

December 25, 1907, Mr. Barnhart was 
united in marriage with Miss Flora M. 
Markel, a daughter of Daniel and Mary A. 
Markel, the record of her family appear- 
ing on another page of this work. Frater- 
nally, Mr. Barnhart is a member of Mt. 
Pisgah Lodge, No. 443, F. & A. M., at 
Green Castle; Lodge No. 817, I. 0. 0. F. 
of Evans City, and Lodge No. 292, K. P. 
of Evans City. Religiously, he and his 
wife are members of the Reformed Chureli. 



T. CHAL:\IERS CAMPBELL, a leading 
member of the Butler bar, who has been 
engaged in the practice of law in this city 
for the past thirty-six years, was born in 
1848, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and 
is a son of James Campbell. ' The father 
of Mr. Campbell was born in Chester 
County, Pennsylvania, and came to Butler 
County about 1840, where he was engaged 
in a mercantile business for a number of 
years and was identified with the leading 
interests of this place. 

T. Chalmers Campbell attended the pub- 
lic schools, Witherspoon Academy and 
Phillips Academy at Audover, Mass., and 
pursued and completed his law studies un- 
der Col. John M. Thompson and Samuel 
and W. S. Purvisance, of Pittsburg. . In 
1869 he was admitted to the bar in Alle- 
gheny County and remained there in ac- 
tive practice until 1872, when he located 
at Butler. For the first five years he was 
in partnership with J. D. McJunkin, under 
the firm name of McJunkin & Campbell, 
but since the dissolving of tliat partner- 
ship, has been alone. He has been identi- 
fied with a large amount of legal business 
in the local courts, the Supreme Court of 
Pennsylvania and also in the Lhiited States 
Federal Courts. He is attorney for the 
Western Allegheny Railroad Company, in 
Butler County, and he belongs to the But- 
ler Comity Bar Association. 

In 1873 Mr. Campbell was married to 
Miss Juliet D. Estep, of Allegheny, and 
they have four children: Louise, who is 
the wife of diaries A. McElvain, of But- 
ler; Jean, who is the wife of George E. 
Howard, of Butler; James 0., a graduate 
of Washingion-Jetferson College and a 
practicing attorney with his father, with 
whom he prepared for the bar, and Juliet 
E. Mr. Campbell and family belong to the 
Presbyterian Church. 

WILLIAM RAPE, one of Forward 
Township's prominent and substantial 
citizens, whose valuable farm of sixty-three 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1011 



acres is situated about seven miles south- 
west of Butler, right on the electric rail- 
way, was boru on the old Rape homestead 
in Cranberry Township, Butler County, 
Pennsa., March 18, 1839, and is a son of 
Christian and Sarah (Stout) Rape. 

The family to which Mr. Rape belongs 
originated in Germany and in old times 
the family name was spelled Reeb. It was 
Theobald Reeb, the grandfather, who came 
with his wife Sophia, to America, many 
years ago, and settled on land in Cran- 
berry Township. At that time land that 
now will bring probably $100 an acre sold 
for $3, and the German family soon had a 
secured home in which the parents spent 
the remainder of their lives. With their 
native thrift and industry they cleared and 
cultivated the land and when their son 
Christian grew to man's estate, he suc- 
ceeded to the property. He had given his 
father much assistance in clearing and he 
continued to occupy the homestead until 
he died, in 1880, aged seventy-two years. 
During his lifetime he added an adjoining 
farm to his iKtssessions and the estate he 
left to his children amounted to 130 acres. 
He married Sarah Stout, who survived him 
two years, being aged seventy-four when 
she died. They had eleven children, name- 
ly: Sophia, who married John Knauf, de- 
ceased; Jacob, deceased; Eliza, who mar- 
ried Charles Weild, both deceased; Sarah, 
who married William Goehring, deceased ; 
Catherine, who married John Stapf, both 
deceased; Henry, deceased; William; 
John; Marj^, who married John Stapf; Eli, 
and Susan, who married Charles Mickley, 
deceased. 

William Rape spent a happy, useful boy- 
hood under the protection and care of good 
parents. "Wlien opportunity offered he 
went to the district school but spent many 
days in hard work, helping to tinish the 
clearing of the land and later in cultivat- 
ing it. He remained at home until he was 
first married. In September, 1870, he 
bought his present farm, from James Bol- 



ton, on which he has made many substan- 
tial improvements. It is valuable land in 
point of fertility and also on account of its 
excellent situation, and also on account of 
oil being found here, there being two wells 
on the farm. 

On March 20, 1860, Mr. Rape was mar- 
ried (first) to Anna Kaufman, who died in 
March, 1882. Her parents were Ausman 
and Mary (Freshcorn) Kaufman. There 
were eleven children born to this union, 
as follows: Edwin, who married Anna 
Burr; William, who married Rose Mazer; 
John; Anna, who married H. A. Burr; 
Laura ; Tiny, who married John Wardock, 
and five deceased. Mr. Rape was married 
(second) in August, 1882, to Mary Ann 
Hoover, who is a daughter of John and 
Lydia (Rice) Hoover, and they have seven 
children, namely: Floyd, who married 
Caroline Schilling, has twin children, Her- 
sliel AVilliam and Lona Aleander, these 
being the first twins ever born in either 
the Rape or Schilling families and they 
therefoi'e are babes of more than usual 
interest; Adaline, who married William 
Welir; Olie, who married Edwin Osen- 
baugh; Margai'et, who married Russell 
Enslen; Susan, who married Fred Weste- 
beck ; and Jesse and Homer, both of whom 
live at home. 

In politics, Mr. Rape is a stanch Repub- 
lican. He has taken an active interest in 
township affairs and has served acceptably 
in a nmnber of offices, having been super- 
visor for five years, clerk for two years 
and overseer of the poor for two years. 

W. S. WICK, of the hmiber firm of 
W. S. Wick, at Butler, is also interested 
in a nmnber of other Butler enterprises, 
and is a substantial and representative 
citizen. He was born in 1863, in Butler 
County, and is a son of the late Henry E. 
Wick. 

The Wick family is one of the oldest 
families of Butler County. Henry E. 
Wick was born on the old Wick homestead, 



1012 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



in 1824, and died at Butler in 1901. He 
became a man of prominence in Butler 
County and was one of Butler's pioneer 
merchants. 

W. S. Wick enjoyed both educational 
and social advantages in youth and early 
manhood and before he settled down to a 
business career, he spent three years of 
travel through the far west, during this 
time visiting Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and 
other States and Territories. After re- 
turning to Butler he engaged for three 
years in a mercantile business and about 
1894 embarked in the lumber business. 
He handles all kinds of lumber, doing both 
a wholesale and retail business, and deals 
also in doors, sash and blinds. He owns 
a half interest in the East End Hardware 
Store and has stock also in the plaster and 
cement mill which is situated in the west- 
ern part of the city. He also owns valu- 
able real estate, being part owner of the 
Orphans' Home property. 

In 1904 Mr. Wick was married to Miss 
Jeanette Lusk, of Jefferson County, and 
they have one daughter, Elizabeth. Mr. 
Wick is not an active politician but he 
always does a good citizen's duty to up- 
hold the laws and to further movements 
for the general welfare. In this line he 
believes the responsibilities of the suc- 
cessful business man are great. 

CURTIS IRWIN CHRISTLEY, resid- 
ing on his exceedingly valuable farm of 
115 acres, which is situated in Slippery 
Rock Township, one mile south of the vil- 
lage of that name, was born on this farm, 
March 31, 1836, and is a son of John and 
Elizabeth (Smith) Christley. 

The father of Mr. Christley was a 
farmer and also a cabinetmaker. In the 
old days he made cofiSns. And he manu- 
factured the coffins for the six Wigtons 
mui-dered by the Indian Mohawk. He was 
twice married, first to Mary Hyde Smith 
and second to her sister. The three chil- 
dren of the first union were : James Perry, 



William George and John Harvey, all de- 
ceased. There were nine children born to 
the second marriage, as follows: Thomas 
Franklin, deceased; Washington Edward, 
deceased; Mrs. Mary Jane Hockenbury, 
of West Sunbury, Pennsylvania ; Samuel 
Johnston, who was killed at the second 
battle of Bull Run, during the War of the 
Rebellion; Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Moore, 
of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Curtis Irwin; 
Mrs. Catherine Prances Bruce, deceased; 
Mrs. Margaret Chinelsie Glenn, deceased; 
and Mrs. Caroline B. Foster, deceased. 

Curtis Irwin Christley has devoted him- 
self to farming and has enjoyed abundant 
success. His longest absence from his 
home farm was during his service of nine 
months, in the War of the Rebellion, as a 
member of the One Hundred Thirty- 
seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Infantry. He is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic. In addition to the 
farm on which he lives, Mr. Christley owns 
a second farm, one of fifty acres, which is 
located near West Liberty, Butler County. 

Mr. Christley married Margaret E. 
Brannon, who died in 1902. They had one 
child, Mrs. Tirzah Frances Magee, now 
deceased, who left three children: Carbus 
Claire, Don Lee Magee, and AVendell 
Odell, all of whom reside with their grand- 
father. In politics, Mr. Christley is a 
stanch Republican. He is one of the 
township's representative men. 

MARTIN MONKS, a prominent citizen 
of Middlesex Township, Butler County, 
Penna., where he owns more than 250 
acres of valuable farm land, has been an 
oil producer for many years, and has been 
very active in the oil fields of Pennsyl- 
vania, Ohio and West Virginia. He was 
born on his present farm, February 14, 
1 856, and is a son of Absalom and Harriet 
(Chantler) Monks, and a grandson of Ab- 
salom Monks. Sr. 

Absalom Monks, Sr., the grandfather, 
was born near Brandy wine, Chester 



AND KEPRP^SEXTATn'E CITIZEXS 



1015 



County, Peuua., November 11, 1774, and 
as a boy witnessed tbe historic battle 
fought at that place during the Revolution. 
He moved to the western part of the state 
with Anthony AVayne some time between 
1792 and 1795, and in the latter vear lo- 
cated in the city of Pittsburg. In'lHOl he. 
moved to Butler County and acquired 212 
acres of unimproved land in Middlesex 
Township, on wliich he erected a cabin. 
He cleared a ]jart of this farm, which has 
since ))een known as the Monks farm, and 
continued to reside there until his death, 
lie married Margaret Bell, who died with- 
out issue; and on May ;>, 1810, he married 
Catherine Kennedy, a daughter of Martin 
Kennedy, by whom he had nine children. 
He was a AVhig in jwlitics, and he and his 
wife were members of the Seceder Church. 
Absalom Monks, Jr., father of the sub- 
ject of this biography, was born on the 
home farm in Middlesex Township, Oc- 
tober 5, 1817, and helped to clear the place. 
He worked a year or two at the trade of 
a blacksmith, but with that exception fol- 
lowed farming throughout his active ca- 
reer. He has been in retirement some 
years, and although past ninety-one years 
of age continues in good physical health 
and in full possession of his mental facul- 
ties, remembering with little effort the 
happenings of pioneer days in Butler 
County. He was prominently identified 
with the development of this part of tlie 
county and its institutions. He is the only 
living charter member of Saxonia Lodge, 
T. 0. 0. F., of which he is ]iast grand. He 
and his wife are memliers of the Middle- 
sex Methodist Episcopal Church, of which 
he has been steward and trustee since the 
church was built, being one of the organ- 
izers of the congregation. He was united 
in marriage ^farch 14, 1850, with Harriet 
Chantler, a daughter of Thomas (Uiantler, 
she being brought from England by her 
]3arents when slie was an infant, and 
reared in Middlesex Townshi]). Five chil- 
dren blessed this union, of whom three 



grew to maturity, as follows: Martin; 
William, of Middlesex Township; and 
Catherine Ann, wife of Robert Harbison. 

Martin Monks was reared on the home 
farm and received a preliminary educa- 
tion in the district schools, sui)i>lemented 
by a course in Hampton Academy and the 
Freeport Normal School. Prior to engag- 
ing in the oil business, he followed cattle 
droving. He owns over 250 acres of land, 
now cultivated by his sons, who in addi- 
tion to general farming, engage in stock 
feeding on an extensive scale, averaging 
about twenty head of cattle and about 100 
head of sheep. For the past twentj'-five 
years he has been an oil producer, and has 
interests through the oil regions of Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio and West A'irgiuia. He has 
two wells on his own farm which are pro- 
ducing in paying quantities, and he also 
has fourteen wells on adjoining farms. 

On February 12, 1879, Mr. 'Monks was 
joined in marriage with Miss Cordelia 
ilickey, a daugHter of AVindle and Sarah 
Ann (Kennedy) Hickey of Middlesex 
Township. Her father was born De- 
cember 28, 181 2, in Alleghenv Countv, and 
died July 16, 1895. Her" mother died 
March 19, 1891, at tlie age of seventy- four 
years. AVilliam Kennedy, gi'audfather of 
-Mrs. Monks, was three years old when his 
parents settled in Middlesex Township, 
some time in the latter part of the Eigh- 
teenth Century. Windle and Sarah Ann 
Hickey were parents of thirteen children, 
five of whom grew uji, namely: Mary, 
AVindle, Cordelia, Albert, and Sarali Ann. 

Alartin and Cordelia (Hickey) Monks 
are ])arents of the following children: 
I.nella, wife of Charles Snyder of Punxa- 
tawney, Jefferson County; AVarner Scott; 
Martin Russel], who completed a civil 
engineering course in Ohio Northern Uni- 
versity at Ada, Ohio; Sarah May, a 
graduate of Slipi)ery Rock Normal School, 
who is a teacher in the public schools at 
Punxatawney ; Harriet E., who is a gradu- 
ate of the Slippery Rock Normal School, 



1016 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



received a teacher's diploma; Albert Roy 
Hickey, and Emory Harper. Mr. Monks 
attends and supports liberally the Middle- 
sex Methodist Episcopal church, of which 
his wife is an active member. Her par- 
ents were among the founders of the 
church, and her father served as trustee 
and class leader many years. Mr. Hickey 
was a plasterer and paperhanger by trade, 
also a veterinarian, following these occu- 
pations in conjunction with farming. 

Martin Monks is active in support of the 
Republican party and its principles, but is 
in no sense a politician. Fraternally, he 
is a member and past grand of Saxonia 
Lodge, I. 0. 0. F. 

R. A. POOLE, proprietor of the Poole 
Brass Foundry, at Butler, owns a business 
which he has been successfully carrying on 
in this city for some years. He was born 
May 30, 1854, in England, and in his native 
land acquired his education and learned 
the trade of molder. 

In 188-4 Mr. Poole came to America and 
located first at Alliance, Ohio, where he 
entered the shops of the Morgan Engineer- 
ing Company, where he remained for four 
years and then went to Pittsburg. In that 
city he soon entered the employ of the 
Westinghouse Manufacturing Company 
and continued with that concern for eleven 
years, working in the foundry department. 
From there he came to Butler and for two 
years was with the Butler Engine and 
Foundry Company and for one year with 
the Evans Manufacturing Company. In 
1901 Mr. Poole embarked in business for 
hipiself, establishing the Poole Brass 
Foundry, and in 1906 he erected his pres- 
ent building. He has associated his two 
sons, James and Grover Poole, with him 
in business and they give employment to 
a large force and have a large volume 
of trade. 

In 1884, prior to coming to America, 
Mr. Poole was married to Miss Janet 
Cochran and they have six chldren : James 



and Grover, above mentioned; Albert A., 
who is in the employ of the Butler Car 
Wheel Company; Elizabeth, who is a stu- 
dent in the Franklin School ; Frank, and 
Jessie. Mr. Poole and family belong to 
the Episcopal Church. In his political 
preferences he is a Democrat. Fraternally 
he belongs to the Odd Fellows, the Wood- 
men, the Mystic Chain and the Sons of 
St. George. 

CHRISTIAN HENRY THIELEMAN, 

whose fertile farm of 108 acres is situated 
in Adams Township, carries on a general 
farming line here and gives some attention 
to the oil business, having two wells on his 
land. He was born in Allegheny, Penna., 
October 13, 1851, and is a son of William 
and Wilhelmine (Nemyer) Thieleman. 

Both parents of Mr. Thieleman were 
born iu Germany, in the same province, 
and both came to America and to Pitts- 
burg, before marriage. William Thiele- 
man crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1845 
and he found his first work in America 
on steamboats running between Pittsburg 
and New Orleans. He then went into the 
hotel business in Allegheny City. After 
his marriage, in 1857, he moved to Butler 
County and settled in what was then Cran- 
lierry but is now Adams Township. He 
bought his farm from John Dunn, in ]853, 
a tract of uncleared land which he lived on 
during the rest of his life. He was a man 
of great industiy and developed an ex- 
cellent farm, in which he took justifiable 
pride. He survived to the age of eighty- 
four years, his death taking place May 2, 
1908. His widow, who was born two days 
later than her husband, still survives. Of 
their ten children, four died in infancy, the 
names of the others being: Christian 
Henry, Herman, Sophia, wife of M. Mar- 
shall ; Mandana, William Lewis, and Mary. 

When his parents moved to Butler 
County, Christian Henry was not more 
than six years old and from boyhood had 
to work hard and had fewer school ad- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



10] 7 



vantages than many others, who, however, 
have developed into no more capable farm- 
ers or intelligent men than himself. When 
he was first put to the plow it was di=awn 
by oxen. Mr. Thieleman has changed all 
the old ways of farming, has done a large 
amount of improving to his present prop- 
erty, and is numbered with the substantial 
men of this section. 

In April, 1886, Mr. Thieleman was mar- 
ried to JNliss Caroline Thieker, of Adams 
Township, who died in the same year. In 
October, 1888, he was married (second) to 
Miss Mary Hespenheide, a daughter of 
William Hespenheide, who came to Butler 
County from Hanover, Germany. They 
have four children, namely: Frances Wilda, 
Raymond, Earl William, and Verna. Mr. 
Thieleman and family belong to the Luth- 
eran Church at Mars and he is a member 
of the board of trustees. In politics he is 
a Democrat. He has never been anxious 
to hold office, but has consented to be a 
school director and is serving most accept- 
ably in his ninth term. 

C. E. McINTIRE, who occupies a prom- 
inent position in the business world of 
Butler, is a member of the Mclntire-Wil- 
letts Manufacturing Company, which man- 
ufactures and deals in gas and gasoline en- 
gines, draughting patterns and machine 
work, together with automobile repairs 
and supplies. Mr. Mclntire has been 
identified with the interests of Butler foi 
the past eighteen years. He was born in 
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, in 1851. 

After a limited i^eriod of schooling, Mr 
Mclntire went to work in the oil fields in 
Bradford, Pa., and later in mercantile 
business in Salamanca, N. Y., and from 
that time on has been interested in tlie oil 
business in the Pennsylvania fields, be- 
coming a large dealer and producer. On 
coming to Butler he engaged in the oil 
busiiiess and is the only independent oil 
dealer in the city. In the face of competi- 
tion, his perseverance and excellent busi- 



ness methods have brought him success in 
this line. In 1907 he established the Mc- 
Intire-Willetts Manufacturing Company 
and he also established an automobile gar- 
age repair and supply house and took the 
agency for the Buick automobile. 

In 1871 Mr. Mclntire was married to 
Miss Anna McGee, of Clarion County, and 
they have five children, the three sons, 
George, Robert Roy and Harry, being 
associated with their father in business; 
and both daughters, Edith and Grace, be- 
ing married. The former is the wife of 
O. W. Strayer, of Butler, and the latter is 
the wife of S. C. Kelly, also of Butler. In 
his political views, Mr. Mclntire is a Pro- 
hibitionist. Fraternally he is connected 
with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of 
Maccabee. He is a member and was one 
of the organizers of the Second Presby- 
terian Church of Butler, has been a mem- 
ber of the Board of Trustees since its 
organization and was instrumental in 
building the present fine church. 

MRS. PRISCILLA DAVISON, a repre- 
sentative of one of the oldest families in 
Butler County, residing on the home farm 
in Penn Township, in which she is well 
known and highly esteemed, was born in 
Forward Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a daughter of Alexander 
and Mary Harris (Lyon) Douthett. 

Few people can trace a clearer ancestry 
than can Mrs. Davison, the family records 
having been preserved as far back as her 
great-grandfather, who was named Joseph 
Douthett. He was born in County Ar- 
magh, Ireland, and with his wife Rosanna, 
emigrated to America at an early day and 
settled for a time in Washington County, 
Pennsylvania. In 1799 he came to what 
is now Butler County and settled on a farm 
in Forward Township, and there both he 
and wife died and their remains rest in the 
Douthett family cemetery. 

Benjamin Douthett, grandfather of Mrs. 
Davison, was born in County Armagh, 



1018 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Ireland, aud accompanied his parents to 
America, })robably in 1772. He married 
Jane Smith, who died in 1847, whom he 
survived for three years. They are buried 
also in the old family cemetery at Browns- 
dale. Of their nine children, Alexander, 
father of Mrs. Davison, was the sixth in 
order of birth. 

Alexander Douthett was born in Avhat is 
now Forward Township, where he grew to 
manhood and engaged in farming. In the 
last year of the Civil War he enlisted for 
service, but hostilities closed before his 
regiment had left Pittsburg. In 1872 he 
purchased the present farm where Mrs. 
Davison lives, and here both he and wife 
died. He was a Republican in his political 
views and he served Penn Township as 
school director and as supervisor. He 
married a daughter of James R. Lj^on, who 
was a farmer in what is now Adams Town- 
ship. There were eight children born to 
this marriage, namely: Elizabeth, James 
R., Priscilla, Mary, Henry, who died aged 
twenty-one years, Ordilla, and two who 
died in infancy. 

Priscilla Douthett grew to womanhood 
under the care of a good mother and wise 
father and obtained her education in the 
country schools. On September 20, 1876, 
she was united in marriage with Robert 
Davison. He was born in Adams Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, Sep- 
tember 7, 1848, and died November 10, 
1899. He engaged in farming and was a 
well known and respected citizen. In poli- 
tics he was a Democrat. Mrs. Davison is 
a member of the United Presbyterian 
Church of Brownsdale. 

THO.MAS EDWARD KERR, one of 
Mars' enterprising and successful grocery 
merchants, was born in Slippery Rock 
Township, Butler County, Penna., October 
1, 1871, and is a son of Milton Bruce and 
Alary (Coover) Kerr, and a grandson of 
Thomas and Elizabeth (Forsythe) Kerr. 

The grandfather, Thomas Kerr, was 



born in Scotland and came to Pennsyl- 
vania in early manhood. He was a stone 
mason by trade aud he did a large amount 
of stone work in Slippery Rock Township, 
Butler County, where he also accpiired a 
farm. . He married after settling in But- 
ler County and became the father of the 
following children : Milton Bruce ; Thomas : 
James; Jennie; Rebecca, wife of William 
H. Curran; Jessie, wife of N. H. Thomp- 
son; and Catherine, wife of Thomas 
McCamey. 

Milton Bruce Kerr was born in Slippery 
Rock Township, Butler County, in 185(3, 
and spent his boyhood on the home farm. 
He then learned the tanning- business with 
Perry Coovert, in Slippery Rock Town- 
ship, and continued to be interested as 
long as the business was profitable, after 
which he became a manufacturer of staves, 
having a stave yard at Butler, and for six- 
teen years he made staves for the Stand- 
ard Oil Company. In 1895 he moved to 
Mars and from then until he retired, was 
engaged in the oil business. He married 
Mary Coovert, a daughter of Perry Coo- 
vert, and they had four children: Marga- 
ret, who is the wife of S. T. Herr; Thomas 
Edward; Perry, who is engaged in a drug- 
business at Mars ; and Ada, who is the wife 
of Dr. McGeorge, a practicing physician at 
Enon Valley. 

Thomas Edward Kerr was afforded ex- 
cellent educational advantages, completing 
his education with two years at the Slip- 
pery Rock Normal School. He gained his 
mercantile experience as a clerk in the 
employ of the firm of Bard & Son, general 
merchants, where he continued for four 
years. In May, 1895, he came to Mars and 
l)urchased his present commodious gro- 
cery store from A. C. and E. Zeigler. He 
is a wide-awake business man and has a 
high commercial rating. 

On June 19, 1906, Mr. Kerr was married 
to Miss Olive Campbell, who is a daugh- 
ter of J. C. Campbell, of Adams Town- 
ship. In politics he is identified with the 




MR. AND MRS. THOMAS X' SMI 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



lOL'l 



Democratic party. He belongs to the or- 
der of Modern Woodmen. He was reared 
in the United Presbyterian Church. 

EUGENE SCHAEFER, the capal^le 
manager of the Butler brewing plant of 
the Independent Brewing Company of 
Pittsburg, was born in 1866, in Gerniiany, 
and was about twelve years of age when 
he came to America. 

Mr. Schaefer's education was completed 
in the public schools of Allegheny and at 
Duff's Business College at Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, where he was graduated in 
1882. His uncle being engaged in the 
brewing business, offered the nephew a 
place in his plant and Mr. Sehaefer re- 
mained there until 1889. From there he 
went to the Bauerstein Brewing Company 
and continued with that concern for nine 
years, after which he conducted a hotel at 
Millvale for eight years. After disposing 
of his hotel interests, Mr. Sehaefer was out 
of business for about one year, taking a 
much-needed rest, and during this time he 
enjoyed a trip through the Great Lakes. 
In March, 1907, he came to Butler, first 
as bookkeeper for the Butler Brewery, of 
which he was later made manager. He is 
a thoroughly experienced man in this in- 
dustry and has proved a very capable 
executive. He owns stock in the Inde- 
pendent Brewing Company of Pittslnirg. 

In 1889 Mr. Sehaefer was married to 
Miss Caroline Dohr, of Millvale, and they 
have three children, Elsie, Eugene and Ed- 
ward. Mr. and Mrs. Sehaefer are mem- 
bers of the German Catholic Church. He 
belongs to the order of the Knights of St. 
George, the Catholic Mutual Benevolent 
Association and- to the Heptasophs. 

THOMAS V. SMITH, a prominent citi- 
zen of Allegheny Township, who has been 
identified with the oil industry more or 
less continuously ever since 1872 and is a 
contractor and driller of gas and oil wells 
and for some years also a producer, owns 



an excellent farm of sixty-seven acres in 
this part of Butler County. He was 
born January 18, 1859, in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Robert H. and Eleanor J. (Van Tine) 
Smith, the former of whom was born in 
Forest County and the latter in West- 
moreland County, Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Smith's ' (•liil(1li()(i(l was siKMit in 
three States— Pcimsvlvanin. Illiin.i> and 
Iowa — and he was tniu-tccn years old when 
he accompanied his i)areuts to Butler 
County and with them settled in Allegheny 
Township, which has practically been his 
home ever since. He attended school here 
but soon entered into work in the oil fields 
and in one capacity or another has been 
connected with gas and oil interests ever 
since. He is a member of the firm of 
Royal Brothers, oil producers, of Butler, 
and also of the firm of Stefty & Smith, oil 
and gas well drillers and contractors. 

On December 25, 1879, Mr. Smith was 
married to Miss Mary L. Grant, who is a 
daughter of Robert and Nancy Grant, the 
latter of whom still survives and resides 
in Allegheny Township. Mr. and Mrs. 
Smith have had seven children, the sur- 
vivors being: Ardell V., Harrv A., Rob- 
ert G;., Marion D. and Paul R. " Ardell Y. 
married Georgia Henderson and they have 
one daughter, Lola L. Hari-y A. married 
Maud Gaugaware and they have one 
son, Kirsey 0. Mr. Smith and wife are 
members of the Allegheny Presbyterian 
Church, and he is a trustee of the same. 
He has been a strong advocate of temper- 
ance for many years and votes with the 
Prohibition party. Personally he is known 
as a man of sterling character. 

ROSS MECKLING BOWSER, oil pro- 
ducer and member of the firm of R. M. 
Bowser & Son, general merchants at Ren- 
frew, was born in Valley Township, Arm- 
strong County, Penna., December 8, 1847. 
and is a son of Matthias P. and Sarah Ann 
(Baum) Bowser. 



102: 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Matthias P. Bowser, who is one of Arm- 
strong County's most venerable citizens, 
resides on his farm in Boggs Township, on 
Pine Creel<, within five miles of Kittan- 
ning. He was born near Worthington, in 
Armstrong County, in 1819, and is a son 
of Peter Bowser, who died in Boggs Town- 
ship when in his ninety-ninth year. In his 
early manhood, Matthias P. Bowser oper- 
ated a ferry at Kittanning for Ross Meck- 
lin, and then accompanied his parents to 
Valley Township, Armstrong County, and 
later engaged in farming and teaming near 
Pine Creek furnace. When the Civil AVar 
broke out he enlisted under Captain Ell- 
wood, in Company C, Seventy-eighth Regi- 
ment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, and 
served through three years without injury 
except a short period of imprisonment. 
After the close of his military service he 
bonght the farm on which he has lived ever 
since. In spite of his advanced age he is 
in good health and possesses all his facul- 
ties and has lost but one of his natural 
senses, for the past three years having 
been blind. As a leading Democrat of his 
township, he was frequently, during his 
active years, elected to local offices. His 
aged wife also survives and they lioth are 
valued members of the United Presbyte- 
rian Church. He married a daughter of 
John Baum. She was born in Westmore- 
land County, Pennsylvania, May 25, 1825, 
and was seventeen years of age when she 
accompanied her parents to their new 
home in Valley Township, about ten miles 
northeast of Kittanning. The children of 
Mr. and Mrs. Bowser were ten in number, 
the following being tlie survivors : Wilson 
L., residing near Parker's Landing; Ross 
M. ; Harvey P., residing on the old home- 
stead; Hettie, wife of Henry Troutman, 
of AVorthington ; Sarah, residing at Kit- 
tanning; Madison, living in New Castle; 
Templeton, residing at Alliance, Ohio; J. 
Neal, living in Indiana; Rebecca, wife of 
Nish Schreconghost : and George B. Mc. 

Ross M. Bowser, like manv another suc- 



cessful man, has mainly made his own way 
in the world. He is self educated and 
early learned to depend upon his own re- 
sources. Through early manhood he en- 
gaged in teaming and farming but in the 
spring of 1870 he went to Parker's Land- 
ing and after several years of teaming in 
that section, in the meanwhile quietly pros- 
pecting, he bought an old oil well and thus 
entered into a business which has resulted 
most profitably. Later, he acquired utiier 
oil property, went to Edinburg and drilled 
wells there, then went back to Parker's 
Landing in 1880, and had the usual suc- 
cess and failure of oil operators. In 1884 
he came to Renfrew and entered into part- 
nership with his brother-in-law, P. P. 
Kiser, and in the following vear became 
sole owner of the lumber business. This 
was the first lumber firm at this point and 
'Mr. Bowser still continues to deal in lum- 
ber, doing a large amount of shippmg. In 
1890 he started a general store, in associa- 
tion with his son, H. M. Bowser, under the 
firm name of R. M. Bowser & Son, the 
scope of which covers dealing in oil well 
supplies, lumber, agricultural implements 
and building materials, in addition to gen- 
eral merchandise. The firm is operating 
oil wells in both Penn and Forward Town- 
ships. Mr. Bowser is interested in four 
wells that are twenty-eight years old and 
are still pumping, producing, all together, 
six barrels of oil per day. He has an in- 
terest in eleven wells in all, one of which 
he bought seventeen years ago, from 
Young Brothers. It then produced two 
and three-fourths barrels, but he increased 
the production and for the past sixteen 
years has filled a 150-barrel tank monthly 
from this one well. In his business rela- 
tions Mr. Bowser has sustained his reputa- 
tion for honesty of purpose and fair deal- 
ing. 

On August 14, 1871, Mr. Bowser was 
married (first) to Amanda Ross, daughter 
of Benjamin Anthony, of Valley Town- 
ship. Of the children born to this marriage 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



10:1^ 



five grew to maturity, namely: Harry M., 
who is interested with his father in "their 
various enterprises; Jessie, deceased, who 
was the wife of Samuel Purvis; Frank, 
who lives at home; Flodia Z., who married 
Wesley Kline, of Mars; and Forest, who 
resides at home. Mr. Bowser was married 
(second) to Christma Zimmerman, - a 
daughter of Jeremiah Zimmerman, of Pine 
Township, now Boggs Township, Arm- 
strong County, Penna. Mr. Bowser and 
family attend the Presbyterian Church. 
In his political sympathies he is a Demo- 
crat, but he takes no active interest in 
campaign work. 

DETMORE W. DGUTHETT, whose 
magnificent farm of 225 acres lies in Adams 
Township, has spent the whole of his use- 
ful and busy life in Butler County, Penna., 
where he was born October 15, 1849. His 
parents were Benjamin and Rosauna 
(Rea) Douthett. 

The Douthetts are of Irish stock and 
the grandfather, Benjamin Douthett, came 
to America from Ireland. Here his son 
Benjamin was born, one of a family of 
seven boys and two girls. The second 
Benjamin Douthett acquired a large 
amount of land in Butler County and be- 
came a very successful farmer. In his 
younger years he had the reputation of 
not only covering a wheat field with his 
ci'adle faster tlian any of his companions, 
but also outstripped them when the next 
part of the work was undertaken, on one 
occasion raking and tying 110 dozen of 
sheathes of wheat in one day, a remark- 
able accomplishment. In 1880 he pur- 
chased the farm now owned by Detmore 
W., from Armstrong Irving, and owned 
other land at the time of his death, which 
took place after he had retired to ]\Iars, 
when he was aged seventy years. His 
widow survived him some years. They 
had the following children: Anna, de- 
ceased, who was the wife of James Orr; 
Detmore Wallace; John A., deceased; 



Mary, who is the widow of Levi Park; 
Amanda, who is the widow of Frank Fer- 
guson; and Margaret, who is the wife of 
B. Owens. 

Detmore W. Douthett w^as reared on the 
old home farm in Adams Township and 
assisted in finishing its clearing and later, 
after his father purchased the present 
farm, cleared it also. His education was 
not neglected and after he left the district 
schools he attended an academy conducted 
by Rev. Barnes. Later Mr. Douthett 
bought the farm on which he lives and here 
carries on general farming and stockrais- 
ing. He has made all the excellent im- 
provements on this property in the way of 
erecting substantial buildings, and is also 
developing oil on his land. He is one of 
the prosperous farmers and representative 
citizens of Adams Township. 

On November 6, 1879, Mr. Douthett was 
married to Miss Sarah Jane Stoup, who is 
a daughter of James M. and Elizabeth 
(Crawford) Stoup. They have one child, 
Millie L. 

The Stoup family is of German extrac- 
tion and the grandfather of Mrs. Douthett, 
David Stoup, came to Pittsburg, Pennsyl^ 
vania, from the East, and taught school 
for a number of years, being a scholarly 
man. James M. Stoup was born at Pitts- 
burg and led an agricultural life, owning 
a farm in Allegheny County, which is the 
property of his widow, a highly esteemed 
lady, now in her seventy-eighth year, re- 
siding at Mars. In that town James M. 
Stoup died in 1896, aged seventy-three 
years. He married Elizabeth Crawford 
and they had three children: Sarah J.; 
Margaret A., wife of Albert Park; and 
Robert, who died in infancy. 

DAVID L. KIRKPATRICK, formerly 
engaged in the coal and teaming business 
at Renfrew, now living retired after a life 
of most honorable activity, was born in 
Armstrong Coimty, Penna., January 10, 



](ll'4 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1837, and is a son of .loliii and Xaucy 
(Larimer) Kirkpatrick. 

James Kirkpatrick, the grandfather, 
came to Armstrong County, from Franklin 
County, about 1790, and settled on Cherry 
Run, some ten miles from the old Indian 
town of Kittanning. It was a courageous 
undertaking, for Indians still abounded 
and as the sequel jiroved, were yet danger- 
ous. With the help of his nearest neigh- 
bors, although they lived many miles dis- 
tant, he cleared a spot in the forest and 
there built a log house for himself and 
bride. On the morning of April 28, 1791, 
while a visitor was at the place, an In- 
dian wounded him severely, while others 
surrounded the cabin indicating savage in- 
tentions. The annals of Armstrong County 
relate the events of this jirobably last mur- 
derous assault made in this section l)y In- 
dians, and tell of how the babe of the fam- 
ily was injured in its mother's arms and 
how she, brave pioneer woman that she 
was, hastily molded bullets for her hus- 
band's musket, with which he watched 
through a loophole to ward off tlie assail- 
ants. He killed two of the savages and 
saw one escape into the forest and the 
])arty was seen no more. The visitor, a 
militiaman, was, however, fatally wound- 
ed. Grandfather Kirkpatrick lived for 
many years, served as a soldier in the War 
of 1812 and his remains peacefully lie in 
the old cemetery of the Glade Run Presliy- 
terian Church near Dayton. 

John Kirk])atrick, father of David L., 
was born in Armstrong County and died 
in 1856, when aged seventy -five years. By 
trade he was a carpenter and he worked 
also as a miller and farmer. His mill was 
located near Sewickleyburg. He sold his 
property there and moved to Allegheny 
City, where he lived for some years ])efore 
retiring, and there he died. In politics 
he was a Whig; in religion he was a Pres- 
l)yterian. His eight children have all 
passed out of life, with the exception of 
David L., who was the youngest. The 



others were: James; Mary, wife of David 
A. Renfrew; Andrew Robert; Elizabeth, 
wife of John Holland; Harriet, wife of 
Andrew Bangs ; and William. 

David L. Kirkpatrick was about ten 
years old when his parents moved to Alle- 
gheny and he was sixteen years of age 
when he accompanied his brother James to 
Center Township, Butler County, where he 
remained engaged in farming until after 
his marriage, when he located at what is 
now the pleasant village of Renfrew, but 
was then only a piece of the wilderness. 
There he engaged in farming for his 
brother-in-law, David A. Renfrew, for two 
years, and then settled on his father-in- 
law's farm, where he lived until 1862, when 
he enlisted for service in the Civil \Var. 
He entered Company E, One Hundred 
Sixty-ninth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer 
Infantry, and remained in service for nine 
months, until July, 1863, doing garrison 
duty at Y^orktown. He was then ordered 
to join the Army of the Potomac and four 
days after reaching Gettysburg was given 
an honorable discharge. For a num])er of 
years after his return to Center Townshi]) 
he continued to farm there, Init in 188() he 
came to Renfrew, just after the excitement 
in this section owing to the discovery of oil. 
He established a coal yard and a teaming 
business, which his sons still carry on. As 
a coal merchant he was known from one 
section of the township to the other, so ex- 
tensive was his business, his shipments for 
a time being three and four car loads a 
day. He retired from business carrying 
with him the cordial friendship and re- 
spect of those witli whom he had had com- 
mercial relations covering more than a 
decade. 

On October 16, 1858, Mr. Kirkpatrick 
was married to Martha J. Ramsey, who 
was born January 16, 1838. She is a 
daughter of James and Elizabeth (^lax- 
well) Ramsey, of Center Townshi)), where 
her grandfather was one of the earliest 
settlers. Of the famiU' born to Mr. ami 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1025 



Mrs. Kirkpatrick, the following grew to 
maturity: William M. and Robert, resi- 
dents of Butler; John L., residing at Ren- 
frew; Leslie B., residing at Butler; Mary, 
wife of Lawrence, McCandless, living at 
Butler; Gertrude, wife of William Me 
Lauglilin, residing at Butler; and Everett 
M. and David L., residents of Renfrew. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are members of 
the Second Presbyterian Church at Butler. 
He belongs to the"Butler Post of the (Ji-ar.d 
Army of the Rei>ublic. In politics he is 
identified with the Republican party. 

JAMES E. WISE, who is general luaii 
ager of the Etna Manufacturing Company, 
one of Butler's imi)ortant enterprises, 
which is engaged in the manufacture of 
gas and gasoline engines and oil and water 
pumps, is a i)ractical machinist and the 
inventor of certain valuable devices in his 
line of work. He was born in 1870, in Arm- 
strong County, Pennsylvania, and has 
spent his life mainly in Butler and Arm- 
strong- Counties. 

When i\Ir. Wise left school he entered 
the Ball Engine Works at Butler and 
served his machinist ,i]iprenticeshii) there 
and then was coinicctcd for one year with 
the Garvin Machine Com)>any, in New 
York Cit^^ where he completed his train- 
ing. During the two following years he 
was employed by the firm of Larkin & 
Palm, at Butler, and from there went to 
Pittslnirg, and foi- some years was with 
the Westinghouse ])eo])le. When he re- 
turned to Butler he bought an interest in 
the Etna Manufacturing Company and 
since 1903 he has been manager of the 
same and during these five years he has 
tripled the capacity of the plant. Mr. 
Wise has studied his trade on every side 
and has not been contented with being an 
expert workman and caijable executive, 
but has been constantly experimenting and 
inventing new machines and methods. He 
was the first man to conceive the idea 
which he has embodied in several i^atented 
devices, notaltly his i-eversible belt driver 



and his pumping and pulling jack. These 
machines are made in all sizes and are in 
very general use. 

In 1895 Mr. Wise was nuirried to Miss 
Ella B. Thompson, of Butler Coimty, and 
they have two children. Brooks and Paul. 
]^Ir. and Mrs. Wise are members of the 
Second Presbyterian Church of Butler. 
His fraternal connections are with the 
Knights of ^Malta, the Knights of Pythias 
andtlie Woodmen of the World. 

GEORGE II. KNAELL, a leading busi- 
ness man of Mars, where he is conducting 
a grocery store with every evidence of 
success, has been a resident of Butler 
County since 1896. He was born on his 
father's farm in Illinois, December 16, 
1872, and is a son of George and Rosa 
(Lauffer) Knaell. 

The grandparents of Mr. Knaell came 
from Germany to Illinois and the father 
died when George Knaell was only six 
months old. He grew to manhood there 
and then purchased land of his own and 
married Rose Lauffer, who was a native 
of Pennsylvania. In 1878, when there was 
so much excitement in regard to the value 
of oil lands in Pennsylvania and especially 
in Clarion County, the parents of (icmge 
H. Knaell sold their farm in Illinois and 
moved to Knox, Clarion County, Pennsyl- 
vania. The father engaged in drilling for 
a time in the oil fields but subsequently 
returned to farming and both he and 
wife still survive. Their children were: 
George H., Jacob, Lewis, John and Ida. 
Three children died young. 

George Henry Knaell was six years old 
when the family came to Pennsylvania and 
he grew up on his father's farm in Clarion 
County and obtained his education in the 
public schools. AVhen nineteen years old 
lie went into the oil fields and followed tool 
dressing and drilling until 1902, when, 
with his brother Jacob, he engaged in a 
butchering business at Mars, which they 
continued for eighteen months and then 



1026 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



sold out. Later, George H. Knaell bought 
his i^resent well stocked store from John 
P. Miller and has done a fine business ever 
since. He has taken an active interest in 
the affairs of the borough and since 1906 
has been president of the Board of Health. 
He has invested in property here and owns 
his business house on Pittsburg Street and 
a comfortable residence which stands on 
Spring Avenue. 

In June, 1896, Mr. Knaell was married 
to ]\liss Anna Theiker, a daughter of the 
late Henry Theiker, of Adams Township, 
and they have two children: Kenneth and 
Eugene. Mr. and Mrs. Knaell are mem- 
bers of the United Presbyterian Church, 
in which he is a trustee. In politics he is 
a Democrat.. Fraternally, he has member- 
ship with the order of Modern Woodmen. 

ALBERT C. TROUTMAN, district at- 
torny of the district including Butler, is a 
leading member of the bar of this city and 
the junior member of the law firm of Jack- 
son & Troutman. He was born in 1875, 
at Butler, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Adam Troutman, one of the most promi- 
nent citizens of this section. 

Mr. Troutman was reared in his native 
city and was graduated from her public 
scliools in 1894. After this he entered 
Washington- Jefferson College, where he 
pursued liis studies until 1898, when he 
was graduated with the degree of B. S. 
He then made a special study of the law, 
entei-ing the law department of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania, where he was 
graduated in 1901. In the same year he 
was admitted to practice, in Allegheny 
County, opened an ofSce at Pittsburg, and 
continued in the work of his profession 
there until April, 1903, when he came to 
Butler. Here he entered into a law part- 
nership with John H. Jackson, under the 
firm name of Jackson & Troutman. Mr. 
Troutman 's abilities have been recognized 
and appreciation shown by his election to 



the office of district attorney, in November, 
1907. 

In 1905 Mr. Troutman was married to 
Miss Lillian Miller, who is a daughter of 
G. AVilson Miller, of Butler, Pennsylvania. 
Mr. and Mrs. Troutman are members of 
the Lutheran Church. 

JACOB DAMBAUGH, a leading citizen 
of Zelienople, who has large realty inter- 
ests both in this city and in Butler County, 
was born in Jackson Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1848. He 
is a son of Adam and Christina (Goehr- 
ing) Dambaugh. 

The parents of i\Ir. Dambaugh were born 
in Germany, the father coming to America 
in early manhood, and the mother when 
seven years old. Adam Dambaugh resided 
for some years in Jackson Township, But- 
ler County, from which he removed to 
Connoquenessing Township, Avhere he 
owned a farm. He died in 1870, aged 
sixty-two years. His wife was a daughter 
of John Goehring, who had brought his 
family to Butler County in her childhood. 
To this m.arriage were Ijorn four sons and 
three daughters. 

Jacob D.iiiibaugh was five years old 
when liis )iarcnts moved into Connoquenes- 
sing Township and he continued to make 
his home there until 1890, when he moved 
to Harmony and two years later to Zelie- 
nople, in the same year erecting his pres- 
ent comfortable residence and four other 
houses "on New Castle Street and four on 
Spring Street. He still retains his valu- 
able farm of 160 acres, situated in Con- 
noquenessing Township, on which he fol- 
lowed farming and stock raising prior to 
moving to Harmony. He has also been 
more or less engaged in the oil business 
for some years. In all his enterprises he 
has shown the good .iudgnicnt that marks 
the successful business: man. 

^fr. Dambaugh w.-is married (first) to 
Miss ]\rargaret Staff and they had six chil- 



AXn REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



10-29 



dren, namely: Adam Edward, residing 
at Zelienople, is a widower and has four 
cliildren, Ellen, Gertrude, E^lorence and 
Clarence; Peter Ezra, residing at Zelie- 
noi)le, married Miss Jeanetta Eicholtz 
and they have three children, Loring 
Grace and Thora; George Washington, 
residing at P^llwood City, married Miss 
Virginia Butler and they have two chil- 
dren. Marguerite and John; Laura Louisa 
married A. G. Eicholtz and they live at 
Zelienople and have one child. Margai-ct; 
Dora Matilda married Howard Zeiglcr and 
they live on New Castle Street, Zelienople, 
and have one child, Clayton Leroy; and 
Elizabeth Ellen, who still goes to school. 
Mr. Daml)augh was married (second) to 
Miss Sarali C. Haller, who was born in 
Jackson Townshij), Butler County, and is 
a daughter of Charles and .Mar\- (.Muntz) 
Haller. .Mr. Haller was ,-i w.'ll known 
miller. 

Mr. and ^Irs. Damliaugli arc mciuhcrs 
of St. Peter's Reformed Church at Zelie- 
nople. In politics he is a Republican. He 
takes an active interest in public affairs, 
has served six years as a memlier of the 
town council at Zelienople and for many 
years he was a meml)er of the School 
Board of Connoquenessing Townshij). 
For the past two years Mr. Dambaugh has 
been president of the German Mutual Fire 
Insurance Company of Zelieno])le. He is 
one of the town's best and nu)st i)ul)lic- 
s])irited citizens. 

ROBERT ^1. ANDERSON, a leading 
citizen of Penn Townshi}), residing on his 
well cultivated farm of fifty acres, on 
which there are three producing oil wells, 
was born near Prospect, in Franklin 
To^niship, Butler County, Penna., Ajuil 
2, 1843, and is a son of James D. and 
Mary (Martin) Anderson. 

The paternal grandfather, John Ander- 
son, was born in Belfast. Ireland, and be- 
fore coming to America, was engaged in 



business as ;i weaver of hosiery, but after 
he settled in Franklin Townshi]), Butler 
County, he followed agrimltural pursuits 
exclusively until the closi' of his life. He 
died in 1866, when agc(l eighty-nine years. 

James D. Anderson, father of Robert M., 
was born near Belfast, Ireland, in 1816. 
and was sixteen years old when he accom- 
panied his ])aren'ts to America. They set- 
tled in Butler County in 1833 among the 
])ioneers of Franklin Township. James D. 
Anderson eugage(i in a mercantile busi- 
ness at Prospect for some years, but his 
main business through life was farming. 
He was a man of high standing in his 
community and frequently was elected to 
offices of responsibility, serving in a num- 
ber of local positions, and from 1876 to 
1878 was registrar and recorder of Butler 
County. He and wife were prominent 
members of the Presbyterian Church, in 
which he was a ruling elder. He married 
M;ny Martin, who was a daughter of Rob- 
ert :Martin, The latter came to Butler 
County from Ireland and for many years 
was a prominent farmer in Connoquenes- 
sing Township. He recruited a company 
for the War of 1812 and served as its 
ca])tain. To James D. Anderson and wife 
were born eight children, the eldest of tlie 
family being Robert M. and the others fol- 
lowing: John F., residing at Butler; 
Elzie II.. residing at Pittsburg; Mary, 
widow of ^^ \ V. Seaman, residing in Penn 
Township; Elizabeth J., deceased, for- 
merly wife of William Martin; Ennna, 
deceased; William C, residing in Penn 
Township; and Margaret Florence, wife 
of Charles (iraliam, residing in Penn 
Township. 

lvol)ert AI. Anderson has followed farm- 
ing ever since he completed his school 
attendance, and he remained on the home 
farm until after his marriage. In 1878 he 
l)urchased his ])resent ]iroperty and car- 
ries on general farming and derives a 
good income, also, from his t>il wells, his 



1030 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



land seemingly being of value in whatever 
way he uses it. He has substantial build- 
ings and comfortable surroundings. 

Mr. Anderson married Martha Miller, 
a daughter of Philip Miller, of Penn 
Township, and they have three children, 
namely: Clarence 0., who is a Presby- 
terian minister having a charge at Belle- 
ville, Mifflin County; Mary J., who is the 
wife of Jacob Henninger, of Butler; and 
Jessie A., who resides at home. The 
family belong to the First Presbyterian 
Church, My. Anderson being an elder. 

In 1862, Mr. Anderson enlisted for 
service in the Civil War, and was in the 
army for nine months as a member of 
Company F, One Hundred Thirty-seventh 
Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, and 
is a member of Reed Post, G. A. R., at 
Butler. In politics he is a Democrat, as 
was his father before him, and he has 
served in a number of offices in the town- 
ship, including school director, overseer 
of the Poor and as justice of the peace. 
He continues to be one of the township's 
respected nnd re]iresentative citizens. 

A. C. ZIE6LER, a prominent citizen of 
Butler County, burgess of Mars and a 
leading business man of that place, of 
which he was postmas^ter for cii^lit xcais, 
has been a resident of this count v since 
1888. He is a son of Cliristoi)irer and 
Caroline (Schwab) Ziegler. 

The father of Mr. Ziegler was liorn in 
Germany and was a young man when he 
came to America and settled in Clarion 
County. Pennsylvania, where he engaged 
in a lumber business and operated a grist 
mill, was a substantial business man. He 
married Caroline Schwab, daughter of 
Henry Schwab, a native of Germany, and 
they had eight childi-en, two surviving to 
maturity. Edward and A. C. Edward 
Ziegler engaged in the oil business and 
went to Brush Creek during the height of 
tlie oil fever there, prospered, and later 



located at Mars, but died in Illinois, in 
1906. The father died when his youngest 
son, A. C, was one year old and then the 
mother returned to her father's home in 
Venango County, where her boys were 
reared, but died at Mars in April, 1908. 

A. C. Ziegler taught school in Venango 
Township for six terms, after completing 
his own education, and then became inter- 
ested in the oil business. Later he sold 
his oil interests and with his brother went 
into partnershij) in a general store busi- 
ness at Mars, buying out the stock and 
good will of T. M. Marshall & Son. Nine 
months later the firm lost everj'thing by 
fire and business was not resumed until 
after the Zieglers had built the present 
Ziegler brick block, when A. C. Ziegler 
conducted a shoe store for a time in that 
part of it now used by the Mars Bank, 
which has it imder rental. At the present 
time A. C. Ziegler is still half owner of 
the building. Later he established his 
present business at the place where he 
now carries it on, having Ross Brown for 
a |)artner at first, and later, his present 
associate, C. H. Schwab, who bought the 
Brown interest. Mr. Ziegler has pros- 
pered in his business undertakings and 
for many years he has also been an in- 
fluential factor in county politics. He has 
freciuently served as a delegate to county 
and Congressional conventions of the Re- 
publican party, and locally has served as 
township auditor and as school director. 
.Vside from his business at Mars, where 
lie conducts a large clothing, gents' fur- 
nishing and shoe store, he serves as secre- 
tary and treasurer of the Planet Oil Com- 
l)any. As burgess he has given the town 
an excellent administration. 

In September, 1897, Mr. Ziegler was 
mar]'ied to Miss Maude Campbell, who is 
a daughter of James Campbell, and they 
have two children: Raymond and Laverne. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ziegler are members of the 
Methodist E])isco])al Church, of which he 
is a trustee. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1031 



WILLI A.M Z. MURRIN and JOHN 
MURRIN, lawyers, jji-actieing uuder the 
firm style of Murrin & Murrin, sons of the 
hite John and Mavy (Fielding) Miirrin, 
were born at Mnrrinsville. They received 
tlieir preliminary educations at that place 
and tlieir college educations at Grove Citj^ 
College. 

Wiiliain Z. .^lurrin was admitted to 
])ractice law in 1893 and in 1894 fonned a 
]jartner.ship with Jacob M. Painter which 
continued until 1903 when the present 
partnership of Murrin & Murrin was 
formed. 

John Murrin was admitted to practice 
law in 1900, and from that time until the 
formation of the partnership with his 
brother, already mentioned, in 1903, was 
associated with T. H. C. Keck, in the 
]U'actice of the law. 

Both subjects of this sketch are Demo- 
crats in politics, and members of the 
Roman Catholic Church. 

AUGUSTUS FREDERICK WERNER, 
a representative agriculturist and promi- 
nent citizen of Aclams Township, whose 
140 acres of valuable land is divided into 
two equal farms, through both of which 
runs the Baltimore & Oliio Railroad line, 
was born in Germany, August 6, 1846, and 
is the eldest son of Ernest and Eva 
(Brining) Werner. 

The parents of Mr. Werner were T)oni 
in Germany, grew up in the same neigh- 
liorhood and married there. The father 
was a tailor by trade. In 18.53 the family 
came to America, safely landing in the 
United States after a tiresome voyage of 
five weeks on the Atlantic Ocean. They 
settled at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. There 
were seven children born to Ernest Wer- 
ner and wife, namely: Wilhelmina, who 
married Jacob Nixon; Maria, who mar- 
ried Uriah Cooper; Mary, who married 
John Trout; and Ferdinand, John. Ileui-y 
and Augustus F. 

Augustus F. Werner was seven years 



old when the family came from Germany. 
The father found no work at his trade in 
Pittsburg and on a peddler's wagon the 
family came on to Evans City and were 
given shelter over night with George lift, 
a fellow countryman. From there the 
Werners went on to the farm of Christian 
Metz, a former acquaintance and friend, 
who lived in Jackson Township, Butler 
County, for whom the father worked for 
the following three months. He then 
rented a farm in Adams Township, from 
Isaac Covert, lived on it for three years 
and then rented Henry Bolhorst's farm 
for four years, and later 100 acres from 
Thomas Wilson, also in Jackson Town- 
ship. Four years later he rented a farm 
for two years in Cranberry Township, and 
then bought eighty acres on Connoquenes- 
sing Creek, in Forward Township. On 
that place the father died when aged 
seventy-five years. The mother survives 
and still enjoys life although aged eighty- 
nine years, being one of the most vener- 
able ladies in Butler County. 

While the family lived on that farm, 
Augustus F. Werner was married to Fan- 
nie Burr, of Forward Township, and then 
removed to his wife's mother's farm and 
conducted it for two years. He then, in 
1878, purchased forty-five acres of his 
liresent farm, from Hayes Davis, and has 
])ut vp all the buildings. When he started 
out for himself he had but $50, but he 
proved an excellent manager and invested 
in farm land from time to time, as he be- 
came able, and through his industry, fru- 
gality and forethought, has become a man 
of ample estate in his section. He carries 
on a general farming line and keeps cows 
for dairv pur])Oses, shipping his milk to 
Pittsburg. 

Mr. and Mrs. Werner have had eight 
children, three of whom died of an epi- 
demic, within three weeks of each other. 
They were: Lewis, who was aged eleven 
years; Emma, aged nine years; and 
Amelia, aged seven years, all three being 



1032 



TITRTOEV OF BUTLER COUNTY 



nmisually bright and interesting children. 
The otlier five survive, as follows : John, 
who married Nancy Metz, now deceased, 
has one child, Mabel; Minnie; Laura, 
who married Frank Davis, has two chil- 
dren, Maria and Frances; and Charles 
and Nellie. Mr. Werner and family be- 
long to the Lutheran Church, in which 
he is an elder. In politics, he is a Demo- 
crat and has frecjuently been elected to 
township offices, and has served in them 
honestly and efficiently. 

CHARLES R. MILLER, one of But- 
ler's enterprising business men, proprietor 
of the Miller Torpedo Company, both 
dealer and manufacturer, was born in 
1877, at Carbon Center, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, a son of James W. Miller. 

Charles R. Miller was educated in his 
native county. As soon as he was per- 
mitted to leave school, he was anxious to 
provide for his own support and first 
worked in a meat market, going from 
there to the S. G. Purvis Lumber Com- 
pany, and later was connected with a gro- 
cer3^ store for one year. For two years 
he woi'ked at the tin trade, leaving it 
when an opportunity was offered to enter 
the employ of the Humes Torpedo Com- 
]iany as bookkeeper, and he remained with 
that concern for six years. Each position 
he had held had taught him something and 
after his experience with the torpedo com- 
pany he decided to engage in the same 
line of manufacture. As soon as he could 
comj^lete his arrangements he established 
the Aliller Torpedo Company, at Freedom, 
Beaver County, continuing alone until he 
concluded to take a partner and retire 
from the service, and in the fall of 1907, 
he admitted E. J. Wallace to partnership 
and the latteT has charge of the works. 
IMr. Miller has had his home in Butler for 
about twenty-two years. 

In November, 1896, Mr. Miller was mar- 
ried to Miss Kate Wagner, of Columbus, 
Indiana, and they have two children: 



James V. and Charles Russell. Mr. Miller 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He is a Thirty-second Degree 
Mason, a Knight Temi)lar, member of the 
]\Iystic Shrine at Pittsburg, Blue Lodge at 
Rochester, Pennsylvania, and of the Com- 
mandery and Consistory at Pittsburg. He 
belongs also to the Elks. 

DAVID FORSYTHE, one of Penn 
Townshi])'s reiirt'scutative agriculturists 
and most respected citizens, resides on his 
excellent farm of titty acres, which he has 
l)iaced under fine cultivation. Mr. For- 
sythe was born on this farm, July 31, 1850, 
and is a son of James and Elizabeth (An- 
derson) Forsythe. 

James Forsythe was born in Count.v 
Derry, Ireland, December; 11, 1805, and 
was a son of John and Martha (^larshall) 
Forsythe. His father died in Ireland, 
After which the mother accompanied her 
son to the United States. From Philadel- 
phia to Butler County, the travelers came 
b.y wagon, stopping for a short time in In- 
diana County, but subsecpiently coming on 
into Penn Township, where James For- 
sythe invested in 212 acres of vmcleared 
land, one-half of which he later sold to his 
brother, John Forsythe. Before coming to 
America, James Forsythe followed tlie 
trade of weaver, but afterward he devoted 
himself entirel.v to farming. He married 
a daughter of James Anderson, who was 
an early settler near Evans City, and to 
.1 allies Forsythe and wife were bora six 
chililren, namely: Mai'tha, deceased, wife 
of John Henry; John A.; Eleanor, de- 
ceased; James and Robert, twins, the for- 
mer of Ijawrence County and the latter 
deceased; and David, of Penn Township. 
The parents were members of the Cov- 
enanters' Church. 

David Forsythe has always resided on 
the old homestead and cherishes his mem- 
ories of the kind but strict father and the 
gentle, loving mother who for many years 
presided over a home that was a particu- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1035 



larly happy one. With his brothers and 
sisters he attended the country schools and 
ilid his part in carrying on the farm work. 
Since he has engaged in farming- for him- 
self he has devoted the larger part of his 
land to tile cultivation of corn and oats and 
raises sufficient stock for his own use. He 
is a good, law-abiding citizen but takes no 
active interest in politics. For many years 
lie has been united by membership with the 
I^eformed Presbyterian Church of North 
Tnion and has served as cme of its 
trustees. 

JOHN STEVENSON, a well known oil 
]iroducer of Parker Township, residing on 
iiis farm near Bruin, Pennsylvania, was 
Ik)iii December 5, 1851, near Simbury, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Michael M. and Elizabeth (Greer) 
Stevenson, and a grandson of Samuel 
Stevenson, the family lieing of Irish ex- 
traction. 

^lichael M. Stevenson settled in Parker 
Township a shor't time previous to the 
Civil War and for a number of years re- 
sided near Bruin, but later removed to 
Cherry Township, where his death oc- 
curred several years ago. Of the children 
liorn to Michael M. and Elizabeth (Greer) 
Stevenson four survive, namely: Samuel, 
who resides in Clay Township; James, 
who lives in Cherry Township; John, liv- 
ing in Parker Township on the homestead, 
and Sarah, i-esiding near Sunbury. 

John Stevenson was reared in his native 
townshii), and his education was secured 
in the public schools of Bruin. In early 
manhood he engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits, in which he has continued to the 
lucsent time, and for a number of years 
lie has also been successfully connected 
with the oil industry. A Prohibitionist 
in his political views, Mr. Stevenson has 
taken more than ordinary interest in local 
matters, and he is also ])rominently identi- 
fied with educational interests of Parker 



Township, now serving in the capacity of 
school director. 

Mr. Stevenson was married to Nancy A. 
Hall, a native of Butler Covmty, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they have had eight children, 
as follows: Michael M., Lucy May, 
Thomas L. (deceased), James C, Min- 
nie B., Hattie B., Eva G. and John M. 
Minnie B. is teaching school in Parker 
Township. Lucy May has also taught in 
Parker Township. Minnie B. is a gradu- 
ate of Slippery Rock State Normal School. 
Lucy May, possessing musical talents, is a 
teacher on the piano. Michael M. is a 
producer of oil and also a tool dresser. 
James C. is interested in wells with his 
father and is making the oil business his 
special feature. Eva G. and John M. are 
both pupils of the Bruin High School. 

Mr. Stevenson is a meml^er of the Pro- 
tected Home Circle Lodge of Glenora. He 
belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
of Bruin, and is now serving as a steward 
and trustee. He is known as a man of 
honesty and integritj- and has many wann 
l)ersonal friends throughout the township. 

LOUIS WOHLGEMUTH, whose fifty 
acres of valuable land is situated in Adams 
Township, has been a resident of Butler 
County since 1896. He was born Decem- 
ber 12, 1856, in Alsace-Lorraine, France, 
and is a son of Frederick and Mary 
(Kulm) Wohlgemuth. 

Mr. Wohlgemuth 's life record contains 
many interesting details. He comes of an 
old military family and of one that has 
followed the blacksmith trade through 
generations. His great-grandfather was 
a blacksmith, and his grandfather, Louis 
a blacksmith in a cavalry regiment in the 
service of the great Napoleon. Frederick 
Wohlgemuth, the father, was a native of 
fair Alsace-Lorraine, as had been his 
father, and he owned his own shop and for 
years prospered in his trade. For seven 



1036 



IllSTOKV OF BUTLER COUNTY 



years he served in a Freucli artilleiy regi- 
ment. He died in France, in 1875, aged 
sixty-two years, survived by his widow un- 
til 1902. They had three children: Fred- 
erick, who died in France in 1908; Charles, 
who came to America in 1871, is a minister 
of the Evangelical Association faith. and is 
connected with the Ottawa Circuit, in 
Ohio; and Louis. 

When Louis Wohlgemuth was three 
years old he was sent to school and he at- 
tended regularly until he was fourteen, 
France at this time being under the rule 
of Napoleon III. When his father judged 
that his son had acquired sufficient book 
knowledge, he took him into his shop in 
order to instruct him in the family voca- 
tion, and there young Louis remained un- 
til he was eighteen years of age, by which 
time he had become an expert worker at 
the trade. He then took a trip, as was the 
custom, to practically demonstrate his 
skill, and this journey led him through his 
own country, through Switzerland and 
Italy and also through a portion of Ger- 
many. Thus he reached his twenty-second 
year and on account of the disturbed con- 
ditions in his native land, the French hav- 
ing just then been overcome by the Ger- 
mans, he began to think of the great coun- 
try across the Atlantic Ocean, to which 
many of his comrades had already depart- 
ed. The Germans began to fill up their 
depleted regiments with the young men of 
France, compelling the latter to serve, and 
Mr. Wohlgemuth was even drafted into 
the German horse artillery. He deter- 
mined then to leave his own eountrj' rather 
than serve in the army of its conqueror, 
watched his opportunity and deserted 
from the German regiment, took passage 
on the ship St. Lawrence, and after a voy- 
age of eleven days, reached the United 
States. Ten years later this ship that 
brought him to freedom was wrecked. 

Mr. Wohlgemuth located in Pittsburg, 
Penna., where he worked at his trade for 
four years and then bought a shop at Etna, 



in Allegheny County, which he conducted 
for seven years. In 1881, during his resi- 
dence in Allegheny County, he joined the 
Pennsylvania State Guards, becoming a 
member of Company E, Eighteenth Regi- 
ment, in which he served for four years 
and in which he became so expert in sharp- 
shooting that he secured a medal. He 
finally retired from the service on account 
of an injury done to his thumb which pre- 
vented his handling a gun in a soldierly 
manner. After selling his shop at Etna, 
Mr. Wohlgemuth opened one at Myonii} 
and conducted it for four years and then 
sold out and bought his present farm from 
the Marburger estate, and has followed 
general fanning ever since. 

On October 30, 1901, Mr. Wohlgemuth 
was married to Miss Lydia Kline, who is 
a daughter of Nicholas and Elizal)etli 
(Berringer) Kline. Her father was born 
in Bavaria, Germany, in 1816, and came to 
America when aged twenty-two years and 
for twelve years lived at Hannony, Butler 
County. He then bought a farm in For- 
ward Township, on which he died in 1893. 
He married Elizabeth Berringer, who was 
born in Hessen, Germany, in 1830, and 
died in 1903. They had' four children: 
Mary, wife of George Hartung; and John, 
William and Lydia. Mr. and ]\[rs. Wohlge- 
muth have two children: Alma Elizabeth, 
born April 26, 1903; and Paul Frederick, 
born February 27, 1907. Formerly Mr. 
Wohlgemuth was a Lutheran, but later he 
united with the Evangelical Church. In 
jiolitics he is a Republican and he has 
sei'ved his township very efficiently as su- 
jiei'visor. 

In 1891 Mr. Wohlgenuith paid a visit to 
his old home but he found it no longer 
B'rench and was advised that if he re- 
mained he would be subjected to a heavy 
fine and made to serve in the German 
army. Hence he immediately dej^arted for 
Switzerland and there he had some diffi- 
culty in drawing money from a bank on 
account of having no one to identify him. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1037 



This identifioatiou was finally made in a 
(Hirious way. In his yonth an old Irish 
sailor fre(|uently visited his father's shop 
and while there tattooed the arm of Louis 
AVohlgemutli with its owner's name, and 
years afterward this indelible mark served 
to relieve Mr. Wohlgemuth from an un- 
pleasant position. 

JOSEPH M. MoCANDLESS, master 
mechanic, with the Standard Plate Glass 
Comi)any, at Butler, has been identified 
with this large business enterpiise since 
the s})ring of 1890. He belongs to an old 
IJutler County family and was born Marcli 
12, 18(i7, in Connociuenessing Township. 
The McCandJess family has been connect- 
ed with this section for generations. 

Jose])h M. ^fcCandless was reared to l)e 
a farmer but his tastes and talents lay in 
another direction, and after the close of 
his school period, he went to Pittsburg and 
there served an apprenticeshi}) of three 
years with the old Fisher Foundry and 
Machine Company. For one year longer 
he worked as a machinist at Pittsburg and 
then came to Butler, where he was in the 
employ of the Ball Engine Company for 
three months, on March 24, 1890, coming 
to the Standard Plate Glass Company, 
starting in at lathe work and being ad- 
vanced until he was made foreman and for 
several years has been in his i:)resent re- 
sponsible position, of master mechanic. 

Ml-. McCandless was married (first) in 
bS!);;, to Miss Cora Renno, who left three 
childi'en, Mary, Margaret and Milton. Mr. 
McCandless was married (second) in Feb- 
ruary, 1908, to Myrtle Gillman. They are 
members of the German Lutheran Church. 

-lOlIN LECIINER, (me of Butler Town- 
sliii>'s most esteemed citizens, now living 
retired after a long and successful agri- 
cultural life, still retains his valuable and 
fertile farm of 100 acres. Mr, Leclmer 
was 1)orn in Wurtemberg, Germany, Jan- 



uary 10, 1831, and is a son of John Michael 
and Christina (Renner) Lechner. 

John Michael Lechner was born in 1785 
in Germany, and in 1842, accompanied by 
his wife and their four children, came to 
America and in the same year settled in 
Donegal Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania. He was a pioneer in this section 
and found wild conditions prevailing, but 
he possessed German thrift and industry 
and before his death, in 1869, had convert- 
ed his land into valuable property. Four 
of his children grew to maturity, namely: 
Mar}', now deceased, was the wife of Gott- 
leib Soossa; Margaret, deceased, was the 
wife of Henry Hoover; Catherine, de- 
ceased, was the wife of John Frederick; 
and John, who is the only member of his 
family now living. John Michael Lechner 
was an elder and trustee in the German 
Lutheran Church at Millerstown. 

John Lechner was reared and attended 
school at Donegal Township. He remained 
on the home farm until 1884, when he 
bought his present property in Butler 
Township, which was formerly known as 
the old Tracy farm. Al)out sixty acres are 
under cultivation and the laud \ icids large 
crops of corn, oats, wheat and hay, and 
since the father has retired it is managed 
by the sons. 

Mr. Lechner married Catherine Freder- 
icks, a daughter of Peter Fredericks of 
Summit Township, and of their eight chil- 
dren, the following survived childhood: 
Christina, residing at home; Christian, 
residing on the fann in Donegal Town- 
ship; Peter, residing at home; Adam B., 
operating the home farm, who married 
Emma Manny and has one child, Delia; 
William, and Catherine, residing at home; 
and Caroline, wife of John A. Pierce, a 
resident of Lisbon, Ohio. Mrs. Lechner 
died September 11, 1902, aged sixty-nine 
years. The family is a leading one in the 
German Lutheran Church in this section. 

.Mr. Lechner is a very intelligent and 



1038 



HTSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



well iufonned man and takes much interest 
in general matters, but he is no politician. 
He has long been identified with the old- 
time Democratic party. In 1864 he became 
a member of Company U, Ninet.y-seventh 
Eegiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try, and served from September into the 
following year when the Civil War closed. 

GEORGE A. KAUFFMAN, whose val- 
uable farm of ninety acres is situated in 
Adams Township and lies on both sides of 
the Evans City road, near Callery, carries 
on general farming and dairying and is 
numbered with the substantial men of this 
section. He was born August 27, 1852, in 
Beaver County, Penna.. and is a son of 
Albert and Elizabeth Kauffman. 

The parents of Mr. Kauffman were ))otli 
born in Germany. The father was ten 
years old when he accompanied his father, 
Casper Kauffman, to America, and until 
the close of his life he called the six weeks 
spent on the Atlantic Ocean as a most won- 
derful experience. His father settled in 
Beaver County, Penn., and continued to 
reside on a farm imtil his sons had all left 
home, when he retired to Rochester, where 
he worked at his trade, that of tailor, until 
the close of his active life. He had the fol- 
lowing children: Casper, Albert, George. 
Catherine, Emma, Mary, Sarah and Eliza- 
beth. George Kautfman served as a sol- 
dier in the Civil War and at present re- 
sides in Ohio. 

Albert Kauffman was the eldest son of 
the above family to reach manhood. After 
leaving home he bought a small farm in 
Beaver County and conducted a store in 
connection with tilling his land. Later he 
rented a farm in Butler Coimty for three 
years, and then sold his Beaver County 
farm and bought 227 acres in Adams 
TowBshi]), Butler County, from Charles 
Gibson. He completed its clearing and 
continued to improve it as long as he was 
in active life. He died here in 1884, aged 



sixty-six years. His wife had come to 
America in girlhood, and was forty-two 
years old at the time of her death. Their 
children were: Sarah; John; George Al- 
bert; Rachel, who married Calvin Davi- 
son ; Samuel ; Mary, who married Lafay- 
ette Dimbar, deceased; Emma, who mar- 
ried David Davison; Catherine, who mar- 
ried Milton Garvin; and Albert, who died 
young. 

George A. Kauffman was young when 
his |)arents moved to Butler county, and 
he remained on the home farm and subse- 
([uently inherited fifty acres of it, to which 
he later added forty more acres by pur- 
chase from his brother Samuel. It is all 
fine land and Mr. KaufTman has devoted 
himself to its careful cultiyation. Since 
1884 he had been engaged in the dairy 
business and ships his milk to Pittsburg 
and Allegheny. 

On December 12, 1876, ^h: Kauffman 
was married to Angeliue Dobson, who is 
a daughter of Solomon Dobson, and they 
have eight children, namely : Blanche, who 
married Frank Neeley, has one child, 
Helen; Catherine, who is the widow of 
Harry Hepler; Ira, deceased; Birda, who 
married Laura Miller; Alva, deceased; 
and Beulali, Mary and Mildred. "Sir. 
Kauffman and family belong to the Pres- 
byterian Church. In politics he is a Re- 
imblican. He has always taken a hearty 
interest in educational affairs in his town- 
ship knd at ]iresent is serving as a school 
director and has been a member of the 
Adams T">\vnslii)i School Board and also 
the Callery Srlu.ol IJoard. 

S. W. GREER, a member of the firm of 
Greer & Garroway, manufacturers of 
packing boxes, is numbered with Butler's 
representative business men. He was 
bom November 10, 1853, in Jefferson 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Thomas Greer. The late 
Thomas Greer, father of S. W., was born 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1039 



in Ireland and was brought to America by 
Ills parents when eight years of age. He 
came to Butler County in 1823, working 
lirst as a ('arjienter and later becoming a 
fanner. 

S. W. (Jreer learned the eariienter's 
trade with his father and for some 
years engaged in carpenter work and then 
entered into a general contracting busi- 
ness. In 1888 he came to Butler and for 
three years was engaged in a dairy busi- 
ness and then embarked in a manufactur- 
ing line, making handles for about a year. 
From that he started into the manufacture 
of packing-boxes and conducted a protit- 
alile l)usiness for some ycais, and later en- 
tered into partnership with Mr. Garroway, 
since which time the husiness has been ex- 
l>anded, trade relations extended and 
hirger (juarters secured. Mr. Greer is 
iuterested in the East Oakland Land Com- 
]iany, being a large stockholder. 

In 1881 Mr. Greer was married to Miss 
Ennna C. Graham, of Dauphin County, 
Pennsylvania, and they have six children : 
-Mary, Clara, Julia, Isabel, John and 
Thomas. Mr. Greer and family are mem- 
bers of the English Lutheran Church. In 
his political views he is a Republican. 

SAMPLE LOVE, a successful general 
farmer, residing in Butler Township, 
where he is known for his progressive 
methods and excellent business capacity, 
was born February 26, 1853, in Butler 
County. Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Samuel and Mary Ann (Crosby) Love. 

The father of Mr. Ijove was born in 
County Derry, Ireland, where he was in- 
structed in the art of weaving and worked 
at that trade until he was eighteen years of 
age, when he came to America and shortly 
afterward bought a farm in Summit Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Hi ring- 
men to work his farm, he took the contract 
to carry the mail between Butler, Frank- 
lin, New Castle, New Brighton and Beaver 



Falls, and for thirty-five years he contin- 
ued this duty with fidelity to the Govern- 
ment and faithfulness to the people who. 
put their interests into his hands. In 1855 
he bought a farm in Butler Township but 
continued to carry the mail initil 1876 and 
after giving up that work he retired to pri- 
vate life. In politics he was a Democrat. 
He married Mary Ann Crosby and they 
had the following childreia: James. Rob- 
ert. Jane. Rachel, Mary, Elizabeth, Re- 
becca and Sample. The parents were 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church. 

After completing his school attendance 
in Butler Township, Sample Love spent 
one year learning the work of a carpenter, 
but has devoted the main part of his life 
to agricultural jmrsuits. During tlie Civil 
War, when but nine years old, he assisted 
his father in carrying and protecting the 
mail, riding on horseback. After his mar- 
riage he settled on a rented farm and now 
cultivates sixty-five acres of fine land 
which, under his management, yields 
enormously. He keeps ten head of cattle 
and sells his milk by the wholesale. After 
raising enough produce and grain to feed 
his stock he yearly has a surplus to sell. 
Mr. Love has proven himself an excellent 
business man and considers his success in 
great part due to his industry combined 
with his real interest in farming. He is a 
good citizen, but his farm and the demands 
of his family always come before any 
political concerns in the community, and 
while others may be seeking office, he is 
deciding on methods to increase the pro- 
duction of his land. Mr. Love votes the 
Democratic ticket. 

In young manhood Mr. Love was mar- 
ried to Nancy J. Campbell, and they have 
had thirteen children born to them, 
namely: Dora, Mar.y, Alice, Charles, Liz- 
zie, William J., Ella, Florence, Gertrade, 
Samuel, Harry W., Myrtle, Grace and 
Frank. Mr. Love, with his family, at- 
tends the United Presbyterian Church. 



1040 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



JOHN M. ELRICK, cashier of the First 
National Bank, and a liighly esteemed 
citizen of Harrisville, was born April 30, 
1860. at Harrisville, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of Dr. and Mary 
.lane (Bkick) Elrick. 

I)r. Elrick was born in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, where he obtained 
his early education. After graduating 
from Jefferson College of Philadelphia he 
came to Butler County, locating at Har- 
risville, and was the first physician to 
locate in that vicinity. He married Mary 
Jane Black, whose father conducted a 
store at Harrisville, and of their union 
were born the following children: Eliza- 
beth, married James Walker of York, 
Pennsylvania; John M., the subject of 
this sketch; Robert, a physician of Petro- 
lia, Pennsylvania; Ernest R., a druggist 
of Harrisville, and two who died during 
infancy. Dr. and Mrs. Elrick are still 
]-esidents of Harrisville. 

Joim l\l. Elrick attended the common 
schools of Harrisville and later took a 
course of study at Grrove City, after which 
lie engaged in the drug business at Harris- 
ville for some time. He then sold the busi- 
ness to his brother and engaged in the oil 
business until 1903, when he became cash- 
ier of the First National Bank of Harris- 
ville, the bank having been established at 
that time. 

Mr. Elrick is a Democrat in politics and 
has served five years as justice of the 
peace of Harrisville. He is a memlier of 
the Masonic Order, Grove City Lodge 
No. (503, and his religious connection is 
with tlie Presbyterian Church. 

CHARLES GERLACH, whose death 
took place November 27, 1907, was one of 
Butler County's prominent business men 
and the owner of the largest dairy farm in 
this section of Pennsylvania. He was a 
man who was respected for his business 
integrity and was esteemed for his vir- 
tues as husband, father, neighbor and 



friend. Mr. Gerlach was born in Ger- 
many, a country which has contributed 
many citizens of worth to America, on 
December 12, 1842. His parents were 
Jacob and Gertrude Gerlach. 

In 1852 Charles Gerlach accompanied 
his i)a rents across the Atlantic Ocean to 
America. They settled on a farm in But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, not far from 
Harmony, and after examining property 
in various directions, finally bought a 
farm which was situated about three miles 
west of Butler, and on that farm Charles 
Gerlach grew to manhood. While he re- 
mained at home he assisted his father, but 
when he had reached his legal majority, 
he started out to accumulate for himself, 
and for several years worked hard in the 
oil country. When possessed of sufficient 
capital, he embarked in a mercantile busi- 
ness at Mt. Chestnut, which he continued 
there for three years and then transferred 
his business to Greece City, for another 
tlii-ee years, going from there to St. Joe 
for three years and then spent three years 
in the same line at West Sunbury. From 
that place he removed to Euclid and after 
seven years of merchandising there, went 
into the creamery business. This industry 
Mr. Gerlach carried on very successfully 
on his farm near Harrisville, but the time 
came when he needed better facilities, find- 
ing these and also a rich outlying terri- 
tory in Slippery Rock Township, where 
he acquired 253 acres of fine land, to- 
gether with a second farm, three miles 
distant, of 156 acres. In his sons, Mr. 
(ierlach found steady, industrious young 
men' and he associated them with him and 
the dairy and creamery business is con- 
tinued with yearly increasing prosperity. 
After coming. to this property, a modern, 
finely-equipped creamery was built and 
seventy cows are kept to supply the milk. 
It is a very large industry and its prodi;cts 
are known all over the county. The fann 
is conducted along modern lines and scien- 
tific methods. Two valuable silos have 




CHARLES GERLACH 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1()4:J 



been built on the place, botli of large 
dimeiLsions. 

On November 1, 1870, while engaged in 
Ills mercantile business at Mt. Chestnut, 
Mr. (lerlacii was married to Miss Mar- 
garet A. Hutchison, who is a daughter of 
George and Marj^ (Larimer) Hutchison. 
Mrs. Gerlach was born and reared in Oak- 
land Township, Butler County, belonging 
to one of the old and prominent families 
of that section. To this rmion eleven chil- 
dren were born, as follows: William C, 
who died aged thirtj^ years; Edward Mc- 
Cune, who died aged eleven months; 
Blanche, who married Samuel Bovard, of 
Mercer Township, and has six children — 
Kenneth, Aileen, Hilda, Ray, Donald and 
Paul ; Frank, who is manager of the home 
farm; (Jeorge A., who died aged twenty- 
six years, married Jennie Morrison and 
left two children, Norman and George; 
Cora, who married Brice Miller, has three 
children, Clara, Catherine and Alma; 
Charles, who resides at home; Harvey, 
who married Luella Bortz, and lias two 
children, Irvin and Harvetta; and Roy, 
Elmer and Clair, all at home. 

Mr. (ierlach was a man of resolute will 
and a practical habit of mind and also pos- 
sessed great energy, all these things or he 
would not have been able almost by him- 
self, to have become a man of such ample 
fortune and a leading factor in ever.y com- 
munity in which he lived. For political 
affairs he cared very little but he gave to 
schools and religious enterjjrises and was 
particularly liberal to the Lutheran 
('hurcli, with which he had lieen united 
for many years. 

JAMES B. VANCE, oil producer, one 
of Butler's most substantial citizens, has 
lieen identified with the oil industry almost 
continuously since he entered into busi- 
ness. He was born in 1855, at West Sun- 
bury, Butler County, Pennsylvania. His 
father, David Vance, was born at Balti- 
more, ]\rarvland, but lived in Butler 



County from early manhood. David was 
a tailor by trade. 

James B. Vance attended school in his 
native place until he was seventeen years 
old and then started out for himself, going 
immediately to the oil fields. He assisted 
in putting down the first wells in the Fox- 
burg oil district. Ever since he has been 
concerned in oil production, being inter- 
ested at times both in Pennsylvania and 
New York, and at the present writing 
(1908) he has producing wells in Clear- 
field Township, Butler Coimty, and is en- 
gaged in drilling in Concord Township. 
He is one of the experienced oil men of 
this section and has been wise in his selec- 
tion of fields for operating. He has also 
made investments in real estate in the 
northei'u ))art of Butler, where he has 
erected and sold a number of residences. 
He takes (juite an interest in politics, being 
a Republican, but seeks no political honors. 

In 1877 Mr. Vance was married to Miss 
Martha Jane Allen, a native of Butler 
County, and they have three children, 
namely : Nina, who is the wife of John J. 
Martin, of Dayton, Armstrong Coimty, 
Pennsylvania, and has one son, Arthur 
Vance; Clarence Bert, a resident of But- 
ler; and Gertrude, I'esiding at home. Mr. 
Vance and wife are members of the First 
Presbyterian Church of Butler. 

WILLIAM L. SPEAR, who, for a num- 
ber of years lived the life of a retired 
citizen of Butler, for many more years 
was an active business man at different 
points and through a long life he displayed 
those qualities which brought forth the re- 
spect and esteem of those witli whom he 
was associated. He was born in Berks 
County, Pennsylvania, and died at Butler, 
in 1872, aged sixty-one years. His father 
was William Undsey Sjiear, formerly a 
resident of Williamsburg, Blair County, 
Pennsylvania. He was born October 3(1, 
1811, and died November 24, 1872. 

William L. Spear learned the business 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of uiaiiufacturing pig iron, with Henry 
Spang, wliose daughter he afterward mar- 
ried, and following his marriage he built 
a furnace and forge, at Rockland, in 
Venango County and did a large business 
for those days. " In 1848 he sold that plant 
and came to what is now Rough Run, in 
Winfield Township, Butler County, where 
he built a furnace and continued to oper- 
ate it imtil 1856. From there he moved to 
Ironton, Ohio, where he continued in the 
furnace and iron business until 1864, when 
he came to Butler County. For a number 
of years he was in business at Tidioute. 
but" his health failed and he retired to 
Butler. 

Mr. Spear married Miss Elizabeth il. 
Spang, who was a daughter of Henry 
Spang, who was a man of wealth which 
he gained through the manufacture of 
iron. There were eight children born to 
this marriage, seven of whom grew to 
maturity, namely : Matilda E., who is the 
widow of Judge James Bredin, of Butler; 
Henry S., deceased; Annica H., deceased, 
who was the wife of George Hosford, of 
Ironton, Ohio; Charles W., who resides at 
Indianapolis; Mary J.; Frank D., de- 
ceased; and Clarissa, deceased, who was 
the wife of W. E. Lawrence. William L. 
Spear and wife were members of the 
Presbyterian Church. He was a strong- 
supporter of the Republican party from 
its beginning and in early days was inter- 
ested in what is termed the Under-ground 
Railroad. He was a member of the Odd 
Fellows, at Butler. 

LEWIS RADER, one of Forward 
Township's most substantial citizens, re- 
sides on a finely improved farm of 145 
acres. He was liorn at Petersville, Butler 
County, August 15, 1858, and is a son of 
Peter "and Caroline (Sheaver) Rader. 

Peter Rader was born in Germany, and 
shortly after his first marriage, emigrated 
to the United States ; he settled on a farm 
near Middle Lancaster, in Butler County, 



Pennsylvania, where he was living at the 
time of his wife's death. He formed a 
second union there with Miss Caroline 
Sheaver, who also was born in Germany, 
and was eight years old when her father, 
Henry Sheaver, moved with his family to 
the United States. In the spring of 1858, 
Mr. Rader moved to Petersville, Butler 
County, and settled on the farm now owned 
by his son, William H. Rader, in Forward 
Township. In 1894 he and his wife re- 
tired from farm life and located in the 
village of Petersville, where Mrs. Rader 
died in 1900, at the age of sixty-eight 
years. He survived her some five years, 
dying in the city of Butler in 1905, at the 
age of seventy-four. He was a hard- 
working, industrious man, and accumu- 
lated a handsome property, being the 
o^Amer of some three hundred acres of land 
at his death. He and his wife were par- 
ents of the following children : Mary, 
wife of George Briggle; Mai'garet, wife 
of Ferd Feigel ; Lewis; Elizabeth, wife of 
William May; Emma, deceased wife of 
James Steen; and William H. 

Lewis Rader spent his boyhood days on 
the home farm in Forward Township, and 
Avhen a young man learned the cai-penters' 
trade, which he followed for eight years. 
He also worked in the oil fields for a time, 
and prior to his marriage lived for one 
year at Akron, Ohio. He purchased his 
present farm of 145 acres from Jacob 
Galbach, and is engaged in general farm- 
ing. In connection with his brother, 
William H. Rader, he is the owner of 640 
acres in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. 
He has eight producing wells on his home 
farm, from which he derives a good in- 
come, and he and his brother are owners 
of the Rader Gas Company of Petersville. 

May 8, 1882, Lewis Rader was joined in 
marriage with Margaret Stewart, a daugh- 
ter of Thomas and Mary Ann (McBridge) 
Stewart, and they are parents of four 
children : Mabel : Harriet, wife of Albert 
Spithaler; Precious, and Anna. Relig- 



AND J^EPRESF.NTATIVE CITIZENS 



1045 



iously, the family lielongs to the Reformed 
rhuri'h. Mr. Rader is a Republican in 

])oliti('s. 

F. .1. HUFF, one of Butler's substan- 
tial and representative business men, who 
handles his own real estate and carries on 
a contracting plumbing business, was born 
December 29, 1854, at Niles, Michigan. 
^^^leu Mr. Huff was about twelve years 
old, his parents moved to South Bend, In- 
diana, a bustling, tmsy, industrial city, and 
there he comi)leted his school attendance 
and began learning the i)lumbers' trade 
when he was seventeen years of age. He 
then went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he 
lived for seventeen years, carrying on a 
])lumbing business in that city until March, 
1887, when he came to Butler and estab- 
lished himself in Imsiness as a contracting 
l)lumber. His work has stood the test of 
time and he is recognized as one of the 
most capal)le and reliable ciintractors in 
his line. 

In 1877 Mr. Huff was married to Miss 
Theresa Kline, of Cleveland, and they 
have two children: Forest, who is a bari- 
tone opera singer with New York as his 
home; and Frank Henry, who is a dental 
surgeon ])racticing at Cleveland. Ohio. 
Mr. Huff is a mend>er of the fraternal 
order of Foresters. 

WILLIA.M PRINCH.E, oil i)n)aucer in 
Butler Township, was l)orn in Jjiberty 
Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 
])ecem1)er 5, 1851, and is a sou of James R. 
and Phebe (Braden) Pringle. 

•James R. Pringle was boi-n in County 
Ai'mngh, Ireland, and was eighteen yeai-s 
of age when he came to America with his 
]3arents. William Pringle remembers his 
venerable grandfather, who died in Lib- 
erty Township, aged eighty-tive years, 
when he was ii boy of sixteen. James R. 
Pringle kept a stoie in Mercer County for 
some fifteen years after his marriage and 
he served also as a justice of the peace 



there for some ten years. He resided 
during this time at Portersville, where he 
also had a hotel. Later he came to Butler 
and engaged in a grocery business but re- 
tired from activity some years before 
his death, which occurred in 1892, when 
he had reached the age of seventy-two 
years. He married a daughter of Robert 
Braden and they had seven children, 
namely: George, deceased; William; Mar- 
garet, who married William M. Dickason, 
of Quincy, Illinois; Hezekiali B., who re- 
sides in Illinois; James M., who is also 
a ]-esident of Illinois; Ida M., who mar- 
lied J. R. Woodruff', of Quincy, Illinois; 
and one died in infancy. The parents of 
this family reared their children in the 
faith of the United Presbyterian Church. 
By a second marirage Mr. Pringle had two 
sons. Robert S. and Frank. 

William Pringle was reared and edu- 
cated in Mercer County. In 1872 he began 
work in the oil tields and in 1883 he be- 
gan operating on his own account, on his 
present farm of thirty acres. As he has 
eight ]iroducing wells, he does not pay a 
large amount of attention to agriculture. 

Mr. Pringle married Lucretia Kistler, 
who is a daughter of John G. Kistler, of 
Leeclibnrg, Union County, and they have 
two children — James R., residing at home; 
and li'alph B., living at Butler." Mr. and 
Mis. Pringle are members of the United 
Presbyterian Church. In politics, he is an 
inde]>en(lent voter, casting his ballot for 
the candidate who, in his opinion, will best 
cai'ry out the laws of the land. Frater- 
nally, he belongs to the Odd Fellows ami 
Encampment at Butler, to the Elks, Royal 
Arcanum and the Pathtinders. He is one 
of the substantial and rei)resentative men 
of his section. 

EUGENE E. WICK, a ])romiuent and 
re])resentative farmer of Mercer Town- 
sjii)). is descended from sterling German 
ancestry, and was born on the old home 
place in Harrisville, June 4, 1852. He is 



1046 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



a son of Robert Kerr and Bulina (Rath- 
bun) Wick and a grandson of Daniel- Wick. 

The Wick family was originally estab- 
lished in this country by the great-grand- 
father of our subject, he having emigrated 
from Germany and located in New Jersey. 
Daniel Wick, grandfather of Eugene E., 
at an early period came from New Jersey 
and settled on a large tract of land in 
Mahoning County, Ohio, where he subse- 
(juently died. He served in the War of 
the Revolution. He reared a family of 
.six children: Anna, married Isaac Kim- 
mel ; Robert, father of our subject; Mary, 
wife of J. T. Hurst ; Daniel M. ; Phoebe J., 
married a Mr. Seaton; and H. H., all of 
whom are now deceased. 

Robert Kerr Wick was boi-n in Coits- 
ville, Mahoning County, Ohio, and was 
reared under the parental roof, remaining 
at home until about nineteen years of age. 
He early in life engaged in business for 
himself, first as a peddler of tinware, later 
on making and selling wind mills. In 1837, 
when about nineteen years of age, he lo- 
cated in Harrisville, where he remained 
until after his marriage, when he pur- 
chased a farm in Mcrcci- Township, where 
he followed farming ami sliccp raising the 
remainder of his life. II<- dealt in sheep 
on an extensive scale and had at one time 
5,000 head. He became a man of affluence 
and prominence and was classed among 
the enterprising citizens of Butler County. 
In political affiliation he was a Republican 
and also an ardent supporter of the tem- 
perance cause, which eventually caused 
him considerable trouljle and much loss, 
his barn having been destroyed by fire by 
the anti-temperance people. Robert Wick 
was united in marriage with Bulina Rath- 
bun, a resident of Crawford County, Penn- 
sylvania, who died in 1895, aged seventy- 
five years. Mr. Wick died in 1902, aged 
eighty-four years. Six children were born 
to the parents of our subject : Mary, died 
in infancy; Kli/.alieth, widow of S. R. 
Bingham: ('Lira, married 1\. I.. l>]-own : 



Eugene E., subject of this sketch; Eva; 
and Margaret. 

Eugene E. Wick was reared in Harris- 
ville and received his elementary schooling 
in the public schools. He then attended 
(hove City College and Oberlin College at 
Oberlin, Ohio, after which he looked after 
his father's business affairs for him. Mr. 
Wick owns two tracts of land, consisting 
of 240 acres, in Mercer Township, and fol- 
lows farming in a general way. He was 
married January 5, 1885, to Mary A. Mat- 
thews, a daughter of J. C. Matthews, of 
Mill Brook, Mercer County. They have 
one daughter, Edna Almira, a student at 
Grove City College. Mr. Wick and family 
are members of the Presbyterian Church. 
Mr. Wick is a director and one of the pro- 
moters of the First National Bank of Har- 
risville. In politics, he gives his support 
to the Republican party. 

JOHN JOHNSTON, formerly one of 
Butler County's most esteemed citizens, 
was born in Penn Township, Butler 
County, Peimsylvauia, in 1849, and died 
at his home in Butler, FeV)ruary 1, 1907. 

Mr. Johnston grew to manhood on his 
father's farm in Penn Township and ob- 
tained his education in the local schools. 
He followed farming for many years but 
later, when his land was found to be par- 
ticularly rich in oil, he moved to Mars 
and leased his land for oil production. A 
number of wells proved profitable and one 
of these from the start produced 1,200 
barrels of crude oil a day. This brought 
Mr. Johnston an ample fortune. After 
living three years at Mars, in 1906, he 
came to Butler, in order to give his chil- 
dren better educational advantages, and 
here his death took place in the following- 
year. 

In 1898 Mr. Johnston was married to 
Miss Electa Graham, who was born, 
reared and educated in Butler County. 
a daughter of Eli Graham, a member of 
an old family of Jefferson Townshij), 




JOHN JOHNSTON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1049 



where lie was born in 1847. He moved to 
Butler to educate his children and resided 
hi this city until 1904, when he removed to 
Allegheny County and still lives there. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston were born three 
daughters and one son, namely: Garnet 
;\[ay, Thelina Ruth, Grace Rebecca, and 
John, the latter of whom is deceased. 
]\Irs. Johnston is a memljer of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church at Butler and takes 
an active interest in its various benevo- 
lent agencies. 

Z. P. LAUFFER, contract driller and 
oil producer, of the tirm of Bredin & 
Lauffer, at Butler, has been a resident of 
this city since 1889, during the larger part 
of this period being a leading business 
citizen. He was born at Greeusburg, 
Westmoreland Countv, Penns\-lvania, in 
1863. 

Mr. Lauffer was eight years old when 
his parents moved to Parker's Landing, in 
Armstrong County, where he was reared 
and obtained his education. Like many 
another youth, he was not very old when 
he started out to take care of himself and 
at that time the oil fields invited labor of 
all kinds. He began as a boy of all work, 
with John McCune, and later began con- 
tracting for drilling on his own account, 
working for a time in Mclvean County and 
Washington County, after which he came 
to Butler and entered into partnership 
with E. 'S\. Bredin, in general contracting 
drilling. This firm has done a heavy busi- 
ness and in late years have devoted much 
attention to drilling for oil in the hundred- 
foot district and the Armstrong and West- 
moreland gas fields, which has proved very 
]>rofitalile in Armstrong County, as has 
their drilling for oil in Indiana and other 
fields. Mr. Lauffer has devoted his whole 
mature life to this woi-k and few men are 
more competent in this particular line. He 
is a man of ample fortune, gained through 
his own etforts, and is one of the stock- 
holders of the Butler Banks. 



In 1893 Mr. Lauffer was married to Miss 
Sarah Dumbaugh, of Connoquenessing 
Township, Butler County. He is a mem- 
ber of the Episcopal Church. For many 
years he has been prominent in Masonry, 
iias attained the Thirty-second degree and 
belongs to Blue Lodge and Chapter at 
Butler, and to the Commandery and Con- 
sistory at Pittsburg. 

EDWARD C. SLOAN, who has been the 
engineer at the Butler County Home, since 
February, 1904, has had years of expe- 
rience in his profession and enjoys the 
reputation of being something of an ex- 
pert. He was born in Parker Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, February 
17, 1871, and is a son of David R. and 
Sarah E. (Bixler) Sloan. 

David R. Sloan was born in 1847, in Al- 
legheny Township, Butler County, and is 
a son of Andrew J. Sloan, who was born 
there in 1818. The Sloans came to that 
section as pioneers. For twelve years Da- 
vid R. Sloan engaged in teaming for the 
Standard Oil Company, after which he 
lived in Butler Township for a few years 
and then settled on our subject's farm in 
Connotiuenessing Township. He married 
a daughter of George Bixler and they have 
five children, namely: Elmer, residing at 
Prospect; Edward C.; Annie, wife of John 
Edinundson, of Connoquenessing Jown- 
ship; Emma, residing at Zelienople, is the 
widow of George Welch ; and Harry, resid- 
ing at home. David R. Sloan and family 
belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
He is a Republican in his political faith. 

Edward C. Sloan was reared by a care- 
ful father and good mother and obtained 
his education in the public schools. He 
first went to work in the Hyde Park Steel 
Works, as a fireman, later became assist- 
ant machinist and from there went into the 
oil country in Butler County, where he 
served as foreman and ran engines and 
had all possible training in this particular 
line of work. For four years he also oper- 



1(150 



lUSTOliV OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ated a coal bank. In February, 19U4, be 
became tlie engineer at tbe County Home 
in Butler Townsliip, where be manages 
three boilers, each 62\.(, horsc-iMiwcr biiili 
pressure and a 10 horse-power lii;;li pics^ 
sure vertical engine, together with a steam 
])ump to use in case of tire. 

While Mr. Sloan claims that be is no 
politician, he takes a hearty interest in the 
success of the Republican party and while 
living in Connoquenessing Township, be 
was elected twice to the office of register- 
assessor. He is a popular menilier of the 
order of Odd Fellows, at Prospect. 

CHARLES MYRON BROWN, postmas- 
ter and a life-long resident of Harrisville, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, was born in 
this village January 1, 1844, and is a son 
of William and Isabella (Leech) Brown. 

Ebenezer Brown, grandfather of 
Charles M., was one of the pioneers of But- 
ler County, coming from Huntington 
County, Pennsylvania, with his brother 
James in 1794. They located on a tract of 
600 acres in Mercer Township and mar- 
ried the Porter sisters, whose father 
owned the adjoining farm. Ebenezer re- 
mained on this farm, engaged in agricul- 
tural ])ursuits, until his death at the age 
of sixty-seven years. He was the father 
of the following children: Alexander, .Jane, 
William P., Samxiel, James, Ebenezer. 
John P., Elsie and Joseph, all now de- 
ceased. 

William P. Brown passed bis boyhood 
days on the farm in Mercer Townsbi]) and 
later became a cabinet maker, actpii ring- 
bis knowledge of that trade in Mercer 
County, Pittsburg and Philadelphia. In 
about 1834 he came to Harrisville, where 
he success fuliy conducted a cabinet and 
undertaking establishment until his death 
in 188'J. He married Isabella Leech, who 
died in 1857 aged thirty-nine years, and to 
them were born the following children: 
Charles Myron; Harriet J., deceased; Eve- 
line S., deceased; Robert; Margaret, de- 



ceased; and William. Mr. Brown formed 
a second union with Sarah Van Dike; no 
children were born of this union. Mr. 
Brown was first a Whig in politics and 
afterwards a Republican. He was a well 
known anti-slavery man, being the first 
anti-slavery voter in this section of the 
county, and assisted many a negro in mak- 
ing bis way to Canada. He was a man of 
l)ublic si)irit and enterprise, but never 
sought or cared to rim for office. He was 
also an ardent supporter and leader of the 
temperance cause. 

Cliarles "SI. Brown was reai-ed and has 
s])ent his entire life in his native town, 
Harrisville. Here he engaged in his 
father's trade of cabinet making until 
1877, when he devoted his time to farming 
for some years. He owns a fine farm of 
110 acres in Mercer Township. In 1862 
'Sir. Brown enlisted in Company F, One 
Hundred Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteer Infantry, under Capt. Brecken- 
ridge, and later, in 1864, re-enlisted in Ar- 
tillery No. 212 and served until the close 
of the war. He participated in many bat- 
tles and skirmishes, including Fredericks- 
burg and Cbancellorsville, but escaped in- 
jury. He is now a member of the G. A. R. 
He is a Republican in ])olitics and during 
President McKinley's administration was 
a])pointed ])ostmaster at Harrisville and 
has served continuouslv in that ca])a('itv 
since 1899. 

July 1, 1867. Mr. Brown was united in 
marriage with Margaret Jane Hill, a 
(laughter of Thomas M. Hill, and to them 
have been born the following children: 
Anna II.; Sarah Isabella; Lewis; Eliza- 
beth E., who married F. L. Wilson and has 
three children — Robert, Charles and 
Lewis; Thomas M., deceased; Margaret 
E.; and John C. Mr. Brown and family 
are members of the L^nited Presbyterian 
('hurcb of Harrisville. 

EDWARD L. OESTERLING, who has 
l)een a resident of Butler for twentv-one 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1051 



years and dnriug all this time lias been 
connected with the business conducted by 
Greorge Schenck, was born in 1867, in Sum- 
mit Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Adam Oesterling 
and a niaudson of John Oesterling. The 
gr;iiiill;illicr was born in Germany and 
came to lUitler County in 1830. His son, 
Adam Oesterling, was born in Summit 
Township, in 1836, and is a well preserved 
man of seventy-two years, making his 
home with his son, Edward L. During his 
active life he' followed farming. 

'Edward L. Oesterling completed his 
education in the district schools in Summit 
Township and when nineteen years of age 
left the farm and came to Butler to learn 
the cai-pcnter's trade. He entered the 
plant of (Jeurge Schenek and has continued 
with him ever since, for the past fourteen 
years being his foreman. Mr. Oesterling 
is a master carpenter and has under his 
control a large force of skilled workers. 
He is interested to some degree in other 
business enter])rises. In 1892 Mr. Oester- 
ling was married to Margai'et Grohman, 
of Butler, and they have two children: 
Inez and Donald. With his family, Mr. 
Oesterling belongs to St. Mark's German 
Lutheran Church. 

SAMUEFj McBRIDE LESLIE is a 
prominent farmer of Middlesex Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he 
owns a valuable farm of 175 acres. He was 
born in that township, March 31, 1868. and 
comes of an old and respected family of 
the community. He is a son of Samuel A. 
and Rebecca E. (McBride) Leslie, a rec- 
ord of whom appears elsewhere in this 
work, and a grandson of Alexander and 
Sarah (Allen) Leslie. 

Samuel M. Leslie was reared on the 
farm settled by his great-grandfather in 
Middlesex Township, and attended the 
public schools of that vicinity. At an early 
date he went into the oil country and for 
some ten years worked as an oil driller 
with good success, his efforts Yielding 



handsome retui-ns, and of this he was en 
abled to save a goodly part. In 1898 he 
purchased his present farm of 175 acres, 
140 of which is under a high state of culti- 
vation. He raises some corn, oats and 
wheat, but hay is his principal crop, sell- 
ing some seventy-five tons annually. He 
keeps an average of fifteen head of cattle 
and feeds about twenty-five head of Berk- 
shire hogs, this proving an especially re- 
munerative branch of his business. He is 
an energetic and progressive farmer, em- 
ploying modern and approved methods, 
and 1)elieves that the head should be used 
in farming as well as the hands. That 
farming along scientific lines is a success 
has been demonstrated by the results he 
has obtained. 

Mr. Leslie was united in marriage with 
Miss Mary Morrow, a daughter of L. Ij. 
Morrow of Eichland Township, Alle- 
gheny County, and they have four chil- 
dren: Eussell Wallace; Margaret A.; John 
Morrow; and Mary Ellen. Religiously, 
they are members of the Bakerstown Pres- 
byterian church. He is a Republican in 
politics. 

ROBERT JOHN CONLEY, a leading 
citizen of Valencia, who is serving in his 
second term as justice of the peace, has 
been a resident of Butler Coimty, Pennsyl- 
vania, since he was eighteen years of age. 
He was born in Allegheny County, Penn- 
sylvania, October 21, 1851, and is a son of 
John P. and Jane (Dawson) Conley. 

John P. Conley was born in West Deer 
Township, Allegheny County, Pennsyl- 
vania, on the farm on which his father, 
Nathan Conley, had settled, securing the 
land from the State. This farm subse- 
quently became his own and he continued 
to reside there until 1869, when he moved 
to Butler County and settled on a farm in 
Adams Township. He married Jane Daw- 
son, of Allegheny County, and they had 
seven children born to them, as follows : 
Mary, deceased, who was the wife of John 



1051: 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Aber; Robert John; Sarali B., deceased; 
James Ross, Andrew T. and Josejah D., all 
surviving ; and a babe that died. 

Robert John Conley was eighteen years 
of age when his parents moved to Butler 
County and about this time he went to 
Pittsburg and during liis two years of resi- 
dence there, learned the blacksmith trade 
with Ralph White. He then returned to 
Butler County and opened a shop on his 
father's farm in Adams Township and 
conducted it successfull}' for five years, 
selling out in order to engage in cultivating 
a farm whicli lie had purchased in Penn 
Township. Two years later he sold that 
property and bought .another farm, near 
Valencia, and later also sold that, after 
which he embarked in a feed business and 
continued it for fuur years. During a 
number of years he has been serving in 
various offices, liaving been elected fre- 
quently by the Republican party, of which 
he is an active member. As a justice of 
the peace he ha.s given the utmost satisfac- 
tion and has administered his office faith- 
fully and judicially. 

In 1876 Mr. Conley was iiiarried (first) 
to Miss Anna McMillen, who died in 1891, 
survived bv six children, namely: Jennie 
M., John Clyde, Estella B., Joseph Earl, 
Catherine B. and Margaret. His second 
marriage was to Samantha Crawford, who 
was the daughter of R. H. Crawford. Mr. 
and Mrs. Conley are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church. 

WILLIAM SHEPARD, one of Middle- 
sex Township's most prosperous and in- 
fluential farmers, was born on his present 
farm May 26, 1841, and is a son of Robert 
and Hannah (Miller) 8hepard, both 
natives of England. 

Robert Shepard and his wife were mar- 
ried in England, and after the birth of 
their second child emigrated to America. 
They located in Allegheny City, Pennsyl- 
vania, which at that time consisted of but 
three or four houses, and there worked at 



his trade as a plasterer. He subsequently 
located on the farm which is now the home 
of our subject and lived there the re- 
mainder of his days. He had served seven 
years' apprenticeship at the plasterers' 
trade, and enjoyed a wide reputation for 
the character of his work. It was a recog- 
nized fact that he never slighted his work 
and was skilled beyond the average, and 
as a result lie was called frequently to 
lioints many miles distant from home. 
Among the most important contracts he 
had were those for plastering the Butler 
Coimty Court House, and the old peni- 
tentiary at Allegheny. Robert and Han- 
nah (Miller) Shepard became parents of 
eight children, six of whom grew to matur- 
ity, as follows: John, now deceased; Bet- 
sey, who married Samuel Dunbar, both 
deceased; Mary, widow of Fred Garroux, 
lives near Bakerstown; Hannah, wife of 
Samuel Waddell, lives in Iowa; Jane, 
widow of Thomas Waddell ; and William, 
subject of this record. Religiously, the 
parents of this family were members of 
the Bakerstown M. P. Church. 

William Shepard was reared and edu- 
cated in Middlesex Township, and has al- 
ways engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 
addition to the home farm of sixty-four 
acres in ]\Iiddlesex Township, he has a 
tract of twenty-one acres in Richland 
Township, Allegheny County, and another 
of eighty acres in West Deering Township, 
Allegheny County. He follows general 
farming, raising hay and the small grains. 
He is a man of wide acquaintances, and 
enjoys the res^iect and good will of his 
fellow citizens. 

Mr. Shepard was joined in hymen's 
honds with Elizal)eth Jane Halstead, a 
daughter of Henry ilalstead of Clinton 
Township, and tlie following are the issue 
of their imion: Robert, of Middlesex 
Township; James, M. D., who is engaged 
in practice at Findlay, Ohio; Emma, wife 
of William Whitesides of Middlesex Town- 
ship; and William Clarence. Religiously, 




Mif^^ 





AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1057 



the children are members of the Presby- 
terian church. Fraternally, Mr. Shepard 
was a member of the Bakerstown Lodge, 
I. O. 0. F., until it was disbanded. He is 
a Republican in his ijolitical views. 

L. C. NORTHIME, a prominent farmer 
and respected citizen of Donegal Town- 
ship, who for numy years has been identi- 
iied with various enterpi'ises of this local- 
ity, was born December 25, 1868, and is a 
son of Dilmau and Christina (Hasler) 
Northime. 

Dilman Northime and wife were both 
natives of Germany and among the early 
settlers of Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
Frederick Hasler, the maternal grand- 
father of our subject, was one of the first 
physicians to locate in Butler County, 
coming from (lermany at an early period. 
He first located at Hannahstowu, subse- 
quently settling on the farm now owned 
by the subject of tliis sketch, here passing 
the remainder of his life. His daughter, 
Mrs. Northime was just six years of age 
when he came to Butler County. Seven 
children were born to the parents of our 
subject, namely: Pauline; Louisa; Fred- 
erick; Levina ; Katherine; L. C, and 
Flora. 

L. C. Northime was born and reared and 
has spent his entire life on his present 
farm. His early boyhood days, like those 
of most bo3's on a farm, were spent in 
assisting with the farm work and attend- 
ing tjie common schools. The farm on 
which he resides was inherited from his 
mother, who died in 1894, aged fifty years. 
He also owns a tract of forty-nine acres 
in Donegal Township, and on this land has 
three oil wells in opei'ation. In connection 
with his farming interests, he is also inter- 
ested in several other business enterprises, 
is a stockholder in the Chicora Brick & 
Tile Company, operates a gas plant of his 
own, supplying gas for many of the resi- 
dents in the township, and is also engaged 
in the oil business. 



In 1899 Mr. Northime was united in 
marriage with Mrs. Anna Harvey, a 
widow, who was born in England, and to 
them have been born three children: 
Ester L. ; James C; and John F. The 
religious connection of the family is with 
the German Lutheran Church of Chicora. 
Mr. Northime is also interested in Pro- 
ducers' Oil Company, Ltd., and U. S. Pipe 
Line Company, and Pure Oil Company. 

J. L. GARROWAY, of the manufactur- 
ing firm of Greer & Garroway, makers of 
packing boxes at Butler, is one of the 
city's enterprising business men. He was 
born in 1862, at Worthington, Armstrong 
County, and there obtained his education 
and grew to manhood. 

As soon as he left school, Mr. Garroway 
learned the carpenter's trade, at which he 
worked for about eighteen years, up to the 
time that he entered into partnership with 
Mr. Greer in the box manufacturing busi- 
ness. Their plant is located on Kittanning 
Street, near the city limits, their enter- 
jjrise having developed into one of con- 
siderable magnitude. Mr. Garroway has 
tjlken a hearty and intelligent interest in 
all that concerns the welfare of the city in 
which he has invested in property, and has 
served nine years as a member of the 
School Boarci. In politics he is a Repub- 
lican. 

In 1888 Mr. Garroway was married to 
Miss Ella Mary McKee, who was of 
Worthington, Armstrong County, and they 
have had six children, namely : Jessie, who 
is a popular teacher in the Butler schools ; 
Grace and Blanche, both of whom are 
students in the Butler High School; and 
Lucile, James M. and Ruth. The family 
belong to the Presbyterian Church. Mr. 
Garroway is an Odd Fellow and belongs 
to both the minor order and the Encamp- 
ment. 

AI^FRED R. NELSON, a well known 
citizen of Middlesex Township, Butler 



1058 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Coimty, Peuusylvaiiia, is engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits and owns a fine farm of 
100 acres. lie was born on his present 
farm April 7, 1861, and is a son of Rich- 
ard G. and Adaline (Morrison) Nelson. 

Richard G. Nelson came to Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, late in the fifties 
from Evergreen, Allegheny County, Penn- 
sylvania, being probably a native of that 
coimt}'. Upon his arrival here, he located 
on the farm in Middlesex Township now 
owned by his son, Alfred R., and there 
spent the remainder of his days in agri- 
cultural pursuits. He was a man of strong 
personality and enjoyed high favor with 
his fellow-citizens. A Democrat in poli- 
tics, he was elected to various offices of 
trust in the Township. He married Ada- 
line Morrison, a daughter of James Mor- 
rison, and they became parents of eleven 
children, of whom eight grew to maturity : 
Ellen, widow of Joseijh Hays of Butler; 
James; William, of Washington; Clara, 
wife of John Harbison, of Richland Town- 
ship, Allegheny County; Alfred R. ; Ed- 
ward; Adaline, wdfe of Grant Morrow of 
Valencia ; and Minnie, wife of R. A. Lee, 
lives on a part of the old homestead. Re- 
ligiousljr, the parents of this family were 
members of the Middlesex Presbyterian 
Church. 

Alfred R. Nelson was reared and edu- 
cated in Middlesex Township, and as a 
young man worked in the oil country as a 
teamster. In 1897, he purchased his pres- 
ent farm, a part of which formed a portion 
of the old homestead. He has nearly 100 
acres, all of which is under a high state of 
cultivation and devoted to general farm- 
ing. Mr. Nelson is a man of ability, a hard 
worker and an able manager, and well 
merits the success with which he has met. 
He is independent in politics, giving his 
support to the men he believes best fitted 
for the respective offices, without regard to 
party affiliation. He served three years as 
supervisor of the township, and is now 
serving as constable. 



Alfred R. Nelson was joined in marriage 
with Miss Mary Truver, a daughter of J. 
C. Truver of Middlesex Township, and 
they are parents of four children : Herman 
E. of Allegheny; Florence, wife of Joseph 
Croft of McKees Rock; Roy; and Harry. 
Religiously, they are members of the Mt. 
Olive church at xVdams. In fraternity at- 
tachment, the subject of this sketch is a 
member of Evans Citv Lodge No. 817, 
L 0. 0. F. 



JOSEPH HENRY COCHRAN, who has 
been justice of the peace of Harrisville 
continuously since 1899, was born in this 
village November 5, 1877, and is a son of 
William C. and Josephine (Ludwig) Coch- 
ran. 

AYilliam C. Cochran, the father, was 
born about six miles north of Harrisville 
in 1829 and is a son of James Cochran, 
who was killed in Kentucky when William 
was but a lad of four years. The mother 
shortly afterward removed her little fam- 
ily of six children to Harrisville, where 
William was reared to manhood. At the 
age of twenty he went to Pittsburg, where 
he learned the trade of cigar making, at 
which he worked until 1864. He then en- 
listed with the First West Virginia Regi- 
ment and served until wounded at the bat- 
tle of New Market. He subsequently spent 
about twenty years in the West and South 
and in 1869, after his marriage in Kansas 
to Josephine Ludwig, he returned to 
Pennsylvania and located in Harrisville. 
William and Josephine Cochran became 
the parents of the following children : 
Nora, deceased; Mary, deceased wife of 
John Frew; Grace, wife of Thomas Mar- 
tin; Joseph Henry, and William. Mrs. 
Cochran passed out of this life in the 
spring of 1907 at the age of sixty-nine 
years. William Cochran is one of the old- 
est residents of Harrisville and is held in 
esteem by all who know liim for his ster- 
ling worth. 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1059 



Josepk H. Cochran received his early 
education in the common schools of Har- 
risville, supplementing this with a two 
years' course at Grove City. He then en- 
gaged in the cigar making business and in 
1899, when just twenty-one years of age, 
was elected justice of the peace of Harris- 
ville and is still serving in that capacity. 
He has proven himself a worthy and cap- 
able official and at the time of his election 
in 1899 was the youngest man in the State 
of Pennsylvania elected to serve in that 
capacity. He was at one time a candidate 
for the Assembly but was defeated. 

Mr. Cochran is a member of the P. H. C. 
lodge, also the Junior Order of Auierican 
Mechanics, and is secretary of both lodges. 
He holds membership with the Presbyte- 
rian Church, of which he is treasurer and 
trustee. February 12, 1900, he was united 
in marriage with Myrtle Flemmiug, a 
daughter of Hugh Flemming, and their 
union has been blessed by three children, 
Edna, Harold and Florence. Mr. Cochran 
and his family reside in a pleasant home 
on Washington Street. 

JOHN H. KISON, oil producer, has 
been a resident of Butler for some five 
years and is one of the city's most substan- 
tial citizens. He was born in 1851, at 
Worthington, Armstrong County, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Mr. Kison has been identified with the 
oil business since early manhood, going to 
the oil fields as soon as he completed Ins 
school attendance. He began operations 
at Parker, in Armstrong County, and his 
operations have extended into many 
States, including the different sections of 
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Illi- 
nois, Indian Territory and Kansas. For 
about twenty-five years his brother, H. A. 
Kison, was associated with him and they 
have been interested in from forty to fifty 
fields at one time. Mr. Kison has other 
interests and is a stockholder in the Butler 
Coimtv National Bank. 



In 1882 Mr. Kison was married to Miss 
Sadie Starr, a member of one of Butler 
County's old pioneer families. They have 
one son, Herbert S., who is a student in 
the Western University of Pennsylvania, 
at Pittsburg. Mr. Kison is a man of high 
personal standing and is a member of the 
First Methodist Episcopal Church at But- 
ler. He is not particularly active in poli- 
ties, but takes the interest in public affairs 
which inspires every good citizen. 

JOHN M. McBRIDE, Justice of the 
Peace and general farmer, in Franklin 
Township, Butler County, Penna., was 
born on his present farm of 112 acres, De- 
cember 20, 1817, and is a son of John and 
Mary (McCandless) McBride. 

John McBride was born in County An- 
trim, Ireland, and was the youngest mem- 
ber of his parents ' family. He was small 
when his father, William McBride, brought 
his family to America and settled near 
Grove City, in Mercer County, Penna., 
where he lived until his death. John Mc- 
Bride was reared in Mercer County and 
remained there until his marriage, when 
he came to Franklin Township and set- 
tled on the farm now owned by his son. At 
the time when he built his first log cabin 
here, wild conditions prevailed, the coimtry 
being just about as Nature had made it, 
few settlers having yet ventured so far 
from civilizatio'n. He became a member of 
the Republican' party, taking a deep in- 
terest in politics as the most of our pioneer 
forefathers of intelligence did, and he was 
many times elected to responsible local 
offices. His wife Mary was a daughter of 
John McCandless, of Franklin Township," 
and seven of their nine children grew to 
maturity, namely: Margaret, deceased, 
who was the wife of J. B. Long; Julia, now 
deceased, who married Robert McBride; 
John M., subject of this sketch; Mary, de- 
ceased, who married James Meehan; 
Nancy and Keziah, twins, the former of 
whom married James Elliott, of Fi-anklin 



1060 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Township, the latter residing with her sis- 
ter; and Delihxh,' deceased, who married 
Leander Sankey. The parents of this fam- 
ily were leading members of the Muddy 
Creek Presbyterian Church, of which he 
was a trustee. John McBride died June 
30, 1884. 

John M. McBride was reared and edu- 
cated in Franklin Township and has given 
attention to agricultural pursuits ever 
since he was a bo}^ His large farm is well 
adapted to the raising of corn, oats, wheat, 
hay and potatoes, for which he utilizes sev- 
enty acres, and also to the growing of cat- 
tle, hogs and sheep, at the present writing 
his pastures showing seven cows, twenty 
hogs and forty sheep. 

Mr. McBride married Mary Black, who 
is a daughter of John and Ann Eliza 
(Gould) Black of Concord Township, and 
they have nine children, as follows : Min- 
nie, who is the wife of William Lutz, of 
Euclid, Pennsylvania; John and Samuel 
C, who live at home ; Elizabeth, who mar- 
ried James Martsolf, of Brady Township ; 
W. Dewitt, who is a teacher in Brady 
Township; Harold Q., who resides at Eo- 
chelle, Hlinois; Robert I., who is a teacher 
in Concord Township; and Edith and 
Hadassah, both of whom are at home. Mr. 
McBride and family belong to the Presby- 
terian Church at Muddy Creek, of which 
he has been a trustee. 

In politics Mr. McBride is a Republican 
and for many years he has taken an active 
part in party coimcils and public matters 
in his section. In 1903 he was elected to 
the office of justice of the peace and was 
subsequently re-elected and will serve until 
1913. He is one of the representative men 
of this part of Butler County and is held 
in general esteem. 

RICHARD ERNEST ELRICK, a well 
known druggist and prominent business 
man of Harrisville, has been a lifelong resi- 
dent of this village and was born December 



'I'l, 1873, and is a son of Dr. J. H. and Mary 
Jane (Black) Elrick. 

Dr. J. H. Elrick was born and reared on 
his father's farm in Indiana County, Penn- 
sylvania, and after leaving school taught 
for some years. He then entered Jefferson 
Medical College of Philadelphia and after 
graduating, located at Harrisville, where 
he embarked in the practice of his profes- 
sion. For a period of fifty years, Dr. El- 
rick continued his practice in Harrisville, 
commanding an extensive and lucrative 
patronage, and is now at the age of eighty 
years living in retirement in the enjoyment 
of a well earned rest after years of unceas- 
ing activity. He married Mary Jane Black, 
whose parents came to this country from 
Ireland, and settled in Harrisville, where 
the father conducted the first general store 
established in that locality. l3r. and jMrs. 
Elrick reared a family of four children: 
Elizabeth, wife of J. A. AValker; John, 
cashier of the First National Bank of 
Harrisville ; Robert, who is practicing med- 
icine at Petrolia, and is a graduate of the 
University of Pennsylvania; and Richard 
Ernest, the subject of this sketch. 

Richard E. Elrick was reared in his na- 
tive town and obtained his primary educa- 
tion in the common schools, supplementing 
this witli a course of study in pharmacy at 
the Ohio Normal University at Ada, Ohio. 
After graduating in July, 1893, he returned 
to Harrisville and worked in the drug store 
owned by his brother John, until 1898, 
when he purchased the business, in which 
he has continued with much success since 
that time. 

On April 20, 1908, Mr. Elrick was united 
in marriage with Carrie Crawford Bing- 
ham and has one child, Margaret. By a 
former marriage he had two children, 
Mary and Richard. Mr. Elrick is one of 
the leading young business men of Harris- 
ville; he is a man of public spirit and en- 
terprise and is held in high esteem by his 
fellow citizens. In" politics he is a Demo- 
crat. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1063 



SAMUEL WALKER GLENN, geueial 
contractor, doing a large and satisfactory 
Ini.sines.s at Butler, is a representative citi- 
zen, owiici- of i)roperty and supporter of 
})ul)lic-spirited enterprises here. He was 
born Decenil)er 27, 1847, at West Sunliury, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania. 

William Gleun, father of Samuel \\., was 
born in Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and was yet a young man when he 
came to Butler County and settled down to 
farming, which was his occupation through 
life. 

Samuel W. Glenn remained on the home 
farm until he was eighteen years of age 
and in the meamvhile had secured a good 
education in the schools of West Sunbury. 
He then went to Michigan, where he fol- 
lowed faiining for eleven years and after 
returning to 15utler County he went into 
general contracting, which has been his 
business ever since. 

In 1867 Mr. Glenn was married to Miss 
Emma McCandless, who belongs to one of 
the old county, families. They have eight 
children, namely: Eva, who is the wife of 
J . T. McCandless, of Center Township ; 
William j\I., of Kingman County, Kansas; 
Nannette, who is the wife of Samuel 
Thompson, residing in Mexico; Earle C, 
who follows contracting at Butler; Lina, 
who is the wife of J. H. Shaffer, of Butler 
('ounty; and Harriet, Roy and Esther, all 
residing at home. Mr. Glenn and family 
are mernbers of the Second Presbyterian 
Church at Butler. 

SAMUEL LUTHER BRAHAM, who is 
engaged in general farmiug and dairying 
on a tract of 215 acres in ]\rercer Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, was 
l)0]-n ]\Iay 26, 1851, on the old farm near 
Forrestville, Butler County, and is a son 
of William P. and Rebecca (Snyder) 
Braham. 

Samuel Braham, grandfather of our 
subject, was but two years old when he 



came lo this country witii his parents from 
Ireland. His parents located on a farm 
near New Castle, where lie was reared 
and became a farmer by occupation. He 
married Mary Patton and in 1834 moved 
to Butler County and settled on a farm 
near Forrestville, where lie remained until 
late in life, when he removed to Slippery 
Rock, where he died at an advanced age. 
He was the father of sixteen children, of 
whom William Patton, the father of Sam- 
uel L., was among the oldest. 

William P. Braham was born- on his 
father's farm, near New Castle, January 
6, 1824, and was about ten years old when 
his parents moved to Butler County. He 
was reared near Forrestville and became 
a farmer by occupation. He bought and 
sold stock on an extensive scale, and be- 
came possessed of large landed interests, 
"having at one time about 1,000 acres of 
land. He was elected to the Legislature 
iu 1880 and served during the sessions of 
1881-2. He was married to Rebecca Sny- 
der, who was reared near Slippery Rock 
and died December, 1904, aged seventy- 
nine years. William Braham passed out 
of this life August 27, 1907, aged eighty- 
five years. They became the parents of 
eleven children, but seven of whom grew 
to maturity: Mary, wife of W. H. Oi'r; 
Deborah married John Orr; Samuel 
Luther, our subject ; Sarah, married Dr. 
D. J. Washabaugh; Isabella, wife of Dr. 
A. ]M. Davis ; Rebecca, who married W. E. 
Brown; and Ida May, who is the wife of 
J. R. Black. 

Samuel Luther Braham, the subject of 
this sketch, has silent his entire life on a 
farm, engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
Like most other boys reared on a farm, he 
spent his time in assisting with the work 
and attended the schools of that locality. 
He remained on the home farm until after 
his marriage in 1872, when he located on 
his present farm, which is part of the 
homestead place. Here he follows general 



1064 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



fanning and dairying, having about fifty 
head of cattle. Mr. Braham has recently 
completed a fine, large, nine-room, brick 
residence and has one of the best improved 
farms in the township. 

On March 12, 1872, Mr. Braham was 
joined in marriage with Louisa Cochran, 
a daugliter of Charles Cochran, a well 
known resident of Butler County. Six 
cliildien were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bra- 
ham, namely: Grace K., who teaches in 
Knoxville, Tennessee ; Ruth teaches in the 
Butler County schools; AVilliam married 
Minnie King and has four children, Fran- 
cis, Ruth, Edna, and Eleanor (he resides 
on the home farm, whicli he farms in part- 
nership with his father) ; Charles C, mar- 
ried Minnie Cochran and has one child, 
Lutlier C. ; Olive F., attending Westmin- 
ster College; and Louisa, who died, aged 
five years. The religious connection of the 
family is with the United Presbyterian 
Church, and Mr. Braham is politically a 
Prohibitionist. 

ROBERT WALKER STEWART, 
whose excellent farm in Penn Township, 
on which is a fine gas well, contains ninet}*- 
four acres of valuable land, was engaged 
in general farming and stock raising until 
1904, when he retired from active work. 
He was born in Brady Township, Butler 
County, Penna., May 9, 1841, and is a son 
of Robert and Lydia Elizabeth (McNees) 
Stewart. 

Robert Stewart, father of Robert Walk- 
er, was born in New Jersey, a son of John 
Stewart, who was also a native of that 
State. During his younger years he taught 
twenty terms of school, in Butler County, 
to which he came in boyhood, with his par- 
ents. Later, Robert Stewart engaged in 
farming on Muddy Creek, and in 1849 he 
bought the fai;m on which his son, Robert 
Walkei', now resides. It contained 107 
acres and was a wild tract of land at that 
time, covered with forests, and deer were 



plentiful. He was a man of strong and 
sterling character and, being better edu- 
cated than many of his neighbors, was 
often otTered local offices, and consented to 
serve as school director and township audi- 
tor, but when made a justice of the peace 
he declined the honor. He was a strong 
Whig in his political views. Both he and 
wife were active in the early religious 
movements in the townshijo and he was one 
of the founders of the Middlesex Presbyte- 
rian Church, becoming a ruling elder in the 
same. He married a daughter of Taylor 
John McNees, of Worth Township, and 
they had a family of eleven children born 
to them, nine of whom survived infancy, 
namely: James, who lives at Manchester, 
Delaware County, Iowa; Amanda, now'de- 
ceased, who was the wife of the late John 
Fisher; John and Isaac C, who are both 
deceased; Joseph, who was a member of 
Company H, One Hundred Second Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
during the Civil War, died in the army; 
Robert Walker ; George W., now deceased ; 
Lydia Elizabeth, residing at Evans City, 
who is the wife of Alfred Dunbar; and 
Mary Rebecca, now deceased. 

Robert Walker Stewart has always re- 
sided on the home farm, with the excep- 
tion of three years following his marriage. 
He obtained his_ education in the eai'ly 
schools and this was su]iplemented bj' ex- 
cellent home training. Ills main interests 
have always been identified with agri- 
cultural pursuits and during his many 
years of activity he brought his land to a 
high state of cultivation and production. 

Mr. Stewart married Annie A. Rasely, a 
daughter of Matthias and Priscilla Rasely, 
of Connoquenessing Township, and they 
had ten children, all but two of whom 
reached maturity, namely: Sylvia Lau- 
retta, who married R. K. McGowan, of 
Connoquenessing Township; James H., 
who is a resident of West Virginia; Laura 
Mav, who married David Walker; Albert 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1065 



v., deceased; Lydia Eva, vflio is the wife 
of David Stevensou, of Conuoquenessing 
Township ; Nettie P., who married Thomas 
Watson, of the same township; Frank E., 
wlio resides at Seattle, Washington; and 
Cecil A., who is a stenographer for the 
Grove City College. Mr. Stewart and fam- 
ily belong to the Middlesex Presbyterian 
Church. 

'Sir. Stewart has always been a loyal citi- 
zen and during the Civil War he served 
one year in tlie Union army, enlisting in 
September, 1864, in Company B, Sixth 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. He is a 
member of Reed Post, Gr. A. R., at Butler. 
In politics he is a Republican. He has 
served as township collector and for eight 
years was overseer of the poor, before the 
County Home was established. He stands 
as one of Penn Township's leading and 
representative citizens. 

DR. WILLARD BURTON CAMP- 
BELL, vice-pi-esident of the First National 
Bank of Harrisville, has been successfully 
engaged in the practice of his profession in 
this village since the fall of 1897, and is 
one of the influential citizens of this local- 
ity. He was born August 25, 1869, on a 
farm in Forest County, Pennsylvania, and 
is a son of Perry and Abigail (Glenn) 
Cami^bell. 

Perry CamiilK'll. father of our subject, 
was born in isi.") in i'airview Township, 
Butler County, I'cuiisylvania, and is a son 
of Robert Campbell, who settled in Butler 
County at a very early period. Perry 
Campbell was one of a family of five chil- 
dren: Lorina; Samantha; Shepherd, who 
served in the war; Perry, father of our 
subject; and Milton, who died in the army. 
Perry was reared on a farm by his uncle, 
with whom he remained until 1861, when 
he enlisted in the army. He served until 
the close of the war, participating in many 
liattles and skirmishes and enduring many 
hardships, being imprisoned for some time 
in the well known Andersonville and Flor- 



ence prisons. After the close of the war 
he married Abigail Glenn and located on a 
farm near North Washington, where he 
was engaged for many years in general 
farming. During President McKinley's 
administration he was appointed postmas- 
ter of West Sunbury and still serves in 
that capacity, having proved himself a 
worthy and efficient officer. He is the 
father of three children: Willard Burton, 
our subject; Melvin, who is engaged in the 
real estate lausiness at Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania; and Claude, who is proprietor of a 
hardware store at West Sunbury. 

Willard Burton Campbell was reared in 
Butler County, his parents having re- 
moved here and located on a farm in 
Cherry Township, when he was a mere 
babe. His primary schooling was obtained 
in the common school, this being supple- 
mented with a course at West Sunbury 
Academy, from which institution he grad- 
uated in 1893, after which he taught in 
Cherry Township, Brownsdale and Fair- 
view for about five years. During that 
period he began reading medicine with Dr. 
H. D. Hockenberry at West Sunbury. In 
1894 he entered the Baltimore Medical Col- 
lege, from which he graduated three years 
later, after which he embarked in the prac- 
tice of his iDrofession in the borough of 
Harrisville, whei'e he enioys a large and 
lucrative practice and has won the confi- 
dence and esteem of his many friends and 
patrons. In connection with his jDrofession 
Dr. Campbell is vice president of the First 
National Bank of Harrisville, having held 
that office since the organization of that 
institution in 1897. 

In 1899 Dr. Campbell was joined in the 
holy bonds of wedlock with Jennie Stewart. 
a daughter of Levi and Charlotte Stewart 
of West Sunbury, and to them have been 
born the following children: Charlotte, 
Malcolm and Paul. Politically, Dr. Camp- 
bell is a Republican. He has served as a 
delegate to the State Convention and is at 
present president of the Harrisville Bor- 



1066 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ougli C'ouuei]. lie is fraternally a Mason, 
No. 603 Grove City, and also the Butler 
County Medical Society. Dr. and Mrs. 
Campbell hold membership with the Pres- 
In-terian Church of Ilarrisville. 

CASPER SllEiniAN. proprietor of the 
Sherman IJaking Comjiany at lUitler, with 
business (juarters on Center Avenue, is one 
of the leading business men of this city, in 
which he has resided since the summer of 
1876. He was born near Frankfort, Ger- 
many, in 1843. 

When fourteen years of age ^Ir. Sher- 
man came to America and for a time he 
attended school, quickly learning the Eng- 
lish language. When the Civil AYar broke 
out. he was one of the first-to offer his serv- 
ices, in April, 1861, escaping from home in 
order to enter the Union army. His tirst 
enlistment, which covered three montlis, 
was in Company K, Fifth Regiment, 
Penna. Volunteer Infantry, and during 
this period he was located at Washington 
City and Alexandria, Virginia. In the 
meanwhile his people had moved to Butler 
and he joined them there, but three months 
afterward he re-enlisted for three years or 
during the war, entering Company I, Sev- 
enth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Cavalry. 
At the close of his three years of brave and 
loyal service, he was veteranized and con- 
tinued in the army until the end of all hos- 
tilities. He saw much hard service and 
had two horses shot from under him, but 
received only a flesh wound. He was one 
of that immortal army that marched to the 
sea under General Sherman. 

After the close of the war, Mr. Sherman 
went to work in an iron foundry in Alle- 
gheny City, where he continued until 1876 
and then came to Butler, where he later 
opened up a bakery and confectionery busi- 
ness. This he has developed into a very 
large enterprise, dealing both wholesale 
and retail, and shipping to many points. 
He is at the head of the company, the other 
members of which are his three sons, all 



capable business men, possessing man\- uf 
the sturdy, solid qualities of their success- 
ful father. 

On March 18, 1869, Mr. Sherman was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Knapp, of Pitts- 
burg, and they have six sons and two 
daughters, as follows : Harry K., who nuir- 
ried Maud Adsit; Amelia W., who is the 
wife of N. C. McCullough, a prominent at 
torney of Butler; Joseph D., who married 
Ora Kennedy, of Butler; William N., who 
married Lola Stanun; John C, who mar- 
ried Catherine Butter; Francis Edward, 
who is a member of the Phoenix Engraving 
Company, at Pittsburg; Elizabctli ('.. who 
is the wife of Raymond E. Rccil. ;i diuuiiist 
at Butler; and Walter S., who icsid,;. at 
home. Harry, Joseph and John C. are all 
associated with their father. Mr. Sherman 
and wife are members of the First English 
Lutheran Church and at one time he was a 
member of its official board. , He belongs 
to the Union Veteran League. Probably 
there is no man in Butler who is held in 
higher regard as to business honesty and 
])ersonal integrity than Mr. Sherman. 

MRS. JOSEPHINE CAMPBELL, oil 
producer and capable business woman of 
Penn Township, is descended on both pa- 
ternal and maternal sides from early i^io- 
neers of Butler County, the Bartleys, the 
McGees, the Adams' and the Ilaggertys 
being names borne by many of this sec- 
tion's most useful and prominent people. 

John Bartley, father of ]Mrs. Campbell, 
was born near Bedford Springs, Penna., 
and was a son of Robert and Margaret 
(Adams) Bartley. Grandfather Bartley 
served with Commodore Perry on Lake 
Erie, in 1812, and before the war settled 
in the southeastern part of Penn Town- 
ship, Butler County. He conducted a dis- 
tillery, which, in those days, was an en- 
tirely reputable business, and he became a 
man of large means. John Bartley was 
five years old when his parents settled in 
Penn Township, where he attended the 



AND EEPRE8ENTAT1VE CITIZENS 



1067 



early schools and then went to Philadel- 
phia, where he learned the blacksmith's 
trade and worked at that business for 
seven years before returning to Butler. 
He was married in Penn Township to Hen- 
rietta McGee, and it was one of tlie most 
important social functions that had taken 
place in this section for many years. The 
guests numbered more than 41)0 people, 
coming from adjoining counties to partici- 
pate in the festivities, the young people be- 
ing very popular. After their marriage, 
John Bartley and wife moved to Arm- 
strong County, wliere he followed his 
trade. They had eleven children, of whom 
ten grew to maturity, namely : Hugh ; 
William, deceased; Robert, who died in the 
Civil War; Mary and P]liza, lioth deceased; 
John, residing in Colorado; Josepliiue; 
Margaret, deceased; Mrs. Isabella Jones, 
residing in Pittsburg; and Letitia, wife of 
Fred Allen, residing at Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia. The family was reared in the 
Roman Catholic Church. 

In 1875 Josephine Bartley was married 
to William J. Campbell, at Freeport, Arm- 
strong County. Mr. Campbell was l)orn 
at Buffalo, New York, January IS, 1851, 
and is a son of William and Sophia (Bell) 
Campbell. His parents came to America 
from Scotland, where his mother was born 
in May, 1815. She survived until ^[arch. 
1907. ■ The father of Mr. Campbell was a 
bookkeeper and was employed in business 
houses in Buffalo. William J. Campbell 
Avas one of a family of eight children, the 
fifth in order of birth, and was the first one 
born in the United States. He learned the 
carpenter's trade and in 1869 he came into 
the oil country and followed tank setting. 
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Campbell 
lived for three years at Buffalo and then 
came to Bradford, Penns^dvania, where 
they resided for six years. In 1890, Mrs. 
Caiupbell and her husband started into 
business as oil producers and located first 
at Golden City, near Saxonburg, and in 
1898 they purchased what are locally 



known as the Shiloh Wells, in Peun Town- 
ship. They have seven producing wells at 
this point and eight on the Samuel Kelly 
farm in Butler Townshii), 

Mr. and Mrs. Campbell liave had two 
children: William, who is deceased; and 
Sophia Belle, who resides at home, ^[r, 
Campbell is a member of the Odd Fellows. 

GEORGE SEARING, one of the repre- 
sentative young farmers of Mercer Town- 
ship, residing on a farm of 146 acres, was 
born November 9, 1881, on his father's 
farm in Worth Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He is a son of .M. Cowden 
Searing, who was born in Woi'th Tow^lship, 
l)UtIor County, where his father, Benjamin 
Searing, settled at a very early jieriod. 
M, CoAvden Searing followed farming in 
AVorth Township, the greater part of his 
life, and dealt extensively in stock, at 
which he made considerable money. Later 
in life he sold his farms in Worth Town- 
ship and moved to Slippery Rock, where 
he lived in retirement imtil his death, in 
August, 1905, when fifty-five years of age. 
He is still survived by his widow. The 
parents of our subject reared a family of 
eight children, namely: Estella, wife of 
George McWilliams; William; Maude, died 
at an early age; George, subject of this 
sketch; Carrie; Ethel,^ married Fred 
Fields ; Clyde, and Verne. 

George Searing lived on his father's 
farm in Worth Township until in early 
manhood, when his parents removed to 
Slipper}' Rock, Here he conducted a meat 
market for his father for a period of four 
years, and in 1905 purchased his present 
farm of 146 acres in Mercer Township. 
Since then he has followed general farming 
and dairying, keeping about thirty head of 
cattle. Mr. Searing is one of the most pro- 
gressive agriculturists of IMercer Town- 
ship and is a citizen who gives his support 
in a large measure to those movements 
which tend toward the advancement of this 
communitv. 



UKiS 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



111 Jime, 19U4, Mr. Searmg married Nel- 
lie Cocliraii, a daugliter of James Coclirau, 
aud they have two children, James Paul 
and au infant. Mr. and Mrs. Searing are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church, lie is politically a Republican. 

C. C. JOHNSTON, whose valuable farm 
of 149 acres, the old family homestead, is 
situated in Center Township, is one of the 
best known men of Butler County, and his 
fai'm, on which he breeds registered Guern- 
sey cattle and Percheron liorses, has a 
State reputation. He was born in May, 
1858, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Jesse and Sarah J. (Allen) 
Johnston. 

Mr. Johnston was six years old when his 
parents came to Butler County and the 
father died shortly afterward. The mother 
survived until August, 1904, and after her 
demise, C. C. Johnston purchased the old 
home. Of the ten children, the following 
survive: C. C. ; James R., who lives in 
Ohio ; T. C, who is engaged in farming in 
Center Township ; John H., who resides at 
West Sunbury ; Martha J., who is the wife 
of N. C. Stevenson, of Center Township; 
Rosanna, who is the wife of A. H. Camp- 
bell and lives in Franklin Township. 

C. C. Johnston was reared in Center 
Township and obtained his education at 
the Ridge and Brewster Schools. For 
eighteen years ^Ir. Jolinstoii engaged in 
farming in Franklin T(i\vii>liip and tlien re- 
turned to the lionicstcad. on wliifli he has 
resided ever since. For eighteen years he 
has been a salesman for the McCormick 
agricultural machines and is now traveling 
for the International Harvester Company. 
He is deeply interested in liome enter- 
prises and is one of the stockholders in the 
Butler County Fair Association. 

On October 27, 1881, Mr. Johnston was 
married to Miss Electa Bright, of Franklin 
Township, Butler County, and they have 
seven children, namely: Bert B., who is 
engaged in the practice of dentistry in 
Pittsburg; Myrtle, who is the wife of J. F. 



Truman, of Butler; Ha Maud, who is the 
wife of Arnold Waesmuth, of Butler ; and 
Auda Floss, Harry R., Albert Charles and 
Frank H., all at home. Mr. Johnston and 
family belong to the Mt. Chestnut United 
Presbyterian Church and he is a member 
of the official board. 

ROBERT KRAUSE, member of the 
well known tirm Krause and Freehling, of 
Marwood, Pennsylvania, has been a resi- 
dent of Butler County since 1853. He was 
born September 8, 1842, and is a son of 
Louis and Frederica Krause, natives of 
Germany, with whom he came to this coun- 
try in 1853, having resided here continu- 
ously since that time. 

In 1867, at the age of twenty-five years, 
he was united in marriage with Maria 
Camphire, a daughter of Jacob Camphire, 
and to them were born seven children: 
Anna, wife of William T. Freehling, men- 
tion of whom appears elsewhere in this 
work; William, Louis, Minnie, Richard, 
Elsie, and Flora, the last mentioned being 
now deceased. 

Mr. Krause is one of the enterprising 
business men of Winfield Township and 
for the ]iast twelve years has been a mem- 
ber of the firm Krause & Freehling, gen- 
eral merchants and lumber dealers, who 
also carry a general line of goods used by 
farmers in the oil regions, including ce- 
ment, paints, brick, plaster, lime, wagons, 
furniture, etc. Mr. Krause and family are 
members of the Lutheran Church. He was 
also in business from 1867 to 1896 in gen- 
eral merchandise as partner of Heidriek 
Krause & Bro. and R. & A. Krause. 

ENOS BARKEY, one of Evans City's 
]n-ogressive business men, is engaged in 
the coal and feed business and enjoys the 
liberal patronage of the citizens of the com- 
munity. He was born in Evans City, Feb- 
ruary 15, 1863, and is a son of John and 
Deborah (Davidhizer) Barkey. 

John Barkey came to Butler County 




ROBERT KRArSE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1071 



from east of the mountains of Pennsyl- 
vania, and located on a farm one-lialf mile 
nortli of the towns of Evansburg. He en- 
gaged in farming until the close of the 
Civil War, then became a merchant in 
Evans City, continuing until his death in 
1869, when in the prime of life, being at 
that time bi;t forty-nine years of age. He 
married Deborah Davidhizer, whose death 
occurred in June, 1908, at the ripe old age 
of eighty -five years. They were parents of 
eleven children : Isaac, who died at the age 
of fourteen; Maria, who died at twenty- 
two years ; Henry, who died in 1883 ; Eliza- 
beth, widow of Richard Allen; Anna, who 
died in infancy; John, a dealer in hay at 
Evans City; Susan, wife of Fred Royhizer ; 
Sarah, wife of William Stewart; Matilda, 
who died in infancy; Enos, subject of this 
record; and Lewis Alvin, who died in in- 
fancy. 

Enos Barkey spent his boyhood da5's in 
Evansburg and attended the district 
schools. He worked on his mother's farm 
until 1887, then embarked in the coal busi- 
ness in Evans City, which he has continued 
without interruption to the present time. 
In 1892, the feed branch of his business 
was added and has proved as profitable a 
field as the coal business. He is a man of 
energy and enterprise, a thorough business 
man, and enjoys high standing in the com- 
munity. 

On March 28, 1883, Mr. Barkey formed a 
matrimonial alliance with Miss Anna E. 
Barto, a daughter of Daniel Barto, who 
was one of the early residents of the vil- 
lage. Four children weve the issue of their 
union: Ethel, who married John Zeiglei' in 
190-t and has a daughter, Vera; Clara B. ; 
Mary Luella; and Ruthene. Politically. 
Mr. Barkey is a Prohibitionist, Imt was 
elected on the Republican ticket to tiie 
coimcil of Evans City, in which body he 
now serves. For ten years past he has 
been a director of the Evans City Cemetery 
Association. Religiously, he is a member 
of the Baptist Church, to which his wife 



also belongs. Fraternally he is a member 
of Evans City Lodge, I. O. 0. F. 

DR. W. W. McCONNELL, who has been 
engaged in the practice of medicine at 
Harrisville since 1888, was born on a farm 
in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in 
1858 and is a son of Kinsey McConnell, a 
resident of Lawrence County. 

Dr. McConnell obtained his early educa- 
tion in the common schools of Lawrence 
County, later attending Grove City College 
and Edinburg State Normal, after which 
he taught in Lawrence County for a period 
of six years. He read medicine for 
eighteen months with Dr. SprouU of Plain 
Grove, after which he entered Western Re- 
serve University of Cleveland, Ohio, grad- 
uating in March, 1888. In May of that 
same year he came to Harrisville and took 
up the work of Dr. O. P. Pisor and after 
a period of ten years entered Jefferson 
Medical College "of Philadelphia, from 
which he graduated May, 1898. He re- 
turned to Harrisville and resumed his 
practice of medicine and rapidly worked 
his way up in the profession, now enjoying 
a liberal and lucrative patronage. He also 
took a summer course at Philadelphia 
later. Dr. McConnell is a member of tiie 
Butler County Medical Society. He is a 
director in the First National Bank at 
Harrisville and is a stockholder of the But- 
ler County National Bank. He is a Demo- 
crat in politics and is religiously a member 
of the United Presbyterian Church. In 
December, 190L I'l'. McCoinicll was mar- 
ried to Mrs. Elizabetii McKce, who had one 
daughter, Frances, now residing with Dr. 
McConnell. They have one daughter, 
Blanche. 

G. AVILSON MILLER, who is engaged 
in the grocery business at Butler and iden- 
tified a'lso with other successful enterprises 
in city and county, was born in Luzerne 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Will- 
iam and Emeline (Hauck) ]\Iiller. 



107 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The parents of Mr. Miller eanie to Butler 
County in his boyhood and settled on a 
farm and the father continued to engage in 
farming and stock raising there until he 
retired and moved to Butler, where he died 
in 1903. William and Emeline Miller had 
three children, namely: Gr. Wilson; Henry, 
wlio is a prominent business man at But- 
ler; and Emma, who is the wife of J. F. 
Andrews, of Allegheny City. 

G. Wilson Miller was practically reared 
in the city of Butler. After completing the 
public school course he became a clerk in 
the store of Charles Duffy, at Butler, after 
which he embarked in business for himself 
and built his present three-storv brick 
building, at No. 116 East Jefferson Street. 
A business house that has safely wcathei-cd 
the tinaiicial ])anics and de]Mcssi(iiis of 
thirty-odd years, constantly iiicrcasing its 
stock and trade, merits special mention 
and further, gives a pretty fair estimate 
of the methods employed in its manage- 
ment. Mr. Miller as a business man enjoys 
the confidenee of a large part of the city 
and has kept custoiiicrs cv^n after they 
have removed to otlicr sections. He is one 
of the oldest grocciy houses at Butler and 
is a landmark in his neighborhood. He has 
been an active citizen and has invested in 
property and owns stock in a number of 
prosperous concerns. Since the date of 
its organization, he has l)een president of 
the Citizens' Building and Loan Associa- 
tion. 

'Sir. Miller married Miss Alargaret Wal- 
ter, a daughter of Jacob Walter, one of the 
old settlers of the city. They have two 
cliildren : Gertrude, who is the wife of Dr. 
George H. Jackson, a pi'ominent dentist of 
Butler; and Lillian, who is the wife of Al- 
bert Troutman, a leading member of the 
Butler liar. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are mem- 
bers of St. Mark's German Luthei'an 
Church. 

HON. COL. JOHN M. THOMPSON, 
known for many years as one of the ablest 
and most successful members of the Butler 



County bar, a e'ivil ^^'ar veteran, and a 
capable and trustworthy servant of the 
])eople in public affairs, was born in Brady 
Township, Butler County, January 4, 1829, 
the eldest son of William PI. and Jane (Mc- 
Candless) Thompson. 

Colonel Thompson's literary education 
was acfjuired in the public schools and at 
Witherspoon Institute, and for a short 
time after completing his studies, he fol- 
lowed the occupation of a teacher. In 1852 
he began the study of law under the direc- 
tion of Samuel A. Purviance, and two 
years later was admitted to the bar. Dis- 
playing marked ability, he was admitted 
to i)aitnership in the tirm of Purviance and 
Sullivan, and later, when Mr. Purviance 
was elected to Congress, he took charge of 
his entire practice. In 1858 he was elected 
to the Legislature on the Republican ticket, 
and he served as speaker pro tem. of the 
House, in the session of 1859-60. 

The Civil War gave a new direction to 
his activities, and he backed up his sound 
LTnion principles by going to the front as 
Major of the One Hundred and Thirty- 
fourth Penna. Volunteers. With this regi- 
ment he took part in the momentous bat- 
tles of Antietam, South Mountain and 
Fredericksburg. Being wounded in the 
tight last mentioned he retired from the 
service, and returned to Butler, where he 
resumed the practice of his profession. In 
1868 he was a delegate to the National Re- 
publican Convention at Chicago, which 
nominated General Grant for the Presi- 
dency. He was one of the Presidential 
electors of the State of Pennsylvania, in 
1872, and was selected to carry the State 
returns to Washington. In 1875 he was 
elected to Congress, to fill the vacancy 
caused by the resignation of Hon. E. J\fc- 
Junkin, the latter having been elected 
judge of this district. In 1876, Colonel 
Thompson was honored by re-election, and 
served the full term of two years. 

Colonel Thompson was actively interest- 
ed in i-ailroad construction in this section. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1073 



He was one of the promoteifs of the Sheu- 
ango and Allegheny Railroad, and tilled 
many offices in the company, including that 
of attorney for the road. He was also for 
a quarter of a century or more the local 
attorney for the Pennsylvania Railroad 
Company. His death, which occurred Sep- 
tember 8, 1903, removed from the com- 
munity one of its worthiest and most re- 
liable citizens. He was a member of the 
Loyal Legion and the Grand Army of the 
Republic. 

Colonel Thompson was married Octolicr 
12, 1854, to Anna L. Campbell, a daughter 
of William Campbell, and they had four 
children: Oliver D., wlio is engaged in the 
practice of law at Pittsburg; William ('.. 
who is a prominent attorney at Butler, 
with offices in the Butler County National 
Bank Block; Anmi Ek)ra, who married 
Charles Mitchell, of St. Cloud, Minnesota. 
is deceased; and Lauretta Gertrude, who is 
also deceased. 

EVERETT GUNNER BAKER, ^I. D.. 

physician and surgeon, who is engaged in 
practice at Valencia, was born December 
28, 1870, near Mt. Chestnut, Butler County. 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Hiram and 
Margaret A. (Opre) Baker. 

Hiram Baker was born in Muddy Creek 
Township, Butler County, a son of Jewell 
Baker, who was one of the early settlers in 
that section. Jewell Baker had two sons. 
James and Hiram. The latter passed his 
entire life in Butler County and died at 
Brownsdale, in 190-t, aged seventy-six 
years. He married Margaret A. Opre, who 
was born at Grove City, Pennsylvania, an<l 
survived her husband. They had the fol- 
lowing children: Sarah, who married S. 
Gulick; Lucinda, who married J. W. Wil- 
liamson; ^Margaret, who married J. W. 
Stevenson; James Andrew; Agnes L.; El- 
mer H. ; Gilbert J.; Olive, who married J. 
M. Starr; Everett Minner; and Charles W. 

A boyhood s]ient on the farm, the 
foundation of a liberal education laid in 



the public school — such is the record of the 
earlier years of Dr. Baker. Better educa- 
tional advantages were given him at Ren- 
frew, Evans City, later Grove City College, 
and in the fall of 1893, he entered the 
Western University of Pennsylvania, 
where he entered upon the study of medi- 
cine. He was graduated from that insti- 
tution in the spring of 1897, in September 
of that year he settled at Valencia, and 
during the eleven years of res'idence here 
has built up an excellent practice and has 
become a representative citizen. ^ 

In 1900 Dr. Baker was married to Miss 
Blanche A. Datt, who is a daughter of 
John Datt, a well known resident of Valen- 
cia, and they have one child, Everett 
:\leade. Dr. Baker and wife are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

HENRY and WILLIAM SCHWALM, 
general farmers and oil operators, in Jef- 
ferson Township, located on the Bull Creek 
Road, about two miles west of Saxonburg. 
Henry Schwalm was born June 2, 1875, and 
William Schwalm was born April 25, 1872. 
They are sons of Justice and Margaret 
(Smith) Schwalm. 

Justice Schwalm followed farming and 
prior to his death owned the farm which 
is now the property of his wife. He mar- 
ried Margaret Smith, who survives and re- 
sides on this farm, and they had six chil- 
dren born to them, namely : John and Jus- 
tice, both deceased ; Annie, who is the wife 
of George Fisher and lives at Butler; 
William; Henry; and Louise, who lives 
with her sister at Butler. 

The Schwalm brothers have always lived 
in this section since they accompanied their 
parents from Allegheny County, where 
they were born. Their chief business is oil 
operating and they have been exceedingly 
successful. William Schwalm married 
^liss Sarah Fisher, who is a daughter of 
(leorge and Mary (Michaels) Fisher, and 
thev have two children, Ruth and Mabel. 
The brothers are members of the Presby- 



1074 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



teiian Church. Henry belongs to the Jef- 
ferson Township Grange. They are well 
known and highly respected citizens. 

C. H. PARKER, oil producer and a rep- 
resentative citizen of Butler, has been 
closely identified with the oil business dur- 
ing ail his mature life. He was born in 
1865 in Armstrong, Butler County, Penu- 
svlvania, and is a sou of the late James A. 
Parker. 

The Parker family was established in 
Butler County by the grandfather, David 
Parker, who came at an early date to this 
section! The late James A. Parker spent 
his entire life in Butler County and de- 
voted himself to agricultural pursuits. 

C. H. Pai-ker became interested in the 
oil business almost in his school days, and 
in the years that have followed he has 
traveled all over the country and visited 
every section wdiere oil has been found in 
paying quantities, and his own operations 
have been in Butler and McKean Counties, 
Pennsylvania, and in the oil fields of West 
Virgiiiia, Ohio and Illinois. He owns both 
oil and gas interests at various points and 
through years of experience has become 
an authority in oil and gas production. 
For the past ten years he has been a 
valued resident of Butler and during three 
years of this period has served as a mem- 
ber of the City Council. 

In July, 1888, Mr. Pai'ker was married 
to Miss Olive Harper, who is a daughter 
of Sutton Harper and a member of one 
of the oldest families of Butler County. 
They have the following children : Edith ; 
Rutii and Charles, twins; Floyd, Margaret, 
Lester, Victor and Helen. Mr. and Mrs. 
Parker are members of the United Pres- 
byterian Church. His fraternal connec- 
tions include the Elks, Odd Fellows, 
Maccaliees and "\^'oodmen. 

ROBERT HOGG, a representative citi- 
zen and leading agriculturist of Butler 
County, who is engaged in cultivating 21)0 



acres of fine farming land sitiiated near 
New Hope, lias bfcii a life-long resident of 
Chen-.x- 'l'n\\iislii|i. Ml-. Uogg was born on 
his present lanii in Cherry Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 184(5, 
and is a son of Robert and Mary Jane (Mc- 
Pate) Hogg. 

The grandfather of Robert Hogg, also 
named Robert, came to Butler County from 
the eastei-n )iart of the State, liriniiiny- witii 
him his son Robert, and here sdliod ,,ii tiic 
farm near Xew Hope, where Ixitii lather 
and grandfather died. Robert and Mary 
Jane (McFate) Hogg were the parents of 
ten children, of whom eight still survive. 

Robert Hogg of Cherry Townsliii) has 
always lived on the farm he now owns, and 
farming has been his life work. He has 
been successful in his operations, and his 
200-acre 2)i'operty is considered one of the 
most valuable in Cherry Township. 

Mr. Hogg was married (first) to Miss 
Eliza Bryan, who was born in AVashington 
Townsliip, Butler County, and was a 
daughter of Robert Steele Bryan. They 
became the parents of these children: "Will- 
iam H., married Ora Donaldson, and has 
two children, Dellis and Edith; Samuel 
Harper, married Ellen Nicely and has 
three children, Alice, Melvina and Lena ; 
Alary M., married James H. Campbell, and 
has one son, Robert William; Margaret, 
married Robert Johnston, and has three 
children, Harry, Elmira and James. Air. 
Hogg's first wife died in 1882, and he was 
married a second time to Mary E. Christy, 
who is a daughter of Ebenezer Christy. 

JOHN T. CRANAIER, senior member of 
the firm of J. T. Cranmer & Son, millers, 
a successful business partnership, of But- 
ler Township, operating one of the best 
etpiiiiped mills in Butler County, was born 
in what is now Clay Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, June 29, 18:12. His 
])arents were Asaph and Ellen (Finley) 
Cranmer. 

Asaph Cranmer, father of Jolin T., was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1075 



born iu 18(JU and came to Pennsylvania 
prior to his marriage, after wliicli he pur- 
chased 400 acres of wild land in Butler 
County, two miles from West Sunbury. 
For this land he paid seventy-five cents an 
acre and today it could not be purchased 
for $100 an acre. He was a man of unusual 
ability, a pioneer of courage and sterling 
character. When forty-five years old he 
lost his arm. through accident, nevertheless 
he led a busy and useful life for many 
years thereafter. He served in the capa- 
city of court crier and for many years was 
a justice of the peace in Clay Township. 
From its organization he was identified 
with the Republican party. His death oc- 
curred when he was seventy 3^ears of age. 
In his religious views, in early years he 
was liberal but later in life he united with 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. He mar- 
ried Ellen Finley and they had eleven chil- 
dren, namely: David, James and Israel, 
all deceased; John T. ; Elizabeth J., de- 
ceased, was the wife of 0. J. Walker ; Asa, 
residing on a part of the old homestead; 
William; Charles, deceased; and Nancy, 
deceased, who was the wife of Joseph Al- 
bert; also two that died in infancy. The 
mother of the above family was a faithful 
member of the United Presbyterian 
Church. The Cranmer family has been in 
America many generations, coming to the 
colonies sixty-four years before the Revo- 
lutionary War. The Cranmcrs suffered 
greatly in the Indian troubles and'the eld- 
est brother of Asaph Cranmer was burned 
to death when the savages set fire to his 
dwelling. 

John T. Cranmer was reared in Clay 
Township and gained his school-book 
knowledge in the" early schools, to which 
he walked a long distance. Later he 
learned the carpenter's trade and for 
thirty-five years was a contractor, work- 
ing through three counties. He built 
twenty-three of the big barns which still 
stand on the farms of old residents and 
often built also their houses and other 



structures. In 1S90 he turned his atten- 
tion to milling and purchased his present 
mill in Butler Township, from John Ral- 
ston, who had built it. Mr. Cranmer had 
thoroughly overhauled the mill and has in- 
stalled the most modern type of mill ma- 
chinery. His power is supplied by a 60- 
horse power gas engine and he grinds buck- 
wheat, wheat and other grains and sells 
flour and feed, doing a very large business. 
He disposes of his output locally, finding 
favor in the home market. 

Mr. Cranmer married Miss Martha Mil- 
ler, who is a daughter of John Miller, of 
Franklin Township, Butler County, and 
they have one son, Charles Everett. This 
son has grown up in the mill business more 
or less and is his father's partner and is 
recognized as one of the township's enter- 
prising young business men. He married 
Miss Delia McCandless, a daughter of 
Humes McCandless, of Center Townsliip, 
and they have five children : John T., May, 
Nellie, Ora and Vera Rosella. John T. 
Cranmer and wife are leading members of 
the United Presbyterian Church at Mt. 
Chestnut, in which he has been an elder for 
twenty years. In politics the Cranmers 
are Republicans. 

CHARLES YOUNG, a citizen of Zelie- 
nople, was born January 28, 1852, in Jack- 
son Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Adam and Catherine 
(Zehner) Young. 

Adam Young, his father, was born in 
Alsace, Germany, coming to this country 
in 1840, at the age of twenty-seven, having 
served seven years in the army. He landed 
at New Orleans and was there during the 
yellow fever plague and was employed with 
a horse and clray in hauling the dead to the 
trenches. He took the fever, but, through 
the efforts of a trained nurse, survived. In 
1846 he came to Cranberry Township, But- 
ler County, and married Mrs. Catherine 
Noss, nee Zehner, widow of George Noss, 
who then had two children, Catherine and 



1076 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Frederick, both tieceused. lu 1853, alter 
residing near Zelienople for a few years, 
lie bought 110 acres of laud in Connoque- 
nessing Township, to which he later added 
forty acres. He died in May, 1878, aged 
sixty-five years; his wife died April 1, 
1884, aged sixty-nine years. The follow- 
ing children were born to Adam Young and 
wife: Mary, who died in early youth; 
Adam, who was accidently strangled to 
death while swinging in the barn, during 
the absence of his parents; Sophia, who 
died April 21, 1908; Henry, who resides 
near Reibold Station, Butler County, mar- 
ried Louise Beam; Caroline, wife of John 
Flinner, resides in Jackson Township ; Ed- 
win residing on the old homestead in Con- 
noquenessing Township, married Caroline 
Friskhorn; and Charles. 

Charles Young engaged in farming for 
several years, in Connoquenessing Town- 
ship, where he owned sixty acres of land. 
This property proved to be an exception- 
ally rich oil producer. In JuiTe, 1890, he 
sold the farm to his brother Edwin and 
purchased property in Zelienople, in a 
large measure being led to do so on account 
of failing health. He has invested in other 
farm property, owning two farms near 
Zelienople, but does not give them his per- 
sonal attention. 

Charles Young married Miss Mary 
Frishkorn, who was a daughter of Casper 
and Elizabeth (Flmner) Frishkorn, for- 
merly well known residents of Butler 
County. They have three children, Ed- 
ward Philip is assistant cashier in The 
People's National Bank, at Zelienople; he 
married Maidie Hysell of Pomeroy, Ohio, 
they having two children, Charles Edward 
and Roy Stuart. The second son, Harry 
Albert, is a machinist and is employed at 
the Herman Pneumatic Machine plant at 
Zelienople. The daughter, Sara Elizabeth, 
married Otto W. Luek. Mr. Luek is at 
present employed at the Iron City Sani- 
tary Manufacturing Company at Zelie- 
nople. 



In his political convictions he is a Demo- 
crat. He has served on both the Town 
Council and the School Board since moving 
to Zelienople. He is almost a lifelong 
member of the Evangelical Reformed 
Church of Zelienople. 

WALTER L." GRAHAM, formerly a 
leading attorney and prominent citizen of 
Butler, was born in this borough, October 
25, 1831, and died November 1, 1900. His 
parents were JoM and Sarah Graham. 

Walter L. Graham was educated in the 
public schools, at Witherspoon Institute 
and at Jefferson College, and was grad- 
uated from the latter institution in 1854. 
He entered upon the study of law with 
Samuel A. Purviauce and completed his 
course of reading under Attorney Charles 
C. Sullivan, and in 1855 he was admitted 
to the bar. For many subsequent years he 
continued in the active practice of his pro- 
fession, both at Pittsburg and at Butler. 
In 1860, on account of his zeal for the prin- 
ciples embodied in the Republican party, 
he was selected as one of the delegates to 
the National Republican Convention which 
nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presi- 
dency of the United States. During his 
whole life he was public-spirited and as 
president of the borough council he advo- 
cated progress and reform. In 1862 he en- 
listed in Company G, Fourteenth Pennsyl- 
vania Militia, and assisted in repelling the 
invasion of the Confederates under Gen- 
eral Lee. Under Governor Andrew G. Cur- 
tin, he subsequently served three years as 
a notary public. He was a leading member 
of the Presbyterian Church and a member 
of the local board of trustees. 

In 1854 Walter L. Graham was married 
to Catherine Keller, a daughter of Eman- 
uel Keller of Cumberland County. Mrs 
Graham died July 4, 1861, leaving three 
children: Frank, who is deceased; Annie, 
who is deceased; and Walter H., who is 
engaged in an advertising business. Mr. 
Graham was married (second) in 1867, to 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



■1077 



Margaret A. Zimmerman, who survives 
and resides at No. 23U North McKean 
Street. She is a daughter of John Michael 
Zimmerman. T\yo children were born to 
the second union, namely: John C. and 
Margaret, the latter of whom resides with 
her mother. 

John Charles Graham, who is a success- 
ful attorney and prosperous real estate 
dealer at Butler, has been engaged in 
business pursuits almost from boyhood. 
During his school days he was employed as 
a clerk in a country store and became inter- 
ested later in a news agency and from 1879 
until 1887, he earned some three thousand 
dollars through his own efforts. In the 
latter year, notwithstanding his applica- 
tion to business, he was able to graduate 
as the salutatorian of his class at school. 
He dabbled to some degree in a real estate 
business prior to entering Lafayette Col- 
lege, where he took a course of study and 
after his return in 1891 he resumed his 
interest in the same. He studied law in his 
father's office and was admitted to the bar 
in 1894. 

On December 6, 1894, Mr. Graham was 
married, to Miss Lovey Ayres, who died 
August 16, 1907. She was a daughter of 
Capt. H. A. Ayres, and a granddaughter 
of Gen. William Ayres, who was one of the 
early settlers of Western Pennsylvania. 
Mr. and Mrs. Graham had four children: 
Elizabeth and Walter, who are deceased, 
and John and Margaret Lovey, who sur- 
vive. 

In 1888, Mr. Graham joined the State 
Militia, in which he served for six years. 
When the Spanish-American War broke 
out, he assisted in the organization of the 
Twenty -first Regiment and was elected sec- 
ond lieutenant of Company G, and later 
was appointed battalion adjutant. He has 
always been an atlilete and has won many 
honors in that line. He attends the First 
Presbyterian Church, of which he was sec- 
retary to the Board of Trustees for seven 
vears. Mr. Graham is one of the interest- 



ed members of the Young Men's Christian 
Association. For eight years he has been 
secretary of the Butler Board of Trade 
and has always taken a keen interest in 
matters which tend to the advancement of 
Butler and Butler County. 

JOHN A. CRISWELL, a prosperous 
business man of Mars, where he is engaged 
in undertaking and furniture dealing, be- 
longs to one of the old and early settled 
families of xVdams Township. He was born 
on the Criswell homestead, near Dowie- 
ville, Adams Township, this county. May 
3, 1853, son of James and Elizabeth 
(Spear) Criswell. 

William Criswell, the paternal grand- 
father of John A., was born in County 
Down, Ireland, in 1774, and emigrating to 
this country, in 1791 settled in Philadel- 
phia, where he engaged in the business of 
selling goods in the suburban districts. 
Having been thus occupied in peddling for 
about seven years, in 1798 he crossed the 
Allegheny Mountains on foot, and took up 
a 200-acre tract of land in what is now 
Adams Township, Butler County. For two 
years he kept bachelor's hall in a log cabin, 
which he erected in the midst of the for- 
est. For some time after becoming a resi- 
dent of the county he engaged in packing 
salt, ammunition and other sitpplies for the 
use of the settlers, from Pittsburg, Car- 
lisle, and Philadelphia, thus earning a lit- 
tle surplus money. In June, 1800, he mar- 
ried Margaret, a daughter of Robert Cris- 
well of Cumberland County. Their family 
in time numbered eleven children, two of 
whom — John and Isabella — died in early 
youth. The others who grew to maturity 
were as follows: Mary, who married Will- 
iam Hutchman; Martha, who became the 
wife of James Kidd ; Robert, who died in 
18.56, unmarried ; Nancy, who died single in 
1868; Margaret, who became the wife of 
Robert McKinney; Elizabeth, who married 
James Plummer; Jane, who married Sam- 
uel Purvis, of Beaver County; Susannah. 



1078 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



who married Samuel Kidd; and James. 
Mr. and Mrs. William Criswell were mem- 
bers of the Covenanter church, in whicn 
the former was an elder. Their entire 
married life was spent in this county, and 
they died upon the farm on which they first 
settled. 

James Criswell was born on his parents' 
farm in Adams Township, February 7, 
1820. He grew to manhood on the home- 
stead, and was married November 24, 1842, 
to Elizabeth Spear, a daughter of David 
Spear, of Adams Township. They had 
children as follows: William, who died 
aged nineteen years; David, who is now a 
resident of Missouri; Eobert C, deceased, 
who was a minister in the United Presby- 
terian Church; Margaret, who is the widow 
of the late Prof. John Mitchell, of New 
Wilmington, Penna. ; John A., subject of 
this sketch; James P., who is a resident of 
Pittsburg; and Mary E., now deceased, 
who was the wife of T. L. Donnelson. The 
life of James Criswell, the father of the 
above mentioned family, was devoted to 
agricultural pursuits, and he died on the 
homestead in November, 1896, aged sev- 
enty-seven years, being survived several 
years by his wife. Once a Republican in 
politics, he afterwards became a Prohibi- 
tionist. Occasionally he served in local 
office, chiefly from a sense of duty and at 
the earnest desire of his fellow citizens. 

John A. Criswell spent his boyhood on 
his father's farm and remained there, fol- 
lowing agricultural pursuits until 1891, 
when he moved to Mars. Prior to this he 
had engaged in the undertaking business 
which he continued, in conjunction with 
operating a livery stable, imtil 1903, when 
he sold out and for two years was interest- 
ed in a coal and feed business. After also 
disposing of this interest, he went to Pitts- 
burg, where he engaged in the grocery 
business until September 1, 1908, when he 
took advantage of an opportunity and 
bought out the undertaking and furniture 



business of A. C. Irvine, at Mars, which he 
still conducts. His ecjuipments as a funeral 
director are more complete than any other 
at Mars and he has a dij^loma from the 
Pittsburg Embalming School and operates 
imder a license from the Pennsylvania 
State Board. 

In 1878 Mr. Criswell was married to 
Miss Jane E. McKibben, who is a daughter 
of James McKibben, of Morrow County, 
Ohio, and they have had the following chil- 
dren : Vera, Russell, Nettie, who died aged 
nineteen months ; David C. and Blanche E. 
Mr. Criswell and wife belong to the United 
Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a 
Republican and at different times has 
served in township and borough offices. He 
is a member of the Odd Fellows, the Mac- 
cabees and the Woodmen. 

F. AUGUSTUS ALDINGER, one of 
Chicora's enterprising business men, 
senior member of the lirm of Aldinger & 
Tadder, operators of the largest repair 
shop in the place, doing business under the 
name of the Chicora Engine Tool Com- 
pany, was born at Chicora, Butler County, 
Penna., January 4, 1876. His parents are 
C. F. and Ella (Henshew) Aldinger. 

The father of Mr. Aldinger has been a 
prominent business man and leading citi- 
zen of Chicora, for many years. He was 
born in Germany and was four years old 
when his parents brought him to Butler 
County, with which section his interests 
have ever since been connected. He has 
been identified with the shoe trade and also 
conducted a gents' furnishing store, and 
during his many years in business has lost 
a large amount of money from tire, being 
bTirued out five times. He has been a very 
active citizen, served for years as a justice 
of the peace, has held almost all of the city 
offices, at present being city clerk, and for 
four years was postmaster. He married 
Ella Henshew , a lady of Millerstown, 
Penna., and they have four children. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1081 



namely : F. Augustus, C. F., Elizabeth aud 
Pauline. Witb his wife he belongs to the 
German Lutheran Church. 

F. Augustus Aldinger attended school 
at Chicora aud then learned the machin- 
ist's trade with W. H. Westerman, who 
conducted a machine shop at that time on 
the site of Mr. Aldinger 's present plant. 
After Mr. Aldinger had been with this em- 
ployer for two years the shop was de- 
stroyed by fire and while Mr. Westerman 
was rebuilding, Mr. Aldiuger worked at 
another machine shop for six months and 
then returned to his former employer for 
six months longer. From there lie went to 
Pittsburg and for one year worked for the 
Westinghouse people, this being his only 
absence from Butler County in his life. 
After coming back to Chicora he began 
work with Dierken and Logan, and two 
years later, after the latter had sold out to 
Daniel Dierken, Mr. Aldinger, in partner- 
slii]) with W. J. Logan, purchased the busi- 
ness from Mr. Dierken and they conducted 
it until 1904. In February of that year the 
partnership was dissolved and for two sub- 
sequent years the business was continued 
by the Millerstown Deposit Bank. In the 
meanwhile, Mr. Aldinger and George Tad- ' 
der came to an understanding and entered 
into the present partnership and took pos- 
session of the business which they have so 
successfully conducted ever since. They 
give constant employment to four work- 
men and have about all they can handle 
with their present facilities. Mr. Aldinger 
being a practical machinist, has careful 
oversight of all the work turned out, thus 
ensuring entire reliability in every in- 
stance. 

On June 8, 1904, Mr. Aldinger was mar 
ried to Miss Minnie Hurley, and they have 
two children: Paul A. and Gerald. Mr. 
Aldinger and wife belong to the English 
Lutheran Church. He takes a good citi- 
zen's interest in politics and for eight 
years has served as a member of the elec- 
tion board. 



LEWIS A. HEROLD, a prosperous 
farmer and successful business man of 
Center Townsliip, Butler County, Penna-., 
is the owner of. a fine farm of 100 acres, 
situated on the old Mercer Road, three 
miles north of Butler. He is a man of 
varied interests, and, in addition to farm- 
ing and dairying, operates a thresher in 
season and is engaged in the construction 
of silos. He was born near Bonny Brooli, 
Summit Township, Butler County, Octo- 
ber 11, 1864, and is a son of Gottlieb and 
Caroline (Robb) Herold, both natives of 
Germany. They were reared in Germany, 
but were not married until after their ar- 
rival in the United States. Gottlieb died 
on the old home farm in Summit Town- 
ship. 

Lewis A. Herold was reared on the home 
farm and received but little schooling. He 
lived with his parents until he reached the 
age of twenty-one years, then worked out 
for a couple of years. At the end of that 
time he was married, and thereafter for 
about two years farmed the home place. 
He next was employed three years in the 
plate glass works at Butler, after which, 
in 1894, he purchased and moved to his 
present farm in Center Township. He 
has made many important improvements 
on the place, built a third story onto his 
house, erected a large barn and a fine 
creamery, and laid a large amount of til- 
ing. He engaged in wholesaling milk until 
1904, since which time he has retailed it 
with good results. He keeps about twenty- 
seven cows, on an average, and does a 
large business. He also contracts for the 
building of silos, and in the fall of 1908 
filled nineteen. He owns a fine threshing 
outfit, which he operates in partnership 
with his brothers, Frederick and Frank. 
He is one of the substantial citizens of the 
township, having won his way to a forward 
position in the community from the ranks 
of a farm laborer. 

Mr. Herold was united in marriage in 



1082 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



1887 to Miss Emma Kradle, who was born 
and reared in Summit Township, Butler 
County, and is a daughter of Adam Kra- 
dle. Three children were born to them — 
Harry, Carrie and Gilbert. Religiously, 
they are members of the Lutheran Church. 

AlATTHEW W. SHANNON, JR., vice- 
president of the Worth Mutual Fire Insur- 
ance Company and a leading citizen and 
general farmer of Connoquenessing Town- 
ship, where he owns 100 acres of produc- 
tive land, was born February 8, 1861, at 
Whitestown, Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
He is a son of Matthew W. and Mary (Ste- 
venson) Shannon. David Shannon, the 
paternal grandfather, was a very early set- 
tler in this section. He married one of the 
White family — a very populous and prom- 
inent one in Butler County, that gave the 
name to Whitestown. 

Matthew W. Shannon, father of Mat- 
thew W., was born in Connoquenessing 
Township, Butler County, December 5, 
1821, and resided in his birthplace until 
1890, when he retired to Mt. Chestnut. He 
followed agricultural pursuits through all 
his active years. He was a man of stand- 
ing in this neighborhood and for years ac- 
ceptably filled township offices, being school 
director, tax collector, auditor, constable 
and supervisor. He married Mary Steven- 
son, who is a daughter of Nathaniel Ste- 
venson, an early settler in Franklin Town- 
'ship, and they had nine children born to 
them, six of whom grew to maturity, as 
follows: Jennie, who is the widow of 
Abraham Hemphill, of Connoquenessing 
Township; J. F., who is a justice of the 
peace at Callery, Pennsylvania; Annie, 
who is the wife of W. J. Moore, of Brook- 
line, Pennsylvania; Nettie, deceased, who 
was the wife of Clarence Double; Matthew 
W. ; and Benjamin F., who resides at Mt. 
Chestnut. The parents are members of 
the Mt. Chestnut United Presbyterian 
Church. 

Matthew W. Shannon, Jr., obtained his 



public school education in Connoquenes- 
sing Township and since leaving school has 
been continuously engaged as a farmer on 
his present property. He has almost the 
whole of his estate of 100 acres under cul- 
tivation, raising corn, oats, wheat, hay, 
buckwheat and potatoes, the latter crop 
being especially abundant, Mr. Shannon 
having groWn 1,000 bushels in some years. 
He is a man of very practical ideas and he 
has proved their value when he has applied 
them to his agricultural operations. His 
surroundings all indicate a large degree of 
comfort and his residence is exceedingly 
attractive. 

'Sir. Shannon married Miss Mary Eliza- 
beth Ralston, a daughter of John Ralston, 
of Butler Township, and they have three 
children: John W., residing in Colorado; 
Annetta, who is a student in the Slippery 
Rock State Normal School; and Oi'ville 
Clara, at home. The whole family have 
membership in the Mt. Chestnut United 
Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Shan- 
non is an elder and clerk of the Session, 
and has served as a trustee. He has taken 
an active interest in Sunday-school work 
and for a long time officiated as superin- 
tendent. 

Mr. Shannon is identified with the Re- 
publican party but, irrespective of party 
ties, he has worked for the good of the 
township in the way of public improve- 
ments and the securing of excellent school 
facilities. He has served as school dii'ee- 
tor and as secretary of the School Board, 
and he has also been township supervisor 
and assessor. 

GEORGE M. HARTUNG resides on a 
fine farm of sixty acres in Forward Town- 
ship, about five miles. east of Evans City, 
on the Freeport road. He was born in 
North Sewickley Township, Beaver 
County, Penna., July 3, 1851, and is a son 
of Nicholas and Carolina (Moas) Hartung. 

Michael Hartung, paternal grandfather 
of the subject of this sketch, was born and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1083 



reared in Germauy. He came to the 
United States when his son, Nicliolas, was 
three years of age, and settled on a farm 
near Zelienople, m Butler County, Penna., 
where he lived until his death. His first 
house on that place was a log structure, 
without a tloor, and the land was almost 
wholly unimproved. He had a large fam- 
ily of children, of whom the following are 
now living: John; George; Isaac; Dorothy, 
widow of Albert Sidel; Eliza, widow of 
Gottleib Wex'tz; and Catherine, widow of 
John Berringer. 

Nicholas Hartung was the eldest of the 
children of his parents and was born in 
Germany. He was three years of age when 
his people came to America, and was 
reared on the home farm near Zelienople. 
He spent nine years working on different 
farms before his marriage, and later 
worked in a sawmill. He rented a farm in 
Beaver County a few years, and after his 
return to Butler County purchased a farm 
of 135 acres in Adams Township. He re- 
tired from business activity some four 
years prior to his death, and died at Evans 
City, November 1, 1905, at the age of sev- 
enty-seven years. His first wife, in maiden 
life Miss Carolina Moas, died April 14, 
1896, leaving four children : George M. ; 
Lydia, wife of John Twentier; Mary Ann, 
wife of George Dombart; and John. Mr. 
Hartung was again married, to Miss Dor- 
othy Freshcorn, who survives him. 

George M. Hartung was a mere child 
when his parents moved from Beaver 
County to Adams Township, in Butler 
County, and liere he grew to maturity. He 
attended the little brick school in the dis- 
trict a few months each year, but his time 
was mainly given to hard work on the 
farm. He remained on the home place un- 
til his marriage, then rented a farm in 
Adams Township for ten years, at the end 
of which time he purchased his present 
farm of John Kurtz. On this he has erect- 
ed a fine modern home, and the entire farm 
is improved in an up-to-date manner. He 



is engaged in general farming, and raises 
some stock. In addition to his home tract 
he has some thirty-four acres in Adams 
Township at the present time. 

George M. Hartung was united in mar- 
riage, November 18, 1875, with Miss Mary 
L. Kline, a daughter of Nicholas Kline, 
and the following children have been born 
to them: Charles, who graduated from 
xlUegheny College in 1907, and is now a 
minister in the M. E. Church, located in 
Indiana County, Penna. ; Isaac P., a grad- 
uate of Butler Business College, who is 
foreman for the Philadelphia Gas Co. at 
West View, Penna.; Clarence, of Butler 
County; Nicholas, of Pittsburg; Frank; 
George M., Jr., who assists his father on 
the home farm ; Melinda, who died young ; 
Mary; and Lillian. Religiously, the family 
belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
in which Mr. Hartung is a trustee. In 
politics, he is a Democrat. 

COL. DAVID D. LLOYD, president of 
the Lloyd Company, wholesale confection- 
ers, at Butler, is one of the city's leading 
Imsiness men and is a veteran of the Civil 
War. He was born July 23, 1833, in Cam- 
bria County, Pennsylvania. 

When twelve years of age. Colonel Lloyd 
accompanied his parents to Pittsburg and 
there he was educated and later worked for 
several years in the glass factory. He 
learned the boiler rivet trade at the Cole- 
man Roller ]\Iill and remained there for ten 
years, after this being engaged in a general 
mercantile business for three years, at 
Port Perry, in Allegheny County, and for 
one year in a coal business. In 1864 he 
entered the Federal service, becoming a 
member of Company H, One Hundred 
Ninety-ninth Regiment, Penna. Infantry, 
with the rank of sergeant, and he remained 
in the service until the close of hostilities. 
He was attached to the Army of the Po- 
tomac and participated in the siege of 
Petersburg and all the subsequent engage- 



1084 



inSTOKY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



ments wliicli culmiuatecl in the surrender 
of General Lee. After lie returned from 
his period of honorable military service, 
Mr. Lloyd was engaged in a general mer- 
cantile business at 5jorth Washington, in 
Westmoreland County, for six years, and 
then he moved to Apollo, in Armstrong- 
County, where he continued his mercantile 
activities for nine years longer. He then 
established himself in the same business at 
Beaver Falls and remained there for eight 
years in that line and then went into the 
wholesale tobacco business. This enter- 
prise he conducted there for twelve years 
when he returned to Apollo and engaged 
there in a confectionery and tobacco busi- 
ness for two years, being associated at this 
time with his sons and having a branch 
store at Butler. In 1904 he consolidated 
his branches and started anew in the whole- 
sale confectionery business at Butler, the 
wisdom of this move having been abun- 
dantly demonstrated in the wide extension 
and ample returns. The Lloyd Company 
Incorporated, has a capital stock of $20,000 
and its officers are: David D. Lloyd, presi- 
dent; R. R. Lloyd, treasurer; and W. E. 
Lloyd, secretary. The business is carried 
on at 'Nos. 127-129 East Cunningham 
Street, Butler, and among the many mod- 
ern equipments the company owns is an 
automobile truck, the only one in use in the 
«ity. 

Colonel Lloyd has long been interested 
in military affairs and was one of the or- 
ganizers of the Tenth Regiment Penna. 
State Guards. He raised a company and 
commanded it as provisional officer for 
three years and when the Tenth Regiment 
was finally organized, he was elected its 
major, serving as such for two years, then 
was elected lieutenant colonel and served 
in that rank for five years, when, on ac- 
count of press of business, he retired. 

In 18.57, Mr. Lloyd was married to Miss 
Margaret R. Fritzius, who died in 1877. 
To this union were born five sons and one 
daughter, namely: W. E. Lloyd, secretary 



of the Lloyd Company, residing at Zane.s 
ville, Ohio; George W., residing at Zanes- 
ville; Wilbur C, a resident of Waukesha, 
Wisconsin; Arthur N., residing at Zanes- 
ville; Royce Russell, treasurer and man- 
ager of the Lloyd Company, at Butler; and 
Kate M., wife of W. H. Shuster, of Leech - 
burg, Pennsylvania. 

In his political views, Colonel Lloyd is 
a stanch Republican. Fraternally he is an 
Odd Fellow. He is a member of the -Metho 
dist Episcopal Church and for many years 
had been an official of the same. 

ALEXANDER SCHILLING, who is 
efficiently serving his second term as jus- 
tice of the peace of Forward Township, 
Butler County, Penna., is a general mer- 
chant at Reibold Station, and enjoys a 
large and lucrative trade. He was born 
in Metzels, Germany, February 26, 1846, 
and is a son of John G. and Margaret (Lin- 
zer) Schilling. 

John Frederick Schilling, grandfather 
of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer 
and a man of considerable prominence in 
his native province in Germany. On the 
day of his marriage he was elected burgess 
of Metzels and served continuously in that 
capacity for twenty years. His death oc- 
curred at the age of forty-eight years. He 
and his wife were parents of the following 
children : John Sebastian, a physican, who 
died in Germany; John G., father of the 
subject of this sketch ; Lawrence, deceased ; 
Mrs. Bowdenstein, deceased; Sophia (Vier- 
ing), deceased; and Mrs. Rossman. 

John G. Schilling was born in Saxony, 
Germany, in 1800, and was there reared to 
maturity. He was a drover and farmer 
and became owner of a fine farm near 
Meiningen. In 186.3, one year after the 
departure of their son, Alexander, Mr. and 
Mrs. Schilling left for America and set- 
tled on a farm near Wahlville, on the Con- 
noquenessing Creek, in Butler County, 
Penna., where they passed the remainder- 



Ai\l) REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1085 



ol' tiieir lives, lie died in 1874, and liis 
wife in 19U2. She was in maiden life Mar- 
garet Linzer, and was born in May, 1813. 
Slie was a daughter of Casper lanzer, who 
was a prominent surveyor and held numer- 
ous public offices in Germany. Eleven chil- 
dren were tlie issue of this marriage: 
Sophia, widow of John Keg; Matilda, de- 
ceased wife of Herman Schilling; Emilie, 
deceased wife of George Ifft ; Lizetta, who 
died young; Alexander; Emma E., who 
died at the age of twenty-two years; Ve- 
ronica, wife of V. Leyli; Ernest W., who 
died at the age of twenty-two; Anna, wife 
of Henry Wahl; Christina, who died 
young; and Robert. 

Alexander Schilling attended the schools 
and worked on tlie farm in Germany, and 
when sixteen years of age left his native 
land for America. He departed on his 
birthday anniversary and landed at Cas- 
tle Garden, New York, April 24, 1862, im- 
mediately thereafter going to Pittsburg, 
Penna., where he worked at the trade of a 
shoemaker some five years, and then 
moved to Butler County, and worked on 
different farms. After his marriage he 
lived, on the old Marburger farm near Gal- 
lery several years, and followed his trade. 
In 1878, he opened his present store at 
what is now Reibold Station, and has been 
there continuously since. He carries a 
general line of goods, in fact almost every- 
thing for which there is a demand in a 
country store, and has the patronage of 
the people of that vicinity. For a period 
of seventeen years he served as postmaster 
at this point. In 1903, he was elected jus- 
tice of the peace, and was made notary 
public, and in 1906 he was re-elected to that 
office. 

On February 25, 1868, Mr._ Schilling was 
united in marriage with Miss Eva Mar- 
burger, a daughter of George and Emma 
Marburger, and they are parents of ten 
children: George W., who married Marie 
Emsheimer; Rebecca, deceased; Margaret, 
deceased; Marie Magdalena, wife of John 



Nolsheim; Catiierine, deceased; Lawrence, 
who married Anna Dougherty; Caroline, 
wife of Floyd Rape ; Valentine ; Anna ; and 
Francis. Keligioush', they are members of 
the Lutheran Church. He is a Republican 
in politics. In 1907, Mr. Schilling returned 
to Germany and spent two months in visit^ 
ing the scenes of his boyhood, experiencing 
a most enjoyable trip. 

CHARLES L. KENNEDY, a represent 
ative citizen and successful agriculturist of 
Butler Township, resides on his well im- 
proved farm of seventy-three acres, all of 
which, under " his excellent methods, is 
made to produce to its fullest extent. He 
was born in Penn Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1868, and is a 
son of William and Matilda (Graham) 
Kennedy. 

William Kennedy still carries on his 
farming operations in Penn Township, in 
spite of' advancing years retaining his 
strength and vitality. He is a representa- 
tive citizen in his section and a trustee of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. In poli- 
tics he is a Republican and he has served 
in the offie of coroner. He married a 
daughter of Robert Graham, of Penn 
Township, and they had ten children born 
to them, as follows: Annie, who is the 
wife of A. B. McCandless, of Butler; Will- 
iam, deceased; Lulu, who married Morris 
J. Florsheim, of St. Paul, Minnesota; 
Charles L. ; Clyde, who assists on the home 
farm ; Mrs. Clara Robbins ; George, also one 
of the home farmers; Ada, who married 
Dominick Mangel, of Penn Township ; Eva, 
who resides with Mrs. Mangel, and Fran- 
ces M. 

Charles L. Kennedy was reared in Penn 
Township, w^iere he obtained his educa- 
tion. For a number of years he worked in 
the oil fields and in the past ten years has 
drilled many wells. In April, 1906, he 
bought the old Seaman farm of seventy- 
three acres and since then has given his 
undivided attention to farming and dairy- 



1086 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ing. lu the fall of 1907 he established a 
milk route, keeping ten head of cattle for 
this purpose and producing and disposing 
of from seventy to ninety quarts of milk a 
day. He raises almost all of bis feed and 
takes much interest in having fine vege- 
tables, growing also large crops of wheat, 
corn, oats and hay. 

On June 28, 189.3, Mr. Kennedy was mar- 
ried to Annie Mangel, who is a daughter 
of Claude Mangel, a well known farmer 
of Penn Township. Their children, eight 
in number, all reside at home, namely: 
Vincent, Charles L., J., Frances Cecelia, 
William Claude, Warren Maurice, Mar- 
garet Matilda Agnes, John Gilbert and 
Lucretia May. Mrs. Kennedy is a devoted 
member of St. Paul's Roman Catholic 
Church. In poHtics, Mr. Kennedy is iden- 
tified with the ReiDublicau party. He be- 
longs to the fraternal organization, the 
Woodmen of the World, at Butler. 

C. C. SHIRA, one of Butler's repre- 
sentative business men, conducting a gro- 
cery business at No. 340 Locust Street, has 
been a resident of this city for twenty- 
four years. He was born in Washington 
Township, Butler County, Penna., June 20, 
1860, and is a son of Samuel Shira and a 
grandson of David Shira. 

David Shira came to Western Pennsyh 
vania from one of the eastern counties and 
was a man of some substance and unlim- 
ited enterprise. In 1802 he secured a whole 
section of land in Butler County, from the 
Government, and the sheepskin deed is- 
sued binding this transaction is the only 
one of its kind on the coimty records. His 
business sagacity was remarkable and his 
public spirit contributed to the rapid de- 
velopment of this part of the county. When 
he took up his residence the only real out- 
let that this section had was the old post 
road to Pittsburg. He amassed an estate 
of $35,000, a very large one for his time 
and looalitv. Phvsicallv he was a man of 



note as were his five sons, their combined 
weight being 1500 pounds and their added 
height being thirty-seven feet. These sons 
were: William M., deceased, once Pro- 
thonotary of Butler County; Samuel, de- 
ceased; Alfred, still surviving and living 
on the old homestead; R. 0., residing at 
North Washington, Penna., who was a lieu- 
tenant in the Civil War; and Henderson, 
who lives on a part of the old homestead. 
There were two daughters: Eliza Jane, 
who married John T. Kelley, formerly 
sheritf of Butler County; and Anna, de- 
ceased. 

Samuel Shira, father of C. C, was born 
in Washington Township, Butler County, 
in 1834, and his life was spent in his native 
coimty. He engaged in farming and stock- 
raising and became a man of ample for- 
tune. While no seeker for political office, 
he took a hearty interest in public matters 
and was a more or less directing force in 
his township. 

C. C. Shira grew to manhood on the old 
homestead, was educated in the township 
schools and the North Washington Acad- 
emy, and was twenty-two years old when 
he went to New Castle, where he learned 
the carpenter trade. In 1884 he came to 
Butler and worked as a carpenter for ten 
years, after which, until 1898, he engaged 
in a general contracting business. Since 
March of that year he has been engaged in 
the grocery line and has a well stocked 
store and a satisfactory trade. Mr. Shira 
is largely interested also in Butler real 
estate, one of his valuable holdings being 
his own private residence which is located 
at No. 319 North Elm Street, Butler. 

On September 6, 1887, Mr. Shira was 
married to Miss Clara Dodds, who is a 
daughter of Rev. Ezra Dodds, of Harris- 
ville, Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. Shira 
have one daughter, Pearle E., who is a 
teacher of music. Mr. Shira and family 
belong to the United Presbyterian Church 
at Butler. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1089 



H. W. LENSNEE, superintendent and 
general manager of the Concordia Home, 
situated in Jefferson Township, the only 
institution of its kind in Butler County, 
was born January 23, 1865, in Jefferson 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of J. H. and Catherine 
(Grimm) Lensner. The father of Mr. 
Lensner was born in Germany in 1835 and 
in 1837 was brought to Saxonburg, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, by his parents, 
John and Sophia (Les singer) Lensner. 
J. H. Lensner was a carpenter by trade, 
and he also followed farming. 

H. W. Lensner attended the public 
schools near his father's farm during boy- 
hood, spent six terms at Witherspoon In- 
stitute, and completed his education at 
Addison, Illinois. He then engaged in 
teaching school in Butler County for seven 
years, after which he accepted a call to 
Concordia Home, where he has been in 
charge for the past fourteen years. On 
December 29, 1891, Mr. Lensner was mar- 
ried to Miss Lucy Paul, who is a daughter 
of J. G. Paul, who was a very prominent 
farmer residing near Great Belt. Mr. and 
Mrs. Lensner are members of the Lutheran 
Church. 

JOHN A. GEEGG, who owns and re- 
sides upon an excellently improved farm 
of eighty-tive acres in Jefferson Township, 
Butler County, Penna., located about five 
miles southeast of Butler on the Saxon- 
burg Eoad, is successfully engaged in oil 
producing as well as farming. He was born 
in Buffalo Township, Butler County, May 
1, 1853, and is a son of William and Mary 
Catherine (Kuhn) Gregg. 

Eobert J. Gregg, paternal grandfather 
of the subject of this record, was born in 
Washington County, Penna., where his 
father was one of the eai-liest settlers, hav- 
ing come from the North of Ireland at an 
early age. William Gregg, who now re- 
sides at the Lowrie Hotel in Butler and 



is past seventy-eight years of age, was for 
many years engaged in the livery busi- 
ness, in addition to carrying on farming 
operations. 

John A. , Gregg attended the public 
schools and at the same time assisted in 
the work on the home farm. He has fol- 
lowed general farming and has one of the 
best improved places in the township, the 
large and commodious buildings being 
kept nicely painted and the house and barn 
provided with slate roofs. Mr. Gregg has 
one producing oil well on his farm, and 
with his brother, Ealph, has four good 
average producing wells in the Coyles- 
ville oil field. 

June 1, 1880, Mr. Gregg was united in 
marriage with Miss Sadie E. Walters, a 
daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Flem- 
ing) Walters of Buffalo Township, But- 
ler County. Seven children were born to 
bless their home, namely : Frederick, an en- 
gineer at Edinau Station Power 'Plant on 
the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and New 
Castle Eailway, who married Delia Eefen- 
baugh, by whom he has a daughter, Helen ; 
Floyd, who lives on the farm and is in the 
oil business; Walter, who lives in Butler; 
Frank, who is a pumper in the oil fields 
and in the employ of his father; Lucile, a 
graduate of the public schools who is liv- 
ing at home ; John Eay ; and Mildred. The 
two last named are in attendance at school. 
Fraternally, Mr. Gregg is a prominent 
member of the Patrons of Husbandry. In 
religious attachment, he and his family 
are Presbyterians. 

STEPHEN F. SCHULTZ, a substantial 
and representative citizen and farmer of 
Donegal Township, resides on an excellent 
farm of fifty-four acres and owns a sec- 
ond farm, of sixty-six acres, in another 
part of the toTvnship, on which he has a 
valuable producing oil well. Mr. Schultz 
belongs to that large class of valued citi- 
zens — the German-Americans, his birth 



1090 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



kaviug beeu in Germany, February 19, 
1853. Ilis parents were George F. and 
Margaret Scbultz. 

The mother of Mr. Schultz spent her 
whole life in Germany, but in his later 
years, tlie father joined his son Stephen 
F., in Butler County, and died here in 1902. 
He was the father of seven children : An- 
na, Frank, Stephen F., Michael, Christina, 
Michael Francis and Elizabeth, several of 
whom are deceased. 

Stephen F. Schultz remained in his own 
land until he was about nineteen years of 
age, attending school there and learning 
the trade of butcher. In 1872 he came to 
America, landing at the port of New York, 
and for the first five months he worked as 
a butcher in that city. He then came west 
to Pittsburg and engaged in the same busi- 
ness there for the same length of time. 
In 1873 he was attracted to Butler County 
during the oil excitement, and had the fore- 
sight to immediately embark in a butcher- 
ing business on a larger scale than for- 
merly and for thirty years continued the 
business, driving his own wagon a large 
part of the time to the different oil set- 
tlements. He proved himself a good busi- 
ness man in this undertaking and soon had 
sufficient capital to enable him to invest 
in other ways. In 1880 he purchased the 
farm on which he lives, from the Union 
Oil Company, and in 1883, he bought his 
second farm, from the P. C. & L. Company, 
and has done all the improving on both 
properties. Although butchering is no 
longer his main business, the big packing 
houses making the industry no longer gen- 
erally profitable, Mr. Schultz continues 
this work in a small way. He carries on 
general farming and raises fancy poultry 
and is also more or less interested in oil 
production. 

Mr. Schultz has been twice married 
(first), on November 16, 1873, to Miss 
Mary Dittmer, who was born in Germany 
and was a daughter of Benedict Dittmer. 
She died November 18, 1890, having been 



the mother of eleven children, as follows: 
Christiana, who married Joseph Bauldofe, 
lives in Oakland Township and they have 
seven children : Stephen, who lives in Ok- 
lahoma; Clara M., who lives at Buffalo, 
New York; Joseph F., who married Mar- 
tha Hopper, lives in Donegal Township 
and they have two children ; Anna M., who 
married George Leibler, lives at Buffalo 
and has one child; Lizzie, who married 
Albert Nye, lives in Summit Township, 
Butler County, and they have four chil- 
dren; Francis S., who lives in Illinois; 
Emma B., who is a trained nurse in a Buf- 
falo hospital ; Leo C, who resides at Phila- 
delphia; Helen M., who is a teacher in 
the public schools, resides at home; and 
Mary, the youngest, who also lives at home. 
Mr. Schultz was married (second) on Sep- 
tember 29, 1896, to Mrs. Mary C. (Trais- 
ter) Gray, who is a daughter of Charles 
and Olive (Sweet) Traister, and they have 
two children: Charles H. and Mildred. 
Mrs. Schultz has two children to her first 
husband, Roland M. Gray and Risden H. 
Gray. 

Mr. Schultz is a leading member of St. 
Joseph's Catholic Church of Oakland. He 
has been one of the most active public men 
in the township and at different times he 
has served with lionesty and efficiency as 
school director, secretary of tlie School 
Board, auditor, constable, member of the 
Election Board, overseer of the Poor, and 
at present is the very acceptable township 
clerk. He has a wide acquaintance and is 
an exceedingly popular citizen. 

WILLIAM CAMPBELL, Sr., who, for 
many years was one of the best known and 
most widely respected business men of 
Butler County, was born in the borough of 
Butler, January 18, 1813, and was a son 
of William and Jane (Gilmore) Campbell. 

In his youth Mr. Campbell attended the 
coDunon schools of Butler, where he was 
well grounded in the elements. His first 
industrial experience was gained as clerk 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1091 



of the Board of Couuty Coinmissiouers. 
In 1835 be became associated in business 
with bis father and brotlier. Ten years 
later the father retired and the sons sub- 
sequently conducted the business success- 
fully until 1852, when they closed it out. 
For five years previously they had owned 
a one-half interest in the John McCarnes 
foundry, and they now purchased the en- 
tire interest, and established a store for 
the sale of the manufactured product, to 
whicli thej^ added agricultural implements, 
and in 1877, a stock of general hardware. 
This was the origin of the highly success- 
ful firm of J. 0. and W. Campbell, that 
has since been a prominent factor in the 
business life of Butler, and in which the 
elder William Campbell was a partner, 
though practically retired, took a deep in- 
terest up to the time of his death. 

Mr. Campbell's business activities were 
not, however, confined to one groove. He 
was one of the projectors of the Butler 
and Allegheny Plank Road Company, of 
which he served some time as president, 
being also an original stockholder. He was 
quick to foresee the superior advantages of 
steam railroads, and was one of the strong- 
est advocates of railroad construction in 
this section. He was also interested at an 
early day in the development of the oil in- 
dustry, being associated with H. J. Kling- 
ler and others. One of the founders of the 
Butler Savings Bank, he was elected presi- 
dent of that institution, which office he held 
from February, 1877, to February, 1880. 
and on a subsequent reelection, from Jan- 
uary, 1886,'" to November, 1887, when he 
resigned. He was also for a number of 
years a director and president of the But- 
ler Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He 
gave to all these ejiterprises the careful 
attention and unremitting industry that 
were his dominant characteristics and that 
made him the successful business man that 
he was. These qualities, exhibited in what 
ever he undertook, were accompanied by 
the most scrupulous lionesty. that gained 



him the confidence of all with whom he 
had business dealings. 

Mr. Campbell was twice married. He 
was married (first) October 27, 1835, to 
]\liss Clarissa Maxwell, who died January 
29, 1839. She was a daughter of John Les- 
lie Maxwell, one of the pioneer settlers of 
Butler Township. Mr. Campbell was mar- 
ried (second) on March 31, 1841, to Miss 
Eliza J. Shaw, who died April 21, 1892. 
She was a daughter of John Shaw, of Glen- 
shaw, Allegheny, County. Four children 
were born to the second marriage, namely : 
William, who died July 27, 1907 ; John S. ; 
James Gr., who is deceased; and Mar.y, who 
married Joseph A. Herron, of Mononga- 
liela, Pennsylvania. The only surviving 
son, John S., is a prominent business man 
of Butler, actively interested in the hardr 
ware business and also, to a large extent, 
in the oil industry, in which he has been 
very successful. 

In politics, William Campboll was a life- 
long Democrat, faithful to his party but 
seeking no ofiSce. Through his interest in 
the cause of education, however, he con- 
sented to serve on the School Board, which 
he did for several years, to the manifest 
advantage of the public schools of the city. 
A Presbyterian in religion, he became a 
member of the church of that denomination 
in 1832. In 1841 he was elected one of 
the ruling elders, and for many years he 
was an efficient superintendent of the Sun- 
day-school. His work in the cause of re- 
ligion, and for the moral betterment of the 
community, was constant, and was the re- 
sult of earnest convictions. He died No- 
vember 17, 1893, surviving his wife hy one 
year and seven months. Although then 
eighty years of age, he retained to the last 
a kindly interest in the welfare of the 
various business and philanthropic enter- 
prises with wliidi he had been connected. 

DANIEL L. DUNBAR, a prominent 
resident of Forward Township, Butler 
County, Penna.. lias been justice of the 



1092 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



peace of that towusliip for a period of 
about eighteen years, and station agent of 
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Wat- 
ters Station, for fifteen years. He was 
born on the old Dunbar homestead in that 
township, June 18, 1853, is a son of Will- 
iam and Margaret (McGregor) Dunbar, 
and a grandson of Solomon and Seneth 
(Snow) Dunbar, the grandfather being a 
native of Ireland. 

Solomon Dunbar, upon his arrival in 
this country, located in New York State. 
After the birth of the third of his children, 
he moved with his family to Butler County, 
Penna., making the trip with a yoke of 
oxen. He settled on a farm of 200 acres 
in Cranberry Township, but later sold out 
and moved to Johnson, Ohio, where he 
conducted a hotel until his death. He and 
his wife were parents of ten children, as 
follows: Ambrose; AVilliam; Daniel; Pyr- 
rhus; Tarlton; Lafayette; John; Barney; 
Mary, wife of Joseph JNIcCartney; and 
Hannah, wife of Dr. Mulford. All are now 
deceased with the exception of BaVney, 
who resides in Ohio. 

AVilliam Dunbar was born in New York 
State, and was yoimg when the family 
moved to Butler County, Penna., where he 
grew to maturity and helped to clear the 
home farm. He later moved to that part 
of Cranberry To-nmship which later be- 
came Forward Township, and there fol- 
lowed farming the remainder of his days, 
dying July 19, 1892, at the age of eighty- 
two j^ears. He was married in Cranberry 
Township, in 1832, to Margaret McGregor, 
who was of Scotch descent; she died in 
1898, at the age of eighty-six years. The 
following were offspring of their union: 
John, who was a member of the 
Eleventh Penna. Reserves during the 
Civil War, and was killed at Gaines' 
Mills ; Solomon, a record of whom appears 
on another page of this work; Mary Jane, 
deceased wife of Edward Irvin; Alexan- 
der, who served in the Seventy-eighth Reg- 
iment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry during 



the Civil War; William W., a member of 
the Fourth Cavalry of Pennsylvania, dur- 
ing the Civil War; Alfred, also a member 
of the Fourth Cavalry; Alpheus, who was 
in the Fourth Cavalry; Irvin; Anna, de- 
ceased, who was the wife of Miller Mc- 
Kinney; and Daniel L. 

Daniel L. Dunbar was reared on the 
home place and received his education in 
the district school near by, attending a few 
months during the winters. He continued 
at home until his marriage. At the age of 
eighteen years he began teaching and con- 
tinued for ten years; he taught the old 
school which he had previously attended, 
and also in Adams Township for a time. 
In the winter of 1887, he resigned his 
school to accept the position of county de- 
tective, under appointment of former 
judge, Hon. A. L. Hazen. During his term 
he was sent to Canada to make an arrest, 
and bore extradition papers from Presi- 
dent Cleveland, that being the first case of 
the kind in Butler Country. He served ef- 
ficiently for three years, and immediately 
after was elected justice of the peace of 
Forward Township, in which capacity he 
has served, except for one term when he 
was out of office, with marked ability ever 
since. He also served two terms as school 
director. He has been agent at Watters 
for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for 
fifteen years, and for three years has been 
in the employ of the South Penn Oil Com- 
pany. For several years he conducted a 
general store on his property, and since 
1892, his wife has continuously been in 
charge of the post-office. 

Mr. Dunbar was married in July, 1881, 
to Marry A. Boggs, a daughter of Andrew 
Boggs, and four children have been born 
to them: Walter, who is located in West 
Virginia and is foreman of the South Penn 
Oil Company, married Chloe Senes of 
West Virginia, and they have a son, Ralph ; 
Maude, who lives in Virginia; Gertrude; 
and Ralph, who married Vera Davidson, 
is also in the employ of the South Penn 



AND KEPRESENTxlTTVE CITIZENS 



1093 



Oil Company. Politically, Mr. Dunbar is 
a Republican, and is now serving his sec- 
ond term as supervisor. Fraternally, he 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias, 
and the Knights of the ALaccabees. " 

JOHN A. CROSS, a well known oil pro- 
ducer and a member of the firm of Cross 
Brothers, has been a resident of Bruin, But- 
ler County, Penna., since 1902, and has 
been prominently identified with the af- 
fairs of that borough. He was formerly, 
for a period of two years, one of the pro- 
prietors of the Bruin' Machine and Tool 
Company, in partnership with Mr. N. F. 
Stanton. He has been engaged in the oil 
fields for many years, and has been a pro- 
ducer in Parker Township, Butler County, 
for seven years. 

Mr. Cross was born February 16, 1872, 
in Eastern Kansas, and is a son of Prof. 
Daniel McLean Cross, now deceased, who 
was a well known educator of Western 
Pennsylvania. Professor Cross was edu- 
cated in Allegheny College at Meadville, 
and thereafter entered upon his profes- 
sion as a teacher. He was the first princi- 
pal of West Sunbury Academy, and also 
taught at Harrisville and "Clintonville 
Academies, and other institutions in Penn- 
sylvania. He was a man of the highest ed- 
ucational attainments, and lived an hon- 
orable and useful life. His death occurred 
in 1898. 

John A. Cross was. five years of age 
when brought by his parents to Butler 
County, Penna., and was reared in the vi- 
cinity of Harrisville until he was eighteen 
years old, in the meantime receiving his 
educational training in the various insti- 
tutions with which his father was identi- 
fied. When nineteen years old he went to 
the ''Hundred Foot" oil field in Butler 
County, where he worked for a time, then 
went to Sistersville, West Virginia, whei'e 
he was employed in the oil fields for Jen- 
nings Brothers, for three years. He next 
went to Doddridge County. West Virginia, 



where he continued in the employ of Jen- 
nings Brothers for six j-ears, after which, 
in 1901, he became an oil operator in Park- 
er Township, Butler County, Penna., tak- 
ing up his residence in Bruin in 1902. He 
is in partnership with his brother, Henry 
A. M. Cross, and the business is carried on 
under the firm name of Cross Brothers. 
Mr. Cross entered actively into the busi- 
ness, social and religious life of Bruin, and 
is one of the most progressive and public 
spirited men of the borough. He is serving 
his third consecutive term as member of 
the board of directors of Bruin Borough 
School District, and has served both as sec- 
retary and treasurer of that body. 

In 1903, Mr. Cross became one of the 
organizers of the Bruin Baseball Club, and 
served as its manager for five years, dur- 
ing which time the club established an 
enviable reputation; they played between 
forty and fifty games each season, and were 
returned victors in full two-thirds of their 
games. In 1906, he brought the Pittsburg 
National League Club to Bruin for one 
game, the attendance being the largest of 
anv athletic event ever held in the borough. 

October 18, 1899, John A. Cross was 
joined in marriage with Miss Evalena 
Campbell, who was born in Butler County, 
and is a daughter of James E. Campbell 
of Concord To"nmship. Four sons were the 
issue of this marriage, namely: W. Merle; 
Algy R. ; Harold, who is deceased; and 
Cecil L. Mr. Cross is a member of Fair- 
view United Presbyterian Church and is a 
member of the Session. He has been a 
thorough student of Biblical lore, and has 
frequently contributed written articles on 
theological subjects. He is a teacher in 
the Bible class of the Fairview Church. 
He is a Republican in national politics, but 
has Prohibition tendencies. 

THOMAS J. KELLEY, a well known 
and highly esteemed citizen of Cherry 
Township, who is engaged in cultivating 
ninety-five acres of fine farm land situated 



1094 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



about one ami oue-iialf miles north of 
Bovard, was born on a farm at Coal Town, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, August 21, 
1841, and is a son of Aaron and Lucy 
(Heald) Kelley. 

Aaron Kelley was born in Perry County, 
Peuna., and came to Butler County as a 
boy with his father, Joseph Kelley, who 
settled first in Worth Township, where he 
died. Aaron Kelley some years after his 
father's death, sold the farm in Worth 
Township, and moved to Ashtabula Coun- 
ty, Ohio, but subsequently removed to New 
Castle, where he was living at the time of 
his death. 

Some time after his marriage, Thomas 
J. Kelley removed to Ashtabula County, 
Ohio, with his father, but about 188U or 
1881 went to Venango County, Peuna., 
where he resided until 1890, in wliich year 
he purchased his present farm in Cherry 
Township, Butler County. He carries on 
general farming, and his knowledge of 
agricultural matters, together with his 
thrift and enterprise, have caused liim to 
succeed in his operations. His ninety-five 
acres are in an excellent state of cultiva- 
tion, and the substantial buildings and 
well-kept premises give the property a 
pleasing appearance. 

In 1865 Mr. Kelley was married in But- 
ler County, to Matilda Crawford, who was 
born in Ireland, a daughter of Charles 
Crawford, and came to America as a baby. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kelley have been the par- 
ents of nine children, namely : Frank, who 
resides in New York State; James, de- 
ceased; Charles, who is married and re- 
sides on a part of the home farm ; Joseph, 
who is married; Clara; John; Minnie, and 
one child which died in infancy. 

HUSTON RUSSELL, joint owner with 
his wife of a farm of 100 acres of valuable 
land, situated in Cherry Township, two 
and one-half miles north of West Sunbury, 
was born in Cherry Township, Butler 
Countv, Pennsylvania, on a farm about one 



mile east of his present one, February 22, 
1830. His parents were David and Jane 
(Patton) Russell, farming people of 
Cherry Township. 

Huston Russell was reared in Cherry 
Township, went to school there in boyhood 
and was trained by a very practical father 
to be a good farmer, and he has made 
agricultural pursuits his life work. In 
the summer of 1864 he enlisted for service 
in the Civil War, entering Captain Barnes' 
company in the Sixth Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artilleiy, in which he was 
a messmate with his present friend and 
neighbor, Hugh Sproul, also of Cherry 
Township. Mr. Russell remained in the 
service imtil the close of the war and then 
returned to Cherry Township, where he 
has lived ever since. This property for- 
merly belonged to his father-in-law, the 
late George McElwain, and adjoins the 
100-acre farm owned by John S. Campbell, 
Esq. 

In 1863 Mr. Russell was married to Miss 
Annis McElvain, who is a daughter of 
George and Mary Ann (McGill) McEl- 
vain, the former of whom died in 1854, and 
the latter in 1870. Mrs. Russell is one of 
the three survivors of a family of nine 
children. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Russell have been born 
ten children, three of whom are deceased, 
namely: Perry, who died aged seventeen 
years; Samantha, who was the wife of 
Sliei'man McNeice; and Bessie, who died 
aged sixteen months. The survivors are: 
Mary Emma, who married Archie Mc- 
Laughlin; Zella Maud, who is the wife of 
Floras Burch; Rose, who is the wife of 
Jesse Fellabaum; John, who resides at 
Butler; Reuben, wbo resides on his fine 
farm near Greenville, Pennsylvania; 
George, who resides at Salem, Ohio; and 
Golden, who manages the home farm. The 
three sons first mentioned are the oldest 
of the family, the three daughters come 
next, and the youngest is the son who re- 
mains at home, unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1097 



Russell are leading members of the Pleas- 
ant Valley Presbyterian Church, in which 
Mr. Russell is an elder. Their home is 
one of genial good cheer and hospitality, 
and they have a wide circle of friends. 
Family gatherings frequently take place 
and among the most welcome guests in the 
old home are the eleven grandchildren. 

W. L. ALLEN, proprietor of The Re- 
liance Telephone and Manufacturing Com- 
pany, of Butler, is identified with other 
business interests of this section and is 
numbered with the representative men of 
this city. He was born at Portageville, in 
Wyoming County, New York, in 1858, and 
when eight years of age accompanied the 
family to Corry, Penna., where he obtained 
his public school education. 

The first work in which Mr. Allen was 
engaged was done during a school vacation, 
for the Corry Tub and Pail Factory. Later 
he worked for a short time in a local ma- 
chine shop and this gave him a taste for 
machinery, induced him to learn the trade 
and to work at the same until 1879, when 
he became a clerk in the post-office at Brad- 
ford, and in 1880 he had a mail contract in 
McKean County. When he came to But- 
ler, in 1886, he entered the machine shops 
of T. & W. G. Hays & Company, where he 
continued until 1890, when he went with 
the firm of Masseth & Black, with whom he 
remained until 1896. Mr. Allen then em- 
barked in business at Evans City, under 
the style of Elliott Brothers & Allen Ma- 
chine Shops, but in the spring of 1900 he 
sold out to his partners and came to But- 
ler again, where he had already many so- 
cial and business ties. He resumed busi- 
ness in this city, establishing the Butler 
Electro Plating" Works, and in 1904, in 
partnership with J. B. Nixon, purchased 
the plant of the United States Electric 
Manufacturing Company, in less than a 
year becoming sole proprietor. He then 
combined his two plants under the name 
of The Reliance Telephone and Manufac- 



turing Company. He manufactures the 
best telephones that are now in use and 
also chandeliers. His business is a con- 
stantly growing one and is a standard con- 
cern in the commercial life of Butler. Mr. 
Allen is a director and secretary of the 
Ozark Uplift Oil and Mining Company, a 
corporation that controls 9,000 acres of 
land in the Ozark regions of Missouri. 

In 1881, Mr. Allen was married to Miss 
MoUie E. White, a daughter of Thomas B. 
Wliite and a great-granddaughter of 
Matthew White, who was one of the first 
commissioners of Butler County, this fam- 
ily being one of the old-settled ones of this 
section. Mr. Allen's maternal grandfather 
was a McQuiston and his father came to 
Butler County as early as 1796. Mr. and 
Mrs. Allen have five children, namely : Roy 
M., who resides in New York City; Frank 
W., who lives at Dubois, Pennsylvania; 
and Carrie B., Marion E. and Ruth M., at 
home. Mr. Allen and family are members 
of the First Baptist Church, in which he 
has served as a deacon for many years. 
In his political views he is a Prohibitionist 
and in former years served as secretary of 
the Butler County Committee of that 
party. 

ELI OESTERLING, a representative 
citizen of Butler Township where he re- 
sides on his valuable farm of seventy-five 
acres, which he devotes to general agricul- 
ture and dairying, is a member of one of 
the oldest families in Butler County. He 
was born in Summit Township, Fef)ruary 
22, 1853, and is a son of John and Mary 
Weisenstine Oesterling. 

John Oesterling, father of Eli, was born 
in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, and died 
in Butler County in 1870, aged fifty-two 
years. He was thirteen years of age when 
he accompanied his parents to America. 
They were John and Elizabeth (Ripper) 
Oesterling and they came to Pennsylvania 
from Germany, in 1831, and settled near 
Herman Station, in Summit Township, 



1098 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Butler County, where John Oesterling died 
in his sixty-seventh year. Eight of his 
fourteen cliildren grew to mature years, 
his son John being the eldest of the family. 
Although this sou never enjoyed robust 
health, he engaged in farming through life 
and also performed many offices of a good 
citizen. He was a Whig in his earlier 
years and later a Democrat. In his town- 
ship he was highly esteemed and his fel- 
low citizens elected him school director and 
also tax collector. He gave liberally of 
his means in support of the German Luth- 
eran Church, in which he was one of the 
elders. He married a daughter of John 
Weisenstine, who was a farmer in Luzerne 
County. To this marriage were born nine 
children, namely : Henry, deceased ; James, 
deceased; Katherine, wife of Harvey Bal- 
douff, of Butler; Frederick, of Summit 
Township; Eli; Margaret, wife of Jacob 
Shoup, of Oakland Township; Charles, of 
Millerstown; Lewis, residing on the old 
homestead; and Sarah, deceased. 

Eli Oesterling was reared in Summit 
Township and there obtained his educa- 
tion. After his marriage he left the home 
farm and moved on his grandfather Weisr 
enstine's farm, in Butler Township, where 
he remained for four years, when he moved 
to the Mitchell farm, on which he lived for 
fifteen years. In 1897 he bought his pres- 
ent property and has given close and care- 
ful attention to developing it ever since. 
He keeps fifteen head of cattle and has 
over sixty-five acres of his land in corn, 
oats, wheat and hay. His oldest son oper- 
ates a successful milk route in Butler, 
which was started fifteen years ago, and 
about thirty gallons of milk are disposed 
of daily. 

Mr. Oesterling married Catherine Brau- 
tegan, who was born in Kur-Hessen, Ger- 
many. She was thirteen years of age when 
her parents brought her to America and 
settled at Etna, Allegheny County, in 1863. 
Seven of Mr. and Mrs. Oesterling's family 
of eight children grew up and they are 



named as follows: Ferdinand H., who 
manages the milk route ; Raines David, re- 
sides at home; Gertrude married William 
McDowell and they live on the home farm ; 
Alice married Gilbert Ford of Butler 
Township; and Daniel, Sarah and Clar- 
ence, reside at home. Mr. Oesterling and 
family belong to the German Lutheran 
Church. He is one of the township's lead- 
ing Democrats and for nine years served 
as a school director, for three years was 
supervisor, for four years was assessor 
and is now serving in the office of roadmas- 
ter. His excellent judgment and sound 
business sense make him one of the most 
useful citizens of his community. 

HENRY WAHL, who lives on the north- 
ern line of Forward Township, Butler 
County, Penna., comes of an old and re- 
spected family of the community, the town 
of Wahlville deriving its name from his 
father who was engaged in coal mining at 
that point. He has a fine farm of seventy- 
one acres, and has had a most active career 
in the fields of business. 

Henry Wahl was born on the home farm 
in Forward Township, August 6, 1853, and 
is a son of Martin and Christina (Kreis) 
Wahl. Martin Wahl was born in France 
and was ten years of age when he accom- 
panied his parents to the United States, 
they locating in Jackson Township, Butler 
County, Penna., and he lived there with 
his parents until his marriage, then pur- 
chased a farm where Wahlville now stands. 
The latter years of his life were spent at 
Evans City. He was always a hard work- 
er and, starting as a poor man, accumu- 
lated a competency, becoming one of the 
well-to-do and substantial citizens of the 
township. He purchased his farm at a 
price of $11 per acre. He operated a coal 
bank on the farm, and later was engaged 
in the milling business at Evans City. In 
politics, he was an unswerving Democrat. 
His first marriage was with a Miss Holt, 
who died a short time afterward. He later 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1099 



married Christina Kreis, who also was a 
native of Germany, and to them were born 
the following children: Christina, wife 
of Henry Bas^maker; William; Henry; 
Catherine, wife of Henry Mickley; An- 
drew ; Lena, wife of John Marburger ; Aus- 
mus; Matilda, wife of W. C. Lauderer; 
George; and Anna, wife of Adam Dom- 
baugh. The mother of the subject of this 
sketch died in 1895. Martin Wahl formed 
a third union with Mrs. Winrater. His 
death occurred in 1903, at the age of eighty 
years. 

Henry Wahl spent his boyhood days 
upon the farm, which he aided in clearing. 
He had very limited educational advan- 
tages as his assistance was needed at home, 
and early became inured to hard work, he 
and his brother, William, starting in to 
haul coal before they were able to harness 
the horses. He resided at home until his 
marriage, then purchased a farm of fifty- 
one acres in Forward Township, of the 
Grahams; he later sold this property and 
returned to the home place of 120 acres 
which he farmed for his father. He re- 
mained there until he purchased his pres- 
ent farm of seventy-one acres of Henry 
Ziegler, and here he has engaged in gen- 
eral farming and stockraising, although 
he has also given considerable time to the 
oil and coal business, in which he has been 
very successful. He has a fine brick resi- 
dence, and the farm is well equipped with 
other substantial buildings and improve- 
ments so necessary to the successful prose- 
cution of farming. 

June 15, 1880, Mr. Wahl was joined in 
wedlock with Miss Anna Schilling, sister 
of Alexander Schilling, a record of whom 
ajjpears on another page of this work. 
Five children are the issue of this union, 
namely: Emma, wife of Charles Fageley; 
Christina, a trained nurse at Pittsburg; 
Herman, who is attending school at Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio; Lena; and ^Minnie. Re- 
ligiously, the family belong to the Luther- 
an Church, in which he has been an officer 



for more than twenty years. Politically, 
he is a Democrat, but is inclined to be in- 
dependent locally, giving his support to 
the man best fitted for the office. He has 
served as school director and was the first 
supervisor elected under the new law. 

HON. WILLIAM S. WALDRON, who 
was long known throughout Butler County 
as a type of its best and most representa- 
tive citizenship, was bom in Forward 
Township, this county, June 23, 1823, and 
died August 13, 1907. He was the young- 
est son of John S. and Maria (Lindsey) 
Waldron. His education, though confined 
to the English branches, was thorough, 
and for some years he was engaged in the 
profession of teaching, in 1818 being prin- 
cipal of a public school in Peoria, Illinois. 
Subsequently returning home, he pur- 
chased the old homestead, and a year or 
two later, about 1854, remodeled and im- 
proved the buildings. He took a promi- 
nent part in local affairs, being one of the 
school directors of Forward Township for 
thirty years, and served for three years on 
the School Board of Evans City. The con- 
fidence of his fellow citizens in his capacity 
as a man of affairs was shown in 1856, 
when they elected him county auditor, and 
again in 1872 when he was elected to the 
Legislature, in both of which positions he 
served with credit. He was a man of broad 
and liberal views, but by no means super- 
ficial, to the end of his life keeping him- 
self well informed in regard to all impor- 
tant subjects, and carrying out thoroughly 
every enterprise in which he engaged. 
With so many of the old time Whigs, he 
joined the ReiJublican party on its forma- 
tion, and was always influential in the 
local councils of the party. He was a 
member and past master of Harmony 
Lodge, F. & A. M., and was also prominent 
in Oddfellowship, being a charter mem- 
ber of Evans City Lodge of that order, 
and a member of the Encampment. By 
diligence in business he accumulated a fair 



1100 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



share of this world's goods, and was rated 
among the substantial and prosperous citi- 
zens of the county. 

On September 3, 1846, Mr. Waldron was 
united in marriage with Eliza M. Bellis, 
who died in 1904. She was a daughter of 
John and Susan (Kline) BeUis. Mrs. 
Waldron came to Butler with her jjarents 
in 1842 from Luzerne County, Penna. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Waldron were born the 
following children : 0. K. Waldron, Susan 
O., Theodore C, William S., Laura H., J. 
C, Eva M., Reuben 0., Maria B., Fred V., 
Elizabeth A. J., Ulysses S. (Jr., Ada M. and 
Leota E. 0. K. Waldron is a graduate in 
dentistry, but not now engaged m the prac- 
tice of his profession. He was the tirst 
regular graduate practitioner in the coun- 
ty. His present business activities are in 
connection with the Lyndora Bank, of 
which he is vice president. He owns and 
resides on a fine farm about two miles from 
Butler. Susan O. is the wife of Nelson 
B. Duncan. Theodore S. resides in Wash- 
ington State. Laura H. is the wife of R. 
M. Ivinnear; Eva M. is the wife of J. B. 
Evans. Maria B. is the wife of F. B. 
Dodds, Ada M. the wife of B. S. Buhl, and 
Leota E. of 0. S. Sutton. Mr. and Mrs. 
Waldron will long be remembered as among 
the worthiest residents of their day, in 
Butler County. 

JOHN BERINGER is the owner of a 
valuable farm of 132 acres lying about 
one mile north of Evans City, in Forward 
Township, Butler County, Penna. He was 
born on this farm, March 31, 1851, and is 
a son of John, Sr., and Catherine (Har- 
tung) Beringer. 

John Beringer, Sr., was born in Ger- 
many and came with his parents, Conrad 
and Catherine Beringer, to the United 
States, being on the water about fifty-two 
days. They stopped for a short time in 
Beaver County, Penna., then came on to 
Forward Township, where they purchased 
the farm owned by the subject of this 



sketch. The country was at that time but 
little developed, and but sparsely settled. 
They erected a log house and began clear- 
ing the place. Conrad Beringer, during 
the war, left on a visit to his brother in 
Indiana, but never reached his destination 
nor was heard from again. Much money 
was spent in tracing his movements, but 
all that was found concerning him was 
that he was shipped from Rochester on 
the lakes, a ship 's books bearing his signa- 
ture. His wife, Catherine, lived to an ad- 
vanced age. They had four children: 
John, father of the subject of this record; 
Eliza, wife of Nicholas Kline, both now 
deceased ; Conrad, deceased ; and Cather- 
ine, wife of Fred Kreise, both deceased. 

John Beringer, Sr., the eldest of the 
children, was about sixteen years old at 
the time of the family's arrival in this 
country. He spent his winters in working 
in the lumber camps, rafting logs down the 
river, and earning money with which to 
improve the home farm. The summer 
months were spent in clearing and cultivat- 
ing the land. He was a hard worker and 
prospered, and lived on this farm until his 
death in 1900, at the age of ^eventy-two 
years. He was joined in marriage with 
Catherine Hartung, who was born in But- 
ler County, and is now living, in the en- 
joyment of good health. Five children 
were the offspring of this union : John, Jr. ; 
Mary, wife of John M. Miller; Catherine, 
wife of William Wilson; Harry; and Em- 
ma, wife of James Elder. 

John Beringer, Jr., was reared and has 
always lived on his present farm. He at- 
tended the old Stamm school, through the 
woods, for a time, but his educational ad- 
vantages were exceedingly limited. His 
father was ill for three years during his 
boyhood, and as he was the eldest of the 
children, it became necessary for him to 
remain at home and look after the farm. 
He helped clear the farm, and hauled the 
lumber and stone used in the construction 
of the barn which now stands on the place. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1101 



He continued to manage the affairs of the 
farm from an early date, and after his 
father's death purchased the outstanding- 
interests of the other heirs to the farm. 
He is energetic and progressive, and takes 
rank among tlie foremost men of the town- 
ship. 

Mr. Beringer was married to Miss Mary 
Cooper, a daughter of James Cooper, and 
in the spring of 1908 he was called upon to 
mourn her loss through death. Three 
children were horn to them: Blanche, 
Harry, and Susan. Religiously, he is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. In politics, he is a Republican. 

Mr. Beringer is engaged in general 
farming and dairying; he keeps an aver- 
age of fifteen head of cows, and ships milk 
to Pittsburg. He has nine producing oil 
wells on the farm, and this too has been 
the source of a handsome income. 

JAMES B. CALDWELL, a prominent 
resident of Jefferson Township, Butler 
County, Penna., resides on a fine farm of 
116 acres located about five miles south- 
east of Butler, on the Butler and Freeport 
Pike. He also has another tract of thirty- 
eight acres in this Township, on both of 
which oil and gas are produced in remu- 
nerative quantities. Mr. Caldwell engages 
in farming, as well as oil producing, and is 
one of the substantial men of the township. 
He was born in Armstrong County, Penn- 
sylvania, June 14, 1842, and is a son of 
Samuel and Mary (Beatty) Caldwell. 

Richard Caldwell, paternal grandfather 
of the subject of this sketch, came to this 
country from Coimty Antrim, Ireland, be- 
ing accompanied by his wife, who in maid- 
en life was a Stewart. Samuel Caldwell 
was born in Washington County, Pennsyl- 
vania, whither his parents had come from 
their native land, aTid there he grew to ma- 
turity. He moved to Butler County and 
later to Armstrong County, but finally re- 
turned to Butler County, where he became 
owner of some good farming property. 



James B. Caldwell attended school some 
in Armstrong County, but his educational 
training was mainly obtained in the schools 
of Butler County. He turned his attention 
to agricultural pursuits and has one of the 
best improved places in the neighborhood. 
Some twenty years ago he discovered oil 
on his property, the first being a twenty- 
five barrel well. He now has nine good 
wells on the place, and five wells on his 
other property. Although he has been one 
of the most active oil men, he has not 
worked off his own land, his wells giving 
him all he could attend to. Underlying 
his land are two strata of coal, about ten 
feet thick, at a depth, respectively, of fifty 
feet and 200 feet. 

November 7, 1867, Mr. Caldwell was 
joined in marriage with Miss Rebecca J. 
Barr, a daughter of Henry Harrison and 
Ann Eliza (Lj'on) Barr, and grand- 
daughter of Michael and Martha (Holmes) 
Barr. Michael Barr came from Germany 
to this country, and at his death was lo- 
cated in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, 
from whence came Henry H. to Butler 
County. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell became 
parents of the following children: Sam- 
uel H., who married Jane Davis and has 
three children, — Elsie R., Elton and Beu- 
lah; Mary, a graduate of Sunbury, who 
married Frank Hinchberger of Butler, by 
whom she has the following children : Bea- 
trice, Bertha, Luella, and Stella (de- 
ceased) ; Elizabeth, wife of L. B. Steele of 
Portei'sville, by whom she has six chil- 
dren, — Floyd, Ferda, Erla, Nellie, Vena 
and Pearl; Sadie, wife of John Mcllvain, 
by whom she has three children, — Ralph, 
Homer and Eveline ; Caroline and Adaline, 
twins; Ellen Rebecca; James Foster, de- 
ceased; Bertha, deceased; and two who 
died in infancy. The subject of this sketch 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Thorn Creek, to which Mrs. 
Caldwell also belongs. He has ever taken 
a deep interest in the progress of the com- 
munity and has been especially interested 



1102 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



in the betterment of the school system, 
serving- some years as a member of the 
School Board. 

JOSEPH E. HOLBEIN, secretary and 
treasurer of the Edward Dambach Com- 
panj' of Evans City, Pennsylvania, is one 
of the successful business men of Butler 
County. Throughout his active career he 
has been identified with the liynber busi- 
ness, beginning in his boyhood days, and 
is well qualified to direct the affairs of a 
concern of such magnitude as the Edward 
Dambach Company. 

This enterprise was established in 1885 
by J. and E. Dambach, who successfully 
conducted the lumber yard and planing 
mill in partnership until about 1895. Jacob 
Dambach retired at that time and was suc- 
ceeded in the business by Edward Dam- 
bach, who continued it alone until 1904. 
In that year it was organized into a stock 
company with Edward Dambach as presi- 
dent; Joseph E. Holbein, vice-president; 
and H. W. Dambach, secretary and treas- 
urer. After the death of H. W. Dambach, 
March 24, 1904, and that of Edward in 
May, 1905, the Edward Dambach Com- 
pany was reorganized with the following 
officers : S. J. Irvine, president ; W. P. 
Kinsey, vice-president; and J. E. Hol- 
bein, secretary and treasurer. The lum- 
ber-yard and planing-mill, at which about 
fifty men are employed, covers four acres 
of ground and is the largest plant in Evans 
City, as well as one of the largest of its 
kind in Western Pennsylvania. 

Joseph E. Holbein was born on his 
father's farm in Medina County, Ohio, 
October 12, 1867, and is a son of Elias and 
Lydia (Kulp) Holbein. The father was a 
farmer and a harness niaker but died early 
in life, our subject being but four years 
old at the time. The latter was one of five 
children born to his parents, and at the 
tender age of eight years began work. At 
the age of thirteen years he began working 
in the woods for a lumber yard at Wads- 



worth, Ohio, and later at a saw-mill, de- 
voting his attention to learning the details 
of the business. He was ambitious to ac- 
quire an education, having received very 
little schooling in his younger days, and 
when eighteen years old entered Western 
Reserve Normal School, having saved 
enough to enable him to attend that insti- 
tution two years. During that time he 
spent his evenings in newspaper work. In 
1890 Mr. Holbein moved to Evans City 
and entered the employ of the Edward 
Dambach Company as a general mill man. 
His advancement with this firm was rapid, 
and in 1904 became a stockholder and now 
has general charge of the plant. 

Mr. Holbein was united in marriage in 
1898 with Miss M. M. Mickley, a daughter 
of Henry Mickley, and they have a son, 
Delmont E. Fraternally, he is a member 
of Lodge No. 429, P. & A. M., of Zelienople, 
Pennsylvania. He is a Democrat in poli- 
tics, and has served as auditor of Evans 
City, a member of the board of health, and 
is at present a member of the school board. 
In religious attachment, he anci his wife 
are members of the Lutheran Church. 

WILLIAM P. KINSEY, a successful 
business man and well known citizen of 
Evans City, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
is vice-president of the Edward Damliacli 
Company, which operates a large planing- 
mill and lumber yard in that village. He 
was born in Porter sville, Butler County, 
February 17, 1869, and is a son of Jacob 
and Elizabeth (Wimer) Kinsey. 

Jacob Kinsey was born in 1832 in Bed- 
ford County, Pennsylvania, his fatlier hav- 
ing come from Germany and settled there 
at an early date. Jacob subsequently 
moved to Portersville, Butler County, 
where he followed his trade as a shoe- 
maker and lived until his death, in De- 
cember, 1899. He married Elizabeth 
Wimer, who is of English descent and was 
born at Portersville in 1845. Her father, 
Jacob Wimer, was a blacksmith by trade 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1107 



and was one of the tirst I'esidents of that 
village. Five children were born to Jacob 
and Elizabeth Kinsey, namely: Margaret, 
who died at the age of two years ; William 
Penn, Prank, George, and John. 

William P. Kinsey spent his boyhood 
days in his native village and there at- 
tended the public schools. He attended 
the academy at that place two years, and 
one year at Slippery Rock, after which 
he engaged in teaching school. In 1889 
he began teaching and continued for eight 
years, five years of which time he was lo- 
cated near Ogle, in Butler County. He 
later entered the employ of L. N. Burry, 
a well known hardware dealer of Evans 
City, and served as bookkeeper for two 
years, after which he continued six years 
in the same capacity for Burry & Markel. 
In 1904 he came to the Edward Dambach 
Company as bookkeeper, and the following 
year became a stockholder and was elected 
viee-jiresident of the firm. He is a man 
of exceptional business capability, and one 
of the sulistantial citizens of the village. 

June 22, 1892, Mr. Kinsey was joined 
in marriage with Aurelia Cookson, a 
daughter of E. J. and Hannah Jane Cook- 
son, and they reside in a fine home on Jef- 
ferson Street, which he erected at the time' 
of his removal to Evans City. They are 
]iarents of three children — Ada May, Wil- 
bur Lowery, and Ernest Dewey. Relig- 
iously, they are members of St. John's 
Reformed Clnirch. Fraternally, he is a 
member of Evans City Lodge No. 295, 
K. P. ; Lodge No. 429, F. & A. M., at Har- 
mony; and Eastern Star No. 37, Evans 
City. Politically, Mr. Kinsey is an ardent 
Republican and has filled all the village 
offices except that of justice of the peace. 

0. P. CAMPBELL, a substantial citi- 
zen of West Sunbury, where he has served 
as postmaster since July 1, 1901, and an 
honored veteran of the great Civil War. 
was born in 1843, in Bruin, Butler Coimtv, 



Pennsylvania, and is a son of Robert and 
Jane (Sheppard) Campbell. 

Mr. Campbell 's father having died when 
he was still a lad, he was reared on the 
farm of his great-uncle, Thomas Campbell, 
in Parker Township. In December, 1861, 
he enlisted at Kittanning, Pennsylvania, in 
Company K, One Hundred and Third Reg- 
iment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
serving three years and then veteranizing 
with the same regiment, his service in all 
covering a period of three years and seven 
months. Mr. Campbell was captured by 
the Confederates at Plymouth, North Car- 
olina, April 20, 1864, and was taken to 
Andersonville Prison, where he was de- 
tained five months. For the following 
three months he was confined in a tem- 
porary prison at the Charleston Fair 
Grounds, and was then taken to Florence, 
South Carolina, where he remained a pris- 
oner until his exchange, in December, 

1864. From that time until the spring of 

1865, Mr. Campbell was sick at the home 
of his great-uncle, but on recuperating he 
rejoined his regiment and remained with 
them until receiving his discharge at New- 
burn, North Carolina, in June, 1865. He 
proved himself a brave and faithful sol- 
dier, and had an army record of which any 
man might be proud. After his services to 
his country were completed, Mr. Campbell 
returned home for several weeks, then 
going to Oil Creek, near Oil City, and for 
two years was employed in the oil fields, 
after which he engaged in farming in 
Washington Township. After about eight 
years spent in the latter township, Mr. 
Campbell removed to Cherry Township, 
where he followed the same occupation for 
a period covering seventeen years, and in 
the spring of 1S96 he came to West Sun- 
bury, where he has since been a leading- 
citizen. 

Mr. Campbell was married in 1868 to 
Abigail Glenn, who is a daughter of James 
Glenn, of Clay Township, and they have 



1108 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



three children, namely: Dr. Willard B., of 
Harrisville, Pennsylvania, married Jennie 
Stewart, of Cherry Township, and they 
have three children, — Charlotte, Malcolm 
P. and Paul; Melvin G., engaged in the 
real estate business in Pittsburg, married 
Florence McCall, of Clay Township, and 
has two children, — Mildred F. and Grayda 
G.; and Claude C, in the hardware busi- 
ness in West Sunbury, married Flora Rus- 
sel, of Concord Township, and has two 
children, — Ronald and Helen. Mr. Camp- 
bell is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church at West Sunbury. 

ALBERT RUFF, of the firm of A. Ruff 
& Sons, leading shoe merchants at Butler, 
conducting the oldest established shoe 
house in the city, is prominently identified 
with other successful business enterprises 
of the section. Mr. Ruff was born March 
25, 1846, at Butler, Penna., and is a son 
of Ignatius Ruff, who was bom m Ger- 
many in 1812 and came to Butler in 1830. 

Albert Ruff attended the early Butler 
schools and before he had identified him- 
self with any permanent business, he en- 
tered the Federal Army as a soldier, en- 
listing in 1863, as a private in the Fifty- 
eighth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer In- 
fantiy. At the expiration of his first term 
of three months, Mr. Ruff reenlisted, con- 
tracting for three years or until the close 
of the war, and honorably fulfilled his 
promises as a member of Company A, Sev- 
enty-sixth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer In- 
fantry. When he returned to Butler he 
went into the shoe business as a member of 
the firm of Bickel Son & Co., which later 
became Bickel & Ruff. This firm was suc- 
ceeded by Albert Ruff and in the course 
of years the change was made to its pres- 
ent style of A. Ruff & Sons. This shoe 
business is one of the old landmark con- 
cerns of the city, remarkable not only for 
its continuance but also for its honorable 
methods which have always kept to the 
old standard. Mr. Ruff owns oil inter- 



ests in several sections and is treasurer 
of the Rough Run Manufacturing Com- 
pany. 

In 1869, Mr. Ruff was married to Miss 
Mary Bickel, who is a daughter of Philip 
Bickel, and they have three children, two 
sons and one daughter; Philip W. and 
Charles H., both of whom are members of 
the firm of A. Ruff" & Sons ; and Millie, re- 
siding at home. Philip W. Ruff is presi- 
dent of the Butler School Board and was 
chairman of the building committee during 
the erection of the fine High School struc- 
ture lately completed. He has taken much 
interest in educational matters and has 
been a member of the School Board a 
number of years and for five years served 
as secretary. He is a Mason, an Odd Fel- 
low and an Elk. In 1900, he was married 
to Miss Emma L. Cromm, a daughter of 
William Cromm, and they have two chil- 
dren, Mary Cromm and Evelyn Isabel. 
Philip W. Ruff and wife are members of 
the Presbyterian Church and they belong 
to the Country Club. 

Charles H. Ruff, the second son, was 
married in June, 1907, to Miss p]lizalieth 
Reiber, a daughter of Jacob K('il)cr. They 
are members of the Lutheran Church, and 
he is connected with the fraternal order of 
Maccabees. 

Albert Ruff has taken much interest in 
the Grand Army Post at Butler ever since 
it was established. During the larger part 
of his life he has been a member of the 
United Presbyterian Church and has been 
a trustee of the Church at Butler for eight 



JAMES NEWTON MAHARG, a repre- 
sentative citizen and prominent farmer of 
Penn Township, residing on his finely im- 
proved farm of 132 acres, was born on this 
farm August 9, 1862, and is a son of James 
and Catherine (Brown) Maharg. 

James Maharg was born in Forward 
Township, Butler County, Penna., and died 
when aged eighty-four years. He came 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1109 



•with his father to the farm now owned by 
James N. Maharg, when three years old 
and Kved on it through the rest of his life, 
surviving into old age but not reaching the 
years of his father, who lived to the age 
of 103 years. He was John E. Maharg, 
who came from County Down, Ireland, as 
a very early settler in "i3utler County, lived 
first in Forward and later in Penn Town- 
ship, and was the first postmaster of the 
village of Maharg. James Maharg re- 
mained on the Penn Township farm, which, 
in his day, contained 265 acres, the larger 
part of which he assisted to clear. He was 
a Whig in his early political faith but later 
became a Republican and at various times 
he served in the offices of the township. 
He married a daughter of Peter Brown, of 
Allegheny, Penna., and they had twelve 
children born to them, nine of whom 
reached maturity, James Newton being 
the eighth in order of birth. 

James Newton Maharg was reared and 
educated in his native township and has 
always devoted his attention to farming. 
He has 120 acres of his land under cul- 
tivation and his crops include corn, oats, 
wheat, hay and potatoes. There is a prob- 
ability that oil may be developed on his 
farm and two wells are now being drilled. 
His handsome brick residence is a land- 
mark in the township and the whole place 
attracts favorable comments from those 
who drive along the Plank road. 

Mr. Maharg married Mary R. Brown, 
who is a daughter of Joseph and Christie 
Ann (Brown) Brown, and to this marriage 
have been born eleven children, namely: 
Mark B., a student in the class of 1910, at 
Grove City College ; Bessie, a teacher, who 
is a graduate of the Slippery Rock Normal 
School; and Mary Ada, Vernetta Belle, 
Grace Lucetta, Esther Elizabeth, Ruth 
Catherine, John Christie, Martha Ger- 
trude, Gladys Irene and Clara Imogene. 
Mr. Maharg with his family belongs to the 
Middlesex Presbyterian Church, in which 
he is an elder. He takes a great interest 



in the Sunday-scool and has served as its 
superintendent. 

In politics, Mr. Maharg is an active Re- 
publican and is now serving as township 
auditor and has been both treasurer and 
clerk. He is a public-spirited citizen and 
a level-headed business man. 

EDWARD MORGAN, formerly one of 
the prominent and useful citizens of Al- 
legheny Township, in which he spent over 
a quarter of a century, was born January 
26, 1824, in County Down, Ireland, and 
died January 27, 1901, in Butler County, 
Penna. His parents were Hugh and Jane 
(Dunn) ]\Iorgan, the latter of whom died 
in Ireland and the former of whom came to 
America and died some years later in Arm- 
strong County, Penna. 

Edward Morgan was reared in his na- 
tive land and there obtained liis education. 
In 1848 he emigrated to America, locating 
in Butler County, Penna., and prior to 
1874, engaged in farming for a time in 
Parker Township, settling then permanent- 
ly in Allegheny Township. He devoted 
all liis energies to developing his farm and 
made it one of the best in the township. 
It contains 140 acres of finely cultivated 
land and is now owned by his widow. 

On October 23, 1856, Mr. Morgan was 
married to Miss Florinda Graham, who 
was born February 28, 1839, at Emlenton, 
Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of John 
and Mary (Hill) Graham. Her father was 
born in JButler County and her mother in 
Venango County. W^hen Mrs. Morgan was 
six years old, her parents came to Butler 
County and she was reared in Parlier 
Township, where her father died, April 21, 
1856. In the following October she was 
married, as stated above, and a long and 
happy union succeeded, she finding in her 
Imsband a kind, loving and protecting 
companion. There were eleven children 
born to them and seven members of the 
family still survive, namely : Mary J., who 
is the wife of John A. Sloan, of Allegheny 



1110 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Township; Clara C, Eobert J. and Ben- 
jamin H., all are resident of Allegheny 
Township; Florinda A., who is the widow 
of Finley Wonderly, late of Allegheny 
Township; George G., who lives at Fox- 
burg, Pennsylvania; and Margaret- E., who 
resides with her mother. 

The late Edward Morgan was one of 
the men whom no community can easily 
spare. He was a careful father and was 
deeply beloved in the domestic circle, was 
a neighbor of whom all others speak well, 
and was a citizen whose word was as good 
as his bond, one who set an example of 
obedience to law and lent his influence to 
advance educational and religious move- 
ments. He was a Republican in his polit- 
ical views but would never consent to hold 
any office except those of dii'eetor of the 
poor and school director. He was a con- 
sistent member of the Presbyterian 
Church, as is his widow, and he gave to 
the needy when none but himself knew the 
extent of his bounty. Edward Morgan was 
a man whose memory should be perpetu- 
ated, for his virtues were many and his 
faults were few. 

ROBERT S. TITLEY. Among the 
many fine estates situated in Donegal 
Township, Butler County, few are more 
valuable or better known than the great 
farm belonging to Robert S. Titley in part- 
nership with his father, John W. Titley. 
It comprises 290 acres of fine land, with 
two producing oil wells, and many noted 
race horses have been bred and raised here. 
Mr. Titley was born July 5, 1873, in Arm- 
strong County, Pennsylvania, and is a 
son of John W. and Levina (Stepheson) 
Titley. 

The parents of Mr. Titley came to But- 
ler County from Armstrong County, in 
1883, and John M. Titley engaged in ex- 
tensive farming, stockraising and oil pro- 
ducing. When his son, Robert S., became 
his partner, he embarked in horse-raising 
and together they have owned such famous 



racers as Star Pointer, Cloud Pointer, Hal 
Breden and Grandeview. Mr. Titley paid 
$1,500 for Star Pointer, when he was nine 
months old, purchasing from Mrs. Henry 
Pointer, of Springhill, Tennessee. The 
colt then had a tine record which he ad- 
vanced in the same year, and at two years 
had a record of 2:31%. Mr. Titley kept 
the animal for five years and then sold it 
to a Mr. Mills, of Boston, Massachusetts. 
Cloud Pointer was also purchased of Mrs. 
Pointer, she considering these horses the 
pick of her stables. Hal Breden, also a 
noted racer, was bought from Major 
Campbell Brown of Springhill, Tennessee. 
John M. Titley and wife reside at Mariet- 
ta, Ohio, where he is engaged in the oil 
business. They had the following chil- 
dren: William; Minnie, who married Jo- 
seph Hecker, lives at Marietta, Ohio ; Rob- 
ert S. ; Jennie, who married Silas Therlow, 
lives at Marietta ; Laura, who married Rev. 
Mergier, lives at Cincinnati; Edith, who 
resides at Marietta; Charles, who married 
Amy Stowe, lives in California; and Rich- 
ard, who lives at Marietta. 

Robert S. Titley was about thirteen 
years old when his parents moved to But- 
ler County and after finishing his educa- 
tion, he learned the art of telegraphing 
and worked for one year in different of- 
fices, after which he joined his father in 
the operation of the big stock farm of 
which he is joint proprietor and manager. 

In 1899, at Chicora, Peuna., Mr. Titley 
was married to Miss Lena Frederick, who 
is a daughter of George and Lavina (Shak- 
ley) Frederick, the former of whom was 
born in Germany and the latter in Butler 
County. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick had 
twelve children, namely: Henry, Ernest, 
George, Eliza, Reuben, Edward, Retta, 
Frederick, Lena, Setta, Emma, and Anna, 
the last named being deceased. Mr. and 
Mrs. Titley have two children: Paul M. 
and Lena L. He is a member of the Ger- 
man Lutheran Church at Chicora and is 
identified with the lodge of Odd Fellows at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1111 



the same place. Mr. Titley is one of the 
most euterprising young business men of 
this section and both he and father de- 
serve credit for the opportunities tliey have 
afforded stoclvmeu of tlie county to im- 
prove their breeding stables. 

SAMUEL G. PURVIS, who was an early 
and prominent representative of the build- 
ing trade in Butler, founder of the firm of 
S. G. Purvis & Company, was born in Cum- 
berland County, Penna., May 8, 1808, eld- 
est son of William and Isabel Purvis. His 
youth up to the age of twenty-three years 
was passed on his parents' farm, and he 
then went to Pittsburg to learn the carpen- 
ter's trade. Settling in Butler in 1832, he 
worked at his trade here as a journeyman 
for some two years, during which time he 
was employed on the construction of the 
Presbyterian Church. In 1834 he engaged 
in business for himself as a contractor and 
builder, and so continued until 1867. In 
that year Mr. Purvis, taking his son Jo- 
seph in as partner, founded the firm of S. 
G. Purvis & Company, and they continued 
to be engaged in contracting and building 
exclusively until 1869, when they also em- 
barked in the planing-mill and lumber busi- 
ness. In 1878 they gave up contracting 
and Iniilding in order to devote their en- 
tire attention to their lumber and planing- 
mill business, which had by that time con- 
siderably increased in proportions. This 
they subsequently developed into a most 
flourishing business, which is continued at 
the present day, being now one of the lead- 
ing industrial enterprises of the city. 

Though giving his chief attention to his 
own particular business Mr. Purvis was a 
man of varied activities. He was one of 
the founders of the Butler Water Com- 
pany and served as its first president; 
was at one time proprietor of the Demo- 
cratic Herald ; was an original stockholder 
in the Butler and Allegheny Plank Road 
Company, and was president of the Butler 
^Futnal Insurance Company from the time 



of its organization until his death. He 
was a justice of the peace for sixteen years, 
and also served acceptably on the School 
Board. From his youth up, he was a mem- 
ber of the United Presbyterian Church of 
Butler, in which for manj^ years he was 
also an elder and trustee. In polities he 
was a stanch Democrat. He was a man 
always interested in the welfare of the 
community, and ever ready to lend a help- 
ing hand to any worthy cause. 

Mr. Purvis married Elizabeth Logan, a 
daughter of Joseph Logan of Middlesex 
Township. He died May 28, 1879, his wife 
passing away nearly thirteen years later, 
in April, 1892. Their children were as fol- 
lows: Joseph L., deceased, a sketch of 
whom will be found in this volume, who 
became his father's partner in the firm of 
S. G. Purvis & Company as already noted, 
and who was a prominent business man 
of Butler; Isabel; Samuel D., with the sash 
and door factory of S. G. Purvis & Com- 
pany, who married in 1866, Valeria Evans, 
and has had seven children, — Annie E., 
Ella, Perry E. (deceased), Frank, Alfred 
B., Samuel G., and Gracey F. ; AVilliam I., 
who is now deceased ; Levi 0., a member of 
the firm of Levi 0. Purvis & Company and 
residing at No. 300 E. Pearl Street," But- 
ler; and Sarah J., now deceased, who was 
the wife of Harrison Black. 

Levi 0. Purvis was born in Butler, May 
12, 1846. He was the third son of his par- 
ents, Samuel G. and Elizabeth Purvis, and 
was educated in the public schools and at 
Witherspoon Institute. After learning the 
carijenter's trade he worked at it as a 
journeyman until 1876, at which time he 
became a member of the firm of S. G. Pur- 
vis & Company, with which he was con- 
nected for many years. Then, with his 
son, Harold G., he established the firm of 
Levi 0. Purvis & Company, manufactur- 
ers of and dealers in sash, doors, blinds 
and general wood-work, having a fine 
plant at No. 100 S. Franklin Street. The 
firm has been quite successful and is num- 



1112 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



bered among the representative business 
institutions of the city. Mr. Purvis is a 
Democrat politically, and has performed 
useful service on the School Board for 
twelve years. He belongs to Butler Lodge, 
F. & a". M., and also to the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen. 

Mr. Purvis married Zoe Dempsey, a 
daughter of Captain Francis Dempsey, of 
Erie, Pennsylvania. He has five children : 
Harold Gr., Clara, Florence, May and Bes- 
sie. All the members of the family be- 
long to the Presbyterian Church. 

FREDERICK J. WINTERS, who car- 
ried on business as a contracting mason, is 
also the owner of a valuable farm of eighty 
acres on which he resides, and which is 
situated in Penn Township. He was born 
March 27, 1855, in Jackson Township, But- 
ler County, Penna., his parents being Con- 
rad and Sophia (Deitrich) Winters. 

Conrad Winters was born in Grermany 
and before coming to America learned the 
trade of stone cutter. After settling in 
Jackson Township, Butler County, he con- 
tinued to work at his trade and also cul- 
tivated a farm. He was twice married, the 
second time to Dora Smith, in 1871. She 
died in 1895. Of this union there was one 
child, Mary, now the wife of George Duut 
can of Connoquenessing Township. Mi*, 
and Mrs. Winters were members of the 
German Lutheran Church at Zelienople 
and were liberal contributors to its sup- 
port. Of their four children two reached 
maturity, namely: Frederick J., and An- 
na, who married Frank Galbraith. Con- 
rad Winters died November 29, 1901, at 
the advanced age of eighty-four years. 

Frederick J. Winters lost his mother 
when he was only three and a half years 
old and during his boyhood he attended 
school in different townships through But- 
ler County. He learned the trade of stone- 
mason with an imcle, and has worked at 
it, in conjunction with farming, ever since, 
having done quite a large amount of bridge 



construction for the county. In 1886 he 
bought his present farm in Penn Town- 
ship, of which he has about fifty acres 
under cultivation, raising corn, oats, wheat 
and hay. He also keeps from four to six 
head of horses, vising them in his business. 
Mr. Winters married Charlotte Klinger, 
a daughter of John Klinger, a farmer of 
Penn Township, and they have had ten 
children, as follows : Clara Louisa, Frank 
Edward, John David, Charles Conrad, 
Pearl Alice, William Albert, Russell Clyde, 
Bertha Marie (deceased), Victor Eugene, 
and Laura Catherine. The eldest daugh- 
ter is the wife of Albert Winroe, of Penn 
Township, and they have four children — 
Laura Marie, Helen Clara, Edna Cather- 
ine, and Bertha Leona. Frank married 
Margaret Lavery and lives in Penn Town- 
ship. He has two children — John Edward 
and Paul Raymond. John married Lydia 
Hager, who died leaving one child, Fred- 
erick Lemont, who is also now deceased. 
John also lives in Penn Township. Charles 
married Agnes Peters and they have one 
child — Doi'othy Alma; they also are resi- 
dents of Penn Township. The three sons 
— Frank, John and Charles — have also 
learned the stone cutters' and masons' 
trade and are now engaged in contracting 
in that line of industry. 

JOHN FINDLEY SHANNON, Justice 
of the Peace, general merchant and promi- 
nent citizen, has been a resident of Cal- 
lery since August, 1888. He was born De- 
cember 22, 1854, in Franklin Township, 
Butler County, Penna., and is a son of 
Matthew W. and Mary (Stephenson) 
Shannon. 

Leonard Shannon, the great-grand- 
father of John F., was born in Ireland and 
when he came to America he settled in 
Butler County, along Muddy Creek, and 
there many of the family still reside. 
David Shannon, son of Leonard and 
grandfather of John F., was born in But- 
ler County and became a man of property 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1115 



and influence. He married Betsey White, 
who belonged to a pioneer family of Butler 
County, which had founded the village of 
Whitestown. She died in the year follow- 
ing her marriage and David Shannon mar- 
ried (second) Anna White, the sister of 
his first wife. The children born to them 
were: John L., now deceased; Matthew 
W. ; David; Samuel, now deceased; Mary, 
now deceased, who was the wife of Robert 
Lemon; Fannie, who married M. McCul- 
lough, both now deceased ; and Rachel, who 
married Alfred Hines, also both deceased. 

Matthew W. Shannon was born in 1821, 
in Connoquenessing Township, Butler 
County, to which his father had moved. 
The latter built a sawmill and a grist mill 
and operated them there for some years 
and then moved further south and bought 
400 acres which was called the old Shan- 
non farm. On that property he built a 
sawmill and from his timber land came the 
lumber for the first frame Court House 
built at Butler. David continued to own 
the mill but it was operated by his sons, 
John L. and Matthew W. For a number 
of years it was run continuously, being the 
only mill in that part of the county at that 
time, but later it was washed away in a 
freshet. Matthew W. Shannon continued 
to live at home for several years after his 
marriage and then rented what is now 
known as the Grossman farm, south of 
Prospect, the same on which his son John 
Findley was born. This farm he operated 
for several years and then purchased a 
small farm north of Wliitestown, on which 
he lived until 1864, when he sold it and 
moved to the Martin farm, for two years. 
He then bought a part of the old John J. 
Eakin farm, in Connoquenessing Town- 
ship, to which he later added. Subse- 
quently he retired and with his wife re- 
sides at Mt. Chestnut. 

Matthew Shannon married Mary Ste- 
phenson, who is a daughter of Nathaniel 
Stephenson, of Franklin Township, and 
they had nine children born to tliem, 



namely : David, Stephenson and Alfred, 
all three now deceased ; John F. ; Matthew 
W. ; Benjamin F. ; Jennie, widow of Abra- 
ham Hemphill; Anna, wife of W. J. 
Moore ; and Nettie, now deceased, who was 
the wife of Clarence C. Double. 

John Findley Shannon was reared on 
the home farm and remained there until 
he was about twenty-nine years of age. 
His educational advantages were not of 
the best but he studied hard whenever he 
had an opportunity and prepared himself 
for teaching. During the winter of 1875 
and the spring of 1876, he taught success- 
fully at the l3ivener school and later at 
the Martin and the Whitestown schools, 
devoting about eight years to educational 
work. He then learned brick-laying with 
W. J. Gilliland at Mars, at which place he 
later became express agent and also 
worked in several stores at Mars, for W. 
H. Walter, for Gilliland & Marshall and 
for the late T. M. Marshall. On November 
14, 1884, he moved to Saxonburg Station, 
where he worked in the general store of 
H. F. Eicholtz, and also in the express and 
railroad office and in the post-office until 
1887. He then removed to Buttercup for 
a short time and .then, in 1888, he bought 
out the general store of Alexander M. 
Beers, who also conducted th-e post-office, 
at Callery. In 1892 he lost his building 
and stock by fire, after which he built his 
present commodious quarters. He was 
appointed postmaster in 1888 and served 
six years, and in 1903 his wife was ap- 
pointed to the office, which she still fills, 
and public business is conducted in the 
store. In politics he is a Republican and 
in 1895 he was elected justice of the peace, 
serving ever since. He is also Clerk of 
Callery Borough Council and is secretary 
of the Callery School Board, and has also 
served as township auditor. 

On June 24, 1884, Mr. Shannon was 
married to Miss Bessie A. Rice, who is a 
daughter of Henry B. and Catherine Rice, 
of Cranberry Township, Butler County. 



1116 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



Mr. and Mrs. Shannon have had five chil- 
dren, namely: Frank, deceased; Harry 
W.; Orion F., deceased; Mernia M. and 
Cleo B. Mr. Shannon is a member of the 
Odd Fellows and Maccabees. 

MISS MARY A. SLATER, one of the 
most highly esteemed ladies of Donegal 
Township, belongs to one of the old and 
honorable families of Butler County, and 
is a Daughter of the American Revolution, 
through her great-grandfather, John 
Slater. Miss Slater was born April 16, 
1847, in Oakland Township, Butler County, 
Penna., and is the only surviving daughter 
of Samuel and Margaret (Rancle) Slater. 

The Revolutionary patriot, John Slater, 
bore no insignificant part in the great 
struggle for American independence, his 
period of actual service extending through 
four years and ten months. His comrdand- 
ers were Generals Washington and Lafay- 
ette. A small mark on his little finger was 
the only injury that he carried through his 
subsequent life. He was yet a young man 
when his military service ended and he 
came to Butler County among its early 
pioneers, lived out the balance of a worthy 
life and his dust now reposes in the old 
Butler cemetery. 

Samuel Slatei*, father of Miss Mary A. 
and her brother, John W. Slater, "with 
whom she resides, was one of the valued 
citizens of Oakland Township, for many 
years, where he carried on agricultural 
pursuits until his death, December 20, 
1895. He married Margaret Rancle, who 
was born in 1808, in Westmoreland Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, and died in 1901. 
They had four children, namely: Eliza- 
beth, Susanna, Mary A. and John W. 

John W. Slater has resided on his pres- 
ent farm of nine acres since 1888, and he 
also owns the home farm of fifty-two acres, 
which he inherited from his father's 
estate. He was born in Butler Coimty, 
Pennsylvania, October 24, 1844, and has 
resided continuously on farms in his native 



county. When he took possession of this 
farm it was only a tract of uncleared tim- 
ber and it formerly belonged to William 
Rancle. Mr. Slater has done all the clear- 
ing and imi^roving here, which is very con- 
siderable, and, together with farming has 
developed oil on his land. It is a valuable 
property at present and is situated three 
miles south of Chicora, on the Butler road. 

In 1870 Mr. Slater was married to Miss 
Sarah Wilson, who was born in Armstrong 
County, Penna., in 1848, and is a daughter 
of Samuel and Catherine (Staup) AVilson. 
There were the following children in the 
Wilson family: Sebastus, Mary, Harriet, 
William and Catherine, deceased; and 
Sarah. To Mr. and Mrs. Slater seven chil- 
dren were born, namely: Samuel, Sebas- 
tus, Emma E., Stephen A., William J., 
May and Joseph, the latter two living at 
home. Samuel resides at Mannington, 
West Virginia. He married Maria King 
and they have two children : Ralph J. and 
Francis. Sebastus lives at St. Mary's, 
Ohio. He married Alice Henning and they 
have three children : Paul, Carl and Ellen. 
Emma E. married Joseph McElwee, of St. 
Cloud, West Virginia, and they have four 
children: George, Francis, Eugene and 
Benjamin. Stephen A. lives in California. 
He married Earla Kelley and they have 
six children: Hazel, Dorothea, Eva, 
Philip, Clara and John. William J. mar- 
ried Minerva Iman and they live in West 
Virginia and have two children : Ethel and 
Harold. 

Miss Slater has many friends in the 
pleasant social circle of the neighborhood. 
She is a devoted member of St. Patrick's 
Church, of Sugar Creek Township, Arm- 
strong County. She takes a very reason- 
able pride in her Revolutionary ancestry 
and in the fact of her family being for so 
long one of importance in this section. 

WILLIAM JOHN WELSH, residing on 
liis valuable farm of 120 acres, a part of 
the old Welsh homestead, in Jefferson 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1117 



Township, is in the fourth genei'ation of 
the family that has lived on this place. He 
was horn in Jefferson Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, September 3, 1847, 
and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Cun- 
ningham) Welsh. 

The Welsh family is of Irish extraction 
and both father and grandfather of Mr. 
Welsh were born in Ireland and emigrated 
to America in 1815, settling at Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, where John Welsh 
followed his trade of baker. In 1821 the 
Welsh family came to Butler County and 
John Welsh purchased 300 acres of land, 
which he subsequently cleared. His log 
cabin was built on what is now the site of 
the present residence. He possessed more 
capital than did many of his neighbors, 
lived better and built the first two-story 
trame residence ever erected in this sec- 
tion of Jefferson Township. Wlien he 
died, full of years, he was buried in the 
family graveyard on his own land. 

Thomas Welsh was eight years old when 
he accompanied his father from Ireland, 
and on the death of the latter he became 
the head of the family. He accumulated 
an ample fortune and took a prominent 
part in public affairs in township and 
county and served in many offices, includ- 
ing one term as county conunissioner. He 
was an elder in the First Presbyterian 
Church of Butler. 

William John Welsh has always lived 
on his present farm, which is situated one 
mile west of Jefferson Center, on the Jef- 
ferson and Glade Mill Road. He attended 
the Saxonburg School, going from there 
to Jefferson School. He then took up the 
work of the farm, on account of the death 
of his father, and has continued here ever 
since, making agricultural pursuits his 
life work. He carries on general farming 
and raises some excellent stock. 

On May 10, 1876, Mr. Welsh was mar- 
ried to Miss Julia A. Patterson, who is a 
daughter of William E. and Lucinda 
(Peterson) Patterson. The Patterson 



family is one of the most prominent ones 
of Butler County, one that can trace a 
long and honorable lineage. Mr. and Mrs. 
Welsh have had five children, namely: 
Nancy, who died aged three months ; Will- 
iam P., who is connected with the Stand- 
ard Steel Car Company, Hammond, In- 
diana, married November 6, 1906, Mary E. 
Wilson, of Slippery Rock, and they have 
one child, Elizabeth Wilson Welsh; Ada 
Bathia, who is the wife of AVilson A. Ger- 
ner, assistant storekeeper for the Stand- 
ard Car Company, of Butler; Thomas 
Marshall, who is connected with the Stand- 
ard Car Company, of Butler; and Clar- 
ence, who has charge of the home farm and 
is numbered with the successful young 
agriculturists of this section. Mr. Welsh 
and family belong to the Summit Presby- 
terian Church, in which he is an elder. For 
twenty-seven years he has served on the 
School Board, a large part of the time as 
its president, and at various times has held 
almost all of the township offices, being a 
man of public spirit and sterling citizen- 
ship. He is identified with the Odd Fel- 
lows, being a charter member of the local 
Encampment, and with the order of Mac- 
cabees. 

WILLIAM S. CASHDOLLAE, one of 
Adams Township's representative and 
substantial citizens, residing on one of his 
farms, containing eighty-six acres of the 
old homestead, and owning also 150 acres 
in the same township, was born in a log 
house standing on his father's farm in 
Adams Township, Butler County, Penna., 
April 12, 1836. His parents were William 
and Margaret (Eichardson) CashdoUar. 

The great-grandfather of William S. 
CashdoUar came to America from Ger- 
many and the grandfather came to Butler 
County from some point on the Ohio Eiver. 
He had five children : John, Jacob, Joseph, 
William and Eosanna, the latter of whom 
married Samuel Black, and all are de- 
ceased. The children were separated more 



1118 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



or less in youth, being bound out in dif- 
ferent families. William, father of Will- 
iam S., was born in Middlesex Township, 
Butler County, and was four years old 
when he was taken into the family of Mr. 
Parks, where he remained until he was 
twenty-one. He was reared a farmer but 
after leaving the Parks farm he engaged 
for a time in digging coal at Squirrel Hill, 
later went for a time to Pittsburg, but sub- 
sequently returned to Butler County and 
married a Miss Fowler. She died six 
months later. With his mother, Mrs. Cath- 
erine (Cashdollar) Smith, he then moved 
to Allegheny and for a short time operated 
a hotel there, but the business did not 
please him and he came back to Butler 
County. He then bought 200 acres of land 
in what was then Cranberry but is now 
Adams Township, and on that farm spent 
the remainder of his life. He died in 1882, 
aged eighty-two years. He marired (sec- 
ond) Margaret Richardson, who died in 
1898, aged eighty-nine years. They had 
the following children: Catherine, who is 
the widow of Robert Hoon ; John ; William 
Smith; Joseph; James, deceased; Mar- 
garet, who is the widow of Jacob Miller; 
Washington, deceased; Samuel; Mary E., 
who married Samuel Staples; Rosanna, 
who married John Purvis; and Sarah M., 
who married Samuel Ramsey. 

William Smith Cashdollar helped his 
father through the early years of his life 
and during three or possibly four months 
in the winter seasons, attended the ses- 
sions held in the old log school-house. 
After his marriage he moved to his pres- 
ent farm, which he had gradually bought, 
and he had all the clearing and improving 
to do. He put up all the present substan- 
tial buildings, and has gradually stocked 
his farm, and, although he has been a hard 
worker all his life, he has much to show 
for his efforts. 

On June 23, 1863, Mr. Cashdollar was 
married to Miss Susan H. McNeil, who is 
a daughter of William and Fannie (Hamil- 



ton) McNeil, formerly of Forward Town- 
ship. Mrs. McNeil still survives, a vener- 
able lady of ninety-one years, and is care- 
fully looked after in the home of her 
daughter. To Mr. and Mrs. Cashdollar 
have been born twelve children, three of 
whom are deceased. The survivors are: 
William H., who married Cassie Romack; 
Edward, who married Ella Fife; Anna, 
who married Harry Berringer; Elizabeth, 
who married Albert Hunas ; Oliver, who 
marled Josephine Leise; Lester D., who 
married Florence Forsyth; John, who 
married Anna Reichle; Susan, who mar- 
ried William Ralston ; and Laura Malinda, 
who married Lewis Kauffman. There are 
a number of grandchildren and Mr. and 
Mrs. Cashdollar take an interest in them 
all. They are members of the United 
Presbyterian Church in which he is an 
elder. In politics, he is an old-time Demo- 
crat. 

B. C. HUSELTON, one of Butler's lead- 
ing citizens and older business men, who 
enjoys the distinction of having estab- 
lished the first store in this city devoted 
exclusively to dealing in shoes, has been 
almost a lifelong resident of Butler 
County. He was born in 1848, in Luzerne 
County, Penna., and is a son of Theodore 
Huselton. 

The father of Mr. Huselton came to But- 
ler County in 1858 and settled on a farm 
near Butler, from which- he later removed 
to the city of Butler, where he was en- 
gaged in the oil business and in real es- 
tate, and also in banking at Greece City. 

B. C. Huselton was a school boy when 
the family came to Butler County and the 
first work he did was in the line of photog- 
raphy, during the Civil War. Later, he 
engaged with his father for a short time 
in the shoe business, under the style of 
Theodore Huselton & Son, and then pur- 
chased his father's interest and has been 
continuously engaged in the shoe line ever 
since. Many advances have been made in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1119 



business methods from the old days when 
all his stock had to be brought from Pitts- 
burg, over the old jjlank road, and dis- 
posed of in small quarters, as all the early 
business houses were at that time. About 
1873, Mr. Huselton purchased the ground 
on North Main Street, where he is now lo- 
cated, and here he built a two-story build- 
ing, with dimensions of 90 by 20 feet. This 
shoe store has been fitted up with all mod- 
ern conveniences and offers the most at- 
tractive appearance of any similar places 
in the city, while his long experience has 
made Mr. Huselton not only a competent 
judge of shoes, but also a judge of the 
demands of his customers. 

Mr. Huselton was married (first) ti» 
Miss Jennie Reed, a daughter of Captain 
Reed, a former prominent resident of Al- 
legheny City. Mrs. Huselton survived only 
two years. Ten years later, Mr. Huselton 
was married (second) to Miss Agnes 
Shaw, a daughter of James Shaw, of Mc- 
Keesport, and they have two sons and one 
daughter: Edgar Chandler, James Shaw 
and Frances, the latter of whom resides 
at home. The elder son, a graduate of 
Mercersburg Academy, is associated with 
his father in business. The second son is 
a student at Dartmouth College. 

CHARLES STEWARD .McCLEL- 
LAND, M. D., is actively engaged in the 
practice of his profession at Glade Mills, 
Butler County, Penna., and enjoys high 
standing in the community. He was born 
in his in-esent residence, July 23, 1871, and 
is a son of Robert C. and Annie (Dins- 
more) McClelland. His grandfather was 
George McClelland. 

George McClelland was born in Alle- 
gheny County, Penna., and there learned 
the trade of a millwright. He moved to 
Mackville, Armstrong County, where he 
biiilt a mill and opei'ated it during the re- 
mainder of his life. He was united in mar- 
riage with Eliza McCaslin, who was born 
April 8, 1808, and died May 10, 1862. The 



McCaslins in America date back to the 
year 1780, when "William Brown and Chris- 
tiana (Thompson) McCaslin crossed the 
ocean from Ireland. 

Dr. Robert C. McClelland, father of the 
subject of this sketch, was born in Alle- 
gheny City, Penna., and after completing 
his coui'se in the public schools, read med- 
icine under the direction of Doctor Cooper 
of that city. He later attended the medical 
department of the Western Reserve Uni- 
versity of Cleveland, Ohio, from which he 
was graduated with the class of 1862. He 
engaged in practice in Armstrong County 
one year, then located at Glade Mills, But- 
ler County, where he purchased the prac- 
tice of Dr. Jacob Steward. He was for 
some years the only physician between 
Bakerstown and Butler, and in his prac- 
tice was called to points quite distant from 
home, making the trips on horseback. He 
was an energetic and progressive man, of 
good education, and was successful beyond 
the average of his time. His death oc- 
curred in middle life, in 1876, when aged 
but forty-one years. Politically, he was a 
Democrat. He was joined in marriage 
with Miss Annie E. Dinsmore, who was 
descended through a Johnson branch of 
the family from an old pioneer of that 
name, who landed at Jamestown, Virarinia. 
in 1620, bringing with him a coach and six 
horses, the first ever brought to America. 
Dr. and Mrs. McClelland became the par- 
ents of the following children : George Wil- 
son, deceased ; Robert D. ; Lida May, wife 
of John Snyder of Beaver; AVilliam J., 
who lives at home; Charles Steward; 
Grace A., wife of Dr. H. A. Smith of 
Delta, Colorado; and Harmer _C., who 
graduated from Louisville Medical Col- 
lege with the class of 1908. Religiously, 
the parents of this family were of the Bap- 
tist faith, but as there was no church of 
that denomination in the neighborhood, 
they attended and supported the Presby- 
terian church. Mrs. McClelland died in 
December, 1903, at the age of sixty years. 



1320 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Charles Steward McClelland, after com- 
pleting his education in the public schools, 
entered Girard College at Philadelphia, 
from which he was graduated in 1888. 
During the following four years he was 
engaged in various kinds of work at dif- 
ferent times, and in 1892 entered the med- 
ical department of Western University of 
Pennsylvania, at Allegheny City. He was 
graduated from that institution in 1897, 
with the degree of M. D., and immediately 
thereafter embarked in practice at Glade 
Mills, where he has since continued. He 
lives in the home erected by his father 
soon after his arrival at that point. The 
latter also was the owner of a tine farm 
of sixty acres in. Middlesex Township, 
which is now owned and operated by his 
heirs, who devote it largely to stock feed- 
ing. Oil was produced for many years on 
the property. 

Dr. Charles S. McClelland was united in 
marriage with Bertha McClay, daughter 
of Crawford McClay of Brady's Bend, auil 
they have two children: Lida Catherine 
and Jessie Elizabeth. Religiously, they 
are members of the Middlesex Presbyte- 
rian Church. Doctor McClelland is a mem- 
ber and medical examiner of the Modern 
Woodmen of America at Glade Mills; and 
is also a member of the Butler County 
Medical Society. His father was a mem- 
ber of the Masonic Lodge at Butler. 

SAMUEL EVART TURNER, who has 
been identified with tlie oil industry ever 
since boyhood, is one of the most success- 
ful and experienced producers residing in 
Connoquenessing Township. He was born 
July 15, 1871, on Little Bear Creek, at Gib- 
son's Mill, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of William and Elizabeth 
(Jamison) Turner. 

■ The father of Mr. Turner was born at 
Harlansburg, Lawrence County, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1830, and died in April, 1902. 
When about eighteen years of age he 
learned the milling business, in Butler 



County, and for some years he was at the 
Philips mill east of Butler, and later, op- 
erated the Gibson mill at Harvey's, where 
his son, Samuel E. was born. When the 
oil boom started at Parker's Landing, he 
became interested and acquired a one- 
thirty-second of an oil well on an island 
between Foxburg and Parker's Landing, 
in the Allegheny River. His returns from 
this investment encouraged him to continue 
his interest and he remained in the oil busi- 
ness during the remainder of his life. He 
had excellent judgment, was careful and 
calculating in his investments and for this 
reason was able to accumulate a compe- 
tency. He worked in the Butler County 
field until 1880, went then to the Bradford 
field until 1895 and then returned to But- 
ler County and located between Peters- 
ville and Harmony, living there during the 
rest of his life. He married a daughter of 
Samuel Jamison, of Greece City, and it was 
on his farm that the first well tliere was 
bored that was profitable. There were 
three children born to William and Eliza- 
beth Turner, namely: Mary, deceased, 
who was the wife of J. B. Jamison, of 
Bradford; John A., who resides at Butler; 
and Samuel E. The mother of the above 
family was a devoted member of the Bap- 
tist Church. 

Samuel E. Turner was educated in the 
public schools and he obtained his busi- 
ness training iinder his father, later be- 
coming identified with him in his large oil 
operating. He was the main organizer of 
the Hill Oil Company, which is operating 
on the Shearer farm, and he has seven pro- 
ducing wells on the Butler, Harmony 
Ridge Row and has three producing 
wells on his home tract of ten acres. 
His long and intimate connection with this 
great industry has made Mr. Turner an 
authority on its present status and prob- 
able future extension. 

Mr. Turner was married to Miss Eva 
Bolton, who is a daughter of Edward Bol- 
ton, formerly of Sharpsville, Mercer Coun- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1123 



ty, Pennsylvania. Her father died when 
she was small and she was reared in Clari- 
on and McKean Counties. Mr. and Mrs. 
Turner have had three children: Eliza- 
beth Bolton, Alice Lucretia, and William 
Edward, the latter of whom died in in- 
fancy. Mr. Turner and family attend the 
Methodist Epsicopal Church and give lib- 
eral support. 

In politics Mr. Turner, like his late 
father, is a Democrat. He is one of the 
original stockholders of the Connoquenes- 
sing Telephone Company. His father en- 
joyed a large measure of personal esteem, 
on account of his mauy admirable traits of 
character, one of these being a genial man- 
ner and a kind consideration for others. 
These qualities are emphasized in the son 
and Mr. Turner is a very popular citizen. 
Like his father he is unpretentious, but 
many recognize the value of his friendship 
and the worth of his promises, whether 
they be of a business or personal nature. 

ANDREW R. THOMPSON, justice of 
the peace of the borough of West Sun- 
bury and owner of 150 acres of land, a 
part of the farm lying within the borders 
of the borough, comes of a prominent old 
family of Butler County. He was born on 
this farm August 23, 1855, and is a son of 
Thomas C. and Sarah (McKinney) 
Thompson. 

John Thompson, paternal grandfather 
of the subject of this sketch, was born in 
County Tipperary, Ireland, and upon com- 
ing to the United States settled on Char- 
tier's Creek, near McKee's Rocks, Penn- 
sylvania. From there he moved in 1796 
to Butler County, locating on a farm in 
wliat now is the eastern part of Brady 
Township, where many of his descendants 
still live. He died in 1846, at the age of 
ninety-four years. His wife, in maiden 
life, Martha Humes, died in 1861, at the 
age of eighty-nine. 

Thomas C. Thompson was born in what 
was then Center Township, now Brady 



Township, in Butler Coimty, Penna., and 
was a young man when about the year 
1834 he located upon the farm now owned 
by his son, Andrew R. He was unmarried 
at the time and erected the fine brick home 
on the place before his marriage to Sarah 
McKinney in 1841. She was born in Ire- 
land and was in childhood when brought 
by her father, John McKinney, to Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. Mr. McKinney 
came to the county from Philadelphia and 
became a well-to-do citizen of Concord 
Township, where his descendants still own 
some 400 acres of land. He lived to the age 
of 103 years, and his wife to the age of 
eighty years; the mother of Mrs. McKin- 
ney reached the remarkable age of one 
hundred and six years. 

There were eleven children born to 
Thomas C. and Sarah Thompson, all in 
the old home at West Sunbury. Five are 
now living, namely: W. J. Thompson of 
Butler; R. J. Thompson, also of Butler; 
Thomas H., who makes his home with the 
subject of this sketch; Sarah Jane, who 
lives in Chicago; and Andrew R. Several 
of the children died in infancy, and one, 
Annie, lived to maturity and was the wife 
of John L. Dunn. The parents of his fam- 
ily both died on the home farm, he in 1886 
and she in 1896. 

Andrew R. Thompson was reared on the 
farm and received a good education in the 
public schools. He has always followed 
farming and engaged in teaming in con- 
nection. He was twenty-two years old 
when elected justice of the peace on the 
Republican ticket, and he has served as 
such with marked ability to tlie present 
time. He also has been one of the school 
directors of the borough during the past 
twenty-five years. 

Mr. Thompson was united in marriage 
with Margaret Wliitmire, a daughter of 
Henry Whitmire of Center Township, and 
they are parents of the following children: 
Henrietta; Thomas C; Meade; James and 
Florence, twins; and John M. Religiously, 



1124 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tlie fcimily belongs to the United Pi'esby- 
terian church. Fraternally, Mr. Thomp- 
son is a charter member of the Independ- 
ent Order of Odd Fellows. 

JAMES H. MORRISON, a well known 
liveryman and harnessmaker, is one of the 
leading business men of Harrisville, and a 
lifelong resident of this village. He was 
born June 9, 1857, in Harrisville, Butler 
County, Penna., and is a son of James 
Hosack and Martha (Hosack) Morrison, 
who were cousins. 

Samuel Morrison, grandfather of James 
H., was a native of Ireland and was a 
stone-cutter by trade. He emigrated to 
this country early in life, located in Mar- 
ion Township, Butler County, Penna., 
where he followed farming and worked at 
his trade until the time of his death, when 
fifty-six 5^ears of age. He was father of 
the following children: James H. ; Hugh; 
John; David; Samuel; William; Henry; 
Rachel, wife of R. Van Dike; and Sarah, 
wife of J. C. Morrison. 

James Morrison, father of James H.. 
spent his boyhood days on the farm in 
Marion Township and at the age of seven- 
teen went to Butler, where he learned 
harnessmaking with Colonel Reed, ex- 
sheriff of Butler County. After a period 
of five years he returned to Harrisville, 
where he opened a harness shop, which he 
conducted successfully for a number of 
years. He married his cousin, Martha 
Hosack, who died in January, 1904, aged 
seventy-six years. His death occurred in 
February, 1905, when eighty years of age. 
James and Martha Morrison became the 
parents of the following children: Samuel 
Hazen, of Mercer, Pennsylvania; James 
Hosack, Jr. ; Walter L.. a resident of Har- 
risville; and two who died in infancy. 

James H. Morrison grew to manhood in 
Harrisville. where he attended the common 
schools and also a private school. Early 
in life he began learning harnessmaking 



in his father's shop, and about 1888 took 
entire charge of the business. In 1876 he 
and his brother established the present 
livery and harness business, James H. 
purchasing his brother's interest in 1880, 
and has since conducted same with unin- 
terrupted success. Since 1874 he has run 
an omnibus line to the depot, and in con- 
nection with this does general contracting 
for moving houses and laying stone walks. 
He has laid the greater part of the stone 
walks in Harrisville, this town having 
more stone walks than any other town of 
its size in the county. He erected his pres- 
ent harness shop in 1904, and his residence 
was built in 1879. Mr. Morrison is a direc- 
tor and one of the organizers of the First 
National Bank of Harrisville. 

On October 22, 1878, Mr. Morrison was 
joined in marriage with Anna E. Elleby, a 
daughter of Daniel Elleby, and to their 
union were born six children, three of 
whom died young. The survivors are: 
Cora, who is the wife of H. C. Gibson; 
Fred Hazen; and Ralph, a student of the 
Butler Business College, who was but 
twelve years old when he passed the county 
examinations and received a diploma from 
the superintendent of the county schools. 
Mr. Morrison is a Republican and has 
served four, years on the town ciuncil. 

WILLIAM HENRY REIHING, for- 
merly a well known citizen and substantial 
business man of Butler, at the time of his 
death, on February 22, 1892, was proprie- 
tor of the Willard Hotel, a hostelry which 
he had made equal to any in Western 
Pennsylvania. He was born at Butler, 
Pennsylvania, in March, 1860, and was a 
son of Jacob and Ann (Korn) Reihing. 
His father was a native of Germany and 
his mother, of Pitt.sburg, Penn.sylvania. 

William H. Reihing completed his edu- 
cation in the Butler schools and when 
eighteen years of age went to Pittsburg, 
his mother's native city, where he re- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1125 



mained until shortly after Lis marirage, 
when be returned to Butler and entered 
the employ of George W. Campbell, who 
was then proprietor of the old Willard Ho- 
tel. One year later Mr. Reihing leased the 
property and, realizing that it undoubtedly 
would prove a good investment, at the 
end of two more years he purchased it. It 
was his aim to make it a first class house 
and to this end he improved it to the ex- 
tent of an expenditure of $30,000. His 
ambition was realized but he lived but a 
short time to enjoy his success, his death 
taking place in the following year. He was 
a man of enterprise and of excellent busi- 
ness judgment and thus his loss was great 
to his fellow citizens, while a large circle 
of friends mourned him for his personal 
qualities. 

In September, 1882, Mr. Reihing was 
united in marriage with Miss Mattie A. 
Golden, who was reared and educated at 
Pittsburg. She is a daughter of Timothy 
and Sally (Berry) Golden. Her parents 
were born in County Mayo, Ireland, and 
after their marriage they came to America 
and settled at Pittsburg, where Mr. Golden 
engaged in a grocery business. Both Mr. 
ami Mrs. Golden died in that city. Mr. 
and iMrs. Reihing had three children born 
to them: Harry, George and Edna. All 
liave been afforded superior educational 
advantages, the two sons at Fordham Col- 
lege, New York, and the daughter at St. 
Xavier College. Mrs. Reihing owns the 
Willard Hotel property and since the 
death of her husband has most capably 
managed it. The unaccustomed responsi- 
bilities fell heavily upon her at first, but 
the test soon showed that she was equal 
to the emergency and the Willard Hotel 
continues to'enjoy a generous patronage. 

In his religious faith, Mr. Reihing was 
a Catholic and he gave liberally to the 
church imtil his death. He was a man of 
charitable inclinations and_ gave gener- 
ously to benevolent enterprises. He was 
a member of the fraternal order of Elks. 



JACOB B. RUMBAUGH, one of Chi- 
cora's leading citizens, holding the posi- 
tion of town constable, owning improved 
property and large oil interests, is also an 
honored veteran of the Civil War, and at 
the present writing (1908), is serving in 
his fourth term as commander of the Rob- 
ert jMcDarmett Post, No. 222, Grand Army 
of the Republic. He was born in Sugar 
Creek Township, Armstrong County, 
Penna., in 1838, and is a son of Solomon 
and Elizabeth (Barnhart) Rumbaugh. 

The father of Mr. Rumbaugh was born 
in Armstrong County and his mother in 
Butler County. They lived on their farm 
in Sugar Creek Township and both died 
in Armstrong County. They had the fol- 
lowing children: Joseph, Chambers, Sam- 
uel, Jacob B., David, Phebe, Susanna, 
Mary Ann, Elizabeth and Rachel. 

Jacob B. Rumbaugh remained on tlie 
home farm helping his father until he was 
twenty-one years of age and tlien was mar- 
ried and for one year continued to farm in 
Armstrong County. He moved then to 
Jetferson County, where he worked at 
lumbering and cut timber in the woods un- 
til 1862, when he decided to enlist for serv- ■ 
ice in the Civil War. He entered Com- 
pany I, One Hundred Forty-eighth Regi- 
ment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, on Au- 
gust 15, 1862, and served for two years 
and eleven months, seeing very hard serv- 
ice, participating in such battles as Chan- 
cellorsville and Gettysburg. After the lat- 
ter he was confined, to a hospital for four 
months and reached his regiment in No- 
vember, in time to take part in the battle 
of Mine Run in the following month, and 
went through the exhausting campaign of 
1864, which included the battle of the Wil- 
derness, that of Spottsylvania Court 
House, Cold Harbor, siege of Petersburg 
and the struggle on the Weldon Railroad. 
In this raid he was captured by the Con- 
federates, in company with 1,400 other 
Union soldiers, and he was imprisoned at 
Libby and Belle Isle, later taken to Sails- 



1126 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



bury, North Carolina, and was iiually 
paroled but was then prostrated with ty- 
phoid fever. The war had closed by the 
time he was able to travel and he was hon- 
orably discharged at Pittsburg. During 
this long period of almost constant action 
and continual exposure to danger, Mr. 
Rumbaugh performed every duty cheer- 
fully and endured the hardships of mili- 
tary life with a courage that often inspired 
others. It certainly is meet and proper 
that just such a veteran soldier should 
have been chosen as commander of a body 
of his comrades, men who, when peace 
came, proved their soldierly qualities by 
going back to their former occupations as 
readily as, in the time of their country's 
danger, they had unsheathed their swords 
and shouldered their muskets. 

Mr. Rumbaugh returned to Armstrong 
County and until 1868 he continued to en- 
gage in farming there and then moved to 
the Parker oil field and continued in the oil 
business in both Armstrong and Butler 
Counties until 1876, when he moved to Chi- 
cora. For three years he conducted a laun- 
dry business but then sold out and, with 
the exception of his oil interests, is not 
concerned in any business, living in com- 
fortable retirement. He is a stanch Re- 
publican and in 1905 he was elected judge 
of elections in Donegal Township, being 
the only Republican judge of elections ever 
elected in said township up to the present 
date. In the spring of 1908 he was elected 
constable in Donegal Township. 

On October 22, 1858, Mr. Rumbaugh was 
married to Catherine Myers, who was born 
in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Of 
their seven children, six survive, namely: 
Mrs. B. T. Kahle, of East Bend, Pitts- 
burg; Mrs. Arvella Bellis, of Butler; Mrs. 
Harry Reddick, of Chicora; Charles, of 
Bartlesville, Oklahoma; William L., of 
Marharg; and Miss Loretta, of Chicora. 
All these children, with the exception of 
one. attended the celebration of the fiftieth 
anniversary of the marriage of their par- 



ents, which took place October 22, 1908, 
It was an occasion long to be remembered 
and the picture of the venerable bride and 
groom, attended by their loving children, 
ten grandchildren and seven great-grand- 
children, was a beautiful and impressive 
one. Prosperity has not always smiled 
and sorrow has sometimes cast a shadow, 
but both Mr. Rumbaugh and his estimable 
wife have bravely faced adversity together 
and side by side have enjoyed tlieir large 
measure of happiness. For many years 
they have been valued and useful members 
of the Chicora English Lutheran Church. 

PETER DUFFY. The name of few 
citizens of Butler County, who have passed 
off the scene of life, is recalled with more 
respect than is that of the late Peter 
Duffy. He was born in Donegal Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna., March 30, 
1798, and was of Irish parentage. He 
lived to the age of eighty-six years, dying 
in December, 1883. 

Until he was eighteen years of age he 
remained on the homestead farm, occa- 
sionally attending the early schools of the 
neighborhood, but spending the larger 
part of his time in hard work. In 1816 he 
found an opportunity to take charge of 
the woolen mill and carding machine that 
was attached to the old grist mill which 
had been built at Butler in 1800, one of the 
first of its kind in the county. In 1823 he 
became his brother John's assistant in the 
latter 's store and proving useful in the 
connection, was admitted to partnership at 
a later date. In 1827 he secured a eon- 
tract for work on the Pennsylvania Canal, 
then building, and after its completion he 
was appointed postmaster at Butler. This 
office he filled from 1830 until 1832 and 
became prothonotary and county clerk and 
remained in office until 1836. Mr. Duffy 
remained engaged in various enterprises 
at Butler until 1849, when he went to Cali- 
fornia. In 1853 he came back to Butler 
and re-engaged in the mercantile business 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1129 



which he successfully carried forward for 
the next ten years, when he retired from 
active participation in business. He en- 
joyed a large income from his farm in 
Donegal Township, oil in abundant ((uan- 
tities having been discovered there. 

In 1833, Mr. Duffy was married to De- 
borah Dougherty and they had three chil- 
dren : Mary, Charles and James E. Mary 
Duft'y as Sister Superior of the Govern- 
ment Hospital at Httsburg, all through 
the Civil War, became almost a national 
character for the great services she ren- 
dered to thousands of Union soldiers who 
were placed under the kind ministrations 
of herself and assistants during that pe- 
riod. She died in the winter of 1870. 
Charles Duft'y engaged in merchandising 
at Butler for many years. James A. is a 
priest of the Roman Catholic Church. 
While his fellow citizens of all classes had 
reason to kindly remember Mr. Duft'y on 
account of his charities and devotion to the 
best interests of the community, the Cath- 
olic Church in particular had cause to per- 
petuate his memory. He was one of the 
founders of the church in Butler and 
throughout his whole life gave liberally in 
support of all its beneficial agencies. He 
was a man of more than usual force of 
character and enlightened view and both 
in public and private life was an honest 
man and conscientious Christian. 

BEEADEN YOUNG, one of the fore- 
most business men of West Sunbury, is an 
undertaker and embalmer and has been lo- 
cated in this borough since February, 
1899. He was born on a farm in Clay 
Township, Butler County, Penna., in 1872, 
and is a son of Robert H. and Mary 
(Stewart) Young. 

Robert H. Young still resides on the old 
home farm in Clay Township. He has 
been a man of affairs in the community 
and at one time served as county superin- 
tendent of schools, doing much to add to 
the efficiency of the schools. He was first 



married to Mary Stewart, whose death 
occurred when the subject of this sketch 
was but two years old. He subsequently 
married Mrs. Amanda McFarland, whose 
maiden name was Bryson. 

Breaden Young was reared on the farm 
and received a good public school educa- 
tion. He first started in the undertaking 
business at Annadale, and after about one 
year at that point moved to West Sunbury 
in February, 1899, where he is accorded 
the liberal patronage of the people. He 
erected a handsome brick home in the bor- 
ough, modern in all its appointments and 
equipped with a hot water heating plant. 
He is at the present a member of the Bor- 
ough Council. 

Mr. Young was united in marriage with 
Miss Ada Meals, who was born in Concord 
Township, Butler County, and is a daugh- 
ter of Alfred G. and Olive (Wick) Meals. 
Two children were born to them: Loyal 
Breaden and Robert Alfred. Religiously, 
the family belongs to the United Presby- 
terian Church. Mr. Young is a member of 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
the Roval Arcanum and Woodmen of the 
World. 

J. C. BOYLE, M. D., physician and sur- 
geon at Butler, a specialist in eye, ear, nose 
and throat diseases, has been a resident of 
this city since 1896. He was born in 1864, 
at New Hope, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Thomas, a grandson 
of John and a great-grandson of Francis 
Boyle. It was the great-grandfather who 
came as the pioneer of the Boyle family, 
to Butler County, settling at wbat is now 
Glade Mills. He was a native of Ireland 
and was probably unmarried when he came 
to this section. John Boyle, grandfather 
of Dr. Boyle, was born in Butler County as 
was his son, Thomas Boyle, who conducted 
a blacksmith business at New Hope, for 
many years, where he died. 

Dr. Boyle was reared in Butler County, 
attended the public schools and subse- 



nao 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



quently was graduated from the State Nor- 
mal School at Ediuboro, in the class of 
1889. Previous to this he taught school 
for eight years in Butler, Warren and Law- 
rence Counties, during this period prepar- 
ing for the practice of niedicine, and in 
1892 was graduated from the West Penn- 
sylvania Medical College. Dr. Boyle 
took his first special course in the Phila- 
delphia Polyclinic College for graduated 
physicians — 1902 and 1903 — in this manner 
keeping in close touch with every modern 
applied scientific medical discovery. His 
studies went still farther and in 1905 he 
took a special course on the diseases of the 
eye at the Royal London Ophthalmic Hos- 
pital and Westminster OphtlialmicHospital 
at London, England, and also a special 
course on the ear, nose and throat, at the 
Central London Ear and Throat Hospital. 
Thus equipped. Dr. Boyle entered into 
practice as a specialist in those branches 
to which he had devoted such close scien- 
tific study, and he has established an eye, 
•ear, nose and throat hospital which is lo- 
cated at No. 121 East Cunningham Street, 
Butler. His patients come from a widely 
extended territory and he has had great 
success in treating the distressing com- 
plaints to which Americans seem particu- 
larly subject. 

In 1894 Dr. Boyle was married to Miss 
Kathleen McNair, of Butler and they have 
•one son, James C. They belong to St. 
Peter's Episcopal Church. Dr. Boyle is 
■a valued member of the Butler County 
]\ledical Society, the Pennsylvania State 
Medical Society and the American Medi- 
cal Association. His fraternal connections 
are with the Masons and the Maccabees 
and belongs to the beneficiary orders of 
the Home Guards and the Protected Home 
'Circle. 

WILLIAM IRA MICHAEL, a prosper- 
'ous farmer of Mercer Township, Butler 
'County, is the owner of a well improved 
tract of fifty-eight acres and is engaged in 



general farming. He was born in Law- 
rence County, Penna., November 12, 1860, 
and is a son of Henry and Lucinda (Ep- 
pinger) Michael, and a grandson of Peter 
Michael. 

Peter Michael was born east of the Al- 
legheny Mountains in Pennsylvania, of 
German parents, and at an early age 
moved west to the woods of Lawrence 
County. He and his wife were parents of 
the following children, all of whom are now 
deceased : William, John, James, Henry, 
Mary Ann, Rebecca, Lena, and Peggie. 

Henry Michael, father of William Ira, 
was born in a primitive log house, in a 
sugar camp, in Washington Township, 
Lawrence Coimty, Penna., in 1822, and in 
early life learned the trades of a wagon- 
maker and a carpenter. After his mar- 
riage he moved to Mercer County, Penna., 
where he followed his trade until 1885, 
when he took up his residence in Mercer 
Township, Butler County. He rented a 
farm from James Carson imtil about the 
year 1888, when he purchased the farm 
on which his son, Ira, now lives, from 
James Parker. He erected a comfortable 
house and made other important improve- 
ments, and continued to reside on the place 
• until his death, which occurred January 3, 
1900. His widow is still living. In maiden 
life she was Lucinda Eppinger and was 
born in Germantown, now a suburb of 
Philadelphia, December 17, 1831. She was 
one of the following children born to her 
parents, John and Margaret (Colpf) Ep- 
pinger, who were married in Germany 
prior to coming to the United States: 
John, Fred, Charles, Lucinda, Henry, 
Caroline and Margaret. Henry and Lu- 
cinda Michael became parents of five chil- 
dren, as follows: John; Margaret, de- 
ceased wife of William Winger; Charles; 
Willis; and William Ira. 

AVilliam Ira Michael was four years of 
age when taken by his parents from Ijaw- 
rence County to Mercer County, and there 
be was reared to maturity on the farm, in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1131 



the meauwliile leceiviug an educational 
training in the public schools. He lived 
at home until his marriage in 1891, and 
has always continued to farm, subse- 
quently purchasing the home property in 
Mercer Township of his mother, and has 
carried on the work with good results. 

Mr. Michael was married January 13, 
1891, to Miss Margaret McCoy, a daughter 
of A. J. and Elizabeth (McGreary) Mc- 
Coy, and they have three children: Roy, 
Virgie and Eulia. In political preference 
Mr. Michael is a stanch Democrat. 

J. E. MONT AG, the leading merchant 
of Jefferson Center, Butler County, was 
born June 30, 1843, in Jefferson Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, in the old 
Montag homestead, and is a son of John 
and Mary (Leighthold) Montag, and a 
grandson of Ernest Montag. 

The father of Air. Montag was born in 
Germany and came to America in boyhood. 
He settled in Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, when he reached mature years and 
there carried on farming. The children 
of his first marriage were: William, Au- 
gust. J. E. and Henry, J. E. being the only 
survivor. There was one child of the sec- 
ond marriage, Ernst. 

J. E. Montag was reared in Jefferson 
Township and continued to engage in 
farming until 1905, when he purchased 
his present place of nineteen acres, within 
the limits of Jefferson Center. This land 
is rich in oil and Mr. Montag has an in- 
terest in producing wells. 

On May 4, 1871, Mr. Montag was mar- 
ried to ]\Iiss ]\Iary Doerr, who died in 1897. 
She was a daughter of Henry and Chris- 
tina Doerr of Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. 
Montag had nine children born to them, 
namely: John, who is interested in the oil 
industry; Amelia, who is the wife of 
Harry J. Bunting, has three children, 
Paul, Esther and Elma; Anna and Ma- 
tilda, both residing at home; Lewis, who 
is a telegraph operator at Apollo, Penn- 



sylvania; Philip, who is in the oil fields; 
Lena, who is a successful teacher in the 
public schools; Albert, deceased; and 
Franklin, living at home. 

Mr. Montag is a leading member of the 
Pi'esbyterian Church at Jefferson Center. 
He has been quite active in public affairs 
in his township, has served as assessor, 
school director and as township treasurer. 

THOMAS A. FRAZIER, who has been 
prominently identified with oil production 
for the past twenty years, is one of the 
most thoroughly experienced men in the 
industry now working in the Butler fields. 
He was born in 1852, in Butler, and is a 
son of James Frazier. 

James Frazier was born in County Ar- 
magh, Ireland, and in 1832 he came to 
Butler County, Penna. His life was de- 
voted to agricultural pursuits. He took 
an active interest in both public and local 
affairs and although well qualified and 
often solicited to accept political office, he 
would never consent. He was stanch in 
his adherence to the principles of the 
Democratic party. 

Thomas A. Frazier learned the milling 
business after he left school and engaged 
in operating flour mills in both Butler and 
Washington Counties, for about seven 
years. He then went to Pittsburg and 
there was engaged for eight years as & 
plastering contractor. In 1888 he went 
into the oil business at Saxonburg and has 
been concerned in oil production ever 
since, working in the fields of Pennsyl- 
vania, Southeastern Ohio and Northwest- 
ern Virginia. His energies at present are 
confined to Butler. He has always taken 
an active citizen's interest in politics and 
has been a pi-ominent factor in Democratic 
circles in Pennsylvania for many years. 
He has been a member of the Democratic 
State Executive Committee and was hon- 
ored by an appointment as alternate dele- 
gate to the Democratic National Conven- 
tion at Denver. Colorado, in 1908, and had 



1132 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the extreme pleasure of visiting Hon. Will- 
iam J. Bryan at bis Fairview home, on 
July 4, 19U8. Mr. Frazier is a member of 
the Board of Education of Butler. 

On December 22, 1874, Mr. Frazier was 
married to Miss Harriet Bickett. of Clin- 
ton Township, Butler County, and they 
have had the following children: Nettie, 
Eugene, Chauncey E., Howard M., Charles 
Francis, Elva, Elizabeth, Hazel and Har- 
riett. Of the above family, Eugene, and 
Howard M., are deceased. Nettie and 
Hazel reside at home, Harriett is a student 
in the Butler High School and Elva and 
Elizabeth are both popular teachers. 
Chauncey E. is general manager of the 
Gee Electrical Construction Company, of 
Wheeling, West Virginia, and C. F. is 
bookkeeper for the Standard Steel Car 
Works. Mr. Frazier and family belong to 
the United Presbyterian Church. 

L. CLYDE KENNEDY, farmer and 
dairyman, residing on the 100-acre farm 
in Penn Township, Butler County, Penna., 
on which he was born, owns some twenty- 
five acres in the same township, on which 
he built his handsome residence some nine 
years since. Mr. Kennedy w-as born in a 
house which then stood twelve feet from 
his present dwelling, April 17, 1871, and is 
a son of William and Matilda (Graham) 
Kennedy. 

William Kennedy, who now lives retired 
from active life, was born September 15, 
1831, in AVinfield Township, Butler 
County, and is a son of John and Annie C. 
(Smith) Kennedy. John Kennedy was 
born in Allegheny County, Penna., in 1794 
and when he was seven years old came to 
Winfield Township, Butler County, with 
his parents, who were very early settlers. 
The grandfather of William Kennedy was 
John Kennedy, who was born at Balti- 
more, Maryland, in 1751, and was a son of 
John Kennedy, who was born in County 
Antrim, Ireland, in 1722, and came to 
Maryland in 1748. John Kennedy, the 



great-grandfather of L. Clyde, served un- 
der General Washington in the Revolu- 
tionary War and drew a pension from the 
Government up to the time of his death, 
in 1835. In 1786 he married and then 
moved to what is now the site of McKees- 
port, Penna., and from there, in 18U1, to 
what is now Winfield Township, Butler 
County. 

Grandfather John Kennedy grew up in 
Winfield Township but in 1832 he bought 
a farm in what is now Penn Township, on 
which he lived until the time of his death, 
when aged seventy-five years. Although 
very young at the time, he participated as 
a soldier in the battle of Lake Erie, during 
the War of 1812. With his wife he was 
active in the founding and support of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Penn 
Township. He died January 4, 1869. 

William Kennedy learned the black- 
smith's trade and worked at the same for 
about twelve years, after which he bought 
a farm and continued to engage in agri- 
cultural pursuits until the spring of 1908. 
He has three producing oil wells on his 
property and for a number of years has 
been interested in oil and gas production. 
In politics he is a Republican. He has 
frequently been urged to accept township 
offices but has seldom consented and when 
elected a justice of the peace, he refused 
to (jualify. He married Matilda Graham, 
a daughter of Robert Graham, of Penn 
Township, and they had ten children born 
to them, as follows : William J., deceased ; 
Annie C, who is the wife of Bert McCand- 
less, of Butler; Charles L., who lives in 
Butler Township; Lulu M., who is the 
wife of Morris Flarshem, of Minnesota; 
Mrs. Clara Robbins; L. Clyde; George 
Lewis, who resides with his older brother; 
Ada, who is the wife of Dominick Mangel, 
of Penn Township; Eva, and Frances M. 
Mr. Kennedy is a member of Thorn Creek 
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he 
has held the offices of trustee and class 
leader for many years. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1133 



L. Clyde Kennedy lias always resided on 
the home farm, a part of wliich he culti- 
vates. He raises corn, oats, wheat and 
hay, keeps ten head of cattle and ships his 
milk to Pittsburg. He is one of the pro- 
gressive and enterprising young business 
men of this section, one who keeps tlior- 
oughly posted on all subjects of interest 
to farmer and dairyman. He is also inter- 
ested to some degree in oil and gas produc- 
tion. About twenty-five years have passed 
since the first oil well was drilled on the 
Kennedy farm and the generous iiow has 
added materially to the family income. At 
present the output is limited to three wells. 

Mr. Kennedy married Hannah Wise, a 
daughter of Jacob Wise, of Taylor Town- 
ship, Allegheny County. Mr. and Mrs. 
Kennedy have had five children, namely: 
Powell, Isabella, Clara Irene, Lorine, and 
an infant. Powell and Clara Irene are the 
only survivors. The family belong to the 
Thorn Creek Methodist Episcopal Church, 
in which Mr. Kennedy is one of the 
stewards. He is not active in politics, but 
has always been a man of temperance and 
votes with the Prohibition party. Frater- 
nally he is an Odd Fellow and belongs to 
Connoquenessing Lodge at Butler. 

JAMES S. GLENN, a representative 
citizen of Allegheny Township, the present 
assessor and collector of the same, resides 
on his farm of twenty-five acres, but prior 
to 1900 he devoted himself mainly to con- 
tract building and carpenter work. He 
was born in Concord Township, Butler 
County, Penna., December 2, 1842, and is 
a son of William and Rebecca (Porter) 
Glenn. 

The Glenns are old residents of Butler 
County. William Glenn was born in West- 
moreland County, Penna., and was four 
years old when he accompanied his father, 
John Glenn, to Butler County. The latter 
was born in Ireland. When he came to 
Clay Township, Butler County, he settled 
in the depths of the woods, built his little 



log house there and with the assistance of 
his sons, cleared up a farm. In 1827, W^ill- 
iam Glenn moved to Concord Township, 
where he continued to reside until 18G6, 
when he moved to Michigan for a short, 
time, when he returned to Butler County, 
where he died in 1880, when in his eightieth 
year. He married Rebecca Porter, who 
was born in Venango County, Penna., and 
she survived him for ten years. They had 
lived a happy wedded life of over a half 
century, and were permitted to celebrate 
their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They 
were widely known and were held in the 
highest esteem. 

James S. Glenn grew to manhood in 
Concord Township and obtained his educa- 
tion in the district schools. He learned 
the carpenter trade and pursued it most 
successfully for many years, many of the 
substantial buildings through Butler 
Covmty testifying to his skill. In June, 
1864, he enlisted for service in the Civil 
War, entering Company A, Sixth Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania JHeavy Artillery, 
which operated in the Shenandoah Valley, 
which at that time was a very dangerous 
section of the country, the Union soldiers 
being under almost continuous fire. Later 
his regiment was detailed for fort duty in 
the protection of the city of Washington. 
Mr. Glenn received his honorable dis- 
charge in June, 1865, and then returned to 
his previous peaceful pursuits. In 1866 he 
went to Leelanau County, Michigan, but 
in a few years returned to Pennsylvania, 
and in 1874 he settled on his present farm 
in Alleghenv Township. 

On Septemlier 27, 1865, Mr. Glenn was 
married to Miss Emeline McCandless, who 
is a daughter of John F. McCandless, of 
Center Township, Butler County, and they 
have the following children: Jennie B., 
who is the wife of Rollen Buck, resides 
near Topeka. Kansas; Milton L.. who is a 
practicing physician at Swissvale, Penn- 
sylvania; Mary A., who emplovs her talent 
in music, as a local teacher; John S., who 



1134 



HISTORY 0^ BUTLER COUNTY 



resides at Pitcairn, Pennsylvania; Anna 
P., who resides witli her parents ; and Cora 
H., who resides at Ray, Colorado. 

Mr. Glenn is a member of the Scrub 
Grass Presbyterian Church, a member of 
the Session, and for years has served as 
one of its elders. For three years he has 
been a member of the School Board of Al- 
legheny Township, and for nine years has 
been township assessor and collector. He 
is a valued comrade of S. J. Rosenberry 
Post, No. 538, Grand Army of the Repub- 
lic, at Eau Claire. In politics he is a Re- 
publican. 

REV. PATRICK K. COLLINS, pastor 
of St. Paul's Catholic Church at Butler, 
Pennsylvania, was born in Ireland, De- 
cember 13, 1866, and is a member of a 
family of seven children born to his par- 
ents, Dennis and Mary (Sweeney) Collins. 
The father died in Ireland in 1892. 

In 1891 Father Collins came to America. 
He had been thoroughly instructed both 
in literature and theology and after com- 
pleting his collegiate course at St. Pat- 
rick's College, Maynooth, Dublin, was or- 
dained to the priesthood by Archbishop 
Walsh of Dublin, Ireland, on June 21, 1891. 
His first pastoral work was as assistant 
priest at St. John the Baptist's Church at 
Pittsburg, Penna., where he was stationed 
for six years. He then became pastor of 
St. Joseph's Church at Westmoreland, for 
six more years, and in 1903 he was called 
to take charge of St. Paul's Catholic 
Church at Butler. His administration of 
botli the temporal and spiritual affairs of 
this |)arish, and his personal efforts for 
the promotion of high standards of living 
and of social improvement, have brought 
him not only the respect and reverence of 
his own religious body but have gained 
him the esteem and veneration of all right- 
minded citizens. In the pastoral work at 
St. Paul's he has an able assistant in Rev. 
Michael Leen. 

The history of St. Paul's Catholic 



Church at Butler is one full of interest. 
On January 1, 1866, lot No. 147, in the 
borough of Butler, was deeded to the Right 
Reverend Bishop of Pittsburg, by Ellen 
McKeown, Alice Schoonmaker, Mary Gil- 
lespie, Bridget Torbett, and Anne and 
Peter Duffy. The erection of the church, 
which has a frontage on McKean Street, 
was begun in April, 1866, and in February, 
1867, it was dedicated by Bishop Domenec, 
of Pittsburg. 

The original members of this church 
were among the first Catholic settlers of 
the county and before the present church 
was built, worshipped in St. Peter's, which 
they in no small degree helped to erect. 
Subsequently the membership of St. 
Peter's became so largely German that the 
English-speaking members decided to 
build a church for themselves and largely 
through the efforts of that good Catholic, 
Peter Duffy, the plan was carried out and 
St. Paul's became a reality. The growth 
in membership and resources has been 
equaled by its religious spirit. The differ- 
ent priests who have had charge have all 
been men of zeal and executive ability, 
from Rev. Stephen M. A. Barrett to the 
present incumbent. Rev. Patrick K. Col- 
lins. The church structure is neat and at- 
tractive and its membership embraces 4.50 
families. A new school building has been 
erected and the attendance of pupils num- 
bers 420, who are under the instruction of 
nine sisters. 

CHARLES H. BARNHART, a repre- 
sentative business citizen of Butler, who 
conducts the largest blacksmith and horse- 
shoeing establishment in this city, was born 
at Chieora, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
in 1877. 

David F. Barnhart, father of Charles 
H., was born at Millersto-mi, Pennsylvania, 
and was one of the early carpenters and 
wasfon-makers at Chieora. 

Charles H. Barnhart attended school at 
Chieora until he went to work in the sheet- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1137 



mill, where he remained for one year and 
then came to Butler, where he learned the 
blacksmith trade with Grohmau & Oester- 
liug, with whom lie remaineii for thi-ee 
years. He hail very tliorimgh training, 
for he then spent a year with W. B. Rob- 
inson and for nearly two years was asso- 
ciated with Adam Sehenck under the firm 
name of Sehenck & Barnhart. Mr. Barn- 
hart then decided to open up a business of 
his own. He had very little capital to be- 
gin with but he was a first-class workman 
and had made many friends, all of whom 
wished him success. He was prudent, in- 
dustrious and careful and as the result 
of his labors can point to at least $10,000 
worth of property, every cent of which he 
has earned. His present finely eiiuipped 
shop is a handsome brick building, two 
stories in height, with inside measurements 
of 50 by 22 feet, with a basement. His 
residence adjoins his place of business. 
\]] kinds of blacksmith work is carried on 
but .Mr. Barnhart makes a specialty of 
horse shoeing, doing this work in a scien- 
tifii' manner. He is a stockholder in the 
Butler Pure Milk Company and also in the 
Butler Driving Park and Fair Association. 
On December 22, 1898, Mr. Barnhart was 
married to Miss Clara M. Leithold, of But- 
ler County, and they have two children: 
Lloyd L. and Mary Elizabeth. They are 
members of Grace Lutheran Church and 
lie belongs to the church council and is 
treasurer of the Clu'istian Endeavor So- 
ciety. He belongs to the order of Odd Fel- 
lows and to the Horse-shoers' Union and 
is treasurer of the latter. 

DELOSS L. HINDMAN, manager of 
the Phoenix Milling Company of West 
Svmbury, Butler County, Penna., has been 
connected with this enterprise since 1897, 
and is a man of high business and social 
standing in the community. The mill was 
built by him, in connection with ^Ir. J. E. 
Kellv, the McKissick heirs and Robert S. 
Hindman, the last named being father of 



the subject of this record. Robert S. Hind- 
man disposed of his interest to his sou. 
Clyde K., and in the spring of 1908, Mr. 
Kelly's interest was purcliased by the 
other members of the firm, which now is 
composed of Hindman Brothers, Robert 
S. Hindman, and the McKissick heirs, the 
latter being represented in the business l)y 
Mr. J. W. McKissick. The mill is entirely 
modern in its equipment, being provided 
with Sprout-Waldron machinery, and their 
product is well known and finds a ready 
market. They manufacture what is known 
as "Purity," and "Golden Sheaf Wheat 
Flour," and make a specialty of strictly 
pure buckwheat flour. This plant has 
added materially to the prosperity of the 
borough, and is generally running at its 
full capacity. 

Mr. Hindman was born on a farm two 
miles north of West Sunbury, in Cherry 
Township, in 1873, and is a son of Robert 
S. and Ann Jane (Campbell) Hindman. 
His mother died when he was twelve years 
of age, and his father formed a second 
union with Mary Ellen Hilliard. Robert 
S. now resides in West Sunbury, and is 
carrier on a rural mail route. 

DeLoss L. Hindman was reared on the 
farm, first attended the district schools and 
carries a diploma from the same. He later 
attended West Sunbury Academy, and as 
a young man taught school for three years. 
During that time his father moved to West 
Sunbury, and the following fall the Phoe- 
nix Mill was erected, replacing an old mill 
which had been destroyed by fire some 
three years before. In 1903 he was mar- 
ried to Miss Minnie Conn, a daughter of 
Robert B. Conn of Clay Township, and 
they have one daughter, Barbara Lucile, a 
graduate of West Sunbury Academy, who 
also taught school for five years. Mr. Hind- 
man is a member of the Royal Arcanum, 
of which he is regent, and of the Woodmen 
of the World, of which he is advisor lieu- 
tenant. He is one of the most useful mem- 
bers of the Borough Council at West Sun- 



1138 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



buiy. In religious attacLment, lie is a 
member of the ir'resbyterian church, and is 
the youngest elder in the church organiza- 
tion. 

JOHN HUGH McCOY, a resident of 
Mercer Township, Butler County, enjoys 
an enviable reputation as a builder of 
silos, having constructed a number at far 
distant points. He and his wife own a fine 
farm of eighty-two acres, it being Mrs. 
McCoy's birthplace, and he follows gen- 
eral farming in addition to his other busi- 
ness affairs. He was born in Ripley 
County, Missouri, December 22, 1870, but 
the family has long been a prominent one 
in the vicinity of his present home. He is 
a son of Isaac and Catherine (Cope) Mc- 
Coy, a grandson of John and Peggie (Rich- 
mond) McCoy, and great-grandson of Jo- 
seph McCoy. 

Joseph McCoy was born on the present 
Jack McCoy farm in Mercer County, 
Penna., his father having come from Har- 
per's Ferry, Virginia, at a very earlv pe- 
riod, and taken up a tract of 400 acres of 
land, for which he paid $2.50 per acre. 
This land lay in both Mercer and Butler 
Counties, and Joseph came into possession 
of the southeast corner of it. He spent all 
his life on the place and died intestate, the 
property passing to the heirs. The young- 
est son, Lewis, purchased the interests of 
the other heirs, and for his share, John, 
the grandfather of John Hugh, received 
an old silver watch. He was a mason by 
trade and built many furnace stacks 
through this section. He later moved to 
Clarion, Penna., where he followed his 
trade until his death, at the age of fifty- 
two years. He married Peggie Richmond 
and the following children were born to 
them: Joseph, deceased, who served in the 
Union Army during the Civil War; Isaac; 
Harriet, wife of John Cobler; Lewis, who 
died in the service during the Civil War; 
and Milton. 
Isaac McCoy was born in the old log 



house on the present James Book farm, 
east of Harrisville, in Butler County, 
Penna., in 1837, and was very young when 
his parents moved to Clarion. In 1852, 
when fifteen years of age, he learned the 
trade of a blacksmith with David Ray, and 
followed it for a number of years, making 
a specialty of manufacturing drilling 
tools. He was married at the age of 
twenty-eight years, and after the birth of 
his two eldest children moved with his 
family to Ripley County, Missouri. There 
he purchased a quarter section of land and 
followed farming in addition to his trade. 
In 1875, he returned to Clarion County, 
Penna., and purchased a tract of twenty 
acres of land, on which he erected a shop, 
and there he followed his trade until 1889. 
He then gave his time and attention to the 
lumber business, which he followed many 
years in a most successful manner. He 
added largely to his original purchase in 
Clarion County, and now has 350 acres of 
valuable land. He was joined in marriage 
with Catherine Cope, w'. j was of German 
and English parentage, and was born and 
reared in Beaver Township, Clarion 
County. The following children were born 
to them: Margaret, deceased wife of Oli- 
ver Mays; Manela, wife of II. 0. Fisher; 
John H., whose name heads this sketch; 
Anna, wife of Samuel Hanst; Lawrence 
J.; Ella, wife of Robert Kiser; Allen; 
Susan, wife of G. Miles ; George, deceased ; 
Vernon; and Freda. 

John H. McCoy was about five years of 
age when his parents returned to Clarion 
County from Missouri, and here he grew 
to maturity and received a common school 
education. He worked in the fields when 
quite young, and was still a boy when he 
entered his father's blacksmith shop. It 
was necessary at the time for him to stand 
on a box to swing his sledge hammer. He 
mastered the trade, which has been of in- 
calculable benefit to him in the business in 
which he is now engaged. Wlien his father 
abandoned the business in 1889, John H. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1139 



McCoy entered the employ of the Key- 
stone Stock Farm at Kittanning, Penna. 
During his five years there, the exacting- 
duty of shoeing race horses devolved upon 
him and he shod some of the fastest horses 
in the State at that time. He was married 
at the age of twenty-four years and began 
housekeeping on the old Shaw homestead, 
where his wife was born and where they 
have since lived. lie took up general 
farming and later branched into stock- 
raising, at which he has met with good re- 
sults. He winters between twenty-five and 
thirty head of stock each year. In 1907 he 
built a 100-ton concrete silo on his farm, 
and soon after erected oue of like capacity 
on his father's farm in Clarion Comity, 
and another for II. O. Fisher. His success 
at the work became known and he was 
called as far distant as Wheeling, Illinois, 
where he erected one for the Agriculture 
Guild of Chicago University, its dimen- 
sions being 18 feet inside in diameter and 
47 feet 7 inches high. He more recently 
completed one for W. .\. Kcllei- at Grove 
City, Pennsylvania. 

December 22, 1894, Mr. .McCoy married 
Miss Harriet Shaw, a daughter of Hugh 
and Sarah Shaw of Mercer Township. In 
religious faith, they are United Presbyte- 
rians. 

ELI AS SHAKELY, one of Butler's 
most substantia] citizens, largely inter- 
ested in real estate and identified with the 
best interests of tins section, has been a 
resident of Butler since December, 1892. 
He was born in Donegal Township, Butler 
County, Penna.. September 17, 1856, and 
is a sou of Jolm S. and Susan (Barnhart) 
Shakely. 

The Shakely family is one of the old and 
prominent ones of Butler County and was 
founded by the grandfather. John S. 
Shakely, father of Elias, was boru in Par- 
ker Township. Butler County, AFarch 25, 
1810, and died on his fai-ui in Donegal 



Township, Jiine 22, 1867. He was a man 
of public importance in his community 
and was a prominent farmer and stock 
dealer for many years in Donegal Town- 
ship. He married Susan Barnliart, who 
was born in Butler County, November 12, 
1819, and died August 28, 1877. She was 
a daughter of Daniel Barnhart, a member 
of one of the county's old pioneer families. 
There were nine children born to them, 
three sons and six daughters, and only one 
of the sons still survives. 

Elias Shakely spent his boyhood on the 
home farm and secured his education in 
the country schools. His early training 
gave him a taste for an agricultural life, 
and for twenty-eight years lie engaged in 
farming and still owns a farm of 130 acres 
in Butler Township. He cari'ied on ex- 
tensive farming during this time and dealt 
largely in stock, and also developed oil in 
paying quantity on his land. He has ac- 
quired a large amount of valuable realty 
in Butler, which he has greatly improved, 
having modern ideas on this subject, prov- 
ing it by installing a private water plant 
to supjjly his houses. 

On September 30, 1875, Mr. Shakely was 
married to Miss Sarah Nesbitt, who was 
born in Jackson Township, Butler County, 
and is a daughter of Peter Nesbitt, for- 
merly a very prominent citizen and a rep- 
resentative of one of the oldest families in 
the county. Mr. and Mrs. Shakely have 
had four children, namely : Frost, who died 
when aged sixteen years; Miles, who is 
engaged in the practice of law at Butler; 
Zelia, who is the wife of 0. 0. Dershimer, 
a contractor at Butler; and Pearl, who is 
the wife of Professor Cain, of Wilkins- 
burg. 

Miles Shakely was reared and educate 1 
in the township schools and in 1899 was 
graduated from the Slippery Rock Normal 
School; still further pursued his studies 
and was graduated from Grove City Col- 
leae, in the class of 1902. He then studied 



1140 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



law with the tirm of iMcQuistin & Vandei- 
lin, aucl was admitted to the bar in 1905. 
He has been in active practice at Butler 
ever since and has taken rank with the 
successful members of his profession. 

In politics, Elias Shakely is a Democrat 
and a great admirer of Hon. William J. 
Bryan, but he is broad-minded and has 
frequently cast his vote for both Repub- 
lican and Prohibition candidates, when, in 
his judgment, their election promised to 
best advance the interests of the commu- 
nity. During his many years of residence 
in Butler Township, Mr. Shakely, on nu- 
merous occasions, was honored by his fel- 
low citizens by election to office, although 
he never solicited the same. Thus for a 
number of years he served most accept- 
ably as township auditor, as school direc- 
tor and also as justice of the peace. 

HENRY J. BROWN, owner of an ex- 
cellent farm of 100 acres in Mercer Town- 
ship, is engaged in general farming and 
dairying. He comes of an old and re- 
spected family in this locality, his grand- 
father having located on the "farm he now 
owns, when it was yet in its wild and un- 
cleared state, and here be was born, Feb- 
ruary 28,. 1844, and is a son of Alexander 
and Elizabeth (Hoskins) Brown, and a 
grandson of James Brown. The family 
originally came from Ireland to this coun- 
try, and for a time was located in West- 
moreland County, Pennsylvania. 

James Brown, the grandfather, accom- 
panied his brother, Ebenezer, from AVest- 
moreland Coimty to Butler County early 
in the Nineteenth Century, and together 
they acquired 400 acres of land. James 
located upon the farm now^ owned bv his 
grandson, Henry J. Brown, which three 
generations of the family have aided in 
clearing of its heavy growth of timlier. 
He died on the place at the advanced age 
of eighty-one years. He and his wife 
reared a large family of fourteen children. 



of whom the following grew up: Alex- 
ander, Ebenezer, Samuel, James, Ralston, 
Washington, George, Calvin, Alice Jane 
and Margaret. All are now deceased. 

Alexander Brown, father of the subject 
of this record, was born in 1811, on his 
father's farm near Harrisville, in Mercer 
Township, Butler County, and he lived on 
this place the remainder of his life, except 
for temporary absences on business, and 
during the greater part of his active 
career followed farming. At the time of 
his marriage, which occurred in New York 
State, he was working there upon the 
canal. He married Elizabeth Hoskins, 
who was born in New York State in 1818, 
and they had the following children: An- 
geline, who married George Midbery, both 
now deceased; Henry James; Mary Ann, 
who died young; Melvin Lewis; and Wil- 
helmina, wife of Hugh Reed. The father 
of this family died in 1894, aged eighty- 
three years, and the mother in 1874, at the 
age of fifty-six years. 

Henry James Brown has always made 
his home on his present farm and attended 
the common schools of the neighborhood. 
At the age of seventeen years, he engaged 
in work in the oil fields, principally drill- 
ing wells, and continued until the Civil 
War was in progress. In 1862, he enlisted 
for nine months as a member of Company 
F, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regi- 
ment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, under 
Captain Breckenridge, and with his com- 
pany participated in the following hotly 
contested engagements : Fredericksburg, 
South Mountain, Antietam, Chancellors- 
ville, Shepherdstown and Second Battle of 
Bull Run. At the end of that service he 
re-enlisted as a member of the Sixth 
Heavy Artillery, and during this enlist- 
ment was mainly occupied in garrison 
duty. At the close of the war, Mr. Brown 
returned home and resumed work in the 
oil fields, which lie continued off and on, 
with fair success, until 1892, when he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1141 



turned his atteutiou exclusively to farm- 
ing. In 1880, he obtained a patent to his 
land from the United States Government, 
for, although it had been in the family for 
two generations, it had never been deeded, 
so that he was the first to acquire a per- 
fected legal title to the land. In 1897, he 
erected a substantial and comfortable 
home, and from time to time has made 
many desirable and important improve- 
ments. He is a successful business man, 
one of the strictest integrity, and he has 
been able to retain the confidence and good 
will of all with whom he has been brought 
into contact. 

September 2, 1873, Air. Brown was unit- 
ed in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Will- 
iamson, a daughter of John and Anna 
(jMoore) Williamson, and they are par- 
ents of the following children: Mabel 
Irene, who is teaching school in the home 
district; ITrla, who is the wife of T. P. 
Shira and has three children, Frank, Don- 
ald and Elizabeth ; Ethel, who is the wife 
of Frank Sutton ; Angeline, who is teach- 
ing school ; Warren J. ; and J. Everett. 
Mr. Brown is a Republican in politics, and 
has served efficiently in various township 
offices. Religiously, he and his family are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Harmony. 

CHARLES ERNEST BACHMAN, re- 
siding on his valuable farm of sixty acres, 
which is situated in Jefferson Township, 
on the Jefferson Center and Great Belt 
road, about three miles from Saxonburg. 
was born March 5, 1867, in Jefferson 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
His parents were August and Mary 
(Smith) Bachman. 

August Bacbman was born in Germany 
and was small when his parents, John 
George and Christina Bachman, brought 
him to America. They settled in Butler 
Countv and John George Bachman died 
in Jefferson Township in 1845. August 
Bachman did the greater part of the clear- 



ing on the Bachman homestead, lie mar- 
ried Mary Smith, who came also to Amer- 
ica when young, and they had ten children, 
namely: Mary, Henry, Geoi'ge, William 
Charles, John, Emma, Louis, August and 
Joseph. 

Charles E. Bachman has been a hard- 
working man all his life. In boyhood he 
had many duties to perform on the home 
farm and could only attend school during 
the winter time. AVhen he grew older he 
went into the oil fields for a time and then, 
in partnership witli his l)rothers, conduct- 
ed a brick yard for about ten years. Since 
then he lias given his whole attention to 
farming and stock raising, not making any 
specialty of the latter industry, but tak- 
ing some pride in having good stock for 
his own use. He has never interested liim- 
self particularly in politics but his record 
shows that he has always done his full 
duty to his township, as a good citizen. 

Mr. Bachman was married April 28. 
1898, to Miss Emma Montag, who is a 
daughter of Ernest H. and Mary (Renick) 
Montag, residents of Jefferson Township. 
They have a little family of five children, 
three of whom are bright students in 
school — Lydia, Clarence, Gertrude, Elma 
and Elsie. Mr. and Mrs. Bachman are 
good. Christian people, devout members of 
the Lutheran Church. 

GEORGE M. BEATTY, M. D., physi- 
cian and surgeon, who has built up a large 
practice at Chicora, where he is numbered 
with the leading and useful citizens, was 
born April 25, 1878, in Oakland Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania. He is a 
son of John M. and Susan (Wiitmire) 
Beatty. 

John M. Beatty, father of Dr. Beatty, 
was born in Ireland and was brought to 
Bii^ler County by his parents when he was 
an infant. He was engaged in agricultural 
pursuits and has -maintained his home in 
Butler County. He served in the Union 
Army during the Civil War. He married 



114^ 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Susan Wliitmire aud ever since they have 
resided on their farm in Oakhind Town- 
ship. They liad the following children 
born to them : William J., Hugh T., Cath- 
erine (Jackson), Margaret H. (Giltillian) ; 
Minnie E.; Peter F.; George M.; Mary E. 
(Moser) ; and one that died in infancy. 

Dr. Beatty was reared on the home farm 
and attended the township schools until 
he was fifteen years of age, when he en- 
tered the West Sunbury Academy, remain- 
ing some three years, at the same time di- 
recting his studies along the line of medi- 
cine; after which he taught school for 
three years in Oakland Township, still ap- 
plying himself as occasion offered, to his 
medical studies. He then spent one year 
in Grove City College before entering the 
Baltimore Medical College, at Baltimore, 
Maryland, where he was graduated with 
high honors in a class of 104 students, in 
the spring of 1903, winning his degree in 
both medicine and surgery. Preparing for 
the medical profession in these modern 
times, is no easy undertaking. For one 
year of his regular course, Dr. Beatty 
practiced at the Maryland Hospital, at 
Baltimore, and artci- (■dining to Pennsyl- 
vania, took tlic Sl.-itc r.daril cxamiuatiou. 
During the typlioid tVvci- (■]ii(hMnic, in that 
year, which ravaged Butler, Dr. Beatty 
bravely and efficiently combatted it and 
won praise and appreciation. In June, 
1904, lie took up his permanent residence 
at Chicora and has taken an active interest 
in all that concerns the welfare of the 
place. 

On November 25, 1903, Dr. Beatty was 
married to Miss L. Virginia Blake, who is 
a daughter of John and Levina (Grubb) 
Blake, of Baltimore. Dr. and Mrs. Beatty 
have two children: ]\Iary Virginia, born 
January 21, 1905; and John McVey, born 
October 1, 1908. Dr. Beatty is a member 
and a trustee of the English Lutheran 
Church. He is identified .with the Knights 
of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the IModern 
"Woodmen of the World fraternal ordei-s 
and is connected with the local lodses. 



WILLIAM SIEBERT, president of the 
Board of County Commissioners of Butler 
County, is the able head of a body un- 
usually intelligent and public spirited men, 
whose deliberations are carried on with 
due regard for public needs and whose de- 
cisions are made with impartial considera- 
tion for all sections. Mr. Siebert was born 
at Pittsburg, in Allegheny County, Penna., 
in 1839, and he is a son of Frederick and 
Christina (Shank) Siebert. 

The parents of Mr. Siebert were born 
in Germany and they came to America in 
1834, settling first near Chambersburg, 
Penna., from which point they moved to 
Pittsburg, in 1837, and from "that city to 
Butler County, in 1840. Their last years 
were spent at the home of their son, Will- 
iam Siebert, where the father died when 
aged eighty-six years and the mother at 
the age of eighty-three years. Of their 
family of twelve children onh' four sur- 
vive, namely: Frederick, aged sixty-seven 
years, who is a resident of Pittsburg; 
George, who has reached his sixty-first 
year, lives in Kansas; Christina, who is 
the wife of Herman Wise, is aged fifty- 
four years; and William, who has seen his 
sixty-ninth birthday. 

Butler County may almost claim Will- 
iam Siebert as a native son, as he was very 
young when his parents brought him with- 
in her borders, where he obtained his edu- 
cation, and for many years of his useful 
life has pursued his business and lent his 
influence tti ])ronioting lier best interests. 
He learned ihr lilncksniith trade at Pitts- 
burg and oi)ene(l his shop in Butler on Au- 
gust 11, 1862, where, during business hours 
he was generally found from that time un- 
til he was ready to assume the duties of 
county commissioner, to which he had been 
elected, for a period of three years, in 
1905. Mr. Seibert has been a very active 
and influential member of the Republican 
party in this section for many years and 
he is a man who enjoys the confidence and 
esteem of his fellow citizens all over the 
country, irrespective of party ties. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1143 



On July 7, 1863, Mr. Siebert was mar- 
ried to Miss Lena Hoffner and tliey have 
had a family of nine children born to them, 
seven living, namely : George H., who con- 
tinues the operation of the blacksmith 
shop at Butler; Emma, who resides at 
home; Harry, who is in business at Pitts- 
burg; Gertrude, who has been a successful 
teacher in the Butler High School; Kath- 
erine, married, wlu) resides at Butler, and 
Albert aud Walter, both of whom are en- 
gaged in business at Butler. Mr. Siebert 
and family belong to the Lutheran Church 
and he has been a member of the church 
couueil since the fall of 1877. 

SOLOMON DUNBAR is a prosperous 
farmer of Forward Township, Butler 
County, Penna., where he owns a farm of 
forty acres located on the Freeport Road, 
about two miles east of Evans City. He 
was born on his father's farm in that part 
of Cranberry Township, which is now 
Forward Township, May 6, 1836, and is a 
son of William and Margaret (McGregor) 
Dunbar, and a grandson of Solomon aud 
Ceneth (Snow) Dunbar. The family is 
of Irish origin, and upon coming to Amer- 
ica became established iu New York State. 

Solomon Dunbar, the grandfather, 
moved with his wife and the three chil- 
dren then born, to Butler Coimty, Penna., 
from New York State, making the trip 
with a yoke of oxen. He settled on a farm 
of 200 acres in Cranberry Township, but 
later sold out and moved to Johnson, Ohio, 
where he conducted a hotel until his death. 
He and his wife were parents of ten chil- 
dren, as follows : Ambrose ; William ; Dan- 
iel; Phyrus; Tarlton-; Lafayette; Jolin; 
Barney; Mary, wife of Joseph McCartney; 
and Hannah, wife of Dr. Mulford. All are 
now deceased but Barnev. who resides in 
Ohio. 

William Dunbar was a mere child when 
his parents moved to Butler County, 
Penna., and there he was reared to matur- 
ity and helped to clear the home farm in 
Cranberry Township. He later moved to 



that part of the township which afterward 
became Forward Township, and followed 
farming there the remainder of his days, 
dying in 1892, at the age of eighty years. 
He was joined in marriage with Margaret 
McGregor, who was of Scotch descent. 
She survived her husband about six years, 
dying at the age of eighty-six years. They 
were parents of ten children, namely: 
John, who was a member of the Eleventh 
Penna. Reserves during the Civil War, 
and was killed at Gaines ' Mills ; Solomon ; 
Mary Jane, deceased wife of Edward Ir- 
vin ; Alexander, who served in the Seventy- 
eighth Regiment Penna. Volunteer Infan- 
try during the Civil War; William W., a 
member of the Fourth Cavalry of Penn- 
sylvania; Alfred, a member of the Fourth 
Pennsylvania Cavalry; Alpheus, also of 
the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry; Irvin; 
Anna, deceased wife of Miller McKinney; 
and Daniel L. 

Solomon Dunbar, subject of this biog- 
raphy, was born in the ex'ude log cabin 
which stood on his father's farm for so 
many years, and assisted in clearing the 
place in his boyhood days. He resided on 
that farm until his marriage in 1860, and 
has always farmed. After the death of his 
mother, he purchased the farm of the other 
heirs and has since lived upon it. He has 
followed general farming with a high de- 
gree of success, and has four producing 
oil wells on the farm, which have been a 
source of considerable income to him. 

Mr. Dunbar was married July 3, 1860, 
to Miss Rachel C. Johns, a daughter of 
Mordicai Johns, and they became parents 
of eight children : Leonidas ; John ; Camp- 
bell, who married Anna Barrett and lives 
in the city of Butler; Austin, who met an 
accidental death in Virginia when thirty- 
four years of age; Margaret, widow of 
Edgar McAnallen; Grant; Anna, wife of 
A. L. Thompson, by whom she has two 
children, Helen and Hazel; and Stewart, 
who married a Miss Lewton, now deceased. 
Mr. Dunbar is a Republican in politics, 
and is at the present time township I'oad 



1144 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



master, having served as supervisor for 
more than thirty years. He also has 
served on the School Board, and has 
worked for the elevation of the schools 
to a higher plane of efficiency. Fraternally, 
he is a memher of Evans Citv Lodge No. 
2!)2, K. of P. 

S. NELSON RUSSEL, who has been a 
resident of AVest Sunbury since 1902 and 
is proprietor of a livery stable at the pres- 
ent time, was prior to that date engaged in 
farming operations in Concord Township, 
Butler County, Peuna. He was born on the 
farm he owned there, October 3, 1846, and 
is a son of Samuel and Julia Ann (McCal- 
len) Russel. His grandfather, James Rus- 
sel, was one of the earliest pioneer settlers 
of Concord Township. 

Samuel Russel was also a native of But- 
ler County, and was a farmer by occupa- 
tion. He married Julia Ann McCallen, 
who was born in Cherry Township, Butler 
County, and they became parents of the 
following children: J. E. Russel of Steu- 
benville, Ohio; S. Nelson, subject of this 
record; W. G. Russel of West Sunburv; 
Emma, wife of A. W. Storey; Dr. J. G. 
Russel of Warren, Pennsylvania; Dr. H. 
B. Russel of Sheffield, Pennsylvania; 0. 
H. P. Russel, who was a member of the 
Eleventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Re- 
serves, during the Civil War, and died in 
Tvihby Prison of wounds received in bat- 
tle; and R. M. Russel, who also was a sol- 
dier in the Union Army, dyijig several 
years after leaving the service. 

S. Melson Russel was reared on a farm 
and always followed farming imtil he 
moxed to West Sunbury in 1902, having a 
valuable tract of eightj'-seven acres in 
Concord Township. In February, 1907, 
he purchased the livery stables of H. C. 
Pryor and Breaden Young, and by com- 
l)iuing the two made an exceptionally fine 
stable. Tie has ten good roadsters, and a 
full e(iuiynnent of fine veliicles. enabling 



him to give the public the v(!ry best of 
service. 

Mr. Russel was united in marriage with 
Miss Mary E. Campbell, daughter of 
Thomas Campbell of Concord Township, 
and they became parents of the following: 
Oliver F., who is with his father in the liv- 
ery business, and who married Lillian M. 
Campbell, by whom he has a daughter, 
Dorothy; Margaret, wife of Charles Ekis, 
by whom she has a daughter, Frances Lu- 
cile; Flora M., who is the wife of C. C. 
Campbell and has two children, Ronald 
and Helen; Anna, who is wife of W. O. 
Bryan and has a son, Clayton; Alice; and 
Lorena. Mr. Russel is a member of the 
Town Council of West Sunbury. Frater- 
nally, he is a member of the Royal Ar- 
canum and in religious attachment belongs 
to the Presbyterian Church. 

LOTT IRVING LEECH, postmaster at 
Chicora and a leading citizen of Alillers 
Town Borough, is also an honored veteran 
of the Civil War and a valued member of 
Robert McDermott Post, No. 223, Grand 
Army of the Republic. He was born No- 
vember 6, 1836, at Penn's Valley, Center 
County, Penna., and is a son of James and 
Jane (McKeag) Leech. 

Mr. Leech was left an ()r])han when aboiit 
eight years old and being deprived of his 
natural protectors, he had but meager ed- 
ucational opportunities. When he was 
twelve years of age he began to be self 
sujjporting, his first work being done in 
a stove factory where he learned the art 
of shining stoves. After working at this 
place for two years he went to another 
similar factory where all his chances were 
better, and he leai'ued the making of brass 
and iron molding. In 1861 he enlisted for 
service in the Civil War, as a musician in 
the band of the One Hundred and Fifth 
Regiment, Penna. A^olunteer Infantry, in 
which he remained until August, 1862, 
after which he reenlisted, entering the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



ll-t? 



Tliird Regiment, Peuua. Artillery, his gift 
of fine penmanship causing his appoint- 
ment to clerical duty, being stationed at 
that time at Fortress Monroe. Later he 
was transferred, April 16, 18G4, to the One 
Hundred Eighty-eighth Regiment, Penna. 
Infantry, lie was appointed first com- 
missary sergeant of this regiment and 
later quartermaster sergeant, with rank of 
first lieutenant. He participated in a num- 
ber of the most important battles of the 
war. At Cold Harbor his regiment was at- 
tached to the division of the army under 
General Grant, and spent eighty-one days 
in front of Petersburg, took part in the 
capture of North Harrison and was in the 
celebrated tobacco raid at Fredericksburg. 
He helped in the building of the bridge at 
White House Landing, which was erected 
for the crossing of General Sheridan's 
army. Mr. Leech survived all the fearful 
dangers of war and was honorably dis- 
charged and was mustered out at City 
Point, Virginia, December 14, 1865. 

On June '16, 1857, Mr. Leech was mar- 
ried to Miss Anna Elizabeth Fulton, of 
Strattenville, Penna., and they have the 
following children: Albert, Robert, Frank, 
Mrs. Ella Tillman, Mrs. May Waldron; 
and Mrs. Sarah Smock. 

Of the above family, Frank Leecli has 
one son, Robert Gordon. Mrs. Ella Till- 
man has five children : Eva, Robert Leech, 
Ivan, Laurell and Hilda. Mrs. May Wal- 
dron has one daughter. Hazel. Mrs. Sarah 
Smock has one son, William. There are, 
also, three great-grandchildren: Jane 
Goddard, John White and Hazel Waldron. 

In 1883, Mr. Leech came to Chicora, from 
Turkey City, Clarion County, Penna. For 
twenty years previously he had been en- 
gaged" with the Standard Oil Company. 
On July 1, 1906, Mr. Leech was appointed 
postmaster at Chicora and is a popular 
and efficient official. He has a genial, 
friendly way with him that invites confi- 
dence and when he has made friends he 
has no difficulty in keeping them. He is 



a member of Argyle Lodge, No. 546 F. & 
A. M., of Chicora, and of Lodge No. 170, 
Elks, of Butler. 

LAWRENCE H. STEPP, M. D., physi- 
cian and surgeon residing at the village of 
Glade Mills, in Middlesex Township, was 
born at Freeport, Armstrong County, 
Penna., January 22, 1867, and is a son of 
William and Sarah Ann (Baruett) Stepp. 

John Stepp, the great-grandfather of 
Dr. Stepp, came to Pennsylvania from 
Germany and settled near Freeport, in 
Armstrong County, where he engaged in 
agricultural pursuits through the rest of 
his active life. His death awaited his 
ninetieth year. John Stepp, his son, lived 
to the age of eighty-four years. He had 
been born before his parents reached 
Western Pennsylvania, and he grew to 
manhood in Armstrong County, where he 
married Susan Heekert. 

William Stepp, father of Dr. Stepp, was 
born at Freeport, March 3, 1843. He was 
a soldier during the War of the Rebellion, 
a member of Company A, One Hundred 
Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer 
Cavalry, and it was his hard fortune to 
suffer capture and to be imprisoned at An- 
dersonville. He was finally released from 
that terrible place and still survives. He 
is . member of the Grand Army of the Re- 
public, at Grove City. After his return 
from military duty he engaged in farming 
and followed the same until 1905, when he 
retired to Grove City, where he now re- 
sides. In politics he is a Republican and 
he has held many public offices in his com- 
nmnity. He married a daughter of John 
Barnett, of Kittanning, and they had seven 
children born to them, namely: Lawrence 
H.; Lillie J., who is the wife of Adam 
Baker of Freeport; Amanda M., who is 
the wife of John H. Harper, of Tarentura ; 
Dyson J., who resides at Bellvue; Cora, 
wiio is the wife of Ellsworth Fullerton, re- 
sides at Chillicothe, Missouri ; Anna Belle, 
who is the wife of Reuben Myers, of Wil- 



1148 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



kiuisburg; and Jessie L., who resides at 
Jiome. The mother died June 30, 1886. 
iShe was a consistent member of the Pres- 
byterian Church. 

Lawrence H. Stepp attended the public 
schools at Freeport and Slate Lick and 
later Grove City College, leaving the lat- 
ter institution in his senior year. For 
some seven years he then followed teach- 
ing and began the study of medicine under 
Dr. S. F. McComb, of Tarentum, attending 
lectures in the Western University of 
Pennsylvania, where he was graduated in 
1895. Dr. Stepp settled immediately after- 
ward at Glade Mills, where he has built up 
a fine steady practice, and his calls come 
also from five or six miles in the adjacent 
country in every direction. He is a mem- 
ber of the Butler County Medical Associa- 
tion and keeps fully abreast of the times in 
all modern research pertaining to medical 
science. 

Dr. Stepp married Miss Rosella Kelley, 
who is a daughter of David M. Kelley. Mrs. 
Stepp was born at Portersville and was 
reared in Center Township. She was a 
successful teacher for some eight years in 
the Butler schools, and has a wide circle 
of appreciative friends. Dr. and Mrs. 
Stepp have one son, Lawrence L., who at-; 
tends the Butler High School and is a 
member of the class of 1909. Dr. and Mrs. 
Stepp are members of the United Presby- 
terian Church at Glade Mills. He belongs 
to the Royal Arcanum and to Pollock 
Lodge, No. 502, F. and A. M., at Tarentum. 
Both personally and professionally. Dr. 
Stepp is a leading man in his community. 

SAMUEL C. TRIMBLE, general farm- 
er and prominent citizen of Middlesex 
Township, residing on his valuable farm 
of 112 acres, was born in Butler County, 
Penna., January 15, 1858, and is a son of 
Robert and Eliza A. (Hays) Trimble. 

The great-grandfather of Samuel C. 
Trimble was Thomas Trimble, who emi- 
grated from Ireland to America in 1790. 



He founded the family in Butler County, 
where many of them still reside, being 
among the most respected and useful citi- 
zens of this section of Pennsylvania. Sam- 
uel Trimble, the grandfather, was born 
in Clarion County, before his jjarents set- 
tled in Aiiddlesex Township, Butler 
County. He became a man of consequence 
in his neighborhood, served in the militia" 
in the early days and later gave one of his 
sons to the cause of liberty in the Civil 
War. He married (first) Isabella Thomas, 
(second) Ellen C. Beery, and (third) 
Elizabeth Love. He died April 10, 1855. 

Robert Trimble, son of Samuel and El- 
len C. (Beery) Trimble, was born March 
12, 1829, in Middlesex Township, Butler 
County, Penna. In his early manhood he 
learned the carpenter trade, at which he 
woi'ked for a few years, but his later life 
was devoted to agricultural pursuits and 
to the performance of the duties incident 
to the numerous public offices to which he 
was elected. Although his early educa- 
tional opportunities had been meager, he 
became a well-informed man and one 
whose ripened judgment was often sougnt 
m the adjustment of public aft'airs. He 
was married April 14, 1857, to Eliza A. 
Hays, a daughter of William M. Hays, of 
Middlesex Township, and they reared a 
family of seven children, two sons and five 
daughters. 

Samuel C. Trimble was reared on his 
father's farm. He was educated in the 
public schools and at Curry Institute in 
Pittsburg, taking a full course at the lat- 
ter institution, after which he engaged in 
teaching school for seven years. From 
youth he has been interested in agricul- 
tural pursuits and owns one of the best 
managed farms in Middlesex Township. 

Mr. Trimble was married (first) to Miss 
E. Park, wlio died in 1889, leaving two 
children. He was married (second) to 
Miss Wilda Leslie, who is a daughter of S. 
A. Leslie, Esq., of Middlesex Township, 
and they have four children. Mr. Trimble 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1149 



has been very active in politics and exerts 
a large amount of influence in his commu- 
nity. He is a man of sterling character 
and in the spring of 1908 he was nominat- 
ed on the Republican ticket for the office of 
county treasurer, by a majority of 426 
votes over his opponent, J. W. Clauson. 
He is widely known and has friends all 
over Butler County. 

FRED E. MILLER, proprietor of the 
Evans City Rolling Mill, is a prominent 
and pi'ogressive business man of that vil- 
lage and conducts one of its most import- 
ant industries. He was born on a farm in 
Lancaster Township, Butler County, 
Penna., January 11, 1856, and is a son of 
Fred and Catherine (Flinner) Miller, and 
grandson of Peter Miller. 

Peter Miller, the grandfather, was a 
hardware merchant in France, his native 
land, and was a well-to-do citizen. The 
freedom of American life and its institu- 
tions appealed strongly to him, and in 
1847 he emigrated to the United States, 
passing through Louisiana and later locat- 
ing at Pittsburg, Penna., moving from 
there to Lancaster Township, Butler 
County, where he located on a farm on 
Yellow Creek. He and his wife were par- 
ents of four children, namely: Fred; 
Peter; Catherine, who was the wife of 
Hartman Bendarm, both now deceased; 
and Catherine, wife of Michael Flinner. 

Fred Miller, Sr., was born in France and 
in that country was accoi'ded superior edu- 
cational advantages ; he spoke both French 
and German fluently. He was twenty 
years of age when he accompanied his par- 
ents to the United States, and after his 
arrival in Pennsylvania he devoted his 
efforts to agricultural pursuits. He be- 
came the owner of a valuable farm of 110 
acres in Lancaster Township, and also 
town property in Mars. His death oc- 
curred in 1898, at the age of seventy-two 
years, and is survived by his widow, who 



has passed her seventy-eighth birthday 
anniversary. Three children blessed their 
union: Caroline, wife of Charles Workly 
of Butler County; Fred Edward; and 
Sophia, wife of J. F. Brachi. 

Fred E. Miller was reared on. the home 
farm in Lancaster Township and received 
his educational training in the public 
schools and a select German school. At 
the age of twenty years he left the home 
place and rented of his uncle, Peter Miller, 
a farm in Lancaster Township. He re- 
mained there four years, then purchased 
of the Wilson heirs a farm of sixty acres 
in Jackson Township, Butler County, on 
which he lived ten years and which he still 
cultivates. He also purchased property in 
Mars when that village was in its infancy, 
dividing it into town lots and selling it oif 
at a handsome profit, and also erected two 
houses in that place. He purchased the in- 
terest of Mr. S. M. Iseman, who was in 
partnership with Mr. A. Sechler, in the 
milling business at Evans City, and three 
years later, after learning all of the de- 
tails of the business, bought the interest of 
Mr. Sechler. The mill, with its modern 
equipment and improvements, represents 
an investment of more than $8,000, and is 
one of the best in the county. It has a 
capacity of fifty barrels of wheat flour, 
thirty barrels of buckwheat flour, and ten 
tons of feed per day, and is operated 
steadily. 

March 21, 1882, Mr. Miller was united in 
marriage with Miss Jennie Wilson, a 
daughter of James Wilson, and they are 
parents of seven children : Herman, an oil 
contractor at Robinson, Illinois; Mabel; 
Fred, Jr.; James; Zella; Anna; and How- 
ard, who died in infancy. Mr. Miller and 
his family belong to the United Presbyte- 
rian Church. He is a Democrat in politics. 

PAUL RUDERT, president and man- 
ager of the Saxonburg Mineral Springs 
Company, is a prominent resident of Sax- 



1150 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



onburg borough, where he owus a beauti- 
ful home of moderu construction, with 
four acres of land surrounding it. Mr. 
Rudert was born B^'ebruary 16, 1857, in 
Germany, and is a son of Oscar and Emelia 
(Albert) Rudert. The parents of Mr. 
Rudert came to America when he was 
about twelve years of age. The father died 
in 1902 but the mother survives and re- 
sides at Saxonburg. They had four chil- 
dren — Paul, Lena, George and Max. - 

After Paul Rudert completed his educa- 
tion, ho learned the jeweler's trade and 
worked at that for some twenty years, be- 
ing a resident of Tarentum, Allegheny 
County, coming from there to Saxonburg. 
Here he acquired the Mineral Springs 
property, located one-half mile north of 
the town, and has developed it into one of 
the best known resorts in this section of 
the State. The springs have remarkable 
medicinal properties, the water being a 
specific for rheumatism, and kidney and 
stomach troubles, and is very generally 
recommended by physicians. Mr. Rudert 
has already expended large sums in im- 
proving the property and is proposing 
much more, this including the installation 
of an artificial lake and the completion of 
a modern hotel which will be kept open the 
whole year. Mr. Rudert will have sixty 
private rooms for visitors with every 
equipment for their comfort, including 
baths of all kinds. "With the finishing of 
his present plans, Mr. Rudert will have a 
magnificent property and it will doubtless 
■draw visitors from all oyer the country. 

Mr. Rudert was married at Tarentum, 
Pennsylvania, to Miss Rose Senn, who is a 
daughter of Peter and Susan Senn. They 
have foil]- daughters, namely: Amelia, re- 
siding at Allegheny, is the wife of F. W. 
Buck; Estella and Flora, both of whom 
are college graduates; and Edna, who is 
yet in school. Mr. Rudert and family are 
members of the Lutheran Church. He be- 
longs to the Elks, being connected with 
Tarentum Tjodge. No. 644. 



JOHN AUGUSTUS HALLSTEIN. a 
representative farmer of Clay Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner 
of a fine farm of 100 acres, located about 
one and a half miles south of West Sun- 
bury, on the Butler Road. He was born 
on this farm September 12, 1860, and is a 
son of Philip and Christina (Trippmacher) 
Hallstein. 

Philip Hallstein and his wife were both 
boi'u in Germany, but were not married un- 
til after their arrival in the United States. 
They became parents of seven children, 
of whom five are now living, namel.y : 
Jacob, of Concord Township, Butler 
County; Catherine, wife of George Kle- 
ver; Christina, wife of H. J. Brown, of 
Clay Township; Elizabeth, wife of W. J. 
McKinney; and John Augustus. The 
father of this family died in February, 
1900, and is survived by his widow, who 
still lives on the old home farm. 

John A. Hallstein was reared to matur- 
ity on the home place and was accorded a 
good common school education. He early 
learned the trade of a carpenter but after 
following it a few years turned his atten- 
tion to farming, exclusively. He is a man 
of marked ability and a citizen who is a 
credit to the community in which he lives. 

Mr. Hallstein was joined in marriage 
with Miss Nannie Minerva Conn, who was 
born in Clay Township and is a daughter 
of Robert B. Conn, further mention of 
whom appears upon another page of this 
work. They became parents of five chil- 
dren, to-wit: Paul Conn, Harry W., Carl 
Z., Lena, who died at the age of three 
years, and Sylvia Alberta. Religiously, 
they are members of the Springdale TjU- 
theran Church, of which Mr. Hallstein was 
deacon for six years prior to 1907, at 
which time he resigned. 

J. BERNARD EVANS, granite and 
marble dealer of Evans City, Penna., 
comes of one of the very earliest pioneer 
families of Butler County. He was born 



AND KEPKENKNTATIAE CITIZENS 



1151 



iu Brownsdale, Peuu Towualiip, Butler 
County, Peuua., ^larc-h o(l, 1852, aud is a 
son oi" Andrew Jackson aud Maitlia B. 
(Brown) Evans. His grandfather was 
Keese Evans, and his great-grandfather, 
Isaac Evans, who was a child when he 
cauie with his parents from Wales to tlie 
b'nited States. The family is of the same 
stock as Admiral (Fighting Bob) Evans, 
of the United States Navy. 

Upon their arrival in this country, the 
Evans family located in Mifflin County, 
I'enna., where Isaac grew to maturity aud 
was married, his wife being the only 
daughter of Judge Bailey. Some time 
after marriage he moved to Butler County, 
settling in Connoquenessiug Township, 
aud the family has since been prominently 
identified with the development and 
growth of tiie county and its institutions. 
One of the sons of Isaac was Thomas B. 
Evans, who became the owner of a big 
farm on the present site of Evans City, 
which bears his name. He laid out the 
land in Jots and founded the village which 
for many years was' known as Evansburg. 

Reese. Evans, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was born in Butler 
County, and during his active career fol- 
lowed the trade of a millwright. He mar- 
ried Margaret Boggs, who came of one of 
the first white families located in Butler 
County. They were parents of eleven 
children, of whom but one now lives, Mary 
E., widow of William Motheral. 

Andrew J. Evans was born in Forward 
Town.ship, near Brown's Mills, in 1824. 
and spent his entire life in Butler County. 
He was a blacksmith by trade and a sub- 
stantial man of his day. He was united 
in marriage with Martha B. Brown, who 
was born in Forward Township, and was 
a daughter of John Brown. Mr. Evans 
died in 1895, and his wife in 1907, at the 
age of seventy-six years. Five children 
were the offspring of their union : J. Ber- 
nard; William C, of Pittsburg; George 
L.. and Grant, twins, both residents of 



Pittsburg; and Walter B., of Pittsburg. 

J. Beruard Evans spent his boyhood 
days at Brownsdale and there attended the 
public schools. At the age of seventeen 
years he went to Butler, which was theu 
a small place, and learned the carpenter 
trade under Malcomb Graham, with whom 
he worked for three years. He then 
worked a few years in the planing mill of 
S. G. Purvis, and nine years in that of the 
Edward Dambach Company at Evans 
City. In 1893, he embarked in the marble 
and granite business, purchasing the shop 
of Charles Marshall. He has been very 
successful in this field of operations, and 
is one of the substantial men of the village. 

February 16, 1876, Mr. Evans was 
united in marriage with Eva M. AValdrou, 
a daughter of W. S. and Eliza M. Waldrou, 
;i sketch of the Waldrou family appearing 
on another liage of this work. One son, E. 
Burt, is the only issue of this union. He 
is a successful business man of Evans 
City, conducting the only exclusive tobacco 
store in the village, it being located in the 
Waldron Block, on Main Street. Burt 
Evans was united in marriage with Mary 
A. Kersting, a daughter of the late Dr. 
Kersting. He is a member of the John 
Irwin Volunteer Fire Company, and fra- 
ternally is a member of Evans Citv Ijodge, 
K. P. 

J. Bernard Evans has some interesting 
relics of bygone days which have been 
handed down by his family. The dining 
room table brought from Wales by his 
great-great-grandparents was willed to 
him by Reese Evans, befoi-e he was ten 
years old. He also has tax recepits found 
in the possessions of Isaac Evans, showing 
the taxes for the entire township of Con- 
noquenessiug in 1819 to have been little 
more than nine dollars. By reason of his 
possession of these papers. Isaac Evans 
was undoubtedly tax collector at that time. 
The subject of this sketch is a Mason, be- 
longing to the Blue Lodge and Chapter at 
Butler, and the Commandery at Green- 



115-; 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ville. He is a Republicau in politics, as 
were the earlier members of the family 
after the organization of that party. In 
religious attachment he is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church. 

J. C. BOVARD & SONS, well known 
dealers in lumber, hardware, paints, and 
other building supplies, conduct a success- 
ful and constantly growing business at 
Forestville, on the B. & L. E. Railway at 
Ilarrisville Station. Mr. Bovard ig not 
only prominently identified with the indus- 
trial interests of Forestville, but is a rep- 
resentative of one of the pioneer families 
of Butler County. lie was born May 12, 
1844, on his father's farm in Slippery 
Rock Township, Butler County,' Penna,, 
and is a son of Johnston and Lydia 
(Adams) Bovard. 

The grandfather of J. C. Bovard, James 
Bovard, was a native of Ireland, and when 
a young man emigrated to this country, 
first locating on Bear Creek. He later set- 
tled in Cherry Township, Butler County, 
and died there in 1849, when about seventy- 
five years of age. In politics, he gave his 
support to the Democratic party, and was 
elected an associate judge in Butler Coun- 
ty. He was the father of the following 
children: John, William, Hutchison, 
James, Johnston, Charles, Washington, 
Fanny, and Mrs. Thomas Floyd. 

Johnston Bovard was born on the old 
home place in Cherry Township, in 1810, 
was reared 'to manhood under the parental 
roof, and obtained his education in the dis- 
trict schools. He always followed farming 
and purchased a farm in Slippery Rock 
Township, where he died in 1874. During 
his life he served two terms as Justice of 
the Peace and filled various other township 
offices. He married Lydia Adams, who 
was born and reared in Butler County and 
died in 1905, at the advanced age of ninety- 
one years and eleven months. They reared 
a family of six children: Jonathan; Jane, 
wife of Andrew Drenan; George W., de- 



ceased, who served as a soldier in the Civil 
War; James Chambers; William H. ; and 
Eli David. 

J. Chambers Bovard passed his boyhood 
days on the home farm and received what 
education he could from the coimtry 
schools. In 1862, in response to the Presi- 
dent's call for troops, he enlisted as a 
private in Company F, One Hundred and 
Thirty-seventh Regiment Penna. Volun- 
teer Infantry, under Captain Henry Pil- 
low. He served nine months in the army 
and took part in the battles of South 
Mountain, Chancellorsville -and Antietam 
and also several skirmishes, after which he 
returned to Butler County and spent sev- 
eral years in the oil district. In 1^66 he 
began worlving at carpentering and for a 
period of twenty-six years was engaged in 
contracting and building in various parts 
of the county. In 1893, he became a sales- 
man for L. Hammond & A. Gaston, lumber 
dealers at Wick, Pennsylvania, and re- 
mained with this concern for eight years, 
when he purchased Mr. Gaston's interest 
and removed the stock to Forestville, 
where he established his present business 
under the firm name of J. C. Bovard & 
Sons. Mr. Bovard started in a small way 
and as business increased, added to his 
stock, now carrying an extensive line of 
lumber, doors, windows, glass, hardware, 
paints and other building supplies, and his 
is recognized as one of the leading busi- 
ness enterprises of Forestville. Mr. Bov- 
ard also owns a valuable farm of seventy 
acres in Mercer Township, this being op- 
erated by his son Samuel. 

In the summer of 1908, Mr. Bovard 
erected a commodious frame residence in 
Forestville and moved to it November 24, 
1908. 

On February 10, 1870, Mr. Bovard was 
joined in marriage with Sarah R. Shields, 
a daughter of James and Fanny Shields, 
and a granddaughter of James Shields, 
who was one of the early settlers of But- 
ler County. Mr. and Mrs. Bovard became 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1155 



parents of the following offspring: Mary 
Delia, who died September, 1898, was the 
wife of Harry Adams ; Samuel H., who re- 
sides on the 'farm, married Blanche Ger- 
lach and has six children, Kenneth, 
Aileene, Hilda, Raymond, Donald and 
Paul; Ernest E., who is in partnership with 
his father, married Clara Krah; and Her- 
bert N., who is also a member of the firm 
of J. C. Bovard & Sons, lives in the old 
home on the farm. 

In politics, Mr. Bovard gives his support 
to the Prohibition party. He is a member 
of and an elder in tlie United Presbyterian 
Church. 

D. HARPER SUTTON, president and 
manager of the Butler Land and Improve- 
ment Compan}', is not only a representa- 
tive of one of the pioneer families of But- 
ler Coimty, but also of one of the oldest in 
New England. He has been a resident of 
the city of Butler since 1892, but was born 
in Penn Township, Butler County, Penna., 
in 1852, and is a son of John R. Sutton. 

The common ancestor of the Sutton 
family, members of which live in almost 
every part of the Union, was William Sut- 
ton, who lived at Eastham, on Cape Cod, 
Massaehusetts, in 1666, the original settler 
being of the previous generation. Genea- 
logical records show that he married De- 
maris Bishop, in 1666, and in 1672 they 
emigrated to New Jersey, where they as- 
sisted in founding the Quaker faith. They 
had ten children and over thirty of their 
great-grandsons served in New Jersey 
regiments in the Revolutionary War. 
After the close of that war, a great-grand- 
son Jeremiah Sutton, a son of Zebulon 
Sutton and Mary Doty Sutton, the latter 
being a descendant of Edward Sutton, the 
Mayflower Pilgrim, emigrated to Western 
Pennsylvania and settled in what is now 
Concord Township, Butler County. He 
had served in the Revolutionary War. His 
three sons were named Piatt, Joseph and 
Jeremiah. 



Peter Sutton, a brother of Jeremiah 
Sutton, Sr., also a Revolutionary veteran, 
emigrated a few years later and located i4 
Indiana County, Penna., and had many 
descendants. About 1769, Isaac Sutton 
emigrated to Fayette County, Penna., and 
was the first regular pastor of the Bethel 
Baptist Church at Uniontown, which was 
one of the first permanent Protestant 
churches west of the Allegheny Mountains. 
In this family there were five brothers: 
Isaac, David, John, James and Moses, all 
of whom were Baptist preachers and mis- 
sionaries. The Suttons of Washington 
County, Penna., are descendants of James 
Sutton, who located in Amwell Township 
in 1774 and was pastor of the Ten-Mile 
Baptist Church, which was the first church 
in Washington County. 

D. Harper Sutton spent his early life 
on his father's farm and from there went 
to Pittsburg and went to work for the Citi- 
zens ' Traction Company, with which he 
remained until 1877. He then returned to 
the old home in Penn Township and was 
there engaged in a mercantile enterprise 
for fourteen years and after closing out de- 
cided to take a rest, for this purpose re- 
tiring to Butler. He was of too active and 
energetic a nature, however, to remain un- 
occupied and shortly after locating in the 
city embarked in an ice business and car- 
ried it on for two years. In the meanwhile 
he had become prominent in county poli- 
tics and was elected county commissioner 
and served in this office from 1897 until 
1900, and during this period had the pleas- 
ure of seeing adequate provision made for 
the county poor, this charity having been 
one of great interest to him for at least 
twenty years previously. At various 
times he has been elected to other offices 
and to all of these he has given the atten- 
tion which their importance demanded. 
For three years he was a member of the 
School Board, being its chairman for one 
year, and has served on the city council, 
being a member during many important 



1156 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



sessions, aud was cliairman of the board 
wlieu the new High School building was in 
course of erection. 

In 1900, after he retired from the office 
of county commissioner, Air. Sutton en- 
tered into the real estate business, subse- 
quently organizing the Butler Land and 
Improvement Company, of which he is 
president and manager. He bought 630 
acres of land and platted and laid out the 
town of East Butler, which has now a pop- 
ulation of some 500. He has promoted the 
industrial interests of this section and 
through his efforts the Valvoline Re'tining 
Company and the Pittsburg Hixan Com- 
pany established plants there. Mr. Sut- 
ton is one of the directors and vice-presi- 
dent of the Leedom-Worral Wholesale 
Grocery Company. 

In 1875 Mr. Sutton was married to Miss 
Lizzie E. Elder, of Pittsburg, Peuna. He 
is a member of the Second Presbyterian 
Church. In his fraternal activities lie is 
an Odd Fellow. 

ROBERT W. KYLE, a prosperous 
farmer of Butler County, Penna., is a resi- 
dent of Middlesex Township, where he has 
a finely improved farm of eighty acres. 
He was born in Port Glenone, County An- 
trim, Ireland, October 3, 1842, and is a sou 
of John and Nancy (Glasgow) Kyle. 

Jolm Kyle was born in County Antrim, 
Ireland, in 1809, and there engaged in 
farming. Some years after his marriage, 
during the year 1846, he emigrated to 
America, first locating in Toronto, Can- 
ada. He subsequently moved to Mercer 
County, Penna., and became the owner of 
a farm in Springfield Township, on which 
he lived the remainder of his days, dying 
in 1857. His wife, Nancy Glasgow in maid- 
en life, was born in a parish adjoining 
that of his nativity, and was a daughter 
of Adam Glasgow. Six children were born 
to their union, as follows : Robert W. ; 
Jane, who died in Ireland ; Adam, who also 
died in Ireland : .\dam G., who was born 



in Toronto, Canada, where the family 
lived some four years, and is now residing 
on the old homestead in Mercer County, 
Penna.; Margaret Jane, who grew to ma 
turity but is now deceased; and James A., 
of Leesburg, Pennsylvania. Religiously, 
they were members of the Seceder 
Church. 

Robert \V. Kyle was four years of age 
when his parents emigrated to America, 
and eight years old when they moved from 
Toronto to Mercer County. He was there 
reared on the old home farm and attended 
the common schools. He helped farm tlie 
home place imtil he entered the Unioo 
Army during the Civil War, enlisting in 
Company M, Sixth Regiment Heavy Ar- 
tillery. His regiment was sent to the de- 
fense of Washington, D. C, and he was in 
active service about eleven months. He 
was honorably discharged June '27, 1865, 
and returned to his home in Mercer 
County. On Api-il 11, 1866, he located in 
West Deer Township, Allegheny County, 
Penna., where lie engaged in farming oper- 
ations until 1870, in which year he moved 
to Middlesex Township, Butler County, 
where he has since resided. He has a val- 
uable farm on which he has made most of 
tlie improvements, building a fine home 
and out ))uildings, and setting out many 
shade trees about the place. He has fol- 
lowed general farming, and has been suc- 
cessful beyond the average. 

Mr. Kyle was united in marriage with 
Miss Mary I. Glasgow, who was born in 
West Deer Township, Allegheny County, 
Penna., February 9, 1834, and is a daugh- 
ter of Ilugli Glasgow. Her father was 
l)orn in County Derry, Ireland, in 1786, 
iind spent his tenth birthday on tlie ocean, 
his parents being on their way to the 
United States, where they located in West 
Deer Township, Allegheny County, Penna. 
There Hugh grew to maturity, and learned 
the trade of a blaeksmitli, which he fol- 
lowed many years in connection with farm- 
ing. His death occurred in 1874, at an ad- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1157 



vanced age. Robert W. Kj'le and his wife 
are both devout members of Piue Creek 
Reformed Presbyterian Church, in which 
he has been au elder since the early seven- 
ties. He has been a member of the church 
for thirty-eight years, and his estimable 
wife since early girlhood. Mr. Kyle has 
a wide ac(iuaintan('e through this locality, 
and enjoys the friendship and good will of 
his fellow citizens. He has two producing 
oil wells on his farm, which have been the 
source of considerable income to him. 

JOHN W. SMITH. Among the promi- 
nent citizens of Allegheny Township who 
have gained precedence among the resi- 
dents of this section of Butler County, is 
John A\'. Smith, farmer and oil producer 
and for many years a justice of the peace, 
as was his father before him. He was born 
in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Sep- 
tember 7, 1831, and is a son of Simon and 
Mary (Whittaker) Smith. 

The parents of ]\Ir. Smith were natives 
of Oldham, England, and they -eame to 
.\merira in 1826 and settled in Allegheny 
County, Penna., where they lived until 
1845, and then moved to Saw Mill Run, 
l)elow Pittsburg, from which place they 
moved to Brady's Bend, in Armstrong 
County, some years later. In 1855 they 
came to Butler County and settled on the 
farm near Emlenton, wliere John W. 
Smith resides and which he owns. Both 
parents died on this farm in 1880. Simon 
Smith was a man of high character and ex- 
cellent judgment and became a worthy and 
valued citizen of Allegheny Township. He 
was frequently elected to office and served 
honestly and faithfully in every case. 

John W. Smith accompanied his par- 
ents to Butler County in 1855. In his boy- 
hood and youth, educational opportunities 
were meager in rural districts and his 
school attendance was limited, but his long- 
association Avith public affairs and his ex 
tensive reading, have made Mr. Smith one 
of the l)est informd men of this section. 



He has given attention to both farming 
and oil producing'and enjoys an ample in- 
come. He served for one year in the Union 
Army during the Civil War, being a mem- 
ber of Company F, Fifteenth Regiment, 
Penna. Infantry, which was a part of the 
Ninth Army Corps of the Army of the 
Potomac. Although he was frequently on 
the field of battle, he was never either 
wounded or taken prisoner, and at the 
close of his term of enlistment, was hon- 
orably discharged. Formerly he was a 
member of the Grand Army Post at Em- 
lenton. After the war he returned to his 
home in Allegheny Townshiii and resumed 
peaceful pursuits. In politics he is a Re- 
publican. During his long administration 
of the office of justice of the peace,- he dis- 
posed of many A^ery important cases and 
his decisions were very generally upheld. 
He has given hearty support at all times 
to both religion and education in his sec- 
tion and served many years on the School 
Board, a large part of the time as its 
treasurer. 

On December 24, 1862, Mr. Smith was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Marshall, who 
was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong 
County, a daughter of Joseph Marshall, 
an old resident of Allegheny Township. 
'Sir. and Mrs. Smith have had eight chil- 
dren, namely: Elmer D., who lives at 
.Marietta, Ohio; Washington, who lives at 
Parkersburg, West Virginia, has one son, 
Washington S.; George S., who resides in 
Allegheny Township; Clure E., who lives 
near" Marietta, Ohio; Ernest M. and Siola 
T., both of whom live in Allegheny Town- 
ship; Mary, who is the wife of William 
Hughes, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has 
two children, Elizabeth and William; and 
Blanche, who is the wife of John W. Fer- 
man. of Luthersburg. Pennsylvania, has 
one child, Elizabeth. 

JOHN MARBUR6ER. a pi-ominent 
farmer and stockraiser of Forward Town- 

slii]». -w-heve he owns some 300 acres of 



1158 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



land, in association with his fatlier, is en- 
gaged in the butchering Ibusiuess at Mars 
and Evans City, Penna. His home is 
about one and a quarter miles southeast of 
Evans Cit.y, and is located on the Harmony 
and Pittsburg Electric Eoad; the Balti- 
more and Ohio Railroad passes through 
the center of his farm. 

Mr. Marburger was born on the home 
place August 28, 1854, and is a son of 
George and Catherine K. (Marburger) 
Marburger, his parents bearing the same 
family name but of no known blood rela- 
tionship. George Marburger was born in 
Hessen, Germany, November 5, 1813, and 
after tlie death of his mother came to 
America with his father and family in 
1839. The party consisted of the father 
and four children : Barbara, now deceased ; 
Margaret, deceased; Thelma; and George. 
A younger brother, Henry, had departed 
two years before for the United States 
with a half-brother, Conrad Bishop. The 
family went afoot from Hessen to the Sea, 
six horses carrying their baggage; they 
were on the Atlantic Ocean for sixty-four 
days and arrived in Baltimore, from 
whence they made the journey on foot to 
Zelienople, Penna. Their entire trip took 
from May to December, and was one re- 
plete witii trials and hardships. Others 
from the same locality in Germany also 
settled in the vicinity of Zelienople. 

George Marburger served five years in 
the German army prior to coming to this 
country. His first work here was on the 
canal near Erie, which he followed two 
winters, spending his summers in the har- 
vest fields. In the meantime he made his 
home with friends in Zelienople, and at the 
end of the two years located on what has 
since been known as the Marburger farm 
in Forward Township. It was in a wild 
state, heavily timbered and covered with 
a thick growth of hazelbrush, it having 
been little touched by the hand of man. 
His first purchase was 100 acres from Sol- 
omon Snow, and to this he later added 



forty acres. He also purchased a tract of 
ninety acres near Gallery. A man of great 
energy and industry, he cleared his whole 
property and farmed with success through- 
out his active career. He is now living 
with the subject of this sketch, at the re- 
markable age of ninety-five years, and is 
in full possession of his mental faculties 
and of considerable bodily vigor. He is 
the oldest man in Forward Township, and 
until the death of his wife, in 1907, at the 
age of ninety-one years, they had been for 
some years the oldest married couple liv- 
ing in Butler County. She was in maiden 
life Miss Catherine Marburger, and was 
born in Germany, coming to America at 
the same time as Mr. Marburger. Six 
children were born to them: Catherine, 
widow of John Kaufman; Margaret, 
widow of John Twentier; Mary, who died 
at the age of three years ; George, who died 
at the age of fifty-two years; Eva, wife 
of Alexander Schilling; and John. 

John jMarburger was born on the home 
farm, in the old one and one-half story 
house which adorned the place in the early 
days, and he has a distinct recollection of 
kicking tlie snow off his bed as he arose in 
the morning, at times during his boyhood. 
He helped to clear the farm on which he 
lives and also the ninety acres at Callery. 
and so much of his time was spent at hard 
work that he had little time to attend 
school, it being limited to a few weeks dur- 
ing the winter. He has lived on the home 
place during all his life, four months being 
his longest absence from the place. He 
followed general farming until 1893, and 
then went into the butcher business at 
Evans City, being in partnership with 
Jacob Rape one year. His market there is 
now located on Pittsburg Street, opposite 
the postoffice, and he has a meat shop at 
Mars, Pennsylvania, in which village he 
also owns a large business block. He has 
been extensively engaged in the cattle busi- 
ness for several years, buying by the ear- 
load, formerly purchasing cattle in this 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1159 



sec'tiou, Imt now obtaiuiug them mainly 
from the West, and from Pittsburg. He 
also has bred and raised fine draft horses 
in recent years, and has some of the best 
bred stock in this country. He is the own- 
er of Baccarat, No. 50404, imported from 
France in 1906, a beautiful black stallion, 
three years old, which weighed 1800 lbs. 
in the spring of 1908. He has a six-year- 
old. Acrobat, No. 41551, which was im- 
ported from France in 1904, which, when 
three years old took first premium at the 
Butler County Fair in 1905. He raised a 
strawberry roan Percheron stallion, which 
was foaled April 23, 1901, Prince LeClare, 
Jr., sired by Prince LeClair, No. 9(556. 
This horse weighs 1800 lbs., and was en- 
tered three times at the Butler County 
Fair, taking all prizes in his class. 

John Marburger was married in Novem- 
ber, 1876, to Miss Mary Magdalena Wahl, 
a daughter of Martin Wahl, mention of 
whom is made on another page of this 
work, and they are parents of the follow- 
ing children: Martin LI., who was born De- 
cember 25, 1877, and is in charge of. his 
father's butcher shop at Evans City, mar- 
ried Vivian Davidson and has one child, 
Alberta; Catherine K., born March 10, 
1879, who is the wife of Frank Hall and 
has two children, Ernest and Magdalena; 
Andrew T., born November 8, 1880, who 
conducts his father's shop at Mars, mar- 
ried Elvina Maitland and has a daughter, 
Esther; John Gr., who was born February 
27, 1882, lives on an adjoining farm, mar- 
ried Bessie Sloan, and has a son, William 
Henry; Victor Wahl, who was born Feb- 
ruarv 25, 1885; Osmus R., born Januarv 
13, 1887 ; Adam C, born June 4, 1889 ; Min- 
nie C. born July 27. 1891; and Harry W., 
born October 4, 1893; and Paul Vernon, 
born August 29, 1900, died February 2, 
1901. Religiously, the family belongs to 
the Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Mar- 
burger was trustee some years. In poli- 
tics, he is a Democrat and lias filled a num- 
ber of township offices. 



^VILLIAM McDowell, a prominent 
member of the Butler County bar, who es- 
tablished his home at Butler in 1902, was 
born in 1858, in Kirkmuir-Hill, Parish of 
Lesmahago, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and is 
a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Quig- 
ley) McDowell. Alexander McDowell was 
both a civil and mining engineer and he 
was in the employ of the English govern- 
ment for a number of years. 

William McDowell remained in his na- 
tive land until he was twenty years of age, 
and after reaching America and seeking 
work in Pennsylvania, he secured employ- 
ment at Mclntire, in this State, as an en- 
gine driver in the mines. From boyhood 
he had been ambitious and while he worked 
hard through the day at the fatiguing 
labor above mentioned, he studied at night 
and even engaged a private tutor, finally 
securing an appointment to the State Col- 
lege, where he studied civil engineering for , 
four years. From there, Mr. McDowell 
went' "to the Ohio State University at Co- 
lumbus, where he studied mining engineer- 
ing for two years, and classics for one year 
at the Northern Ohio LTniversity at Ada. 
With the perseverance chaiacteristic of 
his race, Mr. McDowell had overcome 
every obstacle and attained what was then 
his dearest ambition. He then accepted a 
position as su)n'iiiitcii(lciit of liiiiics for the 
Oshanter Co;ii Coiiiiuiiin . mid later for the 
mines of the ('aiiiliria Coal Company, go- 
ing from there to South Fork, and later 
was with the Baltimore Railroad Company 
at Salisbury, Somerset County. He then 
entered the University of Indiana, where 
he took his degree of B. L., in the class of 
1890. 

Mr. McDowell did not immediately seek 
admission to the bar, but took a j^ear in 
the office of John L. McCutcheon, attor- 
ney at law. He subsequently accepted a 
position with the Wabash Railroad as in- 
spector of bridges and concrete work, and 
later went with the Pressed Steel and 
Standard Steel Companies. He then en- 



1160 



HISTORY OF BrTLEE COUNTV 



tered the University of Pennsylvania and 
took a post graduate course, and in 1905 
was admitted to the bar. Mr. McDowell 
is so versatile in his mental gifts and has 
so thoroughly prepared himself for differ- 
ent braneiies of professional work, that 
success in each and all has met him almost 
on the threshold. Naturally he has been 
also prominent in polities and has been a 
formidable candidate for the office of dis- 
trict attorney. 

In 1895 Mr. McDowell was married to 
Miss Jennie Lytle, who is a niece of Judge 
Leonard, of Clearfield County, Pennsyl- 
vania. He is a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church. For years he has 
been identified with Masonry and belongs 
to St. Clair Lodge, No. 416, F. and A. M.. 
Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland: 
and of Royal Arch Chapter, No. 43, of Hol- 
lytown, Scotland. ' Pie belongs also to 
Lodge No. 211, Knights of Pythias, at But- 
ler; to Lodge No. 213, Knights of the Gol- 
den Eagle, at Philipsburg, Center Couhty ; 
and he is a valued member of the Order of 
the Cameron Clan of Pittsburg, of the 
Order of the Scottish Clans. 

JOHN McCARRIER, who is now living 
in retirement after many years of activity 
in the oil fields, resides just south of the 
borough of "SYest Sunbury, in Clay Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna. *He is the 
bearer of an honorable record for service 
in the Union Armj^ and is a man most 
highly esteemed in his wide circles of ac- 
quaintances. He was born at Prospect, 
Butler County, October 13, 1840, and is a 
son of James and Catharine (Brower) Mc- 
Carrier. 

James McCarrior was boi'n and reared 
in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and 
after marriage learned the trade of a tan- 
ner. He crossed the mountains of Penn- 
sylvania to Whitestown, where he worked 
in a tannery for several years, then moved 
to Prospect, where he remained eight 
years, thence to Fairview, where he o))pr- 



ater a tannery. He later operated one at 
Middletown, now known as Hooker, 
whence he moved to West Sunbuiy. He 
started a tannery at this point in 1858 and 
conducted it until 1870, when he quit the 
business and started a small confectionery 
store. After a few years lie moved to the 
home of his oldest daughter at Lawrence- 
burg, near Parker' Landing, where l)oth 
he and his wife passed away. 

John McCariier Icanicd the trade of a 
tanner under his father and continued at 
that occupation until 1861, when on the 
seventh day of November, he eulisted un- 
der Captain Martin in Company E, One 
Hundred and Third Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry. His enlistment 
of three years expired while he was at 
Plymouth, North Carolina, and he re- 
enlisted, serving imtil the close of the war. 
He was taken captive at Plymouth on 
April 20, 1864, and was incarcerated in 
Andersouville Prison four months. He 
was taken from there to Charleston, North 
Carolina, and thence to Florence, North 
Carolina, where he was held prisoner for 
eight months. The regiment of which he 
was a member belonged to the Second 
Army Corps dining the Peninsular Cam- 
paign, and Intel- formed a part of the 
Eighteenth Army Corps. 

Upon his return from the front, after 
his discharge in August, 1865, he entered 
the oil drilling business at Oil Creek, near 
Oil City, Pennsylvania, a business which 
he followed with uninterrupted success 
until 1900, when he retired. He has 
claimed West Sunbury as his home since 
1858^ although he has been temporarily 
absent for different periods, the longest 
being during his military service. After 
(juitting the oil business, he bought and 
sold timber for six or seven years, but is 
now living in retirement in his comfort- 
able home adjoining the borough. 

Mr. McCarrier was first married to 
Minerva Eshenbaugh, a daughter of An- 
drew Eslienbaugh, by whom he had five 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1163 



children: Peter, who is an oil contractor 
and resides in Clay Township ; Annie, who 
lives in Butler and is the widow of Harry 
Patterson; John Nelson, who lives at St. 
.Marys, West Virginia, and is also an oil 
contractor; Margaret^ Ellen, wife of 
('hailes Johnston of Loraine, Ohio; and 
William D., who is an oil producer and re- 
sides at AVest Sunbury. Mrg. McCarrier 

• lied in 1896, and he has since formed a 
second union with Miss Elizabeth Deer, a 

• laughter of William and Mary (Miller) 
Deer. She was born and reared in ]\Iar- 
shall, Allegheny County-, and their union 
is blessed with a son, Dwight. 

CHARLES E. KNOUSE, a well known 
farmer and oil operator of Clearfield 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is 
the owner of a fine farm of 100 acres lo- 
cated on the north side of Rough Run 
Road about two miles fi"om Coylesville. 
He was born on the old Knouse homestead 
on the Kittanning Pike, about six miles 
from Butler, April 17, 1875, and is a son 
of Andrew and Mary (Henry) Knouse. 

Andrew Knouse was a farmer and 
••leared the land on which he lived. He 
was a native of Summit Township, and a 
son of Christian and Annie (Rabbitts) 
Knouse, the Rabbitts family being an old 
and respected one of this section of the 
county. Christian was born in Germany 
and came to Butler County at an early 
date. Andrew Knouse married Mary 
Henry and they had the following chil- 
dren: Ida, wife of William Blooming; 
Charles; William, who married Alice 
(xreen ; and Albert, a car worker. 

Charles E. Knouse received a good com- 
mon school education and has alwaj^s en- 
gaged in farming. He follows modern 
ideas in his farm work and has been more 
than ordinarily successfiil. He raises con- 
siderable stock. Mr. Knouse is an oil op- 
erator and has five good producing wells 
on his place. He is a man of enterprise 
and ]mblic spirit, and stands among the 



foremost in the ranks of the young genera- 
tion of farmers and business men. 

The subject of this sketch was joined in 
marriage with Miss Sarah Rogers, a 
daughter of Samuel and Sarah Rodgers of 
Butler County, and they have a daughter, 
Mary, who was born May 5, 1905. Relig- 
iously they are members of the Catholic 
Church. 

GEORGE FREDERICK GRIM.M, 
whose excellent farm of thirty-one acres 
is one of the best improved in Jefferson 
Township, is engaged in general farming 
and raises enough stock for his own use. 
Mr. Grimm was born January 13, 1846, in 
the city of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and 
is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Graff) 
Grimm, and a grandson of Henry Grimm, 
the latter of whom never left (jermany. 
Henry Grimm had seven children — Cath- 
erine, J. Henry, George F., Louise, Sophia, 
Caroling, deceased, and A^melia. 

The father of Mr. Grimm was born in 
Saxony, Germany, and he came to America 
in 1836, having already learned his trade 
of blacksmith. At the time of the birth of 
his son, George F., he was a resident of 
Allegheny, but he subsequently settled at 
Sasonljurg, Butler County, and there be- 
came a man of influence and standing. He 
married Elizabeth Graff, who was also 
born in Darmstadt. Germany, and was six- 
teen years of age when she accompanied 
the Roatling family to America and to 
Jefferson Township, Butler County. The 
country was very wild at that time, the 
Indians having but recently committed out- 
rages. The pioneers possessed little 
means, but they had plenty of courage and 
ingenuity, as was shown when they trav- 
eled into a forest wilderness and built 
their first abode. Selecting a spot where 
four strong saplings grew near enough to 
be utilized as house posts, they piled up 
logs for the sides of the dwelling and made 
a roof of moss. It is generally conceded 
that this was the first house built in Jef- 



1164 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ferson Townsbiij. Later the father of 
Mrs. Grimm rei)laced it with a substantial 
log building and still later a third house 
was put up. 

George F. Grimm was four years old 
when bis parents came to Jefferson Town- 
ship and he obtained his education in the 
public schools. On July 3, 1876, he was 
married to Miss Rachel Gehriug, who is 
a daughter of lienry and Hannah (Wolf- 
rum) Gehring. Her father was born in 
Saxony, Germany, and was reared on his 
father's farm but learned the turner's 
trade before he came to America, which 
was in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Grimm have 
had five children, namely: Ellen, who re- 
sides at home; Oliver, who married Anna 
Petinger, has two children, Harold and 
Walter; Louise, who is a seamstress and 
is frequently employed at Pittsburg; Til- 
lie, who is also frequently employed at 
Pittsburg; and au infant, deceased. Mr. 
Grimm and family belong to the Lutheran 
Church and for a number of years was a 
member of the Church Council. He is a 
prominent man in his township, taking an 
active interest in public matters and for 
the past two years has been acceptably 
serving in the office of roait commissioner. 

KERR H. ^IcBRIDE, who was one of 
the largest gas and oil producers in the 
Butler fields and was the first promoter 
of natural gas at Butler, Penna., was born 
in Butler County in 1849, and died in 1896. 
His parents were Francis and Elizabeth 
(Hazlett) McBride. 

Mr. McBride was reared in his native 
place and attended the Butler schools un- 
til he accompanied his uncle, A. R. Haz- 
lett, to Greene County, where they began 
contracting on oil wells on Dunkard Creek. 
Later they engaged in a butchering busi- 
ness at Oil City. After they separated. 
Mr. McBride engaged in drilling and was 
known as a first class man in that line. He 
obtained his first oil, on his own account, 
in 1^77. in the Great Tjeather well, on the 



Peter Graft farm, which started with an 
output of 250 barrels of oil a day. He 
sold his interest in this well for the sum 
of $32,500, which he immediately invested 
in the oil business. As with other specula- 
tion, this was uncertain, and before he 
made any more he had lost all this amount 
except $8,000. With that remnant he went 
to Bradford and in the space of eight 
years he acquired twenty-six oil wells and 
a capital of $86,000. His ups and downs 
may be shown by the fact that in one night 
he made $15,000, and in one day, $27,000, 
in oil speculation, and while he played one 
game of checkers he lost all and had to 
borrow $100, in order to make anv more. 
With a capital of $200, backed with the 
utmost faith in his "luck," he came to But- 
ler and leased the Henderson farm, but his 
drilling found only a dry hole. After this, 
with $800, in borrowed money, he went to 
McBride and there drilled a well which 
gave 360 barrels of oil an hour and at the 
end of ninety days gave 150 an hour. This 
brought him $114,000, and with it he went 
to George Westiughouse, at Pittsburg. It 
is said that his proposal to Mr. Westing- 
house was: "If you come into the gas busi- 
ness with me, I'll take the field end and 
you the capital." This was in 1884. Mr. 
Westing-house, however, does not seem to 
have taken up with Mr. McBride 's propo- 
sition at that time, although later he was 
also a large investor in the same line. In 
1887, after a most strenuous life, Mr._ Mc- 
Bride fell sick and he died a comparatively 
poor man, although at that time he had 
45,000 acres of land under lease at Marion, 
Indiana, all of which was ]iroducing gas 
and oil in abundance. 

Kerr H. McBride Avas one of the best 
known men in the oil business in Pennsyl- 
vania. He was one of the most whole- 
souled and kind-hearted men, also, who 
ever had large business dealings in this 
section. He not only made money for him- 
self, much of which he lost as easily, biit 
he made fortimes for others. His chari- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1165 



ties were open-handed and no one in finan- 
cial distress ever appealed to him in vain, 
and his good nature was often taken ad- 
vantage of. He voted the Republican 
ticket but he never took any active interest 
in politics. He was a member in good 
standing of Argyle Lodge, F. and A. ^L, 
at Petrolia. He never married. 

ROBERT TRIMBLE, now deceased, 
was one of the successful agriculturists of 
Butler County and one of the most highly 
respected citizens. He was born in Mid- 
dlesex Township, Butler County, Penna., 
March 12, 1829, and was a son of Samuel 
and Ellen C. (Beery) Trimble and a 
grandson of Thomas Trimble. 

Thomas Trimble was born in the nOrth 
of Ireland and remained in his own land 
into young manhood, not obtaining an op- 
portunity to come to America, the land of 
promise, until 1790. In 1807 he came to 
Butler County, Penna., and settled on what 
has since been called the Trimble farm, in 
Middlesex Township, where he lived until 
his death took place in 1837. He was a 
member of the Seceder Church. Five chil- 
dren were born to him: Mary, Marga- 
ret, Satia, Nancy and Samuel, and many 
of his descendants reside in Butler County. 
Samuel Trimble, father of Robert Trimble, 
was born in 1798, at Shippensville, Clar- 
ion County, Penna., and thus was nine 
years old when his parents settled in But- 
ler County. His boyhood was passed 
among pioneer surroundings and he grew 
to manhood a sturdy tyiDe. His first mar- 
riage was to Isabella Thompson, of ;\[id- 
dlesex Township, and they had one son. 
Thomas. His second marriage was to El- 
len C. Beery and they had two sons, Rob- 
ert and William F. His third marriage 
was to Elizabeth Love, of Clinton Town- 
ship, and they had four children : John H., 
Thomas, James and Margaret. He died 
April 10, 1855. 

Robert Trimble was reared on his 
father's farm and continued to be inter- 



ested in agricultural pursuits throughout 
his long and useful life. In boyhood his 
educational opportunities were very mea- 
ger but he was a pupil' on the first day 
that the public schools in his neighborhood 
were opened, in 1834. He learned the car- 
]3enter trade and worked for a few years 
as a builder, during which period he as- 
sisted in constructing the Butler Court 
House, in 1855. From that year, however, 
he devoted himself entirely to farming and 
stockraising. 

On April 14, 1857, Mr. Trimble was 
married to Eliza A. Hays, a daughter of 
William M. Hays, of Middlesex Township. 
They had a family of seven children born 
to them, namely: Samuel C, Eliza J., Ruth 
E., William H., Margaret A., Mary and 
Martha. In his political views Mr. Trim- 
ble was a Republican and he possessed the 
confidence of his fellow citizens to such an 
extent that they frequently elected him' to 
offices of responsibility. 

Samuel C. Trimble, the eldest of the 
above family, is one of the leading citizens 
of Middlesex Township, where he owns a 
valuable farm of 112 acres. Like his late 
father, he has been prominently identified 
with Republican politics, and in the spring 
of 1908 by a large majority was nominated 
for the important office of county treasur- 
er of Butler Coimty, and was subsequently 
elected. Possessing every requisite for the 
office, it is generally conceded that his per- 
formance of its duties will be honest and 
efficient. 

ADAM J. DAMBACH, proprietor of 
the leading blacksmithing establishment at 
Evans City, comes of an old and respected 
family of Butler Cormty. He was born 
in Connoquenessing Township, Butler 
Coimty, Penna., February 1, 1868, and is 
a son "of Adam and Dora (Garwick) Dam- 
bach, and a grandson of Adam Dambaeh, 
who was a native of Germany. 

Adam Dambaeh, the grandfather, came 
from Germany to America in the early 



1166 



HISTORY OP BUTLEE COUNTY 



daj's and settled on a farm ui Cohnoque- 
nessing Township, Butler Countj^, which 
he partly cleared. He was the father of 
the following family: Adam; Sophia, wife 
of John Boyer; William; Jacob; Cather- 
ine ; and John, deceased. 

.\.dam Dambach, the father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was born on his fath- 
er's farm in Butler County and was there 
reared to maturity. Shortly after his mar- 
riage he purchased a farm in Forward 
Township, on which he spent the remain- 
der of his active career, now living in re- 
tirement at Zelienople. Prior to his mar- 
riage he conducted a store for a time at 
Petersville. He married Dora G-arwick, 
who was born in Beaver County, Penna., 
and tliejr became parents of eight children, 
as follows: Sidney J.; William G. ; Henry 
W. ; Adam John ; Tina ; Frank E. ; Matilda, 
wife of William Wilson; and Washing- 
ton J. 

Adam J. Dambach was a mere child 
wlien his parents moved from his native 
township to the home farm in Forward 
Township, where he grew to maturity, re- 
ceiving his educational training in the pub- 
lic schools. At the age of eighteen years 
he moved to Evans City and learned the 
trade of a blacksmith under Peter Ripper, 
for whom he worked two years. He then 
worked a like period for W. C. McClure, 
after which he went into business for him- 
self. His establishment is located on the 
corner of Washington Street and Wahl 
Avenue, and he does a general blacksmith- 
ing business, making a specialty of horse- 
shoeing. 

Mr. Dambach was married July 30, 1899, 
to Miss Anna E. Wahl, daughter of Martin 
Wahl, and they are parents of three chil- 
dren: Victor Martin, Wilbert W., and 
Adam M. They reside in a tine home on 
the corner of Washington Street and Wahl 
iVvenue, which they built in 1895. Relig- 
iously, they are members of the Lutheran 
Church, Mr. Dambach being president of 
the congregation and superintendent of the 



Sunday-school. He is a Republican in 
politics, while fraternally he is affiliated 
with the Modern Woodmen of America. 
He is an important figure in the atfairs of 
the village, and is highly regarded by his 
fellow citizens and many friends. 

GEORGE BAUER, one of Butler Town- 
ship's leading citizens of which he is su- 
pervisor, ^resides on his excellent farm of 
seventy-six acres, which he devotes to gen- 
eral agriculture. Mr. Bauer was born neai- 
Hagerstown, Maryland, September 11, 
1838, and is a son of Peter and Margaret 
(Doer) Bauer. 

The father of Mr. Bauer was born in 
Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1803, and 
when he came to America and settled in 
Maryland, early in the thirties, he was ac- 
companied by his wife and their three chil- 
dren. When his son George was a boy 
about eight years of age, he moved to But- 
ler County, Penna., and settled in JeiTer- 
son Township. He married Margaret Doer, 
who died in 1888, in Jefferson Township 
and his death followed. They had chil- 
dren as follows : Katherine, wife of 
Charles Krumpe, residing at Saxonbui-g, 
Butler County; Conrad, deceased; William, 
.residing at Butler; Henry, deceased: 
George; Benjamin, residing at ]ilillville. 
Allegheny County; Philip, deceased; and 
Elizabeth, wife of William Leithold, re- 
siding at Butler. The parents were mem- 
bers of the Lutheran Church, in which the 
father was a deacon. In politics he was 
identified with the Democratic party. 

George Bauer was given a good, common 
school education and then learned the ma- 
chinist's trade. After completing his ap- 
pi'enticeship, in partiiorslii]) with his 
brother, he bought out liis cinploye]-. and 
the firm of Bauer Brotiicrs ciigagod in the 
manufacture of agricultural implements 
until 1872, when George Bauer sold out 
his interest in the business. He then pur- 
chased his present farm and has been con- 
cerned in its development ever since. 



AND EEPRESENTxlT] VE CITIZENS 



ll(i 



In 1862, Mr. Bauer was married to Annie 
Catherine Smith, who was a daughter of 
Michael Smith, of Butler Township. Mrs. 
Bauer died June 20, 1893. She was a good. 
Christian woman, a member of the Ger- 
man Lutheran Church, and was widely 
known for her kindness of heart and her 
ready hospitality. To Mr. and Mrs. Bauer 
were born eight children, namely: Mar- 
garet, who married Howard McCandless, 
of Butler ; Charles, deceased ; Edward, who 
resides at Butler ; Augusta, who is the wife 
of C. A. Wachsmith; Maude, who is the 
wife of Samuel McKnight, of Butler ; Will- 
iam, who resides in Jefferson Township; 
Leonard, who is superintendent of the 
street car line at Butler; and Barbara, 
who resides at home. Mr. Bauer is one 
of the leading members of the German 
Lutheran Church. 

In 18G2, Mr. Bauer enlisted for serv- 
ice in the Civil War, and served for nine 
months as a member of Company K, One 
Hundred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. 
Volunteer Infantry. Although he was 
wounded in the right arm, at the battle 
of Chancellorsville, he refused to go to 
the hospital and remained on the field un- 
til the close of the fight. In his political 
convictions he is a Democrat and he has 
served in local offices, including that of 
school director and of tax collector and su- 
pervisor. 

Mr. Bauer blew the first steam whistle 
ever heard in Butler County at the Bauer 
Brothers Mill in Butler in 1865. He also 
had the misfortune to have the first boiler 
explosion in the county which happened at 
the mill during the same year. Fortunate- 
ly no one was hurt in this disaster. A 
liumorous incident happened in connection 
with the blowing of the first whistle. It 
was in the early morning, about daylight, 
and the residents of the quiet little village 
were not aware that such a thing existed 
in the town. A superstitious German resi- 
dent was lighting his fire, when he heard 
the first blast of the whistle. He imagined 



that it was the sound of Gabriel's horn 
and seizing a bucket of water, he dashed 
it on his kitchen fire and immediately went 
to praying. 

GEORGE A. SPANG, who is treasurer 
and manager of The Spang Company at 
Butler, where the main plant is situated, 
having branch shops at other points, is a 
leading business man of this city where he 
has resided for the past thirty-five years. 
He was born in 1868, in Armstrong County, 
Penna. His father was the late J. R. 
Spang. 

George A. Spang was a child when his 
parents moved to Butler and he obtained 
his education in the Butler schools. He 
was but a boy, however, when the burden 
of his own support fell upon him and he 
began his earning of money by driving a 
dray. Later he went to Pittsburg where 
he learned the machinist trade with the firm 
of Swain & Angel, remaining for three 
years and then returned to Butler. About 
this time he suffered an injury to his eyes 
and was obliged to give up working at his 
trade for two and one-half years, during 
this period finding emplo5anent in the 
Klingier mills. By that time his eyes had 
sufficiently been strengthened so that he 
could resume work as a machinist and in 
1894, although he had not a dollar of cap- 
ital, he determined to go into business for 
himself and depend upon his skill and in- 
industry to bring him custom and success. 
He secured a machine shop in the old Cuth- 
bert Building, on the same place where his 
conunodious shops, with all their expensive 
machinery are situated, but in six weeks 
time he found a better business opening at 
Glade Mills. He remained there for three 
and one-half years and then resided for 
the same length of time at Renfrew, after 
which he came back to Butler. He first 
leased his present property and later pur- 
chased it. In 1901, The Spang Com- 
pany was established, and in 1908 the busi- 
ness was incorporated with J. P. Ander- 



1168 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



son as i^resident and George A. Spang as 
treasurer and manager. In the same year 
the company put up a fine reinforced con- 
crete building with dimensions of 62 by 
122 feet, divided into two stores. Mr. 
Spang has about 100 men in his employ 
and has the superintendence of all of the 
business. In August, 1904, a branch shop 
was started at Coifeyville, Kansas, in the 
Kansas oil fields, and in May, 1908, an- 
other shop was established at Ti;lsa, Okla- 
homa, both of them being still in operation, 
and all the property on which the plants 
are located are owned by the Spang Com- 
pany. This company manufactures all 
kinds of oil well supplies and makes a 
specialty of oil well packing. 

In 1890, Mr. Spang was married to Miss 
Laura A. Brandon, of Butler, and they 
have five children: Lillian, Ferdinand, 
Loyal, Mildred and Everett. With his fam- 
ily, J\lr. Spang belongs to the Second Pres- 
byterian Church of Butler. He is a Knight 
Templar Mason and a member of the Mys- 
tic Shrine. In recalling the events of this 
successful and representative man, it will 
be observed that he has prospered on ac- 
count of -his own efforts, independent of 
any assistance, and he may well be proud, 
when he recalls how he has overcome the 
various handicaps of his early manhood. 
He is one of Butler's most respected citi- 



CHARLES RIMP, a prosperous farmer 
of Summit Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, has a fine farm of 100 acres sit- 
uated about two miles north of the vil- 
lage of Herman. He was born on this 
place March 13, 1875, and is a son of John 
and Catherine (Knause) Rimp, and grand- 
son of John Rimp, Sr. 

John Rimp, Sr., was born in Germany 
and there was reared to maturity. He 
served in the German army the reouired 
length of time and continued to reside in 
that country until he was thirty years of 
age, when he set sail for America. He set- 



tled in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 
1832, and cleared a farm upon which he 
lived the remainder of his days. 

John Rimp, Jr., was a veteran of the 
Civil War, serving for four years in a 
Pennsylvania regiment and participating 
in some of the hardest fought battles of the 
war. He was mustered out at Butler and 
returned to the home farm. During the 
early years of his business career, he 
worked on a steamboat on the Ohio River, 
but finally settled down to farming in But- 
ler County. He was united in marriage 
with Catherine Knause, by whom he had 
the following children: Annie, Ella, one 
who died in infancy, William, Charles and 
Minnie, twins ; and Edward. 

Charles Rimp was reared on the old 
homestead and received his e'ducation in 
the public schools of the community. He 
has always engaged in farming, with the 
exception of seven years during which per- 
iod he worked for the Standard Plate Glass 
Company at Butler. He returned to the 
farm in 1906, and has since followed gen- 
eral farming and stock raising. He has a 
comfortable two-story house, a good barn 
and other necessary buildings for the suc- 
cessful prosecution of his work. He has 
an oil well on the farm, which produces 
about ten barrels per day, and has another 
in the course of drilling which is expected 
to show still better results. 

August 5, 1903, Mr. Rimp was united in 
marriage with Miss Rose Rabbitt, a daugh- 
ter of John and Annie (Smith) Rabbitt. 
who lived in Armstrong County, Penna. 
Three children are the offispring of this 
union: Charles Edward, Gertrude, and 
John Rabbitt Rimp. Religiously, they are 
members of the Catholic Church and very 
active in church affairs. Fraternally, Mr. 
Rimp is a member of Butler Lodge No. 8, 
Woodmen of the World. 

LAWRENCE O. MARKEL, a well 
known business citizen of Evans 'City, 
Penna., is secretary of the Burry and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1171 



Markel Compauy, an old and well estab- 
lished concern, dealing extensively in hard- 
ware and implements, vehicles, paints, etc. 
He is a native of Butler County, Penna.^ 
having- been born on the old home farm in 
Forward Township, February 8, 188U. He 
is a son of Daniel and Mary A. (Helm) 
Markel, and grandson of Zeno and Susan 
(Stamm) Markel. 

Zeno Markel, the grandfather, came to 
Butler County from Bucks County, Penna., 
when he was eighteen years of age, and 
first cleared a farm on Muddy Creek and 
later moved to a farm in Forward Town- 
ship. The latter years of his life were 
spent in retirement in Evans City, wliere 
lie died at the age of eighty-three years. 
His widow survived him some years, dying 
at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren: Elizabeth, who was the wife of 
Jacob Zigler. both now deceased; Maria, 
wife of John Webber; Hannah, deceased; 
and Daniel. 

Daniel Markel was the youngest of the 
family and was born in Forward Town- 
ship, Butler County, May 7, 1854. He en- 
gaged in farming on the home farm, which 
consists of 150 acres and now forms a part 
of his estate. In 1889, in order to secure 
better educational advantages for his chil- 
dren, he moved to Evans City, and some- 
time later engaged in the hardware busi- 
ness in partnership with L. N. Burry, imder 
the firm name of Burry & Markel. In 
February, 1905, the business was incor- 
porated under the name of the Burry and 
Markel Company, and Daniel Markel 
served as president vmtil his death, June 
24, 1907. Mrs. Markel still resides in 
Evans City, and is surrounded by many 
friends of long years' standing. She was 
in maiden life Miss Mary A. Helm, daugh- 
ter of John Helm, an early-day blacksmith 
of Evans City. As a result of her marriage 
to Mr. Markel which occurred in 1879, the 
following children were born: Lawrence 
0. ; Flora, wife of Victor A. Barnhart; 



Emma L. ; Amanda D., wife of Edgar 
Shaffer; Luella C; Iva M.; Carl H.; Zeno 
H. ; William D. ; S. Dorothy; Mary G. ; and 
Gene I. 

Lawrence 0. Markel was nine years of 
age when his parents located in Evans City, 
and he was there educated in the public 
schools p,nd in John Tinstman's Academy. 
At the age of sixteen years he entered the 
office of Edward Dambach, who conducted 
a lumber company at Evans City, and con- 
tinued for ten years, after which he rep- 
resented the Hastings Lumber Company 
of Pittsburg as traveling representative 
for a short time. He then returned to 
Evans City and became a stockholder in the 
Burry and Markel Company, in the affairs 
of which concern he has since taken an ac- 
tive part. Upon the death of his father, 
Mr. Burry became preident, and he became 
secretary and treasurer, in which capacity 
he now serves. 

Lawrence 0. Markel, is an ardent Demo- 
crat in his political belief. Fraternally, he 
is a member of Harmony Lodge No. 429, F. 
& A. M. at Zelienople. In religious faith 
and fellowship, he is a member of the Re- 
formed Church. 

JOHN HINDMAN, residing on a farm 
of 136 acres in Clay Township, Butler 
County, Penna., located about two and one- 
half miles south of West Sunbury, is en- 
gaged in general farming, but for many 
years worked in the oil fields. He was born 
on the farm now owned by his brother 
Thomas, in Marion Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, on October 22, 1850, and is a son of 
Thomas and Mary (McClung) Hindman. 

Robert Hindman, grandfather of the 
subject of this sketch, came to this country 
from Ireland, and with his brother, John, 
became owner of about 700 acres of land 
in Washington Township, Butler County. 
Thomas Hindman, father of the gentleman 
whose name heads this record, was born in 
Washington Township and there reared to 
manhood. After his marriage he moved to 



1172 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Marion Township, Uutler County, and 
about the year ISGG purchased a farm in 
Franklin Township. He lived upon that 
place a number of years, then leaving the 
place imder the care of his oldest son, Rob- 
ert, moved upon the farm he owned in 
Washington Township. 

John Hindman was ten > ears. old when 
his parents moved to Franklin Township, 
and he subsequently went with them to 
Washington Township, where he continued 
two or three years thereafter. He then 
went into the oil fields, working for a pe- 
riod of twenty-three years as driller and 
tool dresser, being iocatetl in Venango 
County and various other places. For a 
time he was in partnership with his brotli- 
er, Thomas, as contractor, and they drilled 
a great many wells. About twenty-five 
years ago, Mr. Hindman to©k up his resi- 
dence on his present farm, w^hich was the 
birthplace of his wife, and he has since 
continued here. He erected the commodi- 
ous frame house and the substantial barn 
which stand on the place, and has one of 
the best improved farms in the neighbor- 
liood. He follows general farming and 
also has a good gas well on the farm. 

Mr. Hindman was united in marriage 
with Miss Elmira Miller, who was born 
and reared in Clay Township, and is a 
daughter of Henry Miller. Two children 
were born to them: Luther, who died in 
infancy; and another who died unnamed. 
They adopted a daughter, Jessie M., who 
now is the wife of Harry Sutton. Fra- 
ternally, the subject of this sketch is a 
member of the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows. He is a Democrat in polities, and 
was elected on that ticket to the office of 
road supervisor. In religious faith he is 
a TiUtheran and a liberal supporter of the 
rliurch. 

OLIVER NEUBERT, general farmer 
■and stockraiser, is a representative citizens 
of Jefferson Township, where he owns a 
foie fnnn of seventv-five acres, on the Sax 



onburg Road, about one mile north of the 
town. He was born in Germany, July 13, 
1854, and is a son of Charles and Wilhel- 
mina (Fisher) Neubert. 

Charles Neubert brought his family from 
Ciermany, in 1867. He settled at Alle- 
gheny, Pennsjdvania, where he found work 
as a stone-mason — a new trade to him, as 
he had previously worked at silver mining. 
From Allegheny he moved to Westmore- 
land County and some years later came to 
Butler County and resided^ on the pres- 
ent farm of his son Oliver." He had nine 
children, namely: Otto, Ida, Antonio, An- 
na, Oliver, Oscar, Richard, Emil and 
Charles. 

Oliver Neubert was thirteen years old 
when his parents emigrated to America 
and he here finished the education he had 
commenced in his native land. He assist- 
ed his father during the latter's life and 
subsequently came into possession of his 
present farm. The land is well situated 
and responds readily to Mr. Neubert 's 
methods of cultivation, and he has made 
excellent improvements here. His build- 
ings are practically new, his residence be- 
ing a comfortable two-story one and his 
bank barn of very substantial construction, 
the old buildings haAdng been destroyed by 
fire some years since. 

Mr. Neubert married Barbara Wagner, 
a daughter of George and Margaret (Kalp) 
Wagner, farming people in Jefferson 
Township, and they have the following 
children : Ella, who lives at home; George, 
a carpenter by trade, married Delia Le- 
fever ; Richard and Ralpli, both work in the 
oil fields; Otto and Albert, twins, work in 
the oil fields (Albert is a carpenter); Ida, 
who resides at home; Arthur and Herbert, 
both are in school; and Paul and Martin. 
]\Ir. Neubert and family belong to the Lu- 
theran Church and he is a member of its 
council. He takes an active interest in town- 
ship affairs and is so well and favorably 
known that he has frequently been elected 
to office and has served acceptably as a 



AND KEPRESENTATIVP: CITIZENS 



member of the Graud Jury, liandliug some 
very important cases, as a member of the 
Board of Elections, as supervisor, and for 
twelve years lias been a school director. 

JOHN b. McKEE, D. D., who, for many 
years was pastor of the United Presbyte- 
rian Churcli at Butler and enjoyed in large 
degree the respect, esteem, confidence and 
affection of the people to whom he so faith- 
fully ministered, was born June 22, 1851), 
in Pittsburg, Penna., and was a son of ^Vill- 
iam and Elizabeth (Shields) McKee. 

Doctor McKee came of Irish ancestry, 
both grandfather and father having been 
born in County Down, Ireland. In 1844, 
William McKee, the father, then being- 
twenty years of age and a carpenter by 
trade, emigrated to America and took up 
his residence at Pittsburg, Penna., where, 
in 1849, lie was united in marriage with 
Elizabeth Shields, who died in 1859. In 
1862, William McKee contracted a second 
union with Jane Cox. He was the father 
of five children l)y his first marriage and 
six b)' his second. The McKee family has 
been of the Presbyterian faith for genera- 
tions. 

Doctor John S. McKee was educated in 
the public schools, the East Liberty Acad- 
emy and the Western University, and com- 
pleted the prescribed course at the latter 
institvation in 1869. From boyliood it liad 
been his cherished desire to enter the min- 
istry and in preparation for this important 
step, he entered the United Presbyterian 
Theological Seminary at Allegheny, where 
he was graduated in 1873 and in the same 
year was licensed to preach by the Monon- 
galiela Presbytery. He then visited Scot- 
land and enjoyed a year's training in the 
Free Church College at Edinburgh. On Oc- 
tober 19, 1875, Mr. McKee was installed as 
pastor of the East Brady Church, where 
his labors continued for five years, when 
he accepted a call from Mercer, Penna.. 
and served as pastor of the United Pres- 
byterian Church there for four years. On 



October 1, 1884, he accepted a call from the 
United Presbyterian Church at Butler, and 
he remained associated with this cliarge 
until the close of his useful life. Under his 
fostering care both the material affairs 
and the spiritual life of the congregation 
improved and was (piickeued, and the per- 
sonal influence he exerted will long be felt 
in the community. 

In June, 1878, Doctor McKee was mar- 
ried to Sophia M. Templeton, of Brady's 
Bend, Penna. Mrs. McKee with their one 
daughter, Jeannie Elizabeth, reside in 
their comfortable home at No. 322 East 
Pearl street, Butler. 

In the usual acceptance of the term. Doc- 
tor McKee was no ijolitician, but he was so 
determined in his temperance views that 
he allied himself definitelj' with the Pro- 
hibition party. He was a man of many 
gifts, of brilliant talents, and his activities 
made him known far beyond the confines of 
Butler County. 

J. R. McCANDLESS, one of the sub- 
stantial citizens of Cherrj^ Township, who 
is carrying on agricultural operations on 
a fine farm of eighty-three acres, situated 
on the road from Pleasant Valley Church 
to Harrisville, has been a resident of Cher- 
ry Township nearly all nl' his life. He was 
born September 21, l<s;i2, at Parker's Land- 
ing, Armstrong Coimty, Penna., and is a 
son of Mark and Mary (Russell) McCand- 
less. 

When Mr. McCaudless was two years of 
age, his parents located on a farm near 
Moniteau, and here he was reared to man- 
hood. Until twenty-five years of age he 
carried on various occupations, and at that 
time became engaged in farming, which ^ 
he carried on for one year after his mar- 
riage in Cherry Township, then removing 
to Concord Township, where he resided 
until 1861. Since that time he has been en- 
gaged in general farming on his present 
property, a fine tract of fertile land, on 
which Mr. McCandless has made nianv im- 



1174 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



provemeuts. His present handsome resi- 
dence was erected by hiin in 1881. 

Mr. McCandless was married to Eliza 
Jane McCallen, who was born in Cherry 
TownshijD, and is a daughter of John and 
Rebecca (Walker) McCallen. Two chil- 
dren have been born to this imion, namely : 
Mary Rebecca, is the wife of Robert Bill- 
ingsiey, residing on the line between the 
States of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, 
where Mr. Billingsley is engaged as an oil 
worker, and they have two children, Lewis 
Montrose and J. Edgar ; and John Walker, 
married Mary Orpha Thompson, and has 
three children, — Charles Plummer, Hazel 
Z. and Gladys. Mr. McCandless is a mem- 
ber of the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian 
Church. His standing in his community is 
high, and he is regarded as an expert on 
agricultural matters. 

MRS. MARTHA E. IMAN, widow of 
the late Joseph Iman, resides on a well 
improved farm of forty-five acres in Done- 
gal Township, Butler County, Penna., and 
is one of the honored and highly respected 
residents of that locality. She was born 
in West Moreland County, Penna., a daugh- 
ter of Hugh and Alice (Staller) M«Intire, 
who were prominent old settlers of West 
Moreland County. 

Mrs. Iman was reared in her native lo- 
cality, residing there for about twenty- 
five years and was married in Indiana 
County, Penna., to Joseph Iman, a son of 
John and Alice Iman, also residents of 
West Moreland County. Subsequent to 
their marriage, which occurred February 
7, 1870, Mr. and Mrs. Iman resided for 
about five years in Indiana County. He 
^ was a brick molder by trade, but after com- 
ing to Butler County in 1875, he engaged 
in the oil business at Petrolia, where they 
resided for six months on the old Wilson 
farm. From there Mr. and Mrs. Iman 
removed to Troutman where they resided 
a period of seventeen years, when they 
moved to Thorn Creek, where Mr. Iman 



engaged in the oil business for one year. 
After disposing of his oil interests, the 
family came to Butler County, locating in 
Donegal Township, where the death of Mr. 
Iman occurred December 9, 1902. 

The following children were born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Iman : John, who resides on 
the farm with his mother, was born in 1871 
and married in 1895 to Elizabeth Wilson, 
a daughter of Aaron Wilson (they have 
two children, Ella and Elmer) ; Mary mar- 
ried Edward EUenburger of Fairview 
Township, Butler County, and has one 
child, Thomas; Hugh a resident of Done- 
gal Township, married Loretta Rentzel of 
Chicora and to them have been born four 
children — May, Joseph, Ruth (deceased), 
and one died in infancy ; Mary E., William 
J., Gertrude, deceased, and Ruth, deceased; 
Thomas, died aged eighteen years, five 
months and fourteen days; William, died 
aged nine months; Charles, residing at 
home; Joseph, who also lives at home; 
George, lives in West Virginia, married 
Ollie Montgomery and has two children, 
Ardell and Lillian; Minerva married Will- 
iam Slater, a resident of West Virginia, 
and they have two children, Ethel and 
George Harold. The religioi;s connection 
of the family is with the Methodist, Church. 
Mr. Iman was a member of the Knights 
of Honor and of the K. 0. T. M. 

Mrs. Iman bought her present farm of 
forty-five acres in 1906 from Charles Duflfy 
and has made all of the improvements on 
it. There are two producing oil wells on 
the land. Mrs. Iman is possessed of true 
womanly qualities and a kindly manner, 
which has won for her the marked regard 
of all with whom she has been brought in 
contact. 

WILLIAM JOHN KENNEDY, of the 
W. J. Kennedy Hardware Company, a 
leading business concern at Mars, was born 
Marcl^ll, 18.54, in Clinton Townshin, But- 
ler County, Penna., and is a son of Thomas 
and Margaret (Logan) Kennedy. 




MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH IMAN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1177 



Thomas Kennedy was six years old when 
he accompanied his father from Ireland. 
The latter secured a farm of 230 acres in 
Clinton Township, Butler County,- the 
larger part of which was covered with for- 
est, ten acres alone having- heen cleared. 
Thomas Kennedy continued to live on that 
property, as he grew to manhood working 
to clear it, and when his father died, he 
inherited 100 acres. This farm is now 
owned by Thomas G. Kennedy, one of his 
sons. On that farm Thomas Kennedy died 
in 1893, aged seventy-seven years. He 
married Margaret Logan, who was born in 
Penn Township, Butler County, and died 
in 1907, aged eighty-three years. They had 
the following children: George, dece'ased; 
Agnes (Spohr) ; James; Margaret, de- 
ceased; William John; Martha, wife of 
John Miller; Thomas G., on the homestead; 
Mary E., wife of Reverend Monks ; Clorin- 
da, wife of Charles Davis ; and Malissa. 

Until he was eighteen years of age, Will- 
iam J. Kennedy remained at home assist- 
ing his father in his agricultural work, and 
then leaimed the carpenter trade, at which 
he subsequently worked for thirty-two 
years. For twenty-two years he engaged 
in contracting in Pittsburg and Allegheny, 
where he erected some of the finest resi- 
dences among the noted beautiful struc- 
tures of those cities. For five yeai's of his 
residence in Pittsburg, his son was con- 
nected with the Marine Bank. In 1903, Mr. 
Kennedy came to Mars and purchased an 
interest in the Craig Hardware Company, 
the business then being incorporated under 
the style of the Craig, Kennedy Hardware 
Company. Eighteen months later Mr. 
Kennedy bought Mr. Craig's interest, ad- 
mitting his son to partnership and chang- 
ing the name to the W. J. Kennedy Hard- 
ware Company. 

On Christmas Day, 1878, Mr. Kennedy 
was married at Allegheny, to Mary L. 
Bartley, and they have four children: 
Thomas, Mary, Edith and Alice. With his 
family, Mr. Kennedy belongs to the United 



Presbyterian Church, in which he is an 
elder. 

W. F. LYTLE, Justice of the Peace, at 
Butler, has been a resident of this city for 
the past twenty-one years and during the 
larger part of this time, was connected 
with its industrial life. He was boim at 
Monon'gahela City, Washington County, 
Penna., in January, 1861, and is a son of 
James S. and Martha A. (Cowan) L3'tle. 

Eobert Lytle, the paternal grandfather, 
was a well known man in Western Pennsyl- 
vania in his day. For many years he drove 
the stage which operated between Pitts- 
burg and Franklin, Venango County, and 
in the later years of his life he was court 
crier at Franklin. 

James S. Lytle, father of Judge Lytle, 
died a victim to the cruelties inflicted at 
Andersonville Prison, during the Civil 
War. In 1861 he enlisted and served 
through his first term of three months. 
He re-enlisted, entering then Company I, 
One Hundred Third Regiment, Penna. Vol- 
unteer Infantry. . At Plymouth, North 
Carolina, he was captured by the Confed- 
erates and was taken to Andersonville 
Prison, where he suffered unspeakable tor- 
tures during his ten months of incai'cera- 
tion, and when finally exchanged was so 
emaciated by disease and famine, that his 
brave life closed ten days later. His 
widow, who was a daughter of Mathias 
Cowan, an early pioneer of Slippery Rock 
Township, Butler County, removed to Slip- 
pery Rock when her son, W. F., was five 
years old. 

W. F. Lytle was deprived of this tender 
mother's care when he was but eleven 
years of age, and thus being left without 
his natural protectors, was obliged to hew 
out his own way in life with no practical as- 
sistance. For some six years he worked 
on a farm in Slippery Rock Township, and 
then learned the carpenter trade, and 
later the harness-maker's trade, and 
worked at the latter at Prospect, West Sun- 



1178 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



bury and Butler, for about seven years. 
About 1888 he resiuned work as a carpen- 
ter and continued until May, 1898, when he 
sutfered from an accidental fall from a 
bridge that disabled him from that time un- 
til the following October. His accident had 
occurred on the Bessemer Railroad and he 
was then given a position as watchman on 
that road, one that he efficiently filled un- 
til he was appointed to his present office 
in April, 1907. He has been an active and 
useful party worker for many years and 
this appointment is but a tardy recogni- 
tion of his services. He is a man of excel- 
lent judgment and his life experiences have 
fitted him, in mai'ked degree, for this of- 
fice. 

In 1882, Mr. Lytle was married to Miss 
Ellen McCall, who is a daughter of R. M. 
McCall, and they have two children, Bes- 
sie and Frances Grace. The former is the 
widow of the late Martin Penniebaker, of 
Lewistown, and she has one daughter, 
Jeanette Mildi'ed. Mrs. Penniebaker re- 
sides with her father since her widowhood. 
Mr. Lytle is a member of a number of fra- 
ternal organizations including the Eagles, 
the Knights of Malta, and tlie National Le- 
gion. 

ASA WATERS HEYL, D. D. S., with 
office on Pittsburg Street, has been a resi- 
dent of Evans City, Penua., throughout 
his professional career and enjoys an ex- 
tensive practice in that comnumity. Ho 
is a native of Butler County, having lieen 
born at Prospect, May 3, 1880. He is a 
son of Martin and Nancy (Albert) Heyl, 
and a grandson of Martin and Christina 
Heyl, both of whom were born in Germany. 

Martin Heyl, Sr., upon emigrating from 
Germany, located in Muddy Creek Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna., where he 
cleared a farm and resided until his death 
at the age of seventy-five years. He was 
survived by his widow for some years. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren : Martin, Jr.; Henrv; John; Jacob: 



Philip; George; Christina, wife of John 
Fliuner; Margaret (Caldwell); and Mary, 
deceased wife of Adam Wilson. 

Martin Heyl, father of the subject of this 
sketch, was born and reared on the home 
farm in Muddy Creek Township, and at 
an early age learned the trade of a black- 
smith. About the year 1863, he opened a 
shop in Prospect, Biitler County, where he 
has since continued with uninterrupted 
success. He was united in marriage with 
Nancy Albert, a daughter of John Albert, 
who was of English birth. Mrs. Heyl was 
born about three miles east of Prospect. 
This union was blessed with the following 
children: Sidney, a blacksmith at Slip- 
pery Rock; Luther, manager of of the 
Punxsutawney Hardware Company ; Will- 
iam, a carpenter at Prospect; George, who 
is associated with his father in blacksmith- 
ing at Prospect; Ezra, who died in child- 
hood; Alvin, who also died young; Asa 
W:itcis, sulijeet of this sketch, who was 
nauuMl al'lcr IJcv. Asa Waters, an old and 
respected divine of Prospect; and Ella, 
wife of Frank Clark. 

Dr. Asa W. Heyl spent his boyhood days 
in Prospect, where he attended the public 
schools and Prospect Academy, from which 
institution he was graduated in 1897. He 
engaged in teaching school two winters in 
Muddy Creek Township, after which he en- 
tered the dental department of Western 
University of Pennsylvania. He was grad- 
uated in 1902 with the degree of D. D. S. 
and soon after located for practice in 
Evans City, where he has since continued. 
In 1908, he erected a fine modern home and 
office on Pittsburg Street near the Citizens' 
National Bank Building, it consisting of 
eight rooms and of brick construction. He 
is a member of the Pennsylvania Dental 
Society, and the Butler County Dental So- 
ciety. Lie is local examiner and demon- 
strator for the Sanitol Chemical Labratory 
Company. 

October 29, 1902, Doctor Heyl was unit- 
ed in marriage with Miss Flo JPorrester, a 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1179 



daughter of James aiul Agues Forrester of 
Prospect. Religiously, they are active 
members of the Lutheran Church, lie act-' 
ing as assistant superintendent of the Sun- 
day-school, and president of tlie huther 
League. Politically, he is a Kepublicau. 

.MARTIN SPiTHALEH, one of For- 
ward Township's best and most respected 
citizens, resides on ids valuable farm of 
ninety acres, on which he was born, Sep- 
ten)ber 25, 1864, and is a son of Henry and 
( "aroline (Householder) Spithaler. 

Henry Spithaler, father of Martin, was 
l)orn in Germany and came to America 
wiuMi lie was about eighteen years of age, 
Nettling first in Beaver County, Peuna. He 
[iiuchased a farm and also operated an 
old-time horse-power threshing nlachine. 
After I lis marriage he sold his Beaver 
County farm and came to Butler County, 
where he purchased the farm on which his 
son Martin lives, in Forward Township. 
I le was a tine business man and kept add- 
ing to his land until he owned two large 
farms and one small one, clearing the 
greater amount of this land himself. He 
died in the spring of 1899, aged seventy- 
two years. He married Caroline House- 
holder, who was born in Germany and ac- 
eom})anied her parents to America, in girl- 
hood. They had nine children, namely: 
Henry; Caroline, wife of John Shutt; 
Jacob; Fred; Sarah, wife of Adam Wehre; 
Daniel; Charles; Martin; and Amelia, wife 
of Fred ]\rillerman, with whom the vener- 
able mother resides. 

Martin Sj>ithaler grew to manhood in 
the old log house in which all the children 
were born and he remembers many occa- 
sions when fully an inch of snow sifted be- 
tween the logs and fell on his bed. In his 
boyhood, youths were expected to work 
hard, when work was w-aiting to be done, 
and Martin had few chances to go to school 
and when opportunity came, he had to walk 
a distance of two miles to the old Critch- 
low school. He helped bis father clear the 



farm, which was no small undertaking. 
He lived at home until. his marriage, after 
which he operated the William Goehring 
farm until the death of his father, who re- 
warded him for his long years of faithful 
service, by willing him the home farm. He 
has made many siibstantial improvements 
here and has a tine property. There is u 
prochicing oil well on the farm, in which 
he has a half interest. 

In December, 1862, Mr. Spithaler was 
married to Miss Ella Goehring, who was a 
daughter of William and Sarah Goehring, 
and they had seven children, namely: 
Bertha, Ida, Amanda, Walter, Elmer, Ma- 
tilda and Esther. Mrs. Spithaler died 
March 31, 1904, aged thirty-seven years, 
seven months and twenty-one days. She 
was a loving wife, a kind and careful 
mother and a good neighbor. Mr. Spit- 
haler is a member of the Reformer Church. 
In politics he is a Democrat. He takes an 
intei-est in educational matters in his town- 
ship and served four years as school di- 
rector. 

THO.MAS FRITZ COOPER, who is the 
present head of the old Cooper family in 
Butler County, owns fifty-one acres of fine 
land in Jefferson Township, which is sit- 
uated about one-half mile from Saxonburg, 
carries on general farming here as did his 
father before him. He was born March 
27, 1862, on his present farm in Butler 
County, Penna., and is a son of Samuel 
and Barbara Anna Catherine (Snyder) 
Cooper. 

Samuel Cooper was born on the above 
named farm, on which he lived to be sixty- 
eight years of age. His parents were Will- 
iam and Catherine Cooper, who settled 
hero when they emigrated from County 
Down, Ireland. Samuel Coo]3er married 
Barbara Anna Catherine Snyder and they 
had eight children, namely: William J., 
Philip, Thomas, Levi S., Margaret, Jennie, 
Elizabeth and Samuel Oliver. 

Thomas F. Coo]K'r has spent his whoh' 



1180 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



life on his present farm, with the exception 
of three years, during which period he was 
proprietor of a liotel at Saxonburg. He 
has made farming liis main occupation, al- 
though lie also does a large amount of 
teaming and is an operator to some ex- 
tent, in both oil and gas. He has good im- 
provements on his property and his two- 
story residence is an attractive appearing 
home. 

Mr. Cooper was married (first) to Miss 
Anna Deahl, who is survived by one son, 
Harold. He was married (second) to Miss 
Edna Brown, a daughter of John and Lyda 
Brown, and they have one child, Catherine 
Elizabeth. Mr. Cooper and wife belong 
to the Luthei'an Church and he is a member 
of the church Council. He is identified 
with the order of Knights 'of Pytliias, at 
Saxonburg, in which he is much interested. 

JOSEPH F. SHIEVER, president of 
the First National Bank at Bruin, Penn- 
sylvania, and a member of the firm of 
Sproull & Shiever, leading general mer- 
chants at Bruin, is one of the most repre- 
sentative citizens of this community. He 
was born in Franklin Township, Beaver 
County, Penna., March 19, 1875, and is a 
son of Michael and Caroline (Gerwig) 
Shiever. 

The father of Mr. Shiever was born in 
Germany and was five years old when his 
parents brought him to America and he 
was reared in Beaver County, where he 
later married Caroline Gerwig, who be- 
longed to a German family who had set- 
tled there prior to her birth. 

Joseph F. Shiever grew up a farm boy 
and he attended the Franklin Township 
scliools through boyhood and later enjoyed 
a course at the Slippery Rock State Nor- 
mal School. For three winter terms he 
tauglit school in Lancaster Township, But- 
ler County, and was considered an excel- 
lent teacher, but he wished to become neith- 
er a farmer nor a school-teacher, his in- 
clinations leading him in the direction of a 



business or commercial career. In 1901 
he entered into partnership with Mr. Bol- 
ton, in a mercantile business at Slippery 
Rock, the firm name being Bolton & Shiev- 
er, which continued until the fall of 1903, 
when Mr. Shiever became manager for the 
mercantile department of the Coal and 
Limestone Company, at Redmond, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he remained until he came to 
Bruin, and in 1904 became associated with 
Mr. Sproull, in merchandising, under the 
firm style of Sproull & Shiever. Both 
members of this firm are practical, con- 
servative business men and they control 
the volume of trade in their line. 

Mr. Shiever was one of the organizers of 
the First National Bank at Bruin, which 
was incorporated October 15, 1907, and 
opened for business on January 14, 1908, 
Mr. Shiever being elected its first presi- 
dent and is also one of the board of direc- 
tors. The business stands on a firm basis 
and, as its head, Mr. Shiever applies the 
same careful policy that has made him suc- 
cessful in his private enterprises. 

Mr. Shiever married Miss Margaret M. 
Doritt, who was born in Lawrence County, 
Penna., and is a daughter of the late Jere- 
miah Doutt, formerly of Lawrence County. 
Mr. and Mrs. Shiever have one son, Wayne 
N. Mr. and Mvs. Shiever are members of 
the First Presbyterian Church of Bruin. 
He belongs to the the Butler County Mer- 
chants' Mutual Insurance Company, in 
which he is a director. In his political 
views he is a Republican. 

JOSEPH B. HINCHBERGER, general 
agriculturist, residing on his well cultivat- 
ed farm of eighty acres, which is situated 
in Butler Township, was born at Philadel- 
phia, Penna., June 22, 1842, and is a son of 
Anthony and Barbara '(Bosbarshield) 
Hinehlierger. 

Anthony Hinchberger was born in the 
province of Nancy, France, in 1792, a son 
of David Hinchberger, and died when aged 
seventy-six years. In early manhood he 




MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH F. SHIEVER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1183 



was a soldier under the great Napoleon, 
and survived the battle of AVaterloo, but 
two of his brothers were killed in the army. 
When he came to America he brought his 
wife and their two children. He took up 
his residence in Philadelphia, learned the 
cooper and stonemason trades but took 
more interest in gardening and farming. 
He was a man of large frame and big- 
stature, and for years was foreman of the 
gang of street cleaners on Market Street, 
Philadelphia. His death was caused by 
accident. His children were "as follows: 
Christopher, who lives in Butler Township ; 
Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Frank 
Allwein; Barbara, deceased; Josephine, 
who married Samuel Shaffner, of Butler 
Township; Joseph B.; Christian, who lives 
at Butler; and John, who resides in Butler 
Township. The parents of this family 
were members of tlie Roman Catholic 
Church. 

Joseph B. Hinchberger Was educated in 
the Philadelphia schools. He remained on 
the home farm near that city until after 
his fatliei''s death, in 1864 he enlisted for 
sei-vice in the Civil AA'ar, entering Com- 
pany Gr, One Hundred and First Regiment, 
Peuua. Volunteer Infantry, and reiuaiued 
in the service until the close of hostilities. 
He is a charter member of the Butler Post 
of the Grand- Army of the Republic. Be- 
fore purchasing his present • farm he 
worked for some seven years on the Bal- 
timore & Ohio Railroad, and was foreman 
of the roundhouse. He has a very valuable 
farm, much of it being under cultivation, 
but sixteen acres being yet in timber, and 
three oil wells having been sunk, one of 
which is now producing. He raises both 
grain and stock. His improvements have 
all been of a substantial character. In 
1908 he remodeled his residence and has a 
very comfortable and attractive home. 

Mr. Hinchberger married Barbara Lieb- 
ler, who is a daughter of George Liebler, of 
Butler Township, and they have seven 
children, as follows: Amelin. who is the 



wife of John Sullivan, lives in the city oT 
Washington, U. C. ; George ; Helena ; Louis, 
who married Eliza Burns, resides in But- 
ler Township; Mary; William, and Joseph. 
The family belong to St. Paul's Catholic 
Church. 

In politics, Mr. Hinchberger is a Rejjub- 
lican. On account of his high standing in 
his community and the general confidence 
in which he is held by his fellow citizens, 
he has frequently been elected to local of- 
fice. He has efficiently served seven terms 
as school director, and has been super- 
visor, tax collector and overseer of the 
Poor, and was for two terms court tipstave 
of the court of Butler County. 

ANDREW WHITE McCOLLOUGH is 
a name familiar throughout the oil and gas 
regions of Pennsylvania. It stands for all 
that is honorable in business, having been 
for a period of more than forty years 
linked with hundreds of transactions with 
all classes of people, to emerge imtarn- 
ished by imscrupulous or unfair practices 
on the part of its bearer. Mr. McCollough 
may well take pride in his record. The 
vicissitudes of fortune bore him high on 
the waves of success, only to dash him 
against the rocks; but with fortitude and 
courage of a weather-beaten mariner, he 
righted his ship, figuratively speaking, and 
sailed safely into port. His good fortune 
came not through the misfortune of others, 
and his misfortune, although involving 
bankruptcy, did not entail the loss of a sin- 
gle dollar to his creditors. He is one of 
Butler's most prominent citizens and 
stands high in public esteem. 

Mr. McCollough was born on the old 
White homestead in Franklin Township, 
Butler County, Penna., April 15, 1840, and 
is a son of Matthew and Jane ("Wliite) IMc- 
Collough, both of whom came of pioneer 
families of Franklin Township. He was 
but four years of age at the death of his 
mother, and he was thereafter reared to 
manhood by his maternal grandparents. 



1184 



HISTOBY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Andrew 8. aud Angeliua White. Jlis early 
education was obtained in the common and 
Normal schools at Prospect, supplemented 
by a course in Connoquenessing Academy 
at Zelienople. He engaged as an instructor 
five terms in the schools of Connoquenes- 
sing, Jackson and Franklin Townships, 
after which he followed merchandising 
from 1861 to 1871. The latter year marked 
the beginning of -his oil operations at Park- 
ei', Bear Creek, Millerstown and Grreece 
City, which continued for several years 
with varying success. A student by nature 
he made a study of this business in all its 
details, and is admittedly one of the best 
known and widely informed gas and oil 
men in the State, being a recognized au- 
thority on the geological structure of the 
oil and gas regions. He possesses the 
largest private collection of standard 
works on geolog}^ in Western Pennsylvania. 
He was particularly successful in gas pro- 
duction, having developed six of the larg- 
est gas fields in the State. 
. At the height of a prosperous career, Mr. 
McCollough encountered unlooked for re- 
verses that swept away his fortune, leav- 
ing hhu heavily inxolvod. not only on his 
own account but ;is imkIoisci- for others. 
Free from these oltligatiins by bankruptcy 
proceedings, he still recognized the moral 
obligation and set about with renewed en- 
ergy in operating in the gas fields, in which 
he had an abiding faith. In time he was 
enabled to discharge every moral and legal 
obligation of his own and others, for whom 
he was endorser, the latter running up into 
many thousands of dollars. His wonder- 
ful success continued and he once more 
took rank among the stalwart men of af- 
fairs in the vieinitv of Butler. 

October 17, 1867, Andrew White McCol- 
lougli was joined in njarriage with Miss 
Mary Bredin, who is of pioneer families 
of Butler on both sides of the house, being 
a daughter of Edward l\l. and Adelia (Pur- 
viance) Bredin. Three children were the 
issue of this iiniuii: Marian, Kelt, and 



Harry Ford. Keligiously, he is a member 
of the Presbyterian Church, while his wife 
and daughters are memliers of St. Peter's 
Protestant Episcopal Church. Politically, 
he is an unswerving supporter of the Re- 
publican party, and in 1908 was chosen as 
alternate delegate to the Republican Na- 
tional Convention at Chicago and was one 
of the Taft Republican Presidential elec- 
tors of the state of Pennsylvania. He has 
been a member of Butler Lodge, F. & A. 
M., since early manliood. He has given lib- 
erally of hi.5 means toward the advance- 
ment of education and religion, and enjoys 
the respect and confidence of the comnmn- 
ity. 

EDWIN A. WATSON, of the large mer- 
cantile firm of William Watson & Son, who 
conduct stores both at Isle and at Mt. 
Chestnut, was born October 28, 1868, in 
Buffalo Township, Butler County, Penna., 
and is a son of William and Mary A. (Sar- 
ver) Watson. 

Alexander AVatson, the grandfather of 
Edwin A., was born in Scotland. In 1849 
he brought his family to America and set- 
tled in Armstrong County, Penna., where 
the remainder of his life was spent. He 
had four children: John A., William, Alex- 
ander and Isabella. 

William Watson, father of Edwin A., 
was born in Wigtonshire, Scotland, Feb- 
ruary 12, 1838. For a number of years he 
was concerned in the stirring life on the 
frontier, engaged for a time in mining in 
the vicinity of Pike's Peak and other points 
and after he returned to Pennsylvania, 
served for ten months as an officer in Com- 
pany D, Sixth Regiment, Penna. Heavy 
Artillery, in defending the city of Wash- 
ington, during the Civil War. After the 
close of his military life, Mr. AVatson 
bought a farm in Buffalo Township, which 
lie sold in 1876, when he bought an inter- 
est in the mercantile business of Alexander 
Cami)bell & Sons, at Mount Chestnut. In 
1878 Mr. Watson became the owner of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1185 



whole business, which he conducted under 
his own name until 1892, when he admitted 
his son, Edwin A. to partnershij:). 

Mr. Watson was married (first) to 
Mary E. Sarver, who died in 1874. They 
had four children: Clara E., who is the 
wife of Prof. S. L. Cheeseman, of Slip- 
pery Rock ; John W., who resides at Seat- 
tle, Washington; Edwin A.; and A. Walter, 
who is in Alaska. Mr. Watson was mar- 
ried (second) to Mary M. Campbell. 

Edwin A. Watson was educated in the 
township schools and may be said to have 
grown up in the business in which he is 
now a partner. Since 1892 he has been as- 
sociated with his father under the firm 
name of William Watson & Son. In 1897 
the firm established the store at Isle as a 
branch of the parent house and under the 
vigorous management of Edwin A. Wat- 
son, who has charge, it has developed into 
a larger concern than the one at Moimt 
Chestnut. Prior to the establishing of the 
free delivery system, Mr. AVatson was 
postmaster at Isle and he serves as ex|iress 
agent at this point. The two stores do the 
largest business in general men-liaudise, 
farm maehinerj% fertilizers and feed, in 
Franklin Township. 

Edwin A. Watson married Miss Eva 
Stoops, who is a daughter of William 
Stoops, and they have six children : Garth, 
Huber, Janet, Kenneth, Charles and Paul. 
Mr. and Mrs. Watson are members of the 
^Mount Chestnut United Presbyterian 
Church. In politics he is a stanch Repub- 
lican. 

ORA H. ANDERSON, one of Allegheny 
Township's prominent and representative 
citizens, a leading agriculturist and for- 
merly an extensive oil producer, resides 
on his valuable farm, which contains 200 
acres. He was born March 31, 1851, in Al- 
legheny Township, Butler County, Penna., 
and is a son of Robert P. and Eliza J. (Red- 
dick) Anderson. 

The Anderson family is of Scotch ex- 



traction and it was founded in Pennsyl- 
vania by John Anderson, the great-great- 
grandfather of Ora II. He was born in 
Scotland and settled in MilBin County in 
pioneer days. From Mifflin County, James 
Anderson, the great-grandfather, came to 
Butler County, in 1804, settling in the 
neighborhood of Six Points, where he erect- 
ed two grist mills, the first ever bviilt in 
that section. Mills were among the first 
necessities of civilization and the Ander- 
son mills drew custom from a large terri- 
tory. John Anderson, son of James and 
grandfather of Ora H., operated a tannery 
on, his farm. The Andersons have always 
been noted for their thrift and enterprise 
and they proveJ themselves most useful to 
the communities in which they had their 
homes. 

Robert P. Anderson was born in Butler 
County and prior to the birth of his chil- 
dren, settled on the farm in Allegheny 
Township, which is now owned by his son, 
Ora H. Here his death took place, in 
1898, when in his eightieth year. He was 
active in public matters, served frequently 
and acceptably in local offices and was one 
of the leading members of the Scrub Grass 
Allegheny Presbyterian Church. Two of 
his children survive, namely: Ora II. and 
Emma N. The latter resides with her ven- 
erable uncle. Rev. Samuel Anderson, a 
Presbyterian minister, who has his home at 
Bradentown, Florida. 

Ora H. Anderson grew to manhood on 
his present farm and was educated at 
Glade Run Academy, near Dayton, Penna., 
and Washington - Jefferson College, at 
Washington, Pennsylvania, and was grad- 
uated from the latter institution in 1876. 
After a short period of school-teaching, 
Mr. Anderson was engaged in the oil in- 
dustiy, but later turned his whole attention 
to operating, developing and improving his 
large estate. 

My. Anderson married Miss Catherine 
Riddle, who was born in Venango County, 
Penna., and is a daughter of the late James 



1186 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



P. Riddle, formerlj- of Scrub Grass Town- 
ship, Venango County. Mr. and Mrs. An- 
derson have the following children : Eliza 
and Mary, both of whom are successful 
teachers in the public schools ; and Robert 
H., James and Eleanor S. Mr. Anderson 
and family are members of the Scrub Grass 
Presbyterian Church, in which he is ail 
elder. He is a Republican in his political 
views and he has served both as school di- 
rector and as auditor of Allegheny Town- 
ship. 

ADAI\[ TROUTMAN. one of Butler's 
most highly respected citizens, who, for 
many years was identified with her busi- 
ness interests and whose enterprise is per- 
petuated and name honored in the exten- 
sive business of A. Troutman's Sons, has 
been a resident here since 1847. He was 
born in Germany, in 1832, and is a son of 
Adam and Mary (Cradel) Troutman. 

The parents of Mr. Troutman settled first 
at Harmony, Penna., after their long voy- 
age of three months, across the stormy 
ocean, and then located on a farm in Clear- 
field Towusliip, Butler County, from which 
they moved to Penu Township, where they 
lived during the remainder of their lives. 

Adam Troutman, bearing his father's 
name, was an infant when his parents set- 
tled in Clearfield Township, in 1832, and 
until he was twelve years old he assisted 
on the home farms. There were, however, 
thirteen children in the family and, as his 
services were not needed, young Adam 
bravely started out to find other w-ork and 
to thereby add to the family's fortune, but 
after six months, during which he worked 
as hostler in Jacob Riber's hotel, he re- 
turned home and attended school through 
the following winter. In the spring he 
again started out, going to Brady's Bend, 
where he went to work in a coal bank, 
where for long hours he drove a patient 
old mule, and there he remained for two 
years. Mr. Troutman was not satisfied, 
however, with the education he had been 



able to acquire and after his return home, 
he went to school for two more months. 
From there he went to the Zimmerman 
Hotel, which then stood on the present site 
of the Willard, and after working there 
for one year, he was engaged by the gro- 
ceryman, James Negley. For his first 
year's services, he received the sum of $25, 
clothing and board, and the second year, 
$50, the third year, $75, and the fourth 
year, $100. In the fifth year, when he 
married, his salary was fixed at $25 per 
month. 

In the meanwhile, Mr. Troutman had ac- 
quired a good education by attending night 
school and had assisted his father in the 
l^urchase of land, and so careful, prudent 
and frugal had he been, with a constant eye 
to the future establishing of a business of 
his own, that when Mr. Negley was ready 
to sell out he had enough capital to go into 
partnership, later, with Mr. Negley in a 
new business, which continued for two 
years, when Mr. Negley bought his interest. 
Mr. Troutman, with George Weber, then 
purchased the general mercantile business 
of William S. Boyd and this partnership 
continued for five years, when Jacob Boose 
bought Mr. Weber's interest. Mr. Trout- 
man and Mr. Boose continued together for 
eighteen months, when the former bought 
out the latter and thus gratified the lauda- 
ble ambition he had long cherished, of 
owning a business for himself. The old 
residents of Butler recall Mr. Troutman as 
a merchant for many years and he contin- 
ued to conduct his business alone until he 
admitted his son, J. Henry Troutman, as 
an equal partner, the firm name becoming 
A. Troutman «fe Son. In 1901, Mr. Trout- 
man sold out his interest to two other sons, 
George and William Troutman, when the 
firm name became as it now stands, A. 
Troutman's Sons. It continues to be one 
of the leading enterprises of the city and 
although Mr. Troutman has lived retired 
ever since, it is a matter of pride with him 
that the business standards he established 




ROBERT A. MARKS 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



11S9 



are still in force with the younger genera- 
tion. He was one of the first directors of 
the Butler Savings Bank. In his efforts, 
Mr. Troutman proved that a young man's 
success depends largely upon himself and 
that to advance beyond his fellow plodders, 
he must not only liave brains, but also am- 
bition, perseverance and a proper regard 
for the fidelity that he owes to his employ- 
ers. Along that line lies preferment. 

In 1833, Mr. Troutman was married to 
Miss Margaret Agner and they have had 
.six cliildren: J. Henry, who is secretary 
and treasurer of the Standard J 'Lite Chi-s 
Company; George, who is (me oi iiis talli- 
er's successors; Mary, who is the wife of 
William Ziegler of Butler; Louise, who is 
the wife of James B. Hazlett; Albert C, 
who is the district attorney of Butler Coun- 
ty; and William, who is part proprietor of 
A. Troutman 's Sons. 

Mr. Troutman is one of the valued mem- 
bers of the Lutheran Church at Butler, 
with which he has long been identified, in 
his early years serving as its treasurer and 
later as deacon and elder. 

ROBERT A. MARKS, who was former- 
ly engaged in mercantile pursuits and in- 
terested for some years in oil joroduction 
in ^liddlesex Township, now operating the 
leading general store in Callery, Pennsyl- 
vania, which he purchased of J. H. Thom- 
as. He was born in Richland Township, 
Allegheny County, Penna., February 16, 
1859, and is a son of William and Eliza 
(Whiteside) Marks. 

The father of Mr. Marks was born in 
the north of Ireland and died in Alle- 
gheny County, Penna., in 1884, aged sixty- 
four years. He came to America when a 
young man and settled first in Middlesex 
Township, Butler County, from which sec- 
tion he moved to Allegheny County and 
there spent the remainder of his life. He 
served as a soldier in the Civil War, en- 
listing from Richland Township. He mar- 
ried a daughter of George Whiteside. She 



was born also in Ireland and accompanied 
her parents to America and to Middlesex 
Township, Butler County. To William 
Marks and wife were born nine children, 
namely: Mary, deceased, was the wife of 
S. J. Rankin; Jennie, who is the wife of 
W. J. Sheppard, of Allegheny; James, who 
resides at Valencia, Pennsylvania; W. J., 
deceased; Robert A.; Agnes, who is the 
wife of Thomas Marshall, of Bakerstown; 
Luella, who is the wife of Dr. McCandless, 
of Butler; and an unnamed infant. 

Robert A. Marks was reared and educat- 
ed in his native township and when twenty- 
three years of age he entered into pai'tner- 
ship with his brother W. J. Marks, under 
the style of W. J. Marks & Brother, in a 
general store at Glade Mills. Later-, J. P. 
Whiteside succeeded W. J. Marks and the 
firm style became Marks & Whiteside, 
which continued until 1902, when Mr. 
Marks bought Mr. "Wliiteside's interest and 
carried on the business alone until August, 
1907, when he sold out to A. I. Aber. For 
some fifteen years ]\Ir. Marks was inter- 
ested in the oil producing business but he 
has severed his connection with this line 
of industry along with others, in Middle- 
sex Township. He was one of the leading- 
Republicans of Middlesex Township and 
has served in the offices of school director, 
clerk and treasurer of that township, and 
had he sought other positions of a political 
nature, could easily have secured them. 

Mr. Marks married Miss Lizzie Belle 
Heckert, who is a daughter of Joseph 
Heckert, of Middlesex Township, and they 
have tw^o children: William Leroy, who is 
a member of the class of 1911, in the medi- 
cal department of the University of Penn- 
sylvania; and Robert Howard. Mr. Marks, 
like his father, is a leading- member of the 
Middlesex Presbyterian Church, of which 
he has been a trustee. He has been affiliat- 
ed with the ]\Ia sonic fraternity for many 
years and belongs to Lodge No. 272, F. & 
A. M., at Butler, Butler Chapter and 
Greenville Commanderv. He belongs also 



1190 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



to Connoqnouessing Lodge of Odd Fellows, 
the Elks at Butler and to Glade Mills 
Camp of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- 
ica, of which he is venerable council. 



GEORGE W. MARBUEGER, owner of 
eighty-five acres of valuable farm land in 
Adams Township, has spent all of his life 
from the age of eight years on this farm, 
and was born February 27, 1852, in Alle- 
gheny County, Penna. His parents were 
Milton and Eva (Shrum) (Mateer) Mar- 
burger. 

The parents of Mr. Marburger were both 
born in Germany. The father came to Amer- 
ica in early manhood and his first work was 
done on the old canal that was then in 
course of construction in Butler and Al- 
legheny Counties. Later he bought fifty 
acres of land in Allegheny County, which 
he later sold to advantage and then pur- 
chased the farm in Adam§ Township which 
is now owned bj' his son, George W., which 
formerly belonged to Judge Marshall. On 
this farm Milton Marburger spent the re- 
mainder of his life. He died in 1873, aged 
sixty-four years. He married a widow, 
Mrs. Eva (Schrum) Mateer, who had three 
children at that time, namely: Christian; 
Caroline, who mai-ried B. Miller; and 
Sarah, who married Abraham Zeigler. The 
following children were born to lier second 
marriage: Anna, who married Henry 
Wolfe ; Catherine, who married John Burr ; 
Eva, who married Isaac Unstead; Susan, 
who married Philip Geise; Mary, who mar- 
ried Joseph Cashdollar; Elizabeth, who 
married Jacob Mathay; Emma, who mar- 
ried B. Dimbar; George W. ; and John. 
The mother of this family survived the 
father for many years. She died in 1906, 
when aged ninety-one. 

George W. Marburger was married June 
30, 1897, to Anna Walters and they have 
four children: Ruth, William, Bessie and 
Russell. In politics, Mr. Marburger is a 
Democrat. He belongs to a well known 



family that has always stood very high 
in public esteem in Butler County. 

EMIL F. NEUBERT, who conducts a 
meat market at Saxonburg where he is 
numbered with the reliable business men, 
owns four acres of land which lies in the 
extreme end of the town, his residence be- 
ing a commodious two-story house stand- 
ing on Main Street. He was born in 1868, 
in Germany and was nine years old when 
he was brought to America by his parents, 
who were Charles and Wilhelmina (Fisher) 
Neubert. 

The father of Mr. Neubert resided first 
in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, then in West- 
moreland County, and later came to Butler 
County and died on the farm on which his 
son Oliver resides. 

Emil F. Neubert attended school at 
Pittsburg and there soon learned tlie Eng- 
lish language. His first work was in help- 
ing farmers in the environs of Pittsburg 
and then he learned the baker's trade and 
later worked for his brother Oliver, in the 
latter 's butcher shop. In the course of time 
he started into the business for himself and 
settled in the central part of the village 
of Saxonburg. He soon built up a fine 
trade and later purchased his present prop- 
erty and for the past twenty-two years has 
enjoyed the patronage of the best people 
of this community. He has made his own 
way and through business methods of hon- 
esty and integrity, has gained and kept the 
confidence of his fellow citizens. In almost 
any part of the surrounding country, one 
of Mr. Neubert 's meat wagons may be seen, 
as he has a large country trade as well as 
an ample town patronage. 

On July 25, 1883, Mr. Neubert was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Sachs, a daughter of 
Frederick and Hannah (Green) Sachs, and 
they have an interesting family bearing the 
following names: Minnie, Edward, Lewis 
Harry, Milton, Hattie, Fred and Theodore. 
The eldest daughter married James Vogley 
and they have an infant. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1191 



Mr. Neubert is a leading member of the 
Lutheran Church at Saxonburg. He has 
taken an active part in town affairs and 
has served on the town council and as 
school director. He belongs to the Knights 
of Pythias, No. 279, Saxonburg. 

WILLIAM HARVEY WISE, a promi- 
nent farmer and dairyman of Penn Town- 
ship, who has oil and coal on his own land, 
was born in Allegheny City, Penna., Oc- 
tober 9, 1864, and is a son of Jacob P. and 
Sarah Belle (Davis) Wise. 

Jacob P. Wise was born in Shaler Town- 
ship, Allegheny County, Penna., in 1839, 
and is a son of Daniel Wise, who was one 
of the early settlers of Shaler Township. 
In early manhood he learned the black- 
smith trade, which he followed until 1863 
and then turned his attention to farming, 
which he continued in Shaler Township 
until 1893 and then bought the farm in 
Penn Township on which his son now re- 
sides. Here he engaged in general farm- 
ing until 1897. In 1901 he sold the farm to 
his son, William Harvey. In politics he is 
a Republican and served two terms as su- 
pervisor of Penn Township. He married 
a daughter of Thomas Davis, of Connoquo- 
nessing Township, who was born in 1842 
and died in 1897. She was a beloved mem- 
ber of the Thorn Creek Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. To Jacob P. Wise and wife 
were born the following children: Anna 
Mary, who is the wife of Thomas Ilartzell, 
residing at Harmony; William Harvey; 
Hannah, who is the wife of Clyde Kennedy, 
living in Penn Township; Maggie Belle, 
who is the wife of William Hayes, residing 
in Penn Township; and Sarah, who is the 
wife of Bryson Kennedy, residing in Penn 
Township. 

William Harvey Wise was" reared and 
educated in Allegheny County and his 
business has always been concerned with 
agricultural pursuits. After his marriage 
he followed trucking but after coming to 
his present farm he went into stockraising. 



general farming and dairying, raising corn, 
oats, wheat and hay, keeping fourteen head 
of fine cattle and selling milk in Pittsburg. 
He has three producing oil wells on the 
farm which are worked under lease and 
at the present writing he is opening a coal 
bank which promises to be of great value. 
He is a well informed, practical business 
man and has all his interests well in hand. 
Mr. Wise married Ida M. Bell, who is a 
daughter of George Bell of AVestmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, and they have seven 
children: Mabel Irene, William Harvey, 
Ralph Orbin, Homer Nelson, John Robert, 
Jean Elizabeth and Thayr Bell. Mr. Wise 
with his family belongs to the Thorn Creek 
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he 
is a steward and trustee. He has been ac- 
tive in Sunday-school work and served two 
terms as su])erintendent of the school con- 
nected with the above church. 

DANIEL R. HILLARD, one of Venango 
Township's successful general farmers, 
was born on his i^resent farm in Venango 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
February 17, 1844, and is a son of John 
and Jane (McMillian) Hillard and a grand- 
son of Alexander Hillard. 

The parents of Mr. Hillard were well 
known farming people of Venango Town- 
ship, where they lived many years and 
reared a large family. John Hillard 
served in the war of 1812. They had the 
following children : Thomas and Priscilla, 
both now deceased; Margaret, who mar- 
ried Jesse Joseph, had nine children — 
Jane, Thomas, Sarah, Rosa, Ida, James, 
Catherine, Newton and Daniel; J. B., who 
married Katherine Louge of Clarion Coun- 
ty and whose children are : Edward, J. B., 
Thomas, Annie, Jennie, Fred, Mary and 
Lizzie; James is deceased; Elizabeth, who 
married Joseph Wild, has had twelve chil- 
dren — James, John, Jane (deceased), Ira, 
Jose])h, Daniel, Priscilla, Flora, Delia, 
Richard, Blanche and Mary; Martha never 
married; Mary Catherine is deceased; 



1192 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



John, who married Eliza J. Jamison had 
fourteen children — Belle, Bessie, Janet, 
John, Priscilla, James, Archibold, Emma 
(deceased), Daniel(deceased), Grace, Ralph, 
Leon, Eva (deceased), and Claire; Daniel 
R. is the subject of this sketch; Nancy 
Jane, who married Richard Kelly, had 
eight children — Theodore, Nolla, Ivy, Rich- 
ard, Ethel, Mabel, Jonathan and Mark; 
Sarah, who was married (first) to James 
Davison and (second) to Wilson Mahood, 
is now deceased. The children of Sarah's 
first marriage were Harry, James and 
Daniel. One infant was born to her sec- 
ond marriage but it is now deceased. 

Daniel R. Hillard was reared on the 
home farm with his brothers and sisters 
and with them attended the Blair and the 
Campbell schools in Venango Township. 
He continued to live at home and he re- 
ceived about forty acres of the homestead 
from his brother James, by will, and to 
this added thirty-five acres by purchase. 
The farm is well improved and Mr. Hillard 
assisted in putting up the present substan- 
tial farm buildings, which make this a com- 
fortable and attractive home. There are 
two fine orchards on the place, oneof them 
having been set out by his grandfather. 
Mr. Hillard also owns a vacant lot at An- 
nisville, in Washington Township. He is 
a Civil War veteran and a member of S. 
J. Rosenberg Pest. X,.. .ms, (i. A. R. 

On Februniy i^.;. issj. Mr. Hillard was 
married to ^liss .Ifiinic Kodgers, who is a 
daughter of James Rodgers, of Allegheny 
Township. Her father, like Mr. Hillard 's, 
served in the W^ar of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hillard are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church at Eau Claire. In poli- 
tics, Mr. Hillard is a Repul)lican but he is 
no seeker for office. 

NELSON McELVAIN, a representa- 
tive citizen and farmer of Clay Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, resides on a 
valuable farm of ninety-one acres, located 
about one-half mile east of West Suubury, 



a part of this farm having been acquired 
by his paternal grandfather as early as 
1807. He was born on a farm in Washing- 
ton Township, Butler County, May 3, 1842, 
and is a son of William, Jr., and Nancy 
(Conway) McElvain, and a grandson of 
William McPIllvain, Sr. 

William McElvain, Sr., was born in Lan- 
caster County, Pennsylvania, and was 
there married. Difficulties of travel and 
communication made members of a family, 
when separated, practically strangers to 
the other's movements, although living 
what we would now consider but a short 
distance apart — in fact in adjoining states. 
This is exemplified by the experience of 
Mrs. ^IcElvain, who in maiden life was a 
Caldwell. A few years after they had set 
up housekeeping in Lancaster County, she 
formed a desire to visit her parents in Vir- 
ginia, and as a result she and her husband 
started out on horseback, Mrs. McElvain 
carrying her infant child in her arms. Ar- 
riving at her old home she found her par- 
ents had moved away, and all the neigh- 
bors could vouchsafe in reply to her ques- 
tioning was that the family had moved fur- 
ther South. She never heard from them 
again. Returning to Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, they resided there for a 
time, then moved to Westmoreland County 
in the same state, and in 1807 came on to 
Butler County. William cleared up the 
fai'm in Clay Township, and both died on 
this place. 

William McElvain, Jr., was born in 
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and 
was but a child when his parents located in 
Clay Township, where he grew to man- 
hood. After liis marriage he purchased 
tlie farm in Washington Township, on 
which the subject of this record was born. 
He died on that place, and his widow spent 
her declining years at the home of her son. 
Nelson, she too being now deceased. 

Nelson McElvain was born and reared 
in Washington Township. He began house- 
keeping, after marriage, on the old home 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1195 



place, which he fell heir to, but later sold 
that place and in 1886 purchased his pres- 
ent farm from an uncle, Samuel McElvain. 
He has engaged in general farming and is 
one of the substantial men of the commun- 
ity. 

William McElvain, who lived in Wash- 
ington Township, reared a family of seven 
children, the eldest of whom was Mary, 
wife of George Craker. Annis, wife of 
John Porter, and Jane, wife of Joseph 
Glenn, after marriage i-esided in northern 
Michigan; Margaret, wife of William Mc- 
Mahan, resided in Clarion County, Penn- 
sylvania ; Emeline, wife of Alpheus Stein- 
torf, resided in Virginia; Nancy, the only 
daughter now living, is the wife of I. N. 
Meals and resides in AVashington Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania. 

Mr. McElvain, the siibject of this sketch, 
was joined in marriage with Miss Mar- 
garet Glenn, a daughter of James Glenn of 
Clay Township. She was born and reared 
in tills township. Three children are their 
offspring: Alice, who is the wife of Rev. 
J. P. Stoops, a Presbyterian minister of 
West Liberty, AVest Virginia, ■ by whom 
she has three children — Lowery M., Pot- 
ter and Nelson ; Rella, who is the wife of 
S. J. Christley of Chicago, Illinois, and has 
three children — Paul, Zoe and Lloyd; and 
Angeline, who lives at home. 



days lauded at Boston, Massachusetts. He 
immediately after went west to Buffalo, 
New York, where he worked for one year, 
then moved to Venango County, Penna. 
There he was engaged several years in the 
oil fields, but in the spring of 1875 returned 
to England. He spent the summer in his 
native land and in the fall of the same year 
again sailed for America. He came to 
what then was Martinsburg, now Bruin, in 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he has 
since lived and met with deserved business 
success. He takes a deep interest in all 
questions relating to the development i of 
the borough and its institutions, being es- 
pecially favorable to measures calculated 
to improve the public school system. 

In July, 1877, Mr. Arnold was united in 
marriage with Miss Susan Zuver, who was 
born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a daughter of George E. Zuver, who 
still lives in that county and has passed 
his eighty-ninth birthday anniversary. Of 
the five children born to them, two survive, 
namely: William P. of Bruin, and Lotta 
Lenore. Religiously, Mr. Arnold and his 
family are members of the Presbyterian 
Church at Bruin, of which he served as 
trustee a number of years. Politically, he 
is a Republican. William P. Arnold niar- 
ried Roxie Rickenbrode and they have one 
cliild, Dorothy Queen. 



WILLIAM ARNOLD, a representative 
citizen and prosperous business man of 
Bruin, Butler County, Penna., has been 
for many years engaged as an oil producer 
and is at the present time one of the direc- 
tors of the First National Bank of that 
borough. He was born in Lincolnshire, 
England, March 9, 1852, and is a son of 
James and Ann (Fisher) Arnold, both na- 
tives of England. 

William Arnold was reared in Lincoln- 
shire imtil his fifteenth year, then went to 
London and lived for nearly three years. 
At the age of eighteen, he took passage at 
Liverpool and after a voyage of fourteen 



HENRY B. STALKER, one of Venango 
Township's representative citizens, resid- 
ing on his valuable farm of seventy-six 
acres, which lies two miles west of the 
borough of Eau Claire, was born October 
28, 1844, in Sugar Creek Township, Venan- 
go County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Samuel and Jane (Blake) Stalker. 

The paternal grand]iarents of Mr. Stalk- 
er were Thomas and Mary (Batton) Stalk- 
er and they had the following children: 
John, who married Elizabeth Moore; Re- 
becca, who married David Eakins, ,of 
Venango County: Samuel, who married 
Jane Blake; Rachel, who married Nelson 



1196 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



McAIister; James, who married Sarah 
Cunningham; Margaret, who married 
John Ray; William, who married Mar- 
garet AVhitmer; Thomas, who married 
Anna Ray ; and two who are now deceased. 

The children of Samuel Stalker and wife 
were: Rachel, who married Jackson Mit- 
chell; Mary Ann, who was accidentally 
drowned in French Creek; Jane and 
Thomas, both of whom are now deceased; 
William W., who married Mary Rodgers; 
Elizabeth, who married Joseph Alexander; 
Ruth, who married Martin O 'Conner; 
H^ry B. ; Katherine, who married Will- 
iam kellerman; John T., who married 
Louisa Blair; Emma, who ma>rried John 
Bovard; Martha and Thomas, both of 
whom are deceased; and James F., who 
married Ellen Sloan. 

Henry B. Stalker obtained his education 
in the Cross-roads school-house in Sugar 
Creek Township, after which he assisted 
his father in operating the home farm for 
a time and then went into business for him- 
self, purchasing a team and operating a 
huckster wagon at Parker's Landing. For 
several years after his marriage he rented 
a farm in Venango Township, later moved 
to a second farm but decided to return to 
the "first one and subsequently bought sev- 
enty-six acres, a part of which is still in 
timber. Probably this land is underlaid 
with coal but he has no opened bank, al- 
though both gas and oil are adding to his 
income, he having one gas well and six pro- 
ducing oil wells. He put up all the farm 
buildings, these being comfortable and sub- 
stantial. 

Mr. Stalker was married to Miss Sarah 
M. Williams, who died Jx;ly 30, 1908. She 
was a most estimable woman, a devoted 
wife and mother and a good and kind 
neighbor. To Mr. and Mrs. Stalker were 
born the following children: Wilbert N., 
who married Henrietta, a daughter of 
Amos Seaton; Samuel M., who married 
Eva, a daughter of James G. Hoffman; 
John C, who married Miriam, a daughter 



of Robert Wilson ; Arminta J., who is now 
deceased; William H., who married Alice 
Adams; James W., who resides at home; 
Maude, who married Earl McCall, and 
Mabel T., who remains with her father. 
Mr. Stalker and family are prominent 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Eau Claire borough in which he 
has been a class leader for twenty-eight 
years and also a trustee for a long period. 
Mr. Stalker has interests aside from those 
mentioned, having been agent for the 
George W. Clark Company, of Jackson- 
ville, Florida, for six years, and for the 
Monumental Bronze Company, for fifteen 
years. He is considered a man of excep- 
tionally good business qualifications. 

In politics, Mr. Stalker is identified with 
the Democratic party, but he is not a seek- 
er for political honors. He is a member 
of the K. 0. T. M. and is past commander 
of the lodge at Eau Claire. 

MATTHEW GRAHAM, one of Cran- 
berry Township's most esteemed citizens, 
was born February 25, 1837, in Cranl)erry 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and has spent his whole life in this town- 
ship and for the past seventeen years has 
resided on his present farm which contains 
sixty-two acres of excellent land. His 
parents were Freeman and Elizabeth 
(Shearer) Graham. 

The grandparents of Mr. Graham were 
pioneer settlers in Butler County. On the 
paternal side, Grandfather Matthew Gra- 
ham, with hife brother William, came to 
Butler County as a pioneer and together 
they took up large tracts of Government 
land, Matthew settling in Cranberry Town- 
ship. He died November 3, 1858, aged 
seventy-seven years; his wife, Mary, died 
June 10, 1866, aged eighty-two years. On 
the homestead there. Freeman Graham was 
born in 1809. He followed farming and 
milling. He was the eldest of his parents' 
children, the others being as follows: 
James, who married Elizabeth Oakley, is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1197 



survived by his widow, who lives in Cran- 
berry Township. Matthew, who married 
Esther Dillon, lived on the old homestead 
and both he and his wife died there. Thom- 
as, who is now deceased, never married. 
Samuel, who married Matilda Duncan, is 
survived by his widow. Ann, who married 
John Kelley, is deceased. Mary, who mar- 
ried Samuel Love, died in California; he 
died in Pittsburg. Hattie, who married 
John Vandervorst, died in Cranberry 
Township as did also her husband. 

Freeman Graham was twice married. By 
his first wife, whose maiden name was 
Elizabeth Shearer, and who was the moth- 
er of the subject of this sketch, he had 
four sons and two daughters, of whom one 
son and one daughter still survive. His 
second wife was in maidenhood Maria 
Pierce, of which union there were three 
sons and three daughters. Of this latter 
family two of each sex are now living. The 
eldest of the sons by the second wife was 
Austin, who married 'Manda Pierce; they 
had one daughter, Lottie, now deceased, 
who was the wife of Graham Dunlap; she 
left one daughter, Hulda, who is married 
to George Beam. They have a daughter 
living. Of the rest of the family, James 
is living in California; Ella is the wife of 
Charles Teezle and they have three sons 
and a daughter; Edward is deceased. 

Matthew Graham, subject of this sketch, 
was married first to Mary Ann Emerick, 
who was a daughter of Samuel Emerick, 
and to this union were born five sons and 
three daughters, the survivors being as fol- 
lows: Leslie, married Maggie Barr, and 
they have four children and live in Ohio. 
Elmer, residing at Allegheny, married Isa- 
bella Barto. Alvie, who resides at New 
Brighton, married Rose Barr and they 
have three children. Eva, now deceased, 
who was the wife of William Hartzell, had 
one child, also deceased. Wilda, who mar- 
ried Wallie Forsythe, of Mars, has three 
children. Mamie, who is the wife of Frank 
Groom, car inspector at Conway yards, in 



Beaver County, has three children. Mr. 
Graham was married (second) December 
28, 1886, to Mrs. Alice J. Dalzell, a widow, 
and a daughter of William and Mary (Van 
Normar) Dodds, former residents of 
Prospect. By her first marriage Mrs. Gra- 
ham had six children, four of whom sur- 
vive — William A., Margaret A., Charles 
A. and John T. Mrs. Graham has spent 
the greater part of her life in Butler 
County and owns a farm in Cranberry 
Township. Both Mr. and Mrs. Graham are 
meml>ers of the Presbyterian Church at 
Zelienople, in which he is an elder. In his 
political views he is a Republican, but has 
never consented to accept any public office. 
The present comfortable farm residence 
was built in 1892. 

W. W. LUTON, of Fairview Township, 
is the owner of valuable half-interests in 
oil properties in this township. He was 
born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, 
February 22, 1857, son of W. M. and Sarah 
(Flemming) Luton, both his parents being 
natives and life-long residents of that 
county, where they died, both at the age 
of sixty-five years. They had a large fam- 
ily numbering eleven children, whose 
names were respectively as follows : M. E., 
George, Susannah, deceased, Taylor, Mary, 
Sarah Ann, W. W., Nelson, David, Cora, 
and Etta. 

The subject of this sketch, W. W. Luton, 
resided in Venango County until about 
seventeen years old, acquiring his educa- 
tion in the district schools. He then came 
to Fairview Township, Butler County, and 
found occupation in the oil fields as labor- 
er. He has since remained in the oil busi- 
ness and is now known as a siiccessful pro- 
ducer.. His residence in the township has 
covered a period of thirty years and he is 
regarded as one of its substantial citizens. 

On June 12, 1877, in Armstrong County, 
Mr. Luton was united in marriage with 
Sadie I. Foster, a daughter of Christopher 
A. and Isabelle (Morrison) Foster. Her 



1198 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



parents bad seven other daughters, name- 
ly: Keziah Jane, Phebe, Margaret Eliza- 
beth, Sarah Isabel, Nancy Ann, Mary, and 
Alice. Mr. Luton's family was completed 
by the birth of three children — Jennie B., 
Thomas, and Robert. Jennie B. became 
the wife of L. J. Sanderson and resides at 
Franklin, Pennsylvania. She has three 
children — Engene, Ardell, and Sarah 
Irene. Mr. Luton's two sons reside at 
home. The family are members of the 
Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Luton be- 
longs fraternally to the K. 0. T. M., at 
Petrolia. 

WILLIAM THOMAS McDONALD, 
president of the Eau Claire Telephone 
Company and a well known citizen of Eau 
Claire, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is 
also proprietor of a barber shop in that 
borough. He was born in Cameron Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, March 2, 1857, and is a 
son of Daniel and Rachel (McCoy) Mc- 
Donald, and a grandson of William Mc- 
Donald. 

William McDonald, the grandfather, 
was a native of Canada, in which country 
he passed all his days. He and his wife 
were parents of four children — Alexander, 
Duncan, Sandy, and Daniel. The last 
named was married to Rachel McCoy, a 
daughter of Thomas J. McCoy of Grove 
City, Mercer County, Penna., and they had 
two sons — William Thomas, whose name 
heads this sketch, and John Donald, who 
married Katherine Harbaugh. 

William Thomas McDonald first at- 
tended school in Harrisville, Butler 
County, then the old McCoy school in 
Pine Township, Mercer County, the Blair 
school south of Eau Claire in Venango 
Township, and finally the public schools 
in the borough of Eau Claire. He engaged 
in agricultural pursuits for a period of 
twenty years, and then engaged in team- 
ing during the oil excitement at Sample 
and Wildwood. He later worked as line- 
man for the Western Union Telegraph 



Company for a time, after which he re- 
turned to Butler County and purchased a 
one-fourth interest in a saw-mill. At the 
inception of the Eau Claire Telephone 
Company, he entered its employ and 
worked for some time as lineman during 
the days, spending his evenings working 
at the trade of a barber. He gave up out- 
side work when he was made president of 
the company, but still maintains the bar- 
ber shop in Eau Claire. He is one of the 
stockholders as well as an officer of the 
Telephone Company, and is esteemed a 
business man of high standing. He is a 
Republican in politics, and served as in- 
spector of election in the borough one 
term, and two terms in Venango Town- 
ship. 

Fraternally, Mr. McDonald is a prom- 
inent member of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows at Hilliard, the Knights of 
the Maccabees at Eau Claire, and Wood- 
men of the World of Eau Claire, being 
council commander of the last named. 

WILLIAM J. ATWELL, prosperous 
farmer and oil producer of Marion Town- 
ship, Butler County, Penna., comes of an 
old and respected family of this vicinity. 
He was born in the old log house on his 
father's farm, June 20, 1850, and is a son 
of Robert and Elizabeth (Byers) Atwell, 
and a grandson of Robert Atwell, Sr. 

Robert Atwell, Sr., grandfather of the 
subject of this record, was born and 
reared in Ireland. He was there married 
to a Miss Dickson, who died early in life, 
leaving one son, Dickson. He formed a 
second union with Margaret Russell and 
they had the following children: Nellie, 
wife of William Brannon; George; Will- 
iam; John; James; Robert, Jr.; and 
Mary, wife of Alexander Watt. All are 
now deceased. Shortly after his second 
marriage, Robert Atwell, Sr., and his wife 
came to the United States, and first lo- 
cated on what is now known as the Perry 
farm in Venango County, Pennsylvania. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1201 



He then came on to Butler County, where 
he acquired title to 100 acres of heavily 
timbered laud in Marion Township. He 
cleared a portion of the land and there 
passed the remainder of his days, being- 
survived some years by his widow who 
reached an advanced age. 

Robert Atwell, Jr., was born in 1816, 
probably in Venango County, and was 
very young at the time his parents settled 
in Marion Township. He helped clear the 
home farm and lived with his parents un- 
til his marriage. He then came into pos- 
session of a part of the home farm, on 
which be erected a log house and set up 
housekeeping. He later purchased sev- 
enty-five acres in Venango County, but 
continued to reside in Butler County. He 
married Elizabeth Byers, a daughter of 
Samuel Byers of Venango County, and 
they had the following children: Angeline, 
wife of James M. Henderson; Hannah, 
who died at the age of eleven years ; Mary 
Jane, deceased wife of John Cochran; 
William James; Elethe, deceased wife of 
M. Wilson; Margaret, wife of Jacob 
Deibel; Elizabeth, wife of Dr. W. W. Mc- 
Connell ; and Harriet, wife of James Van- 
derhn. Mrs. Atwell died March 4, 1899, 
at the age of seventy-seven years, and was 
survived by her husband less than two 
months, his death occurring May 1, 1899, 
at the age of eighty-three years. 

W^illiam J. Atwell was born in the old 
log house erected by his father, and was 
about two years old when the frame house 
was put up. He attended the common 
schools, and being the only son in the fam- 
ily mucli of the farm work fell upon his 
young shoulders. He lived with his par- 
ents until his marriage, then began farm- 
ing for himself. He now has eighty acres 
of his father's farm in Marion Township, 
and another tract of fifty acres located in 
Clinton Township, Venango County. The 
latter is rich with oil, and he also has one 
producing well on his home property. In 
1883, lie built a comfortable home on his 



farm, in which he has since lived. He is 
one of the township's most substantial 
and public-spirited men, and has a host of 
acquaintances throughout this section of 
the country. 

Mr. Atwell was married November 10, 
1875, to Miss Rose Wilson, a daughter of 
Richard and Elizabeth (Sloan) Wilson, 
early settlers of Venango Township, But- 
ler County, and they have six children: 
Cora, wife of John S. Cowan of McKees- 
port, Pennsylvania, by whom she has four 
children — Gladys, Nellie, Edith and John; 
Pearl, who is the wife of Clyde Irwin and 
has a son. Forest ; Marcia, wife of Clinton 
Irwin of Clinton Township, Venango 
County; Mary, who is wife of James Mc- 
Kinley and has a son, Clifford ; Burton, 
who conducts the home farm; and Keith. 
The daughters, prior to their marriages, 
were teachers in the public schools and 
were educated at Slippery Rock and Grove 
City colleges. Religiously, the family be- 
longs to the United Presbyterian Church, 
of which Mr. Atwell is a deacon. 

JOHN C. TWADDLE, one of the sub- 
stantial business men and well known eiti- 
zeus of Bruin, Pennsylvania, is a success- 
ful oil producer and is a director of the 
First National Bank of that borough. He 
was born in Parker Township, Butler 
County, April 20, 1876, and is a son of 
James and Sarah (Sylvus) Twaddle. His 
father was born near the city of Pittsburg, 
and his mother near Saltburg, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

James Twaddle, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was resident at Parker's Land- 
ing prior to locating in Parker Township, 
Butler County, where he spent the most of 
his mature life. His death occurred in 
this township, December 14, 1907. He was 
a progressive citizen and was closely identi- 
fied with the development of the community 
and its institutions. He was a Republican 
in politics, and served some years as a 
school director. He saw active service in 



1202 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the Union Army during the Civil War and 
participated in numerous hard-fought en- 
gagements. He afterward became a mem- 
ber of the Grand Army of the Republic. 
Religiously, he was a member of tlie Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church of Bruin. His 
widow belongs to the Presbyterian Church. 
She is a lady of the highest Christian char- 
acter and is now living at Bruin, at the 
age of sixty-five years, surrounded by 
many close friends of long years' acquaint- 
anceship. Of the children born to her and 
her husband, the following survive: Mar- 
garet, wife of S. R. Walker of Parker 
Township; Samuel A. of Chicora, Penn- 
sylvania; James E. of Oklahoma; John C. ; 
Delia J., an instructor in music in Bruin 
and vicinity ; and Elizabeth B., wife of John 
S. Walker of Bruin. 

John C. Twaddle was reared on the farm 
in Parker Township, and received a supe- 
rior educational training in the public 
schools. In early manhood he began work 
in the oil fields and this has been his prin- 
cipal field of operation since ; he has been a 
producer since 1904. He was one of the 
promoters of the First National Bank of 
Bruin, of which he is a director, and was 
one of the building committee which super- 
vised the construction of the bank building. 

June 9, 1898, Mr. Twaddle was united in 
marriage with Miss Anna May Odenweller 
of Bruin, and they reside in a comfortable 
home in that borough. He is a Republican 
in politics, and, fraternally a member of 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 

ARCHIBALD THOMAS JAMISON 
has a fine home about two miles northeast 
of Murrinsville, in Venango Township, 
Butler County, Penna., and sixty acres of 
land, but does not engage in farming. He 
has been identified with the oil fields off 
and on for many years and is now engaged 
in drilling in connection with Jacob Sheas- 
ley of Franklin. He was born in Venango 
Township, January 10. 1870, and is a son 



of George W. Jamison, and a grandson 
of Archibald Jamison. 

Archibald Jamison, the grandfather, 
was married to Elizabeth Patterson, a 
daughter of John Patterson, and they had 
the following otf spring: Elizabeth, de- 
ceased; Matilda, wife of Henry Kelly; 
Margaret, wife of Washington Johnston; 
Eliza, wife of John Hilliard; John M., 
who married Margaret Kelly ; James, who 
married Hulda Tawnyhill ; and George W. 

George W. Jamison was first united in 
marriage with Harriet Kelly, a daughter 
of Michael Kelly, and to them were born: 
Margaret, wife of John Bell; Melinda, 
wife of Elmer Delancy; and Archibald 
Thomas. He was married, secondly, to 
Elizabeth Brandon, a daughter of William 
Brandon of Venango Township. 

Archibald T. Jamison attended the Rock 
school house in Venango Township, and 
assisted his father in the work upon the 
farm. He then went to work as a tool 
dresser in the oil fields about Murrins- 
ville, and from there to drilling in the oil 
fields of Washington County, Ohio. After 
his marriage there in 1896, he moved to 
Forest County, Pennsylvania, where he 
was for a time connected with a saw mill. 
He was subsequently located at New Mar- 
tinsville, West Virginia, Marietta, Ohio, 
and Cameron, W^est Virginia, before re- 
turning to the old home in Venango Town- 
ship. Upon the death of his father, March 
28, 1905, he purchased the home farm of 
sixty acres, on which he has since lived. 
All of the buildings were erected by his 
father but the house, which our subject 
built. He was for one year engaged in 
butchering at West Sunbury and then sold 
out, but his wife is still the owner of a 
house and lot in that borough. For the 
past five years he has worked at drilling 
with Jacob Sheasley. 

August 19, 1896, Mr. Jamison was 
joined in marriage with Miss Martha 
Garuei-, a daughter of John Garner of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1203 



Mercer County, and five children were 
born to them: Charles Thomas, who died 
at the age of six months; Harriet Ann; 
Marguerite Viola ; Ula Bessie ; and Ralph 
Edward. Religiously, he and his wife are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at West Sunbury. He is a Demo- 
crat in politics and served one term as 
road superintendent. Fraternally, he is 
a member of West Sunbury Lodge No. 
1154. I. 0. 0. F. 

WILLIAM H. RAMSEY, a representa- 
tive citizen of Jackson Township, where 
he owns a valuable farm of sixty acres, 
belongs to a family that has been estab- 
lished in Butler County for more than 100 
years. Mr. Ramsey was born in Jackson 
Townshi]:*, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
March 25, 1845, and is a son of James and 
Annie (Covert) Ramsey. 

Alexander Ramsey, the grandfather of 
William H., came to Pennsylvania from 
County Down, Ireland, in early manhood. 
He married Grace Smith, who was born 
in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and sub- 
sequently acquired 400 acres of land in 
Butler County. He built his first house 
on the site of Emanuel Cashner's resi- 
dence, in Cranberry Township. Both he 
and wife died on their farm, on which they 
had reared a large family, many of whom 
have descendants all through this portion 
of the State. The children of Alexander 
and Grace Ramsey were: Jaincs. father 
of William H. ; John, who lived and died 
on the home farm, and married Sarah 
Covert; Alexander, who married Sarah 
McGeorge and reared a large family, died 
on an adjoining farm; Anthony, a farmer, 
who married Eliza McGeorge; Mary, who 
married Isaac Young, died in Jackson 
Township; and Hannah, who died near 
Butler, married John Robinson. 

James Ramsey was born in Cranberry 
Township, Butler County, in 1805 and 
died in 18(59. He married Annie Covert, 
a daughter of Morris Covert, who came 



to Jackson Township about the time the 
Ramseys settled here. James Ramsey 
owned 150 acres of land which he culti- 
vated and imjaroved, erecting the com- 
fortable farm-house in 1844. His widow 
survived until 1890. Their surviving chil- 
dren are: William H. ; Alexander, who 
resides on an adjoining farm, married 
Sophia Powel ; and Nancy and Lizzie, who 
reside at Beaver Falls. One brother of 
the above, James Ramsey, is deceased; 
and a sister, Mary Ann. The latter was 
married (first) to Henry Honoddle, who 
was killed in the army during the Civil 
War, and (second) to Isaac Coble, of 
Whitestown. 

William H. Ramsey was educated in the 
district schools and has devoted his life to 
agricultural pursTiits. His land has proved 
to be rich in oil as well as adapted to agri- 
culture, and at in-esciit there are five pro- 
ducing wells on his farm. He has con- 
tinued the improving which was com- 
menced by his father, and in 1871 he put 
up the sulDstantial barn. 

Mr. W. H. Ramsey married Miss Nancy 
Conldiiie, who is a daughter of the late 
Lawreiirc ('(inkliue, of IJutler County, and 
they liave had tive children, namely: Vivie, 
residing near Callery, is the wife of Miles 
Cashdollar; Kittie, who married Vance 
Cashdollar, residing on the old Cashdollar 
farm; Nettie and Chloe, both residing at 
home with their, parents; and a son, de- 
ceased. W. H. Ramsey's family are mem- 
bers of the Free Methodist Church, but he, 
like his parents, has membership in the 
United Presbyterian. In his political 
views he is a stanch Democrat. For many 
years the Ramseys have been among the 
most important people in Jackson Town- 
ship. 

THE STANDARD COAL MINING 
COMPANY, located on the Hilliard 
branch of the Bessemer Railroad, in 
Washington Township, Butler County, 
Penna., is owned and operated by Harry 



1204 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



and Fred J. Hamilton. The mine had 
been in operation prior to 1899, but was 
abandoned; in that year, the Hamilton 
brothers re-opened it and it has been in 
full operation since. They have about 230 
acres of land under lease, employ a force 
of 100 men, and mine from 250 to 300 tons 
per working day, of nine hours. The com- 
pany is in a very prosjierous condition. 

THE MUTUAL COAL MINING COM- 
PANY, operating what is known as the 
Eoyle Coal Mine, is owned and controlled 
by Harry 'and Fred J. Hamilton, men of 
long experience in the mining business. 
This mine, which had been opened by 
Royle Brothers of Hilliard, in 1903, was 
taken over in 1905 by a partnership firm, 
consisting of H. S. Miller, Fred Eowe, and 
Harry and Fred J. Hamilton. A stock 
company was organized with a capital 
stock of $30,000, and was given the name 
of the Mutual Coal Company, it being now 
owned by the two Hamiltons, who pui-- 
chased the interests of their partners. 
The business of this concern has thrived 
through judicious management and the ex- 
cellence of its product, and their present 
output of about 300 tons per day will soon 
be enlarged to about 500 tons. The mining 
is done by the compressed air process, and 
employment is given to a force of ninety 
men. This company is operating at Ar- 
gentine, in Washington Township, and 
has shipping facilities through the Hilliard 
branch of the Bessemer Railroad. 

ALBEET W. SMITH, a prosperous 
agriculturist, of West Liberty Borough, 
Brady Township, Butler County, Penna., 
was born on his father's present farm of 
133 acres, June 16, 1868, son of John B. 
and Catherine (Croll) Smith. He is a 
gi'eat-grandson of Elisha Smith, who was 
born and reared in New Jersey and who 
was a ship carpenter by trade. Elisha 
married Eebecca Bowen, August 17, 1778, 



and among their children were Enoch, 
Ruth, Anne, Daniel, and Dan. Daniel died 
in infancy. Dan, who came from New Jer- 
sey to Butler County with the rest of the 
family in 1807, married Eebecca Boston. 
They had eleven children, namely: Eliza- 
beth, Hannah, Eebecca A., Ruth, Alzira, 
Kate, Sarah, Margaret, John B., Emaline 
and Mary. 

John B. Smith, son of Dan and father 
of the subject of this sketch, married 
Catherine S. Croll and is now a prominent 
farmer in West Liberty Borough, Brady 
Township. He and his wife were the par- 
ents of four children — Mary, deceased; 
Albert W., whose name appears at the 
head of this article; Annie L., wife of 
Thomas A. Hines; and Clara L., wife of 
W. L. Morrow. 

Albert W. Smith received a thorough 
training in agricultural work and is in 
every respect a practical farmer, intelli- 
gent and progressive. He lives in a tine 
brick residence, on his father's farm. The 
farm when first settled was in what was 
then Slippery Rock Township, the first 
settler thereon being Enoch Smith, son of 
Elisha Smith above mentioned, who occu- 
pied the place as early as 1805. Coming 
to the locality in 1805 he stayed here one 
year, then went back to his home in Deer- 
field, N. J. He returned with his sister 
Ruth in the spring of 1806 and stayed here 
until the fall. They then returned to New 
Jersey, but in 1807 they came back to this 
locality and took up their residence on 
this farm with the other members of the 
family. 

Albert W. Smith was married, May 21, 
1890, to Mary E. McConnell, daughter of 
John and Elizabeth (Bennett) McConnell. 
They have seven children, namely: Ella 
L., Elizabeth R., Annie L., John A.. Alton 
D. B., Amy E., and Paul S. Mr. Smith is 
a member of the M. E. church, and frater- 
nally he belongs to the Junior Order of 
United American ^lechanics, Sliiqiery 
Eock, No. 350. 




MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM T. MARTIN 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1207 



REV. JOHN A. KRIBBS, the very com- 
petent superintendent of The Orphans' 
Home and Farm School, at Zelienople, 
Pennsylvania, has given thirty years of 
his life to this institution, which is con- 
ducted under the Board of Managers of 
the Institution of Protestant Deaconesses 
of Pennsylvania. Mr. Kribbs has long 
been a minister of the Evangelical Luth- 
eran Church. He was born in Clarion 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Capt. George and Susanna Kribbs. 

Mr. Kribbs spent his boyhood on his 
father's farm in Clarion County. In 1857 
he became a student in the academy at 
Zelienople, which had been opened by Rev. 
Dr. W. A. Passavant, D. D., and Rev. G. 
Bassler, where he was under the instruc- 
tion of Prof. Josiah Titzel. Following this 
academic training, Mr. Kribbs taught 
school at various j^laces and very accept- 
ably. Ill tile spring of 1862 he returned 
to Clarion ('(luiity and assisted in recruit- 
ing a colli] laiiy for service in the Federal 
army. This company went to the front in 
August, 1862, with John A. Kribbs .as its 
first sergeant and he continued in that 
rank until after the battle of Fredericks- 
burg, in December of that year, when his 
gallantry procured his promotion to the 
first lieutenancy of Company G, One Hun- 
dred Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Infantry, Fifth Army Corps, and in that 
capacity he served until the close of the 
Rebellion and cessation of hostilities. Mr. 
Kribbs commanded this Company the 
greater part of the time and participated 
in all the great battles fought by the Army 
of tlie Potomac, with two exceptions, from 
August, 1862, until the close of the war. 

To name them recalls the historic names 
so familiar at one time in even the most 
secluded sections of our now great and 
united eoimtry: Antietam, Fredericks- 
burg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spott- 
sylvania Court House, North Anna River, 
Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Rail- 
road, Prebles Farm and Hatchers' Run. 



He .was with his company in the wonderful 
review of the tattered but victoriovis 
troops that took place at Washington, 
after the end of the long and cruel war 
and was mustered out of the service on 
June 9, 1865, and returned to his home in 
Clarion County. He had gone out with 
ninety-three men, he came home with 
twenty-eight and all of these twenty-eight 
had been wounded, except five. 

In September of the same year Mr. 
Kribbs became a student in the Lutheran 
Theological Seminary, at Philadelphia, 
where he remained until his graduation in 
June, 1868. In the latter part of the same 
month he took charge of a mission church 
at Kittanning and served that congrega- 
tion for ten years, acceptably and success- 
fully. In April, 1878, he resigned that 
charge and accepted the pastorate of two 
congregations and also the directorship of 
the Orphans' Home, at Zelienople, Pa. 

The Zelienople Orphanage was founded 
at Pittsburg in 1852, and was brought to 
Zelienople in 1854. Since 1878 Mr. Kribbs 
assumed the full directorate and has de- 
voted thirty years of his life to this work 
of mercy. The annual enrollment is from 
seventy-five to ninety orphans and at the 
present writing (1908) there are eighty- 
four children in the Home receiving the 
benefits of Christian care and training. 
In this great beneficent work Mr. Kribbs 
is admirably assisted by his estimable 
wife, to whom he was married in 1872. 
She was formerly Miss Margaret A. Din- 
widdle of Philadelphia, Pa. 

WILLIAM T. MARTIN, retired farmer 
and representative citizen of Penn Town- 
ship, residing on his valuable farms of 120 
acres, on which he has ten i^roducing oil 
wells, was born September 9, 1851, in Con- 
noquonessing Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of James and 
Margaret (Anderson) Martin. 

The father of Mr. Martin was born also 
in Connoquonessing Township, in 1818, and 



1208 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



died in 1892. In 1865 he bought what was 
known as the Wise farm, in Penn Town- 
ship, and there he resided until his death. 
He married Margaret Anderson and they 
had eight children, namely: Alice, wife of 
Samuel Dunbar, of Pittsburg; William T. ; 
Benton, 0., of Allegheny County; Jennie, 
wife of Albert Wible, of Penn Township; 
Margaret, wife of Albert Starr, of Penn 
Township; Robert H., of Allegheny City; 
Agnes, wife of Judsou Klinginsmith, of 
Penn Township; and Frank C, of Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

The grandfather of Mr. Martin was Rob- 
ert Martin, who came with his parents 
from Ireland in 1801 and settled in what 
is now Connoquonessing Township, Butler 
County. He subsequently took part in the 
War of 1812 and was called Captain Martin 
on account of his rank as a member of the 
One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment 
Penna. Militia. He served as a justice of 
the peace for nearly forty years and was 
county auditor and covmty commissioner. 
He died in 1847. In 1808 he married 
Keziah McClure, who died in 1843. 

William T. Martin was twelve years old 
when his parents moved to his present 
fai"m and has continued here ever since 
and until within three years, carried on ex- 
tensive farming and stockraising. His 
land has been found rich in oil and sixteen 
wells have been drilled, ten of these being 
producers at present, as mentioned above. 

Mr. Martin married Elizabeth Anderson, 
who died in 1905, aged forty-five years. 
She was a daughter of James D. Anderson, 
an old settler. Mrs. Martin was a consist- 
ent member of the Middlesex Presbyterian 
Church. She was known and beloved by 
a wide circle. In politics, Mr. Martin is "a 
Democrat but he takes no very active in- 
terest. He has served as justice of the 
peace but has accepted no other public 
office. Since the death of Mrs. Martin he 
has not been actively engaged in farming. 
His winters are spent in travel and he has 



visited many pleasant sections, especially 
through the South. 

JOHN F. MILLER, a well known citi- 
zen of Venango Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, where he owns a valuable 
property of 100 acres, was born on his 
present farm on March 25, 1858. He is a 
son of James E., Jr., and Susanna (Dur- 
nell) Miller, and is a grandson of James E. 
Miller, Sr. 

James E. Miller, Sr., was united in mar- 
riage with Isabelle Cochran, a daughter of 
Thomas Cochran of Mercer County, Penn- 
sylvania, and they reared the following 
family: Robert, who married a Miss 
Gallaway; Jane, who married Lycurgus 
Abel, both now deceased ; William Frank- 
lin, who married Ellen Kirkton of Ohio; 
Isabelle, wife of John Parker of Bellaire, 
Ohio; Thomas, deceased; Elizabeth, de- 
ceased; John, deceased; Eliza, deceased; 
and James E.; Jr. 

James E. Miller, Jr., married Susanna 
Durnell, a daughter of John Durnell of 
Butler County, and they had the following 
offspring : Sarah, wife of T. A. Crawford 
of Grove City, by whom she has two 
daughters — Blanche and Mazie B. ; John 
Franklin, subject of this record; Jaines 
Erskin, who married Margaret Hulings, 
a daughter of Alfred Hulings of Alle- 
gheny Township, and has two daughters 
— Josie and Susan; Elizabeth, who mar- 
ried Harper Eakin of the state of Wash- 
ington, by whom she has three chil- 
dren — Frank, Twilla and Morna ; Ella J., 
who lives at Franklin ; Lulu, wife of C. J. 
Weigand of Trenton, New Jersey, by 
whom she has three sons — James, Robert 
and Charles ; Ida, who is the wife of Will- 
iam Jamison of Foxburg; and Robert H., 
who married Lulu Bovard, a daughter of 
John Bovard, and has a daughter, Miss 
Rachel. 

John Franklin Miller first attended the 
Cherry Valley school in Venango Town- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1209 



ship, and later the school conducted by 
I. C. Kettler in the Scrubgrass Chinch. 
He then assisted his father on the home- 
stead, which is located one and one half 
miles north of Eau Claire, until after his 
marriage when he went to work as a 
pumper in the oil fields. He continued in 
the oil fields for ten years, then worked as 
a huckster for six years, gathering prod- 
uce which he shipped in cars to Pittsburg. 
He was very successful in this work and 
at the end of the time mentioned pur- 
chased thirty acres of the old homestead. 
This he subsequently sold to 0. H. Tebay, 
then bought the remainder of the home- 
stead of his father. He has a rich farm 
of 100 acres, fifty of which is under culti- 
vation. He has nine good producing oil 
and gas wells, and there are two veins of 
coal underlying the land, one of them a 
three-foot vein which was opened some 
years ago but is not now being worked. 
He has a fine grove of Hard Maples which 
produce from seventy-five to 150 gallons 
of maple syrup annually. 

On December 28, 1881, Mr. Miller was 
joined in marriage with Miss Carrie E. 
Jamison, a daughter of George S. Jami- 
son of Venango Township, and they be- 
came parents of the following children: 
Blanche Gertrude, a teacher in the schools 
at Grove City; Clare A., who is also 
teaching school; George Floyd, who is a 
member of the class of 1909 in Eau Claire 
Academy; Lulu Belle; James Erskin; 
and Prank Dewitt. Politically, he is a 
member of the Democratic party, and has 
filled various township offices, among them 
that of school director and auditor. He is 
an elder in the Scrubgrass Presbyterian 
church, of which he has been a member for 
twenty-nine years. He served three terms 
as superintendent of the Sabbath School, 
and his daughter, Miss Gertrude, sings in 
the church choir. 

HENRY W. HENSHAW, a respected 
citizen of Zelienople, Butler County, Penn- 



sylvania, has been a lifelong resident of 
this county, making his home at Prospect, 
prior to locating where he now lives, in 
1898. He is employed at the pattern filing 
trade and is a very successful business 
man. Mr. Henshaw was born in Prospect, 
August 19, 1855, and is a son of Joseph 
and Susanna (Dunn) Henshaw, and a 
grandson of Jacob Henshaw. 

Jacob Henshaw, the grandfather, came 
from east of the Alleghany Mountains to 
Butler County at a very early period and 
first located at Harmony. He soon after 
moved to Prospect and became the owner 
of a good farm in Franklin Township. He 
died at the home of a son-in-law, George 
Albert, in 1864, at the advanced age of 
eighty-eight years. 

Joseph Henshaw was born in Prospect 
on July 2, 1824, and throughout his entire 
business career followed the business of a 
shoemaker. He was a man of the bright- 
est intellect and enjoyed quite a prestige 
as a mathematician. He compiled a 
mathematical compendium, which is now 
a treasured possession of his son, Henry 
W. His death occurred on January 7, 
1880. He was married to Susan jane 
Dunn, who was born September 28, 1831, 
and died in 1894. They were parents of 
the following children: William Frank- 
lin, whose death occurred in 1895 ; Marcia, 
who died August 24, 1854, while in in- 
fancy ; Henry W. ; Susanna, wife of Sam- 
uel Crawford of Shamokin; Dora, who is 
the wife of Henry Shriber and resides at 
Allegheny; Drusilla, who died in July, 
1892, and was the wife of William L. 
Albert; Charles, who died January 12, 
1862, in childhood; one who died un- 
named ; Jacob, whose death occurred May 
14, 1877; Jefferson, a marble cutter by 
trade, who resides at Prospect; and Jen- 
nie. Religiously, Mrs. Henshaw was a 
member of the Lutheran church. 

Henry W. Henshaw attended the com- 
mon schools at Prospect, and at an early 
age learned the trade of a shoemaker uu- 



1210 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



der his father, in whose shop he worked 
for eight years. He then worked as a 
journeyman shoemaker at different points 
until his marriage. He continued to live 
in Prospect and work at his trade until 
1898, when on November 18, he removed 
to Zelienople. There he continued at his 
trade for about four years, then turned 
his energies to pattern filing. Of a 
mechanical turn of mind, it was with little 
difSculty he mastered this trade, at which 
he has since worked. During the past six 
years he has maintained his residence on 
West Mill Street. 

September 23, 1882, Mr. Henshaw was 
united in marriage with Miss Emma Lutz, 
a daughter of William Lutz, and she died 
April 21, 1884, leaving one daughter. Miss 
Mabel. He formed a second marital union 
on November 18, 1885, with Miss Eva 
Dunn, a daughter of Robert and Mary 
(Covert) Dunn of Fairview, and they have 
two children, Emma and Joseph. Emma 
Henshaw married Clyde Ramsey of Evans 
City, who is a son of Samuel Ramsey. 
Fraternally, the subject of this sketch is 
a member of Rustic Lodge No. 882, I. 0. 
O. F., at Prospect ; and Modern Woodmen 
at Zelienople. Politically, he is a Demo- 
crat. In rehgious attachment he and his 
wife are members of the Zelienople Pres- 
byterian Church. 

HON. WILLIAM M. KENNEDY, for- 
merly mayor of the city of Butler, and 
for inany years one of its foremost men, 
was born January 1, 1858, in Summit 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of John D and Jean N. ( Max- 
well) Kennedy. 

The Kennedy family was established in 
Butler County by the great-grandfather of 
William M., who came from the North of 
Ireland to the United States. James Ken- 
nedy, the grandfather, was born in Butler 
County, and his son, John D., father of 
William M., was born in Clearfield Town- 
ship, Butler County, in 1K20 and died in 



1902. He served four years in the Civil 
War and for ten months was conlined in 
AnSersonville and Libby Prisons, where 
he contracted scurvy and from this dis- 
ease he was a sufferer until the end of his 
life. He was a member of the One Hun- 
dred Third Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and he participated in 
twenty-seven battles. On all these fields 
he faced danger with courage and escaped 
injury, only to fall a victim to cruelty that 
amounted to inhumanity. He married 
Jean N. Maxwell, who was born in Sum- 
mit Township, Butler County, during the 
time her father, Abraham Maxwell, was 
serving as sheriff. 

William M. Kennedy was educated in 
the public schools and at AVitherspoon In- 
stitute, after which he became interested 
in horses and for years was an extensive 
dealer. He has also been* connected with 
the oil industry. He has always been an 
active citizen and has taken part in poli- 
tics, and in 1903 he was elected mayor of 
Butler. He served for three years in this 
ofSce and it was during this period that 
the great typhoid fever epidemic visited 
this city. In that time of dread, danger 
and sorrow, he proved himself a man of 
resource and handled the situation and 
met the grave responsibilities in a way 
that endeared him to his fellow citizens 
and cemented their confidence. 

Mr. Kennedy was mariied on August 29, 
1888, to Miss Elmira P. Hays, a daughter 
of Edward W. Hays, who in pioneer days 
ran a stage from Washington to Erie and 
at one time had in commission as many as 
800 horses. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have 
three children, Jean, Belle and John. Mr. 
Kennedy is affiliated with the Knights of 
Pvtliias, the Eagles and the Woodmen of 
tlie World. 

ROBERT MORRIS WADE is a pros- 
perous farmer of Venango Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and is the owner 
of a fine farm of 100 acres, located one 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1211 



and a quarter miles south of the borough 
of Eau Claire. He was born in Washing- 
ton Township, Butler County, January 21, 
1860, and is a son of Isaac, Jr., and Mary 
(Hannah) Wade, and a grandson of Isaac 
Wade. 

Isaac Wade, Jr., was a soldier in the 
Union Army and lost his life during the 
Civil War. He married Mary Hannah, a 
daughter of Eobert Hannah of Washing- 
ton Township, and the following children 
were born to them: Elizabeth, who had 
six children as a result of her union with 
Lewis Korona — Manuel, Mary, Elizabeth, 
Annie, Louisa and Lewis; Robert M., sub- 
ject of this sketch; Isaac H., deceased; and 
one who died in infancy. After the death 
of Lewis Korona, Elizabeth Wade Korona 
married John Hein. The mother of this 
family, after the demise of Isaac Wade, 
formed a union with Eobert Wade, 
brother of lier lirst husband, and they 
had three chiklren — Mifflin, Clarinda and 
Isaac. 

Eobert Morris Wade first attended 
school at Annisville, in his native town- 
ship, and assisted in the work upon the 
farm. He later worked at lumbering in 
the woods about Bear Lake, Michigan, for 
some time, but finally returned to Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. Here he purchased 
a farm of sixty-six acres of the Sloan 
heirs in Venango Township, which he 
owned for a time and then sold to the 
Lake Trade Coal Company. He next pur- 
chased the one hundred acre tract on 
which he now lives from M. J. Kuhn of 
Grove City, the latter having obtained it 
fi'om Jacob Frantz. Mr. Wade has made 
most of the improvements on the place, 
and built all of the buildings. He has 
eighty acres in tillable shape and about 
twenty acres of timberland. 

January 10, 1882, Eobert M. Wade was 
married to Louise Sloan, a daughter of 
Samuel Sloan, and they became parents of 
the following children: ]\liiinic, wlio mar- 
ried Eobert Wood, a son of James Wood 



of Hilliai-d, and has a daughter, Gladys; 
Harry; John; Philip; Alonzo; Finley; 
Curtis; and Thomas. Eeligiously, they 
are attendants at the Methodist Episcopal 
CQurch of Eau Claire. Mr. W'ade is a 
Eepublican in politics, and was elected 
road supervisor and school director, but 
declined to serve. Fraternally, he is a 
member of Lawrenceburg Lodge, No. 782, 
I. 0. 0. F., at Parkers Landing, and 
served as representative at the grand 
lodge at Scranton. 

ELLSWOETH MILLEE, president of 
the Butler city council, is head bookkeeper 
of the W. S. Wick Lumber Company and 
is one of Butler's best known citizens. He 
was born in 1862, in Center Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania. His father, 
Samuel Miller, was born in Butler County 
in 1820, and was a son of Michael Miller, 
who was one of the early settlers of the 
county. 

Although both his grandfather and 
father were agriculturists, and he was 
reared on a farm, Ellsworth Miller chose 
another calling. After completing his 
education in the public schools and at 
West Sunbury Academy he learned teleg- 
raphy and went into railroad work and 
for three years was agent at Jamisonville, 
Pennsylvania, and relief agent for the 
road which was then the Pittsburg, She- 
nango & Lake Erie Eailroad. He was 
then promoted to the position of freight 
agent for the Bessemer & Lake Erie Eail- 
road Company at Butler, Pennsylvania, 
and was also paymaster during the con- 
struction of the line from Butler to North 
Bessemer, Pennsylvania. He remained 
with the Bessemer & Lake Erie at Butler 
for sixteen years. He then accepted the 
position he now fills with the W. S. Wick 
Lumber Company. He has been a resi- 
dent of Butler for twenty years and has 
taken an active interest in local affairs. 
He was chosen a member of the city coun- 
cil on account of his eminent fitness for 



1212 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the position and is serving in his third 
term and is president of this important 
body. Mr. Miller's business judgment has 
been of great value to his fellow citizens 
and they very generally recognize the fact. 
In 1888, Mr. Miller was married to Miss 
Amy Frances Wick, of Oil City, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they have four children : Mary 
Florence, who is a teacher in the public 
schools; and Pauline Frances, Clinton 
Roddick, and Milton Ellsworth. Mr. 
Miller and family belong to Grace Luth- 
eran Church. He is a member of the 
Protected Home Circle, and the Woodmen 
of the World, being head manager of the 
latter for six years for the states of Ohio, 
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 

W. E. GAMBLE, a well known resident 
of Allegheny Township, Butler County, 
Penna., has oil interests in various parts 
of the country, and has been a producer for 
more than a (piarter of a century. He is 
also engaged in agricultural pursuits in 
this townsliii3, where he has been located 
since 1876. He was born in Franklin coun- 
ty, Penna., March 1, 1856, and is a son of 
James F. and Bethsheba M. (Morrow) 
Gamble, both natives of Franklin County. 
The Gamble family is an old and respected 
one in that county. 

W. E. Gamble was reared to maturity 
in his native community and there re- 
ceived his educational training in the pub- 
lic schools. For more than thirty years 
he has been more or less identified with the 
oil industry, and is one of the pioneers of 
the Allegheny Township oil fields, where 
he has been a producer for more than 
thirty years. He has interests in the Byron 
Center oil fields, and also in the fields of 
Lawrence and Richland Counties in 
Illinois. He has been a school di- 
rector in Allegheny Township for a num-- 
ber of years, and has served as secretary 
of the board. He is independent in poli- 
tics, voting for the man without regard to 
his party affiliations. 



Mr. Gamble was united in marriage with 
Miss Sarah Parton of Mercer County, 
Penna., and five children were born to 
them : Herbert B., of East Liberty, Ohio, 
who married Miss Anna Smith ; Mervin C. 
of Marion, Indiana, who married Pearl 
Manna and has one daughter, Mildred 
May; Major C. of Allegheny Township; 
Paul E., also of Allegheny Township ; and 
Alice, who lives at home with her parents. 
Religiously, Mr. Gamble and his family 
are members of the Allegheny Presbyterian 
Church. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Knights of the Maccabees at Parker. 

JOHN McKAIN, a well known citizen 
and substantial retired farmer of Venango 
Township, Butler County, was born in 
1832, in Ireland, and is a son of Samuel 
and Nancy (Bovard) McKain. 

The parents of Mr. McKain came to 
America with their children and lived first 
at Philadelphia and later came to Wash- 
ington Township, Butler County. They 
had the following children: Sarah, who 
married George Haggarty, of Emlenton, 
Penna.; Jane, who married Joseph Hen- 
derson, of Philadeiphia, had two children, 
Annie and Mary; James, who married 
Emma Richey, daughter of James Richey, 
of Venango County, had seven children — 
Samuel, Jennie, Sarah, Rebecca, John, 
William and Frank; Catherine, who mar- 
ried David McKain, of Washington, 
Penna., had four children — George, Annie, 
Loiiisa and James; and John. 

After his parents established them- 
selves in Philadelphia, John McKain at- 
tended school and then worked in a brick- 
yard there until he accompanied his 
father to Washington Township, Butler 
County. In 1858 he bought a farm of 132 
acres in Venango Township, Butler 
County, and after clearing it he returned 
to Philadelphia, where he conducted a 
brick-yard of his own. He was married 
there in 1861 and then returned to his 
Butler Countv land, on which he has re- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1215 



sided ever since. Mr. McKain has sold 
all of his farm except fifty-two acres, to 
his son Silas. Mr. McKain did all the 
improving- on the land and developed it 
into a valuable property. He was a prom- 
inent citizen in his neighborhood during 
his active years, took a deep interest in 
public matters and on the Democratic 
ticket was elected township auditor and 
school director, serving for three years in 
the former office and for twelve years in 
the latter. He is one of the leading mem- 
bers of the Eau Claire Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, of which he has been trustee 
and steward for thirty years and his seat 
in the sanctuary is seldom vacant, al- 
though he has to drive two miles from his 
farm to the village. 

Mr. McKain was married in August, 
1861, to Miss Ellen Hoffman, a daughter 
of Samuel Hoffman, of Cape May, New 
Jersey, and they have had the following 
children: James, who married Catherine 
Pringle, a daughter of Joseph Pringie, of 
Dubois, Penna. ; John, who married Mar- 
tha Rodgers, has five children — Vala, 
Daniel, Margaret, Joseph and Martha; 
Annie, who married Henry Custard, of 
Rimer sburg. Clarion County, has three 
sons — John, Joseph and George; Samuel, 
who married " Elizabeth Montgomery, 
daughter of Henry Montgomery, has 
seven children — Joseph, Helen, Adeline, 
Mary, Walter, Julia and Silas; Isaiah P., 
who married Mary Sloan, daughter of 
Thomas Sloan, of Venango Township; 
David, who married Dora Melvin, has one 
daughter. Hazel; Sarah, who married 
George Schmuck, of Emlenton, Penna., has 
seven children — Elizabeth A., George C, 
Helen Marie, Pavil Silas, Grace, ]\Iarie 
and an infant; Silas, who married Mar- 
gai'et A. Jones, daughter of John Jones, 
of Birdville, Penna. ; and Joseph, who 
resides at home. 

The coal bank of the McKain Bros. Coal 
Company of Venango Township is situ- 
ated about one and one-half miles north 



of Hilliards. This coal bank was first 
opened by James Higgins, who sold it to 
M. F. Mizner, of Erie, Penna., who sold it 
to the McKain Bros. The mine yields 
under present working about 2,500 bushels 
of coal in a nine-hour day. 

ALFRED ZEIGLER, a representative 
citizen of Mars, Butler County, where he 
is engaged in dealing in hardware and 
roofing, was born in the old residence 
standing on the homestead farm in Jack- 
son Township, this county, not far from 
Evans City, on November 17, 1864, and is 
a son of Abraham M. and Sarah (Mateer) 
Zeigler. 

The Zeigler family of Butler County 
originated in Germany, but it has been 
established in Pennsylvania ever since the 
death of the great-grandfather of the sub- 
ject of the sketch — Jacob Zeigler — who 
came from Zeiglerville, Montgomery Coun- 
ty, Penna., to Butler Coimty and bought a 
large tract of land in the vicinity of Har- 
mony. His three sons inherited this land, 
one of them being David, who was born 
in Butler County and spent his life near 
Harmony. David Zeigler had twelve chil- 
dren, seven of whom died when young. 
The five whose names have been preserved 
were G. M. Zeigler, Abraham M., Henry, 
David, and Elizabeth. The last mentioned 
became the wife of Lewis Sheever. 

Abraham M. Zeigler, father of Alfred, 
was born on the farm at Harmony, and 
spent his entire life in that vicinity. He 
man-ied Sarah Mateer, who was a native 
of Allegheny County, Penna., and who 
still survives. His death occurred Febru- 
ary 2, 1906. The family numbered twelve 
children, namely: Diodoris, Theodore, 
Frank, Alfred, Clark, Grant, David, Ferdi- 
nand, Edward, Russell, Melzena and Yetta. 

Alfred Zeigler spent his boyhood on the 
home farm, attending the public schools 
during the winter season until he was 
eighteen years old, when he taught his first 
term of school. Meeting with success in 



1216 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



this occupation, he subsequently taught 
three terms in Penn Township and Har- 
mony, and finally became principal of the 
Evans City school. For several years fol- 
lowing he was employed in the store of 
George Ift't & Son, at Evans City; then 
for two years and a half he was engaged 
in drilling and dressing tools in the oil 
fields. In the spring of 1891 he came to 
Mars, where he opened a small roofing and 
tin shop. The enterprise proving success- 
ful, he added hardware, and after con- 
ducting the establishment for ten years, 
he found it necessary to secure larger 
quarters, and accordingly moved into his 
own two-story brick block on Main Street, 
which he had erected in 1901. Here he 
carries a complete stock of hardware, 
stoves, builders' supplies, slate roofing, 
and other material in this line. He is also 
president of the Mars Brick and Tile Com- 
pany. His business enterprise, united 
with honest methods, have brought him his 
present prosperity. 

Mr. Zeigier is a Democrat in politics. 
He was one of the original organizers of 
the borough of Mars, was elected presi- 
dent of the first borough council, and sub- 
sequently served as president and treas- 
urer of the school board. He belongs to 
several fraternal organizations at Mars, 
including the Maccabees, the Modern 
Woodmen, and the Knights of Pythias. 
In 1891 Mr. Zeigier married Rose F. 
Crum. a daughter of Amos Crum. They 
have two children — Floyd and Lucille. 

WILLIAM T. FREEHLING, a member 
of the well known firm of Krause & Freeh- 
ling, general merchants and lumber deal- 
ers of Marwood, Wiufield Township, was 
born August 17, 1866, son of John G. and 
Anna (Miller) Freehling. His parental 
grandfather Henry Freehling, was born in 
Germany and came to this coimtry at an 
early date, being one of the first settlers 
in Butler County, Pennsylvania. 

The subject of this sketch was educated 



in the common schools of Butler County, 
and in the year 1887 he began industrial 
life as a clerk in the general store of Louis 
Weidhos, remaining there until November, 
1896. He and his father-in-law, Robert 
Krause, then purchased the entire busi- 
ness and goodwill and have since con- 
ducted the store under the firm name of 
Krause & Freehling. They have a large 
and varied stock of hardware, furniture, 
wagons, buggies, farming implements, 
lumber, brick, lime, cement, plaster, sewer 
pipe, etc., and they have a large trade 
among the farmers and other residents of 
this section, having gained a reputation 
for fair and straightforward dealing that 
has done much to increase their business. 

Mr. Freehling was married, in 1893, to 
Anna E. Krause, a daughter of Robert 
and Maria (Camphire) Krause, and into 
their household have been born four chil- 
dren, Bessie M., R. LeRoy, Florence I., 
and J. Roland, all of whom promise to be 
worthy and useful members of society. 

Mr. Freehling is a member of Saxonia 
Lodge, No. 496, I. 0. 0. F., and religiously 
a member of the English Lutheran Church. 

LEONARD FREDERICK WICK, whose 

valua))h^ farm of ninety acres is situated 
in Coniio(]nenessing Townsliip, is a repre- 
sentative citizen of this section and one of 
the successful agriculturists. He was born 
December 16, 1851, in Donegal Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Conrad and Sophia (Hetzel) Wick. 

The father of Mr. Wick was born in 
Germany and was brought to America by 
his parents who settled first at Harmony 
and then moved into Donegal Township. 
He was a stone-mason by trade and he 
also engaged in farming, owning a large 
property. He was married three times, 
his last wife being Sophia Hetzel. Her 
father was born in Germany. To this 
marriage five children were born, namely: 
Elizabeth, deceased, who was the wife of 
John Cress; Leonard F. ; Adam, who 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1217 



lives in Conuoquenessing Township; Ja- 
cob, who died in Missouri; and Mollie, 
who is the wife of Hartman Endress, of 
New Brighton. Conrad Wick and wife 
were members of the Lutheran Church. 
In 1870 they settled on the farm in Con- 
uoquenessing Township, a part of which 
their son Leonard F. now owns. 

Leonard F. Wick was nineteen years old 
when he accompanied his parents to Con- 
uoquenessing Township and he has re- 
sided here ever since. He owns ninety 
acres of the original farm and cultivates 
seventy acres, raising corn, oats, wheat, 
hay, potatoes and buckwheat. He keeps 
first class livestock, has ten head of cattle 
and the same number of hogs. In the 
early winter seasons he does considerable 
l)utchering for his neighbors. In politics, 
Mr. Wick is a Republican but he is not 
enough interested to be willing to take on 
himself the cares ol' any (illirc. 

Mr. Wick married Miss Kmma Rea, a 
daughter of Samuel Rea, of Penn Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, and they have one 
daughter. Hazel, who resides with her 
parents. Mr. Wick and family belong to 
St. John's Reformed Church. He is a 
quiet, industrious, reliable citizen and is 
held in esteem by all who know him. 

JAMES HALL TEBAY, a well known 
citizen of Butler, Penua., who has been 
employed in the United States Revenue 
service since 1894, for many years gave 
his attention to educational affairs, having 
charge of various schools in Butler 
County. He was born November 28, 1847, 
in Muddy Creek Township, this county, 
and is a son of Joseph and Jane C. (Mc- 
Kee) Tebay. 

Mr. Tebay 's paternal grandfather was 
William Tebay, a native of England, who 
came to this country at an early date, 
locating first in the eastern part of Penn- 
sylvania, 1>nt later crossing the mountains 
and settling in the valley of Muddy Creek, 
Butler Countv. There were cross roads 



on the land where William located and 
they became known as the Tebay Cross 
Roads. A clearing was made near the 
spring, by which a fine willow tree stood, 
and here a log house was erected, but an- 
other building was later built nearer the 
cross roads. Here William Tebay was 
engaged in farming until his death. He 
and his wife are both buried at Mountville, 
Lawrence County. They were the parents 
of eight children, as follows: Robert, who 
lived and died on part of the homestead 
farm in Butler County; William, who 
spent substantially his entire life in ]Mer- 
cer County, his descendants being now in 
the West; Isaac, who resided in Ohio, 
opposite Sistersville, West Virginia, and 
some of whose descendants still reside in 
that locality, while others have gone 
AVest ; John, who always resided in Muddy 
Creek Townshijj, who was a teacher, and 
widely recognized as an extremely able 
mathematician ; Joseph, father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch; Isabella, whose hus- 
band, Christopher Russel, died near 
Muddy Creek, her death occurring at the 
home of Mrs. Alexander Balph of New 
Castle; Hannah, who married Archie Mc- 
Gown, who died on his farm in Muddy 
Creek Township (she afterwards moved 
with her family to the West, her death 
occurring in Chicago, where she was 
buried) ; and Mary, who married Isaac 
Stephenson and resided in Butler County 
all her life. 

The maternal grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketcla was Richard McKee, 
who came to the United States in 1805 
from County Antrim, Ireland. He located 
on a tract of land in Pleasant Valley, 
Muddy Creek Township, and both he and 
his wife are buried at Portersville. Their 
children were as follows: Samuel, who 
moved to a farm in Mercer County, where 
he died; David, wlio resided all his life on 
the old hdiiH'sti'ad in Pleasant Valley, 
where his dcscciKlants still live; Jane C., 
who became the wife of Joseph Tebay and 



1218 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the mother of the subject of this sketch; 
Isabella, whose death occurred in Ohio 
and who married Isaac Tebay ; Eliza, who 
married Samuel Kelly and resided for 
many years in Slippery Rock on a large 
farm, which they later sold, passing the 
remainder of their lives on a farm which 
they purchased near Butler, where they 
are buried ; Mary, who married David Mc- 
Connell and resided all her life on the 
homestead near Butler in Butler Town- 
ship and whose son James McConnell now 
resides on the farm ; Catherine, who mar- 
ried David Smith, a wagonmaker, and re- 
sided at Enon Valley, Lawrence County; 
Martha, who married James Gardner and 
resided at North Washington, Butler 
County (her husband went to California 
in company with Edward Frazier and 
never returned) ; and Margaret, who be- 
came the wife of John M. Shira, and 
resides in Parker Township near the 
village of Annisville. 

Joseph Tebay, father of James Hall 
Tebay, was born in Westmoreland County, 
England, and came to this country with 
his parents when twelve years of age. He 
was reared on his father's farm in Muddy 
Creek Township and was there engaged in 
farming all his life. He married Jane C. 
McKee and their children were William D., 
Catherine McKee, Matilda, Eliza J., 
AiBanda, Margaret, and James Hall. 

William^ D. Tebay, who is now deceased, 
was a farmer residing on the old Tebay 
homestead; he married Margaret Mc- 
Gown. Catherine McKee Tebay married 
John Douthett and moved to Calaveros 
County, California, where her husband 
died and was buried at Angel's Camp. 
She subsequently married Samuel Abbott, 
who came here from Connecticut. Her 
death took place in Oakland, where she is 
buried in Greenwood Cemetery. Matilda 
became the wife of James Jones of Mercer 
County, where they spent the rest of their 
lives. She has a son, an officer in the 
army, who has been twice to the Philippine 



Islands. Eliza J. married Henry A. 
Black of Chicago, 111. Amanda, who died 
in her twenty-sixth year, was unmarried. 
Margaret married M. J. McCullough and 
now resides in Wilkinsburg, Penna. 

James Hall Tebay acquired his early 
educational training in the common schools 
of Muddy Creek Township, and at a pri- 
vate school in Portersville, besides taking 
a course at the old Witherspoon Institute 
of Butler. After finishing his studies he 
was engaged in farming and teaching for 
some years. In the fall of 1875 he was 
elected to the ofSce of prothonotary, in 
which he served for three years. He then 
resumed teaching, first in Franklin Town- 
ship, afterwards spending three years at 
Zelienople, where he had charge of the 
schools from 1887 to 1889, being principal 
at the time of the first graduation. Dur- 
ing the year 1890 he was principal of the 
schools at Harmony. AVhile acting as 
principal of the schools Mr. Tebay was 
elected justice of the peace, and served as 
such for a period of five years, during 
which time he was also engaged in writing- 
oil leases. In the spring of 1894 he re- 
ceived an appointment in the United 
States Revenue service in which he has 
since been actively engaged. He was at 
one time a registered law student, but has 
never entered actively into the profession. 
He has always lived in Butler County, 
having been a resident of Muddy Creek 
Township, Butler, Prospect, and Zelie- 
nople, and at the present time he travels 
between different points in the Twenty- 
third Internal Revenue District. 

In 1870 Mr. Tebay was united in mar- 
riage with Anna Eliza McCullough, a 
daughter of Matthew and Fanny Jane 
(Sliannon) McCullough. The children of 
this marriage are as follows: Lillian E., 
wife of C. S. Passavant of Zelienople; 
Fanny B., a teacher in the Butler ijublic 
schools; Herschel M., who has been en- 
gaged in educational work as school prin- 
cipal in Indiana; and Grace, who after 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1221 



graduating from the Zelienople High 
School and the Butler Business College, 
passed the civil service examination of the 
city department of Pittsburg, but is at 
present in the employ of a large contract- 
ing company of that city. Mrs. Tebay, 
whose death occurred October 3, 1905, was 
a member of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Butler, to which Mr. Tebay 
also belongs. In politics he is a stanch 
Democrat, believing thoroughly in the 
principles upheld by Jackson, Jeiferson 
and Bryan, and keeps closely in touch 
with public affairs. He has always been 
greatly opposed to the present National 
Banking system, as established and de- 
fined by the Sherman act, believing it to 
be a flagrant example of class legislation 
that should be repudiated by the American 
people. 

ROBERT STERLING IRWIN, al- 
though just entering middle life, is a man 
of wide experience in business affairs, and 
has been prominently identified with the 
affairs of Forward Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Penna. He was born in Pittsburg, Sep- 
tember 9, 1874, but comes of an old family 
of Butler County. He is a son of John A. 
and Margaret F. (Calvin) Irwin, and a 
grandson of Washington Irwin, who was 
an early resident of Forward Township 
and lived on the home farm there at the 
time of his death. 

John A. Irwin was born in Cadiz, Ohio, 
and for many years followed the business 
of book binding in various parts of the 
coimtry. He was located at Memphis, 
Tennessee, at the time Lincoln first ran 
for president, and cast one of the two votes 
recorded for him in that city, with the re- 
sult that his house and shop were stormed 
and his property destroyed, entailing a loss 
of some $7,000. He was left without a cent 
in the world, and immediately i-epaired to 
the north, locating at Pittsburg where he 
made a fresh start in life. He was a man 
of indomitable will power and unusual abil- 



ity, and soon had his affairs in a good 
healthy state. In 1878, he located in But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and lived on the 
old home farm the remainder of his days, 
dying on April 16, 1901, at the age of sixty- 
nine years. He was a stanch Republican 
in politics, and although frequently im- 
portuned to accept of public office, stead- 
fastly refused, lie was united in marriage 
with Margaret F. Calvin, who was born in 
the Mountains of Cambria County, Penna., 
her people at an early period being resi- 
dents of Philadelphia. Six children were 
the offspring of their union: Orzila, wife 
of Charles Shaver; Sarah I., widow of 
Azure Reed ; George W., deceased ; Robert 
Sterling; Margaret F. ; and William, de- 
ceased. 

Robert Sterling Irwin was foiir years of 
age when brought by his parents to For- 
ward Township, and he was there reared 
on the farm and attended the district 
schools. He subsequently completed a 
business course at West Sunbury. His 
educational advantages were exceedingly 
limited, but he is possessed of a superior 
education, gained through individual re- 
search and study. He started his business 
career at the early age of thirteen, and as 
working capital had $600 which he ob- 
tained on his individual note, which he af- 
terward paid with the fruits of his toil. He 
entered the oil fields as teamster-, and later 
took up contracting and drilling, rimning 
four strings of tools. He followed con- 
tracting successfully until 1!M)(), and is still 
a producer. He has an un(livi<U'd interest 
in the home farm of 133 acres in Forward 
Township, on which oil was developed. 
There are now eight wells on the farm, each 
of which averages five barrels per day. 

Mr. Irwin is a broad-gauged, liberal- 
minded man, who has given much study to 
questions of importance to county and 
state. He has in the past given support 
to Republican principles, voting for Mc- 
Kinley and Roosevelt for president. A 
study of the temperance question has made 



122'' 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



him an avowed Prohibitionist, - on both 
moral and economic grounds. In 1906, he 
was made the candidate of that party for 
the State Legislature, but owing to the de- 
mands of his business he gave no time in 
making a canvass, letting the election go 
by default. He was again nominated for 
that office In 1908, and in support of his 
candidacy has advanced arguments show- 
ing that the saloon, prima facie affording 
relief to the tax payers through the license 
it pays, is in fact an additional burden to 
them through the increased cost of prose- 
cutions in crimes directly attributable to 
drink. He advocates a local option law 
which will be effective in county and state, 
and his activity has won^many supporters 
to the cause. He has n'ever been in the 
field to buy votes, believing that he who 
buys a vote will also sell his own. At the 
close of the election he was shown to have 
received 1,268 votes more than four times 
the amount ever polled before. He is a 
man of excellent personal habits, never 
lias used tobacco nor tasted liquor ; he has 
Ijeen interested in the cause of Prohibition 
since he was a boy, having signed the 
pledge under Burwell, "the boy orator," 
in his youthful days. He has been a mem- 
ber of the Anti-Saloon League for more 
than ten years. He is at the present time 
serving his sixth years as a meml)er of the 
school board, and during that time has 
visited the schools 250 times; he has ever 
been a friend to the cause of education, and 
has done much to improve the school sys- 
tem. At the Butler County Directors In- 
stitute, he was the only one of thirty di- 
rectors from the county to be called upon 
to address the gathering. 

June 4, 1895, Mr. Irwin was .ioined in 
marriage with Miss Ada Belle Jenkins, a 
daughter of Richard Jenkins, and they be- 
came parents of five children: Ruth E. ; 
Rachel B. ; Lois N. ; Mary F. ; and George 
W. In religious attachment they are mem- 
bers of the M. E. Church of Evans City, 
of which he has been treasurer since 1898 



He has addressed the congregation from 
the pulpit on eight different occasions, be- 
ing a speaker of unusual ability. Fi'a- 
ternally, he is a member of Evans City 
Lodge No. 817, I. 0. 0. F. 

FRANCIS JOSEPH FORQUER was 

born in Venango Township October 4th, 
1861. He is a son of Hugh and Katherin 
(Murrin) Forquer. The paternal grand- 
father of Mr. Forquer was John Forquer 
who was born in County Donegal, Ireland, 
in 1782, and died August 13th, 1867, in 
Donegal Township, Butler County, Penna. 
The paternal grandfather on his mother's 
side was Joseph Murrin, one of the orig- 
inal settlers of Venango Township and 
founders of Murrinsville. 

Mr. Forquer attended the township's 
public schools until 1871 when the family 
moved to Loretto, Cambria County, 
Penna., wliere he resided and went to 
school until 1874. He then returned to 
Butler County and worked upon the farm 
of his uncle for a couple of years. He 
then went to Millerstown and worked for 
a cousin, driving team and farming. Mil- 
lerstown at this time was having her big 
boom as an oil country. In 1877 he went 
to Pittsburg and went to work in The 
Adams Glass Factory to learn the trade 
and in 1878 was taken down with typhoid 
fever and had to give up and return home. 
He clerked on saw mills in Venango Town- 
ship for a time and then entered the Clin- 
tonville Academy where he attended school 
for about a year. The gold fever was at 
its height in Colorado about this time 
and Mr. Forquer caught it and went M^est 
to Colorado where after a time spent in 
prospecting he was again a victim of sick- 
ness and had to remove to a lower alti- 
tude. He returned to Kansas City, Mo., 
where he secured a position with the Cor- 
rigan Street Car Company as chief en- 
gineer of a team of mules and a street car. 
He was a]3pointed deputy county marshal 
by Con. Murphy, who was marshal of 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1223 



Jacksou County, Mo. After serving in 
this capacity until Mr. Murphy went out 
of office he secured a position on the 
famous Kansas City Fire Department 
where he served for five years, resigning 
to engage in the real estate business which 
at that time was booming in the city. 

Mr. Forquer was prominently identified 
with Democratic politics in city, county 
and state, he being one of the six state 
delegates from Missouri that founded the 
National Association of Democratic Clubs 
in Baltimore in 1888. Mr. Forquer being 
on the Resolutions Committee of that con- 
vention. 

Later Mr. Forquer went to Montana 
where he engaged in mining and real 
estate; he was also interested in real estate 
in Salt Lake, Washington, Oregon, and 
California. He later returned to Kansas 
City and engaged in the cigar business for 
a time; then railroad ticket brokerage; 
then grain, stocks and bonds, and later 
came home to Venango Township where 
he was in time to enlist in Company F, 
16th Regiment, N. G. P., for the Spanish- 
American war which he served through as 
a private with honor and distinction. 
After the war he returned to Venango 
Township, Butler County, Penna., where 
his father and mother were residing with 
a maiden aunt on the old Murrin home- 
stead. Mr. Forquer s father and mother 
both died within two months of his return 
from the war, and he has resided with his 
maiden aimt who is in her eighty-third 
year. 

Ever since Mr. Forquer has been super- 
intendent for the St. Patrick Oil & Gas 
Company, a Pittsburg corporation, who op- 
erate a portion of the farm he resides on. 
Mr. Forquer is a Democrat, a Roman 
Catholic and a Moose. 

LEWIS MARTSOLF, whose splendid 
farm of 310 acres is situated along the 
Franklin Road, in Brady Township, is one 
of the substantial and re]n-eseutative citi- 



zens of this section and one of its most 
successful farmers and stockraisers. He 
was born March 19, 1857, in Center Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Henry and Gertrude (Miller) 
Martsolf. 

Both parents of Mr. Martsolf were born 
in Germany and both came to America 
when young. Henry Martsolf grew to 
manhood and acquired land at Little 
Creek, in Connoquenessing Township, But- 
ler County, which he later sold and bought 
the farm in Center Township where his 
family of twelve children were born. The 
mother of these children died March 28, 
1874, and was survived many years by her 
husband, whose death occurred in Septem- 
ber, 1907, when aged ninety-one years, at 
Butler, to which city he had retired. 

Lewis Martsolf was reared on the home 
farm in Center Township and attended the 
neighborhood schools during boyhood. 
He has devoted himself entirely to farm 
pursuits, making a specialty for some 
years i^ast of raising Shorthorn cattle. 
His fine herds bring high prices and he 
keeps as many as thirty-five head at one 
time. Following his marriage, Mr. Mart- 
solf rented land first in Franklin Town- 
ship, later in Clay, then Butler and Clay 
again, until 1889, when he bought the farm 
of 100 acres, which is now occupied by a 
son, and in 1898 he bought 130 acres more 
and several years later purchased an addi- 
tional eighty acres. This is some of the 
finest land in the township and Mr. Mart- 
solf has the best improved farm in this 
section. In 1900 he put up his fine resi- 
dence and all his farm buildings are of 
substantial construction. 

Mr. Martsolf married Miss Mary Mc- 
Kinnis, who was reared in Franklin Town- 
ship, a daughter of Robert McKinnis, and 
they have had six children, one of whom 
died in infancy. Those living are : Etta, 
who married Daniel Ifft, of Franklin 
Township, has two children, Gladys and 
Olive; James H., residing on a part of 



1224 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



liis father's property, married Lizzie Mc- 
Bride and they have one son, John; 
Laura, who is the wife of Nicholas lift, 
of Franklin Township; Clara, and Flo- 
rence at home. Mr. Martsolf is a member 
of the beneficiary order of the Protected 
Home Circle. He takes no very active 
part in politics but has always done his 
part in public matters when called upon 
to contribute labor, means or influence. 

DAVID J. SLOAN is a representative 
citizen of the borough of Eau Claire and 
has been a life long resident of Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. He was born in 
Venango Township, May 23, 1832, and is 
a son of David, Sr. and Eachel (Mc- 
Laughlin) Sloan, and grandson of Samuel 
Sloan. 

Samuel Sloan was the father of a large 
family of children, all of whom grew to 
maturity and became useful men and 
women. Their names follow: Samuel, 
who married Elizabeth Conn, daughter of 
Joseph Conn, and had two sons, Lyal and 
Perry; William, who married Jane Lay- 
ton, a daughter of Enos Layton, and had 
five children — Bascom, Charles, Flora, 
Margaret and Eliza; John, who married 
Sarah Allabaugh and had two sons, Har- 
vey and Samuel; James; David; Henry; 
Eobert, who married Alice Hilliard; 
Joseph, who married Ellen Leslie, and had 
three children — George, Washington and 
Ephraim; Thomas, who married Sally 
Ann Cornelius; Andrew, who married 
Eachel Say; Jane, who became the wife 
of Thomas Jolly; Nancy, wife of Alexan- 
der Grant; and Betsy, wife of Samuel 
Sloan. 

David Sloan, Sr., married Eachel Mc- 
Laughlin and the following were the off- 
spring of their union : Matthew ; Samuel ; 
Joseph; David J.; Jesse, who married 
Jane Stevenson; John; Jane; Elizabeth; 
Emeline; and Euphemia, who married 
David Sparks and has three children — 
John. Birdie and Minnie. Matthew Sloan 



married Valley Welch, and seven children 
were born to them: Levestone, Walter, 
Savoy, Orval, Hormer, Anna Lena and 
Anna Belle. Samuel Sloan married Ee- 
becca Davis and they had eight children: 
David, Edward, Gilbert, John, > Sherril, 
Jennie, Ada and Bird. Joseph Sloan mar- 
ried Eosa Donaldson, by whom he had the 
following children : Edward, Stella, Nora, 
Louisa, Leonidas and Eva. John Sloan 
married Jane Morgan and the following 
were their offspring: Clyde, Winnie, Bir- 
die, Carl, Wesley, Myrtle, Flora and Euth. 
Jane Sloan became the wife of Josiah Hol- 
land, by whom slie had the following: Aus- 
tin, Plummer, John, Estella and Emma; 
Elizabeth Sloan married John Phitithan 
and they have four children: William, 
Ealph, Silvia and Carrie. 

David J. Sloan first attended the com- 
mon schools in Venango Township, and 
later the Six Points school in Allegheny 
Township, after which he gave his atten- 
tion to farming on the old homestead in 
the latter township, located about three- 
fourths of a mile from Eau Claire. He 
next became proprietor of a general store 
and conducted the post-office for some 
years. In addition he was engaged in 
butchering for some years and sold cattle 
on the hoof, meeting with a high degree of 
success in his various business ventures. 
He finally sold the store, also his farm, and 
pui'chased three lots in the borough of Eau 
Claire. His property is well located and 
valuable, and each lot is well equipped 
with substantial buildings. He is a Ee- 
publican in politics, and serves as con- 
stable of Eau Claire, and also as assessor. 

Mr. Sloan was 'joined in marriage with 
Jane Bovard, a daughter of Eobert Bo- 
vard of Eau Claire, and they too have a 
large family, namely: Ella, who married 
Fred Stalker of Pittsburg, by whom she 
has the following children: Earl, Plum- 
mer, Blanche, William, Edna, Dean and 
Ealph; Eda, who married Henry Eebold 
and has three children — William, Minnie 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1225 



aud Jessie; William of Pittsburg, who 
married Jennie Shira and has a daughter, 
Dorothy; Alma, wife of Samuel Alexander, 
by whom she has five children — Myrtle, 
Cora, Joseph, Stanley and Alva; Frank- 
lin, who married Jennie Collinwood, 
daughter of Charles Collinwood of Evans 
City; Alva, who married Stella Harris; 
Olive, wife of Gerald McGuyre; and Er- 
nest. Religiously, Mr. Sloan is a member 
of the M. E. Church at Eau Claire. 

DAVID MANSFIELD THOMPSON, a 
farmer and oil producer, is a well known 
citizen of Fairview Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, where he has a fine farm 
of ninety-six acres. There are five pro- 
ducing wells on this farm which bring him 
a handsome revenue. He was born on the 
farm on which he now lives, July 5, 1856, 
and is a son of David and Isabella (Mans- 
field) Thompson. His grandfather, John 
Thompson, was one of the early settlers of 
Butler County. 

David Thompson, father of the subject 
of this sketch, was born in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, in 1827, and his death re- 
sulted from an accident with a threshing 
machine, December 19, 1874. He was 
united in marriage with Miss Isabella 
Mansfield, who was born in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1831, and died 
in 1901. They were parents of the fol- 
lowing children: Samantha J., who was the 
wife of Dr. W. L. DeWolfe of Butler, and 
died in November, 1908, leaving two sons; 
David M., subject of this record; John, 
who lives in Greenville, Clarion County, 
and who married Metta Hepler, by whom 
he has two children, Lois and Elizabeth; 
H. B., who was the fourth in order of 
birth ; Clara E. ; and L. N., who married 
Amanda Jamison (deceased), by whom he 
had a son, Paul. L. N. Thomj:)son died in 
190.3, and his son continues to reside in 
Butler County. 

• David M. Thompson has been a life long 
resident of Butler County, and received his 



intellectual training in the public schools 
of Fairview Township. He engaged in 
teaming for a period of twenty-five years, 
but farming has been his principal occupa- 
tion in life, although for some years he has 
been active in the oil business. He pur- 
chased the other heirs 'interests in the home 
farm, on which he has made most of the im- 
]jrovements, having one of the best kept 
properties in the township. The farm orig- 
inally included 100 acres, but since acquir- 
ing possession of it, he has disposed of 
four acres to the Allegheny Railroad Com- 
pany- 
Mr. Thomas was united in marriage with 
Miss Maria J. Glenn, the wedding occur- 
ring April 25, 1883, at her home near Sun- 
bury, the Rev. S. W. Bean officiating. She 
is one of the following children who were 
born to her parents, William M. and Kath- 
eryn (McMahon) Glenn: Maria J.; Sarah 
and Dorcas, twins; Norman; Theodore; 
and Frank, who died at the age of fourteen 
years. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson became 
parents of the following, all of whom were 
born on the home farm: Erla B., wife of 
John Ellenberger, by whom she has a son, 
Howard; Hazel, who was born August 9, 
1888, and died September 27, 1908 ; Frank, 
who is a teacher in the public schools of 
Butler County ; Dean, who is in attendance 
at High School; Daisy; and Glenn. Re- 
ligiously, Mr. Thompson and his wife are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church of Fairview. He has frequently 
been called upon to serve his community in 
official positions of trust, having been 
school director six years, tax collector one 
year, and township treasurer two years. 

MRS. NANCY A. MARTIN. The Mar- 
tin homestead farm of 160 acres, is one of 
the most valuable pieces of property in 
Venango Township and it is owned by Mrs. 
Nancy A. Martin, who has resided here 
since 1869. She is a lady universally es- 
teemed and was born December 7, 1849, in 
Worth Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 



122G 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



vania. Her parents were William and 
Mary (Sliafer) Craig. 

The father of Mrs. Martin was born in 
Ireland and her mother in Butler County. 
They resided for many years in Worth 
Township, where they were among the re- 
sjiccled members of society, and there Mrs. 
^lartiii was reared and obtained her 
schooling. She was married October 27, 
1869, to the late Christopher Martin, who 
died January 22, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Mar- 
tin became parents of seven children, 
namely: Cora J., who resides at Norris- 
town, Pennsylvania; Mary E., the wife of 
W. N. Milford (now deceased, on January 
26, 1909), of Monroe County, Ohio; Will- 
iam E., who lives in Oklahoma; Bertha 
Irene, who is the wife of W. P. Cubbison, 
of Venango County; James A., who lives 
in Venango Township, Butler County; 
Nina P., who is the wife of J. M. Collar, 
of Allegheny Township and Christopher 
C, who resides in Venango Township. 

Christopher Martin was born in Ireland 
and was a son of Robert and Jane (Patter- 
son) Martin, who brought him to America 
when he was three years old. His par- 
ents came directly to Butler County and 
settled in Venango Township and Mrs. 
Martin's present farm is a part of the 
original" estate secured by Robert Martin. 
He followed farming during his life and 
his son Christopher succeeded to the es- 
tate and continued to improve and culti- 
vate through all his active life. Mr. Mar- 
tin was an estimable man and was widely 
known. He took proper interest in every- 
thing that concerned the welfare of his 
neighborhood, but found his greatest pleas- 
ure in quietly pursuing an agricultural 
life and in looking after the rearing and 
educating of his children. In politics he 
was a Republican and when his party put 
him foi-ward and elected him to local of- 
fices, he performed the duties of the same 
with the carefulness and regularity with 
which he managed his own affairs. He 
was a leading member and a trustee of the 



East End Presbyterian Church, to which 
Mrs. Martin also belongs. She is very ac- 
tive in the church missionary society and 
attends to many private charities. The 
Martin home has always been known as 
one of great hospitality. 

MARKLE J. NEYMAN, general farm- 
er and substantial citizen of Oakland 
Townshii^, resides on the old John H. Ney- 
man farm of 152 acres, of which he is one 
of the four heirs. . It is situated five miles 
north of Butler, near the Millinger school- 
house. Mr. Neyman was born in Jefferson 
County, Pennsylvania, November 17, 1845, 
and is a son of John H. and Isabell ( Wil- 
son) Neyman. 

Jolm H. Neyman followed lumbering in 
his early manhood, in Jefferson County, 
but returned to farming during the child- 
hod of his son, Markle J. He took up his 
residence on his father's farm, the one 
now owned by his heirs, who had settled 
here many years ago. John Nejonan, the 
grandfather, has long since passed away, 
and John H. Neyman, the father, was acci- 
dentally killed in April, 1881. The latter 
married Isabell Wilson, who still survives. 
They had six children, the present surviv- 
ors being : Markle J. ; Mary, who is the 
wife of John T. Montgomery, of Oakland ; 
John Gr., a carpenter who is employed in 
Pittsburg; and Margaret, who lives at 
home. The two deceased are Sarah E., 
who died aged twenty-six years; and 
Clark, who died at the age of twelve. 

Markle J. Neyman has operated the 
home farm for about thirty years. He at- 
tended the local schools in his boyhood, 
since which time he has given his atten- 
tion to cultivating the home farm, and he 
has been numbered with the capable farm- 
ers of this township for many years. Mr. 
Neyman married Annie Fleeger, who was 
a daughter of Peter Fleeger and a sister 
of the late Captain Fleeger, of Butler. 
They had five children: Jessie Blanch, 
who is now deceased; Le Roy, George C, 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1229 



Mary Belle and Nelson. The beloved 
mother of this little family died in 1900. 
Mr. Neyman is a member and liberal sup- 
porter of the North Butler Presbyterian 
Church. 

CHARLES BEACHEM, of Euclid, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, has engaged 
in coal mining during a greater part of his 
active business career, but at the present 
time carries on farming on the tract of 
thirty-seven acres on which he lives. PTe is 
a native of England, the date of his birth 
being November 23, 1856, and is a son of 
Francis and Caroline (Hodges) Beachem, 
both of whom died in England. 

Charles Beachem was reared to maturity 
in England, and from the time he was ten 
years of age worked in the mines. He was 
married at the age of twenty-two and 
immediately after moved to the United 
States, where he iirst located in Trumbull 
County, Ohio. He worked in the mines 
there for six years, then moved to Cherry 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
where he farmed and mined for a period of 
thirteen years. In 1897, he moved to 
Euclid, whei'e he has since engaged in gen- 
eral farming. 

Mr. Beachem was united in marriage 
with Miss Annie Swain, a daughter of 
Noah Swain, she also being a native of 
England ; her death occurred during their 
residence in Cherry Township. The fol- 
lowing children were born to them: Noah 
W., who is a widower and has four chil- 
dren — Charles, Kenneth, Noah and Geral- 
dine; Francis Albert, who also has four 
children — Annie, Kermit, Francis, and 
Cecil Rhodes; Thomas; Florence; Carrie, 
who is the wife of I. W. Kimmel and has 
two children — Gerald Eugene and Charles 
Wilmer; Charles; and Hannah. Mr. 
Beachem is a man of the highest principles, 
straightforward and honest in all his deal- 
ings with his fellow men, and a most useful 
citizen. 



ERNEST L. STEARNS, postmaster 
and storekeeper at Ferris Post Ofifice, in 
Venango Township, was born in Sala- 
manca, New York, August 29, 1873, and is 
a son of Devillo B. and Alvira (Akerly) 
Stearns, and a grandson of Joseph B. 
Stearns. 

Joseph B. and Mary Stearns, grandpar- 
ents of the subject of this record, had the 
following children: Parmilla, Cynthia, 
Carmeda, Devillo B. and Charles. Devillo 
B. Stearns married Alvira'Akerly, daugh- 
ter of Joseph Akerly, and they became par- 
ents of four children, namely: Bessie, 
deceased ; Jessie, deceased ; Ernest L. ; and 
Fremont, who married Emma Uhera, by 
whom he has three children — Jessie, 
Florence and George. 

Ernest L. Steai-ns attended the public 
schools of Salamanca, New York, and lived 
there until August 7, 1890, at which time 
he moved to Hilliard, in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He accepted a position as 
weigh-master, and served as such for a 
period of fifteen years. At the end of that 
time he was made manager of the Ferris 
Supply Company at Ferris, Pennsylvania, 
of which Levi Deal is treasurer. Mr. 
Stearns also was made postmaster on 
August 17, 1908, and has discharged the 
duties of that office in a most satisfactory 
manner. The business enterprise of which 
he is.manager is in a most flourishing con- 
dition and has a large and well established 
trade. 

Ernest L. Stearns was joined in mar- 
riage with Miss Sarah Liston, a daughter 
of Jacob and Lena Liston, and to them has 
been bo^rn one son, Devillo B. Politically, 
he is a Republican and has served as judge 
and inspector of elections. In fraternal 
affiliation, he is a member of Hilliard 
Lodge No. Ill, I. 0. 0. F., in which he has 
passed through all the chairs and is now 
trustee; and Hilliard Lodge, No. 92, K. P. 
Religiously, the family attends the Baptist 
church. 



11^30 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



CLAUDE GERARD, who now lives 
retired from active work on his excellent 
farm of eighty-six acres, located in Penn 
Township, has been a general farmer, 
stockraiser and oil producer for many 
years. He was born in Penn Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, November 
30, 1836, and is a son of Michael and 
Margaret (Mangel) Gerard. 

Michael Gerard, the father, was born at 
Blamont, France, a son of Joseph Gerard, 
who was a cooper by trade. Michael 
worked with his father until he was twenty- 
one years old and then came to America 
and worked at coopering in the city of 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. After he married 
he came to Butler County and located in 
Penn Township in 1836, buying fifty-six 
acres of woodland. This land he cleared 
and engaged in cultivating it until 1850, 
when he went to California in search of 
gold. During the one year that he remained 
there he was quite successful but died 
before he reached home and was buried 
near Randolph, Kentucky, August 6, 1851. 
His wife was a daughter of John C. 
Mangel, an early settler in Penn Township. 
Two children were born to Michael Gerard 
and wife : Claude and Joseph. The latter 
was a member .of Company D, Sixty-tirst 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try, during the War of the Rebellion, and 
was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. 

Claude Gerard attended the schools near 
his home through boyhood and assisted to 
cultivate the home farm, and until he 
retired from active work, continued to be 
interested in general farming in the section 
in which he was born. During the Civil 
War he served for eight months in the 
Union army, as a member of Company F, 
One Hundred Seventh Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry, and at the time 
of General Lee's surrender, was stationed 
near Peterslnirg. He is a member of A. G. 
Reed Post, No. 105, Grand Army of the 
Republic, at Butler. 



Mr. Gerard was married to Margaret 
Schleigh, a daughter of William Schleigh, 
of Penn Township. Mrs. Gerard died' 
November 23, 1903, when aged nearly sixty 
years. She was a most estimable woman 
and was a consistent member of St. Paul's 
Roman Catholic Church. To this marriage 
nine children were born, namely: Mary, 
residing in Penn Township, is the widow of 
John Charles ; Stephen, who resides at 
Benwood, Virginia; William, who lives at 
McDonald, Pennsylvania; Joseph, who 
operates the home farm; Magdalene 
(Mann) ; Louisa, who married Everett 
Albert, of Pittsburg ; and Katherine, Ellen 
and John C, all deceased. 

Mr. Gerard retired from the management 
of the farm, which included its agricultural 
develoi^ment and also oil production, there 
being five producing wells on the place, in 
the spring of 1908. When relieved of all 
care he decided to take a leisurely pleasure 
trip through the West and left Pennsyl- 
vania on April 19, 1908, and returned July 
4, 1908, having spent a pleasant season in 
Kansas and Oklahoma. He will return to 
Kansas in April, 1909. 

ZENAS McMICHAEL, a well known 
real estate and fire insurance dealer of 
Zelienople, who is now serving his third 
term as justice of the peace of the borough, 
is a native and life long resident of Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. He was born Sep- 
tember 11, 1847, in what is now Center 
Township, near Unionville, and is a son of 
Christopher and Barbara (Curry) McMi- 
chael. 

Christopher McMichael was a farmer by 
occupation and at an early period came 
from the eastern part of Pennsylvania to 
Butler County, where he settled on a farm 
near Euclid Station in Clay Township. He 
has served here as a justice of the peace for 
some time and was engaged in agricultural 
pursuits for many years. He married, 
in 1833. Elizabeth St. Clair, who died in 
1845. They were the parents of the follow- 




MR. AND MRS. SAMPLE C. DUNCAN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1233 



ing children: Joseph, who is engaged in 
farming, and resides near West Sunbury; 
Japhia, engaged in farming near Euclid; 
Rev. E. S. McMichael, died near Spring- 
field, Illinois; and Jane, wife of James 
Milford of Witchita, Kansas. Christopher 
was married the second time to Barbara 
Curry, to whom was born Zenas, the sub- 
ject of this sketch, and R. J., a practicing 
physician of Eau Clair, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. 

Zenas McMichael was reared on a farm 
near Unionville, Center Township, and 
attended the common schools of that town- 
ship. Until twelve years ago, Mr. 
McMichael devoted his time to agricultural 
pursuits, in 1896 removing to Zelienople, 
where he has since been successfully 
engaged in the fire insurance and real 
estate business. 

In politics, our subject is a Republican, 
although in local politics, where no issue is 
up before the people, he votes for men 
whom he regards best (jualified to care for 
the business affairs of this locality. Fra- 
ternally, he is a member of the Royal Ar- 
canum. He holds membership with United 
Presbyterian Church. 

In 1870 INIr. McMichael was married to 
Sarah D. Williams, a daughter of Robert 
and Susanna Williams of Plain Grove, 
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The fol- 
lowing offspring were born of their union, 
namely: Laura, wife of Lawi'cnce Stoner, 
has five children; Clyde Gr., a resident of 
New Brighton, married Conway Meeks and 
has one child; Helen, resides at home; and 
Clarence B., a resident of Zelienople, mar- 
ried Winnie Powell. 

ELIAS SEATON, who has a splendid 
farm of seventy-five acres, located about 
one mile east of Boyers, in Venango Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, comes 
of an old and respected family of this local- 
ity. He was born on the home farm in 
Venango Township, February 20, 1848, and 
is a son of William and Rebecca (Vander- 



lin) Seaton, and a grandson of Robert and 
Margaret (Davis) Seaton. 

Robert Seaton and his wife had a large 
family, namely : Alexander, Thomas, Eliza, 
Robert, William, James, Polly, Margaret 
and Anna. William and Rebecca (Vander- 
lin) Seaton also had a large family, the 
names of its members being Catherine, 
Margaret, Caroline, John, William George, 
Hattie, Elias, Lewis and Amos. 

Elias Seaton received his early schooling 
at the Log school in Marion Township, 
after which he attended the Seaton school 
in his native township. He helped his 
father on the farm, which has always l)een 
his home, it having passed into his hands 
at his parents' deaths. He has seventy-five 
acres, of which forty are in good tillable 
shape, and the improvements are excep- 
tionally good. The barn was built by Elias 
and his father, and the house was erected 
by the former. He has never taken an 
active part in politics, but is a Republican 
and served three years as a member of the 
school board. 

December 13, 1871, Mr. Seaton was unit- 
ed in marriage with Mary Ann Wasson, a 
daughter of John Wasson of Cherry Town- 
ship, and the following are their issue: 
Roy, who married Emma Lowther; Elmer, 
who married Gwen Davis ; Parker ; Clara ; 
Merritt; and Amos. Religiously, they are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Boyers. 

SAMPLE C. DUNCAN, who is engaged 
in agricultural pursuits in Middlesex 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
has a farm of sixty-one acres, all under 
cultivation. He was born on this farm 
October 20, 1871, and is a son of James 
and Elizabeth (Gilland) Duncan, coming 
of an old family in Pennsylvania. 

James Duncan was born in Ai'mstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, and learned the 
trade of a ship carpenter in his younger 
days. For some years he followed his 
trade in various parts of the country, then 



1234 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



settled down on a farm in Middlesex 
Townsliip, Butler County, where he fol- 
lowed farmiug the remainder of his days. 
He died in 1886 at the age of sixty-nine 
years. He first married Belmina Tawney, 
and their children were: Belmina, who 
married James Elliott; Lizzie, who mar- 
ried John Garvey; and James, who died 
in 1888. His second marriage was with 
Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, widow of James 
Thompson, and a daughter of Robert Gil- 
land of Middlesex Township. As a result 
of her first marriage, Mrs. Duncan had 
four children, three of whom grew to ma- 
turity, namely: Ephraim 0. Thompson of 
Middlesex Township; Alfretta, wife of 
William McKibben of Clinton Township; 
and Eva, who keeps house for the subject 
of this sketch. James and Elizabeth (Gil- 
land) Duncan became parents of four chil- 
dren, oi whom three grew to maturity, as 
follows: George; Sample C. ; and Jennie. 
Of these, Sample C. Duncan is the only one 
now living. Religiously, James Duncan 
and his wife were members of the Middle- 
sex Presbyterian Church. 

Sample C. Duncan was reared on the 
home farm, which his father had settled 
on a few years before his birth, and was 
educated in the public schools of that vi- 
cinity. He has always engaged in farm- 
ing on this place and has sixty-one acres 
of highly improved land, all under culti- 
vation. He I'aises corn, oats, wheat, hay 
and potatoes, and has also met with suc- 
cess in stock raising. He keeps thorough- 
bred Berkshire hogs, all of which are eligi- 
ble for registration. He is a man of en- 
ergy and enterprise, and occupies a place 
high in the esteem of his fellow citizens. 

Mr. Duncan was united in marriage with 
Miss Clara Thompson, a daughter of Will- 
iam Thompson of Clinton Township, But- 
ler Coimty. She died without issue on No- 
vember 3. 1906, at the age of thirty-five 
years, a loss which fell heavily upon Mr. 
Duncan. Religiously, she was a member 
of the l\fiddlesex Presbyterian Church, of 



which he is a trustee. He takes an earnest 
interest in all qiiestions of public import- 
ance and gives his support to the Repub- 
lican party, but is in no sense a politician. 

TIMOTHY SWEENEY, whose valuable 
farm of 140 acres is situated in Donegal 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
not far from Chicora, was born in an old 
log house then standing on the farm on 
which he lives, November 5, 1833. His par- 
ents were Michael and Sarah (McLaugh- 
lin) Sweeney. 

Michael Sweeney left his home in County 
Kerry, Ireland, in 1819, and sailed for Que- 
bec, Canada, where he lived for a short 
time and then joined an uncle, the latter of 
whom was already established at Oil Creek, 
Pennsylvania. In 1824 he was married at 
Sugar Creek, to Sarah McLaughlin, and 
they had five children, namely: William, 
James, Michael, Mary Ann and Timothy, 
the latter being the only survivor. Shortly 
after his marriage, Michael Sweeney came 
to Donegal Township, Butler County, and 
bought 200 acres of land, including the 
farm now owned by his son. He purchased 
the pi'operty from a Mr. Sanders, who was 
the first settler on tlie place, and on tliis 
farm Michael Sweeney and wife passed the 
remainder of their days. He lived to be 
seventy-five years old but his wife died in 
her sixtieth year. 

Timothy Sweeney has spent his life on 
the present farm with the exception of one 
year during which he worked at Brady's 
Bend and one year which he spent in the 
State of New York. He attended school in 
an old log building not far from his home, 
but in his boyhood farm youths had many 
duties to perforin, and helping his father 
on the farm was one of the most important 
ones. His well cultivated land gives evi- 
dence of the care he has given it, and the 
many improvements he has made at differ- 
ent times. He has two producing oil wells 
on the place and more may be developed. 

On April 23, 1861, Mr. Sweeney was mar- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1235 



ried at Sugar Creek, to Miss Sarah Agnes 
McFadden, and they have had eleven chil- 
dren, as follows: Philometo, Hugh, Anna, 
Joseph, Michael, Vincent, James, Mary L., 
Frances E., Albert and Sarah A. * Of the 
above family, Philometo married John 
Kreagin and they live at Rockport, New- 
York. Hugh was accidentally drowned in 
July, 1908. Anna married Ernest Kirteh- 
ner and they live at Pittsburg. Mary L. 
married Thomas Cosgrove and they live at 
Middletown, New York. Michael and Sarah 
live at home. Joseph lives in West Vir- 
ginia. Albert married Ella Kain and they 
reside with Mr. Sweeney and have one 
child, Marie E. 

Mr. Sweeney is one of the township's 
representative citizens and has served as 
overseer of the poor and also as judge of 
elections. Both he and wife are members 
of the Roman Catholic Church at Chicora. 

C. FOSTER WICK, owner and i)ro- 
prietor of the hotel at West Sunbury, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, is a well known 
citizen of the county and the establishment 
conducted by him is one which enjoys great 
popularity with the traveling public. He 
was formerly engaged in buying and sell- 
ing and training horses, producing some 
with low marks, which established his rep- 
utation in that business. 

Mr. Wick was born in West Sunbury in 
185.3, and comes of a prominent old fam- 
ily of Butler County. He is a son of Jere- 
miah C. and Rebecca (Glenn) Wick, and 
a grandson of Jeremiah Wick, Sr. The 
last named came from Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, to Butler County at 
a very early date and purchased 1,000 
acres of land, just north of West Sunbury. 
He was a man of wide prominence in those 
days and was extensively engaged in the 
cattle business. With Christopher Foster, 
who married Jane Glenn, an aunt of the 
subject of this record, he made many trips 
with cattle across the mountains to Phila- 
delphia. Mr. Foster was born and reared 



in Armstrong County, and also was a man 
well known in this vicinity. In those early 
days, the Glenns and Wicks were the lead- 
ing families of the community. Jeremiah 
C. Wick married Rebecca Glenn, a daugh- 
ter of Samuel Glenn, who died in middle 
life. Mr. Wick died in 1876, and was sur- 
vived many years by his widow, whose 
death occurred at St. Louis, Missouri, in 
1908, at the age of eighty-four years. They 
had eight children as follows: Clarissa, 
wife of Rev. Malsein Rhodes, who is well 
known in Butler and now resides in St. 
Louis; Laura, widow of Homer Adams; 
Walker, who was widely known through 
the oil regions of Pennsylvania, and who 
died in Colorado in 1904; Carr, who died 
in West Sunbury in 1905 ; C. Foster, whose 
name heads this record; Dr. J. Warren 
Wick of St. Louis; Jennie, widow of 
C. Bunn of St. Louis; and Nettie, who 
died in June, 1908, and was the wife of 
Walter Hughes of St. Louis. 

C. Foster Wick was reared in his native 
borough and received his intellectual train- 
ing in the public schools. When about 
twenty years old he began buying and sell- 
ing horses, and training young horses for 
the track. Among the best horses trained 
by him were Juliet, Sunbury Boy, Mattie 
Price, Harry W. and Captain Roll, all of 
which were well known to the racing public 
in their day. The last year Captain Roll 
was trained, he won eleven races out of 
thirteen starts, an exceptional record. Mr. 
Wick moved to St. Louis and continued 
in the same line of business for a period 
of fifteen years, then in 1890 returned to 
West Sunbury. He at that time became 
OAvner of the hotel, in which he had pre- 
viously owned an interest and which had 
been conducted by his brother, Carr Wick. 
He placed the establishment on a good 
paying basis and continued it with suc- 
cess until 1902, when it was destroyed by 
fire. The business he had built up war- 
ranted him in the erection of a new and 
modern structure, which he refurnished 



1236 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



new throughout aud in haudsome style, 
and it was not long before the place was 
enjoying greater popularity aud patronage 
than before. 

Mr. Wick was united in marriage with 
Miss Anna Cowden, a daughter of Dr. 
Cowden of Portersville, and they became 
parents of the following children: Dr. 
Frank C, who died in March, 1906 ; Bessie, 
wife of William McCarrier; Leia, wife of 
Prof. L. L. Lock of Brooklyn, New York ; 
Pauline, wife of Clyde Russell ; and Helen, 
wife of Henry Groeddel. Fraternally, the 
subject of this sketch became a charter 
member of Parker Lodge, Royal Arcanum, 
to which he still belongs. 

JOHN A. BURK is located on a fine farm 
of sixty acres in Venango Township and is 
engaged in the butchering business, visit- 
ing the trade throughout this section of 
the country in a wagon. He was born on 
the farm on which he lives, September 30, 
1883, and is a son of John and Samantha 
(McFarlin) Burk, and a grandson of John 
Burk, Sr. 

John Burk, Jr., was united in marriage 
with Samantha McFarlin, a daughter of 
Andrew McFarlin, and five children were 
the issue of their union: Sarah, wife of 
Montgomery Hutchinson; Delia, wife of 
Lewis Ray; Margaret, deceased; Clarence, 
deceased; and John A. 

John A. Burk received his schooling at 
the old Seaton scliool, and in the mean- 
time assisted his father in the work about 
the farm. He later engaged in teaming 
in the woods until his marriage, when he 
settled down on the home place and fol- 
lowing farming. He has fifty-five acres 
under cultivation, five acres in pasture land 
and a two-acre orchard. All of the build- 
ings on the place were erected by his fath- 
er. He does all his own butchering and 
lias a well established meat trade. 

i\Tareh 29, 1900, Mr. Burk was united in 
luai-riage with Miss Jessie Wriglit, a 



daughter of Stephen Wright of Mercer 
County, and the following children have 
blessed their home: Lawrence, Otho, Lena, 
Thomas and Margaret. Politically, he is 
a Republican. He and his wife are con- 
sistent members of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. They have a well-located 
home, being three miles northwest of Hil- 
liard and four miles southwest of Eau 
Claire, and attend church at the latter 
place. 

JOHN A. LEWIS, for a quarter of a 
century one of Venango Township's rep- 
resentative citizens, resides on his well cul- 
tivated farm of sixty acres, which he de- 
votes to general agriculture. He was born 
July 21, 1836, in Armstrong County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of William aud Fan- 
nie (Blaney) Lewis. 

Mr. Lewis comes of Revolutionary stock, 
an ancestry of which every American citi- 
zen is proud. His grandfather, Ezekiel 
Lewis, came from Wales to the colonies be- 
fore they had secured their independence 
and assisted the patriot army to obtain 
American freedom. Later he settled in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where 
he prospered and had many descendants. 
William Lewis, father of John A., was born 
in Armstrong County but a large part of 
his life was passed in Washington Town- 
ship, Butler County, where he died in 
1859. Four of his children survive, name- 
ly : John A. ; Fannie, who resides in Wash- 
ington Township; Robert 0., a grocery- 
man at Annisville, Washington Township, 
Butler County ; and Finley E., a fai'mer in 
Washington Township, Butler County. 

John A. Lewis was two years old when 
his parents moved to Butler County and 
he was reared in Washington Township, in 
boyhood attending the neighboring district 
school. He then leai'ued the carpenter's 
trade and also worked at lumbering, there 
being much standing timber at that day 
where now can be seen miles of cultivated 



AND REPRESKNTATIVE CITIZENS 



1237 



farm land. The Civil War turned the at- 
tention of many of the young men to a mili- 
tary life and in 1862 Mr. Lewis enlisted 
for service, entering Company F, One Hun- 
dred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Vol. 
Inf., which became a part of the Third Di- 
vision of the Army of the Potomac. He 
saw much hard service before he was hon- 
orably discharged, in June, 1863. He took 
part in the memorable battles of Antietam, 
Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, and 
participated in the weary marches which 
fell to the lot of the soldiers on the raid 
through Maryland. Mr. Lewis was always 
a courageous soldier and often endangered 
his life, but he escaped all serious injury 
and was permitted to return to his home 
practically unharmed. Shortly afterward 
he removed from Butler to Clarion Coun- 
ty, but in 1873 returned to Butler County 
and settled on his valuable farm in Ve- 
nango Township. 

On December 23, 1880, Mr. Lewis was 
married to Miss Firzah Alsworth, of Park- 
er Township, a daughter of James Als- 
worth, and they have three sons: Edward 
J., residing in Venango Township; Eljia 
E., residing at Franklin: and Herbert B., 
living in Illinois. 

Mr. Lewis is a Republican in politics 
but he lays no claim to being a politician. 
He has always been interested in all that 
concerns the well-being of his community 
and when elected road commissioner of 
Venango Township, gave his fellow citi- 
zens efficient service. With his wife he 
belongs to the Mount Vernon United Pres- 
byterian Church in Washington Township, 
of which he is a trustee. As a member of 
the Samuel J. Rosenberg Post, Grand 
Army of the Republic, at Eau Claire, he 
often recalls, with his comrades, the dan- 
gers and triumi)hs of the great Civil War. 
On November the 11th, 1908, Mr. John A. 
Lewis went to Fredericksburg to take part 
in the unveiling of the monument of the 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry of Hum- 
phrey's Division. - 



VVILLlAAi KENNEDY, an elderly resi- 
dent of Penn Township, now living retired 
from the active occupations of life, was 
born in Wiufield Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, son of John and Aunie 
C. (Smith) Kennedy. He is a descendant 
in the fourth generation of John Kennedy, 
born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1722, 
who came to America, settling in Mary- 
land in 1848. John's son, John Kennedy 
second, served under Washington in the 
Revolutionary war, and subsequently drew 
a pension from the Government up to the 
time of his death, which took place in 1835. 
In 1786 he married and then moved to 
what is now the site of McKeesport, Penn- 
sylvania, and thence, in 1801, to what is 
now W^infield Township, Butler County. 

John Kennedy, third of the name and 
father of the subject of this sketch, was 
born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 
in 1794, and at the age of seven years came 
to Butler County with his parents, they 
being early settlers in Winfield Township. 
He was there reared to manhood, but in 
1832 he bought a farm in what is now Penn 
Township, on which he resided for the rest 
of his life, passing away at the age of sev- 
enty-five years. Although quite young at 
the breaking out of the War of 1812-15, he 
served as a soldier therein, taking part in 
the battle on Lake Erie. He and his wife 
were jimong the original members, and 
were active workers in the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church in Penn Township. He died 
January 4, 1869. 

William Kennedy when a young man 
learned the trade of blacksmith, at which 
he worked for about twelve years. He then 
bought a farm and engaged in agricultural 
pursuits in which he continued until the 
spring of 1908. He has three producing 
oil wells on his property and for a number 
of years he has been interested in oil and 
gas production. He is a Republican in 
politics, but has always been averse to ac- 
cepting township office, though frequently 
urged to do so". He was elected a justice 



1238 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of the peace, but declined to qualify. He 
is a member of Thoru Creek Methodist 
Episcopal Church, in which he has held 
the otifice of trustee and class leader for 
many years. 

Mr. Kennedy married Matilda Graham, 
a daughter of Robert Graham, of Peun 
Township, and they have been the jjareuts 
of ten children, as follows: William J., now 
deceased ; Annie C, who is the wife of Bert 
McC'andless, of Butler; Charles L., who 
resides in Butler Township ; Lulu M., who 
is the wife of Morris Plarshem, of Minne- 
sota; Clara, who is now Mrs. Clara Rob- 
bins; L. Clyde, a farmer and dairyman of 
Penn Township; George Lewis, who re- 
sides with his elder brother; Ada, wife of 
Nicholas Mangel, of Penn Township; Eva, 
and Frances M. All the living representa- 
tives of this family are worthy and useful 
members of the respective communities in 
which they reside. 

ANDREW LEMMON, whose death oc- 
curred July 29, 1908, on his farm in Butler 
Township, on which he had resided for 
many years, was a veteran of the Civil 
War and a well known and esteemed citi- 
zen. He was born on the farm on which 
he died, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
April 11, 1829, and was a son of Colonel 
Robert and Nancy (Fleming) Lemmon. 

The father of the late Andrew Lemmon 
was born in Coimty Down, Ireland, and 
came to America when he was twelve years 
of age, in company with his widowed 
mother and one sister. He died in 1861, 
aged seventy-six years. At Hagerstown, 
Maryland, he learned the trade of wheel- 
wright and chairmaker, after which he set- 
tled in Butler Count.y, Pennsylvania, and 
bought the home farm in Butler Town- 
ship, of a squatter named Lenhart. Prior 
to moving on the farm, he raised a com- 
pany of soldiers at Butler, and went out 
as its captain, during the War of 1812. He 
was a man of mark, naturally a leader and 



was prominent in politics. He served as 
county commissioner. He married a 
daughter of John Fleming, who was an 
early settler in xlllegheny County, and 
they had ten children, all of whom have 
since passed away. The only survivors 
of the Lemmon connection are: E. K. 
Lemmon and William Lemmon, of Canton, 
Ohio; Miss Emma Lemmon, of Parker's 
Landing, Pennsylvania, and her sister, 
Lena Bovard, of Butler County; David 
Lemmon, of Bevier, Macon County, Mis- 
souri, and Clay Boggs, of Evans City. 

The late Andrew Lemmon was reared on 
the home farm and with his brothers 
helped to clear it and later came into pos- 
session of the property. It contains fifty 
acres of excellent land, well adapted to 
the growing of grain and the raising of 
stock. Until within the past seven years, 
Mr. Lemmon operated the farm himself, 
since which time he has lived retired and 
rented his land. For two years prior to 
his death he was in failing health. From 
early youth he was a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church of Butler and was a 
consistent Christian. For seventy-nine 
years he lived a life that was good and 
useful and his work in this world was well 
done in every particular. 

In 1864. Mr. Lemmon enlisted for serv- 
ice in the Civil War, in Company K, One 
Hundred Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, and served until the 
close. Early in life he was a Whig and 
later became a Republican. 

Mr. Lemmon married Maria Barrick- 
man, a daughter of Peter Barrickman of 
Butler Township. She was born May 8, 
1832, and when she died, February 21, 
1902, had been married fifty years lacking 
one month. She left no issue. Both she 
and her aged husband were laid to rest in 
the North Cemetery. 

When six years old William James A. 
Beatty became a member of the household 
and remained with Mr. and Mrs. Lemmon 




MR. AND MRS. ANDREW LEMMON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1241 



until he married in 1882. Mr. Beatty's 
wife died in 1890 and Mr. Beatty returned 
and was with them continually till their 
death. 

WILLIAM G. SEATON is a prominent 
resident of Venango Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, where he has a good 
farm of seventy-six acres, and comes of a 
pioneer family of the community. He was 
born in this township July 4, 1833, is a son 
of William and Rebecca (Vanderlin) Sea- 
ton, and a grandson of Robert and Mar- 
garet (Davis) Seaton. 

'William Seaton married Rebecca Van- 
derlin, a daughter of John Vanderlin, who 
also was a pioneer settler here. This union 
resulted in the following issue : Catherine ; 
Margaret, who married Theodore Hovis, 
by whom she has the following children — 
Marshall, William, Parker and Darley; 
Caroline, who is the wife of James Jack 
and the mother of four children — Grant, 
Edwin, Nancy and Mallie ; John, who mar- 
ried Elizabeth Thompson, a daughter of 
William Thompson, and has three children 
— William, Roy and Delphine; William G., 
whose name heads this sketch ; Hattie, wife 
of Stephen Cooper, by whom she has a son 
and daughter, Amelia and Delbert; EHas, 
who married Polly Ann Wasson, and has 
the following children — Roy, Elmer, Park- 
er, Claia, Mcnitt and Amos; Lewis, who 
married Isabell McCoy, by whom she had 
four children — Harry, Lewis, Edward and 
John ; and Amos, ex-county treasurer, who 
married Mary Laughlin, by whom he had 
the following children — Henrietta, Del- 
phine, Ada, Percy, Fannie, Homer R., Dar- 
ley, Elias and Lewis M. 

William G. Seaton first attended school 
in Marion Township, and later the Smith 
school in Venango Township. His father 
purchased a tract of fifty acres of land, 
which he helped to clear of timber, which 
they burned but which would now com- 
mand a high market value. He killed deer 
on the home place and in this way they 



raised money, during the early days, with 
which to pay the taxes. After his mar- 
riage in 1862, William G. Seaton settled on 
a fifty acre tract, which he also cleared 
and in his time has hewed many rails. He 
purchased another tract of twenty- six 
acres, making a total of seventy-six. Af- 
ter acquiring this property he killed in all 
fifteen wild deer, and much other wild 
game. He erected a set of farm buildings, 
including a house, and all were destroyed 
by fire, but were immediately rebuilt in 
more modern style. He has a coal bank on 
the farm which was in operation at one 
time, but farming has always been his main 
occupation. 

Mr. Seaton was united in marriage with 
Ellen Burk, a daughter of John Burk, and 
the following children were born to bless 
their home: Marshall, who married Min- 
nie Johnston, a daughter of William John- 
ston, and has a son. Evert; Delia, de- 
ceased; Agnes, deceased; Eva Belle, de- 
ceased; William, who married Cynthia 
Kerr, a daughter of Alexander Kerr, and 
has three daughters — Gladys, Mabel and 
Goldie; Ella, wife of Lee Heasley, by whom 
she has three children — Paul, Ressie and 
Lee; Katherine, who married Samuel 
Davis, and has three children — Claire, Har- 
ry and Mildred; Anna, who married Lewis 
Kerr; and Plummer, who married Jessie 
Pearl AVasson and has four children— Bes- 
si'e, Arthur M., Earl B. and Ellen Addie. 
Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. S9aton are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Annandale. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics. 

NAAMAN F. BARTLEY, a leading ag- 
i-iculturist of Clay Township and one of 
its prominent and representative men, re- 
sides on his fine farm of seventy-five acres, 
which is situated one mile northeast of the 
Muddy Creek Presbyterian Church, ad- 
joining the Second District School, of Clay 
Township, was born at Birmingham, Alle- 
gheny County, Pennsylvania, October 31, 



1242 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1848, and is a sou of Joseph and Mar- 
garet (Kirkland) Bartley. 

Joseph Bartley was born in the southern 
part of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
where his father, James Bartley, had set- 
tled when he came to Pennsylvania from 
Ireland. In Allegheny County, Joseph 
Bartley was married to Margaret Kirk- 
land, and there he followed his ti'ade of 
brickmaker until 1851, when he purchased 
a farm in Jefferson Township, Butler 
Comity. They lived there until about 1862 
and then sold and moved to land in Penn 
Township, where the remainder of their 
lives were spent. 

Naaman F. Bartley was three years old 
when his parents moved to Jefferson 
Township and was fourteen when the fam- 
ily settled in Penn Township. The latter 
farm has been foimd rich in oil deposits, 
but this discovery was not made until it 
had passed out of Mr. Bartley 's posses- 
sion. He attended the township schools 
and later the Reidsburg Academy, in Clari- 
on County. After he returned home from 
the academy he decided to enter the army 
and on February 11, 1865, he enlisted, al- 
though but sixteen years of age, in Com- 
l)any E, Seventy-eighth Regiment, Penn- 
sylvania Volunteer Infantry, in which he 
served until the close of the war, being 
stationed during the greater part of this 
time at Nashville, Tennessee. In Septem- 
ber, 1865, he was mustered out at Harris- 
burg, Pennsylvania, and returned to his 
home in Butler County. 

Mr. Bartley soon began to teach school, 
which he continued until 1875, teaching 
three terms in Clay Township, since when 
he has been engaged in general farming. 
Mr. Bartley endorses many modei'u meth- 
ods and has proved on his own land the 
value of scientific agriculture. He has in- 
terested himself and others in matters 
which are of great moment to the agricul- 
turist and has been identified with local 
organizations, particularly the Grange. He 
^as one of the promoters of the Farmers' 



Institutes in Butler County and in May, 
1908, was appointed gounty chairman of 
this agricultural body. He is also a mem- 
ber of the State Board of Agriculture of 
Pennsylvania. He has improved and de- 
veloped his farm and made it one of the 
most valuable in the township. 

On March 5, 1868, Mr. Bartley was mar- 
ried to Miss Emma Zillah MeCandless, who 
is a daughter of William H. and Mary Ann 
MeCandless, of Franklin Township. They 
have had four children: William M., Vil- 
etta Margaret, Melvin Oscar and Clifford 
Foster. William M. Bartley is a physi- 
cian practicing in North Dakota, a grad- 
uate of the Baltimore Medical College. He 
owns land in Dakota and also in Cuba. 
He married Ada L. Miller and they have 
three children — Charles Miller, Mary Zil- 
lah and June. Viletta Margaret Bartley 
died in 1898. She was the wife of Thomas 
O. Kelly and she left two children — Philip 
Eugene and Emma Phyrn. Melvin Oscar 
Bartley is the manager of the home farm. 
He married Delia May Hogg and they have 
six children — Cleora Fay, Olive Viletta, 
Florence Kathleen, Mabel Angle, Eugene 
Kyle and Emma Laverna. Clifford Fos- 
ter died IMarch 27, 1897. Mr. Bartley and 
family are members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. 

JOHN A. SLAGLE, who owns oil prop- 
erty and engages in truck gardening in 
Fairview Township, about two miles east 
of Chicora, Butler County, has been a resi- 
dent of this township since February, 1889, 
but was born in Valley Township, Arm- 
strong County, Pennsylvania, February 
24, 1853. His parents were Daniel and 
Lucinda (Bowser) Slagle. 

For over fifty years the parents of Mr. 
Slagle lived on the old Slagle homestead in 
Valley Township, Armstrong County, and 
they botli died there, the father when aged 
eis:hty-four years and the mother aged 
eighty-one years. They were quiet, vir- 
tuous, farming people, respected, esteemed 



AND REPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



and beloved. They had twelve children 
born to them, the record being as follows: 
Lemuel H. ; Chambers, deceased; Miles; 
John A.; Mary, who married Matthew Mc- 
Cullins; Samuel; Harvey, deceased; Jane, 
who married Thomas Bowser; Emma, de- 
ceased, who was the wife of Calvin Peters ; 
Catherine, who married Shadrich Starr; 
David; and Ella, who married David 
Frencli. 

John A. Slagle was educated in Arm- 
strong County and remained there until 
he was about twenty-five years of age and 
then went out on the road for a time, trav- 
eling in the interest of a sewing machine 
company. He came to Fairview Township 
from McKean County, where he resided 
for eight years previously, and- since then 
has been engaged in truck gardening and 
in the oil business. 

On September 26, 1878, Mr. Slagle was 
married by Rev. Armbaugh, to Miss Emma 
Holder, who is a daughter of Joseph and 
Susanna (Harmon) Holder, both of whom 
were born in Armstrong County and spent 
their lives there, the father dying at the 
age of seventy-eight years. Mrs. Slagle is 
the sixth member of her parents' family 
of ten children, the others being: Mary, 
deceased, who was the wife of Barney 
Hiles; Mai'garet, who married Martin 
Ward, deceased; John, deceased; William; 
Chambers; Samuel, deceased; Mattie, who 
is the widow of Andrew Young; Nanie, de- 
ceased ; and Armstrong. 

Mr. and Mrs. Slagle have an adopted 
daughter, Nellie M., who is a bright little 
girl of ten years, attending school. Mr. 
Slagle and wife are members of the Re- 
formed Church. He is not a very active 
politician, but may always be found doing 
his full duty by his community. He is a 
member of the Knights of Maccabees, at 
Chieora. 

JOHN F. PEOPLES, a well known citi- 
zen of Venango Township, Butler County, 
Pennsvlvania, was born on the old home- 



stead, tlie place on which he now. lives in 
that township. He is a son of John and 
Margaret (Murrin) Peoples, and a grand- 
son of Patrick and Sarah (Callahan) Peo- 
ples, residents of Ireland. 

Patrick and Sarah Peoples became par- 
ents of the following children: John, father 
of the subject of this sketch, William, 
James, Alexander, Columbus, Mary and 
Hannah. 

John Peoples was married to Margaret 
Murrin, a daughter of Joseph Murrin of 
Venango Township, and their children were 
as follows: Katharine (Barr) ; Mary 
(Shearon) ; Susan; Joseph, deceased; Han- 
nah L. (Shearon); John F. ; and Matilda, 
who died in infancy. Katharine Peoples 
married William Barr of near Butler, and 
has the following children: Margaret, 
Sarah, Matilda, Joseph, Rosanna,. William 
and Vincent. Mary Peoples married John 
Shearon of Venango Township and their 
offspring is as follows: Margaret and 
Grace, twins ; Patrick and Mayme. Hannah 
L. Peoples married James Shearon, by 
whom she had three daughters and a son, 
namely: Stella, Sarah, John and Matilda. 
She formed a second union with Robert 
Trumbull of Hilliard, and they have a son 
and a daughter, Edward and Barbara. 

Johhn F. Peoples in his boyhood days 
attended the old Cochran school in Ven- 
ango Township, after which he took up 
agricultural pursuits. He was born in the 
little log house which was built by his par- 
ents in 1840 and still stands on the farm. 
He has 152 acres of good land, forty of 
which is under cultivation. He has twenty 
acres of young timber, and the remainder 
is covered with valuable timber. He has 
an orchard and a good set of farm build- 
ings, all of which were built by him but the 
old log house. There are two veins of coal 
underlying the land, which have never been 
worked. He is a Democrat in politics, and 
is road supervisor and road master of Ven- 
ango Township. 

August 27, 1884, John F. Peoples was 



1244 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



united in marriage witli Miss Sarah Mc- 
Guinley, a daugbter of Charles McGuinley, 
and tlie following children were born to 
them: Charles Joseph, who is engaged at 
the mines; James A., who also is working 
at the mines ; John, who assists his father 
on the farm ; Katharine Gertrude ; Francis 
Edward, deceased ; Margaret E. ; Mary L. ; 
Patrick Henry ; Emma, deceased ; two who 
died in infancy; and Hugh Leo. Relig- 
iously, they are members of the St. Also- 
plius Church at Murrinsville. 

DAVID GARVIN BASTIAN is a son of 
William McKinley and Amy Garvin Bas- 
tian and was born in the borough of Butler, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, on the 27th 
day of September, 1858. He received his 
education in the public schools of the 
county, in the Harmony Academy, Har- 
mony, Pennsylvania ; at the Military Acad- 
emy, Jladdonfield, New Jersey, and at the 
Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Penn- 
sylvania. The history of wars and the 
heroic and chivalrous achievements of tlieir 
heroes charmed and thrilled him; and he 
was ambitious to become a soldier. At 
nineteen years of age, he received the ap- 
pointment as cadet to West Point ; and the 
star of his hopes .was luminous with prom- 
ise. After receiving the appointment, he 
applied himself to the required studies for 
admission with the greatest industry and 
perseverance and successfully passed the 
examination; but the severe strain to which 
he subjected himself in his mental prepara- 
tion impaired his health and barred him 
temporal'] ly from joining the cadets. After 
carefully considering the lessons from this 
incident, he concluded to abandon the life 
of a student and soldier and enter the com- 
mercial world. In connection with George 
B. Bastian, his brother, he engaged in the 
hardware business in the borough of Zel- 
ienople, which he conducted with energy 
and success for more than twenty years; 
and imtil his large, commodious and hand- 
some store building and its wares were con- 



sumed by fire in the winter of 19U2. Since 
tlien he abandoned the mercantile life and 
turned his attention to real estate and the 
indulgence of his natural and pronounced 
talent for the art of the taxidermist. Mr. 
Bastian is a born artist, and had he the 
opportimity to develop his natural aptitude 
for painting or taxidermy, he would have 
taken high rank in either department. His 
ability, skill and proficiency in taxidermy 
were recognized by Dr. Holland, who se- 
lected him out of a list of fortj^-seven ap- 
plicants as one of three taxidermists at 
the Carnegie Institute at Pittsburg, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Mr. Bastian married Miss Sovina Peters 
Hofl'ecker, who is a daughter of W. L. and 
Elmina Amelia Hoffecker, and was born in 
Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her father was 
an expert engineer and at the time of his 
death was superintendent of the motive 
power of the New Jersey Central Railroad 
Company. His widow survived him and is 
still living in the home city, Elizabeth, New 
Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Bastian have four 
children: Elmina, Garvin, Hellen Sovina 
and William Hoffecker. In religion, the 
family are Presbyterians. In politics, Mr. 
Bastian is a Republican with tendencies 
toward Prohibition. He never consented 
to be a candidate for any political office, 
but accepted the appointment as president 
of the Board of Health for four years. He 
is an intelligent and progressive citizen and 
has always been an active and controlling 
factor in all the commercial and civic enter- 
prises of his town. He is a fearless and 
uncompromising champion of human rights 
and denounces wrong wherever he finds it. 
He is a man of strong and intense religious 
nature without cant or acerbity, and a jo- 
vial, sociable and very companionable 
neigh i3or and friend. 

William McKinley Bastian was born No- 
vember 16th, 1813, in Armstrong Town- 
ship, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, and 
died July 9tb, 1887. He was a useful and 
enterprising business man and an extensive 



ANJ) KEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1245 



manufacturer of agricultural implements. 
He originated and manufactured the "Eas- 
tian Pour-horse-power Threshing Ma- 
chine," which was the best of its kind and 
retained the lead and preference up to the 
advent of the steam thresher. For a num- 
ber of years he was engaged in an extensive 
mercantile business with his brother-in-law, 
John Hall, in the borough of Butler. This 
venture was not a success ; and at its close 
in 1859, he moved with his family to Zelien- 
ople and purchased a hotel property from 
John Knox, which was called "The Bastian 
House," and which he conducted during the 
Civil War and up to the year 1879, when 
he sold it and retired from active business. 
He inherited the jovial and simshiny na- 
ture of his father, Peter Bastian, and was 
universally loved and esteemed. He pos- 
sessed the most open and unselfish nature, 
and was never distrusted. He had but few 
ambitions, and cared but little for the shout 
of the multitude or the blare of the political 
trumpet. He will not be remembered for 
any great or noted achievement; but the 
little sympathies he showed for the unfor- 
tunate; the little acts of kindness he did 
for others ; the little encouragements he 
dropped into sad lives; the dainty little 
hopes he planted in the waste places of 
cheerless hearts; the little sunbeams of 
cheer he drifted into the dark corners of 
desolate souls; and the number of Hearts- 
ease and Forget-me-nots he planted along 
the by-ways of human experience, make up 
the blessed heritage he left to his family 
and friends. 

He married Miss Amy Garvin, November 
11th, 1841, and had eight children : George 
Bvards, Margaret, Amelia, Frances, Amy, 
Willhelmina, Eliza, David Garvin and Jo- 
sephine; the latter died when nine months 
of age. George Byards Bastian married 
Caroline Endress, a daughter of Adam 
Endress, a wealthy and retired farmer of 
Zelienople, who is still living; Margaret 
J^melia married Oliver C. Genther of 
Wheeling, West Virginia ; Frances married 



Frank Fletcher of Connecticut, but died 
three weeks after her marriage ; Amy died 
at the age of eighteen; Wilhielmina mar- 
ried J. i\ Strieby, a prominent lawyer of 
Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Eliza mai'- 
ried Alton Hopkins of Denver, Colorado. 

Amy Garvin Bastian was born in Cran- 
berry Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, on May 14th, 1823, and died May 
21st, 1896. She was no ordinary wornan, 
but a conspicuous and unique character. 
No one ever met her without being im- 
pressed with the magnetic strength of her 
own individuality. She possessed great 
force of character, a strong and iron will, 
sound judgment, and was of queenly and 
commanding presence. Her perceptions 
were keen and quick, her discrimination fine 
and intelligent and her conclusions logical 
and accurate. She was a positive force in 
the community where she lived. The influ- 
ence of her life was always on the right 
side. Her impulses were all tender, noble 
and generous; her sympathies were as ge- 
nial and warm as the sunshine and as broad 
and deep as life itself. She made her life 
valuable, and impressed her individuality 
deep in the minds and memory of her 
friends and in the nature and character of 
every member of her family. The sphere 
of her activities was not wide, but the fruit^ 
age of her life was bountiful. She was a 
daughter of David and Parraelia Malison 
Garvin. Parmelia Malison was a daugh- 
ter of Thomas and Amy Newtqn Malison; 
and Amy Newton was a full cousin of Sir 
Isaac Newton, the philosopher. 

George Byards Bastian was born in 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on the 7th day of 
January, 1844. He was educated in the 
public schools and was a graduate of the 
Duff's Commercial College, Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania. On August 11th, 18G2. he 
enlisted as a private in Company C, 134th 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers; and 
on February ]7th, 1863, was promoted to 
the position of Second Lieutenant. After 
leaving the army, he returned to Zelienople 



1246 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and became an active and energetic busi- 
ness man and a leader in" all the progressive 
movements in his community. He was ap- 
pointed postmaster at Zelienople in 1872 
and continued in office for twelve years. He 
was deeply interested in the Agricultural 
Society of the county and served as presi- 
dent of the Harmony Fair Association for 
a number of years. He was one of the chief 
promoters in the rural districts of the Nar- 
row Gauge Railroad Company and ren- 
dered valuable and efficient service in hav- 
ing the road pass through his native town. 
He moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 
in the fall of 1881, and opened up the larg- 
est and most expensively furnished art and 
toy store in central Pennsylvania. He con- 
ducted this business with energy and suc- 
cess until the disastrous and unprecedented 
thirty-four-foot flood of 1889 swept through 
the valley and made many rich men poor. 
On account of the kind and character of his 
stock of goods, the damage done to them 
amounted to an absolute loss and practi- 
cally nothing was saved from the ruin. He 
died October 28th, 1907, and was buried in 
East Wildwood on a beautiful slope facing 
the setting sun, a suitable and fitting rest- 
ing place for one whose star of business 
hope went down behind the clouds into the 
darkness of a night that knows no dawning. 
The Bastians of this country descended 
from the distinguished German family of 
SeBastians. Their ancestors came to this 
county before the Revolutionary War and 
the name SeBastian was retained by the 
family up to the present generation. 
George Michael SeBastian married Ra- 
ehael Wenn. After leaving their home in 
Germany and before reaching the seaboard, 
they were compelled to go into service to 
accumulate more money before proceeding 
on their journey to this country. They were 
Lutherans. They stopped at a Catholic set- 
tlement and attended their church; but not 
being acquainted with their services and 
not crossing themselves according to the 
Catholic custom, they were privately rep- 



rimanded by the priest, but agreeing to 
conform to the Catholic practice, they were 
allowed to continue to attend their eiuirch. 
After remaining in this settlement for nine 
months, they again resumed their journey. 
Their voyage was very rough and stormy ; 
and at one time they were cast upon an 
island, but finally they landed at the port 
of Philadelphia. They settled in what was 
then Northampton but now is Lehigh 
County, Pennsylvania. They afterwards 
moved to Selinsgrove, where they died and 
were buried. They had five sons and one or 
two daughters. The sons were : Jacob, who 
served six months in the Revolutionary 
War; Daniel, who at the age of sixteen 
served as a drummer boy in the same war; 
and George, Peter and Andrew. Peter Se- 
Bastian remained at Philadelphia, and his 
son Peter came to Williamsport and built 
a tavern on the south bank of the West 
Branch of the Susquehanna River, which 
was known far and wide for its sumptuous 
board and the good cheer, warm greeting 
and hosiptality of its host. He married 
Mary Artley and their children were: 
Henry, William McKinley, John S., Henri- 
etta, Josephine, Mary, Julia, and Margaret. 
The Garvin ancestors came from Scot- 
land. The reign of Charles II of Scotland, 
which lasted from 1650 to 1668, was one of 
marked crueltj' to the Covenanters. All 
those who were not killed were forced to 
flee for their lives or renounce their re- 
ligion. In 1684, during what was called 
"The Killing Time," David Garvin and his 
wife Elizabeth, and their young sons, John 
and James, fled from their home near Dum- 
barton in Scotland to a colony of Covenant- 
ers, that had been established in the north- 
ern part of Ireland near Londonderry. 
After the death of their father in 1735 four 
of his children, David, James, Elizabeth 
and Thomas Garvin, emigrated to America. 
Whittier tells the story in one of his poems, 
published in 1888, of Mary Garvin, who 
was stolen from her parents by the Indians 
and returned to them twenty years later. 




W. F. RIIMBERGER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1251 



David Garvin, one of tlie brothers of Mary 
Garvin, and the great-grandfather of David 
Garvin Bastian, moved to Virginia and 
owned a number of slaves. One of the emi- 
grant Garvins had a daughter by the name 
of Margaret. Her husband and five of their 
children were massacred by the Indians. 
She and one daughter were taken captive 
and carried into Canada. After some years 
of captivity, they were ransomed and re- 
turned to their friends and died and were 
buried in Pennsylvania. 

WILLIAM F. RUMBERGER, one of 
Butler's leading citizens, who is largely 
identified with its business interests and 
public affairs, has been city treasurer of 
Butler Borough since 1902. He was born 
July 30, 1855, at Fairview, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William F. 
Rumberger, who was one of the pioneer 
woolen manufacturers of Western Penn- 
sylvania. 

When Mr. Rumberger was about one 
year old, his parents moved to Armstrong 
County, where he was reared, and he later 
secured his education in the old Witlier- 
spoou Academy at Butler, Pennsylvania. 
His first introduction to business was in 
his father's woolen manufacturing plant 
at Craigsville, Armstrong County, and in 
the course of time he became a member of 
the firm with his father and continued 
there until 1893, for some years having 
been particularly engaged in buying wool. 
Later he became identified with the Guar- 
antee Safe Deposit and Trust Company, 
of which he was -a director and was in 
charge of the real estate department. In 
1900 he secured his present offices in the 
Odd Fellows' Temple, at Butler, and does 
an extensive real estate and insurance 
business in addition to managing his large 
personal real estate holdings. He owns 
one of the finest homes at Butler, its loca- 
tion being on Oak Street, and he has built 
and owned a number of other fine resi- 
dences in different sections of the citv. 



In 1893 Mr. Rumberger was married to 
Miss Emma P. Scott, who was born at 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and they have 
one daughter, Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. 
Rumberger are members of the United 
Presbyterian Church at Butler, of which 
he has been treasurer for a number of 
years. 

WILLIAM J. SAGER, manager of the 
Clutton General Store, at West Liberty, 
Butler County, is one of the representative 
men of Brady Township and has been in 
his present responsible position since 1893. 
He was born on a farm, in Mercer Coimty, 
Pennsylvania, February 1, 1865, and is a 
son of Benjamin and Ellen (Dennison) 
Sager. 

Mr. Sager attended school in Mercer 
County until he was fifteen years of age, 
when his parents moved on a farm in Slip- 
pery Rock Township, Butler County, where 
he remained until 1891. In that year he mar- 
ried Miss Eifie Clutton, who is a daughter 
of Jonathan and Margaret Clutton. ^Ir. and 
Mrs. Sager have two children: Margaret 
and George. He is a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church. Lie is a very active 
citizen of West Liberty and is a member of 
the borough council. 

Mrs. Sager is a member of a prominent 
family of Butler County, her father, the 
late Jonathan Clutton, for many years 
being a successful merchant and leading 
man. He died in February, 1903. His 
widow is also deceased. Miss E. G. Clutton, 
sister of Jonathan Clutton, is the propri- 
etor of the Clutton General Store at West 
Liberty, in which place she also owns a 
second store building. The Clutton store 
carries a full line of hardware, dry goods, 
shoes and groceries and is the largest en- 
terprise of its kind in this section and is in 
a most prosperous condition. 

Frank Clutton, a brother of Mrs. Sager, 
is general superintendent of the Slippery 
Rock State Normal School. He was born 
at Prosiiect, Butler Count v, Pennsylvania, 



1252 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



November 15, 1857, and until he was thir- 
teen years of age was reared by an aunt in 
Worth Township. In 1870 he moved to 
Slippery Rock and in 1879 was married to 
Miss Lola F. Riddle. Five children were 
born to this marriage, namely : Bertha, who 
died in 1892, aged twelve years; William 
K., a graduate of the Pharmacy depart- 
ment of the Western University at Pitts- 
burg, who is engaged in the drug business 
with his brother, Paul D., at Myersdale, 
Somerset County; Paul D., who is a mem- 
ber of the firm of Clutton Brothers, drug- 
gists, at Myersdale, and married Mary F. 
Magee; Augustus T., who is a senior in the 
Slippery Rock State Normal School; and 
Frances E., who is a student in the Slip- 
pery Rock High School. 

Prof. Clutton learned the trade of car- 
riage painter in his youth and then con- 
ducted a mercantile business with his aunt, 
E. G. Clutton, until his marriage. In 1880 
he became manager of the branch store of 
Bard Bros., at Coaltown, and in 1882, while 
there, not only had all his property de- 
stroyed by the well remembered cyclone 
that swept through that section, but was 
also seriously injured, to such an extent 
that he was compelled to be out of business 
for months. After Bard Bros, rebuilt, he 
returned to them and continued in their 
employ until May, 1884, at Coaltown, and 
until October, at Slippery Rock. From 
there he went to Hazzard, Mercer County, 
where he had charge of the stores of a coal 
company, leaving there in June, 1886, to 
accept a position as bookkeeper at Millers- 
town, now Chicora. In June, 1887, he 
moved to Slippery Rock and went into a 
general store business under tlie name of 
Clutton Bros., No. 2, the firm, made up of 
himself and brother George W., already 
having a drug store. In 1891 George W. 
Clutton removed to New Castle, whfere he 
continues in the drug business, and at that 
time Frnnk Clutton sold the general store 
and took charge of the drug business at 
Slippery Rock, for some time also having 



an interest in the New Castle store. In 
1899 the partnership was dissolved and 
Frank Clutton continued the drug business 
at Slippery Rock under his own name and 
remained in the drug business until 1906, 
when he sold out to the firm of Mayberry & 
Pisor. In the meanwhile, his sons were 
trained in the store and now do a large 
business on their own account. 

Mr. Clutton is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church at Slippery Rock, a 
member of the board of stewards. He is a 
Mason, Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias. 

JOSEPH T. MURRIN, residing on the 
old Murrin homestead in Venango Town- 
ship, was born on this farm May 18, 1855, 
and belongs to a very prominent and pro- 
lific family of Butler County. His parents 
were John and Bridget (Kelly) Murrin, 
and his grandfathers were Joseph and 
Frank Kelly. 

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Mur- 
rin were Joseph and Katherine (Keating) 
Murrin, and they had the following chil- 
dren : Hugh K. ; John, who married Bridget 
Kelly; Margaret, who married John Peo- 
ple; Susan and Joseph, neither of whom 
married; Katherine, who married Hugh 
Forquer; and James, who married, first, 
Margaret McElroy, and second, Mary 
Logue. 

The childi'en born to John and Bridget 
Murrin were as follows : Joseph T. ; Susan, 
who married Thomas Easley; Frank, who 
married Amelia, daughter of Joseph 
Young; James D., who married Minnie, 
daughter of Bernard Gardner; Katherine 
A., who married Thomas Robison; Charles, 
who married Katherine, daughter of Peter 
Burns; and William A., Hugh, Mary and 
Agnes. 

Joseph T. Murrin attended the Rock 
school in boyhood and then assisted his 
uncle, Joseph Murrin, on the latter 's farm. 
After lie married he rented a farm in Ven- 
ango Township and then purchased eight- 
een acres of the old homestead, on which he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1253 



has carried on agricultural operations ever 
since. He has no open coal bank, neither 
has he tested his land for either coal or gas. 
He takes no very active part in township 
politics, but votes with the Republican 
party. 

On .January 30, 1883, Mr. Murrin was 
married to Miss Evelyn McGuirk, who is 
a daughter of .Jauies McGuirk. Tiiey have 
seven children, all of whom have been 
gifted with a talent for music. With the 
exception of Susan Alice, the fifth child, 
who is the wife of William G. Pritchard, 
none have married. Mary Helena, the sec- 
ond child, after graduating from the Eau 
Claire school in June, 1905, entered the 
New York State Hospital and Training 
School for Nurses and was subsequently 
graduated at the Columbus State Hospital. 
December 30, 1908, with very high marks 
and is still following her profession in that 
institution. The other children : James 
Henry, Bridget Elizabeth, John Thomas, 
Joseph F. and Helen Evelyn, all reside at 
home. Mr. Murrin and family are mem- 
bers of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church at 
Murrinsville. 

AARON SCHANTZ YOUNG, a promi- 
nent agriculturist and representative citi- 
zen of Jackson Township, residing on his 
farm of 125 acres, which is situated two and 
one-half miles from Evans City, was born 
on this place, in the old hewed log resi- 
dence, September 7, 1869. His parents are 
S. P. P. and Catherine (Schantz) Young. 

The ancestors of Mr. Young, on both 
sides, came originally from Germany. His 
mother is a granddaughter of the first Zeig- 
ler, who came from east of the mountains, 
passing through Pittsburg, and thinking it 
of very little importance, came on to Har- 
mony and purchased the town witli nearly 
all the surrounding farms from the Econ- 
omites, the present farm being among 
them. Tt was subsequently bought by 
Aaron Schantz, the maternal grandfather 



of Aaron S. Young. Mr. Schantz built the 
log house in 1850, the log barn having been 
put up prior to that date. The land subse- 
quently became the property of S. P. P. 
Young and in 1900 was bought by its pres- 
ent owner. 

The Young family, for several genera- 
tions, lived at llarraonj', Pennsylvania, the 
grandfather having a tailor shop there for 
a long period. The father of Aaron S. 
Young learned the trade with his father 
and followed it at Harmony until he moved 
to Iowa, in'ior to the opening of the (livil 
War. He served in an Iowa regiment with 
the rank of captain. He is now in his 
eightieth year and has been a resident of 
Pittsburg for the past seventeen years. His 
wif<e also survives and is seventy-six years 
old. Of their eleven children seven sur- 
vive, namely: Elizabeth, who is the wife of 
W. N. Harper, of Pitt.sburg; Naomi, who 
is the widow of Samuel Knox, resides in 
Oklahoma; Flora, who lives with her aged 
parents ; Annie, who is the wife of Rev. 
W. S. Kreiger, of Ohio ; Aaron S. ; Blanche, 
who is the wife of John Winfield Sloan, of 
Philadelphia; and Bertha, who resides at 
liome. Susan, Latira. Sadie and Ensign are 
-deceased. 

Aaron S. Young lived at Harmony from 
the age of seven to fifteen years, at that 
time going to Pittsburg, where he learned 
the carpenter's trade and worked at this 
for fifteen years in that city, after which 
he came to Jackson Township and bought 
the old family farm. He takes a great deal 
of interest in improving the old place, 
which is a fine tract of land, and has re- 
cently set out an orchard; this, with his 
vineyards, covers about fifteen acres. 

Mr. Young was married in 1895 to Miss 
Clara Haines, who was reared near Bed- 
ford, and they have six children, with ages 
ranging from twelve to two years, namely: 
Paul, Glenn, Margaret, Harold, Kenneth 
and John Carl. Mr. Younsr and family at- 
tend St. John's Reformed Church at Evans 



1254 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



City. In iiis thoughtful views on public 
questions, Mr. Young has definitely identi- 
fied himself with the Prohibition party. 

HENRY PERRY DOUBLE, a repre- 
sentative citizen of Butler County, who is 
engaged in agricultural pursuits on a fine 
farm of ninefj'-six acres, lying along the 
Western border of Cherry Township, ad- 
joining Slippery Rock Township, is also 
a veteran of the Civil War. Mr. Double 
was born on a farm in Worth Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, June 5, 1838, 
and is a son of Isaac and Nancy (Snyder) 
Double. 

The maternal grandfather of Mr. Dou- 
ble, Conrad Snyder, came to Butler County 
from Westmoreland County, and became 
a large landholder, one of his farms being 
the one on which Mr. Double now resides. 
John Double, the paternal grandfather, 
came to Butler County from Westmoreland 
County, and settled in what is now Brady 
Township, where Isaac Double was born. 
After his marriage, Isaac Double went to 
housekeeping in Worth Township, and 
with the exception of about three years 
spent in Virginia after the war, he and his 
wife were residents of Worth Township 
all of their lives, both dying there. 

Henry Perry Double was reared on the 
home farm in Worth Township, and there 
resided until April 22, 1862, at which time 
he came to his present farm, which has 
been his home to the present time. In Sep- 
tember, 1864, he enlisted in the Fiftieth 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try, serving with that organization until 
the close of the war, and ])articipating in a 
number of engagements, including Hatcher 
Run and Fort Steadman, although most of 
his service was around Petersburg, he be- 
ing present at the evacuation of that point. 
Mr. Double received his honorable dis- 
charge at Georgetown, District of Colum- 
bia, and, returning to his farm, began again 
to cultivate his land. This property on 
his arrival had been verv little attended to. 



and the only buildings it boasted were an 
old log cabin and barn. Almost all of the 
land is in a high state of cultivation now, 
and Mr. Double has erected a set of excel- 
lent farm buildings. He has been success- 
ful in his operations, and is looked upon as 
one of the substantial men of his commun- 
ity. 

In 1865 Mr. Double was united in mar- 
riage with Mary AlcClure, who is a daugh- 
ter of James Aic(!lure, and they have had 
five children: Isaac Orrin, who married 
and died shortly thereafter; James Silas, 
who is married and lives in Butler; Percy 
L., who lives in Chicago; Grace E., wife 
of Roy A. Watson, a merchant of Slippery 
Rock; and Emma P., wife of Robert Davis, 
]-esiding near Hilliards. 

ELIAS K. TAYLOR, residing on his 
farm of thirty acres in Venango Township, 
two and one-half miles west of Eau Claire, 
erected a blacksmith shop on his property 
after coming here and does general repair 
work. He was born May 6, 1845, at Chi- 
cora, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Matthew and Sarah (Kephart) 
Taylor, and a grandson of James Taylor. 

The children born to Matthew Taylor 
and his wife were : James, who married 
(first) Mary Love and (second) Elizabeth 
Gallagher; Elias, who married Barbara, 
daughter of Stephen Montgomery; Perry, 
who married Catherine, daughter of Will- 
iam Barnhart; Matilda, who married N. 
Gold; William, who died in 1861, a soldier 
in the Civil War, falling at Cedar Creek; 
and Samuel H. and Joseph B., both of 
whom are now deceased. 

Elias K. Taylor obtained his education 
in the vicinity of his home and then helped 
his father on the farm until he married, 
after which he lived for one year at Bul- 
lion, Venango County, and then bought a 
lot at Eau Claire, on which he built a house 
which ]\e subsequently sold to Samuel Kas- 
tor. He then bought a farm of seventy 
ncyc^ which he afterward sold to James 




HARRY L. GRAHAM 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1257 



B. MoJ unkin, and then bought his present 
place, and since building his shop has done 
a good business at repair work and wagon 
making, in addition to cultivating his land. 
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have had the fol- 
lowing children: Elmer; William who 
married Margaret, a daughter of James 
Lackey; James, who married Mary, a 
daughter of David Taylor; Wilbert, who 
married Gertrude, a daughter of John F. 
Wilds; Anna, who married Calvin Sloan; 
Clara, who married Joseph Kittler; and 
Emma and Julia, both of whom reside with 
their parents. Mr. Taylor and family are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Eau Claire. In politics he is a 
Democrat and he has acceptably served 
the township as road supervisor. 

HARRY L. GRAHAM, a leading mem- 
ber of the Butler bar and one of the city's 
representative citizens, serving in his 
fourth year as secretary of the Board of 
Education, was born August 5, 1870, in 
Concord Township, Butler Coimty, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Thomas Graham, father of Harry L., 
was born September 10, 1840, in Concord 
Township, Butler County, on the farm 
which his father, Edward Graham, Sr., 
entered from the Government in 1797. 
Thomas Graham is one of Concord Town- 
ship's representative agriculturists. 

Harry L. Graham attended the public 
schools and then enjoyed academic train- 
ing both at North AVashington and West 
Sunbury, Pa., graduating at the latter 
institution in June, 1889, when he entered 
the University at Wooster, Ohio, where he 
completed his collegiate course in June, 
1893, two years later receiving his degree 
of A. M. Upon his return from the Uni- 
versity, in 189.3, Mr. Graham began the 
studv of law, with Attorney S. F. Bowser, 
and was admitted to the bar on December 
11, 1895. He has also been admitted to 
practice in the Supreme and Superior 
Courts of the State of Pennsylvania and 



the United States District Courts of West- 
ern Pennsylvania. With the exception of 
a short period, Mr. Graham has been in 
continuous practice at Butler ever since 
his admission to the bar. In 1890 he 
served as Deputy Prothonotary and for 
six years was a member of the Board of 
Auditors of Butler. He has given atten- 
tion to all public questions and is identi- 
fied with the Republican party, in 1900 
serving as secretary of the Republican 
County Committee. Aside from politics, 
however, Mr. Graham has been an active 
citizen, lending his influence to all move- 
ments promising to be of practical benefit 
to this section. 

In October, 1900, Mr. Graham was mar- 
ried to Julia Stephenson Creigh, who is a 
granddaughter of Dr. Alfred Creigh, of 
Washington, Pa. They have one son, 
Harry Lee, Jr. Mr. Graham is a member 
of St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Butler, 
Pa., and Mrs. Graham is a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church, also of Butler, 
Pa. In his fraternal relations, he is a 
member of the Ancient and Illustrious 
order of Kniglits of Malta ; Temple Lodge 
of I. O. 0. F. and Clement Encampment; 
Knights of Maccabees; Kevstone Camp, 
No. 8, Woodmen of the W^orld, F. M. C. and 
other organizations. 

ERNEST ULYSSES SNYDER, M. D., 
of Portersville, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, has built up a large practice in the 
community, in which he is widely known. 
He was born two miles northwest of Union- 
ville, in Franklin Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, ]March 17, 1880, and comes of one of 
the pioneer families thereof. He is a son 
of Lorenzo and Canarissa (Weigle) 
Snyder, who have a farm of 100 acres just 
off the Butler and Mercer Road, about two 
miles from LTnionville. 

Lorenzo Snyder is a son of Zephaniah 
and Rachel (Kennedy) Snyder, and a 
grandson of Conrad Snyder, Sr., who was 
the original settler. He came from 



1258 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Switzerland at an early date, and in 1800 
took up a tract of 600 acres in what was 
then Brady Township, and in the early 
days conducted a tavern. He was a man 
of exceptional ability and in time added 
to his possessions until he had 2,600 acres 
of fine land. At his death he was buried on 
the home farm. Lorenzo and Canarissa 
Snyder became parents of five children, 
as follows: Blanche E., wife of W. M. 
Hockenbury of Worth Township ; Ottis L., 
who has a farm in Muddy Creek Townshii) 
and who married Miss Jennie Wigton; Er- 
nest Ulysses ; Mary S., deceased ; and Bert 
W.. who carries on farming operations on 
his father's farm. 

Doctor Snyder attended the district 
schools and worked on the farm" until he 
was eighteen years of age, when he en- 
tered Slippery Rock State Normal School. 
Upon leaving that institution he taught 
school at Brewster, and later at Unionville, 
after which he matriculated at the West- 
ern University of Pennsylvania. He was 
graduated in 1905, with the degree of M. 
D., after which he served as interne in the 
General Hospital at Uniontown. He then 
opened his office for practice at Porters- 
ville, and has a well established and re- 
munerative patronage. Fraternally, he is 
a member of the Lawrence County Medical 
Society. 

February 14, 1906, Dr. Snyder was unit- 
ed in marriage with Miss Elverda McCand- 
less, a daughter of J. J. and Etta McCand- 
less, she also being descended from one of 
the earliest families of the county. They 
have one daughter, Marjorie. In religious 
attachment, they are members of the Baji- 
tist Church and are liberal in its suiiport. 

VALENTINE WHITENER, an influ- 
ential and enterprising business man of 
Buena Vista, has been a resident of Fair- 
view Township since 1873. He was born 
February 11, 1843, in Shippenville, Clarion 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Val- 
entine and Margaret (Cook) Whitener. 



Valentine Whitener and his wife were 
both born in Germany and came to this 
country on the same ship. Three years 
later they were married and lived for about 
twelve years in Pittsburg, where he worked 
at brick laying. Mr. A\'hitener died at 
Green Oaks, Westmoreland County, and 
his wife died at Prospect in 1863. They 
had the following children: Valentine; 
Caroline, deceased; Philip, deceased; 
Katherine; Leonard and Adam. 

Valentine Whitener received his educa- 
tional training in the schools of Pittsburg, 
Green Oak, and Butler County. Upon first 
entering the business world he drove a 
team of mules in a coal mine in Westmore- 
land County for some time, after which he 
worked for a time in a brick yard. He then 
began work in the oil fields, spending three 
days working on the first oil well drilled at 
Franklin. He has continued with success 
in the oil business since that time and is 
interested in a large number of oil wells in 
this locality. He owns stock in the Evans 
Manufacturing Company of Butler and the 
Producers Pipe Line Company. Subse- 
quent to his marriage he moved to Law- 
renceburg, where he worked in the oil 
fields for about two years, after which he 
went to Greece City, and engaged in the 
same business for one year, since which 
time he has been a resident of Fairview 
Township. For a period of five years he 
was construction boss of the Standard Pipe 
line. 

Mr. Whitener served throughout the en- 
tire Civil War and first enlisted in Com- 
pany E, 103d Penna. Vol. Inf. for eleven 
months after which he enlisted in Com- 
pany E, 78th Penna. Vol. Inf. and served 
to the close of the war. Subsequent to 
tlie two days of fighting at the battle of 
Fairfax Court House, our subject was sent 
to the hospital for three months, thence 
Jiome for six months, and as soon as able 
leturned to his company. At the close of 
the war he was discharged at Washing- 
ton. D. C. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1259 



Mr. Whitener owns a fine farm of eighty- 
seven acres in Muddy Creek Township, a 
tract of five acres in Fairview Township, 
as well as two pieces of town property. He 
is a man of public spirit and enterjjrise 
and has served his township as supervisor 
two terms. He is a member of the G. A. 
R., McDermott Post, and holds member- 
ship with the United Presbyterian Cliurch 
of Fairview. 

Mr. Whitener was married January 27, 
1870, to Martha Ann English, a daughter 
of William and Mary Ann English, old set- 
tlers of Muddy Creek Township, and of 
their union were born the following chil- 
dren: Carrie, deceased; Margaret, who re- 
sides with our subject, was married June 
7, 1892, to Henry C. Thorne, and has two 
children — Elsie and Aubrey ; 0. S. married 
Nettie Stewart and resides in Concord 
Township ; Delia May married R. L. Wal- 
ter of Concord Towushii) and has one child 
— Dora E. ; and Dora, deceased, twin of 
Delia May. Mrs. Whitener (bed August 
15, 1908. 

AUGUSTUS BOWERS, a leading busi- 
ness citizen of Prospect, where he operates 
a drug store, was born August 18, 1849, 
at Baltimore, Maryland, and is a son of 
Adam and Elizabeth (Bitner) Bauers, the 
latter being the German spelling. 

The father of Mr. Bowers was born in 
Bavaria, Germany, and took part in the 
Revolution of 1848 and came in that -year 
as a refugee to America, landing at Balti- 
more. He remained in that city, and 
throughout his active life followed the 
cooper's trade. He married and he and 
wife had the following children : Au- 
gustus; Charles A., residing at Baltimore; 
Ferdinand, residing at Chicago ; John, de- 
ceased; and Katherine, wife of John Zin- 
ser, residing in Chicago. 

Augustus Bowers attended school in his 
native city until he was twelve years of 
age, and at the age of sixteen years came 
to Pittsburg and entered a cooperage es- 



tablishment, having learned the trade with 
his father in Baltimore. As this did not 
suit his taste he learned that of marble 
cutter, which he followed for fifteen years 
or more. In 1869 he came to Prospect and 
at first was employed by George Reed and 
later became his partner and before he re- 
tired from the business had a marble and 
monument shop of his own. In 1885 he 
started into the drug business and since 
then has conducted' his store at Prospect. 
Mr. Bowers married Margaret Dodds 
Martin, whose mother and twin sister died 
when she was born and she was reared by 
her uncle, Jesse Dodds, in Franklin Town- 
ship. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have reared 
four of their five children, namely: Jesse 
D., residing at Pittsburg; Charles A., re- 
siding in Slippery Rock; William Dickey, 
residing in Wilmerding; and Hattie A., 
wife of Dr. William A. Sproull, of Slip- 
pery Rock. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers are 
members of the Presbyterian Church at 
Prospect, of which he is a trustee. In poli- 
tics, he is a Democrat and he has served 
as school director and auditor and also 
has been a member of the council of the 
borough of Prospect. He was appointed 
postmaster during President Grover Cleve- 
land 's first administration, serving four 
years; was again appointed during Cleve- 
land's second term, serving four years 
more; in addition to above, served eight 
years as assistant postmaster. Fraternal- 
ly, he is an Odd Fellow and belongs to 
Rustel Lodge, No. 882, of which he is past 
grand, and also belongs to the Portersville 
Encampment. Personally Mr. Bowers is 
a popular citizen. 

DARIUS L. HUTCHISON, residing on 
his excellent farm of ninety acres, which 
is situated in Washington Township, has 
long been one of the representative and en- 
terprising men of this section. He was 
born in Concord Township, Butler County:, 
June 21, 1856, and is a son of Samuel C. 
and Catherine (Kuhn) Hutchison. 



1260 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Samuel C. Hutchison was bom in Oak- 
land Township, Butler County, and was a 
son of Fergus and a grandson of William 
Hutchison, the latter of whom founded the 
family in Butler County. Samuel C. 
Hutchison lived in Oakland Township un- 
til 1863, when he removed with his family 
to Washington Township and settled on 
the farm on which his son Darius L. now 
lives, and here he died February 20, 1894. 
He married Catherine Kuhn, who was 
born in Venango Township. Butler Coun- 
ty, died December 11, 1890. Two of their 
children survive — Dai-ius L. and Idella, the 
latter of whom lives in Washington Town- 
ship. For over a quarter of a century, 
Samuel C. Hutchison served in the office 
of school director in Washington Town- 
ship and on the Republican party's ticket 
he was elected, at various times, constable, 
assessor and collector, his many sterling 
traits of character making him an ideal 
citizen. He gave liberal support to the 
Presbyterian Church, of which both he and 
wife were worthy members. 

Darius L. Hutchison accompanied his 
parents to Washington Township in 1863, 
and he attended school here and assisted 
his father, later becoming the owner of the 
home farm, where he carries on general 
farming and stockraising. Mr. Hutchison 
married Miss Ada Smith, of Parker Town- 
ship, a daughter of Thomas Smith, and 
they have three children — Margaret, 
Frances and Catherine. In politics he is 
affiliated with the Republican party and is 
something of a leader in Washington 
Township. He served one year as super- 
visor and has also been a member of the 
board of elections. He is a Mason, belong- 
ing to Argyle Lodge, No. 540, F. & A. M. 

ORIN P. GRAHAM, who comes of one 
of the oldest and most respected families of 
Cranberry _ Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, resides on the old homestead 
of 110 acres of valuable land. He was 
born along Brush Creek, in Cranben-v 



Township, July 8, 1842, and is a son of 
Oliver H. P. and Elizabeth (Morgan) Gra- 
ham. 

The first of the Graham family to locate 
in Butler County were William and 
Matthew Graham, sons of Matthew Gra- 
ham, Sr. As early as 1706 they left their 
home in Philadelphia, seeking a location in 
the western part of the state. They 
dickered for a time for the farm on which 
the city of McKeesport now stands, but 
failing to consummate the deal left for But- 
ler County, where they purchased land in 
Cranberry Township. William Gi'aham 
was the grandfather of the subject of this 
record. He was born January 27, 1783, 
and was but thirteen years old when he 
accomi^anied his brother to Cranberry 
Township. He became a prominent figure 
in the early life of this community, and was 
widely known in the county. He conduct- 
ed school for some seasons in different 
homes and was ever among the foremost in 
tlie advancement of the interests of the 
community. He served in the United States 
Army during the War of 1812. William 
Graham was united in marriage with Susan 
McDonald, who was born in Bedford Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, but was living in Mercer 
County at the time of marriage. They be- 
came parents of eleven children, as fol- 
lows: William, who married Elizabeth 
Bowers ; David ; John ; Oliver H. P. ; Eliza, 
who was the wife of Jacob Hartzell; 
Susan, who was the wife of Dr. Thomas 
Stewart; Joseph, who resided in Iowa at 
the time of his death; Samuel; Minerva, 
who was wife of J. M. McKee; James H., 
who formerly lived in Penn Township, but 
is now a resident of the borough of But- 
ler, being past the age of eighty-three 
years; and Harvey, who was a resident of 
Colorado. The mother of this family 
passed away in 1831, and Mr. Graham con- 
tinued to reside in Cranberry Township 
until 1856, when he went to live with his 
son, James II., who then resided in Bed- 
ford Coiintv. Tie died there in 1861. For 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1265 



many years he was an elder of Plains Pres- 
byterian Church. He was a Whig in poli- 
tics until the organization of the Republi- 
can party, when he became one of its ar- 
dent supporters. 

Oliver H. P. Graham was born in Cran- 
berry Township May 5, 1814, and was 
i-eared on the home farm; his educational 
training was mainly received under the 
tutelage of his father. He was a great 
hunter in his young days, and killed many 
deers and other game. He lived a long and 
useful life and passed his declining years 
in the home of the subject of this sketch, 
dying December 5, 1895, at the age of 
eighty-two years. He was united in mar- 
riage with Elizabeth Morgan, a daughter 
of Robert Morgan. She was born in Beav- 
er Count}', Pennsylvania, and died in 
1858, at the age of thirty-eight years. 
Oliver H. P. and Elizabeth Graham had 
the following children: Ethelinda, wife of 
Dr. J. D. Fitzpatrick of Dimkirk, Indiana; 
Orin Palmer, subject of this sketch; Her- 
mas, who died at the age of eighteen 
years ; Sabina, who died in 1860 at the age 
of eighteen ; Angle, who was the wife of 
W. G. Siitton of Dunkirk and died in 1900; 
Robert E., deceased, who married Anna 
Baker of Beaver Coimty, Pennsylvania; 
Leander S., who died in infancy ; and Rev. 
0. H. P. Graham, Jr., a Methodist minis- 
ter at Sheridan, Allegheny County, who , 
married Elizabeth Hall of Beaver County. 

Orin P. Graham was reared to maturity 
on the home farm, and received his educa- 
tion in the public schools. He has always 
engaged in agricultural pursuits, and since 
1871 has had charge of the home farm, on 
which he did most of the , clearing. He 
erected a large and substantial barn in 
1876, and one year later built the comfor- 
table home which now stands on the place. 
He has always been identified with the 
best interests of the community and has 
frequently been called upon to serve in po- 
sitions of public trust. He was school di- 
rector for a number of years and is now 



serving his second term as justice of the 
})eace. He has discharged the duties of 
this office in a most capable manner, and 
enjoys the confidence and esteem of his 
fellow citizens. 

January 28, 1869, Mr. Graham was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary A. Allan, whose father, 
Nicol Allan, was a native of Scotland. He 
learned the trade of a brush maker in that 
country, and after coming to the United 
States established a brush factory at Pitts- 
burg. He continued there witla success 
for some years, then retired to a farm 
which he purchased adjoining the Graham 
homestead in Cranberry Township. The 
following children were the offspring of 
this union: Janet, who died at the age of 
nineteen years; Allan, who lives at East 
McKeesport; Howard K., who died in 
childhood; Park F., who assists his father 
in conducting the farm; Franklin F., a 
student in Allegheny Seminary, who is 
preparing for the ministry; Mary V., who 
is the wife of W. J. Rowan and resides 
near Ogle, in Canberry Township; and 
Stanley P., who also is at home. Allan 
Graham was first married to Mary Rus- 
sell, who died July 5, 1900, leaving a son, 
Orin Russell, who makes his home with the 
subject of this sketch. Allan formed a 
second union in 1904 with Sarah Holler of 
Bedford County, and they have three chil- 
dren : John, Floyd and Rehobeth May. Re- 
ligiously, Mr. and Mrs. Graham are mem- 
bers of the Plains Presbyterian Church, of 
which he is an elder. He is a Republican 
in politics. 

HENRY C. WELSH, one of Penn 
Township's reliable and representative 
citizens, whose finely improved farm of 
106 acres indicates properly that he has 
made a success of his agricultural enter- 
prises, belongs to an old Butler County 
family. He was born in Connoquenessing 
Township, December 11, 1848, and is a 
son of James Welsh, and a grandson of 
John Welsh. 



1266 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



It was the grandfather, John Welsh, 
who founded the family in America. He 
was born in Ireland and came to the Amer- 
ican colonies in 1770 and served as a sol- 
dier in the War of the Revolution, receiv- 
ing a serious wound at the battle of Bran- 
dywine. Later he settled in Westmore- 
land County, Penna., and in 1800 moved 
from there to Butler County, where he in- 
vested in 250 acres of land and became a 
resident of Connoquenessing Township. 
At that time pioneer conditions prevailed, 
the country was covered with the primeval 
forests, wild animals and Indians still 
were numerous and all tlie luxuries and 
most of the necessities of life were want- 
ing. He lived to see, however, his lands 
cleared, cultivated and improved and to 
catch a glimpse of that civilization which 
has made this one of the most favored sec- 
tions of Butler County. His children were : 
William, James, Thomas, John, all of 
whom served in the War of 1812, and Mrs. 
Susan Brandon, Mrs. Elizabeth Shannon 
and Mrs. Morrow. 

James Welsh, father of Henry C, was 
born in Westmoreland County, Penna., 
about 1785, and he accompanied his par- 
ents to Connoquenessing Township, where, 
in the course of time, he became one of 
the leading citizens. He came into pos- 
session of his father's estate and lived 
through life on the homestead, dying in 
1878, aged ninety-three years. He was 
mari'ied three times and children were 
born to each union. In early days he was 
a "Wliig, but later became identified with 
the Republican party and was a stanch 
adherent. He was a kind, charitable man 
and was a worthy member of the Presby- 
terian Church. 

Henry C. Welsh was reared on the home- 
stead and obtained his education in the 
country schools. He remained on the old 
farm in Connoquenessing Township until 
1889, when he bought his present farm in 
Penn Township. He has all but ten of his 
106 acres under cultivation, has consid- 



erable fine stock and productive orchards. 
His buildings are probably as fine as can 
be found in any rural district in Butler 
County, his handsome, modern residence 
having been erected in 1892. 

Mr. Welsh married a daughter of a 
neighboring farmer in Penn Township, 
Miss Elizabeth Brown, and they have had 
six children, namely: Lucile C, Clara B., 
Stella E., James E., Paul B. and a son 
who died unnamed. Mr. Welsh belongs 
with his family to the Brownsdale Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church. He has long been 
active in church work, has served as Sun- 
day-school superintendent and as trustee, 
treasurer and steward. Mr. Welsh is 
known as a man of strictness, fairness and 
integrity in all his dealings with his fellow 
citizens and as a man of such good judg- 
ment as to give weight to his opinions on 
matters pertaining to the welfare of the 
community. He has not been unduly active 
in politics, but on numerous occasions has 
been elected to local offices on the Repub- 
lican ticket. 

CHARLES H. BOOK, a representative 
citizen of Cherry Township, residing on 
his farm of 101 acres of well-cultivated 
land, was born March 14, 1847, at New 
Castle, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James 
and Mary (Studebaker) Book. 

During the infancy of Mr. Book, his par- 
ents returned to their farm in Worth 
Township. Butler County, on which they 
had ])reviously lived, and remained in 
Worth Township until 1859, when they set- 
tled on the land owned by their two sons, 
Charles H. and Uriah H.,"in Cherry Town- 
slii]i. At that time the land was nothing- 
short of a wilderness. James Book cleared 
it and erected a comfortable dwelling. He 
died here April 8, 1868, and was survived 
by bis widow until February 2, 1885. The 
surviving children are: Charles H., Uriah 
H. and Capt. D. F. Book of New Castle. 
He enlisted in August of '61 in the war of 
the Rebellion and served to the end of the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1267 



war ; was captain of Company E, One Hun- 
dretli Eegiment, known as the Eound 
Heads. 

Uriah H. Book, who resides with his 
brother, Charles H., was born October 8, 
1850, in Worth Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He learned the carriage- 
making trade and worked at the same for 
ten years at Louisville, Kentucky, Chat- 
tanooga, Tennessee, and Green Hill, Penn- 
sylvania. For several years he was also 
engaged in merchandising at Keisters and 
Coaltown, and at the latter place was post- 
master. For some years he was also inter- 
ested in oil production. He has been iden- 
tified considerably with public affairs in 
the township, and in February, 1908, he 
was elected justice of the peace, on the Ee- 
publican ticket. He is serving in his sec- 
ond year as assessor of Cherry Township. 
He owns fifty acres of land and the broth- 
ers operate the two farms together. 

Charles H. Book married Martha Was- 
son, who was born in Clay Township, But- 
ler County, and resided at West Sunbury 
until she was twelve years old. For the 
next three years she lived on a farm in 
Clay Township, three miles from the vil- 
lage and then went to AVashiugton Town- 
ship, where she was living at the time of 
her marriage. Her parents were William 
and Margaret (Gordon) Wassou. Her 
father was killed at the battle of the Wild- 
erness, during the Civil War. Her mother 
survived her great bereavement for many 
years, dying in June, 1907, when aged 
eighty-seven years. After their marriage, 
Mr. and Mrs. Book went to housekeeping 
on the present farm and Mr. Book imme- 
diately built a fine frame residence. This 
home was destroyed by fire, December 10, 
1898, but it was soon replaced by the pres- 
ent still finer house, one of substantial con- 
struction and fitted with everv comfort. 
On December 1, 1908, Charles H. Book had 
his barn burned with all hay and four 
head of horses and twelve head of milch 
cows and other cattle, as well as a waa'on 



shed and granary, with at least 1,500 
bushels of grain and all farm machinery, 
entailing a loss of about five thousand dol- 
lars. He is now preparing to build an- 
other barn. 

The Book brothers are connected not 
only by kinship, but they are congenial 
comrades, look at business matters in the 
same light and are the same in their views 
on politics and religion. Both are eld- 
ers in the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian 
Church. 

JOHN SCHAFFNEE, a prominent busi- 
ness citizen of Butler and a veteran of the 
Civil War, has engaged in general con- 
tracting for many years and has had some 
of the largest paving and tunneling con- 
tracts in this section of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Schaft'ner was born on the home 
farm in Butler Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, April 11, 1844, and is a son 
of Jacob and Anna Maria (Martin) Schaff- 
ner. His father, who was born in Ger- 
many, came to America with his young 
wife soon after their marriage and settled 
on a farm in Butler Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. He subsequently 
moved to Slippery Eock Township, where 
lie rented a farm for a time, then returned 
to his farm in Butler Township, which he 
cleared and farmed. After the death of 
Ills wife, he lived at the home of his daugh- 
ter, Mrs. Frank Cook, until he too was 
called to the unknown beyond. Jacob 
Schaffner was a Eepublican in politics, 
and was one of the first census takers in 
Butler County. He and his wife were par- 
ents of five children: Frances, who has 
been a Sister in Notre Dame Convent for 
more than fifty years ; Samuel ; Marie, wife 
of Frank Cook; George of Springdale; 
and John, whose name heads this sketch. 

John Schaffner grew to maturity on the 
home farm, which he aided in clearing, and 
received a common school education. In 
1865, when nineteen years of age, he en- 
listed under Captain Shaw in Com])any 



1268 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



D, Seventy-seventh Reg. Penna. Vol. Inf., 
and was stationed in Texas. Six months 
after the close of the war, he returned 
north to Butler County, and farmed the 
home farm on shares for a period of eleven 
years. He then worked for Davis, Hand 
and Dan as master quarryman for four 
years, after which he turned his attention 
to contract work. He has followed general 
eontraqting throughout this section of 
Pennsylvania and has had some big under- 
takings, always filling his contract to the 
letter. He has been especially active in 
paving and tunnel work, and among other 
contracts built a tunnel of 3,450 feet at 
DuBois, Pennsylvania, and paved fifteen 
miles of streets in Butler. He has the con- 
tract for paving Pittsburg Street in Evans 
City, which work is now going on, it being 
the first paved street of any of the smaller 
towns of the countv. His residence in 
Butler is at No. 410 East Clay Street. 

In June, 1868, Mr. Schaffner was united 
in marriage with Miss Catherine May- 
scheiue, a daughter of Michael Mayseheine, 
and they became parents of seven children : 
Amelia, wife of George Troutman, a dry 
goods merchant of Butler; Harry G., who 
married Ella Call, and has seven children 
— Vinson, Ethel, Michael D., Lorine, Jo- 
seph, Mary and Raymond, the last named 
living with our subject; Agnes, wife of 
John Kemper, has one boy, Leonard ; Paul ; 
Cecelia ; Leo, who married Lillian Munyon 
and has two children — Mary Catherine De- 
loris and Francis Patrick; and Josephine. 
Keiigiously, they are members of the Ger- 
man Catholic Church at Butler, and Mr. 
Schaffner is a member of the C. M. B. A. 
In political affiliation, he is a Republican. 

THEODORE VOGELEY, of Butler, was 
born in this city in 1867, youngest st)n of 
Willipm and Mary E. Vogeley. His pater- 
nal grandfather, George Vogeley, usually 
known as George Vogeley, Sr., was a native 
of Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, and 
was born August 5, 1793. This early pro- 



genitor of the family, coming to the United 
States in 1836, first settled in Pittsburg, 
where for three years he followed the trade 
of shoemaking. He then removed to Butler 
County, opening a general store at Saxon- 
burg, where also he continued to prosecute 
his trade. At a later date he became pro- 
prietor of a hotel in that village, which he 
conducted for about twenty-five years. In 
1866 he retired from active business and 
removed to Butler, where his death subse- 
quently took place, February 22, 1871. He 
was for many years a leading citizen of 
Saxonburg. He was at first a member of 
the Evangelical Church, but after locating 
in Butler County united with the Reformed 
Church, of which he was thereafter an ac- 
tive member. In politics he was at first a 
Whig and afterwards a Republican. He 
married in Germany Anna E. Mardorf, and 
tlieir family numbered eleven children, 
namely: Conrad, who died in Pittsburg in 
1883; Christopher, who died in Allegheny 
County in 1871; John, who died in Califor- 
nia in 1879 ; William, who died in Butler in 
1873; George Jr., who died in Butler in 
1896; Edward, who died in California in 
1850; Anna, who married Frederick HoU- 
man, and died in 1906 ; Annie G., who died 
in infancy; Mary E., who also died young; 
Charles C., a resident of San Francisco; 
Hannah, who married Ferdinand Weigand, 
and died in 1895 ; and James, who resides in 
Tarentum, Pa. 

William Vogeley, fourth son of George 
and Anna E. Vogeley, was born in Ger- 
many, December 10, 1822, and received a 
limited education in his native town. After 
the family settled in Saxonburg, this 
county, he worked for his father until 1842, 
at which time he came to Butler. Soon 
after he purchased the Rising Sun tavern, 
a log structure, which stood upon the site 
of the Vogeley House, now the Arlington. 
He erected the latter and conducted it up 
to the time of retirement in 1867. In addi- 
tion to his hotel interests, he was largely 
engaged in the real estate business, also in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1269 



farming, and operated a coal mine that was 
situated on his farm. He was a public spir- 
ited citizen who took an active interest in 
local affairs and who exercised a strong 
influence for good in the community. He 
was one of tlie original members of the 
Reformed Church in Butler and contrib- 
uted liberally towards the erection of the 
old church building on Mifflin Street, now 
occupied by the Baptist congregation. He 
was one of the first directors of the Butler 
Savings Bank and was identified with that 
institution for niany years. Mr. Vogeley 
married Mary E., daughter of John Oester- 
ling, of Sunnnit Township, a native of Ger- 
many. They had eleven children, of whom 
six died in youth and five grew to maturity, 
namely: David E., who was teller of the 
Butler Savings Bank, and died in 1875; 
Annie, wife of W. H. Ensminger; Mary, 
wife of W. F. Metzger; Amelia, wife of 
W. A. Stein; and Theodore. Mr. Vogeley 
died October 5, 1873, and his widow died 
December 25, 1899. 

Theodore Vogeley obtained his literary 
education in the public schools of Butler 
and at Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, 
and is also a graduate of Duff's Commer- 
cial College, Pittsburg. He began indus- 
trial life as bookkeeper for the Fisher Oil 
Company, and was later promoted to the 
position of superintendent. Subsequently, 
he was for a time connected with the oil 
industry in this section. In 1890 he en- 
gaged in the real estate and insurance busi- 
ness, with which line of business enterprise 
he has since been prominently connected. 
Mr. Vogeley is a stockholder in the Butler 
Savings and Trust Company, the Butler 
County Fair Association, and the Cottage 
Hill Ijand Company, of which he is secre- 
tary. He is one of the stirring young busi- 
ness men of the city, whose wisely directed 
energies redound not only to his own per- 
sonal benefit, but contribute to the general 
prosperity of the community, and for 
whom doubtless the future holds many good 
things yet in store. 



Mr. Vogeley was married in 1895 to Miss 
Mignonette Gumpper, a daughter of G. H. 
Gumpper of Butler. Mr. and Mrs. Vogeley 
are the parents of three children : Dorothy 
Gumpper, Theodore Kenneth, and Ray- 
mond Alfred. Mr. Vogeley is a member of 
St. Mark's German Lutheran Church. He 
also belongs to the Country Club and to the 
Sterling Club, select social organizations. 
In politics he is a Republicau. 

DENNIS P. McGUIRK, a leading stone 
and brick contrawtor at Butler, and one of 
the city's representative and lesjx'cted cit- 
izens, was born Octoberll, liS.")li, in .Marion 
Township, Butler Count}', Pennsylvania. 

Thomas McGuirk, father of Dennis P., 
was born in Coimty Cork, Ireland, emi- 
grated in youth to America, and came to 
Butler about 1844. He settled in Marion 
Township, Butler County, where he culti- 
vated land and followed his trade of stone 
cutter. 

Dennis P. McGuirk went to school until 
he was thirteen j'ears old, the sessions be- 
ing held in an old log building not far from 
his father's place in Marion Township. He 
then began hard work, learning the stone- 
mason's trade with his imcle, James Mc- 
Guirk. Mr. McGuirk has continued thus 
occupied for half a century and few masons 
in this section, if any, have done more or 
better work. Since 1884 he has given his 
attention to contracting and his name on a 
contract gives assurance that the work will 
be up to specifications and completed on 
time. 

In 1873 Mr. McGuirk was married to 
Miss Marilla Crawford, who was born and 
reared in Butler County, and they have the 
following children: Thomas H., who is en- 
gaged in contracting at Butler; Grover; 
' Sadie ; and Pearl and Ethel, both residing 
at home. Mr. McGuirk is a member of St. 
Paul's Catholic Church at Butler. He is 
interested in the charitable work of the 
church and for fifteen years has been a 
member of the Catholic Mutual Benefit As- 



1270 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



sociation. In his political views he is a 
Democrat. 

DANIEL McMAHON, farmer of Clear- 
field Township, was the son of Michael 
McMahon, and was born in 1840, in Ire- 
land. When three months of age he was 
brought to xVmerica by his parents, who 
became residents of Clearfield Township, 
Butler County, and here he grew to man- 
hood. Besides farming, the McMahon men 
were employed about the mills and iron 
furnaces of that period, and the summer of 
1861 found Daniel in West Virginia en- 
gaged in the furnace business. The break- 
ing out of the Civil War put a stop to the 
business in which he was engaged, and Mr. 
McMahon enlisted in Company K, Second 
Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry, and 
served in the Federal Army until his regi- 
ment was mustered out of service in the 
fall of 1864. He was twice promoted in the 
line of duty, and was discharged as a ser- 
geant. For distinguished service and brav- 
very in the line of duty, he was presented 
with a medal by the State of West Vir- 
ginia, which bears the inscription, "The 
State of West Virginia, 1861-1865," and 
on the reverse side, the coat of arms of the 
state. 

After his discharge from the army, ]\Ir. 
McMahon returned to Butler County and 
engaged in farming, which occupation he 
continued until his death, July 31, 1899. 
November 28, 1865, he was married to Miss 
Teressa, daughter of Manassa Dugan, a 
pioneer of Clearfield . Township. Four 
daughters were born to this union, viz. : 
Mary T. ; Katherine; Sarah B., wife of 
Andrew Coyle of Butler; and Grace A., 
known in the order of the Sisters of Mercy 
as Sister Veronica. After the death of Mr. 
McMahon in 1899, the widow and daughters 
removed to Butler, where they now reside. 
The family are members of St. Paul's Cath- 
olic Church. Manassa Dugan, above men- 
tioned, came to Clearfield Township in 
1794, when about twelve years of age. He 



was the son of Dennis Dugan, who made 
the original settlement on the tract of land 
now owned by Mrs. Daniel McMahon. He 
married Grace Dugan, daughter of Cor- 
nelius Dugan, of Donegal Township, who 
was not related to him. They were the par- 
ents of seventeen children. With the ex- 
ception of three who died in infancy, all of 
this remarkable family lived to maturity, 
and became prominent factors in the early 
development of Clearfield Towmship and 
other sections of the county. The names of 
these children were: Andrew; Mary 
(Duff); Peter; Manassa, Jr.; Dennis; 
Bridget (McClafferty) ; Margaret; Nancy 
(McCrea); Elizabeth (Denny); Katherine 
(Giles); Teressa (McMahon); Michael; 
and John. The log dwelling house whi»h 
is still standing on the McMahon farm in 
Clearfield Township was erected by Ma- 
nassa Dugan about 1800, and is probably 
the oldest house in the township. Manassa 
Dugan w^as a soldier in the War of 1812, 
and up until his death, about 1840, was one 
of the active and progressive citizens of the 
eastern section of the county. 

OLIVER W. STOUGHTON, who, as 
superintendent of the Butler County 
Home, has made this public institution a 
credit to Butler County, is one of her best 
known and esteemed citizens. Mr. Stough- 
ton was born March 6, 1853, in Clay 
Township, Butler County, Penna., and is 
a son of Matthew and Margaret (Davis) 
Stoughton. 

Mr. Stoughton comes of sturdy old 
American stock. On both sides his grand- 
fathers were upright, honorable men. 
Grandfather Stoughton was a leading 
member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in 
Franklin Township, Butler County, in 
which he at times served officially, while 
Grandfather Davis was equally prominent 
in St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, 
situated in Clay Township. They both 
had come to the county as pioneers and 
both became men of substance and large 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1273 



landowners. They were both of the type 
that promoted the solid growth of the sec- 
tion which was fortunate in securing them 
and through long and worthy lives they 
encouraged and promoted the enterprises 
which resulted in the present fertile fields, 
churches, schools, charities, and happy 
households amid peaceful surroundings. 

Matthew Stoughton, father of Oliver W., 
was born in Clay Township, Butler 
County, in 1831, and diod in 1855, when 
aged but twenty-four years. During his 
short life after reaching matiarity, he was 
associated with his cousin, Oliver Stough- 
ton, of Harlansburg, in the stock business. 
He married Margaret Davis, who was born 
in Franklin Township, Butler County, in 
1830, and is a daughter of Samuel Davis. 
To tliis union two children were born: 
Oliver W. and Mary Isabella, the latter 
of whom is deceased. Some time later, 
Mrs. Stoughton was married (second) to 
Robert J. Davis, and three sous were born 
to that marriage, namely : Elmer, residing 
at Unionville, Butler County; Otis M., 
deceased; and James Monroe, also of 
Unionville. The mother lives at Union- 
ville, where she is a valued member of 
the Presybterian Church. Although she 
has reached her seventy-eighth year, she 
is active in bodj^ and alert in mind. 

When Oliver W. Stoughton was about 
four years of age, he went to live with his 
maternal grandfather and some years 
afterward, another relative, Mrs. Susan 
Davis, took charge of him and with her 
he resided until he was twelve years old 
and then became a member of the family 
of Thomas Brannon, with whom he re- 
mained for five years. For this man Mr. 
Stoughton cherishes feelings of esteem 
and veneration. To the fatherless boy he 
was as a parent and gave him a real home, 
being interested in his schooling, health 
and comfort. AVlien seventeen years of 
age, ^Tv. Stoughton left the kind care of 
Mr. Brannon in order to prepare himself 
for a future life of usefulness. He came 



to Butler with the expectation of starting 
to learn the wagonmaking trade, but cir- 
cumstances prevented and he worked 
awhile with farmers and then learned the 
plastering trade. While working as a 
plasterer in the summer he went to the 
Unionville schools in the winter until his 
health partially failed. Then he decided 
to prepare himself for teaching and at- 
tended Witherspoon Institute for three 
terms, after which he taught school for 
some years, mainly through the winter 
seasons, during 1874-5-6-7 and 1878. In 
the meanwhile he was married and in 
1876, while he was teaching, his capable 
wife carried on a store at Holyoke, in 
Center Township. In April, 1878, Mr. and 
Mrs. Stoughton moved to Brady Town- 
ship and opened up a store and the enter- 
prise gave such promise of success that 
lie decided to give up teaching and devote 
his entire attention to merchandising. 

Mr. Stoughton continued his store busi- 
ness for several years when he decided to 
engage in farming and after selling his 
stock, he rented a farm in Brady Town- 
ship, which he operated for two years and 
then repurchased his old store and con- 
tinued to operate it for some years longer. 
He still cherished, however, a desire for 
an agricultural life and again bought a 
farm, this time in Prospect borough. 
While living there he organized and be- 
came the manager of the Prospect Cream- 
ery, his associates in thebusiness being: 
■John W. Shaffer, N. S. Grossman, James 
Wilson and David West. The creamery 
])lant was built by a Pittsburg company 
that failed to make it a success and Mr. 
Stoughton and his associates purchased 
the property for $1,000. A loss of a con- 
siderable amount, through early misman- 
agement, threw the burden of indebted- 
ness on Mr; Stoughton, and he found him- 
self liable for more than he felt able to 
pay, but he assumed the debts and every 
dollar was reimbursed. The selling of that 
l>lant followed and a new one was erected 



1274 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and as Mr. Stoughton had full charge 
there he made it jaay for itself and when 
he disposed of his interest in 1898, the 
plant was paying out to the neighboring 
farmers from $700 to $900 a month. 

After leaving Prospect, Mr. Stoughton 
went to Evans City and for one year con- 
ducted a store there, which he sold in 
order to become superintendent of the 
Condensed Milk plant at Cowdersport, 
where he remained for one year. In 1901 
he purchased the John C. Moore farm in 
Center Township, containing 150 acres, 
which he and sons have developed into 
one of the best estates in this part of But- 
ler County. The sons give all their at- 
tention to the various industries of this 
place, cultivating the land scientifically, 
raising fifty head of cattle and many 
horses, and wholesaling milk to the 
amount of $2,500 a year. Almost all of 
this large farm is under cultivation, scien- 
tific cultivation, and it produces abun- 
dantly, in 1908 they having a yield of 133 
bushels of corn to the acre. Mr. Stough- 
ton has two silos on his own farm, one of 
200 ton and the other of fifty ton. His 
buildings are substantial and all his sur- 
roundings indicate the effect of intelligent 
observation and practical application. 

Mr. Stoughton was married to Parmelia 
Agnes Garvin, the estimable daughter of 
Benjamin Garvin, a farmer of Cranberry 
Township, Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. 
Stoughton have had five children, two of 
whom died in infancy, the three survivors 
being: Lester G. and George W., who 
operate the farm in Center Township; 
and Samuel J., who is in the employ of 
the Heintz Manufacturing Company. Mr. 
and Mrs. Stoughton are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church at Holyoke, 
in which he is an elder and Sunday-school 
superintendent since 1880. 

In 1906, Mr. Stoughton was appointed 
superintendent of the Butler County 
Home and his wife became the matron of 



the institution. The Home accommodates 
200 or more inmates. The coimty faiTa 
contains 125 acres under cultivation, there 
being 190 acres in the tract. Since Mr. 
Stoughton has had charge but two hands 
are needed in the summer and one in win- 
ter, the inmates being able to do the rest 
of the work. Mr. Stoughton applies the 
same scientific methods to cultivating the 
farm here that he does on his own prop- 
erty and in 1907 he sold produce to the 
amount of $1,997, and at the same time 
supported the inmates comfortably. In all 
branches of management, he and wife 
adopt the most modern methods and have 
succeeded in making this institution a 
model one. In politics he is a Republican. 

JAMES WILSON MeCANDLESS, pro- 
prietor of a blaeksmithing establishment 
and re])air shop at Eau Claire, comes of an 
old and well known family of Clay Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, where 
he was born. The date of his birth is Jan- 
uarv 7, 1839, and he is a son of Robert D. 
and Elizabeth (Turk) McCandless. 

Robert D. McCandless was the youngest 
of four children born to his parents, the 
others being: James, wlio married a Miss 
McKlin; William, who first intermari'ied 
with the Ralston family, and later with 
Miss Ann McCall of Butler; and Mark, 
who married a Miss Russell. Robert D. 
was united in the bonds of wedlock with 
Elizabeth Turk, a daughter of John Turk 
of Center Township, Butler County, and 
to them were born six children: Emma, 
who married William McCall of Glade 
]Mills, Butler County ; Martha, who married 
Samuel McCall and lives in Missouri ; Cald- 
well, who married Nancy McCandless, a 
daughter of Robert McCandless, and has 
two children ; David, who is a blacksmith at 
Euclid; and Mary (Wick) of Butler 
County; John, who married Jane Thomp- 
son, a daughter of John Thompson, and has 
four childreia — Thompson, Elizabeth, Mag- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1275 



gie and Carr ; Reddick R., who first married 
a Miss Reider, and later a^Iiss Deere; and 
James W., -whose name heads this sketch. 

James Wilson McCandless attended the 
old Reider school and the Miller school in 
Clay Township, and then took up the trade 
of a blacksmith in 1856 under his brother 
John at Beaver Falls. He subsequently 
worked at his trade in West Svmbury, and 
at Dudley Furnace. He was working at 
Fairview during the early part of the Civil 
War, and in 1862 enlisted as a member of 
the Sixty-second Regiment, P. V. I., under 
Colonel Black. He saw much hard service 
and continued in the army until the last 
year of the war, being mustered out in 
1865. He then resumed his trade at An- 
derson's Mills in Venango Township and 
continued there until 1870, when he lo- 
cated at Eau Claire. He lias since con- 
ducted a blacksmith shop in that borough 
and has met with a high degree of success. 
He is the owner of three good properties 
there, and has good substantial buildings 
located thereon. He is deeply interested 
in matters of public improvement, and is a 
progressive and public spirited citizen. 

Mr. McCandless was joined in marriage 
with Miss Sarah Sutton, a daughter of 
James Sutton of Fairview Township, and 
they became parents of the following: R. J., 
who married Nettie Scott, a daughter of 
John Scott of Eau Claire ; Ursu, who mar- 
ried Nellie Woner and has two children, 
Arthur and a daughter who has not yet 
been named; May H., deceased wife of Sol- 
omon McCall, by whom she had two chil- 
dren. Earl and Clyde. In religious attach- 
ment, Mr. McCandless has been a member 
of the M. E. Church of the borough for 
more than a score of vears. He is officer of 
the dav of S. J. Rosenburv Post, No. 538, 
G. A. R., at Eau Claire. Politically, he is a 
Republican. 

PROF. P. S. BANCROFT was born in 
Litchfield Countv, Connecticut, where his 



parents and maternal grandparents long 
resided. Earl Bancroft, the father of the 
subject of this sketch, moved to Crawford 
County, Pennsylvania, when the latter was 
eight years of age, settling on a farm near 
Meadville. The son was brought up on the 
farm and educated at Allegheny College, 
Meadville, where he graduated in the class 
of 1855. He taught Greek and Latin in 
Madison College, Uniontown, Pennsylva- 
nia, for two years, and in 1861 he entered 
the 111th Pennsylvania Volunteers, as a 
Second Lieutenant, and siibsequently be- 
came a member of the Third Regiment Vet- 
eran Reserve Corps, serving in all nearly 
four years, during the last two of which 
he held the rank of Captain. In 1866 Pro- 
fessor Bancroft married Bella Brinker, 
youngest daughter of Col. Jacob Brinker, 
and granddaughter of Abraham Brinker, 
one of the first settlers of Butler. They 
had two sons, and one daughter, viz. : Earl 
D., of Butler; Grove G., deceased; and 
Flora G., wife of William H. Tilton, of But- 
ler. Professor Bancroft came to Butler in 
1877, and was for several years principal 
of old Witherspoon Institute, but finally 
abandoned teaching for newspaper work. 
He began writing for the Butler Eagle in 
March, 1888, and in October 1, 1889, became 
associate editor of the Butler County Rec- 
ord, a position which he still holds. Pro- 
fessor Bancroft and family are members 
of St. Peter's Protestant Episcoi^al Church, 
of Butler, and in politics he is a supporter 
of the Republican party. 

WILLIAM C. NEGLEY, editor of the 
Butler Citizen, is a son of John H. and 
Mary (Hari^er) Negley, and a grandson of 
John Negley, the pioneer of Butler. He 
was born in Butler borough December 18, 
1850, attended the public schools of the 
liorough, and passed a short term in what 
is known as the Old Stone Academy, and 
in 1865, he entered the United States Acad- 
emy at Annapolis, and there studied for 



1276 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



four years. xVfter completing his studies 
at the Academy, the condition of his health 
obliged him to abandon the naval service 
and he i-eturned to Butler, where he became 
associated with his father in the publica- 
tion of the Citizen. He became sole owner 
and publisher of the Citizen in 1888 and 
still continues in the active duties of the 
office. Mr. Negley was married in January, 
1878, to. Airs. Emma Stauffer, daughter of 
Squire Armor, of Zelienople. To them 
'have been born seven children, three of 
whom are living: William, of California; 
John, of Butler; and Emma, who is mar- 
ried. 

Mr. Negley has always been a staunch 
Republican, and in his capacity as editor of 
the Citizen has rendered invaluable services 
to his party in the county. 

WILLIAM E. LACKEY, proprietor of 
the Lackey Hotel at Chicora, is one of the 
prominent men of Donegal Township. He 
was born in this township, one mile east of 
Chicora, September 25, 1857, son of James 
K. and Elizabeth (Wolfer) Lackey. His 
parents were old settlers of the county. 
The father died at the age of fifty-seven 
and the mother at that of forty-two years. 
They were the parents of seven children, 
namely : Eliza, deceased ; John H. ; William 
E.; Jacob M., deceased; Abraham M. ; Al- 
fred, deceased ; and Rosella. 

William E. Lackey when a young man 
learned the blacksmith's trade, about 1873 
becoming an apprentice under Henry Fred- 
erick. He subsequently followed the trade 
here for about thirty years, building a shop 
on Main Street, which he carried on until 
he retired, on May 10th, 1900. In that year 
he pur'ehased his present hotel from John 
Dolan, and has since conducted it success- 
fully, proving a capal)le host and catering 
satisfactorily to the wants of a large and 
varied patronage. He has been a member 
of the Chicora Fire Department for thirty- 
two years, serving as chief for eighteen 
years of that time, and he was formerlv a 



member of the old Shannon Hose Company 
of this place. His administration of the 
department as chief has been progressive 
and up to date, and for a town of its size 
Chicora is well equipped for fire-fighting, 
both as to apparatus and personnel. 

Mr. Lackey was married November 25, 
1880, at Chicora, by Rev. Mr. Felker, to 
Mary A. Frederick, a daughter of Bern- 
hardt and Katherine Frederick, her par- 
ents being old settlers of Butler County, 
and among the most respected. Bernhardt 
Friederich was born at Birfelden, Hesse- 
Darmstadt, Germany, in 1834. He came 
to America in 1853, first settling in St. 
Louis, Missouri, where he remained for 
tliree years working at his trade of wagon 
making. He then came to Millerstowu 
(now Chicora), Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and followed his trade until 1860, 
when his right hand was injured, making- 
it necessary for him to tind some other 
means of obtaining a livelihood. He ac- 
cordingly embarked in the mercantile busi- 
ness, beginning on a small scale, his first 
stock costing only thirty-five dollars. The 
oil developments in the county soon 
brought increased business and he found it 
necessary to erect a large two-story build- 
ing to accommodate his trade. In 1877 fire 
destroyed his store and the greater part of 
its contents. In 1873 he also suffered a 
severe loss by robbery. But not discour- 
aged by these reverses, he built a third 
store and was soon doing a larger business 
than ever. In 1884, however, his entire 
business was again swept from him by fire. 
He then went out of the mercantile business 
and devoted himself to oil production, op- 
erating in the vicinity of East Brady and 
in other fields. He was identified with the 
German National Bank of Millerstown, now 
Chicora, as director and stockholder, was 
intersted in a refinery at Brady's Bend, in 
the Buena Vista silver mine of Colorado, 
and various other business enterprises. He 
held at various times nearly all the princi- 
pal offices of the borough of Millerstown 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1277 



and of the school district from its incorpo- 
ration, was one of the first members of the 
Protected Home Circle, of Millerstown, and 
from the age of fourteen an active member 
of the Lutheran Church. At his death, 
which took place October 12, 1895, his age 
was sixty years, ten months and seventeen 
days; his loss caused general sorrow 
throughout the community. 

In 1857 Mr. Friederich married Kather- 
ine Frederick, of Summit Township, this 
county. She survived her husband, dying 
at her home in Millerstown (Chicora) April 
2, 1907, at the age of seventy years. She 
was a member of the Millerstown English 
Lutheran Church and belonged to the Pro- 
tected Home Circle. She was a woman 
much esteemed for her many kind and 
neighborly qualities. Mr. and Mrs. Fried- 
erich were the parents of five daughters: 
Mrs. Christine Foster of Parker's Land- 
ing; Mrs. Mary Lackey of Chicora, Mrs. 
Emma Baker of Allegheny, and Katlierine 
and Lula. 

To Mr. and Mrs. William E. Lackey have 
been born the following children: Harry 
B. F., Sylvester J., Irene Gertrude, Nina 
L., Lucinda Christena, and Lena Emma. 

Harry B. F. Lackey, born September 1, 
1881, died February 17, 1904. He was like 
his father, a member of the Chicora fire de- 
partment. Sylvester J. Lackey, born Au- 
gust 12, 1883" attended Allegheny College 
at Meadville, Pennsylvania, after graduat- 
ing from the public schools of Chicora. He 
later became a student at the Medical De- 
partment of the Western University of 
Pennsylvania, where he was gradiiated 
June 8, 1908. He began the practice of his 
pi'ofession at Limestone, Clarion County, 
Pennsylvania, November 1st of the same 
year and has already acquired a fine prac- 
tice. Dr. Lackey married Ethel Kemmer 
and he and his wife have two children, 
Evelyn R. and Lucilla Geraldine. Irene 
Gertrude Lackey married J. W. Painter in 
December, 1905, and lives at Oakland, Cal- 



ifornia. She has a daughter, Mattie Irene. 
Lucinda Christena and Lena Emma reside 
at home. 

Mr. Lackey is a member of the Protected 
Home Circle, at Chicora, and of the Eagles, 
at E. Brady. He belongs to the English 
Lutheran Church. In addition to his labors 
on the fire department, Mr. Lackey has 
given three years' service as school di- 
rector, proving very efficient in this office. 
His record exhibits him as one of the useful 
men of the township and he has the respect 
and esteem of his fellow citizens among 
whom he has passed his life thus far. His 
surviving children are all worthy members 
of the respective communities in which they 
reside. 

E. DeWITT CLINTON, proprietor of 
the Hotel Clinton, one of the finest 
equipped hotels not only in Butler but in 
the state, has been a resident of Butler 
for the ijast fourteen years. He was born 
at Pleasantville, Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania. In 1894 Mr. Clinton moved 
from Warren, Pennsylvania, to Butler, and 
in association with his father became in- 
terested in the oil business. 

In 1900 he became engaged in the hotel 
business. In 1906-1907 he built .the Hotel 
Clinton. It is a fine structure, and is a 
credit to the city. It has thirty-five rooms 
and is modern in every particular, one of 
the features being the magnesia mineral 
spring which flows continually and is used 
throughout the hotel, all bed rooms and 
bath rooms having the running water. 

In 1897 Mr. Clinton married M. Flor- 
ence McFarland, daughter of J. Wills Mc- 
Farland, and thev have three bright sons 
—Edward Scott, Joseph DeWitt, and Wills 
Hathaway — that make a happy family. 

Mr. Clinton is a member of the Elks; 
the First Ward Hose Company, having 
been a member of the famous hose team 
for ten years. The Company holds the 
world's record for 250 yards, making the 



1278 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COl NTY 



distance iu thirty-two seconds, and they 
are also winners of many races. He is 
one of the charter members of the Butler 
Country Club, Butler Board of Trade and 
of the Chamber of Commerce. 



RALPH GREGG, proprietor of the 
Lowry House, a well-kept and popular 
hotel at Butler, situated on the corner of 
Main Street and Jefferson Avenue, has 
been a resident of this city since 1887. He 
was born December 14, 1855, in Buffalo 
Township, Butler County, Penna., and is 
a son of William S. ami Maxy Catherine 
(Kulm) Gregg. 

Robert J. Gregg, grandfather of Ralph 
Gregg, was born in WasMngton County, 
Penna., in 1801, and followed farming- 
there for many years. In 1840 he became 
weighmaster on the canal at Allegheny, 
where he resided until 1854, in which year 
he removed to Butler Coi;nty. He was 
married in 1823 to Alice Hogan, a daugh- 
ter of AVilliam Hogan, of Washington 
County, and they became the parents of 
four children, namely : John, Harriet, Will- 
iam S., and Robert. Robert J. Gregg died 
January 31, 1893, his wife Alice having 
preceded him to the grave in 1838. They 
were members of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church. In politics he was a Democrat. 

William S. Gregg was born in Washing- 
ton County, Penna., September 3, 1831. 
He came to Butler County with his parents 
and settled at Monroeville, where he kept 
a hotel. Subsequently he operated a hack 
line between Butler and Freeport, later 
was in the distillery business for a while, 
operating a plant near Freeport. In 1886 
he removed to Butler, where, besides oper- 
ating a hack line, he carried on a livery 
stable. He was married in 1852 to Mary 
Catherine Kuhn, of Butler County, and 
they were the parents of ten children, 
namely: John; Ralph; Ellen, wife of John 
Waters ; Robert ; Harry ; William, now de- 
ceased; Isabel, wife of Charles Breneman; 



Annie M., wife of John FuUerton; Charles, 
and one that died in infancy. The mother 
of the above mentioned children died Octo- 
ber 14, 1905, and the father, William S. 
Gregg, now resides with his son Ralph, in 
Butler, having now attained to a venerable 
age. 

Ralph Gregg in his youth attended the 
district schools of his neighborhood. He 
began industrial life on a farm and sub- 
sequently became employed in the oil 
fields, first at Karns City, and later in New 
York State and in the Bradford field, in 
Pennsylvania. In 1887 he returned to But- 
ler and for the next twelve years operated 
a first-class livery stable. He then went 
to Parker's Landing and engaged in con- 
tracting, with his brother, Charles Gregg, 
at the same time conducting a hotel. Sub- 
sequently he became proprietor of a hotel 
at Petrolia. Returning later to Butler he 
conducted the Park Hotel until April, 1907, 
at which time he purchased the Lowry 
House at Butlei'. This is one of the oldest 
and best known hotels in the city, with a 
desirable patronage, and under Mr. 
Gregg's able management it bids fair to 
excel even its former good record. Mr. 
Gregg is still interested in the oil business 
and is a prominent and prosperous citizen 
of Butler. 

Mr. Gregg was married at Parker's 
Landing, on November 11, 1897, to Miss 
Charlotte Gertrude Burkholder, a daughter 
of Samuel C. and Thalia Ann (Frazier) 
Burkholder. The father of Mrs. Gregg is 
a veteran of the Civil War. He served 
three years and four months in the army, 
was wounded and taken prisoner at Ply- 
mouth, North Carolina, and was incarcer- 
ated for ten months in the Salisbury and 
Libby Prisons. He served for twelve 
years as postmaster at Pollock, Pennsyl- 
vania. Both he and wife now reside at 
Butler. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg have had 
three children : Ralph Kenneth, Paul Emer- 
son and Ruth, the latter of whom died at 
the age of one year and ten months. 




RALPH GREGG 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1281 



THOMAS J. GOLDTHORP, who is uow 
living in retirement at North Hope, Wash- 
ington Township, in Butler County, Penn- 
sj'Ivania, was for many years engaged as 
a glass blower, and later as an agricultur- 
ist. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sep- 
temper 20, 1839, and is a son of Franklin 
and Rebecca (Scott) Goldthorp, and a 
grandson of Josiah and Elizabeth (Pillon) 
Goldthorp. His maternal grandfather was 
Thomas Scott of Washington County, 
Pennsylvania. 

Some years after his marriage, Frank- 
lin Goldthorp moved with his family to 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where 
the remainder of his days were spent. He 
and his wife were parents of nine children, 
of whom there were four sons, as follows : 
Horatio, who died in 1900; John P., de- 
ceased; Joseph, deceased; and Thomas J. 
Of the entire family there are but two now 
living, Thomas J. and Mrs. Margaret Mc- 
Murray, both of North Hope, 

Thomas J. Goldthorp received his in- 
tellectual training in the public schools of 
Pittsburg, after which he learned the trade 
of a glass blower. That trade he followed 
some years, then turned his attention to 
farming in Allegheny. He inherited a 
tract of iifty-five acres of land, but sold 
the pro]ierty when he retired from busi- 
ness activity. He is the owner of one prop- 
erty in North Hope, and is a stockholder 
in the Washington Fair Association of 
that village. 

Mr. Goldthorp was united in marriage 
with Mrs. Laura (Kerr) Bovard, a daugh- 
ter of Levi Thomas Kerr of Venango 
County, and widow of Thomas Bovard, 
by whom she had the following children: 
Plmnmer, who lives in California; Amy 
Etta: Cora Lillian; Minnie Fay; Sidney; 
and Bessie May, who sings in the choir of 
the United Presbyterian Church at North 
Hope. ■ They have a comfortable home in 
North Hope and have a wide circle of 
friends throughout this locality. Political- 
ly, the subject of this sketch is a Repub- 



lican. He is a Presbyterian in religious 
faith, but owing to the absence of a church 
of that denomination nearby, attends the 
United Presbyterian Church at North 
Hope, to the support of which he liberally 
contributes. 

LEANDER ADAMS is a prominent 
farmer of Marion Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is the owner of an 
excellent farm of 111 acres, located about 
one mile west of Murrinsville. He was 
born in a log house on the farm now owned 
by him, January 15, 1848, and is a son of 
Joshua and Sarah (Kimes) Adams. 

James Adams, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, came to Butler County 
at a very early period and settled at Adams 
Corners, near the present borough of Slip- 
pery Rock. He partly cleared the farm 
and continued to reside there until his 
death at the age of eighty years. He and 
his wife were parents of the following chil- 
dren: Joshua, Ephraim, John, Josiah, 
James, Eli, William, Sarah, widow of Rev. 
A. Dale, and Hannah Jane, who was the 
wife of a man named McCune. 

Joshua Adams was born at Adams 
Corners, Butler County, in 1819, and as- 
sisted in clearing the home farm, on which 
he lived until his marriage. His wife was 
in maiden life, Sarah Kimes, and upon her 
marriage, her father, Thomas Kimes, gave 
her a tract of forty-two acres, which was 
the nucleus of the farm now owned by the 
subject of this sketch. They built a log 
house on this farm, which still stands, and 
from time to time added to their posses- 
sions until they had 120 acres. He died 
here in ]883, and was survived by his 
widow until 1898, when she passed away 
at the age of seventy-two years. They 
were parents of the following children: 
Eliza Jane, who was the wife of Richard 
AT'an Dike, both being now deceased ; 
Leander, whose name heads this article; 
Sarah Ann, widow of Jackson Bla<k; 
Maria, deceased wife of Jacob Diblo; ]\fe- 



1282 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



lissa, who died in iut'aney ; Josiah T. ; aud 
Laura, wife of Elmer Stoops. 

Leander Adams spent iiis boyhood days 
on the farm and attended the old district 
school a few months each winter. Being 
the eldest son, much of the farm work de- 
volved upon him, and he early in life be- 
came inured to hard work, which he has 
kept up throughout his active career. Af- 
ter his marriage he first located on a piece 
of the home farm, sixty acres of which he 
inherited at his father's death. He set up 
housekeeping in the old log house and later 
purchased a house of his brother-in-law, 
Jacob Dible, and in this they set up house- 
keeping. He later purchased ten acres of 
his brother, Josiah, and in 1896 bought an 
additional piece of forty acres from his 
mother. He has always followed diversi- 
fied farming, and success has crowned his 
efforts. He takes an active interest in 
public affairs and for some years was a 
Republican, being elected to the office of 
school director on that ticket. For a 
score or more of years he has been a Pro- 
hibitionist, and in 1908 was the party can- 
didate for county commissioner, receiving 
a complimentary vote of 660. 

September 10, 1874, Mr. Adams was 
joined in wedlock with Miss Mary Eliza- 
beth Black, a daughter of Squire William 
and Margaret (Cross) Black. Mr. Black 
served as justice of the peace in Marion 
Township for many years. He was first 
married to Isabella Mitchell, who died 
leaving eight children — Martin, Ca])tain 
Mitchell, Hiram, William, Margaret, Julia, 
Isabella and Jackson. His second union 
was with Mai'garet Cross, by whom he had 
two children : Mary Elizabeth, wife of our 
subject; and Washington E. All are now 
deceased except Margaret and Mary Eliza- 
beth. Captain Mitchell, Hiram aiid Will- 
iam Black gave their lives in the Union 
cause during the war. Mr. and Mrs. 
Adams became parents of the following 
children: Lillian Jane, who is the wife of 
Harvey Henon and has a daughter, Aven- 



nell Lucile; Fannie Fern, wife of Samuel 
McDonald; Twila Daisy; Margaret N. ; 
Jessie M. ; Dalas LeRoy ; and two who died 
in infancy. In religious attachment, Mr. 
Adams and his family are members of the 
Clintonville United Presbyterian Church, 
and he is a member of the session. 

PETER P. BROWN, the well known 
harness merchant and justice of the peace 
of West Sunbury, is a veteran of the Civil 
War and is commander of W. T. Dickson 
Post, No. 561, Department of Pennsyl- 
vania, G. A. R. He has been commander 
ever since the inception of the post at West 
Sunbury. He came to the borough from 
Butler in May, 1868, and established a har- 
ness and repair shop, and has continued 
the business with uninterrupted success to 
the present time. Mr. Brown was born in 
Penn Township, three miles south of But- 
ler, November 26, 1839, is a son of Robert 
E. and Catherine (Peterson) Brown, a 
grandson of John and Mary (Elliott) 
Brown, and great-grandson of William and 
Christina (Thompson) Brown. 

AVilliam and Christina Brown, the great- 
grandparents, came to America from Scot- 
land, accompanied by their son and daugh- 
ter-in-law, George and Mary (Glass) 
Brown. They settled about thirty miles 
above Pittsburg, in what is now Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania, and lived there un- 
til 1796, when all of them removed to But- 
ler County. They took up land in Mid- 
dlesex Township, their farm being the site 
on which Cooperstown now stands. The 
great-grandfather, grandfather and father 
of the subject of this record, were buried 
in Middlesex churchyard. 

John Brown, the grandfather, was born 
in what is now Allegheny County, Penn- 
sylvania, September 14, 1780, and died in 
Cooperstown, Middlesex Township, Oc- 
tober 14, 1853. He married Mary Elliott, 
who was born June 10, 1786, and died Jan- 
uary 28, 1868. 

Robert E. Brown was born in Middlesex 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1283 



Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and there grew to maturity. He married 
Catherine Peterson, who was born in But- 
ler Township. Butler County, and was a 
daughter of Peter Peterson, who was a na- 
tive of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. 
This union resulted in the birth of eleven 
children, seven of whom are living. 

Peter P. Brown was reared on the home 
farm in Penn Township, whither his father 
had moved shortly after his marriage. 
When the Civil War broke out he was 
among the first to answer the call to arms. 
April 20, 1861, he enlisted as a private in 
Company H, Thirteenth Regiment of 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for 
three months. At the termination of his 
service he remained at home until August, 
1862, then enlisted as private in Company 
C, 134th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teer Infantry, for nine mouths, and during 
his term of enlistment was advanced to 
first lieutenant. As such he was in charge 
of the company at Chancellorsville. He was 
wounded at Fredericksburg, a ball grazing 
the top of his head and leaving a deep 
scar, taking out a piece of the skull. He 
was in the hospital at Washington, District 
of Columbia, for ten days, then returned 
home on a furlough. He later rejoined his 
comioany, and was mustered out at Harris- 
burg, May 26, 1863. He took up his resi- 
dence in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he 
worked at harness making until February 
15, 1864, when he again enlisted, becoming 
a member of Company L, Fourteenth Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania Cavalry. In all he par- 
ticipated in sixteen important engage- 
ments in addition to innimierable skir- 
mishes, and was finally discharged Sep- 
tember 5, 1865. An older brother, John 
M. Brown, enlisted in Company L, Four- 
teenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, in 1862, and 
served rmtil 1865. He now resides in Colo- 
rado. A younger brother, Samuel E. 
Brown, enlisted in 1862 as a member of 
the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry and served until 



the close of the war in 1865. His death 
occurred in Nebraska in 1892. 

Peter P. Brown has been in the harness 
making business at West Sunbury ever 
since his removal from Butler in May, 
1868, and in the meantime has identified 
himself with all that pertains to the wel- 
fare and progress of the community. He 
erected the store building in which his 
business is located, and the residence in 
which he lives. In 1905, be was elected 
justice of the peace of the borough, in 
which capacity he has acquitted himself 
with credit. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics. 

Mr. Brown was married in October, 
1865, to Miss Margaret A. Hilfinger, a 
daughter of Mathias Hilfinger, who was a 
native of Germany. The issue of this 
union is: Laura, who died at the age of 
eleven years; Wilda, wife of Charles Gil- 
lingham, of Colorado Springs, by whom 
she has two children: Margaret D. and 
Charles B. ; Lucretia G., a trained nurse 
in Pittsburg; and Lloyd Grant. Religious- 
ly, the family is Presbyterian. 

WILLIAM HENRY, one of the best 
known citizens of Venango Township, 
where he is engaged in oil production, is 
one of the old experienced men in this in- 
dustry, having been connected with its de- 
velopment in this section for many years. 
He was born in the north of Ireland, Sep- 
tember 25, 1841, and is a son of William 
and Mary (Hurst) Henry. 

The parents of ]\Ir. Henry wei'e born in 
the north of Ireland, but the paternal an- 
cestors came to the British Isles from Hol- 
land. After the death of his wife, in 1861, 
William Henry, Sr., decided to emigrate to 
America, but the family, including his son 
and three daughters, did not get started 
imtil 1866. They settled in Washington 
County, Vermont, and there the death of 
the father took place in 1868, and the son 
decided to find another field of work. He 
found employment at Allegheny City, 



1284 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Pennsylvania, where he remained until 
1872 and then settled at Petrolia, in But- 
ler County. In the meanwhile he had been 
working in the oil fields and after moving 
to Allegheny Township, in 1878, continued 
to be connected with the oil industry. For 
twenty years he lived in Allegheny Town- 
ship and still has a wide circle of friends 
there and many business acquaintances. 
Since 1898 he has maintained his home in 
Venango Township, where he is numbered 
with the substantial men and useful citi- 
zens. 

Mr. Henry married Miss Mary A. AVal- 
lace, who was born in the north of Ireland 
and is a daughter of Thomas Wallace. To 
this marriage nine children were born, the 
six survivors being: William, who resides 
in Virginia ; Thomas W., who lives at Al- 
legheny City; Mary E., who is the wife of 
Leslie Demoss, of Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania ; Martha J., who is the wife 
of Bert Jamison, of Venango Township; 
Margaret A., who is the wife of Bert SloaUj 
of Venango Township; and Thomas A., 
who assists his father. 

In politics, Mr. Henry is a stanch Re- 
publican. With his wife he belongs to the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Eau Claire. 
He is a member of Allegheny Lodge, F. & 
A. M., No. 552, at Emientou. In Mr. Henry 
is found a type of self-made man. In 
many ways his youth was one filled with 
difficulties, but through industry, energy 
and business integrity he has overcome olv 
stacles and occupies a position of inde- 
pendence in his community, while suf- 
ficiently young to enjoy the comforts he 
has won for himself. 



THORNLEY ROY COOKSON, a repre- 
sentative citizen and experienced farmer 
of Cranberry Township, residing on the 
old Goehring farm of 105 acres, was born 
on the old Cookson homestead, November 
.30, 1883, and is a son of Alfred Theodore 
and iMalinda (Goehring) Cookson. 



The above mentioned land is the old 
Goehring farm, on which the mother of 
Mr. Cookson was born, in 18G0. Her par- 
ents, John and Caroline Goehring, lived 
here for fifty years and here the latter 
died. Mr. Goehring, now aged seventy- 
five years, resides in Beaver County. The 
Goehring children were : William, who died 
young; Edward, who lives in Penn Town- 
ship ; Malinda, mother of Mr. Cookson, who 
was accidentally killed by a railroad trmn 
at Evans City, February 1, 1894; Cath- 
erine, who is the wife of Christopher 
Hoehn, of Cranberry Township; Cornelia, 
who is the wife of William Dambach ; Mary 
Etta, now deceased, who married Wesley 
Graham ; John Alvin, who resides at 
Beaver Falls; Virginia, who married Jo- 
seph Stevenson, and lives at Centerville; 
Emmet, who lives at Beaver Falls; and 
Leonard, who died February 3, 1909. 

On the paternal side, the great-grand- 
father of Mr. Cookson was Edward Cook- 
son, who moved to Beaver County at an 
early day and settled on a tract of fifty 
acres two miles from Brush Creek. There 
was born his son, Israel Cookson, who later 
married Charlotte Goehring Cookson. To- 
gether they caime to Cranberry Township 
about 1835 and here they lived and died. 
They had five sons and one daughter, 
namely: William, who died in Evans Cityj 
Edward, who lived and died in Cranberry 
Township ; Adam, who resides in this town- 
ship ; Henry, who is a resident of Wilkins- 
burg; Mary, who died unmarried; and Al- 
fred Theodore, who was the youngest and 
was born in Cranberry Township, January 
1, 1855. He died October 3, 1908, and both 
he and wife were buried in the Plains 
Church cemetery, they having been worthy 
members of that congregation. They had 
four sons, namely: Walter Henry, who 
was accidentally killed at the same time as 
his mother, at Evans City, in 1894, this be- 
ing a terrible family tragedy; Thornley 
Roy; Harry Cleveland, who married Flora 
Ehrman, a dau£>hter of George Elirman. 



AND EEPKESENTATI\'E CITIZENS 



1289 



of Cranberry Township; and Dennis 
Floyd, who is now deceased. 

Thoruley Roy Cookson attended the 
Garvin school, District No. 4, Cranberry 
Township, and grew to manhood on a farm. 
He is a well educated, level headed yomig 
man, who takes a deep interest in the de- 
veloping and improving of his property 
and is numbered with the most successful 
agriculturists of the township. His resi- 
dence was built by his maternal grand- 
father, in 1874. In 1905 he was married 
to Miss Maggie Davis, who is a daughter 
of Joseph C. and Annie Jane (Vaudivort) 
Davis, and they have two sons, Floyd Le- 
roy and Alfred Thornley. Mr. and Mrs. 
Cookson are members of the Plains Pres- 
byterian Church, in which he received his 
Sunday-school training. Like his late 
father, he is a Democrat and he has served 
very acceptably as an officer of Cranberry 
Township. 

JOHN S. CAMPBELL, proprietor of 
the Clearview Stock Farm, which is located 
in Center Township, has long been also 
identified with many of the leading busi- 
ness interests of Butler. He was born 
March 15, 1847, at Butler, Butler County, 
Penna., and is a son of William and Eliza 
J. (Shaw) Campbell. 

For many years the father of Mr. Camp- 
bell was one of Butler's most prominent 
and successful men of affairs. He was 
hirgely interested in railroad construction 
and in oil development, was one of the 
founders of the Butler Savings Bank and 
was financially concerned in many of the 
enterprises which served to bring about 
the city and county's present prosperity. 
He was married (first) to Clarissa Max- 
well, who died in 18.*^9. On March 31, 1841. 
he was married (second) to Eliza J. Shaw 
and they had four children: William, John 
S., James G. and Mary, the latter of whom 
married Joseph A. Herron, of Mononga- 
hela, Penna. Of the above family, William 



and James G. are deceased. William Cump 
bell, the father-, died November 17, l8'Jo. 

John S. Campbell obtained his education 
in the Butler schools and in the West Ches- 
ter Military Academy. His first business 
experience was gained in his father's em- 
ploy, which he entered in 1866, when nine- 
teen years old, and later he was a clerk in 
a store at the Brady's Bend Iron Works. 
From there he went to Pittsburg and be- 
came booklceeper for Tack Brothers & Com- 
pany and then was with Thompson &;Groet- 
zinger, of Allegheny. His business interests 
about this time became of more personal 
importance. His uncle, James Gilmore 
Campbell, died and John S., with his 
brother, the late William Campbell, inher- 
ited the uncle's interest in the hai'dware 
business which had been conducted under 
the firm name of J. G. & W. Campbell. On 
the death of the latter, in 1893, the two 
sons became sole proprietors and they con- 
tinued the business as a partnership until 
the death of William Campbell, Jr., in 
July, 1907. 

Since the death of his brother as above 
stated, John S. Campbell has purchased 
the entire plant and has continued the 
hardware business alone and controls one 
of the largest concerns of its kind in this 
section, including store, tin shop and 
foundry, giving employment to over 
twenty people. His place of business is 
thoroughly equipped and he installed the 
second incandescent light plant introduced 
into this State, York having had the first. 
His other business interests cover many 
fields. He is the first vice president of the 
Butler Savings & Trust Company, is a 
director of tlie Standard Plate Glass Com- 
pany, is president of the North Side Ceme- 
tery Association, is a director of the But- 
ler Land and Improvement Company, and 
has built over seventy-five houses in East 
Butler. He was prominent in the organiza- 
tion of the Butler Electric Light Company, 
which since became the Butler Light, Heat 



1290 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and Motor Company, of which he is presi- 
dent and principal stockholder. For a 
number of years Mr. Campbell has been 
largely interested in the development of 
oil lands and is the junior member of the 
firm of McBride & Campbell, well-known 
operators. Formerly he was a member of 
the Bald Ridge Oil Company, and in both 
connections he has been active in the oil 
fields of West Virginia as well as in Penn- 
sylvania. His large stock farm claims also 
a large degree of his interest and attention. 
It consists of many acres of land in Center 
Township which he devotes to fruit grow- 
ing and to the breeding of registered Jer- 
• sey cattle, Berkshire pigs and Barrel Plym- 
outh Rock chickens. In 1908 he planted 
1,100 Italian prune trees, 1,000 pear, 1,000 
quince, and 400 apple trees, and set out 
10,000 currant bushes and 1,750 grape 
vines. His success as a stock breeder is as 
pronounced as has been his other activi- 
ties, all going to prove his business capac- 
ity in whatever line he has taken up. 

On October 7, 1885, Mr. Campbell was 
married to Jennie E. Rogers, who is a 
daughter of R. J. Rogers, a prominent 
citizen of Attica, New York. They have 
two children : Richard R. and John S. The 
home of Mr. Campbell and family is sit- 
uated at No. 415 North Main Street, 
Butler. 

In political sentiment, Mr. Campbell is 
a Democrat. His many^ business duties 
prevent his accepting political office, but he 
actively supports the claims of his friends. 
He belongs to several fraternal bodies and 
is a thirty-second degree Mason. 

WINFIELD S. DIXON, oil producer 
and general farmer in Penn Township, is 
one of the county's solid and substantial 
citizens and is identified with its best in- 
terests. Mr. Dixon belongs to one of the 
old and honorable families of this section 
of Pennsylvania and he was born in Alle- 
gheny Township, Butler County, April 17, 



1853. His parents were James L. and 
Mary (McCandless) Dixon. 

AVilliam Dixon, the grandfather, was a 
son of Thomas Dixon and was born in 
County Armagh, Ireland, and he and wife 
came to America just six months prior to 
the birth of their son, James L. William 
Dixon purchased 400 acres of land, of 
which the farm of Winfield S. is a part. 
For many years he served in the office 
of justice of the peace and was the most 
important man in his community. 

James L. Dixon, father of Winfield S., 
was born in the city of Allegheny, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1818, a son of William and 
Isabella (Morrow) Dixon. He died June 
7, 1894, aged seventy-six years. He came 
to Butler County when aged twelve years, 
and after his marriage moved to Parker's 
Landing, where he bought and cleared a 
farm, on which he continued to reside un- 
til 1865, when he sold out and returned 
to the old homestead in Penn Township. 
He, at one time or another, held every pub- 
lic office in the township. He was an out- 
spoken Republican and a close student of 
public affairs. He married a daughter of 
Robert McCandless, of Franklin Township, 
and they had four children, namely: Lu- 
cinda, who became the wife of Robert H. 
Harbison, of Penn Township ; George Cal- 
vin, deceased; Winfield S., and one that 
died young. The mother of this family 
passed away June 22, 1876, aged fifty-six 
years. Both father and mother were 
worthy members of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. 

Winfield S. Dixon has engaged exten- 
sively in general farming and stock-rais- 
ing, making a specialty of sheep and 
horses. He keeps about 100 head of sheep 
on the farm for mutton and wool and each 
year raises some fine specimens of draft 
and driving horses. Some twenty years 
since he began to operate for oil, working 
in the Butler, Allegheny and Beaver 
County fields. He now has five producing 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1291 



wells on his own farm and is an inde- 
pendent operator. Ever since he reached 
manhood, Mr. Dixon has taken a deep in- 
terest in public questions. He early identi- 
fied himself with the Republican party and 
has been one of its acknowledged leaders 
in the county for many years, serving on 
the State Central Committee and fre- 
quently attending important conventions as 
a delegate. He was the youngest justice 
of the peace ever elected in Butler County 
and he served with discretion and signal 
ability for ten years. In 189.3, while a 
resident of Butler, he was elected county 
treasurer and served as such for three 
years. 

On April 17, 1877, Mr. Dixon was mar- 
ried to Annie L. Balph, who is a daughter 
of Joseph Balph, a farmer of Mount Chest- 
nut, Butler Coimty. Mrs. Dixon was born 
August 5, 1854, and prior to her marriage 
had been a successful teacher for several 
years. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon have the fol- 
lowing children : George Clarence, a drug- 
gist at Butler ; Winfield Russell, residing at 
Butler, who is assistant cashier in the 
Farmers' National Bank of that place; 
Charles Warren, a student of medicine at 
Washington- Jet¥erson College ; Homer 
Scott, who is deputy county treasurer of 
Butler Coimty ; and Frank Calvin, Paul 
Eugene and Presley. These seven sons are 
vigorous and healthy both physically and 
mentally, upright in conduct and an honor 
to their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon 
are members of the Thorn Creek Methodist 
Episcopal Church, in which he is a stew- 
ard. Mr. Winfield S. Dixon was favorably 
mentioned as a candidate for State senator 
in 1908. 

HENRY BUHNING, one of Clinton 
Township's most respected citizens, resides 
on his well improved farm of ninety-two 
acres, which is situated about two and one- 
half miles south of Saxonburg, on the 
Tarentum and Saxonburg road. He was 



born November 22, 1840, in Hanover, Ger- 
many, and is a son of Frederick and 
Emmie (Glecioncamp) Buhning. 

Mr. Buhning comes of an agricultural 
family, both his father and grandfather 
owning and cultivating land in Germany, 
which country they never left. Before he 
left Hanover, Henry Buhning had attended 
school and was educated in his own lan- 
guage, but later, after reaching America, 
in 1867, he attended night school for sev- 
eral terms and thus made himself ac- 
quainted with English. He came to Alle- 
gheny Comity, Pennsylvania, after reach- 
ing the United States, and found employ- 
ment at Natrona, where he worked hard 
and saved his money until he had acquired 
enough to buy seventy-seven acres of his 
present fine farm. To the first purchase 
he continued to add, as he was able, and 
now he owns one of the most valuable 
farms iu Clinton Township. This farm he 
cultivated and improved during many 
years, but now he has practically retired, 
his youngest son being able to carry on 
the farm to the father's entire satisfaction. 
General farming is carried on and enough 
stock is raised for home use. The first 
dwelling was a small log cabin, which is 
utilized for farm purposes since the hand- 
some new residence has been completed, 
the latter being one of the finest in the 
township. 

Mr. Buhning was married at Tarentum, 
Pennsylvania, to Miss Nellie Rinehart, 
who is a daughter of Ludwig and Hannah 
(Gaverman) Rinehart. Mr. and Mrs. 
Buhning have five children, as follows: 
Mary, who resides at home ; Frederick, who 
married Viola Bergman, has three chil- 
dren — Floyd, Edna and Helen ; Annie, who 
married Andrew Held, has three children 
— Leon, Herbert and Leonard; Amelia, 
who married Julius Stuebgeon, has four 
children — Albert, Sylvia and Alvin, twins, 
and Etta ; and Charles, who is the present 
manager of the home farm, a very intelli- 



1292 



HISTOKY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



^eni and capable young man. Mr. Buhn- 
ing and family belong to the Lutheran 
Church at Saxonburg. 

BERNARD B. SIBERT, who bears an 
honorable record for service during the 
Civil War, is a prominent citizen of Fair- 
view Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he resides on a farm of 110 
acres. He was born in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, May 29, 1839, and was the 
third of five children born to James and 
Catherine Sibert, the others being Reuben, 
Mary, Margaret (deceased), and Henry. 

Bernard B. Sibert was two years of age 
when brought by his parents from Arm- 
strong to Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and ever since that time, about the year of 
1841, has been a resident on the farm he 
now owns in Pairview Township. He at- 
tended the public schools of this township, 
after which he turned his attention to 
fn rilling-, which has been his principal oc- 
<'iil);iiion through life, although in recent 
ycai's he has met with success as an oil 
producer. During the first year of the 
Civil AVar, in 1861, he enlisted at Pittsburg 
as a member of Company D, Sixty-second 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try, and during the three following years 
participated in some of the hardest fought 
•engagements of the war. In that time he 
was never wounded nor seriously sick, and 
• was never absent from tlie regiment except 
on detached duty. Among the most im- 
portant l)att]es in which he took part may 
lie mentioned: Fredericksburg, Gettys- 
burg, Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill, seven 
•days' figliting at James Mill, Second Bat- 
tle of Bull Rim, Antietam, and Grant's 
campaign through the Wilderness. He was 
■discliarged at Pittsburgh, Virginia, in 
1S(i4, and returned to the home farm in 
Fairview Township. He purchased the in- 
terests of the other heirs and has farmed 
the place continuously since. He has four 
•valuable oil wells on the farm, all of them 
still ])roducing. Mr. Sibert owns a farm 



of 164 acres in Donegal Township, Butlei' 
County, which he purchased some years 
ago at sheriff's sale. 

In 1865 Bernard B. Sibert was married 
in Armstrong County to Miss Elizabeth 
Sibert, a daughter of Henry and Sarah 
Sibert, and she died leaving the following 
children: James, U. S. Grant, Nicholas, 
Levina, Catherine and Elizabeth, the last 
named being deceased. In 1878 he formed 
a second union with Miss Margaret A. 
Carney, a daughter of Andrew Carney, and 
ten children were born to them: Clara, 
Jessie, Florence, Flossie, Genevieve, Ed- 
ward. Maiie. Rcniaid (deceased), and two 
who ilicil ill iiiljiiicN . Mr. Sibert is a char- 
ter uicinlu'r of .McDcrmott Post, G. A. R., 
at Chicora, and also of the Union Vet- 
erans' Legion at Butler. 

NELSON B. DUNCAN, postmaster and 
one of the representative citizens of 
Zelienople, has been a life-long resident of 
Butler County, Pennsylvania. He was 
born September 5, 1849, on the old Duncan 
homestead in Cranberry Township and is 
a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Caldwell) 
Duncan. The parents of our subject were 
both born in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- 
vania, the father's birth having occurred 
at Coal Hill. 

The grandparents of Nelson B. Duncan 
spent their declining years in Pittsburg 
and were the parents of the following chil- 
dren: Robert, was a resident of Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, where his death oc- 
curred ; David, was also a resident of But- 
ler County; James, who resided and died 
in Venango County, Pennsylvania, and 
Samuel, tlie father of Nelson B. Duncan. 
Samuel Duncan at an early age, came to 
Butler County with his parents, who set- 
tled on a farm in Cranberry Township, and 
he there spent the remainder of his life 
engaged in agricitltural pursuits. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Caldwell, whose death oc- 
curred in 1882, and the following children 
were born to them: Matilda, widow of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1293 



Samuel Graham, is a resideut of Cran- 
berry Township, Butler County; ^Nlary, de- 
ceased; Elizabeth, widow of C. H. Taylor, 
is a resident of Believue, Allegheny 
County; Lewis, deceased, resided in Pitts- 
burg; Emmeline, is the wife of James Mc- 
Marlin, of Butler, Pennsylvania; John, 
who died in the army, was a member of 
Company G, 131st Pennsylvania Cavalry; 
A. G. Duncan, of Pittsburg; and Nelson, 
the subject of this sketch. 

Nelson B. Duncan, after completing his 
education, which was obtained in the com- 
mon schools of this locality, followed farm- 
ing until 1901, when he removed to Zelie- 
nople, still retaining possession of the 
farm. In 1903 he was appointed postmas- 
ter of Zelienople and is still serving in that 
capacity. Mr. Duncan has taken an active 
interest in politics since early manhood 
and is an ardent supporter of the Repub- 
lican party. He is fraternally a Mason, 
being a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 
429, and is also affiliated with the Knights 
of Pythias. 

In 1870 Mr. Dimcan was united in nuir- 
riage with Susan 0. Waldron, a daughter 
of Hon. W. S. Waldron, of Forward Town- 
ship, who served as county auditor of But- 
ler County and as a member of the Gen- 
eral Assembly. To Mr. and Mrs. Duncan 
were born the following children, namely: 
Alice M.; Alfred G., a dentist, residing in 
Zelienople; William Waldron, a plumber, 
residing in Zelienople; S. Blanche, who is 
employed in the postoffice; John C, who 
is married and i-esides in Glass, Ohio, 
where he has charge of an oil lease ; Laura 
M., who married Edward Keck, of Alle- 
gheny, Pennsylvania, and resides in Pitts- 
burg, Pennsylvania ; and A. Gertrude, who 
married Joseph Kavanaugh, and resides 
near Robison, Illinois. 

JONATHAN B. HILLARD, a veteran 
of the great Civil War and a well known 
agriculturist of Allegheny Township, has 
resided on his present fai'm since 1866 and 



is numbered with the substantial and rep- 
resentative men of this section. He was 
born April 14, 1828, in Venango Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of John and Jenette (McMillan) Hillard. 

John Hillard was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1850. 
He was a son of G. H. Hillard, who was 
born in Ireland, and in early manhood set- 
tled in Lancaster County, afterwards com- 
ing to Butler County. He settled in Ve- 
nango Township fully 125 years ago and 
endured the privations and hardships that 
fell to the lot of the venturesome settlers 
in this section at that period. John Hil- 
lard grew to manhood on his father's 
pioneer farm and married Jenette McMil- 
lan, who was born in Mercer County, 
Pennsylvania, and they had twelve chil- 
dren born to them, four of whom still re- 
main, namely: Jonathan B. ; Elizabeth, 
who is the widow of Joseph Wiles, of Eau 
Claire, Venango Township; and Martha 
and Daniel R., both of Venango Township. 
The family has a 'fine military record, the 
grandfather having served in the Revolu- 
tionary War; the father in the War of 
1812, in which he fought under Perry in 
the naval battle on Lake Erie; and Jona- 
than B., in the Civil War, three successive 
generations testifying to their patriotism. 

Jonathan B. Hillard lived on the old 
homestead and followed farming there 
prior to July 16, 1863, when he enlisted in 
Company H, Sixty-second Regiment, 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in which 
he sei'ved until July 4, 1864, when the regi- 
ment was discharged, as its term of enlist- 
ment had expired. On July 4, 1864, he re- 
enlisted, entering Company C, One Hmi- 
dred and Fifty-tifth Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry, in which he 
served until the war closed, his whole serv- 
ice being in the Army of the Potomac. He 
participated in numerous battles, includ- 
ing Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Rap- 
pahannock Station, Mine Run, Boydstown, 
Plank Road, the Wilderness, Spottsyl- 



1294 



HISTORY OF BUTLER (JOUNTY 



vania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Betliseda 
Clmrcli, Hatcher's Run, White Oak Road, 
Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Rail- 
road, Five Forks, and Appomattox, be- 
sides others, and was five times wounded. 
He was honorably discharged July 27, 
1865, having been a witness of General 
Lee's surrender to General Grant. He 
has been a resident of Allegheny Township 
since the year following the close of his 
military service. His two brothers were 
also in the army. 

On January 18, 1861, Mr. Hillard was 
married to Miss Catherine Logue, who died 
November 3, 1904. She was a daughter of 
James Logue, once a prominent resident 
of Clarion County. The children born to 
this union were : George E., who resides at 
Sebastopol, California; Jonathan B., who 
resides at Verona, Pennsylvania; Thomas 
R., who is a physician at Duucanville, 
Pennsylvania; Annie, who is the wife of 
George W. Brown, of San Francisco ; Jen- 
nie, who is the wife of Charles Corbett, 
of Allegheny Township; Fred W., who 
lives at Emleuton; Mary and Lizzie, who 
reside with their father; and James H., 
the only one deceased. He was the second 
child and second son. On the maternal side 
this family can take pride also in their 
loyal ancestry. The great-grandfather, 
John Logue, was a soldier under General 
Washington at Valley Forge; and his son, 
James Logue, the grandfather, was with 
Commodore Perry in the battle of Lake 
Erie, in 1812. The military services of 
the father, Mr. Hillard, came next and even 
they do not close the record, for one of the 
latter 's sons. Dr. Thomas R. Hillard, 
served two terms as a member of the Six- 
teenth Regiment, Pennsylvania National 
Guards, being an officer during a part of 
this time and participating in the suppres- 
sion of the Homestead riots. Mr. Hillard 
takes a hearty interest in the Samuel J. 
Rosenberry Post, Grand Army of the Re- 
public, at Eau Claire. In politics he is 
identified with the Republican party, and 



for seventeen consecutive years has served 
as a member of the Allegheny Township 
School Board. For many years he has 
been united with the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Eau Claire and has belonged to 
its official board. 

EDWIN ZEHNER, deceased, formerly 
a representative citizen of Zelienople, 
where he was engaged in the furniture 
business, was born August 21, 1839, in 
the city of Philadelphia, within a few days 
after his parents had reached the United 
States from the family home in Alsace- 
Lorraine, Germany, where his father and 
grandfather had been men of prominence. 
His father's name was Frederick, who in- 
termarried with a Miss Balliet, his wife 
being of a very wealthy family. Shortly 
after their arrival, the family settled on 
a farm in Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and Edwin was given the limited public 
school education afforded by the country 
schools, six months in a year, until he was 
twelve years old; the hard work incident 
to clearing up the farm required the com- 
bined effoi'ts of the family. Very much 
curtailing his educational privileges, at the 
age mentioned he was deprived of both 
father and mother and forced to depend 
on relatives for whom he worked to obtain 
a livelihood. In early manhood he learned 
the carpenter and caliinet trade with a Mr. 
Halstein at Zelienople and in 1865 he en- 
tered into the furniture and undertaking 
business for himself at Zelienople, where 
two of his sons are yet located. He lived 
a long and busy life meeting with ample re- 
turns for his industry and frugality. Be- 
ginning with practically no capital, work- 
ing patiently on, adding each year to his 
possessions and also to his friends and cus- 
tomers, his inborn business ability, with 
the aid of practical experience, asserted 
itself and placed him the head and pro- 
prietor of one of the largest enterprises of 
its kind in the county. When he was 
ready to retire from active management. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1297 



he had sons whom he had trained to do the 
same work and who were capable of carry- 
ing it successfully on. In 1896 the present 
commodious three-story brick building was 
erected on the old site and the larger and 
more convenient quarters gave opportunity 
for more extensive operation. The busi- 
ness he founded, now carried on by his 
sons Alfred G. and F. Edward, has taken 
its place as the largest and most modernly 
equipped of any of its kind in the county. 
Edwin Zelmer died June 18, 1907, at 
which time he was probably the most wide- 
ly-known man in private life in Western 
Pennsylvania. In politics he was a stanch 
Democrat, and during nearly the whole of 
his life held important offices in the admin- 
istration of borough affairs, and is said to 
have occupied the office of burgess oftener 
than any other individual. He was an ex- 
emplary member of the German Lutheran 
Church of Zelienople. He married Sophia 
Schmidt, a daughter of Peter and Mary 
(Dumbaugh) Schmidt, who still survives 
him. They had the following children : Ma- 
tilda, wife of W. A. Hartzel of Rochester, 
Penna. ; Mary, wife of L. N. Burry of 
• Evans City, Penna. ; Laura, now deceased, 
intermarried with Rev. E. T. Butz; Hanna, 
wife of N. M. Wise of Zelienople, Penna. ; 
Alma, wife of Audley A. Hutchison of Wil- 
kinsburg, Penna.; Alfred G. and F. Ed- 
ward, who are continuing the business 
founded by their father at Zelienople, and 
Gilbert F., an attorney at Pittsburg. The 
three sons have followed the example of 
their father in advocating the principles of 
Democracy and are all identified with the 
Masonic fraternity, being members of the 
Harmony Lodge No. 429, of which Gilbert 
F. was the youngest worshipful master of 
a Masonic Lodge in the State of Pennsyl- 
vania at the time of his incumbency. Al- 
fred G. Zehner married Miss Hazel Rich- 
ardson, who was born in Butler County 
and is the daughter of the late Dr. M. M. 
Richardson of Prospect; F. Edward is un- 



married, and Gilbert F. married Miss 
Marie Allen, daughter of the late Dr. Alex- 
ander Allen of Pittsburg. 

With the death of Mr. Zehner his chil- 
dren lost a father whose love for them 
was enriched by the tenderest care and the 
greatest kindness; Christianity in its 
broadest sense lost a firm believer and the 
community an earnest friend. 

H. C. HINDMAN, who has conducted a 
drug store in West Sunbury, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, since 1891, is a 
prosperous business man and progressive 
citizen, one who has done his utmost in 
the advancement of the best interests of 
the borough. 

Mr. Hiudman was born on his fatherls 
farm in Cherry Township in 1866, and is 
a son of Robert S. and Ann Jane (Camp- 
bell) Hiudman. He was reared on the 
farm and completed the prescribed course 
in the public schools of his home vicinity. 
He entered the drug trade in 1891 at West 
Sunbury, and later pursued a course of 
study in the Pittsburg College of Phar- 
macy, from which he was graduated April 
18, i895. His patronage is drawn from a 
large territory surrounding the borough, 
and his success has been most gratifying. 
He is secretary of the school board of West 
Sunbury and is health officer for three 
townships — Clay, Concord and Cherry. 

Mr. Hindman was first married to Miss 
Myrta McCandless, a daughter of W. H. 
and Harriet McCandless, of Center Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, June 
16, 1898. She died in May, 1903, being sur- 
vived by her husband and one daughter, 
Jean Harriet. Mr. Hindman formed a 
second marital union with Miss Sarah 
Stewart, daughter of Levi and Charlotte 
Stewart, of West Sunbury, Pennsylvania, 
September 25, 1906, and they reside in a 
comfortable home in the borough. In re- 
ligious faith and fellowship he is a mem- 
ber of tlie Presbyterian Church. 



1298 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



ROBERT IVELL is the owner of a fine 
farm of eighty acres in Marion Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, but is now 
living in retirement after many years of 
activity. He was born in a small place 
known as Round Thorn, Oldham Town- 
ship, Lancashire, England, on May 31, 
1844, and is a son of Reese and Susanna 
(Bardsley) Ivell. 

Reese Ivell was born and reared in Eng- 
land, and there engaged in coal mining. 
He made two trips to America during his 
older days, but having a natural prefer- 
ence for his native land', returned to Eng- 
land, where he died. He married Susanna 
Bardsley, who died in 1894, at the age of 
seventy-five years. They w^i'e parents of : 
Robert, Harry, James, Will, Mary Ann, 
Emma, and Henrietta. 

Robert Ivell was the only one of his 
father's family to locate in America. He 
started to school at the age of two years 
and continued until his seventh year, when 
he went to work in a cotton factory. He 
continued at that until he was ten, then 
worked in a coal mine until he reached his 
majority. In 1866 he left England for the 
United States, landing in New York after 
a voyage of eighteen days. Three days 
after his arrival he went to Ashland, in 
Schuylkill County, New York, and worked 
at coal mining until the thirteen weeks' 
strike of 1868. He then worked at the 
trade of a stone cutter in Pittsburg, being 
employed on the wall at the foot of Mt. 
Washington. In July of that year he re- 
sumed mining in the employ of W. L. 
Scott, for whom he worked some ten years. 
He next mined one year at Lone Pine, in 
Washington (!ounty, Penna., after which 
he was in the nursery business at Beaver 
Falls for one year. He moved to Cherry 
Township, Butler County, and mined coal 
one year, then in 1876 went to Venango 
County and purchased property near Clin- 
tonville. He sold coal there until 1881, 
then disposed of that property to H. Sur- 
rena, from whom he purchased fifty acres 



of his present farm in Marion Township. 
To this he added thirty acres in 1903, 
purchasing a tract from Eli Van Dyke. 
He has retired from farm work, his eldest 
son working the place with success. In 
1901 oil was struck on the place, and he 
now has fifteen good producing wells. He 
has a well improved property, most of the 
improvements being made since he located 
upon it. He is a Republican in politics, 
and has frequently been called upon to 
serve the township in official capacity. 
His first presidential vote was cast for 
Grant, and he has consistently voted the 
ticket of his party since that time. 

Mr. Ivell was married October 4, 1863, 
to Miss Emma Johnson, who was born in 
England and who died in Pennsylvania in 
1873. Seven children were born to them, 
all of whom died young excej)t John, who 
lives on the home place. Mr. Ivell formed 
a second union in October, 1877, with Eliz- 
abeth Grillgrist, who died in 1890, at the 
age of fifty-two years. This union re- 
sulted in the birth of one son, Willie, who 
died at the age of two years. On Decem- 
ber 9, 1890, he was married a third time to 
Miss Sarah H. Sergeant, a daughter of 
Robert and Ann (Atkinson) Sergeant, and" 
they became parents of the following: 
Harry B. ; William R. ; James 0.; Su- 
sanna; Mary Ann; Robert E. and Benja- 
min F. Religiously, they are members of 
the INIethodist Episcopal Church and take 
a very active part in church work. He has 
served as class leader nnd Sabbath school 
superintendent. 

ANDREW G. CAMPBELL, who was 
formerly one of Butler County's useful 
and valued citizens, and who served effi- 
ciently for a number of years as. sheriff 
of the county, was born on the old Camp- 
bell homestead in Concord Township, But- 
ler County, Penna., July 1, 1842, and died 
in his native county in 1907. His yjarcnts 
were Alexander and Eliza (Jamison) 
Campbell. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1299 



The Campbell family has loug beeu well 
and favorably kuowu iu Butler County. It 
originated in Scotland and in all probabil- 
ity was established in this section of 
Pennsylvania by the grandfather of the 
subject of this memoir. 

Alexander Campbell, father of xVndrew 
G., was born in Butler County, April 13, 
1813. In 1837 he bought a farm in Con- 
cord Township on which he lived for over 
thirty-five years, or until 1873. He then 
purchased the farm at Mt. Chestnut, which 
was his place of residence subsequently 
until his demise, the latter occurring 
November 12, 1877. In early days he was 
a "Whig in politics but later became a Re- 
publican. In 1839 he was united in mar- 
riage with Eliza Jamison, who was a 
daughter of P. Jamison, of Butler County. 
Mrs. Campbell died December 3, 1883. 
There were three sons born to them — 
Joseph C, William T., and Andrew G. — of 
whom the eldest and youngest served in 
the Civil War. In August, 1861, Joseph C. 
Campbell enlisted in Company E, Thirty- 
first Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
and before his young life was yielded up 
on the bloody field of Chickamauga he had 
participated in twenty-two battles. Alex- 
ander Campbell and wife were worthy and 
consistent members of the United Presby- 
terian Church. 

Andrew (I. Camjibell was reared on his 
father's farm in Concord Township. A 
mill stood on the property and he im- 
proved the opportunity to learn the mill- 
ing trade, which he followed together with 
farming both before and after the Civil 
War. In August, 1862, he enlisted in 
Comjiany C, Oye Hundred and Thirty- 
fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
and was mustered into the service at Har- 
risburg. The regiment was ordered to 
Arlington Heights, and soon after Mr. 
Cami^bell took part with it in the battle 
of Antietam; after which he was detailed 
to serve with the sup])ly ti'ain, and he con- 
tinued at that dutv until he was honorablv 



discharged on June 16, 1865. He then re- 
turned to Butler County and resumed his 
former occupations of farming and mill- 
ing, becoming additionally interested in a 
mercantile business. This last-mentioned 
enterprise he continued to carry on at Mt. 
Chestnut, from 1868 until he moved to 
Brownsdale. Still later he moved to 
Boydstown. In 1893 he was elected sheriff 
of Butler County, assuming the duties of 
this important office on January 1, 1894. 
He continued therein for a long period 
serving with marked efficiency and justify- 
ing the confidence of his fellow citizens in 
the fullest measui-e. He was a man of 
sterling traits of character and of noted 
public spirit and there were few men more 
highly respected throughout the county. 

On August 7, 1862, Andrew G. Camitbell 
married Rachel J. Hutchison, a daughter 
of George H. Hutchison, a highly es- 
teemed citizen of Oakland Township. 
Mrs. Campbell is still a resident of Butler. 
The children born to Andrew G. Campbell 
and wife were named respectively, Alex- 
ander, Eliza A., Thomas A., William J., 
Charles F., and Millard H. Eliza A. mar- 
ried John H. Robb. The eldest son, 
Alexander Campbell, was elected sheriff 
of Butler County in 1905, the contest being 
a close one and his majority being forty- 
three votes. He was married in Novem- 
ber, 1904, to Sarah A. Sweeney, who is a 
daughter of John Sweenev, of Butler 
County. Sheriff Campbell is an Odd Fel- 
low of high standing. 

FRED J. HAMILTON, superintendent 
and stockholder of the Standard Coal 
Mining Company and superintendent, sec- 
retary and stockholder of the Mutual Coal 
Mining Company, at Argentine, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is a riian of prom- 
inence and has achieved a distinct business 
success. He was born at Brookfield, Trum- 
bull County, Ohio, December 22, 1855, and 
is a son of Henry and Sarah (Fitch) 
Hamilton, and a grandson of John Hamil- 



1300 



HISTORY OF BUTLPJR COUNTY 



ton whose entire life was passed in Ire- 
land. His motlier was descended from 
Jolin Fitoh, of steamboat fame. 

Henry Hamilton, father of the subject 
of this record, was born in Ireland and 
was eighteen years of age when he came 
to the United States, taking up his resi- 
dence in Trumbull County, Ohio. His 
marriage with Sarah Fitch resulted in the 
birth of the following children : Fred J. ; 
Harry, who married Miss Jennie Ray of 
Chicago, and who is in partnership with 
his brother in both of the coal mines above 
mentioned; Walter K., who married Flo- 
rence Struble, a native of Ohio and a 
daughter of James Struble; Jane, who 
lives in Mercer County, Pennsylvania; 
and Nellie, who is the wife of Robert 
Keeley of Mercer County, by whom she 
has two sons, Henry and Edwin. 

Fred J. Hamilton received a superior 
educational training in Hartford Acad- 
emy, after which he spent four years in 
the West, owing to poor health. tFpon his 
return to Pennsylvania, he first located in 
Jetlerson County, then later moved to 
Butler County, where he became identified 
with the Boyer Coal Mine. In 1899 he 
became identified with the Standard Coal 
Mining Company at Argentine, and in 
1905 with the Mutual Coal Mining Com- 
pany, which under the direction and man- 
agement of him and his brother, Harry, 
have developed into large and flourishing 
concerns, employing a large force of men. 

Fred J. Hamilton was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Annie Hanley, a native 
of Jefferson County, and a daughter of 
Clemens Hanley of that county. The fol- 
lowing children have been born to them, 
and all are living at home: John C, 
Mary, Sarah, Alfred, Lester, Margaret, 
Nellie, and Tennie. Religiously, Mr. 
Hamilton is a member of the Christian 
Church; Mrs. Hamilton belongs to the 
Baptist Church. The former is a Repub- 
lican in politics, and is now completing his 
fifth year as a member of the school board. 



He and his brother, Harry, are joint own- 
ers of 100 acres of land, on which have 
been erected some fifteen homes, which are 
occupied by miners. 

ALBERT KUTSCH, proprietor of the 
Standard Mantel and Tile Company, with 
business office at No. 400 North McKean 
Street, Butler, is the founder of this busi- 
ness, which is growing in importance, as 
the city is building finer and more artistic 
residences and public buildings. Mr. 
Kutsch was born June 21, 1872, in Ger- 
many. In his native land Mr. Kutsch 
learned the trade of cement work and set- 
ting tile, and after he came to America, in 
1894, he followed it for a short time in 
Allegheny County, Penua. From there he 
went to Ford City, Penna., where he was 
employed in the general office of the Pitts- 
burg Plate Glass Company. Here he re- 
mained until 1904, when he came to Butler. 
He did his first work in this city on the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, which was 
so generally approved that he felt encour- 
aged to embark here in business. He ac- 
cordingly established the Standard Mantel 
and Tile Company, of which he is the sole 
proprietor. The business includes the 
setting of mantels and the execution of 
plain and ornamental tile work, and in 
both branches of the business Mr. Kutsch 
can show many artistic designs. 

In 1895 Mr. Kutsch was married to Miss 
Katie Ganser, who also is a native of Ger- 
many. They have four children — Henry, 
Albert, Anna, and Elizabeth. They have 
a pleasant home at corner of Monroe and 
Locust Streets. Mr. Kutsch is a member 
of St. Peter's Catholic Church, in which 
he is also director of the choir. He is a 
man of considerable musical ability, being 
a skilled performer on the cornet, which 
he has played since he was foui-teen years 
old. He holds the position of commissary 
sergeant of the military band of the Six- 
teenth Regiment, N. G. P. He aims to 
give each of his children a musical educa- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1303 



tion; his son Henry, now eleven years old, 
already plays the piano well, while Albert, 
nine years of age, is taking up the violin 
with every prospect of making a good 
player. Tims the family has a refined and 
never-failing source of pleasure in the 
home, which can be appreciated fully by 
all those who have any musical knowledge 
or education. 

ALFRED ZEIGLER PEEPER, who 
comes of a prominent family of Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a 
farm of 100 acres in Forward Township, 
where he resides. He was born July 11, 
1S5G, on the farm settled by his grand- 
father, Gottlieb Peft'er, in Lancaster Town- 
ship, Butler County, and is the son of 
John and Catherine (Zeigler) Peffer. 

Gottlieb Peffer was born in Switzerland, 
and came to America when a young man, 
locating in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he followed the trade of 
tailor. He was there joined in marriage 
with Rebecca Rice, with whom he subse- 
quently moved to Jackson Towushij), But- 
ler County, and settled near the town of 
Harmony. Shortly afterwards he pur- 
chased a farm in - Lancaster Township 
which he improved, and there he raised a 
family of nine children. He continued to 
follow his trade, leaving the clearing and 
cultivating of the farm to his sons. He 
and his wife lived the remainder of their 
days on the farm, which is still in the fam- 
ily name. They were the parents of the 
following children : Fred, who went to 
Oregon in search of gold about 1849, and 
died there; William; Gottlieb; John; 
Joseph; Frank; Emeline, wife of Peter 
Sheidemantle; Rebecca, wife of M. Zeig- 
ler; and Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Flem- 
ming. 

John Peffer was born on the old home 
farm in Lancaster Township, Butler 
County, in 1830, and spent his boyhood 
days there, assisting in clearing the home- 
stead. After his marriage he rented the 



home farm for three years, and then pur- 
chased of Daniel Zeigler a hundred acre 
tract in Jackson Township. In his young 
days he was a man of great physical 
strength, and it was a common task for 
him to cut the trees and split three hun- 
dred rails in a dav. He is a man of un- 
usual business ability, and has prospered 
beyond the average farmer. By his in- 
dustry he purchased two additional farms, 
one of eighty acres in Jackson Township, 
and another of one hundred acres in Lan- 
caster Township, adjoining the old home 
place. He was united in marriage with 
Catherine Zeigler, a daughter of Andrew 
Zeigler of Harmonj-, Butler County. An- 
drew Zeigler was boi-u in Jackson Town- 
ship, Butler County, and was a descendant 
of Abraham Zeigler, who came from 
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in 1814, and 
purchased the property of the Harmonites 
Society. Mr. and Mrs. Peffer became the 
parents of the following children: Alfred 
Zeigler, whose name heads this sketch; 
Mary, wife of I. M. Wise; and Elmer Z., 
a contractor of Wilkinsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania.. Mr. Peffer is now living in retire- 
ment in Zelienople, in the enjoyment of a 
well earned competency. 

Alfred Z. Peffer, the subject of this 
sketch, was in infancy when his parents 
removed from Lancaster Township to 
Jackson Township. He grew to maturity 
on the home farm, attended the district 
schools of his township, and later attended 
Harmony Collegiate Institute, under Prof. 
John C. Tinsman. He received a teacher's 
certificate, but never entered that profes- 
sion. With the exception of one year 
which he spent in Kansas he lived at his 
parents' home until his marriage, tben 
purchased the McDonald farm in Jackson 
Township. This farm consisted of eighty 
acres, which subsequently proved to be 
valuable oil territory. Later Mr. Peffer 
sold the farm to George Dambaugh and 
purchased his present farm of one hun- 
dred acres from Hon. I). B. Douthett in 



1304 



HISTORY OK rUITI.F.R OOl'NTY 



Forward Towusliip. The dwelliug lionse 
was standing at the time he purchased, but 
he has since erected a commodious barn, 
and made other improvements on the 
premises. He follows general farming 
along modern ideas, and has met with 
good results. March 16, 1886, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Adelia Dambaugh, a daughter 
of Frederick S. and Sarah (Davis) Dam- 
baugh, of Connoquenessing Township, 
Butler County. Frederick S. Dambaugh 
was the son of Frederick Dambaugh, who 
was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, 
December 31, 1814, and came to this coim- 
try with his parents, Jacob and Barbara 
Dambaugh in 1832, and settled in Jackson 
Township. Subsequently the family be- 
came residents of Cranberry Township, 
Butler County. Frederick Dambaugh 
married Margaret Schmidt, and reared a 
family of ten children, of whom Freder- 
ick S. was the eldest. The latter married 
Sarah Davis, of Cranberry Township, and 
subsequently became a resident of Con- 
noquenessing Township. He was a pros- 
perous farmer and a useful citizen. Mr. 
and Mrs. Dambaugh were the parents of 
three children, viz.: Henry; Margaret, 
wife of Philip Schenck of New Kensing- 
ton, Pennsvlvania ; and Adelia, wife of 
Alfred Z. Peffer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Peffer have two children, 
viz.: Howard F., born April 3, 1889; and 
John L., born February 5, 1893. The fam- 
ily are members of the Presbyterian 
Church of Middlesex Township, Mr. Peffer 
having served as a member of the board of 
trustees. He is a Republican in politics, 
and has served his township as treasurer, 
and as a member of the board of school 
directors. He was secretarv of the board 
in 1908. 

HENRY C. HEINEMAN was born in 
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, June 13. 1828, 
and was the son of Daniel J. and Cath- 
erine A. (Roth) Heineman, natives of Ger- 
manv. The family came to Pliibulclpliia in 



1835, and in 1838 came to Butler County, 
settling on a farm near the site of Great 
Belt, whence they removed to Allegheny, 
thence to Philadelphia, and later to Mc- 
Kean County. In 1842 they came again to 
this county aild settled in the borougli of 
Butler. When the family first located in 
this county, Henry C. worked in a confec- 
tionary in Butler, and soon after their re- 
turn here he entered the employ of William 
Campbell & Son, for whom he clerked for 
five years. In January, 18.50, he was seized 
with the gold fever and went to California 
by the water route, worked in the mines 
until the following December, and then re- 
turned to his home. In March, 1852, he 
again went to California, crossing the plain 
to the Pacific slope, and remained working 
in the mines until June, 1856, when he 
again returned to Butler. In February, 
1857, he embarked in the book and station- 
ery business at the corner of Main and 
Cunningham Streets, which he followed 
continuously up to 1900, when he retired. 
Mr. Heineman was married October 29, 
1857, to Mary E. Coyle, a native of Ireland, 
who died in 1901. Seven children blessed 
this union, viz.: Catherine A., wife of W. 
W. Blackmore; Charles M.; Harry D. ; 
William J.; Matilda R.; George E. ; and 
Joseph A. Mr. Heineman and family are 
members of the Presbyterian Church, and 
politically are adhered to the Democratic 
party. Mr. Heineman has filled the office 
as school director, is a member of Conno- 
quenessing Lodsre No. 278, 1. O. 0. F.. But- 
ler Lodee, No. 272, F. and A. M., the R. A., 
the A. 0. U. W., and the E. A. U. From 
the beginning of its history up to the pres- 
ent he has been prominent in the Volunteer 
Fire Department of Butler, and though on 
the retired list, is one of the oldest volun- 
teer firemen in the state. 

CHARLES M. HEINEMAN. one of the 
editors of the Times, was born in the bor- 
oueh of Butler, July 24. 1862, and is a son 
of Henrv C. and Marv (Coyle) Heineman. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1305 



He was educated in the public schools, aud 
at Witherspoou Institute, and began life as 
a clerk in his father's store. During the 
period that he clerked in the store he de- 
voted his spare time to amateur journal- 
ism, and as early as 1881 had established 
one or more journalistic enterprises. He 
was one of the founders of the Times in 
1884, and in connection with his brother, 
William J., has since been the editor of that 
paper. He has taken an active interest in 
the Democratic party, has l)een a member 
of the school board several terms from his 
ward, and was twice the choice of the 
Democratic party in the district for Con- 
gress. Mr. Heineman was married Novem- 
ber 26, 1885, to Ella, daughter of James H. 
Black, of Butler. Mrs. Heineman is a 
native of this county, and a member of 
the old family of that name of whom so 
many are known here in the trades and 
professions. They have two children, 
Henry N. and Charles C. 

CHARLES E. HERR, proprietor of the 
Butler County Record, was born in Somer- 
set, Pennsylvanin, February 21, 1850, and 
is the son of J()se])h and Mary (Koontz) 
Herr. He was educated in the common 
schools of his town, but afterwards learned 
the printer's trade in the office of the 
Somerset Democrat. Subsequently he held 
the foremanship of the Somerset Herald. 
When the oil excitement was at its height 
in Petrolia in 1877, Mr. Herr established 
a job printing office at that place, and the 
same year he estal)]ished the Petrolia 
Record. The publication of the Record 
was successfully continued until 1888, when 
he removed the plant to Butler and changed 
the title of the paper to the Butler County 
Record. Mr. Herr was married in May 
25, 1882, to Emma B. Patterson, of Bridge- 
liort, Ohio, and tliey have three children, 
namely : Mary, Edgar and Helen. The 
family are members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, and Mr. Herr has always 
been independent in jiojitics. 



JAMES O'HARA, a well known and 
influential citizen of Karns City, Butler 
County, Penna., is an oil producer and has 
met witli a high degree of success in the 
prosecution of that work. He was born in 
Hastings County, Canada, November 30, 
1852, and is the son of Philip and Margaret 
(White) O'Hara. 

Philip O'Hara was born in Ireland and 
was brought by his parents to the United 
States in 1833. They settled in Clarion 
County, Pennsylvania, but he afterward 
moved to Canada, and thence to Buffalo, 
New York. He was a veteran of the Civil 
W^ar and lived to the age of seventy-four 
years, dying in 1892. He was four times 
married, the first time to Margaret White, 
mother of the subject of this sketch,, she 
dying in 1854. Three sons were the issue 
of this union : John, Cyrus and James. 

James O'Hara lived in Canada until he 
was nine years old, and was then taken to 
Buffalo, New York, where he lived a couple 
of years. He next lived in Venango 
County, Pennsylvania, where he continued 
until the oil excitement carried him" to 
Karns City, in 1875. He had been through 
the village before, but did not locate until 
the date mentioned, since which time he has 
lived there continuously. He is a substan- 
tial man and is the owner of some property 
in Karns City. 

In 1872 Mr. O'Hara married Miss Mary 
Stone, a daughter of Luther Stone, of Ve- 
nango County, and the following children 
were born to them, all being natives of Sut- 
ler County but the eldest: Charles, of ,Mc- 
Kee's Rocks, who was born in Venango 
County, Pennsylvania, and who married 
Martha June, by whom he has four chil- 
dren — Ruth, Martha, Byron and Ardelle; 
James, of Karns City, who married Sarah 
Brumage and has a daughter, Louise; 
Blanche, who is the wife of Louis Alabaugh 
of Karns City, and has three children — 
Dale, Paul and Dorothy; Clara, who mar- 
ried Harry Corbett of Bruin City and has 
two children, Geraldine and Gladys; Ho- 



1306 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



mer ; Bertha ; Ella ; Mary. Mr. 'Hara has 
filled most of the local offices of Karns City, 
and has served as school director about a 
quarter of a century. Fraternally, he is a 
member of Karns City Lodge, No. 931, I, 
0. 0. F. 

JOHN B. CALDWELL, who is entering 
upon his duties as sheriff of Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, to which office he was elected 
in November, 1908, is a prominent resident 
of Jefferson Township, where he owns a 
valuable farm of 118 acres. He was born 
December 3, 1844, in Armstrong County, 
Pennsylvania, but has been a resident of 
Jefferson Township since his childhood 
days, being in the true sense a product of 
Butler County. 

Mr. Caldwell is a sou of William and 
Sarah Jane (Beatty) Caldwell, and a 
grandson of Dr. Joseph Caldwell. The lat- 
ter was a native of County Antrim, Ireland, 
and upon coming to this country became 
one of the early settlers and pioneer phy- 
sicians of Washington County, Pennsyl- 
vania. He intermarried with the Smith 
family. William Caldwell was a farmer 
by occupation and eai'ly in life moved from 
AVashington County to Armstrong Coimty, 
and thence to Jefferson Township, Butler 
County. He was a prosperous business man 
and a progressive citizen who entered 
actively into the affairs of the community. 

John B. Caldwell was reared on the farm 
he now owns and worked on the place for 
his father while in attendance at school in 
District No. 4, Jefferson Township. Dur- 
ing the Civil War he saw much hard service 
with the Army of the Potomac, serving 
some thirteen months under Colonel Barnes 
in the Fifty-sixth Regiment of Pennsyl- 
vania, and also in the Heavy Artillery. At 
the close of the war he returned to the 
farm, which he conducted with iminter- 
rupted success until January, 3909, when 
he removed to the borough of Butler to 
enter upon his duties as sheriff". Al- 
though he has long been active in politics 



and aided largely in the success of his 
party, this is the first county office to which 
he has ever been elected. Proving himself 
an excellent campaigner and a very popu- 
lar man, he led the ticket in Butler County. 
He previously served as road commissioner 
and census taker, and frequently has been 
sent as delegate to the various conventions. 
In November, 1866, Mr. Caldwell was 
joined in marriage with Miss Nancy J. 
Robinson, a daughter of Joseph and Han- 
nah (Ramsey) Robinson, and the following 
are the issue of their union: Clarence J., 
M. D., a practicing physician and a gradu- 
ate of Western University of Pennsyl- 
vania; William E., M. D., a graduate of 
Baltimore Medical College, who is prac- 
ticing his profession in Connecticut ; Sadie 
(Zigler), who lives in Pittsburg; Marland, 
M. D., a graduate of the AVestern Univer- 
sity of Pennsylvania, who died in the thir- 
tieth year of his age ; Ora J., who has suc- 
ceeded his father in the care of the home 
farm; and Laverne, who is in the employ 
of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago 
Railway and makes his home at the old 
home place. Dr. Clarence J. Caldwell mar- 
ried Miss Mildred Buxton and they have 
two children, Clarence B.. and Eleanor. 
Dr. William E. Caldwell married Miss Eva 
Root, by whom he has the following chil- 
dren: Howard, Mildred, Kenneth, Mar- 
land. Miss Sadie Caldwell married Zeno 
Zigler and has three children — Effie, Wal- 
ter and Olive. Ora J. Caldwell married 
Miss Temoy Taylor, by whom he had two 
children, Francis and Paul (deceased). Re- 
ligiously, Mr. Caldwell and his wife are 
members of the LTnited Presbyterian 
Church at Butler, and are very active in 
church affairs. 

WILLIAM CAMPBELL, who, during 
his long and active business career was 
connected with some of Butler's most im- 
portant business interests, and who at the 
time of his death was president of the But- 
ler Savings and Trust Company, was born 




WILLIAM CAMPBELL 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1309 



in this city April 11, 1843, and was a sou 
of William and Eliza Jane (Sliaw) Camp- 
bell. The family of which he was a worthy 
representative was one of the pioneer fam- 
ilies of the borough. 

William Campbell, Sr., was in former 
days one of the best known and most 
widely respected business men of this sec- 
tion, as he was also one of the most suc- 
cessful. He established the flourishing 
hardware firm, .since carried on under the 
name of J. (}. and W. Campbell. He had 
been pi'ominently connected also with 
other business enterprises, including the 
Butler ]\lutual Fire Insurance Company, 
and the Butler Savings Bank, of which he 
was one of the founders. He was also 
interested in the oil industry. No citizen 
was more active in promoting whatever 
was for the welfare of the community in 
which he lived, cherishing high standards 
of civic duty. For some years he was a 
useful member of the school hoard. He 
belonged to the Presbyterian church, in 
which be worthily held ditferent offices. 
William Campbell, Sr., died November 17, 
1893, having attained the age of four score 
years. His first marriage was to Miss 
Clarissa Maxwell, who was a daughter of 
John Leslie Maxwell. She died in 1839. 
His second marriage was to Miss Eliza J. 
Shaw, who died April 21, 1892. She was 
a daughter of John Shaw, of Glenshaw, 
Allegheny County. Four children were 
the fruit of the second marriage — William, 
John S., James G., and Mary — the last 
mentioned of whom became the wife of 
Joseph A. Herron, of Monongahela, Penna. 

William Campbell, the eldest child of his 
parents, received a liberal education, after 
leaving the public schools becoming a stu- 
dent at Witherspoon Institute and later at 
Washington and Jefferson College. For 
some time after finishing his studies he 
was engaged in the foundry business at 
Pittsburg — a business in which the Camp- 
bells have been interested for the ])ast sixty 
years. In 1871 he returned to Butler, hav- 



ing been elected in February of that year 
cashier of the Butler Savings Bank, which 
had just taken out a charter. .This posi- 
tion lie held for many years subsequently. 
Later he became president of the institu- 
tion, which under his management devel- 
oped into one of the most important 
financial establishments in this section of 
the state. . When it was finally merged 
into the Butler Savings and Trust Com- 
pany, Mr. Campbell was continued as pres- 
ident and held that position at the time 
of his death. Almost to the end of his 
earthly existence he gave his close per- 
sonal attention to the business, even when 
too weak to leave the house keeping in- 
formed as to all its operations, and its 
marked success was due in large measure 
to his wise and able direction. With him 
were associated in its management an able 
corps of assistants and dire<'tors, all men 
of the higlK'st business standing. At tbe 
time of his death Mr. Campbell was the 
largest stockholder in the bank. 

He was also a member up to the time of 
his death, which took place July 27, 1907, 
of the hardware firm of J. G. and W. 
Campbell which firm, as above stated, suc- 
ceeded to the business established by the 
elder William Campbell in 1835. In addi- 
tion to these activities Mr. Campbell was 
interested in the oil industry, and was a 
stockholder and director in the Butler 
Light, Heat and Motor Company; also 
one of the board of directors of the Stand- 
ard Plate Glass Company, for years the 
largest manufacturing industry of the 
town, and of the Butler Land and Im- 
provement Company, the concern which is 
engaged in developing East Butler. He 
was also a stockholder in other local con- 
cerns and was always ready and willing- 
to assist any concern that was likely to 
aid in the advancement and prosperity of 
the town. 

He was extensively interested in the oil 
business and was a large owner of real 
estate. His advice was much sought for 



1310 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



by the managers of the establishmeuts in 
which he had interests. But althoi;gh con- 
nected with so many various enter^jrises, 
he regarded the management of the bank 
as his life work and devoted to it his best 
energies and ripest powers, and its success 
is a lasting monument to his remarkable 
ability, which was equalled only by his 
inflexible integrity. 

Of a dee]3 religious nature, Mr. Camp- 
bell early in life united with the First 
Presbyterian Church. He took an active 
interest in the affairs of the congregation 
and at the time of his death was president 
of the board of trustees. He was of a 
charitable nature and his private benefac- 
tions were large, and were bestowed in a 
Christian spirit devoid of ostentation. 
His manner was kind and courteous, even 
genial, and he was a pleasant companion 
and a true friend. He died high in the 
respect of all who knew him and in their 
bereavement his familv had the sympathv 
of all. 

In his political views Mr. Campbell was 
a Democrat. He was a veteran of the Civil 
War, having enlisted in 1862 in Company 
K, 134th Pennsylvania Volunteers, with 
which regiment he saw active service at 
Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancel- 
lorsville. 

Mr. Campbell was united in marriage 
June 11, 1889, to Miss Elizabeth Lusk, a 
daughter of the late Dr. Joseph S. Lusk, 
whose death took place February 2, 1889. 
Three cliildren were born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Canii)l)ell — William, Janet Douglass, and 
James Gilmore. 

JOSEPH CRISWELL, justice of the 
peace at Lyndora, was born in Clinton 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. 
April 8, 1840, and is a son of James and 
Jane (Brownlow) Criswell. 

James Criswell, father of Joseph, was 
born in County Derry, Ireland, where he 
remained until he was twenty-four years 

old. He died on his farm in Butler County, 



in 1868, when eighty-two years of age. In 
crossing the Atlantic Ocean, his vessel was 
wrecked on the shores of Nova Scotia, but 
he was transferred to another ship which 
took him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
From there he walked to Pittsburg, and as 
he was poor, worked by the way, and later 
secured employment on a farm in Washing- 
ton County. There he remained for eight 
years, saving his money, and then bought 
200 acres of land in Clinton Township, for 
which he paid $400. When the State sur- 
vey was made it was found that the tract 
contained 240 acres. It was wild land that 
he had to clear and he developed it into an 
excellent farm and prospered as a fjfrmer 
and cattle-raiser. He married a daughter 
of John Brownlow, who came to America 
from County Derry, Ireland, when she was 
eleven years old, her parents being peoi^le 
of means for those days. Mr. and Mrs. 
Brownlow walked from the point where 
their baggage was dejiosited to Butler 
County, in order to save freight charges, 
but their daughter was weighed in with 
their other luggage and transported with 
it for $7.50 per 100 pounds. Nevertheless 
she grew to be something much more valu- 
able than freight, a good and faithful 
daughter and the beloved and honored 
mother of twelve children. Those who 
reached mature years were: William, re- 
siding at Allegheny; James, deceased; Le- 
titia, deceased, married Moses Marshall 
and they moved to Kansas; Thomas, resid- 
ing at West Elizabetli, Allegheny County; 
Eliza, deceased, married John C. Norris, 
residing in Clinton Township; Josei^h, of 
Butler County; Robert Ross, residing at 
Little Washington, Pennsylvania ; and Su- 
san, the wife of John Burtuer, residing at 
Butler. The parents of this family were 
worthv members of the Presbyterian 
Church. 

Jose])h Criswell was educated in the 
common schools of Butler County and re- 
mained at home to assist his father until 
the opening of the great Civil War, of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1311 



which he is an honored veteran. In 1861, 
under Captain McLaughlin, he enlisted in 
Companj' H, One Hundred Second Regi- 
ment, Pennslj'vauia Volunteer Infantry, in 
which he served first for tliree and one-half 
years and after re-enlistment, until the 
close of the war. This regiment was one 
of the fiftv to sustain the greatest losses in 
the struggle. After the battle of the Wil- 
derness, he was severely wovmded and was 
absent from his company for six months 
on this account, and was given two veteran 
furloughs, a very unusual favor. He was 
honorably discharged in June, 1865. 

After his return from the army, Mr. 
Criswell resumed farming, settling on a 
projierty in Butlei- Township which be- 
longed to his wife, and there he carried on 
a genei'al farming and stockraising indus- 
try He has about eighty-tWo acres under 
fine cultivation. Mr. Criswell is a stauncli 
Republican and in 1890 was elected clerlv 
of the courts, having a majority of 955. 
He was i-e-eleeted in 1893 with a majority 
of 1,917. When he was elected a justice of 
the ])eace, in 1904, he came to Lyndora and 
has had his home in the village ever since. 
This office is one of considerable impor- 
tance. The influx of foreigners and their 
ignorance of American laws, together with 
their fighting proclivities, make much trou- 
ble which can only be adjusted through re- 
course to the various courts, and Justice 
Criswell finds little leisure, having some 
800 cases in a .vear, the charges ranging 
from murder to jaetit larceny. The first 
large gas well in this section was drilled on 
Mrs. Criswell's fai-m. The gas was piped 
to Butler and was the first gas used in 
that citv. 

Mr. Criswell was married April 25, 1864, 
to Catherine S. Burkhart, a teacher in the 
public schools, and a daughter of Elijah 
Burkhart, of Butler Township. Her fatlier 
was born January 12, 1801, in a log cabin, 
wliich stood within sight of the homestead 
on which she was subsequently born and 
reared in Butler Township. His parents, 



John and Margaret Powell Burkhart, set- 
tled on a 400-acre tract of land about three 
miles south of the site of the present city 
of Butler, in the year 1796 or"97, coming 
fi-om Allegheny County a newly married 
couple. Mrs. Criswell's father was their 
third son born there. He grew up, learned 
rbe carpenter's trade with George W^olf 
and helped build some of the first houses in 
Butler, few if any of whicli are now stand- 
ing. John Burkhart was a fearless, reso- 
lute man and a great hunter. When scarcely 
eleven years of age he was taken captive 
b}^ Indians while driving the cow home, at 
or near Girty's Run, and remained a pris- 
oner for ten months. He escaped July 4th, ' 
177(). Being asked by a big Indian if he 
heard any news, he said he had heard that 
independence had been declared. He was 
given a chance to regain his freedom b}- 
running, the Indians striking at Imn with 
their tomahawks as he went. He escaped, 
but received a wound on the left side of his 
head, the scar of which he carried to his 
grave, and which lie often showed to his 
cliildren and grandchildren as he related 
to them the story. He died April, 1855, at 
the age of ninety years. His wife, Marga- 
ret, whose maiden name was J^'owell, died 
in February, 1856, aged eighty-seven years. 

Elijah Burkhart married Rebecca, 
daughter of Joseph and Isabelle Kennedy 
Richardson (in July, 1831), whose ances- 
tors came to this country with William 
Penn. His wife died leaving four children, 
of whom Rebecca was the eldest. Her 
father was a teacher by profession and fol- 
lowed that occupation for many years. He 
finally married a second time, moved to the 
State of Indiana and died there at the age 
of eighty-three. 

IDIijali and Rebecca Richardson Burkhart 
had eight children, all born on the farm 
owned by Mrs. Criswell. They were: Maria, 
who married John Emerick (deceased); 
Hiram, a child deceased; Joseph E., living 
in Kansas ; Rebecca M. and Washington F., 
deceased in childhood ; Baxter C, who died 



1312 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



in the army; Jacob, now deceased; and 
Catherine S. (Mrs. Criswell). Elijah Burk- 
hart died in 1865, March 24th, on the old 
farm. Rebecca, his wife, died October 7th, 
1879. 

Mr. and Mrs. Criswell have been the par- 
ents of the following children: Jean Re- 
becca, who was a teacher, and is now the 
wife of W. C. Littlewood, a foreman in the 
Vajidegrift Mills; Joseph T., who died in 
infancy ; James B., who taught school, went 
South and is now in the wholesale shoe 
liouse of Haynes, Henson & Co., at Knox- 
ville, Tenn. ; Letitia M., who married R. C. 
Little (deceased), leaving two children now 
living with their grandparents, Mr. and 
Mrs. Criswell; Kathryn M., married to T. 
C. Stephens, an employe of the Colonial 
Trust Co., Pittsburg, Penna., and residing 
in Crafton ; Josephine E., married to P. E. 
Henninger, an electrician now living in 
Port Huron, Mich., where he has been su- 
perintending the wiring of the tunnel under 
the St. Clair River. Mr. and Mrs. Cris- 
well, though living at Lyndora for the past 
five years, still retain the old farm which, 
as Mrs. C. says, fills an important place in 
her life history. They belong to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Criswell is 
a Mason and has served his lodge as 
worthy master for three terms. He is past 
commander of the Union Veteran Legion 
and is also past commander of A. S. Reed 
Post, Grand Army of the Republic. 

ANDREW SCHOEPPEL, one of the 
leading business men and successful mer- 
chants of Evans City, Pennsylvania, has 
been engaged in merchant tailoring in that 
borough for more than eighteen years. He 
has a fine home and farm in Jackson 
Township, Butler County, located about 
one mile from his place of business. 

Mr. Schoetfel was born in Germany, 
October 10, 1866, and is a son of Christoph 
and Elizabeth Schoeffel. His father died 
in Germany and his mother came to the 
United States, making her home at the 



present time in the State of Washington, 
where a number of her sons and daughters 
are located. She is the mother of the fol- 
lowing children in addition to the subject 
of this sketch: Anthony J., who lives at 
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania ; Margaret, 
wife of Henry Hinnebush of Pittsburg; 
Adam, a tailor; Carl, a merchant tailor 
of Seattle, Washington; Elizabeth, wife 
of Anthony Plader, a farmer in Washing- 
ton; Annie (Ochsenfeeil), whose husband 
is also a farmer in Washington; Mar- 
guerite, wife of William Everett of the 
State of Washington ; and Catherine, wife 
of Joseph Sailer, who is connected with 
a sugar factory at Oxnard, California. 

Andrew Schoetfel, in his boyhood days, 
learned the trade of a tailor in his native 
land, and worked at it some seven or eight 
years in that country. He was in his 
seventeenth year when he came to the 
United States, taking up his residence in 
the city of Pittsburg, where he worked at 
his trade imtil 1890. In that year he 
moved to Evans City, where he has con- 
ducted a merchant tailoring establishment 
both continuously and successfully since. 
He was reared to hard work and becoming 
of an economical and frugal disposition he 
made his way to the front without the aid 
of other resources than those with which 
nature endowed him. He has accumulated 
a competency, and in 1904 purchased a 
farm of sixty-six acres in Jackson Town- 
ship, one mile from the borough, on which 
he has since made his home. He is widely 
known throughout this vicinity, and enjoys 
the confidence and good will of everyone. 

Mr. Schoeffel was united in marriage 
with Catherine Werner, who also was born 
ill (lermaiiy, and is a daughter of John 
(icorg and Carlotta Werner. Ten children 
were the issue of this marriage: Andrew, 
deceased; Edward, who married Lulu S. 
Smathers; Carl; Catherine, wife of 
Charles Carson; Anthony; George; John; 
William; Marguerite, and Prancis. Re- 
ligiously the family is Lutheran and at- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1313 



tends services at Evans City. Mr. Schoef- 
fel has been a member of this church for 
eighteen years. 

SAMUEL BELL, a well known agricul- 
turist of Allegheny Township, residing on 
his valuable farm of fifty-eight acres, was 
born February 13, 1864, in Clarion County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William and 
Nancy (Brown) Bell. 

The parents of Mr. Bell were both born 
in Ireland, and were acquainted with each 
other there. They crossed the Atlantic 
Ocean on the same vessel, in 1848, and 
were married after -reaching America. 
They first settled in Clarion County, Penn- 
sylvania, where they resided until 1868, 
when they came to Allegheny Township 
and settled on the farm on which Samuel 
Bell now resides. They were not only 
closely united in life, but were separated 
but a few days by death, the wife passing 
away July 31, 1903, and the husband dying 
on August 6 following. They were mem- 
bers of the Presbyterian C-hurch at Annis- 
ville. Pour of their children survive, 
namely: John, who lives in Clarion 
County; William, of Venango Townshij), 
Butler Pounty; Margaret E., widow of 
Harry R. Thompson, lives in Allegheny 
Township; and Samuel. 

Samuel Bell was four years old when 
his parents moved from Clarion to Butler 
County and his home ever since has been 
in Allegheny Township, where he has fol- 
lowed farming for a number of years, 
devoting himself exclusively to this indus- 
try. He obtains excellent returns from 
his land and is one of the township's most 
progiiessive agriculturists. He secured 
a good public scliool education in what is 
known as the Cani|)boll School. 

On October 24, 1895, Mr. Bell was mar- 
ried to Miss Sarah E. Jolly, who was born 
in Venango Township, Butler County, and 
is a daughter of Thomas and Annie (Rus- 
sell) Jolly, of Venango Township. Mr. 
and Mrs. Bell are members of the Asso- 



ciate Presbyterian Church, at Eau Claire. 
Like his father, Mr. Bell has always been 
a Democrat and on the Democratic ticket 
he was elected road commissioner, one of 
the most important of the local offices in 
farming districts. To all who know Mr. 
Bell it is unnecessary to state that the 
duties of the office were faithfully per- 
formed. 

HUGH SPROUL, one of Cherry Town- 
ship's most respected citizens, has resided 
on his present valuable farm for a period 
covering sixty years, coming here a young 
man and developing wild land into a fer- 
tile and finely improved property. He was 
born near Mt. Chestnut, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, July 4, 1824, and is a son of 
John and Elinor (Pillow) Sproul. 

John Sproul, father of Hugh, was boru 
in Ireland and lived on his own land until 
he was twenty years of age, when he came 
to America, settling soon after at Oil 
Creek, in Venango County, Pennsylvania. 
He was master of a good trade, having 
learned linen weaving in his native coun- 
try, but found little opening for work in 
that line where he first settled, and after 
his marriage he removed to a farm near 
Mt. Chestnut, on which he lived until his 
death. His widow did not long survive 
him. 

Hugh Sproul remained with his parents 
until he was twenty-four years of age. On 
October 1, 1857, he was married and one 
year later moved on his present farm, 
which is situated three miles north of 
West Sunbury, on what was formerly 
known as the furnace road. It was a wild 
place at that time, neither clearing nor 
improving having been done, but condi- 
tions were soon changed. When sixteen 
years of age, Mr. Sproul had learned the 
carpenter's trade and as soon as he was 
prepared to do so, he began to put up sub- 
stantial buildings, doing the work himself 
until he had all the structures necessary 
for familv comfort and for carrving on 



1314 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



extensive farming and stockraising. The 
cultivation of the farm has mainly been 
done by his sous, Mr. Sproul continuing 
to follow carpenter work. Seventy years 
is a long time to have been active and busy 
in one line, but for this lengthened period 
Mr. Sproul has worked at his trade, giving 
almost his entire attention to it since his 
sons have been old enough to take the 
management of the farm oft' his shoulders. 
In spite of advancing years, Mr. Sproul 
enjoys doing carpenter work, his judgment 
being just as sound as formerly and his 
hand steady and his eye true. 

Mr. Sproul was married, at the date 
above mentioned, to Miss Sarah Glenn, a 
daughter of James Glenn, of what is now 
Concord Township, Butler County. To 
this marriage were born twelve children. 
The survivors are the following: John 
Perry, who is a physician, lives at Grove 
City, with his family; Elizabeth, who is 
the" wife of C. S. Stouer, of Butler ; An- 
drew, who is engaged in a mercantile busi- 
ness at Bruin, Pennsylvania; Ada, who is 
the wife of J. G. Renick, of Center Town- 
ship; Clara, who is the wife of John 
Christie, of Cherry Township ; Rella, who 
is the wife of Samuel Hineman, of Branch- 
ton, Pejmsylvania ; Minnie, who is the 
widow of D. L. Hockenberry ; and Everett, 
unmarried, who lives at home. The chil- 
dren deceased were : two who died as in- 
fants; James, who died at Cleveland, a 
student of medicine; and Robert, who 
died on the home farm, leaving a widow. 

Mr. Sproul served as a soldier in the 
(!ivil War, enlisting in September, 1864, 
in the Sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, under Colonel IBarnes. 
This regiment had headquarters at Fort 
Marcy, near Washington, D. C. After 
hostilities had ceased, it was mustered out 
at Camp Reynolds, near Pittsburg. Mr. 
S]iroul lias been recognized as one of his 
township's representative men by his fel- 
low citizens and has frecjuently been 
elected to oflice. He has served as school 



director, assessor and collector. He is a 
member of the United Presbyterian 
Church at West SunlSury. 

MULVAIN DUNLAP, farmer and oil 
producer of Marion Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is located on a 
farm of ninety-five acres, which formed 
a part of a tract of 350 acres which his 
great-uncle, Alexander Dunlap, purchased 
of the Indians during the pioneer days of 
this locality. He was born near Kittan- 
ning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
February 12, 1848, and is a son of John M. 
and Jane (Hartford) Dunlap. The Dun- 
laps came to this country from Ireland. 
John, tlie grandfather of the subject of 
this sketch, was pioljahly born after the 
family became established in this country. 
The latter had three brothers — James, 
Alexander and AVilliam — and a number of 
sisters. 

John M. Dunlap was born on his father's 
farm in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, in 
1819, and late in life came to Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. He was located in 
Ai'mstroug County, Pennsylvania, some 
years prior to coming here in 1852, and 
upon his arrival he purchased the farm 
now owned by his son, Mulvain. His uncle 
had acquired title to this land by purchase 
from the Indians, and had moved here 
from Beaver County. Alexander Dunlap 
had cleared but little of the land up to the 
time of his death, which occurred at an 
advanced age. John M. Dunlap also died 
on this farm, the date of his death being 
1864. He married Jane Hartford, who 
was born and reared in Beaver County, 
and who died at the age of seventy-nine 
years. Ten children were born to them : 
Margaret Jane, deceased; John, who saw 
service in the Union Army during the 
Civil War; McAllister, deceased; Saman- 
tha, wife of Lewis Miller; Mulvain; Lisan- 
der, deceased; Clementine; Orsina, de- 
ceased wife of Eli Van Dyke; James L. ; 
and Violet Ann, widow of Perrv Farren. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1317 



Mnlvain Dunlap was altout four years 
of age when his parents moved from Arm- 
strong County to Marion Township, where 
they first lived in a log cabin. He attended 
the rude and poorly equipped common 
schools of tliat period for a few months 
eacli winter, and assisted in clearing up 
the home farm. Upon the death of his 
father he bought out the interests of the 
other heirs and has continued to reside 
there ever since. He rebuilt the house in 
1904, and in the meantime made many 
other desirable imi)rov(:'ments, making it 
one of the best eqnj])iicd farms in the 
.township. He has nine iiroducing oil wells 
on the i^lace, which have proved very 
remunerative. 

May 14, 1874, Mr. Dunlap was united 
in marriage with Miss Emeline Pohlman, 
a daughter of Herman Pohlman, who 
came to this country from Germany when 
a young man. He married Catherine 
Stover, who was born and reared in 
Venango County, Pennsylvania. Mr. and 
Mrs. Dunlap have had seven children, as 
follows: Homer Leroy, who died in in- 
fancy; Clinton O., who runs the home 
farm; John M., who attended Slippery 
Rock State Normal School, and was for- 
merly engaged in teaching school, but is 
now located in the borough of Butler; 
Cyrus E., who attended Slippery Rock 
State Normal and is a graduate of Iron 
City Commercial College of Pittsburg, 
engaged in teaching school; Elsie May, 
deceased, and Elva Maude, twins; and 
Etta A. John M. Dunlap was united in 
marriage with Miss Sadie Bailey, and 
they have a daughter, Myrl Genevieve. 
Religiously, the family attends the Metho- 
dist Episcopal cliurch, of which Mr. Dun- 
lap is treasurer. He is a Democrat in 
politics, and has filled the office of con- 
stable. 

^ilRS. MARGARET McMURRAY, a 

well known resident of Washington Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the 



widow of George McMurray, a native of 
Ireland, who became one of the substantial 
citizens of this community. Mr. McMur- 
ray 's death occurred in 1896. 

Mrs. ]\[argaret McMurray was born in 
Cincinnati, Oliio, May 2, 1837, and was a 
young girl when her parents moved to 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Here 
she was reared to maturity, receiving her 
schooling in the city of Pittsburg. She is 
a daughter of Franklin and Rebecca 
(Scott) Goldthorp, and a granddaughter 
of Josiah and Elizabeth (Pillon) Gold- 
thorp. She was one of nine children born 
to her parents, and of these, she and a 
In'other, Thomas J. Goldthorp of North 
Hope, are the sole survivors. With a 
brother Horatio she inherited a tract of 
fifty-five acres of land, and upon the lat- 
ter 's death in 1900 she became sole owner 
of the property. It is a farm in a high 
state of cultivation and is underlaid with 
three veins of coal, whicli have never been 
mined. Tlie house in which she resides 
was erected by Rev. Mr. Black, and by 
him was sold to Mr. Hutchison, from 
whom the Goldthorps obtained it. Mrs. 
]\IcMurray also owned a valuable property 
of sixty-two acres in Scott Township, Alle- 
gheny County, lying about midway be- 
tween Carnegie and Mt. Lebanon, and this 
she disposed of to a corporation to good 
advantage. She has displayed excellent 
business judgment in the handling of her 
affairs, and has the good-will and esteem 
of her fellow citizens. In August, 1905, 
she went abroad, visiting in London, 
Leeds, Oxford, Birmingham and Manches- 
ter, in England, and also in Scotland, 
Ireland and France. Just before her re- 
turn to America, she paid a visit to the 
historic old battleground at AVaterloo. She 
is a broad-minded and intelligent woman 
and takes a deep interest in the affairs of 
the ■ day. In religious affiliation, she at- 
tends the ITnited Presbyterian church at 
North Hope. 



1318 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



R. P. JACK, one of Washiugtou Town- 
ship's substantial citizens, residing in his 
comfortable home in North Hope, owns 
also thirty acres of very valuable farm 
and coal land, three veins of coal having 
been discovered. Mr. Jack was born on a 
farm about one-half mile southeast of 
North Hope, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, September 22, 1865, and is a son 
of Andrew Jackson and Mary Ann (Will- 
iams) Jack. 

Andrew Jackson Jack was born in 
Scrub Grass Township, Venango County, 
Pennsylvania, and was a son of John and 
Margaret (Harper) Jack, the latter of 
whom was a daughter of an old settler, 
Thomas Harper. In boyhood, the late 
Andrew J. Jack went to what is now 
known as the Himand School but was then 
called the Macklin School. It was his 
father, John Jack, who settled first in 
Washington Township, and acquired 440 
acres. When he died his son, Andrew J., 
received 267 acres. After he had com- 
pleted his education Andrew J. Jack en- 
gaged in farming and then became pro- 
prietor of the North Hope Hotel, which 
was built on his land. Later he sold the 
hotel and during the oil excitement he 
built another hotel at Rousville, which lie 
also sold and then moved to Parker's 
Ijanding. He became interested in oil pro- 
ducing and continued until his death in 
the oil fields of Parker's Landing, Trout- 
man and Petrolia. At the time of his 
death, in 1900, was in a hotel at North 
Hope. The late Andrew Jack was the 
sixth born in a family of eight children, 
the others being: William, who married 
Polly Seaton; David; Samuel, who mar- 
ried Fannie Say; John; Joseph, who 
married Katie Simock; James Harper; 
and Polly, who married Rev. Thomas 
Graham, a Methodist minister. 

R. P. Jack was educated at the Mt. 
Emory School in Washington Township, 
the North Hope public schools and the 
North AVashington Academy, after which 



he first engaged in farming and later went 
to the oil fields as a tool dresser. He 
then resumed agricultural operations. 

Mr. Jack married Miss Maude C. Mc- 
Garvey, who is a daughter of Matthew S. 
McGarvey, of Washington Township. Mr. 
and Mrs. Jack have seven children, name- 
ly: Andrew M., who is a tool dresser; 
Gertrude C, who is a popular teacher in 
the public schools ; Ross R., a student who 
will be a member of the graduating class 
of 1910, at North Washington Academy; 
Mary M., who will be in the class of 1912, 
at tiie same institution; Robert F. and 
Nellie A., with Frank P., the youngest, are , 
still in the public schools. Mr. Jack has 
an unusually intelligent family and he is 
giving them every- educational advantage 
in his power. The family belong to the 
Presbyterian Church, the two older daugh- 
ters being members of the choir and Miss 
Gertrude being also a teacher in the 
Sunday-school. In his political views, Mr. 
Jack is a Republican. For a long time 
this family has been one of ample means 
and social prominence in Washington 
Township. 

JULIAN A. CLARK, one of Butler 
County's leading citizens, whose pleasant 
home is at No. 117 Grand Avenue, Butler, 
has been long a prominent factor in the 
politics of the county and is now serving 
in the office of registrar and recorder. He 
was born September 1, 1862, near Pros- 
pect, Butler County, Penna., and is a son 
of Rev. James A. Clark. 

The Rev. James A. Clark settled near 
Prospect in 1858 and for thirty-six years 
was the faithful and beloved pastor of the 
United Presbyterian Church at that place 
— or until his death. During all that time 
ho missed but two sabbath days. His 
long and useful life terminated there in 
July, 1894, when he was aged sixty-three 
years. 

Julian A. Clark was educated at Pros- 
pect and for some years after leaving 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1319 



scliool followed the occupation of farming. 
He then entered into business as a horse 
dealer, which for a considerable time lie 
found profitable. Afterwards he turned 
his attention to the insurance business and 
dniiug the decade in which he was con- 
nected with the Equitable Life Insurance 
Company, of Butler County, he proved 
himself one of the most competent insur- 
ance men in the field in this section. After 
the death of his father he returned to the 
old homestead and took charge of the 
farm, where he soon established and devel- 
oped a large wholesale dairy business. 
Later he moved to Butler Township and 
there engaged in a retail, dairy business 
for awhile. Five subsequent years were 
spent in Center Township on a larger 
farm, and then the educational needs of 
his growing family caused him to give up 
country life and he purchased his present 
attractive and commodious residence in 
the city of Butler, of which place he has 
since been one of the progressive and 
esteemed residents. For a while after 
coming here he was connected in an indus- 
trial way with the car shops. He is 
politically a stanch Republican and was 
elected to his present office on that ticket, 
November 3d, 1908. 

In 1886 Mr. Clark was married to Miss 
Laura M. Thompson, who is a daughter 
of the late Rev. Warren M. Thompson, a 
minister in the Baptist Church, in Jeft'er- 
son County. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have had 
five children, namely: Margaret A., who 
resides at home; James A., a bright am- 
bitious youth, who died in his fourteenth 
year; Mary JM., who died aged eleven 
years; Edward S., who resides under the 
parental roof-tree; and Jean Elizabeth, 
who died at the age of six years. The 
three who are deceased died within four 
days of each other of measles-pneumonia 
and their bodies were all consigned to the 
earth in one grave. This terrible domestic 
affliction aroused general sympathy in the 
neighborhood for the bereaved family. 



]\Ir. and Mrs. Clark are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church, and the for- 
mer has taken a very active part and inter- 
est in church aifairs. In 1892 he was a 
delegate to the International convention 
of the Young People's Christian Union at 
East Liverpool, Ohio. While a resident of 
Center Township he was superintendent 
of the sabbath school at Holyoke for three 
years. 

REV. PETER C. PRUGH, retired min- 
ister, was born September 13, 1822, in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, and is a son of 
John and Cathei'ine (Haynes) Prugh. Mr. 
Prugh was reared on the homestead farm, 
and after receiving a common school edu- 
cation, entered the Dayton, Ohio, Academy. 
He entered Marshall College, Mercersburg, 
Pennsylvania, in 1845, and graduated in 
1849. He then entered the Theological 
Seminary of the Reformed Church at Mer- 
cersburg, and when he had completed his 
studies accepted a call to the Reformed 
Church at Zenia, Ohio, in 1851, remaining 
there for twenty-five years. During the 
war Mr. Prugh -was connected with the 
Ohio Relief Society, and Hid duty at V7ash- 
'ington. Fort Royal, the Wilderness and 
White House Landing, caring for the 
woi:nded soldiers. He was also connected 
with the Ohio militia at the time General 
Kirby Smith attempted a raid upon Cin- 
cinnati. While a resident of Zenia he was 
instrumental in founding the Soldiers' 
Orphan School at that place, and by his 
own personal efforts raised twenty-five 
thousand dollars in Green County alone. 
After the completion of the home he was 
appointed as chaplain and filled the posi- 
tion for two years. In 1873 he accepted a 
call from the Church of the Cross, Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, where he remained for three 
years. He then located at Germantown, 
Ohio, where he was pastor of the Reformed 
Church at that place until 1882, when he 
accepted the position of superintendent of 
St. Paul's Orphan Home of Butler. After 



1320 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



a service of twenty years as superintend- 
ent of this school Mr. Prugh resigned and 
retired to private life, and is now a resi- 
dent of the South Side, in Butler. He was 
married April 2, 1852, to Charlotta, a 
daughter of Jacob Hassler, of Mercers- 
l)urg, Pennsylvania, a musician in the War 
of 1812. They are the parents of eleven 
children, seven of whom lived to manhood 
aud womanhood. They are: Edwin N. ; 
John H., i)tistor of the Grace Reformed 
Church, Pittsburg; Daniel K. ; William S.; 
Etta K., deceased; Mary A., wife of Rev. 
I). X. Harnish, of Bvitler; aud Frances 
Crace. 

WILLIAM L. KEPPLE, who comes of 
an old and respected familj^ of Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
is the owner of a fine farm of sixty-five 
acres, which has one producing oil well 
upon it. He was born jn Buena Vista, 
Fairview Township, October 1, 1854, and 
is a son of Isaac and Mary (Thorn) 
Kepple. 

Isaac Kepple, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was a young man at the time 
he located at Buena Vista, and there con- . 
tinned to live the remainder of his days. 
He was employed on a canal boat in his 
early life, running between Freeport and 
Johnstown, but afterwards always followed 
farming. He was born in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1818, and lived to 
the advanced age of eighty-one years. His 
wife died at Buena Vista at the age of 
seventy-three years. She was the daughter 
of George Thorn, who was a very early 
settler of Fairview Township. Mr. and 
Mrs. Kepple settled at Buena Vista about 
the year 1852, and there all their children 
were born with the exception of the eldest. 
Four children were born to them, as fol= 
lows, and all are living within the limits of 
Fairview Township: Angle; William L • 
W. S., and A. D. 

William L. Kepi)le was educated in the 
public schools of Buena Vista and contin- 



ued to reside in that village until he was 
thirty years of age. He has always fol- 
lowed farming and worked about oil 
wells. In 1876 he came into possession of 
the farm he now owns, which was pur- 
chased by his father from the Union Oil 
Company. He located on the place in 1884. 
and has since lived there, a period of nearly 
a cpxarter of a century. With the exception 
of the house, which was standing at the 
time he located here, he has made all the 
improvements on the place and has one of 
the best kept farms in the community. 

October 28, 1884, Mr. Kepple was united 
in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth 
Ellenberger, a daughter of Enos and Mary 
(Harmon) Ellenberger, early settlers of 
Fairview Township, who still reside at 
Buena Vista. Seven children blessed this 
marriage, namelv: Celia, Irene, ;\lal)el, 
Loretta, Bert L.," Edward H., and Alfred. 
Religiously, the subject of this sketch is a 
member of the Reformed Church. He has 
served as school director of the township 
and has taken a deep interest in all that 
pertains to the progress of the community. 

WILLIAM G. ALTVATER, one of Jef- 
ferson Township's well informed aud (uo- 
gressive young agriculturists, is engaged 
in farming and stockraising, in association 
with his father, on their valuable estate of 
seventy-five acres, which is situated one 
and one-half miles west of Saxonburg. Mr. 
Altvater was born in 1882, in Washington 
County, Ohio, not far from the city of 
Marietta, and is a son of Benjamin and 
Barbara (Stark) Altvater. 

The Altvater family was founded in 
America by the grandfather of William 
G., who was born in Germany and settled 
in Washington County, Ohio, in 1850. Ben- 
jamin Altvater, father of William G., is a 
butcher l)y trade and also follows farming. 
He married Barbara Stark and they have 
four children, namely: Bertha, who lives 
at Pittsburg; William G. ; aud Bessie and 
Edna, both of whom live at Pittsburg. 




JAMES W. McKEE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1325 



William G. Altvater went from Washing- 
ton County, to Tarentum, Pennsylvania, 
and from there to Pittsburg, and after his 
school days were over he went to work in 
the steel mills, where he continued for nine 
years and then, with his father, bought the 
IDresent farm, which they operate together. 
It was formerly known as the old Ilelmhold 
place, good land, which, under the careful 
cultivation now being given it, makes large 
returns. 

On August 23, 1905, Mr. Altvater was 
married to Miss Mamie Hepler, who is a 
daughter of Scott and Mary (Negley) 
Hepler, the former of whom is a very prom- 
inent farmer of Armstrong County. Mr. 
and Mrs. Altvater have one beautiful little 
daughter by the name of Helen. The com- 
fortable farm residence has been recently 
put up and Mr. Altvater has made other 
improvements and has substantial barn 
and cattle sheds. 

JAMES W. McKEE, one of Butler's 
capitalists, who is engaged in looking after 
his extensive real estate interests in this 
city, was born in 18-1:5 in Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania, where his social 
and educational o])portuuities were only 
those which come to boys who are forced 
to depend upon their own eiforts after be- 
ing left fatherless in early youth. 

The first chance to secure work by which 
he might ])rovide for himself, Mr. McKee 
found in the oil fields near Franklin, and 
in a rough environment he spent one year 
and then went to the Armstrong fields, go- 
ing from there to Freeport. There he 
worked at drilling a salt well for one sum- 
mer, and then worked in a foundry for 
three years. One more year was spent in 
foundry work and then he returned to the 
oil fields to remain until 1874, after which 
he operated a ]>laning-niill and engaged in 
contracting at Freeport, for three years. 
Later he was engaged in the manufacture 
of wheels and reels near Bradford and 
subsequently ])urchased a foundry there. 



continuing his interest in the oil business. 
He remained in that section for ten years, 
when he moved his foundry to Butler. 
Here he became a stockholder in the Butler 
Manufacturing Comjiany, Limited, for the 
nuinufacture of engines, taking charge of 
the foundry and pattern de])aitnient him- 
self. After six years h6 bought the inter- 
ests of his partners and continued the 
manufacturing business until 1902, when 
he sold out. Since that time, Mr. McKee 
has given his attention to looking after his 
real "estate interests. He is a stockholder 
in two of the banks at Butler and has 
financial interests in other enterprises. 

October 11, 1887, Mr. McKee was mar- 
ried to Miss Margaret E. March, of New 
C'astle, and they have one son, Vance F. 
Mr. McKee and family reside in a beauti- 
ful home which stands at No. 302 West 
Pearl Street, Butler. Mr. McKee 's life 
story is tyjiical of the indomitable energy 
and enterjjrise which have been the factors 
in the development of the great industrial 
resources of this section and his sucess 
has been greater than many another be- 
cause he has had more natural capacity 
and greater perseverance. 

ROBERT B. CONN is a well known cit- 
izen and prosperous farmer of Clay Town- 
shi]>, Butler County, Penna., where he lives 
on a farm of 104 acres, located two miles 
south of West Sunbury, on the Butler road. 
He was born in what is now Washington 
Township, Butler County, February 12, 
1841, and is a son of William and Nancy 
(Mortimer) Conn. His grandfather, Rob- 
ert Conn, was a native of Ireland, and upon 
coming to the United States settled in 
Washington Township, Butler Covmty, 
Pennsylvania, where he was among the 
pioneers. 

AVilliam Conn was born in Washington 
Township and at an early age learned the 
ti'ade of a carpenter, which he followed 
many years, Imt farming was always his 
principal occupation. He married Nancy 



1326 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Mortimer, a native of Butler County and 
a daughter of Samuel Mortimer. 

Robert B. Conn was reared on the old 
home farm and attended the public schools 
for a brief period. At the early age of 
twelve years he began learning the trade of 
yarn making in the Hopewell Woolen Mills 
in Washington Township. He worked at 
that business some years, a part of the 
time at Craigville, and also for W. L. 
Keefer in Venango County. He continued 
at this occupation for some years after his 
marriage, and then in 1872 moved upon his 
present farm, which he owns in conjunction 
with his wife, who was born and reared on 
the place. He is engaged in general farm- 
ing, is a first class business man, and an 
upright and useful citizen. 

Mr. Conn was married in 1861 to Miss 
Margaret E. Sutton, and daughter of Jesse 
and Maiy Jane (Hockenlniry) Sutton, and 
they became parents of the following chil- 
dren : Levi E., an oil producer of Findlay, 
Ohio; Laura J., wife of S. C. McCandless, 
of Lincoln, Nebraska; Clarence G., who re- 
sides on a part of the home farm; Mary, 
wife of J. H. Timblin, of Latrobe, Pennsyl- 
vania; Harry Elwood, who married Pearl 
Wick and died at the early age of thirty- 
four years ; Nancy Minerva, wife of J. A. 
Hallstein, of Clay Township ; Minnie, wife 
of DeLoss L. Hindman, of West Sunbury ; 
Sylvia Ellen, wife of Charles A. Brown; 
and Goldie Pearl, who died when only 23 
months old. Mr. Conn is a stanch Repub- 
lican in politics, and has served as consta- 
ble, tax collector, school director and asses- 
sor. He was school director for a period of 
eight years, and was tax collector from 
1890 until 1900, proving a most capable offi- 
cer. Religiously, he is a member of the 
Lutheran Church. 

Mr. Conn's grandchildren are as follows : 
Of Laura J., wife of S. C. McCandless, 
children — Cecil Budd, Conrad Masserela, 
Wesley Earl and Effie Jane; Levi E. and 
Margaret (Dav) Conn's children — Cora A., 
Charles Wallace and J. Earl ; Clarence G. 



and Elizabeth (McCandless) Conn's chil- 
dren — Jesse Quay, Virgin Dearl and Sarah 
Margaret ; children of Nancy Minerva, wife 
of J. A. Hallstein — Paul Conn, Harry 
AVard, Carl Zinbeck, Lena Christina and 
Sylvia Alberta; children of Minnie, wife of 
DeLoss L. Hindman — Barbara Lucile; 
children of Harry Elwood and Pearl 
(Wick) Conn — Harriet Pearl and Cather- 
ine Ellen. (Eighteen grandchildren in all.) 
Deaths— Wiriiani Conn died August 4, 
1881; Nancy Cotui .lied .Imic 1. IsitO; Jesse 
Sutton died Septpuihcv I'M 1SS7; Marv 
Jane Sutton died March 30, 1892. 

JAMES N. RANDALL, engineer at the 
Lockrie Brothers coal mine at Argentine, 
Washington Township, Butler County, 
Penna., is the owner of a well improved 
tract of twenty-eight acres in Venango 
Township, Butler Coimty. He was born in 
Venango County, Pennsylvania, January 
29, 1860, and is a son of Mathias and Sarah 
(Rodgers) Randall, and a grandson of 
James Randall, who removed at an early 
day from" Cumberland County, Pennsyl- 
vania, to Venango County. 

Mathias Randall was one of the following- 
children born to his parents: Simon, de- 
ceased, who married a Miss Brown, of 
Pi'anklin, Pennsylvania ; Joseph, who mar- 
ried Amanda Allen of Indiana; Eli, who 
married Marilla Rodgers of Crawford 
County; Anna, wife of Cyrus Rodgers of 
Venango County; Almena, wife of John 
Work of Crawford County; and Mathias. 
The last named, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was united in marriage with 
Sarah Rodgers, daughter of James Rod- 
gers of Venango County, and they reared 
three children, as follows: James N. ; Eliz- 
abeth, deceased; and Wilson, who also is 
deceased. 

James N. Randall was reared in Ve- 
nango County, and attended school at Mc- 
Kinzie's Corners. After leaving school he 
went to work in the oil fields of Butler 
Countv, and then learned the work of a 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1327 



stationarj^ engineer, in which capacity he 
is now employed at the coal mine of Lock- 
rie Brothers, one and a half miles west of 
Hilliard. He cleared his farm of twenty- 
eight acres, and erected all the buildings 
thereon, having a well imjaroved place. 

Mr. Randall was united in marriage in 
1885 with Miss Emma McCasslin, a dangli- 
ter of Vanderlin McCasslin of Annandale, 
Butler County. The following are the issue 
of their union : Bertha, who married Milton 
Daugherty of Butler County and has two 
daughters, Edna and Nellie ; Maude, who 
married Clayton Williams of Butler 
County and has one daughter. Fay; and 
Annetta, who is at home. Fraternally, Mr. 
Randall is a member of Lodge No. 782, I. 
O. O. F., at Lawi'euceburg; and the Knights 
of the Maccabees at Eau Claire. He is a 
Republican in politics. 

D. W. DART, a successful oil producer 
and highly respected citizen of Buena 
Vista, Butler County, Pennsylvania, was 
born March 6, 1849, in Lorain County, Ohio, 
and is a son of Willard and Sarah (Adams) 
Dart. 

The parents of our subject early in life 
came from Connecticut and located in Lo- 
rain County, Ohio, for some time. They 
then removed to Fulton County, Ohio, 
where the father died; the mother died in 
Lorain County. To them were born the 
following children: Levi, died in the army; 
D.. W., our subject ; George, a resident of 
Peru, South America, married Mary Vos- 
burg; L. L., residing in Fulton County, 
Ohio, married Emma Dinius. 

D. W. Dart was reared in Lorain and 
Fulton Counties, Ohio, and in 1870 came to 
Parker Township from Oil Creek. In about 
two years he came to Buena Vista, begin- 
ning his work in the oil fields in the fall 
of 1872, his first work being on a 125-barrel 
well on the old John Thorn farm. He has 
since that time continued as an oil producer 
and is one of the most successful producers 
in this locality. 



Mr. Dart was married December 26, 
1877, to Emma Sutton, of Butler County, 
the Rev. Knapp of Parker Township offici- 
ating. Mrs. Dart is a daughter of James 
and Harriet (Brown) Sutton, prominent 
old settlers of Butler County. 

James Sutton was born January 18, 
1834, in Butler County and is a son of John 
and Mary (Sutton) Sutton, who came from 
Westmoreland County to Butler County at 
an earl}^ period. James Sutton was one of 
the following children: Joseph, deceased; 
Jeremiah ; Jonathan, deceased ; Eliza J., de- 
ceased ; James J. ; John ; Sarah ; Mary. Mr. 
Sutton was reared in Concord Township, 
and obtained his education in the district 
schools. He taught for some time in Arm- 
strong and Butler Counties, and was post- 
master at Buena Vista for a period of eigh- 
teen years. He is a veteran of the Civil 
War, enlisting in 1864 in Company B, Fif- 
tieth Peuna. Vol. Inf. and served to the 
close of the war. Mr. Sutton is the father 
of one child, Emma, the wife of D. W. 
Dart. He is a member of the G. A. R. of 
Chicora, McDermott Post No. 223, and is 
religiously a member of the English Luth- 
eran Church of Buena Vista. 

Mr. and Mrs. Dart have one son, J. L., 
who was born June 22, 1881. In fraternal 
affiliation the subject of this sketch is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias of Chi- 
cora, and the K. 0. T. M. of" Chicora. He 
is a member of the English Lutheran 
Church. 

WILLIAM H. GRABE, a prominent 
farmer and representative citizen of Jef- 
ferson Township, resides on his valuable 
estate of 120 acres, which lies along the 
by-road running from the Glade Mill high- 
way, about one mile due west of Jefferson 
Center. Mr. Grabe lives on the old home- 
stead, which he purchased in 1879, and 
here, in the house still standing, he was 
born November 13, 1851. His parents were 
George and Elizabeth (Frieze) Grabe. 

George Grabe was born in (Jermany and 



1328 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



came to Butler County with his parents, 
August and Catherine Grabe. George 
Graiic iissistcd in clearing the land prepar- 
atoix to tlic huilding of the first house at 
Saxouliiirg and he also cleared away the 
brush where now runs Main Street, with 
its l)usiness liouses and busy daily traffic. 
Later he cleared up the original farm of 
the family, the third one located in this sec- 
tion, and through his own industry cleared 
oif fully 120 acres. He died April 8, 1902. 
He was a good farmer and a highly re- 
spected man. 

In his boyhood, William H. Grabe went 
to school whenever he could be spared from 
home work, and then commenced his ap- 
prenticeship in the carriage-making trade. 
He worked at his trade until he mastered 
it and during the winters of 1S70 and 1871 
he attended night school and pcifccted him- 
self in studies which he had been compelled 
to neglect prior to this opportunity. For 
fourteen years he carried on a carriage- 
making business at Jefferson Center, but 
in April, 1877, lie removed to Jefferson 
Township and bought first a tract of forty 
acres, which adjoined the old homestead, 
and subsequently purchased the latter 
property and has resided liere ever since. 
He carries on general farming and stock- 
raising and has made a specialty of raising 
Sliorthorn cattle for stock shows, and one 
winter he had forty-three head of his own 
raising. He has the reputation of also 
raising the best horses in the covmty and is 
widely known, in addition, as a successful 
raiser of fancy poultry and is the president 
of the Butler County Poultry and Pet 
Stock Association, of which he was a pro- 
moter. His orchards also are a feature of 
his farm and he has 500 peach ti-ees, two- 
thirds of which are bearing; 400 apple 
trees; 100 cherry trees and fifty ])ear and 
plum trees. Mr. Gralic liclicvcs in the value 
of the county fair exhibitions and he sets 
the exam]i]e by yearly entering stock and 
products. That he receives premiums on 
the greater number of his exhibits is proof 



tliat they are superior to all others. He 
encourages agricultural organizations and 
is an officer of the Butler County Grange. 
On November 16, 1876, Mr. Grabe was 
married to Miss Mary E. Wiskeman, a 
daughter of William and Amelia (Pollard) 
Wiskeman, prominent farming people of 
Clinton Township. Mr. and Mrs. Grabe 
have the following children: Oliver H., who 
married Lula Giles, has three children; 
Walter George, wlio married Vera Miller, 
has one son, Howard; John Edwin, who 
married Elizabeth Wetzel, has one daugh- 
ter, Helen; Edna, who resides at home; 
Amelia, who married William Weckerly, 
has two sons, Carl and Albert; and Will- 
iam C, Mabel and Ruth, all of whom live 
at home. The family is a leading one in 
the Presbyterian Church and Mr. Grabe is 
an elder. He is a liroatl-ininded, progres- 
sive citizen and takes an active interest in 
all that concerns the public welfare of 
township, county and State. On many 
occasions he has been elected to office, in 
1908 being made count}" commissioner. 

ANDREW B. METZ, a successful busi- 
ness man and well known citizen nl' Middle 
Lancaster, Butler County, Pciuia., ion- 
ducts the store established by his father 
at a very early period, and for a period of 
thirty-two years has been in partnership 
with his mother under the name of A. E. 
Metz & Son. He was born where he now 
resides, on April 13th, 1852, and is a son 
of Andrew and Anna Elizabeth (Luebben) 
Metz. 

Andrew Metz, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Montgomery 
County, Pennsylvania, in December, 1811, 
and has been deceased for fifty-seven 
years. His widow still survives him and 
has passed her ninety-first birthday anni- 
versary. She was born in Phila(lel])Iiia, 
Pennsylvania, and both she and her hus- 
band reached maturity before moving to 
Butler County. They were married in the 
old Stauffer House, on the line between 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1331 



Lancaster and Jackson Townships, and 
became parents of the following children: 
Mary L., who died in Mav, 1884, and was 
the wife of W. E. Kirker'; Dr. Albert H., 
a medical practitioner who died at East 
Liverpool, Ohio, in 1890; Anna E., wife 
of S. D. Kirker of Harmony; and An- 
drew B. 

In 1846 Andrew Metz established a store 
in an old log house near where Middle 
Lancaster is now located, and the building 
still stands. About the year 1847 he 
moved to Middle Lancaster and continued 
the business until his death on January 
8th, 1854. The business has continued 
without interruption since its inception, 
although for two years during the Civil 
War it was conducted by Albert H. Metz, 
and a brother-in-law, Mr. Kirker. Under 
the proprietorship of Mrs. Metz and An- 
drew B. Metz the business has flourished 
and a good trade built up. 

Andrew B. Metz received a good com- 
mon school education in his hoiut' vicinity, 
and from boyhood has been idciitificil with 
the store. He was united in marriage 
with Miss Nancy Robison, a daughter of 
James Kobison of Thorn Hill, Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania, and they are par- 
ents of four children: Isabella, wife of 
Rev. Leunzinger of Abilene, Kansas, for- 
merly pastor of the Reformed Church at 
Harmony; Mary V., who has taught 
school in Harmony and Butler Boroughs; 
A. Homer, a graduate of Westminster 
College; and Letitia B., a stenographer 
for P. Duff & Son of Pittsburg. Polit- 
ically, Mr. Metz is a Republican. In re- 
ligious attachment his family are members 
of the Zelienople Presbyterian church. 
Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Ma- 
sonic Lodae at Butler. 

A. H. KNAUF, secretary and treasurer 
of The Hai'mony Cereal Company, at 
Harmony, Pennsylvania, is a leading citi- 
zen of tliis town and for many years prior 
to 1906 was an extensive farmer and stock- 



raiser in Forward Township, where he 
still owns his fine farm of 250 acres. He 
was born in Forward Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1861, 
and is a son of John and Sophia (Rape) 
Knauf. 

The late John Knauf, father of A. H., 
was born in Germany. For many years 
he was a successful farmer in Butler 
County and a well known, respected citi- 
zen. He died March 5, 1900, at the age 
of seventy-seven years. He married 
Sophia Rape, who still survives. She was 
born in 1825 in Cranberry Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and is a daugh- 
ter of Christian and Sarah Rape. They 
had one son and two daughters, namely: 
A. H. ; Mrs. Amelia Dambach, of Jack- 
son Township, Butler County; and Mrs. 
Sophia Meeder, of Cranberry Township. 

A. H. Knauf obtained his education in 
the Cooper School, in Forward Township 
and remained at home and followed farm- 
ing until he .turned his attention to milling 
in 1906. He owns about seven-eighths of 
the stock in the Harmony Cereal Company 
at Haj-mony, which was incorporated in 
August, 1906, with a capital stock of 
$30,000. Its officers are: J. C. Bellis, 
jiresident; A. H. Knauf, secretary and 
treasurer, with J. C. Bellis, A. H. Knauf 
and Smith Cavin as directors. The com- 
pany buys and sells a large amount of 
grain and does a large business and one 
that is constantly expanding. The mill 
capacity is thirty-five barrels of flour a 
day. The plant is equipped with modern 
machinery and the business is conducted 
after the most approved methods. 

Mr. Knauf married Miss Annie Mary 
Knauf, a daugliter of George Knauf, of 
Jackson Township, Butler County, and 
they have six sons and two daughters, 
namely: William M., John Henry, Frank 
Walter, Edwin George, Herman Earl, 
Harry Lelland, Eva Christina and Milia 
Viola. Mr. Knauf and family are mem- 
bersof the German Reformed Church. In 



1332 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



politics be is a Democrat and he has fre- 
quently been elected by his fellow citizens 
to responsible township offices and has 
served most acceptably as auditor, super- 
visor and assessor. He is a member of 
Eden Lodge, Knights of Pythias. 

JOHN H. TEBAY, a well known oil and 
gas producer of Eau Claire, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, was the first male 
child born in that village, the date of his 
birth being September 30, 1854. He is a 
son of William H. and Lydia (Chambers) 
Tebay, a grandson of John and Elizabeth 
(Stewart) Tebay. 

John Tebay, the grandfather, was first 
married to Elizabeth Stewart, who was of 
Scotch descent and who came to the 
United States from England. They had 
two children: William H. and Stewart, 
the last named dying in boyhood. John 
Tebay formed a second union with a Miss 
Vogan of Lawrence County, and they had 
five children: John, deceased; Elizabeth 
of Slippery Eock; Josephine, wife of 
William Moore, who is a retired farmer 
and lives at Slippery Eock; Clark, de- 
ceased; and Chase, who resides in Slip- 
perv Eock and has business interests in 
the "West. 

William H. Tebay attended school near 
Porter sville and lived at home until his 
fifteenth year, then went to Butler and 
learned the trade of a carpenter with Pur- 
vis & Company. He later moved to Eau 
Claire, where he followed carpentering 
throughout his active career. He married 
Lydia Chambers, a daughter of Lewis 
Chambers, who came from east of the 
mountains of Pennsylvania, and located 
on what has since been known as the 
Chambers farm, one mile west of Eau 
Claire. He, too, was a carpenter by trade. 
His wife was Elizabeth Hilliard. a daugh- 
ter of Thomas and Margaret Hilliard of 
Ireland. William H. and Lydia Tebay 
had the following offspring: Mary E', 
widow of J. E. Kaylor of Beaver Falls, 



by whom she has had three children — 
Clarence E., deceased, Lamonte and Pearl ; 
Jennie Tebay, who resides in Franklin, 
Pennsylvania; John H., subject of this- 
biography; 0. H., an oil man of Cherry 
Valley; and Almira, who lives with her 
mother at Eau Claire. 

John H. Tebay attended the public 
schools, all of them at the old Blair school, 
and afterwards started work in Butler 
County; he went into the oil fields as a 
tool dresser, and later as a driller in the 
Bradford field. He continued that busi- 
ness in the Hudson Eiver field, and later 
returned to Butler, where he has since 
continued his operations. He has been 
contracting and drilling for many years 
and has met with success. During the 
past nine months he has been in the new 
state of Oklahoma, leasing land for vari- 
ous companies, but he has maintained his 
residence in Eau Claire as before. He is 
the owner of a valuable property of twenty 
acres, the northern part of the village of 
Eau Claire lying on a part of his land. 

Mr. Tebay was united in marriage with 
Miss Florence A. Campbell, a daughter 
of James E. and Anna (Storey) Campbell 
of West Sunbury, and the following are 
the issue of their imion : Paul J., a teacher 
in Eau Claire Academy; William J., line- 
man for the Eau Claire Telephone Com- 
pany ; Helen L. The subject of this sketch 
is a Eepublican, burgess of Eau Claire one 
year, and justice of the peace ten years, 
his term to expire in 1911. He was twice 
candidate for the nomination for sheriff. 
He is a member of Butler Lodge No. 170, 
B. P. 0. E. Eeligiously, he is a member 
of the LTnited Presbyterian church. 

HENEY F. GEENET, general brick 
contractor at Butler, with place of busi- 
ness at No. 354 North Main Street, has 
been identified with the brick business 
ever since he was old enough to take an 
interest in any industry. He was born in 
1863, at Allegheny, Pennsylvania, where 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1333 



also he was reared. His parents were 
James and Matilda (Foulkener) Grenet. 
The father, James Grenet, served in the 
Civil war as captain of Company * B, 
Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under 
appointment of Governor Curtin. He died 
in 1897, his death occurring about two 
years after that of his wife Matilda. 

The great-grandfather of the subject 
of this sketcli on the maternal side was 
Charles H. Foulkener, a squatter on Alle- 
gheny Commons, now known as the 
Allegheny Park, where he died. 

Henry F. Grenet as a boy worked for 
his grandfather, Henry F. Foulkener, in 
the brick business and later he learned the 
bricklayers' trade and has worked at the 
same ever since. For twelve years he has 
done brick contracting; for six years of 
this period he had Geoi'ge Gerberding 
associated with him, under the firm name 
of Grenet & Gerberding, since when he has 
carried on his extensive business alone. 
His brick work is seen in a number of 
Butler's finest structures and among these 
may be named: the Nixon Hotel; the 
Leedom & Woi"ral wholesale grocery 
building, and the Cypher Building, in 
which he also contracted for the art plate 
glass work. Mr. Grenet has been called 
to other cities and a notable example of 
his fine work is seen in the Armory at 
Grove City. Mr. Grenet has been a resi- 
dent of Butler for eight years and in that 
time has proven his capacity in his special 
line and also his standing as a good citizen. 

In 1886 Mr. Grenet was married to ]\Iiss 
Anna M. Matthews, of Allegheny, and they 
have a family of three sons and one 
daughter: James, who is associated with 
his father ; Alexander, who is also a prac- 
tical brick workman; Guy; and Nellie. 
Mr. Grenet is a member of the Brick- 
layers' Association of Butler. In politics 
he is a Democrat. 

WILT JAM H. MILLER, a i)rominent 
oil producer of Fairview Township, But- 



ler County, Pennsylvania, and owner of 
two fine farms in this township, was born 
April 4, 1867, in Fairview Township, and 
is a son of Charles and Hannah (Kaylor) 
Miller, and a grandson of Casper Miller. 

Casper Miller, grandfather of our sub- 
ject, was born in Germany and early in 
life came to America, locating in Alle- 
gheny County, Pennsylvania, being one of 
tlie earliest settlers of that county. He 
was the father of the following children: 
John, Peter, Charles, Katherine, and 
Ellen. 

Charles Miller, father of William H., 
was born in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and married Hannah Kaylor, a 
daughter of Leonard Kaylor, an early set- 
tler of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. 
Charles and Hannah Miller became the 
parents of the following offspring: Will- 
iam H. is the subject of this sketch. 
Lewis, who resides at Bradys Bend, Arm- 
strong County, Pennsylvania, first mar- 
ried Emma Hepler, by whom he had one 
child, Laura. His second union was with 
Maud Steel of Butler County, and they 
have had two children, Grace and Lee. 
Peter K. resides on one of our subject's 
farms in Fairview Township, and is un- 
married. 

William H. Miller was reared and has 
practically lived all of his life in Fairview 
Township. He received but a limited 
amoimt of schooling and at the tender age 
of eleven years started out in life for him- 
self. He first began as an oil pumper and 
has continued in the oil business ever 
since, working his way up, until at present 
he is a large oil prociucer, and has an in- 
terest in about 15 wells in this section 
of the state. In 1900 he purchased a tract 
of 111 acres from Oscar Kammerer and 
on October 5, 1905, purchased another 
tract of land in Fairview Township from 
the Allegheny Railroad through Emmet 
Queen of Pittsburg. 

Mr. Miller was united in marriage in 
1891 to Elizabeth Hepler, a daughter of 



1334 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Isaac and Rachel (Kammerer) Hepler of 
Kaylor. They are the parents of four 
children: Florence B., W. W., Olive J., 
and J. C, deceased. 

In religious affiliation, Mr. Miller is 
associated with the St. John's ileform 
Church of Chicora, and has been a deacon 
of the church during the greater part of 
his life. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the I. 0. 0. F. lodge at Chicora, No. 947, 
and the Encampment; the Knights of 
Pythias, of which he is vice chancellor, 
and the Knights of Malta of Butler. 

CHARLES F. SCHOENTAG, who is 
proprietor of a large general store at 
Saxonburg, is a leading and substantial 
citizen of this town. He was born October 
21, 1865, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and 
is a son of John and Mary (Lerner) 
Schoentag. 

The venerable father of Mr. Schoentag 
was boi-n in Germany and was one of the 
first settlers at Saxonburg, where he has 
the distinction of being the oldest resident 
in point of years. During his active years 
he engaged in shoemaking. He is the 
father of six living children, namely : 
George, Charles, William, Mary, John and 
Emma. One daughter, Anna, is deceased. 

Charles Schoentag accompanied his par- 
ents from Pittsburg, being only three 
years old when they settled here. He is a 
harnessmaker by trade and for eighteen 
years made harness and was considered 
an expert workman. The present mer- 
cantile business was started by his older 
brother, George Schoentag, who conducted 
it for one year and then sold it, in 1903, 
to the present proprietor. He carries a 
large and well selected stock of goods and 
does a very satisfactory amount of busi- 
ness. 

Mr. Schoentag married Miss Mary Hil- 
man, a daughter of George and Dora 
Hilman, who spent their entire lives in 
Germany. They have six children : Flora, 



Robert, Elmer, George, Dora and Amelia. 
Mr. Schoentag and wife belong to the 
German Lutheran Church. 

BAXTER R. RAMSEY, a representa- 
tive citizen of Cranberry Township, be- 
longs to one of the pioneer families of 
Butler County. He was born in Cran- 
berry Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, August .■!(), lS(i5, and is a son of 
Anthony and Elizabeth (McGeorge) Ram- 
sey. 

Alexander Ramsey, the grandfather of 
Baxter R., was born in County Down, Ire- 
land, in 1776, emigrated to America in 
1786 and lived for ten years in Westmore- 
land County, Pennsylvania. In 1796 he 
came to Butler County and took up land 
in Cranberry Township, where he was one 
of the first permanent settlers. He built 
a log cabin and spent the remainder of 
his life on his farm, where he died in 1843, 
aged sixty-seven years. He married 
Grace Smith, who was born in 1776, in 
Chester County, Pennsylvania, who died 
in Cranberry Township, in 1845, aged 
sixty-nine years. Her father, James 
Smith, was a soldier in the War of the 
American Revolution and was killed at the 
battle of the Brandywine. The children 
born to Alexander and Grace Ramsey who 
reached maturity were: Mary, Hannah, 
James, John, William, Alexander and An- 
thony. Mary, now deceased, was the wife 
of Isaac Y'oung. Hannah married Joseph 
Robinson. James was born in Cranberry 
Township in 1805, married Annie Covert, 
born March 4, 1812, and they had five 
children, namely: Mary Ann, who mar- 
ried W. H. Honoddle; Nancy and Eliza- 
beth, single ladies, residing at Beaver 
Falls; Alexander C. and William H., of 
Jackson Township, Butler County. James 
Ramsey died in 1869 and was survived by 
his widow imtil October, 1891. For many 
years he was an elder in the United Pres- 
byterian Church. John Ramsey, born in 
1807, married Sarah Covert." William 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1335 



Ramsey never married. Alexander Ram- 
sey, born August 1, 1817, in 1845 married 
Sarah McGeorge, a sister of the mother 
of Baxter R. They were daughters of 
John and Elizabeth McGeorge, the for- 
mer of whom was born in Scotland in 
April, 1815, and was a pioneer settler near 
Butler, Pennsylvania. Two sons of Alex- 
ander and Sarah Ramsey reside in Jack- 
son Township — W. S. and S. C. Ramsey. 

Anthony Ramsey, father of Baxter R., 
was born in Cranberry Township, Butler 
County, November 20, 1820, and died on 
the farm, on which Baxter R. resides, 
January 31, 1880. He married Elizabeth 
McGeorge, who was born November 17, 
1822, and died December 18, 1884. They 
were the parents of the following chil- 
dren: Elizabeth, deceased, was born 
Marcli 4, 1848, and was the wife of Joseph 
Cashdollar; Mary Jane, born April 17, 
1850, died aged fifteen years; Addison, 
born January 3, 1853, married Jennie 
West and died in 1904, leaving one daugh- 
ter; John A., born April 6, 1855, married 
Lila ]\Iay McKinney and they reside at 
Evans City, Pennsylvania; Euphemia, 
born February 3, 1857, resides with her 
brother, Baxter R. ; Ella, deceased, was 
born January 4, 1859; Edwin, born 
November 4, 1861, married Ida West, a 
daugliter of Fleming West, of Cranberry 
Township, and tliey reside in Jackson 
Township; and Baxter R. The parents 
were worthy members of the White Oak 
United Presbyterian Church which their 
parents had been interested in organizing. 

Baxter R. Ramsey attended the public 
schools of Cranberry Township, but the 
death of his father, when he was only 
fourteen years of age, placed heavy re- 
sponsibilities on him. He took charge of 
the home farm and has continued to man- 
age it ever since. He has sixty-three acres 
of excellent farming land and has two pro- 
ducing oil wells. He has other business 
interests and is a stockholder in the Bury 
& !Markle hardware store at Evans Citv. 



In 1893, Mr. Ramsey was married to 
Miss Maggie Garvin, a daughter of New- 
ton and Margaret (Nicholas) Garvin, for- 
merly of Cranberry Township. Newton 
Garvin was born in Cranberry Township, 
May 8, 1831, and he was a son of David 
and Permelia (Malison) Garvin. The chil- 
dren born to Newton Garvin and wife were 
as follows: AVilliam P., who died aged 
eighteen months; Mary, who married 
Jacob Panner, of Rochester, Pennsyl- 
vania ; Lewis, who married Catherine 
Metz, lives in Beaver Coiinty, Pennsyl- 
vania; Maggie; Permelia, who married 
Henry Leonberg, of Cranberry Township; 
CharFfes, residing in Forward Township, 
married (first) Ora, daughter of Samuel 
Ramsey, of Jackson Township, and (sec- 
ond) Mrs. Pfeifer; and Emma, who mar- 
ried Henry Weyman, of Cranberry Town- 
ship. The parents of this family were 
leading members of the Plains Presby- 
terian Church. Newton Garvin was a man 
of ample fortune, owning 300 acres of land 
in Cranberry Township together with a 
valuable farm in Beaver County. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey became the par- 
ents of five children: Ethel May, born 
June 23, 1894 ; Lavern Garvin, born April 
3, 1897; Grace Smith, born Januarv 24, 
1900; Pearl, born August 16, 1906; and 
an infant daughter, Phemie Alice, born 
January 27, 1909, who died February 7, 
1909. The last mentioned survived its 
mother two days, Mrs. Ramsey's death 
taking place on February 5th. With her 
husband she was a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church at Evans City, and 
was a woman greatly liked and respected. 
In ])olitics, like his father and grand- 
father, Mr. Ramsey is a stanch Democrat. 
For the past six years he has served as 
school director and has also been a mem- 
ber of the board of elections in his district. 
He belongs to the Knights of Pythias 
lodge at Evans City and to Grange No. 
908, Patrons of Husbandry, of which his 
wife was also a member. 



1336 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



D. J. McMAHON, a well known resident 
of Karns City, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, is now living a retired life after 
many years of activity in the oil industry. 
He was born in Ireland, April 15, 1835, 
and is one of seven children born to James 
and Mary McMahon. His parents never 
came to America. 

D. J. McMahon was reared in his native 
land and there received a limited educa- 
tion in the common schools. At the age 
of twenty-six years he emigrated to Amer- 
ica, and first located at Buffalo, New York, 
where he resided a number of years. Dur- 
ing the oil excitement, he moved to Petro- 
leum Center and then to Karns City, in 
Butler County, Penna., and has been lo- 
cated there ever since. For a period of 
more than thirty-one years he was in the 
employ of the Standard Oil Company, and 
being a useful and conscientious employee 
was able to command a good salary, out of 
which he has saved a competency which 
enables him to spend his declining years in 
the peace and comfort of his home, in the 
happy companionship of his wife. He is 
the owner of some realty in his home town. 

About the year 1869 Mr. McMahon was 
united in marriage with Miss Margaret 
Dolan, also a native of Ireland, and they 
are parents of eight children, as follows: 
T. L., John L., J. C, D. F., T. J., Mayme, 
Anna and Margaret. T. L. McMahon mar- 
ried Miss Alice Gerding of Toledo, Ohio. 
John L. McMahon married Miss Maud 
Veil (deceased) and has one child — Mar- 
garet. J. C. McMahon married Miss Eliza- 
beth Phefler, of Ohio. Mayme McMahon 
married P. H. Quinn of Titusville, Penna., 
and they have three sons — Harold Vincent, 
George P., and Joseph McMahon Quinn. 
Margaret McMahon married Alonzo Par- 
rish and has one child — Margaret Eliza- 
beth. This family was well reared and 
educated, and the sons are all holding good 
positions, located in various parts of the 
south and west. Religiously, Mr. Mc- 
Mahon has been a devout member of the 



Catholic church at Petrolia for many 
years, and has been a member of the 
C. M. B. A. for twenty-nine years. 

SOLOMON ROBERT THOMPSON, 
who o-mis over 100 acres of valuable land 
in Brady Township, resides on this farm, 
which is situated along the Butler-Mercer 
tumiiike road, and was born here on March 
17, 1831. His parents were William H. and 
Jane (McCandless) Thompson. 

William H. Thompson was a son of John 
Thompson. The latter came from Ireland, 
lived in different sections near Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, when his son William H. 
was born and later acquired much land in 
what is now Brady Township. The Thomp- 
son and McCandless families, both promi- 
nent ones in Butler County, have been con- 
nected by marriage in several generations. 

Solomon Robert Thompson was reared 
on the farm he occupies and attended school 
in his boyhood, not enjoying, however, the 
yrcat adviintanes offered the children of 
the |iic-i'iil liny. He was trained to be a 
fanner ami has continually followed gen- 
eral fa)-miug. 

Mr. Thompson married Miss Martha 
Ann McCandless, who was born and reared 
in Center Township, Butler County, a 
daughter of Nathan F. and Elizabeth 
(Thompson) McCandless. Mr. and Mrs. 
Thompson have had eight children, as fol- 
lows: Nathan, who lives at Coraopolis, 
married Etta Thompson and they have one 
child, Dwight; Edna, who died May 3, 
1908 ; E. C, a physician at West Liberty, 
who married Bertie Stapleton and they 
have one child, Marv; Mary Elizabeth, who 
married W^ilbert Tebay, and had three chil- 
dren — William, Rnynioiid and .lames AVil- 
son; William H., wlio married Aland Spen- 
cer, resides on a part of his father's farm 
and has three children — J. Delbert, Lena 
and Laura; Loretta; Charles Ward, who 
lives at home; and William George, the 
second in order of birth, who died when 
aged two and one-half years. Mary Eliza- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1339 



beth died December 18, 1907, and her 
youngest son lives with her parents. Mr. 
Thompson and family belong to the Muddy 
Creek Presbyterian Church. They are rep- 
resentative people in this section of Butler 
County. 

JAMES ROSS PORTER CONLEY, one 
of the prominent citizens and large farm- 
ers of Adams Township, resides on his 
valuable farm, which contains 104 acres, 
and carries on a general line of agriculture. 
He was born November 7, 1856, on his fath- 
er's farm in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of John P. and Jane 
(Dawson) Conley. • 

John P. ;Conley was born in West Deer 
Township, Allegheny Count)', Pennsyl- 
vania, and died in Adams Township, on his 
son's present farm, November 21, 1904, 
aged e^ighty-one years. His father, Nathan 
Conley, was an early settler in Allegheny 
County, where he followed his trade, that 
of cabinet-maker. He also owned a small 
farm. He had two sons : Robert, who died 
in Colorado, and John P. The latter in- 
herited a part of his father's estate, on 
which he lived until 1871, when he pur- 
chased land from William Humes, in Ad- 
ams Township, on which he resided during 
the 'remainder of his life. He married 
Jane Dawson, whose father was a native of 
Ireland. She still survives, at the age of 
eighty-two years, and is a beloved member 
of the family of her son, James R. John 
P. Conley and wife had the following chil- 
dren : Mary, deceased, was the wife of John 
Aber, also deceased; Robert; Sarah Bellq, 
deceased ; James Ross Porter ; Andrew T. ; 
Joseph D. and Wilson H., deceased. 

James R. P. Conley was thirteen years 
old when his parents came to Adams Town- 
ship and settled on his present farm, on 
which he has passed his life ever since, his 
occupations having been farming and team- 
ing. In September, 1878, he was married 
to Miss Sarah Hutchman, a daughter of 
Jacob Hutchman, who resides on the farm 



adjoining that of Mr. Conley. Five chil- 
dren make up the family of Mr. and Mrs. 
Conley, namely: Albert W., who married 
Susie Eomack; Ira P., who married Ella 
Hartung, has two children, Clare and Ken- 
neth; John H. ; Lillian M. and Ross V. The 
present commodious fi-ame residence was 
erected by the father of Mr. Conley, the 
first house having been destroyed by fire. 
Mr. and Mrs. Conley are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church. In politics 
he is a Republican, takes an active interest 
in public affairs and at ditferent times has 
served as township supervisor and as a 
member of the election board. 

AMOS SEATON, ex-county treasurer of 
Butler County, Penna., and one of Venango 
Township's most prominent citizens, suc- 
cessfully carries on general farming on his 
valuable estate of 120 acres, which is situ- 
ated one mile southwest of the borough of 
Eau Claire. Mr. Seaton was born in Ve- 
nango Township, Butler County, Penna., 
August 23, 1838, and is a son of William 
and Rebecca (Vanderlin) Seaton. 

The grandparents of Mr. Seaton were 
Robert and Margaret (Davis) Seaton and 
the}^ had ten children namely: Alexander, 
Thomas, Eliza, Robert, William, James, 
John, Polly, Margaret and Anna. 

William Seaton, of the above family, 
married Rebecca Vanderlin, a daughter of 
John Vanderlin, of Venango Township, and 
they had the following children born to 
them: Catherine; Margaret, who married 
Theodore Hovis, of Clintonville, Venango 
County, Penna., had four children — Will- 
iam, Marshall, Parker and Darley; Caro- 
line, who married James Jack of Washing- 
ton Township, had four children — Nancy, 
Mallie, Edward and Grant; John, who mar- 
ried Elizabeth Thompson, 'of Warren 
County, was drowned in the Allegheny 
River, leaving three children — William, 
Roy and Delphine; William G., who mar- 
ried Ellen Burke, daughter of John Burke, 
of Venango Townshiji, has six children — 



1340 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Marshall, William, Katherine and Ella, 
twins, Annie and Plummer; Hattie, who 
married Stephen Cooper, of Marion Town- 
ship, has two children— Amelia and Del- 
bert; and Amos. 

Amos Seaton was reared on his father's 
farm in Venango Township and in boyhood 
went to the district schools. From the 
home farm he went into the army when the 
urgent call came for loyal men to put down 
rebellion, enlisting first in Company C, 
Eleventh Penna. Reserves, in which he 
served for three years and then re-enlisted 
in Company D, Fifteenth Regiment, Penna. 
Cavalry, and served until the close of the 
war, in 1865. During this long period Mr. 
Seaton experienced many of the misfor- 
tunes of war, being captured by the enemy 
and being so seriously wounded in his 
shoulder, at the battle of Malvern Hill, as 
to be inconvenienced by his wound more 
than forty years later. After he had 
reached home and regained a fair measure 
of strength, he resumed his farming opera- 
tions. In 1867 he married and then bought 
a farm of eighty acres in Venango Town- 
ship, on which he continued until 1887, 
when, upon being elected to the important 
office of county treasurer, he removed to 
Butler, where he lived until he retired from 
that office in 1890. He sold his farm of 
eighty acres and purchased his present one 
of 120 acres, of Andrew Addleman, and 
here has engaged in mixed farming ever 
since. His land is valuable from an agri- 
cultural point of view, no oil, gas or coal 
having been yet found. He has excellent 
farm Imildings, a fine orchard and is sur- 
rounded 1)y all the comforts of life to which 
true Americans feel their honored veterans 
are entitled. He is a member of the Grand 
Army Post at Eau Claire and to the Union 
Veterans' League at Butler. 

On December 10, 1867, Mr. Seaton was 
married to Miss Mary Laughlin, a daugh- 
ter of Samuel Laughlin, of Marion Town- 
ship, and the following children and grand- 
children are theirs : Henrietta, who married 



Wilbur N. Stalker, of Venango Township, 
and has six children — Oran, Roy, Ada, Al- 
berta, Stanley and Margaret; Delphine, 
who married F. W. Hilliard, of Emlenton; 
Ada, who is a school teacher; Percy, who 
is a well driller; Fannie, who lives at home; 
Homer R., who is in Panama; Darley, who 
resides at home; Ellas, who married Polly 
Ann Wasson, daughter of John Wasson, 
of Cherry Township, and has six children — 
Roy, Elmer, Parker, Clara, Merritt and 
Amos; and Lewis M., who married Bell 
McCoy, daughter of H. C. McCoy, and has 
four children — Harry, John, Louis and Ed- 
ward. Mr. Seaton and family belong to 
the Methodist Episcopal Church at Eau 
Claire. In iiis ]iolitical views Mr. Seaton 
is a stanch Re]iulilican and has been a very 
prominent factor in the public life of But- 
ler County and Venango Township. At 
different times he has served most accept- 
ably as constable, collector, auditor, school 
director and road supervisor for his town- 
ship, while, during his term as county 
treasurer, his fellow citizens rested secure, 
knowing that the public funds were en- 
trusted to not only a capable man but an 
honest one. 

REV. JOHX S. McKEE, fifth pastor of 
the L'nited Preslnterian CliTircli of Butler, 
was born in Pittsl)urg, Pennsylvania, June 
22, 1850, and was the son of William S. 
McKee, who was a native of Ireland. He 
was educated in the East Liberty Acad- 
emy and the Western University, and then 
entered the United Presbyterian Theologi- 
cal School in Allegheny City, where he was 
graduated in 1873. Subsequentl.v he at- 
tended the Free Church College, Edin- 
burgh, Scotland, for one year. Mr. McKee 
was licensed to preach the gospel June 24, 
1873, and was ordained and installed pas- 
tor of East Brady Congregation, October 
19, 1875. He remained with that charge 
until 1880, when he received a call from the 
United Presbyterian Church at Mercer, 
Pennsylvania, which he accepted and was 




CAPT. WILLIAM H. McCANDLESS 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1343 



pastor of that elmreh until October 1, 1884. 
On that date he received a call from the 
Butler Congregation, which he accepted, 
and he remained its pastor until his death, 
whicli occurred March 5, 1903. Mr. McKee 
was married in June, 1878, to Miss Sophia 
M. Templeton, of East Brady. His widow 
and one daughter, Jeannie E., survive him, 
and live in Butler. 

MRS. EVA M. STEEL, widow of the 
late James Steel of Fairview Township, 
Butler County, and owner of a tract of 
nineteen acres, on which she resides, was 
born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, 
and is the adopted daughter of William and 
Margaret (Ililes) Burtch of Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania. 

Mrs. Steel resided in Armstrong County 
until about twenty years of age, when she 
married James Steel, a son of James Steel, 
Sr., of Greene County, their marriage oc- 
curring February 24, 1881, at Parker City, 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. James 
Steel, Jr., was born January 7, 1844, and 
died May 19, 1907. He was a farmer and 
oil producer by occupation, and upon first 
locating in Butler County bought an oil 
well on the old Collins farm in Fairview 
Township. In 1901, at the expiration of 
their lease, they purchased the farm on 
which Mrs. Steel now resides, fi-om Joseph 
Barnhart. 

Mrs. Steel is the mother of a large family 
of children, namely: Edgar, Alma G., 
Mabel, Judge J., Ethel M., Wayne J,, de- 
ceased, Margaret E., John R., Williard A., 
Harold 11. and Paul J., deceased. ]\lrs. 
Steel is a member of the St. John's Reform 
Cliurch of Chicora and is esteemed by her 
many friends for her excellencies of char- 
acter. 

ANDREW FRED WETZEL, who is one 
of Jefferson Township's enterprising and 
successful general fai-mers, lives on his val- 
uable estate of seventy acres, which lies on 
the Great Belt road, about one and one-half 



miles south of the village of Great Belt, 
was born in his present residence, Novem- 
ber 10, 1877, and is a son of Frederick and 
Caroline (Hartenstein) Wetzel. 

Frederick Wetzel, father of Andrew F., 
was born in Geniiany and when fifteen 
years old accompanied his parents, Gottleib 
and Hannah (Merkle) Wetzel, to America. 
The great-grandfather, Nicholas Wetzel, 
never left Germany. Frederick Wetzel and 
wife had eleven children, namely : Mena, 
Caroline, Emelia, Louisa, William, Anna, 
Matilda, John, Elizabeth, Andrew F. and 
Herman. Those deceased are Caroline, 
William, Matilda and Herman. 

Andrew F. Wetzel attended the public 
schools through boyhood and was trained 
to be a practical farmer, from youth hav- 
ing had duties to perform. He has made 
farming his main business in life and is 
numbered with the township's leading ag- 
riculturists. Mr. Wetzel and his father 
reside side by side, the new house, which 
is occupied bv the parents, l)eing erected in 
1903. 

In April, 1905, Mr. Wetzel was married 
to Miss Hattie Koegler, who is a daughter 
of August and Margaret (Doerr) Koegler, 
of Jefferson Township, and they have two 
bright little children, Karl and Elma. Mr. 
Wetzel is a leading member and liberal 
supporter of the German Lutheran Church. 
He takes a good citizen's interest in all 
that concerns public matters in his town- 
ship, but is not a politician. 

CAPT. WILLIAM HARRISON Mc- 
CANDLESS, a veteran of the Civil War 
and a well known resident of Center 
Township, is a representative of a pioneer 
family of Butler County. He was born 
and has always lived on the farm he now 
owns, the date of his birth being December 
21, 1840, and is a son of John F. and 
Nancy (Hayes) iNIeCandless. His paternal 
grandfather. William MeCandless, came to 
the United States from County Down, Ire- 
land, and took up 800 acres in the north- 



1344 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



# 



•JvV 



western part of Center Township, in But- 
ler County, Penna. This hardy pioneer 
became one of the prominent men of the 
county, and was widely known to its 
citizens. 

John F. McCandless was horn on the 
farm adjoining that now owned by his son, 
William H., and moved to the latter at the 
time of his marriage in 1832. They set up 
housekeeping in a log house, in which there 
were no doors, quilts being hung over 
the apertures for that purpose. The 
first house erected by him was a log 
structure of two stories, with a two-story 
front porch, and it was regarded as one 
of the best houses then in the township. 
Here John F. McCandless and his wife 
lived until their respective deaths; all 
their children were born therein, and it 
was in this house that William H. Mc- 
Candless and his wife set up housekeeping. 
The father of the subject of this sketch 
was joined in marriage with Nancy Hayes, 
who was born and reared in Connoquenes- 
sing Township, Butler County, and was a 
daughter of William Hayes, a native of 
Scotland. Nine children blessed this 
union, namely: Mary J. (Findley) of 
Kansas; Nancy A. (Miller) of Euclid, 
Pennsylvania; Emeline (Glenn) of Alle- 
gheny Townshi]), Penna.; William Harri- 
son; John Milton, who died in the fall of 
1865; Jennings Coulter McCandless of 
Connoquenessing Township; Porter and 
Minerva, who died in infancy; and Sarah 
Belle (Wilson) of Allegheny Township, 
Butler County. 

Capt. William H. McCandless was 
reared on the home farm and received his 
educational training in the district schools. 
When the Civil War was in progress he 
enlisted, in August of 1862, as a member 
of Company D, 137th Pennsylvania Volun- 
teer Infantry, and served nine months. 
He then remained at home until the svun- 
mer of 1864, when he re-enlisted as a mem- 
ber of Company A, Sixth Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, bearing the rank of first 



lieutenant from that time until the war 
closed. Upon his return home he resumed 
agricultural pursuits, at which he has 
since continued with uninterrupted suc- 
cess, always on the same farm. 

March 8, 1866, Captain McCandless was 
united in marriage with Miss Harriet N. 
Glenn, who was born and reared in Con- 
cord Township, Butler County, and is a 
daughter of William, Sr., and Eebecca 
(Porter) Glenn. Five children were the 
issue of this union, as follows: Carrie 
Belle, who died October 20, 1906, was the 
wife of Eobert Mellon ; Dr. Milton Lowrie 
McCandless, a graduate of Western Ee- 
serve Medical College of Cleveland and 
now located in practice at Eochester, 
Pennsylvania, married Gertrude Lyon of 
Butler, and they have three children — 
Harrison, Helen and Lowrie Thompson; 
Minnie E., wife of Eev. D. P. Williams, 
pastor of the First Presbyterian church 
of Natrona, Pennsylvania, has two chil- 
dren: Samuel Harrison and Harriet 
Glenn; Myrta, who died in May, 1903, 
was the wife of H. C. Hindman, a druggist 
of West Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and they 
had one daughter, Jean Harriet, who is 
living; and Everett, an electrical engineer, 
who is in the employ of the Westinghouse 
Company in Pittsburg. Eeligiously, the 
subject of this sketch has been a member 
of the Presbyterian church at Unionville 
many years, a member of the session for 
thirty years, and is superintendent of the 
Sabbath school. He is a Eepublican in 
l)f)litics, and for the past two years has 
served as tipstaff. He has filled most of 
the townshii> offices, and always dis- 
chnrge<l liis jmblic duties in a conscien- 
tious and capable manner. 

E. L. GILLILAND, a leading general 
farmer in Connoquenessing Township, 
owns sixty-two acres of exceedingly valua- 
ble land, it being not only readily respon- 
sive to cultivation but also possessing oil 
and coal deposits. Mr. Gilliland was born 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1345 



May 8, 1SG6, in Cranberry Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
William Noble and Mary (Easton) Gilli- 
land. 

William Gilliland, the paternal grand- 
father, established the family in western 
Pennsj'lvania and died in Allegheny 
County. His son William Noble Gilliland, 
father of E. L., in turn established the 
family in Butler County. He was born 
October 8, 1808, in some section east of the 
Allegheny Mountains and was small when 
his father came to Lawrence County, set- 
tling on a small tract of land near New 
Castle. In a very short time he moved to 
what is now White Hall, Allegheny County. 
A half century ago the second William Gil- 
liland settled on an uncleared fann in 
Cranberry Township and lived there until 
1879, having cleared and improved the land 
before disposing of it. From there he came 
to Connoquenessing Township and lived on 
the present farm of his son until his death. 
By trade he was a carpenter and his chil- 
dren remember how hard he worked to 
clear up his farm, often walking a distance 
of a half dozen miles to and from his place 
of employment and after nightfall doiug 
a second day's work on his property. For 
many years he thus led an unusually busy 
life, but notwithstanding he foimd time to 
capably serve in the township offices to 
which he was frequently elected by his fel- 
low citizens. In politics he was a Demo- 
crat. He married a daughter of George 
and Nancy (Clevidence) Easton, early set- 
tlers of English ancestry. Seven children 
were born to this union, four of whom 
reached maturity, namely: George B., of 
Rochester, Beaver County, Pennsylvania ; 
William J., deceased; Samuel E., of Con- 
noquenessing Township; and E. L. Will- 
iam Gilliland and wife were worthy mem- 
bers of the Baptist Church of Cranberry 
Township. 

E. L. Gilliland was reared at home and 
since coming with his parents to Conno- 
quenessing Township has resided on the 



present farm, with the exception of one 
year which he speut at Mars. He has fifty 
acres of his land under cultivation and 
raises corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes, 
together with a large amount of garden 
truck and much poultry. He keeps four 
cows and furnishes choice butter to partic- 
ular customers at Butler. He has one pro- 
ducing oil well and, when he is prepared to 
do so, will probably find an independent 
fortune in an underlying vein of coal. 

Mr. Gilliland married Miss Dora Bolton, 
who is a daughter of Edward T. Bolton, of 
C(>uii()(|ii('n('ssiiig Township, and they liave 
five cliildicn, namely: Wilbur, Loyal, Clare, 
Earl and Carl Noble, who was born on the 
100th anniversary of Mr. Gilliland 's fath- 
er's birth. Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland are 
members and liberal supporters of the 
"Wliite Oak Springs Presbyterian Church. 
In politics he is a Democrat and has served 
in many of the local offices, having been in- 
spector of elections, supervisor and asses- 
sor. He is a member of Eureka Grange, 
No. 244, at Eberhart. 

DUNCAN McDonald, owner of a farm 
of forty-eight acres of valuable land, which 
is situated in Jackson Township, was born 
May 9, 1855, in Hickory Township, Mercer 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Dun- 
can and Ellen (Gardner) McDonald. 

The parents of Mr. McDonald were na- 
tives of Scotland and came to America and 
settled in Trumbull Coimty, Ohio, in 1874. 
The father died at Hubbaixl, Ohio, in 1895, 
aged seventy-two years, and the mother 
died in August, 1903, aged seventy-eight 
years. They had lost some children before 
coming to America, but the others were as 
follows: John, who died in Mercer 
County; Elizabeth, wife of John Whitaker; 
Thomas, who lives in Illinois; Matthew, 
who was killed in a mine accident, in Mer- 
cer County; Dimcau; Jane, who is the wife 
of John Bowie, a merchant residing at 
Jackson Center, Pennsylvania; Ellen, de- 
ceased; Marv, who-mari'ied J. C. Currv, of 



13-46 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Latimore, Ohio; Maggie, who married 
William Cook, of Mahoning County, Ohio. 

Dimcan McDonald is a self-made man. 
When only thirteen years old he went to 
work in the mines and later worked for the 
Pennsylvania Fuel Company and still later 
engaged in farming at Little Creek. He 
came first to Butler County in 1907, from 
Lawrence County, and in June, 1908, he 
purchased his present farm. Mr. McDon- 
ald owns this farm and some valuable real 
estate in New Castle, having acquired it 
all through his own efforts, with the excep- 
tion of $200, which he inherited. He has 
been a prudent, industrious man and can 
look back over a worthy and well-spent 
life. 

In August, 1876, Mr. McDonald was mar- 
ried (first) to Miss Matilda Worley, a 
daughter of John and Martha Worley, of 
Hubl)ard, Ohio. To this union were born 
three children, iiamely: Julia, Ellen and 
Duncan. Julia married Ernest Salow and 
they reside at Hubbard, Ohio. They have 
two children, Jean and Arthur. Ellen mar- 
ried Lawrence Snyder, of Hubbard, and 
both of their children are deceased. Dun- 
can resides at Youngstown, Ohio, where he 
has charge of an electric plant. He served 
three years in the army in the Philipiune 
Islands. He married Etta Covert. 

Mr. McDonald lost his first wife by death 
and was married a second time, March 1, 
1905, to Miss Minnie Downing, of Butler 
County. She is one of a family of fourteen 
children born to her parents, Jacob and 
Sarah Downing, who are residents of Little 
Creek. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Petersville. In politics he is a stanch Re- 
publican. He is a member of Lodge No. 
1047, Odd Fellows, at Evans City, and be- 
longs also to the Knights of Pythias at that 
place. He is one of Jackson Township's 
respected and representative citizens. 

WILLIAM CHRISTLEY, who has been 
postmaster of Euclid, Butler County, 



Penna., since President McKinley's first 
administration, bears an honorable record 
for service in the Union Army during the 
Civil War. He is a native of the borough 
of Slippery Rock, the date of his birth 
being March 26, 1842, and is a son of 
George and Leah (Keister) Christley. 
His father was a tanner by trade and 
operated a tannery in Slippery Rock for 
a number of years. 

William Christley was reared and edu- 
cated in his native borough and at an 
early age learned the trade of a tanner 
under his father. When the Civil War 
broke out he early responded to the call to 
arms, enlisting September 17, 1861, for 
three years' service as a member of Com- 
pany H, Seventy-eighth Regiment, Pa. 
Vol. Inf. They were mustered into the 
service at Kittanning, where the regiment 
was organized, although his company was 
raised in Butler. He participated in all 
the engagements of his regiment, although 
he received a slight wound in the shoulder 
at the battle of Stone River. The regi- 
ment was mustered out at Kittanning, 
November 4, 1864, and he returned to Slip- 
per}^ Rock. He owned a i)art interest in 
the tannery there during the war, and in 
the meantime his father passed away. 
U])on his return home Mr. Christley sold 
out his interest in the enterprise and 
diverted his energies to the oil fields. For 
a period of seventeen years he worked as 
a driller and pumper, after which he en- 
gaged in teaming, during this time making 
his home in Concord Township. He fol- 
lowed teaming in the borough of Butler 
for ten years during this time, and a part 
of the time lived in Clay Township. As 
postmaster of Euclid he has given efficient 
service and has added greatly to his popu- 
larity. 

Mr. Christley was united in marriage 
with Miss Mary E. Bortemus, a daughter 
of Rudolph Bortemus. She was reared in 
Penn Township where her father farmed,, 
but some time before his death he bought 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1347 



a farm iu Clay Towusliip. This union 
resulted in the birth of eleven children, 
nine of whom are living, namely: Will- 
iam J., who lives in Oklahoma; Nellie J. 
(Miller); George R.; Leah (Allen); Ed- 
win J.; Annie L., who is assistant to her 
father in the postoffice; Rose B. (Law- 
rence); Cyrus 0.; and Josephine. The 
two who died were John Russel who died 
at two years and eight months, and May 
who died at the age of one year and six 
months. 

ROBERT LYNN ALLISON, M. D., a 
successful practitioner of Eau Claire, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, has been located 
in this borough throughout his profes- 
sional career. He was born in Center 
Township, Butler County, September 6, 
1864, and is a son of William and Rachel 
(Gilliaud) Allison, and a grandson of 
Robert Allison. The family is an old and 
respected one of the county, having be- 
come established here at a very early date. 

Robert Allison, the grandfather, was 
united in marriage with Miss Jane Coch- 
ran, a daughter of William Cochran of 
Oakland Township, and they had the fol- 
lowing children: Thomas, who was a sol- 
dier in the Union Army during the Civil 
War and died of typhoid fever in the 
service; W'illiam, John, Nancy, Mary, 
Lydia, and Emeline. John Allison mar- 
ried Harriet Smith, a daughter of AV. P. 
Smith of Center Township, and they had 
the following issue: R. Perry, Robert, 
Lee, Olive (deceased), Jennie and Emma. 
Nancy Allison became the wife of John 
Campbell of Concord Township, and theii- 
children were as follows : Amy, wife of 
T. J. Russell of Erie; Ada, wife of Albert 
Cumberland; Lowery, who lives on the 
Campbell homestead iu Concord Town- 
ship; T. R. Campbell of Concord Town- 
ship; and W. D. Campbell, who is also a 
resident of Concord Township. Mary 
Allison married W. D. McCandless of 
Center Townsliiii, and they have a son, 



Charles S. McCandless. Lydia Allison 
married J. E. Russell, theu of Concord 
Township but now of Steubenville, Ohio, 
and they have had three children — Eme- 
line, wife of Walker Crammer of Har- 
mony; Effie, wife of B. Pox of Allegheny 
Countj^; and Augusta who also lives in 
Allegheny County. Emeline Allison, the 
youngest of the family, married Alexander 
Blaine of Center Township, Butler County, 
aud six children were the issue of their 
union, as follows: William A., Charles, 
Milton, AVilber, Harry, and Jane who mar- 
ried George Shanor of Butler. 

AVilliam Allison, father of the subject of 
this record, was joined in holy wedlock 
with Rachel Gilliaud, a daughter of John 
Gilliaud, who came to this country from 
County Down, Ireland. The issue of this 
union is as follows: Robert Lynn; J. G. 
Allison, who married Elizabeth Ferguson 
of near Worthington, Pennsylvania, by 
whom he had three cliildren — Mary, James 
and an infant; John N. Allison, who mar- 
ried Clara Johnston, a daughter of Thorn- 
ley Johnston, and has a daughter Lucile; 
and W. C. Allison, who married Anna 
Johnston and has a son, W^esley. 

Dr. Robert L. Allison received his early 
educational training in the common schools 
of Center Township, and in West Sun- 
bury Academy, after which he entered the 
University of Wooster, at Cleveland, Ohio. 
He received his professional training in 
the Medical College of Indianapolis, in In- 
diana, receiving his degree from that in- 
stitution in 1896. Immediately thereafter 
he opened his office iu Eau Claire, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, where he has es- 
tablished a large and remunerative prac- 
tice. He owns a nice residence property 
and office in the borough. 

Dr. Allison was joined in marriage with 
Miss Minnie Bradou, a daughter of J. C. 
Bradon of West Sun bury, and ,to them 
were born: DeWitt, who is a member of 
the Class of 1910 in Grove City College; 
Charles Bradon, who died on June 27, 



1348 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



1901; Charlotte, who attends Eaii Claire 
Academy; and Eugene, who also is a stu- 
dent in Eau Claire Academy. In politics, 
the Doctor has been consistent in his sup- 
port of Republican principles, and was for 
six years president of the borough coun- 
cil, and one term a member of the school 
board of Eau Claire. He is a member and 
medical examiner of the Knights of the 
Maccabees, and Woodmen of the World at 
Eau Claire, and is also medical examiner 
for numerous life insurance companies, 
among them the New York Life and the 
National Life of Connecticut. In relig- 
ious attachment he and his family are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church of Eau Claire. 



farm of tifty-two acres, he has devoted his 
■ time to agricultural pursuits in connection 
with carpentering and building wooden 
tanks. Mr. Collins is a man of energy and 
enterprise and is well deserving of the suc- 
cess with which his efforts have met. 

In 1869 Mr. Collins Avas united in mar- 
riage in Buffalo, New I'ork, with Eliza- 
beth Ryan, a native of Dublin, Ireland, and 
their union has resulted in the following 
issue: Mai'y, lives in East Pittsburg; 
Edith, married Joseph A. Burgoon of East 
Pittsburg, and has two children, Regitte 
and Clara ; Bessie ; Clara ; James ; John J. 
and George, all residing at home. Mr. Col- 
lins and family are members of the Cath- 
olic Church at Chicora. 



JOHN COLLINS, a representative of 
the agricultural industry of Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
also a well known carpenter and tank 
builder, was born December 20, 1856, in 
Bi'andon, Cork County, Ireland, and is a 
son of Edward and Mary Collins, natives 
and life-long residents of Ireland. 

John Collins is the third born of a fam- 
ily of three children, namely: William; 
Mary, who still lives in Ireland ; and John. 
Our subject was educated in his native 
country, attending school where the Rev. 
Father Welch (now deceased and formerly 
of Butler) received his early educational 
training. In 1871, when about eighteen 
years of age, Mr. Collins came to this coun- 
try and located at Boston, Massachusetts, 
where he worked at his trade of carpenter- 
ing for about three years. He then was 
employed by James Fisk of Fisk- 
ville, after which he came to Titus- 
ville, Pennsylvania, where for one year he 
worked at carpentering and tank building 
for Adam Good. He then, after staying a 
short time at Shamburg, Pennsylvania, 
came to Butler County and located at Mil- 
lerstown, where he engaged in business for 
himself as a carpenter and tank builder. 
Since 1882, when he purchased his present 



CHARLES R. BORLAND, a prosper- 
ous merchant, who has been identified with 
the industrial interests of Harrisville since 
1903, was born February 6, 1859, on his 
father's farm in Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of Samuel and Maria 
(Nicely) Borland. 

The Borland family was first established 
in this country by the grandfather of our 
subject, who came from Scotland with a 
brother and settled in eastern Pennsyl- 
vania. The grandfather, John Borland, 
came to Venango County at an early 
period and engaged in farming. He was 
the father of the following children : John, 
deceased; Hutchinson, deceased ; Andrew, 
deceased ; Robert S., a Methodist minister, 
residing at Mercer ; Rachel, deceased ; and 
Samuel, father of the subject of this 
sketch. 

Samuel Borland was born and reared in 
Venango County, Pennsylvania, where he 
spent his entire life engaged in agricul- 
tural pursuits. He married Maria Nicely 
and to them were born: Emerson B. ; 
Emma, deceased wife of Joseph Bowman ; 
Charles Robert, subject of this sketch; 
Edward; Austin; Louie, now Mrs. Louie 
Felt; Arlestus and Alvin, twins. Samuel 
Borland died in 1892 aged sixty-one years, 




MR. AND MRS. CHARLES R. BORLAND 
AND CHILD 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1351 



and was survived one year by his widow, 
wlio was lifty-six years old at the time of 
her death. 

Charles R. Borland grew to manhood ou 
his father's farm in Venango County, and 
when quite young became a clerk in the 
general store of H. M. Davis, in wHose 
employ he continued for a period of five 
years. He then clerked one year for 
Campbell & Mahoney of Reynoldsville, 
Jefferson County. He formed a partner- 
ship with his brother, Emerson B. Borland, 
in 188.3, purchasing the store of A¥illiam 
Woodburn in Venango County. They con- 
tinued in partnership for some twenty 
years, and for a part of that time another 
brother, Edward Borland, was associated 
with them. They at one time conducted a 
hardware store at Emlenton, and a general 
store at Kane. Prior to the dissolution of 
the firm in 1903, Edward Borland had 
charge of the store at Rockland, Emerson 
B. of the store at Harrisville, and Charles 
of that at Pittsville. In that year Charles 
removed to Harrisville, where he has since 
continued with uninterrupted success. He 
is a prosperous merchant, carries a com- 
plete and up-to-date stock of goods and 
enjoys a liberal patronage of the people 
of tiie community. In March, 1908, the 
store at Rockland was destroyed by fire. 

In September, 1882, Mr. Borland was 
joined" in marriage with Ella Watson of 
Venango County, and to them were born 
three children, of whom but one — Harry — 
is living. Mr. Borland holds membership 
in the Methodist Episcopal Church and in 
politics is a Prohibitionist. 

PHILIP A. DRANE, who saw long and 
active service as a soldier in the IJnion 
Army during the Civil War, and is now a 
well known citizen of Buffalo Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, has a fine 
farm of fifty-six acres, located about a 
quarter of a mile from Sarver, on the 
Freeport Road. He was born in this coun- 



ty September 6, 1839, and is a son of K. 
G. and Elizabeth (Burtner) Drane. 

K. CI. Drane was born in Marland, where 
he resided prior to his coming to Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. He and his wife 
were parents of the following children: 
Kinsey Gibbons; Nancy; Margaret; Mary 
Ann; Elizabeth, deceased; Christina; 
Philip A. ; William A. ; Sarah ; and Matil- 
da, deceased. 

Philip A. Drane attended the common 
schools of his home district and always ex- 
celled as a scholar. After leaving school 
he engaged as a clerk in a grocery at Al- 
legheny City, Pennsylvania, until the out- 
break of the Civil War.- He was but little 
beyond man's estate when he enlisted as a 
private in the 155th Reg. P. V. I., and he 
served full time, being mustered out with 
the rank of sergeant. He was with the 
Army of the Potomac, and among other 
important engagements, participated in 
the following: Fredericksburg, Chancel- 
lorsville, GettysJ^urg, and the Wilderness. 
At the battle of the Wilderness he had the 
misfortune to be shot through the left 
chest, and was taken to the hospital at 
Alexandria, Virginia, being seven days en 
route. He was subsequently transferred to 
the West Penn Hosjntal, where he recov- 
ered, from his terrible injury. He then re- 
turned home and has engaged in farming 
continuously since that time. He has a 
nice property and has been very successful 
in his work. 

June 3, 1868, Mr. Drane was united in 
marriage with Susan Huey, a daughter of 
Daniel and Catherine (Black) Huey, and 
the following children have been born to 
them : William A. ; Effie B., wife of Thomas 
Humes, by whom she has the following 
children: Lillian, Marion, Myrtle, and 
Helen; Charles W., who married Amy 
Logan and has three children — Logan, 
Charles, and Ronald; Emily, wife of 
Charles Sautter; Anna, wife of Albert 
Freehlins-, bv whom she has two children 



1352 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



— Chester and Howard; Harry, who is in 
the mail service ; Nettie, wife of John Ekas, 
by whom she has a daughter, Jeanette; 
Russell; and Jesse. Religiously, Mr. 
Drane and his family are members of the 
St. Paul Lutheran Church. He was for- 
merly an active member of the Gr. A. R. 
Post, but has not attended in recent years. 

GEORGE N. AVILSON, formerly county 
auditor of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and a leading citizen of Jackson Township, 
was born on the farm on which he lives, 
July 17, 1869, and is a son of Thomas I. 
and' Mary (Minnemyer) Wilson. 

The Wilson family was established in 
Butler County by the great-grandfather, 
Andrew Wilson, who came from County 
Tyrone, Ireland. The grandfather, George 
AVilson, was the first to settle on the farm 
now owned by George N., and his log cabin 
stood on the land for many years. He was 
born after his parents came to Butler 
County and he died on this farm. Here 
Thomas I. Wilson, father of George N., 
was also born and died here in 1881, aged 
forty-five years. He was a prominent man 
in the county and had he lived beyond mid- 
dle life, would have been doubtless still 
more of a leader in public affairs. He died 
just after being elected to the office of 
county commissioner. His brothers and 
sisters were: James and Andrew H., both 
deceased; George W., formerly county 
commissioner; Mary Jane; Esther Mar- 
garet, wife of Robert Brown ; and Eliza- 
beth E., nnmarried. Thomas I. AVilson 
married Mary Minnemyer, who was a 
daughter of Nicholas and Mary (Mertz) 
Minnemyer, who were natives of Germany. 
To Thomas I. Wilson and wife, the follow- 
ing children were born : Eva R., deceased ; 
Ida, wife of John Bargery, of Evans City; 
IjuIu C.. wife of John Helm, of Coraopolis, 
Pennsylvania; Jennie G., wife of William 
Hudson, of Evans City; Gertrude, wife of 
Prank Boggs, of Evans City; Homer ()., 



of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, married 
Clara Hoffman; and George N. 

George N. Wilson grew to manhood on 
the farm on which he lives and attended 
the local schools. He was only eleven 
years old when he lost his father, but the 
family continued to live on the farm. 
Thomas I. Wilson purchased the farm in 
1863. It is a fertile tract of 100 acres, 
which has been improved with substantial 
buildings and has been carefully and suc- 
cessfully cultivated. 

Following the family traditions, Mr. Wil- 
son is a stanch adherent of the Democratic 
party and on its ticket has been elected to 
local office at various times and in the fall 
of 1905 was elected county auditor, a re- 
sponsible office that he filled most accept- 
ably to his fellow citizens, for three years. 
He has also served as township supervisor 
and on the board of elections, and has 
twice been elected justice of the peace for 
Jackson Township. He is a member of the 
United Presbyterian Church. 

WILLIAM STAFF, one of Brady 
Township's substantial and successful 
farmers, owns 140 acres of valuable land, 
divided into two adjoining farms. He was 
born in Germany, November 5, 1837, and 
is a son of Milton and Barbara Staff. 

The parents of Mr. Staff' emigrated to 
America from Germany, in 1843, and set- 
tled first on a farm in Lancaster Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, from 
which they moved to Franklin Township, 
near Isle, in 1847. The father subsequently 
]-emoved to Center Township, and there 
his death took place. His widow returned 
to Lancaster Township after her second 
marriage and died there. 

William Staff was six years old when 
his parents came to Butler County and 
was ten years old when they settled in 
Franklin Township, where he attended 
school and was mainly reared. Farming 
and stock-raising has been his business all 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1353 



through life. Prior to his marriage he 
bought his present home farm and all the 
improving, in the way of erecting sub- 
stantial buildings, he has done himself, to- 
gether with placing his laud under the tiu- 
est kind of cultivation. In 1867 Mr. Staff 
was married to Miss Mai'y E. Koch, who 
is a daughter of Jacob Koch, and they have 
three children, namely: Carrie' E., who 
married Thomas Sager, and, has two chil- 
dren, Edwin and Paul ; and Martin L. and 
Orrin, both of whom reside at home. Mr. 
Staff" and family belong to the Lutheran 
Church. 

WILLIAM HENRY SHAFFER, pro- 
prietor of a meat market at Eau Claire, 
takes rank among the substantial business 
men and merchants of that borough. He 
was born in Venango County, Pennsylva- 
nia, December 31, 1870, and is a son of 
Israel and Mary (Hellery) Shaffer, his 
mother being from Armstrong County. 

Israel and Mary Shaffer were parents 
of the following children : Samuel Frank- 
lin, who married Elizabeth Kennedy, 
daughter of James Kennedy of Venango 
County, by whom he has four children — 
Harry, Frank, Bessie, and Beulah; Fran- 
ces, wife of Samuel Meals of Venango 
County, by whom she had five children — 
Earl, Floyd, Mary, Maud and Hilton (de- 
ceased) ; George, who married Ida Pierce, 
daughter of William Pierce of Emlenton, 
Pennsylvania, and has the following chil- 
dren — Lina, Samuel, Mabel, and William; 
Elizabeth, now deceased; Jennie, wife of 
John W. Smith of Venango County, by 
whom she has three children — Warner, Er- 
nest and Lillian; William Henry, subject 
of this biography; Israel A. of Venango 
County; Charles, who married Minnie 
Hovis, a daughter of Nelson Hovis of Clin- 
tonville; Thomas, who resides in Clinton- 
ville; and Lottie May, who married John 
Slye of Venango County and has two sons 
-i- William and Thomas. 

William H. Shaffer went to school in 



Serubgrass Township, Venango County, 
Pennsylvania, after which he engaged in 
farming on the home place. He went to 
Oakdale, Allegheny County, and followed 
the trade of a carpenter and builder, then 
located at Clintonville, Venango County. 
He worked for his brother, George W. 
Shaffer, in the meat business, and contin- 
ued until after his marriage. He then es- 
tablished a meat market in Eau Claire, 
where he has since continued with fine suc- 
cess. He rented a shop for a time, then 
purchased a residence property and a lot 
on which he put up a good substantial 
store building for use in his business. He 
also purchased a twenty-acre tract in the 
borough, and here he maintains his cattle 
pens, and his ice and cold storage plant. 
He is a man of exceptional business ca- 
pacity, and the success attained by him has 
been due to his individual efforts, unaided. 

Mr. Shaffer was married, February 20, 
1896, to Laura Blanche Kimes, a daughter 
of James and Ester (Gilmore) Kimes. 
Her father was born in December, 1818, 
and died in 1895, being survived by his 
widow, who lives in Eau Claire. Mrs. 
Kimes was born August 27, 1838, and their 
marriage, which occurred in 1863, resulted 
in the following issue : Elizabeth, who died 
in August, 1904, was the wife of James 
McKay of Oil City; Emma died in 1890; 
William married Rose Latchaw, a daugh- 
ter of John Latchaw of Venango County, 
and they had the following children — Ed- 
ward, Grace (deceased), one who died in 
infancy, and Ha; Edward married Eva 
Layton, daughter of James Layton of But- 
ler County, and they had three children — 
Hazel, Louisa and Seba; Harry married 
Sarah Donaldson, daughter of William 
Donaldson of Clintonville, and they had the 
following children — Emma, Ester and Har- 
old; Laura Blanche married the subject of 
this record; and Myrta married Roy Kerr, 
by whom she has two children, Donald and 
Claire. 

Politically, Mr. Shaffer is a Republican, 



1354 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and is a member of the borough council 
and the school board of Eau Claire Acad- 
emy. He and his wife are devout members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and she 
is president of the Epworth League. 

A. A. HOCH is an enterprising and suc- 
cessful business man of Chicora, Donegal 
Township, being a member of the hard- 
ware firm of Hoch Brothers of that place. 
He is also proprietor of the Central Hotel, 
a well kept hostelry known to the traveling 
public, and is profitably engaged in oil and 
gas production. 

WILLIAM McCAFFERTY, a respected 
citizen and prosperous farmer, who re- 
sides on a very valuable farm of 114 acres, 
which is situated in Buffalo Township, on 
the Pittsburg Road, about one mile west 
of Sarversville, was born in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, August 3, 1867. The grand- 
parents of Mr. McCafterty were James and 
Hannah McCafferty, and his parents were 
Robert and Martha (Love) McCafferty. 
The family has been an agricultural one 
for several generations. 

William McCafferty has engaged in 
farming in Buffalo Township ever since 
he reached manhood. Through boyhood 
he attended the public schools and is one 
of the intelligent and well-informed men 
of his section. His farm shows the effect 
of careful cultivation, his stock is in good 
condition and his two-story residence, 
standing a short distance back from the 
road, indicates that it is a comfortable, 
modern rural home. Mr. McCafferty mar- 
ried Miss Zetta Smith, who is a daughter 
of C. P. Smith, who is a substantial farmer 
in Butler County. They have four chil- 
dren, namely: Florence M., Arthur S., 
James and Charles. The family belongs 
to the Presbyterian Church. Among his 
neighbors, Mr. McCafferty is known as a 
good citizen. He gives but little time to 
politics and on no occasion has he been 
willing to accept a public office. 



HENRY F. KRIESS, proprietor of the 
Allerton Stock Farm, a valuable tract of 
175 acres, finely improved, makes a spe- 
cialty of breeding fine stock, especially 
horses, and also carries on extensive farm- 
ing. He was born in Forward Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, March 2, 
1870, and is a son of William and Margaret 
(Freshcorn )Kriess. 

The father of Mr. Kriess was born in 
Germany and in his boyhood accompanied 
his parents to America and grew to man- 
hood near Wahlville, Forward Township, 
Butler County. For a few years he con- 
ducted a hotel in Evans City but otherwise 
was engaged in farming all his mature life. 
He married a daughter of William Fresh- 
corn, of Forward Township, and four of 
their children grew lap, namely: George, 
of Forward Township; Emma, wife of 
William McClure, of Evans City; Henry 
F. ; and William, a practicing physician in 
Pittsburg. The whole family belongs to 
the German Lutheran Church. The father 
died in 1875, in his forty-fifth year. 

Henry F. Kriess attended school through 
boyliood l)ut became interested in business 
at an unusually early age, embarking in a 
Initcher business at Evans City, where he 
continued it for one year. Finding a better 
opening in the oil fields he then engaged in 
teaming, on his own account, and later be- 
came an oil producer in Forward Town- 
shi]?, and was interested there for three 
years, retiring then to Evans City, where 
later he engaged in the shoe business. In 
the spring of 1905 he purchased his pres- 
ent farm and has made it one of the best 
stock farms in the county. His interest in 
horses dates as far back as his fifteenth 
year, when he owned a standard-bred 
pacer, which he successfully raced in Penn- 
sylvania and Ohio, up to 1904. Since tak- 
ing charge of his present property he has 
bred many fine specimens of cattle and 
liorses, bringing with him as a starter for 
his stables, a team of Percheron mares 
that weighed 3,600 pounds. He keeps six 




THOMAS H. McGUIRK 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1357 



brood mares and owns the standard-bred 
stallion Geronemo. At the time of writing 
he has fourteen head of horses and colts, 
perfect, spirited animals, and has cattle 
and other stock of standard strains. Mr. 
Kriess has put up one of the finest barns 
in all this section. He devotes 125 acres of 
his land to raising corn, oats, wheat, hay 
and potatoes. 

Mr. Kriess was married (first) to Miss 
Mary Link, of Mars, and they had one son, . 
George L. He was married (second) to 
Miss Christina Wahl, a daughter of Will- 
iam Wahl, of Evans City, and they have, 
one son, William. Mr. Kriess takes con- 
siderable interest in politics and is a Demo- 
crat in his attiliation. At Evans Cit.v he 
was a member of the council and is now 
filling the office of inspector of elections in 
Connoquenessing Townshij). Mr. Kriess 
is a thorough business man, enterprising 
and progressive, and in every way is a rep- 
resentative citizen of the section in which 
he lives. 

THOMAS H. McGUIRK, general con- 
tractor in stone, at Butler, with place of 
business at No. 41J- North McKean Street, 
has been identified with stone work since 
boyhood and is one of the leading men in 
his line of business in this city. He was 
born in 1876, in Cherry Township, Biltler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Den- 
nis P. and a grandson of Thomas McGuirk. 

The grandfather, Thomas McGuirk, 
founded the family in Butler County, in 
1844. He was born in Ireland. Of his 
children, Dennis P. Guirk, father of 
Thomas A., was born in 1850, in Marion 
Township, Butler County, and is now a 
resident of Butler, where, for many years 
he has followed his trade of stone-mason 
and contraictor. 

Immediately after leaving school, 
Thomas H. McGuirk started to learn his 
father's trade, this being before he was 
fourteen years old. He was ah apt pupil 
and by the time he w^as seventeen, he was 



so thoroughly reliable in his work that he 
was drawing a man's wages. He soon be- 
gan contracting and for the past eleven 
years has led in the stone contracting busi- 
ness at Butler and in surrounding towns. 
It would be pleasant to call attention to 
all the work done by this younger member 
of the craft, but a few notable examples 
will have to suffice. Mr. McGuirk is re- 
sponsible for the fine stone work in that 
beautiful building, the Home for Old 
Ladies, at Zelienople; the solid masonry 
of the Majestic Theater; the splendid resi- 
dence of Mr. Glenn at Evans City and that 
of Thomas Philips, Jr., at Butler, the lat- 
ter being the most modern and expensive 
in the city; and the Dutfy Block on the 
corner of North and Main Streets. 

In 1898 Mr. McGuirk was married to 
Miss Anna Hall, of East Brady, and they 
have three children — Fonsie E., Harry E. 
and Irene L. Mr. and Mrs. McGuirk are 
members of the First Presbyterian 
Church. He belongs to the Odd Fellows, 
the Odd Fellows' Brotherhood and to the 
Protected Home Circle. 

JOHN MILTON WILSON, general 
farmer and stockraiser, was born on the 
place where he now resides, in Jackson 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
September 20, 1855, and is a son of John 
H. and Margaret (Houk) Wilson. He is 
a descendant of one of the oldest pioneer 
families of Butler County and the name is 
as closely identified with its early history 
as any name in it. 

Andrew Wilson, the grandfather of John 
M., was born in Coimty Tyrone, Ireland. 
In 1766 he came to America and settled 
first in Washington County, Pennsylvania, 
in 1800 removing to Jackson Township, 
Butler County. He married Mary Hender- 
son, who was born in County Tyrone, Ire- 
laml. Auiiusl 12, 1769. She died December 
27, T^-'w. aiicil sixty-eight years. They had 
the lnllM\\iiig children: Elizabeth, born De- 
cember 18, 1794, married William Martin, 



1358 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



April 8, 1819; George, born November 23, 
1796, married Rebecca Wilson, June 20, 
1822 ; Mary, born February 22, 1799, mar- 
ried George Cooper; Nancy, born Febru- 
ary 24, 1802, married James Garvin, June 
28^ 1822; Rebecca, born April 14, 1805; 
Eleanor, born June 29, 1807, never mar- 
ried, living into old age on the present 
home farm ; and John H., father of John M. 

Jolm H. Wilson was born on the farm 
now owned by his son, John Milton, Julv 
15, 1809, and died here November 29, 1883, 
aged seventy-four years. He spent the 
whole of his long and exemplary life on the 
fai-m on which he was born. On June 20, 
1848, he married Margaret Houk, who died 
•January 29, 1893, aged sixty-eight years. 
She was a daughter of Jacob Houk, who 
settled in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, 
in 1797. There were six children born to 
John H. Wilson and wife, namely: Andrew 
Henderson, who was born June 30, 1849, 
married Miss Ida Rice, a half-sister of 
Rosella Rice, the well known authoress, of 
Ashland County, Ohio, is boss carpenter 
for the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago 
Railroad and owns a farm near Perrys- 
ville, Ohio ; Jonathan, who was born Febru- 
ary 5, 1851, married Miss Susan Stam, of 
Forward Township, Butler County, resided 
in Jackson Township, but died at Evans 
City, June 4, 1904 ; Mary Ellen, born June 
27, 1853, married Leander Scott, of Lan- 
caster Township; Sarah Elizabeth and 
John Milton, twins, born September 20, 
1855, of whom the former married Samuel 
Brenneman of Portersville, Muddy Creek 
Township ; and Jennie Townsend, born No- 
vember 18, 1868, who married G. W. Nixon, 
of Jackson Township. 

John Milton Wilson attended the Wilson 
School in Jackson Township, working on 
the farm in the summer seasons. This 
farm in the days of the grandfather con- 
tained 420 acres and he lived in a log cabin 
in such a wilderness that Indians were 
their only visitors for a long period. "Wlien 
the death of the grandfather took place, the 



farm was equally divided between two 
sons, John H. and George. John H. Wilson 
made many improvements on his portion 
of the land, erecting the substantial barn 
in 1843 and the comfortable farm residence 
in 1870. This farm is equally well adapted 
to general agriculture and to grazing, and 
Mr. Wilson understands how to make every 
part of it productive. 

On July 6, 1898, Mr. Wilson was married 
to Miss Margaret A. Maharg, who was 
born in Penn Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of James 
•and Catharine (Brown) Maharg. Mr. and 
Mrs. Wilson are members of the Evans 
City Presbyterian Church. He is identified 
with the Masons and the Odd Fellows, be- 
longing to the Masonic Lodge — old Har- 
mony No. 429 — at Zelienople and to the 
Odd Fellows at Evans City. In politics, 
Mr. Wilson is a Democrat and belongs to a 
Democratic family that has given two 
county commissioners to Butler County. 
His grandfather voted for Thomas Jeffer- 
son, the third president of the United 
States and the author of the Declaration 
of Independence. 

GEORGE W. P. ORTON, a well known 
oil producer of Allegheny Township, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, a thoroughly ex- 
perienced man in the oil industry, was born 
December 26, 1861, at Corning, New York, 
and is a son of William H. and Sarah 
(Greenwood) Orton, both of whom were 
natives of England. 

In 1869, Mr. Orton, accompanied by his 
mother, settled at Parker's Landing, and 
there he was practically reared and re- 
ceived his educational training. Almost in 
boyhood he began work in the oil fields and 
for a considerable time was a pumper, 
working mainly in Armstrong ancl Butler 
Counties. For about twenty years he has 
been an oil producer himself and has met 
with such success that he has considered it 
judicious to give his entire time to this in- 
dustry. His knowledge of the business is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1359 



practical and reliable and he is known all 
through these fields. 

On September 7, 1890, Mr. Orton was 
married to Miss Mary E. Black, who was 
born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and 
is a daughter of the late A. R. Black, of 
Allegheny Township. Mr. and Mrs. Orton 
have two children : Orville D. and Ethel E. 
Mr. Orton and wife are members of the 
Allegheny Presbyterian Church and he is 
a trustee and is also president of the Alle- 
gheny Church Cemetery Association. In 
politics, he is a Republican. Formerly he 
was identified with the Odd Fellows at 
Parker's Landing. Personally he is pro- 
gressive and public-spirited and as a citi- 
zen commands the respect and enjoys the 
confidence of his neighbors. 

JOHN H. WIGTON, one of Brady 
Township's most esteemed citizens, now 
living retired on his valuable farm of 264 
acres, about one-half mile west of Hall- 
ston, was born on this farm in Brady 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
December 8, 1848, and is a son of John and 
Rachel (Tannihill) Wigton. 

The Wigton family is of Dutch descent 
and it was established in Butler County by 
the grandfather, John Wigton, who came 
among the pioneers. The name of John 
appears in every generation and John the 
second, the father of John H., was born 
after his father came to this part of Penn- 
sylvania, on a farm one mile distant from 
the one under consideration. At that time, 
Brady Township was known as Slippery 
Rock Township. After marriage, the par- 
ents of Mr. Wigton went to housekeeping 
on a fifty-acre tract of this farm, to which 
additions were gradually made until John 
Wigton was called one of the most substan- 
tial men in the township and the owner of 
500 acres of fine land. He improved his 
property and among other buildings, put 
up the handsome brick residence in which 
John H. Wigton resides. Of the eleven 
children born to John Wigton and wife, 



the following survive : Isaiah, who lives in 
Clay Township; Lewis, who lives in Cali- 
fornia ; Josiah, who has his home in Iowa ; 
and John H., of Brady Township. The 
father of the family died August 8, 1886, 
his wife's death having taken place Janu- 
ary 15, 1883. 

John H. Wigton was reared on the pres- 
ent farm and until within a short period 
has been actively engaged in its manage- 
ment. In conjunction with farming he op- 
erated a stone quarry for nine years, utiliz- 
ing a switch track which was put in by the 
Bessemer Railroad, which passes through a 
small part of the farm. This land each year 
grows more and more valuable and the 
day may come when the village, becoming 
a growing town, may cover the thirty rods 
now lying between its bounds and the Wig- 
ton farm, and even encroach upon it. 

Mr. Wigton married Elizabeth Thomp- 
son, who was born in Concord Township, 
Butler County, and is a daughter of Will- 
iam Thompson. Mr. and Mrs. Wigton have 
four children: Lula, who married John 
Borland, who conducts a grocery business 
at Butler, has two children — Helen and 
Arthur Holdman; Pearl; Charles, who 
married Jennie Bollinger, has one child, 
Elizabeth; and Frank T., who lives at 
home. Mr. Wigton is one of the leading 
members of the Muddy Creek Presbyterian 
Clmrch. 

HUGH GILMORE is a prosperous 
farmer and oil producer of Marion Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, where 
the family became established at a very 
early period. He was born in a log cabin — 
the same house in which his father was 
bom — on April 21, 1842, and is a son of 
John and Margaret (Kilgore) Gilmore, 
and a grandson of Hugh and Ellen 
(French) Gilmore. 

Hugh Gilmore, the grandfather, was 
about three years of age when brought by 
his parents from Ireland, the family locat- 
ing east of the mountains of Pennsylvania. 



1360 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Tliere was a large family of children, of 
whom three came west to Butler County: 
Joseph, John and Hugh. The last named 
grew to maturity in the East and engaged 
in farming and carpet weaving. He was a 
young man when he followed his two hroth- 
ers to Butler County, where he was shortly 
after married to Ellen French, who was 
living with her father, Ayres French, on 
the farm now owned by her grandsons, 
Hugh and William. Mr. French was later 
thrown from his horse and killed, and the 
farm has since been in the Gilmore family. 
Hugh Gilmore partly cleared the farm, 
which consisted of 300 acres, and lived in 
an old log house on the place. He survived 
his wife some years, dying in 1856 at an 
advanced age. They were parents of the 
following children: Nancy, Sally, Jane, 
Elizabeth, Isabel, Ellen, John, William, 
Hugh and Joseph. The farm descended to 
the eldest and youngest sons, John and 
Joseph. 

John Gilmore was born in the log house 
on the farm, April 19, 1807, and spent all 
his life on this place, which he helped to 
clear. He received some educational train- 
ing under his father, who taught the old 
school in the vicinity during the winter 
months. He married Margaret Kilgore, a 
daughter of John J. Kilgore of Veuango 
County, Pennsylvania, and they became 
parents of the following: Jane, wife of 
John I.; Jobe, deceased; Ellen, wife of 
Newton Mortland, now deceased; Dorcas, 
who died quite yoimg; Hugh; Elizabeth, 
wife of Alvin Mortland; John J.; Isabel, 
wife of Isaac Clay; William A.; and Ma- 
tilda, wife of Albert McCoy. John Gil- 
more died on the farm in February, 1886; 
his wife, who was born October 29, 1835, 
died in 1894. 

Hugh Gilmore, subject of this biography, 
attended the public schools and assisted in 
the work on the farm, as he was the eldest 
son. He later came into possession of the 
place with his brother, William, and has 
alwavs lived on this farm. He erected his 



present house in 1876 and has made many 
other important improvements, making it 
one of the best kept farms in this locality. 
In November, 1906, oil was struck on tlie 
place and he now has four good producing 
wells. In politics, he is a Democrat and 
has frequently been called upon to serve 
the community in local offices. 

Mr. Gilmore was married January 2, 
1873, to Miss Minerva Walter, who was 
born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a daughter of Philip and Catherine 
(Smith) Walter. They have three chil- 
dren, namely: Cora Bella, who married 
J. A. Midbury of Marion Township, and 
has two children, George G. and Charles 
N. ; Nellie G., wife of Clarence Bailey of 
Venango County; and John Morry, who 
assists his father in conducting the farm. 
Religiously, the family is Presbyterian, and 
attends the church at Clintonville. 

ROBERT JOHN ^ilcMICHABL, M. D., 

is engaged iu the practice of his profession 
at Eau Claire, Butler County, Pennsylva- 
nia, and is the owner of considerable realty 
in and about the borough. He was born in 
Clay Township, Butler County, April 27, 
1851, and is a son of Chris and Barbara 
(Curry) McMichael, and a grandson of 
William McMichael. 

W^illiam McMichael, the grandfather, 
was born January 1, 1780; he was married 
on December 21, 1804, to Jennie Rankin, 
who was born March 7, 1784, and died No- 
vember 17, 1860. The following children 
were born to them: Jane, who was born 
June 1, 1806, and died January 5. 1852; 
Christ, who was born November 22, 1808, 
and died March 17, 1887; Martha, who was 
born January 16, 1811, and became the wife 
of Robert Christy of Butler County, by 
whom she had four children — Dixon, Will- 
iam, Anna and Margaret; William, who 
was born May 27, 1813; Martha, who was 
born September 22, 1815, and died July 14, 
1874; David, born June 20, 1818, and "died 
September 19, 1879; Taylor, born April 











•1' 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1363 



13, 1821, died November 17, 1851; Johu, 
boru June 18, 1824, died January 5, 1852; 
Samuel, born June 18, 1827 ; and Margaret, 
who was boru May 21, 1830, and died Sep- 
tember 24, 1875. 

Chris McMichael was first married to 
Elizabeth St. Clair, by whom he had the 
following children: Joseph, who was born 
February 19, 1834, and was married to 
Sai-ah McKissick, a daughter of John Mc- 
Kissick; Jane, who was born September 
12, 1835, and became the wife of James 
Milford of Kansas ; William, who was born 
November 22, 1837, and died April 17, 
1839; Japhia, who was born December 18, 
1839, and married Mary E. Williams, a 
daughter of Robert AYilliams of Plain 
Grove ; Ethan, born June 1, 1842, died De- 
cember 29, 1890, married Helen Renick; 
and Zemira. born October 29, 1844, died 
May 28, 1845. Chris McMichael formed a 
second union with Barbara Curry a daugh- 
ter of Robert Curry, and three children 
were their issue: Zenias, who was born 
September 11, 1847, and married Sarah 
Williams, a daughter of Robert Williams; 
a daughter, who was born and died on Oc- 
tober 9, 1849 ; Robert J. 

Dr. R. J. McMichael was primarily edu- 
cated in the common schools of Clay 
Township, and in West Sunbury and Day- 
ton Academies, after which he attended 
Grove City College. He later attended 
Woostcr College, in Ohio, and received his 
])rotVvviiiiial training in Cleveland. After 
receiving his degree he engaged in prac- 
tice at West Sunbury, where he continued 
for two years, then came to Eau Claire. 
He has been in active practice here since 
and has won a high place in the regard and 
confidence of the people. He owns a house 
and five lots in the borough, and eleven 
acres on the east side of the borough. He 
has a valuable farm of 113 acres one and a 
half miles to the northeast, located in Al- 
legheny Township. He purchased this 
jiroperty of Thomas Milford, and oil and 



gas have been developed on it. Politically, 
he is a Prohibitionist. 

Dr. McMichael was married to Eliza- 
beth Campbell, daughter of James R. 
Campbell of West Sunbury, and the fol- 
lowing children have blessed their home: 
Elsie, born June 7, 1881; Anna, who was 
born November 22, 1882, and is the wife 
of Ralph Blair of Eau Claii*e; a son who 
was born and died November 18, 1884; 
John Ross, born October 3, 1885; Mabel, 
born December 10, 1887, who is a teacher 
in the common schools ; James C, who was 
born Jajiuary 28, 1890; Charles S., who 
was born April 17, 1892, and died Novem- 
ber 28, 1894 ; a son of who was born March 
5, 1895, and died March 8th of the same 
vear; and another son who was born and 
died on August 8, 1896. After the death 
of his first wife. Dr. McMichael formed a 
second union with Sarah Allen, a daugh- 
ter of Joseph Allen of Venango County. 
Religiously, they are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church, in which he 
is an elder and a teacher in the Sabbath 
School. Mrs. McMichael sings in the 
church choir, and is also active in church 
work. 

J. G. MOSER, proprietor of the Com- 
mercial Hotel, and oil jjroducer, located 
at No. 119 W. Jefferson Street, Butler, 
Penna., is a representative business man 
of the- city. He was born November 27, 
1864, son of Gabriel and Mary (Reed) 
Moser. His paternal great-grandfather, 
John Moser, Sr., was a Revolutionary sol- 
dier, serving at Brandywine and in other 
battles. After the war he removed from 
Northampton County to Westmoreland 
Countv and from there to Butler County 
in 1800. 

John Moser, Jr., grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was long a resident of 
Bonnybrook, where he was engaged in 
farming. He was a soldier in the War of 
1812 and while at Black Rock contracted 



1364 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the dreaded Black Rock fever, from which 
he died shortly after returning home. He 
married Catherine Home in Westmore- 
land County and they had three sons — 
Solomon, Daniel and Gabriel. 

Gabriel Mdser was born in Bonnybrook 
and received his education in the ijublic 
schools. He learned the trade of wagon 
maker and established a wagon manufac- 
tory on the site of the present Commercial 
Hotel, and conducted it for a munber of 
years. His death occurred about 1873. 
He married Mary Reed and they became 
the ijarents of nine children, namely: 
Henry; Joseph, deceased; Thomas, de- 
ceased; William John, deceased; a daugh- 
ter who died in infancy' ; Isaiah ; J. G. ; 
Amelia, who married a Mr. Jewel; and 
Catherine, who became the wife of a Mr. 
Miller. 

J. G. Moser received his education in 
the district schools of Butler County. He 
began industrial life as an assistant in 
the grocery store of G. W. Miller. After- 
wards he obtained work in a bottling es- 
tablishment as packer. He was then 
initiated into the hotel business, working 
first for a Mr. Idemiller and later in a 
hotel owned by Captain Leibold, the pres- 
ent owner and proprietor of the Arlington 
Hotel. Subsequently he quit the hotel 
business for a while, being occupied in 
painting and later becoming interested in 
oil production. In 1905 he bought the 
Steel Smith Building from Jacob Painter 
and turned it into the present Commercial 
Hotel, fitting it up in an adequate manner 
to meet the demands of a good class of 
patronage, which he has since readily ob- 
tained. He makes special rates to "jury- 
men, witnesses, regular boarders and also 
to theatrical people, his regular rates be- 
ing $1..50 per day. The hotel is conducted 
on the American plan and there is a bar 
attachment to accommodate the wants of 
thirsty guests. 

Mr. Moser married Jane Emerick, a 
daughter of John Emerick, of Chicora. 



He and his wife have become the parents 
of four children — Eugene (married Ella 
Vandwort whose death occurred July 7, 
1908), John, Harry, and Catherine, the 
last mentioned of whom is now deceased. 
They have also an adopted daughter, Ger- 
trude. 

Politically Mr. Moser is a Republican, 
but with enough independence to break 
party lines when he does not approve of 
some pai'ticular nomination, in such cases 
voting for the man he considers best quali- 
fied for the office. He is a member of the 
fraternal order. Woodmen of the World, 
and his religious connection is with the 
Methodist church. 

BENJAMIN J. FORQUER has been 
proprietor of the Forquer Hotel at Chi- 
cora for more than thirty-five years, and 
has a large and well established business. 
He was born in Donegal Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, January 22, 1844,, 
and is a son of William and Rebecca 
(Marsh) Forquer. He comes of one of the 
oldest pioneer families of this township. 

William Forquer, the father, was born 
in Donegal Township, and died there on 
May 12, 1874, at the age of sixty-nine 
years. His wife, who was born in War- 
ren County, Pennsylvania, died in 1888, at 
the age of seventy-four years. They were 
parents of the following children: Eliza- 
beth Ann, who was born September 1, 1833, 
and died in 1907 ; Eliza J., born May 4, 
1836; Robert E., who was born May 1, 
1838, and died in infancy ; Rose Anna, who 
was born October 18, 1839, and died in in- 
fancy; Benjamin J. ; Amelia, who was born 
August 22, 1848, and died in infancy ; Mary, 
deceased, who was born April 27, 1849; 
Anastasia, who was born March 31, 
1854, and married D. 0. Bennett, by whom 
she has two daughters, Rebecca and Delia ; 
William J., who was born September 26, 
1859, and is now deceased; and Maiy, who 
married John McCrea and has three chil- 
dren — Stephen, Marsh and Laura. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1365 



Benjamiu J. Forquer has thus far spent 
most of his life in Butler County. He 
spent his boyhood on his father's farm and 
in attendance at the common schools. In 
1864 he went to the oil fields about Oil City, 
Pennsylvania, and for three years was en- 
gaged in contracting and drilling. He then 
became a producer and continued at that 
until February, 1873, when he purchased 
the hotel business of Michael Goodwin at 
Chicora. As his business grew he made 
many important improvements in the 
house and its equipment, and has conduct- 
ed one of the most popular houses of en- 
tertainment in this part of the state. 

November 28, 1876, Mr. Forquer was 
married at Chicora to Miss Nora A. Dew- 
ey, a daughter of John and Johannah 
(Neville) Dewey of Duncreek, New York, 
the Rev. Father Quilter officiating. Six 
children are the issue of this union: Clara, 
wife of W. J. Battegan of Butler, by whom 
she has a daughter, Nora; Charles, who is 
in the oil fields of Oklahoma; Albert, of 
Butler, salesman for the National Supply 
Company, and exalted ruler of Butler 
Lodge, B. P. 0. E. ; Eugene, who married 
Catherine Spaulty and lives in Oklahoma; 
Irene, wife of Charles E. Stalker of Pitts- 
burg, by whom she has a daughter, Mary 
L. ; and Gertrude, who is an accomplished 
musician and is prominent in social circles 
in Chicora. Religiously, the family be- 
longs to the Roman Catholic Church of 
Chicora, being liberal in its support and 
active church workers. Fraternally, Mr. 
Forquer is a member and past master of 
Blue Lodge No. 540, F. & A. M., which he 
has represented at a meeting of the Grand 
Lodge at Philadelphia; is a member of 
the Knights Templar at Pittsburg; the 
Chapter at Kittanning; the Knights of 
Pythias at Chicora ; and the Order of Elks 
at Butler. He has taken a deep interest 
in the affairs of Chicora, and has capably 
served as a member of the borough coun- 
cil and on the school board. 



LOUIS HARTENSTEIN, general mer- 
chant at Great Belt, where, for fifteen 
years he was also i^ostmaster, was born 
January 6, 1845, in Jefferson Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Henry and Henrietta (Leithold) Har- 
tenstein. 

The grandfather of Mr. Hartenstein es- 
tablished the family in Jefferson Town- 
ship, cleared up the land and developed 
the homestead farm. Henry Hartenstein, 
father of Louis, spent his life on his farm 
of 100 acres, located near Great Belt. He 
was a very active citizen and was a mov- 
ing spirit in all public nlatters in his neigh- 
borhood. 

Louis Hartenstein spent his boyhood on 
the home farm and attended the local 
schools. When eighteen years of age he 
enlisted in the United States x\rmy,'becom- 
ing a member of Company G, Twenty-sev- 
enth Infantry, and remained a soldier for 
five years. His regiment took part in the 
Atlanta campaign during the Civil War, 
under command of General Sherman. Mr. 
Hartenstein survived all the dangers and 
hardships of military life and when re- 
leased from the service, returned home. 
He taught four terms of school in Jeffer- 
son Township and then purchased his pres- 
ent business, which he has conducted ever 
since. He carries a large and carefully se- 
lected general stock and has a large trade 
from the surrounding country. 

In May, 1877, Mr. Hartenstein was mar- 
ried to Caroline Divener, a daughter of 
Henry Divener, who was a farmer in 
Donegal Township. Mrs. Hartenstein died 
in January, 1904, leaving two children: 
Clara, who married Philip Krause; and 
Mollie, who resides at home. Mr. Harten- 
stein is a member of the Lutheran Church. 

GILMORE A. DUNCAN, D. D. S., who 
lias been engaged in the practice of dental 
surgery at Zelienople for the past nine 
years, is a representative of two of the 



1366 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



oldest and most prominent families of But- 
ler County. He was born October 30, 1872, 
in Cranberry Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Nelson B. 
and Susan O. (Waldron) Duncan. 

The Duncans originated in Ireland and 
the Waldrons in Holland. The paternal 
grandparents, Samuel and Elizabeth Dun- 
can, came as pioneers into Cranberry 
Township, and from the old home their 
many descendants have gone out into the 
world and have performed well their part 
in life. The first of the Waldrons to come 
to Butler County, located near Evans City. 
Jolui Waldron, 'the maternal grandfather 
of Dr. Duncan, formerly represented But- 
ler County in the General Assembly. 

Nelson B. Duncan, father of Dr. Dun- 
can, is one of Zelienople's leading citizens, 
at present serving as postmaster of the 
town. He was born in the old homestead 
in Cranberry Township and for a number 
of years engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
He married Susan 0. Waldron and to them 
were born the following children: Alice; 
Gilmore A.; William, who resides at 
Zelienople ; John, who resides at Marietta, 
Ohio; Blanche, who is assistant to her 
father in the Zelienople postoffice; Laura, 
who is the wife of Edwin Kect, of Belle 
View; Gertrude, who is the wife of Jo- 
seph Cavenaugh, of Bridgeport, Illinois; 
and an infant, deceased. 

Dr. Duncan went from the Sample 
School, in Cranberry Township, to Grove 
City College, where he pursued his studies 
for two years and then took up the study 
of dentistry, in 1896 entering the Balti- 
more College of Dental Surgery, and was 
graduated in the class of 1899. In June 
of the same year he located at Zelienople, 
opening an office over the People's Na- 
tional Bank, and has built up a large and 
lucrative practice. He keeps thoroughly 
abreast of the times in the wonderful ad- 
vances made in his science, and makes use, 
in his practice, of many of the inventions 



which make a visit to the dentist no longer 
a dreaded experience. 

On April 10, 1899, Dr. Duncan was mar- 
ried to Miss Nancy M. Riley, a daughter of 
Owen Riley, of Baltimore, Maryland, and. 
they have three children — Helen, Waldron 
and Francis. He belongs to the Elks at 
Butler and retains his membership in his 
college fraternity, the Psi Omega. In his 
political affiliation he is a Republican. 

E. L. WASSON, M. I)., physician and 
surgeon at Butler, a sijecialist in gynecol- 
ogy and a thoroughly trained member of 
his profession, was born at New Castle, 
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and has 
been a resident of this city since 1892. 

Dr. Wasson was reared in Butler Coun- 
ty through his years of common-school 
training ancl after an academic course at 
West Sunbury, he followed school-teaching 
for three years, in the meanwhile prepar- 
ing for entrance in the Baltimore Medical 
College, where he was graduated in 1898. 
He located at Callery and remained in 
]iractice there for four years. In 1901 and 
1902 he took post-graduate courses at Johns 
Hopkins University, at Baltimore, and has 
kept closely in touch with every late dis- 
covery in medical science, identifying him- 
self with various medical organizations 
and frequently contributing to medical lit- 
erature. He is the only specialist in gyn- 
ecology at Butler and is the gynecologist 
of the Butler General Hospital. During 
1904-5 he was the president of the Butler 
County Medical Society and belongs also 
to the Medical Society of the State of 
Pennsylvania and to the American Medical 
Association. 

On September 15, 1897, Dr. AVasson was 
married to Miss Marie Hoon, who died 
:\rarch 11, 1908. She was a daughter of 
Thomas Hoon, formerly sheriff of Butler 
County. Dr. W^asson has two sons, La- 
A'ernze DeVoe and Thomas Hoon. He is 
a member of the First Presbyterian 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1367 



Cliurch at Butler. lu political sentiment 
lie has always been ideutitied with the Re- 
publican party and has been its chosen can- 
didate for the Legislature. Fraternally he 
is a Mason and belongs to Harmony Lodge, 
and iilso to No. 170, Butler Lodge. B. P. 
0. E. 

JOHN E. AVOMER, who is prominently 
identified with the oil industry both in 
Butler and Venango Counties, is one of 
Allegheny Township's leading citizens, 
where he does a large business as a con- 
tractor and driller of oil and gas wells. 
He was born August 14, 1856, in Alle- 
gheny Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of Isaac and Emily 
(Morrison) AVomer. 

Jacob Womer, the grandfather of John 
E., came to Butler County from Schuyl- 
kill County, Pennsylvania, and was an 
early settler in Allegheny Township. There 
Isaac Womer was born and prior to the 
Civil AVar, he engaged in farming. He 
entered the Federal Army and was a brave 
and fearless soldier and was one of the 
many hundreds who fell on the second day 
of the struggle which is known in history 
as the battle of the Wilderness. He had 
married the daughter of a neighbor and 
four of their family of children still sur- 
vive, namely: John E. ; Elizabeth J., who 
is the wife of John Glass, of Bradford, 
Pennsylvania; Ella E., who is the wife of 
George Gilles, of Coraopolis, Pennsylva- 
nia; and William Isaac, of Cameron, Ohio. 

John E. Womer was reared to man's es- 
tate in Allegheny Township and as he was 
a soldier's orphan he was entitled to the 
educational aclvantages oiTered by the Sol- 
diers' Orphans' School at Titusville, which 
he attended for nearly five years. He re- 
turned to Allegheny Towmship and re- 
mained there until he was twenty years of 
age, when he entered the Clarion County 
oil fields, going from there to McKean 
County and later to Allegheny County, 
New York, spending some time in each 



section and investigating into others. He 
finally returned to Butler County and for 
a quarter of a century has been interested 
in oil development here. He is also con- 
nected with the firm of Eakin Brothers, in 
Venango County. He has met with a large 
amount of success in his line of business 
and is known all through the oil territory. 

Mr. Womer 's early years were filled with 
excitement that only war can bring, more 
esi^ecially when its grim reality grasps 
happiness from the home circle, and from 
boyhood the marching and counter-march- 
ing of troojjs were but too familiar sights 
and entered into even childish plays. 
Doubtless he inherited a taste for military 
life and evidentlj^ possessed a natural gift 
of command, for while he was a student at 
school, he was chosen, out of a score of 
other sons of soldiers, to command and 
drill a -comjiany, which became very profi- 
cient in the manual of arms as he taught 
them. When the Spanish-American War 
broke out, Mr. Womer through his own 
personal effort raised a full company and 
for two months he walked the distance of 
five miles from his home to Eau Claire, 
twice every week, to drill them, receiving 
no remuneration whatever. Mr. AVomer 
has been a very active Republican for a 
number of years and is in close touch with 
other leaders of his party in Butler Coun- 
ty. He has been sent as a delegate to three 
Congressional Conventions and once as a 
delegate to the convention to nominate a 
delegate to the National Convention. He 
has always been a loyal party man and 
has frequently proved his efficiency. He 
has been a member of many important 
committees and was a delegate to the State 
Republican Convention at Harrisburg. 

Mr. AVomer married Miss Elizabeth Al- 
len, who is a daughter of the late John R. 
Allen, of Allegheny Township. She has 
one brother, Harvey L., of Allegheny 
Township, and one sister, Orrell, who is 
the wife of Josiah Pearce, of Allegheny 
Township. Mv. and Mrs. AA^omer have four 



1368 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



children, namely : Delia M., who is the wife 
of J ohn Keating, of Allegheny Township ; 
Emily E., who is the wife of Frederick 
Cobbett, of Allegheny Township ; and Una 
E. and Carl L., the latter of whom is still 
in school. Mr. Womer is a member of the 
Allegheny Presbyterian Church and for 
fourteen years has served as clerk of the 
Session. He is identified with the Masonic 
Lodge at Parker's Landing. 

S. Gr. CLAY'', a well known and respected 
citizen of Forward Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a valua- 
ble farm of 140 acres. He was born on 
his father's farm in Venango County, 
Pennsylvania, August 29, 1858, a son of 
David and Catherine (Grove) Clay. 

David Clay, father of the subject of this 
sketch, was born in Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania, August 7, 1823, and was there 
reared to maturity. He early turned his 
attention to agricultural pursuits — his 
principal occupation through life — and also 
at an early day engaged in rafting down 
the Allegheny and Ohio rivers to Cincin- 
nati and Louisville. At the time of his 
death, which occurred May 15, 1879, when 
he was fifty-five years, nine months, and 
eight days old, he resided in Clintonville. 
He is survived by his widow, who was 
eighty years of age December 24, 1908, and 
is in the enjoyment of good health. They 
were married July 29, 1846, and became 
the parents of the following children: Mrs. 
A. J. Henderson of Clintonville, Venango 
County ; I. J. Clay of the same place ; Mrs. 
Al. Heckard of Star Crossing, Butler 
County; William 0. Clay of Mariposa, 
Cal. ; Simeon G. Clay of Brownsdale, But- 
ler County, Pa.; Alva E. Clay of Evans 
City, Butler County; Mrs. Charles Day of 
Kane, Pa. ; George A. Clay of New Castle ; 
Mrs. Charles N. Islen of Pittsburg, and 
three who died in infancy. 

S. G. Clay was reared on his father's 
farm in Venango County, and continued to 
reside under the parental roof tree until he 



reached his majority. He then became ac- 
tive in the oil fields, where he was em- 
ployed for some years with profitable re- 
sults. He moved on to his present farm in 

1902, having purchased it of D. B. Crowe, 
and has engaged in general farming. An 
energetic and progressive man, he is high- 
ly esteemed by his fellow citizens. 

Mr. Clay was imited in marriage with 
Miss Rebecca Crowe, who died May 11, 

1903. She was a daughter of David B. and 
Ellen Jane (Anderson) Crowe. This 
union was blessed with children as fol- 
lows: Reatha Eleanor, wife of Lawrence 
Black; Cora Cathryn and Leroy David 
Clay. Fraternally Mr. Clay is a member 
of Oakdale Lodge, No. 29, K. 0. T. M. In 
l)olitics he is a Democrat. 

LEVI THOMAS KERR, deceased, was 
a prominent resident of the boroiigh of Eau 
Claire, where he had conducted a hotel for 
nearly a score of years, but at the time of 
his death was retired from that business. 
He died on August 26, 3907, and his death 
was mourned as a loss to the community, 
in which he was so widely known. Mrs. 
Kerr still resides in Eau Claire, where she 
is the owner of some good property as well 
as the old Kerr homestead in Allegheny 
Township. 

Levi Thomas Kerr was born in Alle- 
gheny Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, December 23, 1832, and was a son of 
Thomas Bradon and Tammer (Williams) 
Kerr, and a grandson of Joseph Kerr, who 
was an early resident of Allegheny Town- 
ship. The last named was the father of the 
following children : Harnei', Parks, James, 
John, Joseph, Zachariah and Thomas 
Bradon. 

Thomas Bradon, father of the subject 
of this record, was married to Tammer 
Williams, a daughter of Levi Williams of 
Scrub Grass, Butler Coimty, and his wife 
who in maiden life was Mary Phipps. Mr. 
and Mrs. Kerr had one son. Levi Thomas 
Kerr, subject of this sketch. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1371 



Levi T. Kerr attended the public schools 
of his home community, and then went to 
work on his father's farm, which he came 
into possession of at the time of his mar- 
riage. It consisted of fifty acres of land, 
and to this he added forty-five acres which 
he purchased of James Miller, who in turn 
had acquired it of Squire John Commigan. 
This made a total of ninety-live acres of 
valuable and tillable laud, on which he 
erected a comfortable home and a fine set 
of farm buildings. Oil and gas were de- 
veloped in paying quantities, and three 
veins of coal were discovered underlying 
the land. Eetaining ownership in the 
farm, Mr. Kerr purchased a hotel at Eau 
Claire, rebuilt it and erected a good barn, 
and for a period of eighteen years he con- 
ducted the establishment with good suc- 
cess. He then sold out to William Mitchell 
and purchased an adjoining lot, on which 
he erected a fine home. He lived there un- 
til his death at the age of seventy-five 
years. 

Levi T. Kerr was united in marriage 
with Mary Ellen Williams, who was born 
in Allegheny Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, January 2, 1835, and is a 
daughter of Thomas M. and Ella M. (Will- 
iams) Williams, and a granddaughter of 
~Sh\vk AYilliams, who was of Clarion Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania. Thomas and Ella Will- 
iams were parents of the following: John 
Milton, who married Sabine Strait and has 
three children— Mary, Nora and Cornelius ; 
Sarah, wife of AVilliam Bailes of Harmony, 
by whom she had the following children — 
Amelia. Luella, Cora Sarah; Marcus, who 
married Keziah Morrison, daughter of 
James ^lorrison of Allegheny Township, 
and has the following children — Sylvanus, 
Oran, Clara, Miunie, Ella, Mary, James 
and Newton ; Abraham, who married 
Amanda ]\rock of Centerville, and had the 
following offspring — Louise, Eoy, Rex, 
Eoss, Maude and Mabel; Asenath, who 
married Thomas Williams, son of Levi 
Wallace Williams, and had the following 



children — Emma, Effie, Delia, Alice, May, 
Harry, Edison, Clyde, Lulu, Winnifred and 
Eenaldo; Almira Jane, who married Ed- 
ward Graham of Washington Township, 
by whom she had three children — Charles, 
Verner Edward and Celora (deceased) ; 
James, who married Gussie Thompson, 
daughter of Alexander Thompson of 
Clarion County, and has five children — 
Harry, Charles, Mark, John and Mossie; 
and Thomas, the youngest of the family, 
who is deceased. 

Levi T. and Mary Ellen (Williams) Kerr 
reared the following family : Laura Deleua, 
who married Thomas Bovard; Carmila 
Carleton; Thomas Meridan; Mary Almira 
(Daubenspeck) ; Tammer, deceased; John 
Hamilton H., who died in California; Sa- 
bine (Hoffman); Levi Phipps, deceased; 
Bessie C, who is attaining much success as 
a professional nurse; and Eoy. Laura 
Delena Kerr married Thomas Bovard, a 
son of Eobert Bovard of Eau Claire, and 
the following were born to them : Gertrude, 
deceased; Plummer of Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia; Amy, wife of Henry Kelly of 
Clarion County; Cora, wife of Homer Nes- 
bit of Oakdale, Allegheny County; Elsie, 
deceased; Minnie; Sidney; Bessie; and 
Delbert, deceased. Carmila Cai'leton Kerr 
married Elizabeth Shook, a daughter of 
Henry Shook of Butler County, and the 
following were boi*n to' them: Ealph; War- 
ren, who married Elsie Hilliard of Clin- 
touville; Myrth; and Elsie. Thomas Meri- 
dan married Eennie English of Mercer 
County, Pennsylvania, and to them were 
born the following: Eoy, Lena, Elsie, 
Frank, Mary and Edward. Mary Almira 
Kerr married James Daubenspeck of Park- 
er Township, and the following children 
blessed their union: Harry, Eoss, Essie, 
Ellis, Clitford, Vernie, and one who died 
in infancy. John Kerr was joined in mar- 
riage with Ella Mahood, daughter of 
George Mahood of North Washington, But- 
ler County, and to them were born : George, 
Brown, Charles, Harry (deceased). Belle, 



1372 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



Mary, Ross, Paul and Flossie. Sabine 
Kerr married Philip Hoffman of Clinton- 
ville, and their children are: Carmila C, 
Leon, Colter, Dean, Mary and Rex. Roy 
Kerr married Mary Keim, a daughter of 
William Keim of Marion Township, and 
they have two children, Donald and Claire. 
In religious attachment, Mrs. Kerr is a 
devout member of the Presbyterian Church 
at Scrub Grass, of which her mother was 
a member for seventy-three years. She is 
a lady of many pleasing qualities, and has 
friends throughout the community. 

THOMAS WILSON, who comes of an 
old and prominent family of Clay Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is en- 
gaged in general farming and stock rais- 
ing on an excellent farm of nearly 500 
acres, which is owned by him and his sister. 
Miss Mary Elizabeth Wilson. He was 
born on this farm December 15, 1844, and 
is a son of James and Mary (Carothers) 
Wilson. 

James Wilson was a son of James AVil- 
son, Sr., and was a small boy when he ac- 
companied his parents from their native 
land, Ireland, to the United States. They 
settled in Butler County and the father of 
our subject grew to be an extensive land 
owner and substantial citizen of Clay 
Township. His death occurred here in 
18S8, after a long and useful life. He mar- 
ried Mary Carothers, a daughter of Thom- 
as Carothers, who came originally from 
Ireland, and she too is now deceased. They 
became parents of the following children : 
Nancy Jane, whose husband, Isaiah Don- 
aldson, died on January 11, 1908; Thom- 
as ; Margaret Ann, deceased ; James Madi- 
son; John, deceased; Mary Elizabeth; Al- 
len, deceased; and Sarah Ellen, who died 
in June, 1903, and was the wife of John 
Dull, by whom she had a son, Ralph W. 
Dull, who makes his home with the sub- 
ject of this sketch. 

Thomas Wilson and his sister. Miss 
Mary E. Wilson, reside in the old home lo- 



cated on the northeast hundred acres of 
the farm, which they own conjointly. Ad- 
joining this tract she has 220 acres, and 
he 150 acres making in all 470 acres. It 
is an excellent property, under a high state 
of cultivation, and is well improved 
throughout. They have spent their entire 
lives in this locality and enjoy a wide ac- 
quaintanceship. 

JACKSON McMILLEN VAN DY^KE, 
who comes of one of the early pioneer fam- 
ilies of Marion Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, is located on a part of the 
farm acquired by his grandfather at the 
time of his arrival here. He has sixty 
acres of good tillable land and is engaged 
in general farming. He was born on the 
old home farm February 1, 1844, and is a 
son of Thomas and Mary (Monjar) Van 
Dyke, and a grandson of Samuel Van Dyke. 

Samuel Van Dvko, the grandfather, was 
of Scotch (Icscciit. and was (.iic of the earli- 
est settlcis of Clarion Townsliip. lli' set- 
tled on 300 acres of land, and after mak- 
ing a clearing erected a primitive log house, 
which in later life he replaced with a stone 
house, which was one of the best in the sur- 
rounding cormtry at that time. He lived 
to reach a ripe old age, and died in the old 
stone house. He had three sons and three 
daughters, Thomas being the youngest son. 

Thomas Van Dyke was born in Marion 
Townsliip, Butler County, in 1805, and died 
in 1880, at the age of seventy-five years. 
He was reared on the old farm, a part of 
which he cleared, and after a time he in- 
herited a portion of it. He was united in 
marriage with Miss Mary Monjar, who 
was born in Venango County, Pennsylva- 
nia, in June, 1807, and is now living at the 
remarkable age of one hundred and one 
years. She is in good health, has a reten- 
tive memory and excellent eye sight, and 
is possessed of great vitality for one of her 
years. She now resides at the home of her 
daughter, Mrs. Peter Ghost. Nine chil- 
dren were born to Thomas and Mary Van 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1373 



Dyke, as follows: Isabella, wife of J. C. 
Hutchison; Richard, deceased; Elizabeth, 
deceased; Mary Ann, wife of James I)u- 
gan; Julia, wife of Peter Ghost; Sarah, 
who was the wife of John Dugan, both now 
deceased; Jackson McMillen; Frances, 
wife of R. M. Hovis ; and Joseph, who lives 
in the old homestead. 

Jackson M. Van Dyke spent his boyhood 
days on the farm and also helped to clear 
it. He attended the old schoolhouse which 
then stood in his home district, and has 
witnessed a wonderful change in the pub- 
lic schools since that time. He lived at 
home until his marriage, and has always 
followed farming. He is a progressive citi- 
zen and takes an earnest interest in all 
that pertains to the welfare of the com- 
munity and public improvements. , 

Mr. Van Dyke was married January 7, 
ISG'J, to MissElizabeth Fleegar, and they 
became parents of the following: Samuel, 
who married Bertha Hemminger; Abigail, 
wife of James A. Gillgrist; Richard, who 
married Alberta Dodds ; Thomas Harrison, 
wlio married Sadie Shaw ; Lee ; Sadie, who 
is the wife of James McNeil; Daisy, wife 
of Richard Huff; Maimie; Amanda; Jo- 
seph; and Charles. In political affiliation 
Mr. Van Dyke is a Republican, and has 
served as school director and as road su- 
pervisor. 

LEONARD SMITH, whose excellent 
farm of fifty arics is situated in Venango 
Townshi]), two miles wi'st of Eau Claire, 
was liorn in Wiuti'iuhcrg, Germany, May 
4, 1844, and is a son of Leonard and Eliza- 
beth (Streker) Smith, whom he accompa- 
nied to America at the age of ten years. 

The parents of Mr. Smith emigrated to 
the United States in 1854, came to Penn- 
sylvania and lived at Chicora in Butler 
County and at Brady's Bend, in Arm- 
strong County. They had the following 
children: Leonard; George, who was mar- 
ried (first) to Sarah Rankin, daughter of 
Thomas Rankin, of Bradv's Bend, and 



(second) to Mary McMund, had three chil- 
dren to his first union — Thomas, Samuel 
and Ida, and three to his second — Charles, 
Dolly and Leslie; Rosanna, who married 
John Bessenieker, has five children — Will- 
iam, John, Henry, Susanna and Elizabeth ; 
Elizabeth, who married William Ford, had 
an infant, now deceased; Susanna, who 
married Ilugh McElroy, has one daughter, 
Margaret; Mary, who died aged ten years; 
Samuel and Philip, twins; and William, 
who died in infancy. 

After his parents settled near Chicora, 
Leonard Smith went to school in the village 
and also attended school after the family 
removed to Brady's Bend. After his mar- 
riage, in 1870, he moved to Troutman Hol- 
low and worked for two years as a team- 
ster in the oil fields, after which he pur- 
chased his farm of fift,y acres. This was 
unimproved land and Mr. Smith had it to 
clear and at present has forty acres under 
cultivation and has excellent farm build- 
ings, all of which he had erected since com- 
ing here. His land is excellent for farming 
purposes and it may, like many others in 
this neighborhood, be also rich in oil, gas 
and coal, l)ut he has never tested for either. 

On April 7, 1870, Mr. Smith was mar- 
ried to Miss Sarah Belle Morrow, who is 
a daughter of Mathew Morrow, of Concord 
Township, and the following children have 
been born to them: Dora, who married 
William Ferguson, of Venango Township, 
has four children — Carl Thompson, Nancy 
Belle, Mary Jane and Leonard Allison; 
Sarah Emma, who resides at Pittsburg; 
Harry, who married Cora Serena, daugh- 
ter of John Serena; Clyde, Bertha and 
Albert, all of whom reside at home; Rosa, 
who is a member of the class of 1911, at 
Eau 'Claire Academy; Pearl, who is a 
school teacher; and Mary, who is also a 
student. Mr. Smith and family are mem- 
bers of the Ignited Preslnterian C'hnreh at 
Eau- Claire, of which ]\[iss Bertha has been 
treasurer and Miss Pearl several times sec- 
retary of the Sundav school. Politically, 



1374 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Mr. Smith is a Republican but he has never 
consented to fill any township office except 
that of school director, in which he is serv- 
ing in his second term. He is one of the 
representative and reliable citizens of Ven- 
ango Township. 

JOHN L. CARPENTER, who has at- 
tained a high degree of success as an oil 
producer, is a resident of Fairview, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is the owner of 
considerable property in that vicinity. In 
addition to his village property, he has a 
tract of twenty and three-fourths acres 
with one producing oil well upon it, and 
another tract of fifty acres with six excel- 
lent wells upon it. 

Mr. Carpenter was born in Crawford 
County, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1843, and 
is a son of AVelcome A. and Lucinda (Dick- 
son) Carpenter. His paternal great- 
grandfather was a soldier in the Revolu- 
tionary War. He was one of the following 
children born to his parents : Prescott, Car- 
rie, John L., James D., M. L., Mary, Allen 
and Homer. The two last named are de- 
ceased. 

John L. Carpenter was reared in his 
native county and upon arriving at his 
majority went to Pittsville, in Venango 
County, where he became identified with 
the oil business. After a brief period of 
three months, he went to West Hickorj^, in 
Forest County, thence to Warren County, 
and still later to the Borough of Butler, 
where he was located three years. He then, 
in 1873, purchased a farm of Thomas 
Hayes in Fairview Township, Butler 
County, upon which he lived until 1902. He 
then purchased property in the village of 
Fairview, where he has since resided. He 
has in the meantime continued his activity 
as an oil producer. 

November 1, 1869, Mr. Carpenter was 
united in marriage with Miss Sophia J. 
Courson. a daughter of Benjamin P. and 
Elizabeth P. (Morrison) Courson of War- 
ren County, Pennsylvania. Her father 



died at the early age of thirty-one years, 
and her mother survived to the age of sev- 
enty-two. Mrs. Carpenter is one of the 
following children born to her parents: 
Sophia, Hiram (deceased), Eveline, Oren 
W. (deceased) and Ellen. The subject of 
this sketch and his estimable wife are par- 
ents of three children : Melville A., of But- 
ler County, who married Grace Snow and 
has had two children, Gail and Clara, the 
latter dying at the age of fourteen months ; 
Elizabeth L., who is the wife of J. F. Jew- 
art and lives at Buffalo, New York; and 
Carrie B., who resides with her parents and 
is connected with the postoffice at Fair- 
view. Religiously, the family is Presby- 
terian. Mr. Carpenter is a member of the 
Protective Home Circle. 

JOHN A. MEAKIN, weighmaster for 
the Erie Coal & Coke Company at Ferris, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and assist- 
ant postmaster of that village, was born 
in Eastwood, England, August 19, 1885. 
He is a son of Frank and Harriet (Poster) 
Meakin, and a grandson of Thomas and 
Elizabeth Meakin. 

Thomas Meakin, the grandfather, and 
his wife had the following offspring : An- 
na, wife of Albert Piper; Haiiiiah Myra, 
wife of Chai'les Mabbott, by whom slio has 
the following children, — Annie, ]\label, 
Charles, Leonard and Douglas; and 
Frank. 

Frank Meakin married Harriet Foster, a 
daughter of James Foster of Brinsley, 
England, and their children are as follows : 
William, who owns a drug stoi'o in Not- 
tingham, England, and who married Nellie 
Newton; Elizabeth, who married AVilliam 
Patrick and has two children, Annie Eliza- 
beth and William Ray; John A., whose 
name heads this record; Frank, who is en- 
gaged in mining in England; Thomas of 
England; 8amuel, a gardener residing in 
England; and Arthur, who is attending 
school in England. 

John A. Meakin attended school at East- 




JOHN A. MEAKIN 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1377 



wood, in his native country, after which he 
engaged as clerk in a store in that village. 
He later took up gardening and mining, 
and still later was employed as a clerk in 
a drug store. He then emigrated to Amer- 
ica, landing at New York City, and thence 
made his way to Hilliard, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He here engaged in cutting- 
coal for a time, and subsequently became 
weighmaster for the Industrial Coal Com- 
pany of Pittsburg. Leaving that position 
he worked as brakeman on the Bessemer 
and Lake Erie Railroad, and then served 
for two and a half years as weighmaster 
for the Bessemer Coal Mining Company. 
At the end of that time he accepted his 
present position with the Erie Coal & Coke 
Company at Ferris. He is a man of well 
known ability and stands high in the es- 
teem of his fellowmen. 

Mr. Meakin was married to Elsie E. 
Foster, a daughter of Thomas J. Foster of 
Ferris, and they have a sou, Ernest La- 
mont. Fraternallv, he is a member of Hil- 
liard Lodge No. 11, I. 0. 0. F.; and Hil- 
liard Lodge, No. 92, K. P. He has passed 
through all the chairs of both orders. He 
is a Republican in polities, whilst in relig- 
ious attachment he is a member of of the 
Church of England. From April 22, 1908, 
to June 2nd of that year, he was at his old 
home in England, in the enjoyment of a 
well earned vacation. 



CHARLES T. WALTERS, who has 
charge of the pumping station of the 
American Natural Gas Company, in Clin- 
ton Township, Butler Coimty, Pennsylva- 
nia, is also the owner of a fine farm of 
sixty-six acres in that township, on which 
he follows general farming. He was born 
on this farm, which is located about one 
and a half miles south of Ekastown on the 
Tarentum road, the date of his birth being 
September 15, 1858. He is a son of Frank 
and Almira (Douglas)" Walters, and a 
grandson of Davis Walters, who was of 



German parentage and possibly of German 
birth. 

Frank Walters was born in Clinton 
Township, Butler County, where his par- 
ents were early settlers, and throughout 
•his active life engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits. He and his wife Almira became par- 
ents of the following children : Charles T. ; 
James, deceased; Edward; Frank, de- 
ceased; Daisy; Susan; Beulah; and Anna. 

Charles T. Walters attended the common 
schools of Clinton Township and was 
reared to maturity on the farm. He 
learned stationary engineering, which he 
has followed for the last eighteen years 
with good results. He has held his present 
responsible position with the American 
Natural Gas Company for two years, and 
in addition to the discharge of its duties 
has continued his farming operations. He 
follows general farming and raises some 
stock. His farm is under a high state of 
cultivation and is well improved; Mr. Wal- 
ters has a fine two-story home and a large 
barn, together with other necessary out- 
buildings. 

April 5. 1891, he was married to Miss 
Mary ]McKrell, a daughter of James and 
Jane (Taylor) McKrell of Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania. Her father was a 
prosperous farmer and a well known citi- 
zen of the community in which she was 
reared. Two children were born of this 
union : Ethel Jane and Frank DeHass, both 
of whom are in attendance at school. Re- 
ligiously, the family belongs to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Walters mar- 
ried, second. Ethel Martin. 

GEORGE B. IRWIN, general farmer in 
Venango Township, residing on his excel- 
lent farm of fifty acres, which is situated 
one and one-half miles west of Eau Claire, 
was born in Venaugo Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, November 9, 1843, 
and is" a son of Samuel C. and Elizabeth 
(Curtis) Irwin, and a grandson of Reuben 
Irwin. 



1378 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The parents of Mr. Irwin were farming 
people in Venango Township for a number 
of years. The mother was a daughter of 
Truman Curtis, of Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania. The children of Samuel C. Irwin 
and his first wife were: Reuben, who was 
killed in the battle of the Wilderness, in 
the Civil War; Truman C. and Ephraim, 
both of whom are now deceased; Geoi'ge 
B. ; Margaret, who married Samuel Sloan, 
both now deceased, is survived by five chil- 
dren — Amanda, Pinley J., Sarah Jane, 
Louisa Margaret and Loretta. Samuel C. 
Irwin was married (second) to Martha 
Boyle Atwell, and they had two children — 
James A. and Mary. 

George B. Irwin secured an excellent 
common school education, attending what 
was known as the Pine Tree School and 
the Big Bend School, both in Venango 
County, and later the Mt. Pisgah School, in 
Butler County. His first work was done 
as a driller and tool dresser in the oil fields 
and after four years of that kind of labor, 
he went to lumbering along the Allegheny 
River, in Clearfield Countj^ After the 
death of his father he received fifty acres 
of the home farm as his portion and then 
turned his attention to improving it with 
buildings and has continued to make im- 
provements while cultivating his land. So 
far he has been satisfied with the ample re- 
turns he has received from its tillage, hav- 
ing never tested for oil, coal or gas. 

On March 28, 1879, Mr. Irwin was mar- 
ried to Miss Margaret A. Sloan, a daugh- 
ter of Thomas Sloan, of Venango Town- 
ship, and they have had the following chil- 
dren: Samuel E.; Calvin R. ; Marilda E., 
who married AVilliam Campbell, of Barren 
City, Pennsylvania, and has had three chil- 
dren — Laverne I., Paul L. and Florence 
A.; and Alma Belle, who lives at home. 
Mr. Irwin and family attend the Seceder 
Church at Eau Claire. He is well informed 
on public questions and is a staunch sup- 
porter of the Democratic party, but he has 
never aspired to public office. He is one of 



the township's practical farmers and rep- 
resentative men. 

JOHN MAIZLAND, whose exceptionally 
fine farm of 128 acres lies in Clinton 
Township, on the Saxonburg and Pitts- 
burg road, about two and one-half miles 
southeast of Saxonburg, is not only one of 
the youngest independent farmers in But- 
ler County, but also one of the most enter- 
prising and successful. He was born 
August 16, 1876, on his present farm and is 
a son of Robert (deceased February 12, 
1892) and Mary Elizabeth (Wilkinson) 
Maizland, and a grandson of John and 
Agnes (McMillan) Maizland. 

The grandparents of Mr. Maizland were 
of Scotch descent. When they came first 
to Pennsylvania, they settled in Allegheny 
County • and came to Clinton Township, 
Butler County, in 1858. The parents of 
Mr. Maizland had three children, namely: 
John, Mai'garet, who married Albert Al- 
derson, and has one child — Flora; Eliza- 
beth; and Flora, who resides with her 
brother. 

John Maizland obtained a good common 
school education, working on the farm 
while attending school, giving attention 
both to his books and to farm work for 
some years. Since then he has devoted 
himself entirely to agricultural pursuits 
and through his excellent methods has de- 
veloped his land into its extreme of pro- 
ductiveness. He may yet develop gas in 
paying quantities, as experiments have 
proved that it exists on his land. 

In February, 1907, Mr. Maizland was 
married to Miss Lottie Knoch, a daughter 
of Henry and Margaret (Clendennon) 
Knoch, of Clinton Township, and they have 
one child, Grladys Marie. Mr. and Mrs. 
Maizland are members of the Presbvterian 
Church. 

HARVEY D. HOCKENBERRY, M. D., 
a prominent physician and surgeon of 
West Sunbury, where he has been engaged 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1379 



in active practice for thirty years, and 
Medical Inspector of Butler County, was 
born in the town of Centerville, now known 
as Slippery Eock, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, October 17, 1850, and is a son of 
John and Mary Jane (Christley) Hocken- 
berry. 

Dr. Hockenberry was reared in Slippery 
Eock, where until sixteen years of age he 
attended the village schools, and then went 
to a farm in Cherry Township with bis par- 
ents. For three years he attended the 
West Sunbury Academy, and at an early 
age began teaching school, continuing in 
that occupation for upwards of ten years. 
Deciding on tlic iiuMlical jirdfcssion as his 
life work, lie spent one year with Dr. A. M. 
Patterson of Slippery iux'k, and in 1877 
entered the medical department of Wooster 
University, Cleveland, Ohio, and was grad- 
uated therefrom in 1879, when he began 
practice in West Sunbury. Seven years 
later he took a post-graduate course at Jef- 
ferson Medical College, Philadelphia. Dr. 
Hockenberry soon won the confidence of 
the people of his community, and in a 
short time built up a large practice, which 
he has retained to the present time. He 
is a close and careful student, and his con- 
tinued success is due not only to his skill, 
but to his personal chai-acteristics. In 
1904, the Doctor was elected t(. the (iniee of 
Medical Inspector of Butler County, a yio- 
sition which he still holds. He is piesident 
of the board of trustees of West Sunbury 
Academy, and is connected with the State 
and County Medical Associations and the 
International Tuberculosis Association. 
Dr. Hockenberry owns a handsome resi- 
dence, adjoining which is a property of 
sixty acres. 

Dr. Hockenberry was married to Miss 
Mary A. Smith, who is a daughter of 
James. Smith of Cherry Township, and 
they have had eleven children, namely: 
John Bertram, deceased ; James Amos, de- 
ceased; Ella Smith, a graduate of Wilson 
College of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 



and now teaching in the public schools of 
Wilkinsburg; Carl Morrison, deceased; 
Zoe Dora, a graduate of West Sunbury 
Academy, who also attended Westminster 
College, and is now teaching school at 
Bridgeville, Allegheny County; Amy June, 
deceased; Bernice, a graduate of Martin's 
Business School, at Pittsburg, and for 
three years treasurer and bookkeeper 
thereof; M. S. Quay, deceased; Hazel D., 
at home; Hugh DeWitt, deceased; and 
Hannah Hazel, who also resides at home; 
an adopted daughter. 

HUGH THOMAS MUEEIN, a promi- 
nent and substantial citizen of Venango 
T»nvnslii[), Butler County, residing on his 
valuable farm of Ll.jO acres, situated two 
miles southeast of Murrinsville, was born 
on this place on June 22, 1840. He belongs 
to a family that has been one of impor- 
tance in this section for many years and 
his parents were George and Sarah (Keat- 
ing) Murrin. 

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Mur- 
rin were Hugh and Polly (Shaw) Murrin 
and they had the following children: Jo- 
seph, who married Catherine Keating; 
John, who married Elizabeth Keating; 
James, who married Polly Kimes ; William, 
who married Margaret Keating; George, 
who married Sarah Keating; Philip, who 
married Nancy Forkner; and Hugh and 
Peter, both unmarried. 

The following" children were born to 
George Murrin and wife: Catherine, who 
married William Holland ; Mary, who mar- 
ried Patrick Cary; James, unmarried; 
Margaret, who married Michael McLaugh- 
lin; Sarah, who married John Martin; El- 
len, who married John Dutfy; Martha, 
who married Francis Gormley ; Nettie, who 
married Patrick McMurrer; Hugh Thom- 
as; and Cecelia, who married Cornelius 
Gormley. 

Hugh Thomas Murrin first attended 
school about one mile from the homestead, 
the sessions being held in an old log cabin 



1380 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



there, arid later he went to the Seaton 
school and still later to the new brick 
school house. His father then needed him 
to help on the farm for a time, after which 
he left home and engaged in rafting on the 
rivers, living at Warren and Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, and at Cincinnati, Ohio, for 
about six yeai's. He then opened up the 
coal bank on the home farm, which is still 
being worked, and during the years of 
great oil production in this neighborhood, 
sold a large amount of coal. On his own 
land he has six producing wells. With the 
exception of 100 acres covered with valu- 
able timber, and two fine orchards, Mr. 
Murrin has all his land now under tillage. 
Formerly he dealt extensively in sheep and 
cattle, for some years raising and selling 
much live stock. His well improved place 
is the result of his own effort and care, he 
having erected all the substantial farm 
buildings now on the farm. 

Mr. Murrin married Miss Ellen Thorn- 
buiy, who is a daughter of Patrick Thorn- 
bury, and they have had the following chil- 
dren: George P., who married Nellie 
Smith; Clarence A., who married Stella 
Smith, of West Virginia; Nancy A., who 
married • Lawrence M. O'Keefe; Lavisa, 
who married E. J. Hovis; Arthur P., who 
remains at home; Margaret K., who mar- 
ried M. J. Sherman, of Butler; Hugh F., 
who is now deceased ; and Harold E., who 
resides at home. Mr. Murrin and family 
are members of St. Alphonsus Catholic 
Church, at Murrinsville, of which Mr. Mur- 
rin was treasurer for three years and a 
member of the church committee for five 
years. In politics he is a staunch Demo- 
crat and has been an influential one in Ven- 
ango Township almost all his mature life. 
He has been many times elected to office 
and has given very efficient service. For 
twelve years he served as school director, 
one year as tax collector, one year as con- 
stable, one year as assessor, three years 
as auditor and three years as road super- 
visor. 



WILLIAM HENEY PICKARD, found- 
er of the Starlight Refining Company, Lim- 
ited, at Karus City, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, is a prosperous business man and 
liighly respected citizen of that village. He 
was born at Brady's Bend, in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1846, and 
is a son of Amos and Eliza (Hines) Piek- 
ard. 

The parents of the subject of this sketch 
were early pioneers in Armstrong County, 
where the greater jDortion of their lives 
was passed. She died in middle life, at the 
age of forty-five years, and he survived 
her many years, dying at the advanced age 
of eighty-live. The following children were 
born to them : Jennie, William H., George, 
deceased, Anna, Frank, Mai'y, Martin, Le- 
vina, and Edward. 

William H. Pickard attended the pub- 
lic schools in Armstrong County, and after 
that worked at coke making with his fath- 
er, who, it was said, was the oldest coke 
maker in the United States. In 1872, he 
moved to Karns City, where he first en- 
gaged in teaming and drove stage to vari- 
ous surrounding towns; he also engaged in 
the junk business for some years. In 1892 
he embarked in the refining business, 
founding the Starlight Eefining Company; 
this business he carried on alone for a few 
years, then took his son, John F. Pickard, 
into partnership, and 1903, sold a one- 
fourth interest in the business to Mr. C. 
H. Johnson, the firm name being changed 
to the Starlight Eefining Company, Lim- 
ited. They employ a force of six men, and 
have a monthly output of 1,500 barrels. 
Mr. Pickard has been active in the atfairs 
of the village and has frequently held lo- 
cal offices of trust. He was constable three 
years, school director a like period of time, 
and has served as a member of the town 
council. 

September 16, 1869, Mr. Pickard was 
married at Brady's Bend to Miss Caroline 
Fox, a daughter of John and Kathryn Fox 
of Armstrong County, and the following 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1383 



are the offspring of their union : Adda, who 
was born June 18, 1870, and lives at home ; 
George C, who was born November 24, 
1871, and died August 28, 1874; Ella M., 
who was born February 13, 1874, and died 
September 8, 1878; William H., who was 
born Jime 17, 1876, and married Myrtle 
Brake, by whom he has a son, William; 
John T., of Karns City, who was born June 
24, 1878, and married Bertha Mortimore; 
Charles E., who was born May 25, 1880, 
and died October 20, 1908; Mary A., who 
was born August 24, 1882, and is the wife 
of AVilliam J. Anderson of Washington 
Township, Butler County; Carrie E., who 
was born May 26, 1887, and lives at home ; 
and Edgar C., who was born March 13, 
1889, and also lives with his father. W^ill- 
iam H., Jr., resides at Salem, West Vir- 
ginia. Mrs. Pickard was called lo her final 
rest on March 20, 1906, at the age of fifty- 
nine years. In religious attachment, she 
was a member of the Lutheran Church, of 
which Mr. Pickard is a member. He was 
one of the charter members of the Knights 
of the Maccabees at Chicora, when the 
lodge was installed at that place in 1891. 

MICHAEL HOOVER, residing on a 
farm of thirty -five acres in Fairview Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is a 
well known citizen of the community. He 
was born in Donegal Township, Butler 
County, May 2, 1855, and is a son of Henry 
and Margaret (Leiclmer) Hoover, both 
natives of Germany. 

Henry Hoover and his wife, upon com- 
ing to this country from their native land, 
located first in Allegheny County, Penn- 
sylvania. They in 1854 moved to Donegal 
Township, Butler County, from Oakland 
Township, where they had lived for a few 
years after leaving Allegheny County. 
They purchased a farm of fifty acres in 
Donegal from a Mr. McNally, and lived 
there until their respective deaths, he dy- 
ing in 1864, and she in 1895. Nine children 
were the offspring of their marriage, as 



follows : John, Tina, Katherine, Elizabeth, 
Henry, Michael, Daniel, Susanna, and Mar- 
garet. 

Michael Hoover was reared to maturity 
in his native township and there received 
his educational training in the old Wal- 
ford School, which all his brothers and sis- 
ters attended. For a time after leaving 
school he engaged in teaming, then turned 
his attention to farming, at which he has 
been verj^ successful. He lived in Donegal 
Township until his twentieth year, and 
since 1882 has lived on his present farm in 
Fairview Township, on which he has made 
nearly all the improvements. 

Mr. Hoover was married, April 5, 1877, 
to Miss Mar}^ Andre, a daughter of Mi- 
chael and Elizabeth (Ellenberger) Andre, 
old residents of Fairview Township. She 
died February 26, 1901, leaving four chil- 
dren, as follows : Margaret (Dally) ; Wil- 
helmina; Edith, who died November 5, 
1903 ; and Oscar. Maggie Hoover was mar- 
ried in June, 1902, to Gustave Dalley of 
this township, and they have three chil- 
dren, Reinhold, Henry and Wilhelmina. In 
religious faith and fellowship, Mr. Hoover 
is a member of the German Lutheran 
Church at Chicora. He is a man of high 
principles and has iftany friends. 

ROBERT S. HINDMAN, a veteran of 
the Union Army during the Civil War, is 
a highly respected citizen of West Sunbury 
and is at the present time rural mail car- 
rier of that borough. He also is owner of 
a fine farm of 200 acres in Cherry Town- 
ship, which he rents. He was born on that 
farm, located two miles north of the bor- 
ough, August 30, 1841, and is a son of John 
and Eliza (Shryock) Ilindman. His grand- 
father was Robert Hindman, an earh' set- 
tler here. 

Robert S. Hindman was reared on the 
farm in Cherry Township and attended the 
public schools. He early responded to the 
call to arms during the war, enlisting June 
10, 1861, as a member of Company C, 



1384 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Eleventh Regiment Pa. Vol. Reserves, for 
three years ' service. He was mustered out 
at Pittsburg on Jime 17, 1864. Early in 
life he tui-ned his attention to farming, 
which he always followed until his removal 
to West Sunbury, except for three years 
spent in the mercantile business at Moni- 
teau, Cherry Township, where he owned a 
half interest in a store, and the time spent 
in the army. He moved to the borough in 
December, 1896, renting his farm on 
shares, and since 1906 has been a rural 
mail carrier. He is one of the progressive 
spirits of the community and has always 
been found in support of those measures 
calculated to bring about public improve- 
ments. 

Mr. Hindman was first married to Ann 
Jane Campbell, by whom he had six chil- 
dren, all of whom are living: H. C. Hind- 
man, the druggist at West Sunbury ; Rhoda 
L. ; Sarah Belle, wife of N. G. Glenn ; De- 
Loss L., manager of the Phoenix Milling 
Company; Kate, widow of Ross Sproul; 
and Margaret Jane, wife of H. M. Black. 
Mrs. Hindman died in 1884, and he formed 
a second union with Miss Mary E. Hilliard, 
daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Jami- 
son) Hilliard. She was born and reared 
in Washington Township, Butler County, 
where her father followed farming. Two 
children have blessed their union: Clyde 
K., who also is a partner in the Phoenix 
Milling Company; and Bernice. The sub- 
ject of this sketch was the organizer of the 
Phoenix Mills, and is still financially inter- 
ested in it. He is a member of the Presby- 
terian Church, and prior to his removal to 
West Sunbury was an elder of Pleasant 
Valley Church. 

FOSTER SLOAN, residing two miles 
southwest of Eau Claire, on his valuable 
farm of seventy-three acres, which is sit- 
uated in Venango Township, was born 
here, November 7, 1851, and is a son of 
James F. and Martha (Oliphant) Sloan. 

The grandparents of Mr. Sloan were 



Samuel and Mary (Foster) Sloan and they 
had the following children, many of whose 
descendants are among the leading people 
of this part of Butler Cormty: Samuel T., 
who married Betsey Conn, had five chil- 
dren — Mary Jane, Samuel Perry, Nancy 
Ellen, Margaret and W. C. ; John, who 
married Sarah Alabaugh, had five children 
— Harvey, Sarah >]lizabeth, Emma Jane, 
A\'illiam and Samuel; William, who mar- 
ried Jane Hoffman, had four children — J. 
B., Flora, Margaret and Louise; Betsey, 
who married Richard, son of Wilson, had 
five children — Samuel, Nancy, Thomas, 
Rosa and Burt; James F., father of Fos- 
ter ; David, who married Phebe Byers, had 
seven children — Joseph, Elizabeth, Fred, 
Mary, Simon, Margaret and Melviu; Jo- 
siah, who married Betsey Sackett, had 
three children — Elizabeth, Elsado and 
Samuel O. ; Joseph C, who married Bet- 
sey Byers, had eight children — Ellwood, 
Mary, Albert, Lavina, Elizabeth, Sarah, 
Lottie and Warren. 

The children born to James F. Sloan and 
his wife Martha, who was a daughter of 
Isaiah Oliphant, of Venango County, were 
as follows: Foster; Richard, who married 
Sarah McKinney, daughter of Robert Mc- 
Kinney, has five children — R. C, Zella, 
James, Gertrude and Oscar; Eli, who mar- 
ried Ella Scott, daughter of William Scott, 
has five children — Wilbert, Austin, Henry, 
Frank, Edward and Lester; Calvin, who 
married Annie Taylor, daughter of Elias 
Taylor of Venango Township, has two chil- 
dren, Ethel and Earl ; Mary Elizabeth, re- 
sides at home ; Samuel, who married Kath- 
eriue Brown, has one daughter, Martha; 
Margaret, who married Fred Campbell, of 
Ashtabula, Ohio, has two children, Clinton 
and Ethel; James Austin, who resides in 
Montana, has two children, Gladys and 
Hazel ; Silas, Nancy J., Rosa B. and Sarah, 
all residing at home; and Herman, who is 
deceased. 

Foster Sloan obtained his early educa- 
tion in the Pisgah School and later had one 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1385 



term at Clintonville, following which he 
took up farm duties and continued to assist 
his father until he went to teaming in the 
oil fields near his home, but later returned 
to the farm. Prior to his death, the father 
sold twenty-five acres of the homestead to 
his son Calvin and the remainder to Foster, 
wlio has remained on the place ever since 
and has developed the property to its full 
extent. He has fine farming land and two 
productive orchards, five producing oil 
wells and a private coal bank has been 
opened. He has also seven acres yet in 
timber and devotes about eight acres to 
pasturage. He assisted in the erection of 
all his farm buildings, with the exception 
of the barn, which his father put up when 
Poster was an infant. 

In politics, Mr. Sloan is a Republican 
and he is a member of the Republican 
Township Committee. At different times 
he has held local offices, for nine years be- 
ing the very efficient township auditor. He 
is a leading member of the United Presby- 
terian Church at Eau Claire, of which he 
is treasurer and one of the trustees. 

SAMUEL T. DODD, a representative 
citizen and secretary of tlie council of 
Fairview, Pennsylvania, operates a valua- 
ble farm of twenty-four acres in Fairview 
Township, Butler County, and is also a 
veteran of the great Civil War. He was 
born at Orange, Essex County, New Jer- 
sev, December 23, 1838, and is a son of 
Sam.uel T. and Eliza T. (Sisco) Dodd, 
whose other seven children were Zebina, 
Israel L., Stephen H., John, James, Jo- 
seph B., and Phoebe. Samuel T. is the 
only surviving member of this family. 

Samuel T. Dodd went to Ohio early in 
life, and in 1863, at Monroeville, "that 
State, enlisted in Company C, Eighty- 
eighth Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., with which 
company he served three months, during 
which time he participated in the battle of 
Nashville. He re-enlisted in Company H, 



Sixty-fourth Ohio Regiment, with which 
he served bravely for eleven months, and 
received his honorable discharge at Colum- 
bus, Ohio, in 1865. Mr. Dodd came to But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, in 1874, settling 
at Millerstown, where he resided for about 
four months, and then removed to Trout- 
man, Concord Township, where he was em- 
ployed in the oil fields until 1877, in which 
year he turned his attention to agriculture 
in Fairview Township. He has cultivated 
the farm to a highly fertile state, and on 
it also are located one producing oil well 
and a valuable coal bank. Since 1901 Mr. 
Dodd has made his home in Fairview, 
where he has bt'cdinc prnniinciit in munici- 
pal affairs, haviiii;- Ix'cii srlicinl director for 
two years, and at present being secretary 
of the council. 

On September 5, 1876, Mr. Dodd was 
married at the William Ellenberger home 
to Mary E. Ellenberger, who is a daugh- 
ter of William and Harriet (Reep) Ellen- 
berger, old settlers of Butler County. The 
four children of this union are as follows : 
Laura P., who married Albert Palmer, of 
Indiana County, has five children — Ruth 
v., Samuel A., Margaret M., Harry R., 
and Alice L. ; Harriet E., a school teacher 
at Kepples Corners; William T., living at 
Mineral, W. Va., who married Celia Thorn- 
hill; and Elmer R., an emi)loye of the mail 
service, who is living at home with his par- 
ents. Mr. Dodd is a member of Campbell 
Post, Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. 
Dodd is a member of the Reformed Church. 

WILLIAM HUMPHREY, who for many 
years has been one of the most active busi- 
ness men in the western part of Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is with his two sons, 
J. R. and E. W. Humphrey, owner and 
l)roprietor of a large general store at Por- 
tersville. He has followed this business 
in Portersville for more than forty years, 
and also for many years engaged as a ci^al 
engineer. In season, he is a wool buyer on 



1386 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



an extensive scale. He is prominently 
known throughout the vicinit}', and wher- 
ever known is respected and highly es- 
teemed. 

Mr. Humphrey was born on the old 
Humphrey homestead in AVorth Township, 
Butler County, August 22, 1835, and is a 
son of William, Sr., and Elizabeth (Dun- 
bar) Humphrey, and a grandson of Thom- 
as and Ruth (Coulter) Humphrey. 
Thomas, the grandfather, came to the 
United States from Wales, and first took 
up his residence in Greensburg, Westmore- 
land County, Pennsylvania. He and his 
wife later made the trip on horseback to 
Butler County, and were among the very 
earliest settlers of Worth Township, ar- 
riving some time during the year 1798. He 
acquired and largely cleared a tract of 
400 acres of land, on which he lived until 
his death in 1839. He and his wife were 
buried in the cemetery at Plain Grove, in 
Lawrence County. They were of the Pres- 
byterian faith. William Humphrey, fath- 
er of the subject of this sketch, was born 
on the old farm in Worth Township, and 
although he learned the trade of a carpen- 
ter in early life, his chief occupation was 
farming. 

William Humphrey, whose name heads 
this record, was reared on the farm and 
received a good schooling for those days. 
He learned surveying in the schools and 
followed that profession off and on for a 
score of years, surveying much of the land 
in this part of the county. He became a 
partner to James Newton in the general 
merchandise business at Portersville in 
1869, but sold out and established a store 
for himself at his present location, where 
he has continued with uninterrupted suc- 
cess to the present time. His two sons 
were later taken into the firm and now per- 
form most of the active duties in connec- 
tion with the business. The store is com- 
pletely stocked with a large line of goods, 
and would be a credit to a village many 
times larger than Portersville. 



In 1856 William Humphrey was married 
to Elizabeth Riddle, a daughter of John 
and Margaret (Hay) Riddle. Mr. and 
Mrs. Humphrey are parents of the follow- 
ing : James, who lives at home ; John Rid- 
dle, who is in partnership with his father; 
Newton, M. D., a graduate of the Medical 
Department of the Western University of 
Pennsylvania, and a practicing physician 
at Sharpsburg; Margaret, who married 
Rev. W. H. Sloan of Hooker, Pennsylva- 
nia, and has three children — William, Eliz- 
abeth and Helen; and Edwin W., who is 
a partner in the store and secretary and 
manager of the Portersville Telephone 
Company. John Riddle Humphrey mar- 
ried Laura Moore and has three children 
— Ernest, Helen and Walter. Dr. New- 
ton Humphrey married Florence Depue 
and has a son, William D. Religiously, 
the subject of this sketch has been very ac- 
tive in the Presbyterian Church, of which 
he has been elder for twenty-five years. He 
served more than a quarter of a century 
as Sunday School teacher but finally re- 
tired from that duty. Politically, he has 
l)een a firm advocate of Prohibition prin- 
ciples for some years. 

JOHN BYERS, who has been extensive- 
ly engaged as a contractor and carpenter 
for more than half a century, has a com- 
fortable home in Venango Township, lo- 
cated about two and a half miles north of 
the borough of Eau Claire. He was born 
in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
March 15, 1836, and is a son of Fred and 
Elizabeth (Sowers) Byers. 

Fred and Elizabeth Byers became par- 
ents of the following children: Samuel, 
who died in infancy; Jacob, who also died 
in infancy; William, who married Lucy 
Hilliard, a daughter of Philip Hilliard; 
Mary, wife of William King of Butler 
County ; Margaret, wife of James Blair of 
Butler County; Phoebe, wife of David 
Sloan of Butler County ; Fred S., who mar- 
ried Sarah Sloan, a daughter of James 




WILLIAM A. STEIN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1389 



Sloan; Elizabeth, who married Joseph 
Sloan of Butler County; John, subject of 
this sketch; and Katherine, deceased. 

John Byers attended school at Annan- 
dale, after which he learned the trade of 
a carpenter under William Shira of this 
county. He was married in 1858 and at 
that time moved to Rockland, Venango 
County, but later returned to Butler Coun- 
ty and took up his residence in Venango 
Township, where he purchased a small 
tract of twenty-four acres, from Jesse 
Jones. He subsequently disposed of six 
acres of this place and retains eighteen 
acres, although he does no farming. He 
erected a comfortable home on the jilace 
and built all of the other buildings, mak- 
ing it a most desirable country home. Car- 
pentering and contracting has continued 
his business since early manhood and he 
has erected many of the residences, barns 
and public buildings in this part of the 
county. He assisted in building the East 
I'nity Church, and also two churches in 
Eau Claire. He is a man of wonderful 
constitution, and was never sick but once 
in his life, upon that occasion being taken 
with typhoid fever; he is still capable of 
doing a hard day's woi'k. 

Mr. Byers was married November 5, 
1858, to Mary Eakins, a daughter of Sam- 
uel Eakins of Venango County, and they 
reared a large family of children, as fol- 
lows: Emma, Samuel Harvey, Alice, Cas- 
sie, Elmer, Mertilla, Adda, Mary, James 
Marshall, and Joseph Edison. Emma 
Byers married Samuel Kerr of Mercer 
County, and is the mother of four children 
— Belle, John, Pearl and Mary. Samuel 
Harvey Byers was first married to Selina 
Williams, a daughter of John Williams, 
and they had three children: ]\lary Wilda, 
Earl and Roy. His second marriage was 
with Olive Meals, a daughter of Samuel 
Meals of Butler County. Alice Byers mar- 
ried William Calvin Jamison, and four 
children were born to them : Myrtle, Beu- 
lah, Jessie and John. Cassie Bvers be- 



came tlie wife of James Campbell of Ve- 
nango County, and they have three chil- 
dren — Charles, Carrie and John. Elmer 
Byers married Sephina Jacob, a daughter 
of Jonah Jacob, and the following is the 
offspring of their union: Lulu, Burton, 
Jonah, Sylvia, Lena and Alice. Mertilla 
Byers married Frank Eakins of Venango 
County and they have three children — Car- 
rie, Jennie and Bessie. Adda Byers mar- 
ried Edward Kingsley of Butler County 
and their children are as follows : Leona, 
Mary, Alice, Meliss, Delmar and Frances. 
Mary Byers is the wife of Ephraim Sloan 
of Butler County, and they have the fol- 
lowing children: Carl, Loyal, Raymond, 
Alice and Wilma. James Marshall Byers 
married Clara Sloan, a daughter of Wash- 
ington Sloan of Butler County, and they 
have four children — Forest, Lloyd, Dor- 
othy and W'ayne. Joseph Edison Byers 
married Harriet Cross, a daughter of Will- 
iam Cross, and they have a son and a 
daughter, Isabelle and Harold. 

John Byers has for fifty years been a 
member of the United Presbyterian Church 
of East Unity, and in politics is a Pro- 
hibitionist. 

AVILLIAM A. STEIN, one of the stir- 
ring citizens of Butler, who has been an 
important factor in the business and finan- 
cial prosperity of the city, was born at 
Butler, Pennsylvania, October 9, 1853, and 
is the eldest son of Louis and Matilda 
(Dicker) Stein. His education was ac- 
quired in the public schools and at Wither- 
spoon Institute. He entered business life 
in 1873, as his father's clerk, and so con- 
tinued for nine years, when he became a 
member of the firm of L. Stein & Son. His 
business mterests have since greatly ex- 
panded. He was one of the organizers of 
the Standard Plate Glass Company, of 
Butler, and one of its original stockhold- 
ers, and at present is serving as second 
vice president of the Butler Savings and 
Trust Company. He has met all demands 



1390 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



made ou his business capacity, and has at- 
tained a position as one of the reliable and 
substantial citizens of Butler. Mr. Stein 
is a Free Mason, being past master and 
secretary of Butler Lodge, No. 272 F. & 
A. M., and also secretary of the Chapter, 
R. A. M. He has been president of the 
Butler Business Men's Association since 
its organization. His political affiliations 
are with the Republican party. 

In 1878, Mr. Stein was united in mar- 
riage with Amelia Vogeley, a daughter of 
William Vogeley. His family includes six 
children: Gertrude F., Cora M., Alberta 
L., Clarence L., Emilv H. and Janet V. 
The family residence is at No. 227 Mifflin 
Street. Mr. Stein attends the German 
Lutheran Church. 

Louis B. Stein, born December 28, 1855, 
is secretary and treasurer of the Butler 
Savings and Trust Company. In 1885 he 
married Julia Wisener and they have two 
children : Laura M., wife of Fred T. Roes- 
sing, son of W. P. Roessing, and Edna M. 

Albert 0. Stein, born March 23, 1858, 
is connected with the fii-m of L. Stein & 
Son, and resides with his mother at the 
family residence at No. 127 Mifflin Street. 

SAMUEL H. TEMPLETON, who has 
been postmaster at Baldwin, Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
since 1887, is a most efficient juiblic offi- 
cial and enjoys great popularity. He was 
born near Middlesex, in Armstrong Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1859, and 
is a son of Philip T. and Lucinda (Bur- 
ford) Templeton, both natives of Arm- 
strong County. 

Philip T. Templeton, who met with suc- 
cess in the oil fields, was born September 
10, 1830, and died December 27, 1902. He 
married Lucinda Burford, who was born 
^larch 12, 1837, and now makes her home 
with the subject of this record. Six chil- 
dren were the offspring of this marriage : 
Mary I. (Black), deceased; Edith M., who 



married George W. Boord of Turtle Creek, 
Allegheny County; Carrie C, who died at 
the age of five years ; Samuel H. ; and two 
who died in infancy. Mary I., the eldest 
of the family, was married to R. N. Black 
of Harrisville, Butler County, and both 
are now deceased; they were parents of a 
son, Edward T., now seventeen years of 
age, who makes his home with the subject 
of this sketch. 

Samuel H. Templeton lived in Arm- 
strong County until 1878, then moved to 
Baldwin where his father had oil inter- 
ests. He attended the Mill school at 
Brady's Bend, in Armstrong County, re- 
ceiving a good public school education. In 
1887 he was made postmaster at Baldwin 
and has since filled that position in a most 
creditable manner. In religious attach- 
ment he is a member of the Methodist 
Church, to which his parents also belonged. 

AVILLIAM P. HINES, general merchant 
at West Liberty, owns a valuable farm of 
twenty-eight acres, in Brady Township 
and within the limits of West Liberty bor- 
ough. He was born in Slippery Rock 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
April, 5, 18-46, on the farm now i)ecupied 
by his brother, G. W. Hines. His parents 
were William and Margaret (Robison) 
Hines, both of old and prominent Butler 
County families. 

William P. Hines was reared on the home 
farm in Slippery Rock Township and has 
always devoted himself more or less to 
farming and stockraising, having pur- 
chased his present property in 1873. He 
has erected excellent buildings and utilizes 
a part of the residence for store purposes, 
carrying a full line of dry goods and gro- 
ceries calculated to meet the wants of 
neigiiborini; fjiniiers. Mr. Hines was mar- 
vied t(i Mis> ' Hive Boyd, who was born in 
Lawrcmc Ci unity, Pennsylvania, and re- 
sided at Ilarlansburg for some years, 
where she attended school. She is a daugh- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1391 



ter of Jackson and Sarah A. (Nelson) 
Boyd. Mr. and Mrs. Hines are members 
of tlie West Liberty Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

BERTON EUGENE SLOAN, general 
farmer residing on his valuable property 
of sixty-two acres, which is situated in Ven- 
ango Township, two and one-half miles 
north of Eau Claire, was born in Allegheny 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
August 13, 1877, and is a son of Lycurgus 
C. and Laura (Slagle) Sloan. 

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Sloan 
were Andrew and Rachel (Say) Sloan and 
they had thirteen children, namely : Lycur- 
gus C, father of Berton Eugene Sloan; 
Mina, who married Hugh Morgan, of But- 
ler, Pennsylvania ; David ; Anna, who mar- 
ried James Bell; Margaret, who married 
Alexander Wilson; James, who married 
Lou Wagner; Samuel; William; Tressa, 
who married Pinley Hosack; Jennie, who 
married James Shane; Ulysses, who mar- 
ried Edna Walter; Elizabeth, wlio married 
Abraham Caruahan; and an infant that 
died. 

The children born to the parents of Ber- 
t(m Eugene Sloan were: Sarah, who mar- 
ried Melvin Sloan, and has two children, 
Floyd and Keath; Lillian; Berton E.; and 
Nellie, who married Arthur Blair. 

Berton E. Sloan attended school at Six 
Points and in Cherry Valley and then gave 
his father assistance on the home farm 
until his marriage, after which he rented 
the farm for four years and then purchased 
his present one, on which he engages in 
general farming. A test has been made 
and gas has been discovered on his farm, 
but no oil. and there is one open coa.l bank 
which may prove very profitable in the 
future. Mr. Sloan keeps up his fine or- 
chard and otherwise develops his farm. 
Farm buildings were standing when he 
purchased here but he has added others, a 
wagon shed and a very fine residence. 
When not devoting Iiis attention to his 



land, Mr. Sloan is engaged in teaming 
through the neighboring oil fields. 

On September 20, 1899, Mr. Sloan was 
married to Miss Margaret Henry, a daugh- 
ter of William Henry, of Allegheny Town- 
ship, and they have one son, Henry, who is 
attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Sloan are 
members of the Scrub Grass Presbyterian 
Church, in Venango Coimty. In jpolitics 
he is a Republican. He is a well informed, 
reliable and representative citizen of his 
section. 

JOSEPH BARRON, one of Worth 
Township's most substantial citizens, re- 
sides on his large estate known as the Slip- 
pery Rock Stock Farm, which contains 325 
acres and is situated on Slippery Rock 
Creek, on the old mill road, four miles from 
Slippery Rock. Mr. Barron was born Sep- 
tember 30, 1854, on a farm that adjoins his 
own, in Worth Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Robert and 
]\Iary (Shaffer) Barron. 

The parents of Mr. Barron are among 
the older residents of Worth Township, 
well known and highly esteemed. The 
father was born in Ireland and came to 
Amei'ica when nineteen years of age, land- 
ing at Baltimore, Maryland, from which 
city he came directly to Butler County, 
where an aunt was then living. His father 
died in Ireland and his mother married 
again and subsequently Robert Barron 
sent for his mother and step-father and 
established them in a home in Butler 
County. He learned the plastering trade, 
found plenty of Avork and was saving with 
his money and after his marriage bought 
100 acres of his present farm in Worth 
Township and continued to add to his pos- 
sessions imtil he owned 300 acres. He be- 
came a man of consequence in county af- 
fairs and was elected a county commis- 
sioner and since retiring from that office 
has lived a quiet life. Robert Barron and 
wife had five children born to them, 
namely: Mary, who is the wife of Alfred 



1392 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Grossman; Elverda, who is the wife of 
J. C. Millaman; Lizzie J., who is the wife 
of Patterson Martin ; and Joseph and Rob- 
ert J., deceased. 

Joseph Barron was reared in Worth 
Township and his boyhood and youth were 
alternately spent in school and in work on 
the home farm. On his large estate he 
carries on general cultivation of the soil, 
but devotes a large part of his land and 
attention to the breeding of the fine stock 
which has made the Slippery Rock Stock 
Farm known all through this section of the 
state. He has made a specialty of raising 
sheep and has a reputation in this line all 
over the United States. In association 
with his son James, he owns at the present 
writing, 230 fine sheep, all thoroughbred 
Merinos, Delaines, Eamhouletts, South- 
downs, Lincolns, Shropshires and High- 
landers. These sheep have been on exhibi- 
tion at different fairs for a number of 
years. In 1904, at the St. Louis Exposi- 
tion, Mr. Barron took the grand prize 
against the whole world, in Delaine wool, 
which is conceded the best wool raised. 
This wool went to the Pennsylvania State 
Agricultural College for purposes of edu- 
cating students in this commodity. In ad- 
dition to growing the best sheep in West- 
ern Pennsylvania, Mr. Barron raises also 
prize winning hogs and cattle, giving the 
preference to Berkshire and Poland-China 
swine and Shorthorn Durham cattle. Mr. 
Barron has done a great deal in the way of 
raising the standard in live stock in this 
section. Mr. Barron has excellent accom- 
modations provided for his stock and poul- 
try, their great value requiring careful at- 
tention, as a loss of a single specimen is a 
very serious matter. 

In 1879 Mr. Barron married Miss Eliz- 
abeth Black, who is a daughter of Alexan- 
der Black, and they have had twelve chil- 
dren, namely : Charles S., deceased ; Harry 
C, who is a graduate of the Slippery Rock 
Normal School and a successful teacher in 
Westmoreland County; Edith, who is a 



popular teacher at West Newton and also 
a graduate of the Slippery Rock Normal 
School; Bessie, also a teacher at West 
Newton, who graduated at the Slippery 
Rock Normal School; James, who is the 
practical stockman on the farm and his 
father's able assistant in all his enter- 
prises; Angeline, who is in the senior year 
at the Slippery Rock Normal School ; Zina, 
Lois, Waldo and Esther, all bright students 
in the loublic school, and Frances Willard 
and Ruth, the little ones at home. Mr. 
Barron with his family belongs to the Unit- 
ed Presbyterian Church at Slippery Rock. 
In politics he is a Republican. 

WILLIAM STOREY, who served 
through nearly the entire Civil War 
and participated in many of the most im- 
portant engagements of that great strug- 
gle, is a prosperous farmer of Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
making his residence in the village of 
Fairview. He was born on a farm about 
one mile south of this village, December 
31, 1835, and is a son of William and Mary 
(Smith) Storey. His grandfather, Alex- 
ander Storey, came from Ireland at an 
early date, bringing his family with him, 
and they were twenty-one weeks on the 
water. 

William Storey, Sr., father of the sub- 
ject of this record, was born in Ireland and 
was eight years of age when his parents 
brought him to the United States. He was 
reared to maturity in Fairview Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, where his 
father owned a tract of 400 acres of land. 
He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and 
upon his return from the front took up 
farming, which he followed all his days, 
dying at the advanced age of eighty-seven 
years. He was married to Mary Smith, 
who was born in Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania, and died in December, 1876, 
aged eighty-three years. They were par- 
ents of ten children, namely: Elizabeth, 
Alexander, Martha, Nancy, Ellen, Mary, 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



lo!^o 



Margaret, Mathew S., Ann and William. 
Elizabeth and William are the survivors 
of this familj^ The former, who lives in 
Washington Township, Butler County, is 
the widow of Alexander Clark and has the 
following children: Alexander, W^illiam, 
Daniel, John and McClellan. 

William Storey, whose name heads this 
record, was reared and has always lived 
in Fairview Township, excepting that pe- 
riod spent in the Union Army. After com- 
pleting his schooling he devoted his atten- 
tion to farming and lived on the home farm 
until 1874, when he moved to the village of 
Fairview. He is at present the owner of 
two good town properties and has a valu- 
able tract of twelve acres in the countynear 
by. In August, 1861, he enlisted as a pri- 
vate for three years in Company H, 102nd 
Regiment, Penna. Vol. Inf., and at the end 
of that term re-enlisted. He served in the 
Army of the Potomac, under Grant, par- 
ticipating at the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, 
and Petersburg, and then was under Sheri- 
dan at Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and 
Cedar Creek. He returned with his regi- 
ment to the Army of the Potomac and was 
at the taking of Petersburg and the sur- 
render of Lee. He was slightly injured at 
Petersburg, but did not leave the command. 
At the close of the war he was mustered 
out at Washington, after which he re- 
turned to his home. 

Mr. Storey was married February 14, 
3867, in Armstrong County, to Miss JEliza 
Ann Hayse, a daughter of Robert and De- 
bora J. Hayse of Armstrong County, and 
they became parents of the following : Jen- 
nie D., a music teacher of Denver, Colo- 
rado ; Harvey L., who was engaged in con- 
ducting a general store at Karns City un- 
til the destruction of his establishment by 
fire, and is now living at home; Charles M., 
employed in the steel car works at Butler, 
who married Netta Chambers, whose death 
occurred in July, 1908; William H., who 
is engaged in farming and lives at home; 
John B., principal of the schools at Mars, 



Butler County, who married a Miss Burke 
and has a daughter, Catherine ; and Maria 
P., wife of Bert Michael of Fairview, by 
whom she has three children — Margaret 
A., Dorothy E. and Ward B. Mr. Storey 
has frequently filled local offices of trust, 
serving three years as justice of the peace, 
ten years as school director, and two years 
as health officer, in which capacity he now 
serves. He is a member of Campbell Post, 
G. A. R. of Petrolia. His son, John B., en- 
listed for service during the Spanish- 
American War. Religiously the family is 
Presbyterian. 

ALBERT SMITH, a prosperous farmer 
and well known operator in the oil and gas 
fields, is the owner of a farm of 110 acres 
located about a mile and three-quarters 
from Great Belt on the Coylesville Road, 
in Clearfield Township. He is a son of 
Herman J. and Lena (Eyght) Smith, who 
lived at Herman in Butler County. The 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch 
came from Germany at an early date and 
settled at Herman, owning and clearing- 
much of the land about that village. Her- 
man J. Smith was a farmer and black- 
smith at Herman and a man of consider- 
able importance in the community. 

Albert Smith was born in 1851 and was 
educated in the public schools. He turned 
his attention to farming at an early date, 
and has continued to the present time, al- 
though he has given some of his time to 
other interests. He has one of the finest 
residences in the township, and his other 
buildings are in keeping with it. He has 
followed general farming and has raised 
considerable fine stock. Mr. Smith is an 
oil and gas promoter and has leased con- 
siderable land for that purpose in this 
section of the county. He furnishes gas 
to the country round about and has met 
with success in this branch of his business. 
In 1871 he went to California and stayed 
there for some years, returning in 1877. 
While there he ran a stage line of his 



1396 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



own between Los Angeles and Calan- 
tliia, Cal. In August, 1877, he went into 
the hotel business at Herman, Butler 
County, Penna., and so continued for nine 
years, during eight years of which time 
he was postmaster at Herman. In addi- 
tion to these activities he also raised 
horses and cattle. Thus it will be seen 
that Mr. Smith has been a busy man and 
has seen a considerable and interesting- 
portion of this great country. Whatever 
measure of success he has achieved is due 
to his own enterprise and good business 
foresight. He has always been industri- 
ous and is known throughout the township 
and beyond its limits as a good and re- 
liable citizen. 

At the age of twenty-four years Mr. 
Smith married Miss Mary Stutz, a daugh- 
ter of Conrad Stutz, who came from Ger- 
many to Butler County, Penna. Eleven 
children were born to them, namely: 
Eugene, Addellia, Henrietta, Windilena, 
Viola, Elnore, Camilla, Laura, Bertilla, 
Clarence, and Alvin. 

Windilena married Albert J. Schiebel 
and has three children — Ralph, Harry, 
and Bernard. Elnore married Perry E. 
Stubblefield and has one daughter — 
Thelma. Viola married Peter A. Michaels. 
Religiously the family is CMholic and 
takes an active part in church affairs. 

JOHN CALVIN SCOTT, general farm- 
er, owning with his wife 100 acres of ex- 
cellent land in Eau Claire Borough and 
thirty acres in Venango Township, has 
spent his whole life in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and was born in Muddy 
Creek Township, June 29, 1849. His par- 
ents were John and Jane (Wright) Scott. 

The parents of Mr. Scott were old resi- 
dents of Muddy Creek Township and they 
had the following children born to them: 
William, who married Margaret C. Wilson, 
daughter of James W^ilson, also of Butler 
County, and had four children — John, 
Odessa, Laverne and James; James, who 



mari'ied ]\Iary Brown, daughter of James 
Brown, of Lawrence County, and has one 
daughter, Dora ; Anna Margaret, who mar- 
ried Mac Fulton, then of Oil City, Penn- 
sylvania, but now of Scott, Webster Coun- 
ty, Nebraska, and has four children — Jen- 
nie, Llerbert, Jessie and Etta ; Rachel', who 
married Robert Moore, of Portersville, 
and has eight children — Cora, James, 
Anna, Sarah, Mai-y, Nannie, Robert and 
Frances; Elizabeth, who married Robert 
Clelland, of Muddy Creek Township, and 
has one son, Scott; John Calvin; and Jo- 
seph, the youngest of the family, who re- 
sides in Nebraska, and is unmarried. 

John Calvin Scott attended the Pleas- 
ant Hill and the Bouder Schools, in Mud- 
dy Creek Township, after which he woi'ked 
until his marriage, on different farms 
through the county. He was married in 
1871, after which he rented land in Muddy 
Creek To-wnship for two years and then 
bought a farm in Franklin Township, on 
which he lived for ten years, then sold out 
and bought 130 acres in Venango Town- 
ship, fifty acres of which he subsequently 
sold to Mary Kennedy, to whom he later 
sold thirty more. When Mary Kennedy 
died it was found that she had willed the 
eighty acres to Mrs. Mary E. Scott, wife 
of John Calvin Scott. Of land that he 
owned, Mr. Scott also sold fifty acres to 
John M. Eakins, of Eau Claire. After tak- 
ing possession of this farm Mr. Scott found 
all the present buildings here but a large 
amount of repairing had to be done and he 
has continued to make improvements. He 
has sixty acres under the plow, has twenty 
acres devoted to pasturage, has an excel- 
lent orchard and two veins of coal have 
been discovered. A test well made the 
presence of gas certain, but Mr. Scott has 
none of his land leased at the present time 
for experimenting. 

On May 1, 1871, Mr. Scott was married 
to Miss Mary Eleanor Kennedy, who is a 
daughter of Amos and Margaret Kennedy, 
who reside near Prospect, Butler County. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1397 



They have had ten children born to them, 
as follows: Nettie Tazetta, who married 
E. J. McCandless, of Eau Claire; Amy 
Blanche, who married W. E. Mahood, of 
North Hope, has five children — Josephine, 
William, Eeed, Eoy and James; Francis, 
who married Margaret Grossman, daugh- 
ter of John Grossman; Maude, who died 
November 16, 1896; Jane, who resides at 
home; Louisa, who married Prof. A. W. 
Kelly, of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, has 
one child, Louisa; John, who is a lineman 
with the Eau Claire Telephone Company; 
David, who died in infancy; Paul, who is 
attending school at Bridgeville ; and Helen, 
who is in the class of 1911, at Eau Claire 
Academy. Mr. Scott and family are mem- 
bers of the United Presbyterian Church at 
Eau Claire, and Miss Helen is a member of 
the church choir. In his political views 
Mr. Scott is a Eepublican, but has never 
sought office. He is one of the solid, re- 
liable, respected citizens of his township. 

A. D. KEPPLE, a life-long resident and 
well known oil producer of Buena Vista, 
Fairview ■ Township, was born May 13, 
1864, on his present farm of 53 acres, and 
is a son of Isaac and Mary (Thorn) Kep- 
ple. 

Isaac Kepple was born in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, but at an early 
period came to Butler County and settled 
on the farm now owned by our subject. 
He married Mary Thorn and reared a fam- 
ily of four children, namely: Angeline; 
William, married Elizabeth Ellenburger 
and has a family of seven children, all liv- 
ing; Winfield, and A. D., the subject of 
this sketch. Isaac Kepple died in 1898 and 
was survived by his widow until 1904. 

A. D. Kepple was reared on his father's 
farm and early in life learned the painter's 
ti'ade, at which he worked a number of 
years. He then began drilling oil wells 
and is still actively engaged as an oil pro- 
ducer, which he manages in connection with 
his farming interests. There are two pro- 



ducing oil wells on his farm, which he and 
his brother inlierited from their father, our 
subject later buying his brother's interest. 
October 19, 1898, Mr. Kepple was joined 
in marriage with Beulah Mary Fleeger, a 
daughter of William B. and Nancy (Gra- 
ham) Fleeger of Greece City, Butler 
County. Mrs. Kepple is one of a family 
of seven children born to her parents : Ella ; 
George; Walter; Adda; Beulah; Mary 
(Mrs. Kepple) ; AVilliam; and Inez. Mrs. 
Kepple 's mother is still living. Mr. and 
Mrs. Kepple are the jjarents of the follow- 
ing children: Marjorie, Eobert, Frank, 
Hugh, and Walter. In fraternal societies, 
Mr. Kepple is associated with the Knights 
of Pythias lodge of Chicora. 

HENDERSON OLIVER, a well known 
and affluent farmer of Muddy Creek Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the 
owner of two good farms in that township, 
constituting in all about 260 acres of valu- 
able land. His home farm is located about 
one mile from Portersville, on the New 
Castle Eoad, and is highly improved and 
modernly equipped with a large brick home 
and substantial outbuildings. He at the 
present time is living in retirement from 
business activity, but still continues to take 
an active and i^ublic-spirited interest in the 
welfare and development of the commu- 
nity. 

Henderson Oliver was born on his 
father's farm near Portersville Station, in 
Muddy Creek Township, May 6, 1834, that 
farm being later traded for the old hotel 
in Portersville. He is a son of John and 
Jane (Stewart) Oliver, and grandson of 
Thomas and Sarah (Patterson) Oliver. 
John Oliver was a farmer by occupation 
apd was born in England, being a young 
man when he accompanied his parents to 
this country. Thomas Oliver was well 
along in years when he came to this coun- 
try and located in Muddy Creek Township ; 
he was buried at Moundville, in Lawrence 
County, Pennsylvania. The subject of 



1398 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



this sketch was one of the following chil- 
dren born to his parents, of whom the two 
oldest are the survivors: Henderson, 
Sarah, widow of John Glenn, Eliza, John, 
Sidney, and Jeannette. 

Mr. Oliver spent his boyhood on the farm 
and received a meagre education in the 
public schools, such as they were in that 
day. He then clerked for a time in a gen- 
eral store at Portersville, and was later 
taken into the business as a partner. We 
next find him engaged in the oil fields, but 
he soon 'turned his attention to agricul- 
tural pursuits, which has occupied his time 
during a greater part of his active career. 
In addition to his home farm, he has a 
tract of land about two miles south of Por- 
tersville, lying on the road connecting the 
Yellow Creek and Prospect roads. Mr. 
Oliver has raised forty-eight crops of 
strawberries and sold to one house, whole- 
sale, for thirty-eight years, and in that 
time has seen frost, hail, drouth and some 
sunshine. 

February 9, 1860, Mr. Oliver was joined 
in marriage with Jane Kennedy, a daugh- 
ter of Daniel and Cassandra Kennedy, and 
a granddaughter of David and Jane (Gray- 
son) Kennedy, who came to this country 
from County Kilkenney, Ireland. David 
Kennedy first located at Philadelphia, and 
later moved west to Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, where he acquired some 300 acres 
of land about three miles south of Porters- 
ville. Four children were born to the sub- 
ject of this sketch and his estimable wife, 
namely : Eliza, who lives at home ; Frank, 
who married Miss Jennie Koch, and has 
two children, Mary Jane and Wilma; 
Charles, who is unmarried and lives at 
home ; and Edward, who also lives at home 
and with his brother, Charles, carries on 
the operations on the farm. Religiously, 
Mr. Oliver is a Presbyterian. 

WILBERT LAMONT CALER, a well 
known merchant of Eau Claire and a mem- 
ber of the firm of W. C. Jamison and Com- 



pany, has had a wide and varied experi- 
ence in the business world. He is at the 
present time president of the board of Eau 
Claire Academy, and is secretary of the 
borough council. He is a native of this 
borough, the date of his birth being No- 
vember 9, 1876, and is a son of James B. 
and Mary Elizabeth (Tebay) Caler. 

James B. Caler received his educational 
training in the public schools at Lisbon, 
Ohio, after which he learned the trade of 
a marble cutter. He moved to Butler 
County, where he at different times was 
engaged in business at Eau Claire, Pros- 
pect, Evans City and the borough of But- 
ler. He died at Warren, Pennsylvania, 
and was brought back to Eau Claire for 
interment. He married Mary E. Tebay, a 
daughter of William Tebay of Eau Claire, 
and to them were born the following : Clar- 
ence C, deceased ; Wilbert L. ; Arthur, de- 
ceased; and Pearl, who married Frank 
Stauffor of Landisville, Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, and has two children living 
— Marion and Robert Lamont. 

Wilbert L. Caler first attended school in 
the basement of the M. E. Church at Eau 
Claire, the public school being held there 
at that time, and later attended Prospect 
Academy. When his parents moved to 
Millerstown, or Chicora, he entered the 
grocery store of J. C. Martland. He next 
worked two years in the Leechburg Roll- 
ing Mills, after which he returned to Mil- 
lerstown and worked in the machine shops 
for William Westerman. He conducted a 
feather renovator at Chicora four months, 
and then engaged in the fish business until 
he went out on tlie road as advance agent 
for the Monarch Ethiopian Company. The 
company became stranded at ^It. Alton, 
near Bradford, and Mr. Caler walked more 
than 100 miles in two feet of snow to get 
back home. He met with some novel ex- 
periences in roughing it for a time and saw 
much country. He finally returned to Chi- 
cora as grocery clerk for W. W. Campbell, 
and then became part owner of a bakery. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1399 



After about three moutlis lie bought out 
his partner's interest, and conducted the 
business successfully for one year. He sold 
out the business and went to Pittsburg, 
where he clerked in a grocery for two 
weeks, then entered the employ of the Mil- 
ler Grocery Company. He became fore- 
man for the Grand Union Tea Company, 
and later salesman for the Reineke Wilson 
Company, in the stove and range depart- 
ment, his work taking him to Ohio, Michi- 
gan and Kentucky. After his marriage he 
settled down at Eau Claire, buying an in- 
terest in the store of W. C. Jamison & Com- 
pany, with which he has since been identi- 
fied in a most successful manner. 

Wilbert L. Caler was united in marriage 
with Mja-tle May Jamison, a daughter of 
AV. C. Jamison of Eau Claire, and they had 
the following offspring: Harold Lamont, 
deceased ; Wayne A. ; and May Lucile. Re- 
ligiously, they are members of the M. E. 
Church, in which Mrs. Caler sings in the 
choir. Mr. Caler is a member of the Em- 
pire Quartet of the church, was superin- 
tendent of the Sabbath School for one. 
year, and assistant superintendent for the 
year of 1909. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics. In political affiliation he is a member 
•of Lodge No. Ill, I. O. 0. F., at Hilliard, 
and of the Knights of Pythias at Chicora. 

E. C. THOMPSON, M. D., physician and 
surgeon at West Liberty, is one of the bor- 
ough's leading citizens. Dr. Thompson 
was born on his father's farm in Brady 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
July 14, 1861, and is a son of Solomon R. 
and Martha (McCandless) Thompson. 

Dr. Thompson was reared in Brady 
Townsliip and there attended the district 
schools, then entered West Sunbury Acad- 
emy, later attending Grove City College. 
He then turned his attention to the study 
of medicine and in 1882 entered old Jef- 
ferson College, Philadelphia, where he was 
a student in 1882-3 and in the latter year 
entered the medical department of the 



Western Reserve College at Cleveland, 
Ohio, where he was graduated and received 
his medical degree, in 1885. He immedi- 
ately settled at West Liberty and here has 
built up a large and lucrative practice and 
at the same time has taken an active in- 
tei-est in all that pertains to the public wel- 
fare of the place. 

Dr. Thompson was married to Miss 
Berdena Stapleton, a daughter of David 
Stapleton, and they had two daughters, 
Franc (deceased), and Mary Lucile, who 
is a student at Grove City College. Dr. 
Thompson and family are members of the 
United Presbyterian Church. Dr. Thomp- 
son belongs to families on both paternal 
and maternal sides which have long been 
particularly prominent in Butler County. 

ROBERT EAKIN, who has been promi- 
nently engaged in carpentering and con- 
tracting for many years, is now living in 
practical retirement at Eau Claire. He 
was born in Irwin Township, Venango 
County, Pennsylvania, January 1, 1843, 
and is a son of John M., Jr., and Elizabeth 
(Campbell) Eakin, and a grandson of John 
M. Eakin, Sr. 

John M. Eakin, Sr., was united in mar- 
riage with Margaret Campbell, a native of 
Ireland, and to them were born the fol- 
lowing : John M., Jr. ; David, who married 
Rose McClintock and had the following 
children, — Margaret, David M., Eliza Jane, 
Catherine and one who died young; Eliza- 
beth, who married W^illiam Blair and had 
four children — John, Rachel, Rebecca and 
Louise; Margai'et, who became the wife of 
Rol)ert Bovard and had the following chil- 
dren — John, James, Thomas and Samuel; 
and Thomas,, who married Eliza Blair, 
daughter of Robert Blair, and whose chil- 
dren were : Nancy Jane, John McClelland, 
Robert Stewart, " Lavina, Mary, Thomas 
and Carluvis. 

John M. Eakin, Jr., was joined in mar- 
riage with Elizabeth Campbell, whose 
father, David Campbell, came to this conn- 



1400 



HISTORY OF BUTI.ER COUNTY 



try from Scotland. The issue of their union 
was as follows : David, who married Julia 
McDowell, a daughter of Isaiah McDowell, 
and had the following children: Warren 
Renuick, Ada Blanche, Silas G. and Will- 
iam; Thomas, who married Susan Myers, 
a daughter of George Myers ; Robert, sub- 
ject of this biography; John Alexander, 
who married Sarah Bennett, a daughter of 
David Bennett, by whom he had the fol- 
lowing children — Stella, Ord, Jessie, Floyd, 
AVinnie and Ruth; Mary Ann; Margaret 
Elizabeth, wife of Emory Myers, by whom 
she has a son, Henry; Maria, deceased; 
and Jane, who also is deceased. 

Robert Eakin first attended school at 
Wesley, in Venango County, and later 
Green High School, in Green Township, 
Trumbull Count}', Ohio. He entered the 
Union Army early in the war of the Rebel- 
lion, and served three years and three 
months in a most creditable manner. He 
bore the rank of duty sergeant and saw 
much hard fighting during his enlistment. 
He was taken captive at Brown's Ferry, 
but before being removed from the field 
was rescued by the Union forces. After 
receiving an honorable discharge he re- 
turned home and began working at the 
trade of a carpenter at Oil Creek. He sub- 
sequently purchased a farm of David 
Hoover, located one and a half miles south 
of Eau Claire, in Venango Township. He 
engaged in agricultural pursuits, but de- 
voted a portion of his time to working at 
his trade. He sold off all but seventy-five 
acres of his land, which he still owns, and 
moved to Eau Claire, where he purchased 
a good residence property. He then de- 
voted himself exclusively to the work of 
contractor and builder, and erected many 
of the best buildings throughout this part 
of the country. He erected all of the 
buildings on the farm and has one of the 
best improved places in that vicinity. 

Mr. Eakin was joined in marriage with 
Miss Achsah Octavo Hall, a lady of most 
pleasing personality and a daughter of 



Richard Hall. In religious attachment 
they are members of the Presbyterian 
church at Annisville, of which he is a trus- 
tee. He is a member of Eau Clairfe Post, 
No. 538, G. A. R., and is senior vice com- 
mander of the post. Mr. Eakin is a stanch 
Prohibitionist in politics, and frequently 
has been called upon to fill offices of public 
trust. He served as clerk and treasurer 
of Irwin Township, Venango County ; is a 
member of the borough council at Eau 
Claire and street commissioner. He was 
formerly trustee and vice-president of the 
board of Eau Claire Academy. 

PETER I. MAYS, an enterprising and 
successful farmer of Fairview Township, 
the owner of eighty acres of good farming 
land, was born on his present farm in this 
township May 11, 1858, a son of Solomon 
S. and Elizabeth (Kaylor) Mays. His pa- 
ternal grandfather was Andrew Mays, one 
of the early settlers of Butler County, who 
came from Luzern County, Pennsylvania. 

Solomon S. Mays, father of the subject 
of this sketch, was born in Concord Town- 
ship, Butler County, and was a life-long 
resident of this county, residing for over 
fifty years on the farm now owned and op- 
erated by his son Peter. His wife, in maid- 
enhood Elizabeth Kaylor, was born at 
Brady's Bend, Armstrong Coimty, Penn- 
sylvania. Her grandfather, Leonard Kay- 
lor, at an early day settled on the tract of 
land forming a part of the present farm of 
our subject, the tract then consisting of 
fifty acres, the other thirty acres having 
been added to it since at different times. 
Mr. and Mrs. Solomon S. Mays were the 
parents of four children — Margaret Ann, 
Elizabeth, Peter I., and Luella Jane, whose 
record in brief is as follows : 

Margaret Ann married Herbert Bloom and 
resides at Cui-weusville, Clearfield County, 
Penn.sylvania. She has six children, name- 
ly: Clayton, Peter I., Lee Roy, Alma E., 
deceased, Hariy S., and Luella, deceased. 
Elizabeth Mavs married J. C. Polliard and 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1403 



lives at Renfrew, this county. She lias a 
large family of nine ehildi'en — Cora May, 
George E., Emma J., Alma E., Laura A., 
Grace E., Francis J., AVilliam E., and Mary 
I. Of the above named children of Mr. and 
Mrs. Polliard, Cora May married William 
F. McGinnis and lives at Kittanning. She 
has four children — Ethel, AVilliam, George, 
and AValter. 

Luella J. Mays is the wife of James Mc- 
Elroy of Armstrong County and lives in 
Pairview Township, Butler County. Her 
children are James H. and Mary E. 

Solomon S. Mays died September 8, 
1902, at the age of seventy-eight years. His 
wife Elizabeth is still living, having now at- 
tained the age of eighty-one. She resides 
with her son Peter, the subject of this no- 
tice. 

Peter I. Mays, who has always resided 
at his present location, was early trained 
to farm life and labor and became a skilled 
and successful agriculturist. Besides culti- 
vating the usual crops, he makes a spe- 
cialty of hog raising, and has also cut some 
figure as an oil producer — a l»u-iiir-- tliat 
requires good judgment and intclliiiciit op- 
eration. His success has been well deserved 
and he his now numbered among the sub- 
stantial citizens of the township. Mr. Mays 
has no matrimonial record, as hitherto he 
has remained a bachelor. 

DAVID HENEY LOGAN is a prosper- 
ous farmer of Jefferson Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, residing on a farm 
of 125 acres about five miles southeast of 
the borough of Butler, on the Saxonburg 
road. He was born in Jefferson Township, 
July 14, 1858, and is a son of David and 
Mary Ann (Sefton) Logan, David Logan 
having come from Lancaster County, Penn- 
sylvania, and a grandson of Joseph and 
Elizabeth Logan. 

Joseph Logan came from the North of 
Ireland to the United States and located 
first in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 



He subsequently came to Penn Township, 
Butler County, where he cleared and culti- ~ 
vated a tract of land, in addition to follow- 
ing his trade as a stone mason. 

David Logan, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was a boy when he came from 
Lancaster County, and he here took to 
farniing. He became owner of what is 
known as the Erastus Logan farm in Penn 
Township. His first marriage was with 
Elizabetii Davis, by whom he had the fol- 
lowing children: Nancy J., deceased; 
John; Joseph, deceased; Levi; Baxter; 
Samuel, deceased; Matilda; Calvin, and 
Eliza B. His second union was with Mrs. 
Mary Ann Cox, nee Sefton, and they reared 
two children — David Henry, and Edward 
Perry, M. D., who is engaged in the prac- 
tice of his profession at North Side, Pitts- 
burgh, Pennsylvania. 

David Henry Logan was reared in Jef- 
ferson Township, and received his educa- 
tion in the public schools. He has always 
followed farming with uniformly good re- 
sults and has a well improved place in 
every re.spect. Mr. Logan was joined in 
marriage with Miss Martha B. Cook, a 
daughter of Squire and Sarah (Miller) 
Cook of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. 
The following children are the issue of the 
marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Logan: Eev. 
Harvey Wilbur; George Clifford, who con- 
ducts a blacksmith shop in Jefferson Town- 
ship; Earl Richard, who lives on the old 
farm; Elry Robinson and Glenn Baxter, 
the two last named being in school. 

Rev. H. AV. Logan, before completing his 
course at Grove City College, taught for 
three years in the public schools of this 
county. He was graduated from college 
with the class of '05 and the following Au- 
tumn entered the Allegheny Theological 
Seminary, from which he received his di- 
ploma in the Spring of 1908. In May of 
the same year he was united in marriage 
to Miss Mary Prescott Jack. George Clif- 
ford Logan "was married to Miss Edith 
Grohman and they have two sons, Hollis 



1404 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



Henry and Eminerson Glenn. The family 
belongs to the United Presbyterian Church. 
George Clifford Logan was married to 
Miss Edith Grohman, and they have a son, 
Hewitt Henry. Eeligiously, the family be- 
longs to the United Presbytei-ian Church. 

DAVID McCOLLOUGH is a prominent 
farmer of Fairview Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is the owner of 
a farm of 133 acres. He was born in this 
township, April 10, 1830, and is a son of 
William and Elizabeth (Eumbaugh) Mc- 
Collough. His grandfather, John McCol- 
lough, came from Scotland and was one 
of the early settlers in Butler County. He 
served in ithe American army during the 
War of 1812. 

William McCollough, father of the sub- 
ject of this record, was born and reared in 
Butler County, where he always lived and 
engaged in farming. He died at the age 
of eighty-one years and six months. He 
married Elizabeth Eumbaugh, whose death 
occuri'cd at the age of seventy-eight years, 
and they became parents of four children, 
as follows : Polly, deceased ; David, Peter, 
and Samuel. 

David McCollough was roared to matur- 
ity in Fairview Towiisliip, .iiid received as 
good an education as the }iul)lic schools of 
his boyhood period afforded. He has al- 
ways devoted his energies to agricultural 
pursuits, and has met with unusually good 
results. His farm of 133 acres is well im- 
proved as to the residence and farm build- 
ings, and the land is all under a high state 
of cultivation. He is a liberal minded and 
progressive citizen, who is accorded the 
good will and esteem of his fellow citizens 
to a high degree. 

Mr. McCollough was united in marriage, 
December 8, 1853, with Miss Mary Emrick, 
now deceased, who was a daughter of 
William Emrick of Butler County. The 
following are the issue of their marriage: 
Elizabeth, who is the wife of John Lewis 



of New York State, by whom she has eight 
children; Lydia E. of Little Washington, 
who is the widow of David Kirkland and 
has five children; Anna M., who is the wife 
of George Hayes of Little Washington and 
has eight children; William; Laura A.; 
Sarah; and Curtis, of Fairview Township, 
who married Ella Smith and has five chil- 
dren. Eeligiously, the family is of the 
Lutheran faith. 

■ THOMAS H. HENON, residing on his 
valuable farm of 108 acres, which is favor- 
ably situated in one of the best sections 
of Washington Township, was born in 
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, February 
17, 1852. His parents were Thomas M. 
and Hannah (Johnson) Henon. 

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Henon 
was a native of Scotland. He was killed 
in the War of 1812, leaving his widow with 
an infant son, Thomas M., who was born 
January 1, 1812. The latter was married 
in early manhood to Hannah Johnson, who 
was a daughter of Eichard Johnson, who 
was born in Ireland. To this marriage 
were born the following cliildren: Cas- 
sandra, who married (first) Christopher 
Bower, and (second) Capt. William Low- 
ery; James Harvey, who married Eliza- 
beth Veyon; Mary Adell, who married 
Thomas Black, of Lawrence County ; Rich- 
ard M., who married Mary Jane Hilliard, 
of Butler County; Thomas H., who mar- 
ried Vienna C. Hilliard; and Elizabeth, 
who married Capt. Thomas Morns. The 
father of the above family made his home 
in Shenango Township, Lawrence County, 
and his business was railroad contracting 
until he retired. 

Thomas H. Henon attended school in 
Shenango Township and then learned the • 
trade of stone-cutter, and later stone work 
of all kinds, including bridge-building, to- 
gether with structural iron work. Mr. 
Henon can point to a large amount of sat- 
isfactory work done in this line in former 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1405 



years, but he devotes a large part of his 
attention to cultivating his land, carrying 
on general farming. He grows the usual 
grains of this climate and enough stock 
for his own use. 

Mr. and Mrs. Henon have four children, 
namely: Harvey N., who married Lillian 
Adams, a daughter of Leander Adams, of 
Murrinsville, Pennsylvania, and has one 
child, Avalena C. ; John C, who married 
Pearl Jack, of Anuandale, Butler County; 
Goldie Adell, who married W. W. Patter- 
sou, of Hilliards, and has two children, 
Stillman Lee and Lillian Pearl ; and David 
Leslie, who is a popular and successful 
teacher in the township schools. Mr. 
Henou and family are members of the Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church at Annandale. In 
l)olitics, he is a Democrat. He is no seeker 
for office, but consented to serve three 
terms as school director. He belongs to 
the Odd Fellows at Slippery Rock and is 
vice chancellor of the Knights of Pythias 
lodge at Hilliards. He is a well known and 
highly respected citizen of Washington 
Township. 

LEWIS C. WICK, a well known and en- 
terprising business citizen of Butler, was 
born in Slippery Rock Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, December 14, 1852, 
a son of Henry E. and Elizabeth Wick. His 
parents were both natives of this county, 
in M-hicli he himself has always resided, 
with the exception of four years spent in 
Bourbon, Indiana, and Chicago. He be- 
gan industrial life at the age of sixteen 
years, entering a general store, where he 
acquired a knowledge of business methods, 
also engaging in the wholesale flour and 
feed business at Hilliards, Pennsylvania. 
He has remained interested in the lumber 
business up to the present time, being now 
the proprietor of one of the principal lum- 
ber and planing mills in the city, and con- 
ducting also a similar business at Pitts- 
Inirg, Pennsyh 



The Butler vard was started in Febru- 
ary, 1884, by L. C. and Walter S. Wick, 
who in 1885 bought out the firms of Leech 
Bros., McGee & Dunlap, and AV. C. Heiner. 
In March, 1887, Walter S. Wick sold his 
interest to C. E. Hammond, and in Mav, 
1888, L. C. Wick bought out Mr. Hammond 
and has since been sole joroprietor of the 
business, which is now in a very pi'osperous 
condition. 

In addition to his activities in connection 
with the above mentioned concern, Mr. 
Wick is a large property holder, having 
over one hundred houses in Butler and 
Pittsburg. He is also a trustee of the 
Springdale Water Company, of which he 
was one of the chief promoters, a member 
of the board of managers of the Butler Silk 
]\[ill, and president of the American Mir- 
ror Comp?mj^ in which he is one of the 
largest stockholders. A business man of 
more than ordinary sagacity, he has con- 
tributed largely to the success of the vari- 
ous enterprises with which he is or has 
been connected, and his judgment and ex- 
perience along the lines of industrial en- 
terprise are among the potent factors that 
have contributed to the present commercial 
and industrial prestige of the city of But- 
ler. 

Mr. AVick was first married February 10, 
1874, to Mary Frances Curran, daughter 
of Samuel and Sarah Curran of Slippery 
Rock, Butler County, Pennsylvania, who 
died Decembel- 10, 1874. He was again 
married October 16, 1878, to Florence P. 
Curran, a daughter of Rev. Richard A. 
and Elizabeth Curran, of Decatur, Indi- 
ana. To this union have been born four 
children — Richard H. ; Helen E. and 
Louisa 0., both of wliom are deceased ; and 
Olive Bartine. Richard H. Wick is a mem- 
ber of the firm of L. C. Wick & Son, lumber 
dealers of Pittsburg. Olive B. resides at 
home with her parents. In politics Mr. 
Wick is a stanch Prohibitionist, casting his 
vote for that political party in 1882. 



1406 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



HENRY ERNEST MONTAG, a success- 
ful general farmer and stock-raiser of Jef- 
ferson Township, resides on a valuable 
farm of 100 acres, which is situated on the 
east side of the Saxonburg road, two and 
one-half miles from that town. He was 
born December 18, 1850, in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of John and 
Dorothy (Hesse) Montag. 

John Montag came to America from 
Germany, leaving his parents in the old 
country. He had his own way to make in 
the world and worked hard to secure his 
farm in Jefferson Township. He married 
Dorothy Hesse and they had one child — 
Henry Ernest. 

Henry Ernest Montag has spent his life 
in Butler County and is regarded as one 
of its leading citizens in the section where 
he went to school, engaged in industriously 
cultivating his own land, married and has 
reared a family which is a credit to its 
parents and the neighborhood. On Febru- 
ary 13, 1872, Mr. Montag married Miss 
Mary Roenick, who is a daughter of Fred- 
erick and Elizabeth (Smith) Roenick. Mrs. 
Montag 's mother was born in Germany and 
was nine years old when she was brought 
to America. To Mr. and Mrs. Montag 
eleven children have been born and there 
has been but one lireak in the family, Au- 
gust, the third child, having died. The eld- 
est, Mena, married William Frederick and 
they have had five children — Viola, Edna, 
Henry, Arthur and Richard, Arthur being 
deceased. The eldest son of Mr. Montag, 
Henry, follows the carpenter's trade. He 
married Edna Grabe. Emma married 
Charles Bachman and they have five chil- 
dren — Lydia, Clarence, Gertrude, Elmer 
and Elsie. Charles works on his farm in 
the near neighborhood. Lydia resides at 
Freeport, Pennsylvania. Ottilie lives at 
home. Frank carries on a huckster busi- 
ness, and Alfred, Elmer and Norman re- 
side at home, the latter lieing still in school. 
Mr. IVTontag is a leading member of the 



German Lutheran Church in Jefferson 
Township. 

ALBERT ELIAS MALTBY, A.M., C.E., 
Ph.D., principal of the Slippery Rock State 
Normal Schools, at Slippery Rock, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, has been identified 
with that institution during its entire ex- 
istence, excepting the first eighteen months. 
He has had wide experience as an educa- 
tor, has devoted much time to lecturing be- 
fore teachers' institutes, and takes high 
rank in the profession. 

Mr. Maltby was born in Fayetteville, 
near Syracuse, New York, October 27, 
1850, and is a son of Jolm and Rachel E. 
(Crawford) Maltby; he is of English de- 
scent. His father was superintendent of a 
joaper mill in New York State. Albert E. 
Maltby attended the public schools at 
Fayetteville, and early in life learned the 
trade of a sash maker; while working at 
his trade, he gave vent to his ambitions by 
pursuing a course of study outside of work 
hours. He made rapid advancement in 
his work, becoming superintendent over 
ten men in the shop. At the age of twenty- 
two years he quit the shop and three days 
later matriculated at Cornell University. 
Ambitious, persevering and studious, he 
acliieved a record in that institution full of 
honors. In addition to the civil engineer- 
ing course, in which he was enrolled, he 
took a special literary course and also 
mastered the French, Spanish and German 
languages, which he became able to speak 
fluently. During his senior year he repre- 
sented the university in an inter-collegiate 
mathematical contest held in New York 
City, the famous universities of the East 
competing. He graduated from Cornell in 
1876, with the degree of C. E., and imme- 
diately thereafter was employed on the 
coast survey. He was appointed civil en- 
gineer in charge of the survey of the con- 
tested line between the countries of Guate- 
mala and Mexico. He also followed en- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1409 



gineering in the western part of this coun- 
try a couple of" years. In 1880 he took up 
the profession of teaching, accepting ap- 
pointment as principal of a private school 
in Philadelphia. He continued there two 
years, then tilled the chair of mathematics 
at the St. Lawrence University, in North- 
ern New York State. From there he went 
to the Episcopal Church school at Toledo, 
Ohio, as principal, continuing one year, 
and since that time has been identified 
solely with Pennsylvania institutions. 
After teaching for a time in the public 
schools of Philadelphia, he in 1884 took up 
normal school work. He was professor of 
sciences at Indiana Normal School in this 
state until 1889, after which he was prin- 
cipal of the Model School at Millersville 
until he came to Slippery Rock. The sub- 
jects under his instruction in this institu- 
tion are psychology, pedagogy and history 
of education. The high standard of the 
school has been continued during his 
regime, and he occupies a place high in the 
esteem of the students, and of the people 
of the community in general. Mr. Maltljy 
is a director of the Citizens' National Bank 
of Slippery Eock. 

He was united in marriage with Miss 
Harriet A. Dezell, a lady of accomplish- 
ments and refinement. Religiously, they 
are members of the Episcopal church. 

SAMUEL AUSTIN BEAM, one of the 
leading citizens of Harmony, and owner of 
the Hotel Beam, has been a life long resi- 
dent of Butler County, and comes of a 
family long established in this county. He 
was born April 1, 1847, in the building 
which is now known as the Beam House in 
Harmony, and is a son of George and Mar- 
garet (Enslen) Beam, and a grandson of 
Samuel Beam. 

Samuel Beam, uraiidfather, was a black- 
smith by trade, and af a very early period 
came from tlio casfcin part of Pennsylva- 
nia and located in Beaver County about 
seven miles from Harmony. He subse- 



quently returned east of the AUeghanies, 
in order to purchase an anvil and hammer. 
Upon returning to Beaver County he made 
his own tools and opened a shop, which he 
conducted successfully for many years. He 
was the father of the following children: 
George, father of our subject; Abram, 
Mrs. Dickey, Mrs. Bolton, Mrs. Welsh, 
Mrs. Graham, and Nancy, all now deceased. 

George Beam, who was born in Beaver 
County in 1812, died in Harmony in 1888, 
aged seventy-six years. He was an ex- 
tensive farmer and large land owner and 
banker, buying and selling in large tracts. 
He married Margaret Enslen, who was 
born east of the mountains in 1822. Her 
father also came from the eastern part of 
Pennsylvania and located first in Beaver 
County, later coming to Butler County, 
where he settled near Harmony. Mrs. Beam 
had five sisters, namely: Mrs. Sleppy; 
Mrs. Deitrich; Mrs. Dersheimer; Mrs. Pil- 
low ; and Mrs. Reiber. Seven children were 
born to the parents of our subject — 
Enslen, a resident of Allegheny, Pennsyl- 
vania; Samuel A.; Beriah, deceased; Sue, 
wife of Levingston McQuistion, a promi- 
nent attorney of Butler; Elizabeth, who 
married Mr. Conway, resides in Chicago; 
Agnes married Henry Dindinger of Alle- 
gheny; Nettie married Frank Hoops of 
New Brighton, Pennsylvania. 

Samuel A. Beam attended the public 
schools of Harmony and Hayesville, Ohio, 
also taking a course of study at the Agri- 
culture College in Center County. After 
leaving school he hauled water for the 
town of Harmony, and engaged in all kinds 
of trapping, at which he made consider- 
able money. He then worked for his fath- 
er on the farm, where he later opened a 
coal bank, from which he supplied coal for 
adjoining counties and carried on a very 
successful business. In 1873 Mr. Beam 
moved to Butler, where he purchased a liv- 
ery stable, whicli he later moved to Har- 
mony and conducted in partnership with 
Albert Wise, to whom he later sold his in- 



1410 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



terest in the business. On December 21, 
18S1, be purchased from Mr. Hyle, the 
Beam House, of which he continued as pro- 
prietor until 1908, when be gave its man- 
agement to bis sou Charles. Owing to the 
courteous treatment extended his guests, 
combined with the prompt services ren- 
dered, Mr. Beam enjoyed an extensive 
patronage and proved himself a genial 
host and able manager. Mr. Beam resides 
on a beautiful farm of thirty-one acres 
near Harmony, which he owns in partner- 
ship with Mr. McQuistion, and which con- 
tains the largest collection of antiquities 
in the county. He also owns, in partner- 
ship with Henry Wise, a fine farm of 400 
acres at Middle Forks, West Virginia, be- 
sides a number of valuable lots. 

Mr. Beam was married January 1, 1880, 
to Sarah Miller, a daughter of John Miller 
of Butler County. Three children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Beam, namely : Jose- 
phine, a graduate of St. Xaviers College, 
who married Walter Young, superinten- 
dent of the Bartlesville Oil Company of 
Oklahoma, and resides in Bartlesville, 
that state; Charles, unmarried, who is 
manager of the Beam Hotel of Harmony; 
and Howard, a student at St. Vincent. Mr. 
Beam is a Democrat in polities and is fra- 
ternally a member of the B. P. O. E., Royal 
Arcanum, and the Knights of Pythias. 

JOHN H. WASSON, a contracting car- 
penter, residing on a small well cultivated 
farm of fifteen acres, situated in Washing- 
ton Township, two miles southeast of Hil- 
liards, was born at West Simbury, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1853. 
His parents were William A. and Margaret 
(dordon) Wasson, and his grandfather 
was William Wasson, who lived and died 
at North Hope, Butler County. 

The parents of Mr. Wasson were natives 
of Butler County and the maternal grand- 
father was William Gordon, of Clay Town- 
ship. There were six children born to 
William A. Wasson and wife, namely: Lu- 



cinda, who married Dr. Perry Sproull, of 
Cherry Township ; Martha A., who married 
Charles H. Book ; William James, who mar- 
ried Samantha Rumbaugh, of Washington 
Township ; John H., of AVashington Town- 
ship; Thomas M., who married Ellen 
Hovis; and Mary Catherine, deceased. 

John H. Wasson attended school through 
boyhood at Euclid Station, in Clay Town- 
ship, and then learned the carpenter's 
trade, at which he has worked more or less 
continuously ever since. He has done a 
large amount of work in this section and 
for some years has engaged in carpenter 
contracting-. He took the contract and 
built the largest store building in Wash- 
ington Township and has erected innu- 
merable substantial barns and dwellings, 
his own farm improvements testifying to 
his taste and skill. He has never tested his 
land for oil, but it lies in a district where 
oil has been found in paying quantities. 

Mr. Wasson married Miss Mary Uhry, 
a daughter of Baltser Uhry, of Mercer 
Coimty, and they have had the following 
children : Elto, Clyde W., Clarence P. and 
Arthur M., surviving, and two who died in 
infanc5\ Clyde W. is an engineer on the 
Bessemer Railroad. Miss Elta is a tele- 
phone operator on the AVasson Exchange, 
at Hilliard. Mr. Wasson and family are 
members of the Lutheran Church at An- 
nandale. Miss AVasson is a member of the 
church choir and formerly was organist. 
In politics, Mr. Wasson is a Republican 
and on that ticket he was elected super- 
visor of Washington Township and served 
honestly and efSciently. He is a represen- 
tative and respected citizen. 

JOSEPH REITH, who has a comfort- 
able home and fifty-two acres of land in 
Buffalo Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, is a well known citizen of the 
community. He was born December 4, 
1852, and is a son of Joseph and Sophia 
Reith, the father from Gei-many and the 
mother from England. He was one of the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1411 



following children born to his parents: 
John, Ernest, Matilda, Dora, Joseph, 
Frank, William, Hettie, Sophia and Fred- 
erick. 

Joseph Reith, subject of this sketch, was 
reared on the farm and received his edu- 
cational training in the common schools. 
He early in life turned his attention to 
agricultural pursuits, which he has fol- 
lowed nearly all his life in connection with 
coal mining, his tifty-two acres of land 
being underlaid with coal. He has not 
mined any during the past few years. He 
is a man of business aliility and standing, 
and is highly regarded by his many friends 
and acquaintances in this part of the 
county. 

Mr. Reith was united in marriage with 
Elizabeth Beckman, a daughter of Irvin 
Beckman, who came to this country from 
Germany and engaged in farming in But- 
ler County ; he was a soldier in the Union 
Army during the Civil War. This union 
was productive of the following offspring : 
Fred, who married MoUie Gibson and has 
the following children : Birdie, Lloyd, Ar- 
thur and Elizabeth; Mamie, wife of Paul 
Smith ; Joseph, Jr. ; Arthur, who married 
Etta Heckart and has one child — Wesley; 
Stella; Carrie; and Jesse. Religiously, 
they are members of the Lutheran church. 

HENRY CROMLING, who has been en- 
gaged in the butcher business at Peti'olia 
for many years, also has farming inter- 
est and is the owner of a valuable property 
in New York State. He was born in Ger- 
many August 25, 1843, and was one of four 
children born to Henry and Mary Crom- 
ling. The others were Mary (deceased), 
Dora, and Frederick (deceased). 

Mr. Cromling was twenty-three years of 
age at the time he came to the United 
States, and he located in Maryland, where 
he worked in the mines. In 1873 he came 
to Butler County, Pennsylvania, locating 
first at Karns City, where he engaged in 
butchering for two years. He then re- 



moved to Petrolia, where he has since been 
engaged in the butcher business in a most 
successful manner. He is an enterprising 
and progressive citizen and has given ma- 
terial aid to the advancement of the best 
interests of the community. He has been 
constable here for a period of sixteen 
years, and has served as committeeman 
for the Republican party for a number of 
years. 

Mr. Cromling was married March 4, 
1869, in Maryland, to Miss Rachel Farin- 
son, and they became parents of the fol- 
lowing cliildrcn: Mary, deceased; John, of 
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, who 
is married and has four children; Dora, 
wife of John McLean of Cleveland, Ohio ; 
Maggie, wife of Thomas Connors of But- 
ler, by whom she has a daughter, Bertha ; 
Charles, of Cleveland, Ohio, who married 
Maggie Walters and has a son, Edward; 
George of Westmoreland County, who is 
married and has a daughter, Rachel; 
Henry; Frederick; and Grover, deceased; 
William, of East Brady, Pennsylvania, 
married EUzabeth Nealor. Religiously, 
the family belongs to the German Lutheran 
church. 

WILLIAM C. ARNER, who carries on 
general farming on his valuable estate of 
fifty acres, which is situated three miles 
southwest of the village of Hilliards, in 
Washington Township, also carries on a 
very successful photographic business, for 
which he has fine, modern equipments. Mr. 
Arner was born in Washington Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, January 22, 
1869, and is a son of George and Ermina 
(Campbell) Arner. 

George Arner was a son of Tobias and 
Catherine (Daubenspeck) Arner, of Par- 
ker Township, Butler County. They had 
the following children : Mary, who married 
John Day, of Clay Township ; Betsey, who 
married Andrew Kelly, of Warren County ; 
Philip, deceased ; David, who married Eliza 
McCandless, daughter of Mark McCand- 



1412 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



less, of Cherry Township; George; Anna, 
who married James Grant, of Washington 
Township; and Christina, who married 
Tliomas Troutman. For several years 
George Arner conducted the Wick House. 

William C. Arner obtained a public 
school education in Washington Township 
and then engaged in farming. His fifty 
acres are all under cultivation and the land 
responds readily to the care given it. Mr. 
Arner may also realize a fortune from 
coal, as there have been found four veins 
of this valuable substance underlying his 
fields. Mr. Arner is a good fanner, but 
he has other interests, having developed a 
very profitable enterprise in "the line of 
photography. He learned the photograph 
business after he had finished school and 
after his marriage instructed his wife and 
together they turn out a large amount of 
beautiful and artistic work. Mr. Arner 
worked in studios at Butler and at Pindlay, 
Ohio, and is thoroughly competent. He 
has about $.300 invested in cameras and 
other necessary equipments and his work 
compares favorably with that done in a 
city studio. 

In 1894 Mr. Arner was married to 
Amelia Cooper, who is a daughter of 
Ste])]ien and Henrietta Seaton, and a 
granddaughter of W'illiam Seaton, of Ve- 
nango Township, Butler County. The late 
Stephen Cooper was- born in Slippery Rock 
Township, Butler County, and was taken 
to Indiana while young, hut later returned 
to Butler County. He enlisted in 1861, for 
three months' service in the Civil War, as 
a member of the Seventy-eighth Regiment, 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was 
captured on one occasion by the enemy, but 
fortunately escaped before the prison was 
reached. He returned to his home and re- 
sumed farming. Mr. and Mrs. Arner have 
the following children : Lee Carl, Dale D., 
Hazel H. and Gladys E., all bright students 
in the public school ; and an infant. Mr. 
and Mrs. Arner ai'e members of the Eng- 
lish Lutheran Church at Annandale. In 



politics, Mr. Arner is identified with the 
Republican party. 

SAMUEL SHERW'IN, a prominent coal 
operator of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
is the owner of seventy-five acres of farm 
land in Fairview Township, on which he 
lives, and also has the coal rights to one 
hundred and thirty acres in the same town- 
ship. He is a native of Clarion County, 
Pennsylvania, the date of his birth being 
February 8, 1873, and is a son of Peter D. 
and Anna (Blackett) Sherwin. 

Samuel Sherwin, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was identified with the 
coal industry in England prior to his com- 
ing to the United States, a line of busi- 
ness with which the family has been con- 
nected as far back as there is any record. 
Peter D. and Anna (Blackett) Sherwin 
became parents of the following children: 
Samuel ; John B. ; W. E. ; James G. ; Grace 
B. and Charles P. All of this family now 
reside in Butler County, the parents being 
located in the borough of Butler. 

Samuel Sherwin was about three years 
of age, when the oil excitement caused the 
removal of the family from Clarion County 
to Karns City. Four years later they moved 
to Bradford, Pennsylvania, where they re- 
mained aViout six years, then returned to 
Butler County, where our subject has lived 
for more than a score of years. He has 
been living on a farm in Fairview Town- 
ship about fifteen years, and in 1906 pur- 
chased his present place from Joseph Ear- 
hart. He has been engaged in coal mining 
all his life, starting in the employ of his 
father, and for some years was superin- 
tendent of the latter 's mine, known as the 
Sherwin ^line and located iai Clay Town- 
ship. He continued as superintendent 
fourteen years, then branched out into 
business for himself. He opened his pres- 
ent mines two years ago, made all the im- 
provements and has what are considered 
the best mines in the county. They em- 
ploy seventy men and have an output of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1413 



about 300 tons per day, all of which is 
taken by tlie Great Lake Shipping Com- 
panj'. He is a man •of great energy and 
enterprise, and has won his way to the 
front rank through his individual efforts. 
Mr. Sherwin was united in marriage 
with Miss Alice Kaylor, a daughter of 
David and Keziali (Byers) Kaylor, old 
residents of Butler County. They were 
married at Butk^r, March 23, 1891, and 
have the following children : Harriet, Peter 
D., Jessie H., Hazel, Ella and Joseph. Re- 
ligiously, Mr. Sherwin and his family are 
members of the Methodist church. He is 
affiliated with Grove City Lodge No. 910, 
I. 0. O. E., and Encampment No. 245, I. 0. 
0. F., at Grove City. 

JOHN ^\. HILLIARD, who comes of an 
old and respected family of Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, is a contractor in oil 
well drilling and is a member of the tirm 
of Ekas & Hilliard. He makes his home 
on a tract of twenty-five acres which 
formed a part of the old homestead of 400 
acres in Washington Township, but he 
does not do any farming. There are three 
veins of coal on this property, but as yet 
no banks have been opened. 

Mr. Hilliard was born on the farm on 
which he now lives, September 25, 1866, 
and is a son of John M. and Elizabeth 
(Shira) Hilliard. He was one of the fol- 
lowing children born to his parents : Anvia 
(Henon); Margaret, wife of Adam Fogle 
of Washington Township; Olive, wife of 
Leslie Huffman of Lawrence County, by 
whom she has two children, Blanche and 
Fisk; Alvira (Rumbaugh) ; Newton; Lena, 
who is unmarried and lives in Washington 
Township; Vina, wife of Harry Gutlirie, 
by whom she has thi'^e children — La- 
Vernge, Irene and Leola ; Jacob, deceased ; 
IMcClelland, deceased; and John William, 
whose name heads this sketch. Anna Hil- 
liard married Thomas Henon of Wash- 
ington Township and they had the follow- 
ing offspring: Harvey, who married Lil- 



lian Adams of Marion Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania; Elizabeth, wife of 
Miles Hutchison ; Thomas, deceased ; OUie, 
deceased; Claiide, who married Pearl Jack, 
a daughter of William Jack; Goldie, wife 
of AVade Patterson of Hilliards; and 
David, who is a teacher in the public 
schools. Alvira Hilliard married Henry 
Rumbaugh of Washington Township and 
their children are: Ford, Earl, Ina, wife 
of Eli Gaiser, and Vance. Newton Hilliard 
married Sarah Hutchinson, a daughter of 
White Hutchinson of Cherry Township, 
and to them were born ; Miles ; Harry Jay ; 
and Twila, who married Edward Seaton of 
Marion Township and has three children — 
Lee, Pearl, Vevia. 

John William Hilliard attended the pub- 
lic schools of Washington Township, first 
attending the old Stoops School. His first 
occupation on leaving the farm was as tool 
dresser in the oil fields. He later began 
drilling wells and finally branched out as 
a contractor, becoming a member of the 
Ekas & Hilliard Contracting Company, of 
Butler. He has achieved a distinct suc- 
cess in this field of operation and takes 
rank among the substantial men of the 
community. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics, and his many friends twice advanced 
his candidacy for the office of county com- 
missioner. 

Mr. Hilliard was united in marriage 
with Miss Helen Heinauer, a daughter of 
Andrew Heinauer of McKee's Rocks, Alle- 
gheny County. Andrew married Mary 
Burkhart, a daughter of John Burkhart of 
Woodsfield, Ohio, and they had the follow- 
ing children: Helen, wife of the subject 
of this record ; Katherine, deceased ; John, 
deceased; Charles, who married Mary 
Hotchkiss, a daughter of Charles Hotch- 
kiss, and has a son, Charles, Jr.; Edward; 
and Agnes. Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard have 
three children : John L., who is a member 
of the Class of 1909 at North Washington 
Academy; Vevia L., who is attending the 
public schools; and LaVernge J. Relig- 



1414 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



iously, they are active members of the 
Lutheran Church at Anandale, and Miss 
Vevia and John L. Hilliard sing in the 
church choir. Fraternally, the subject of 
this sketch is affiliated with the Woodmen 
of the World. 

GILL M. THOMPSON, one of Center 
Township's leading farmers and reliable 
and substantial citizens, resides on his 
farm of 100 acres of excellent land, which 
is situated on the Sunbury and McGrath 
mill road. Mr. Thompson was born June 
9, 1861, on the farm in Center Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, which is now 
the property of J. G. Renick, and is a son 
of Anthony and Abigail (Russell) Thomp- 
son. 

Anthony Thompson was born May 5, 
1838, in the same house that saw the birtli 
of his son Gill M., and was a son of Moses, 
who was a son of Anthony Thompson, who 
was born in Ireland. This Moses Thomp- 
son married his cousin, a daughter of 
James Thompson, who came also from Ire- 
land to Pennsylvania and settled on the 
farm on which Gill M. Thompson and his 
father were born. Moses Thompson was 
born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and 
he was eighteen years of age when he came 
to Center Township. The father of Gill 
M. Thompson still survives and he and 
wife reside in Center Township. He mar- 
ried Abigail Russell, who was born in 
Scrubgrass TownshiiJ, Venango County, 
May 27, 1836, and is a daughter of William 
Russell, who was born in Concord Town- 
ship, Butler County. The father of Will- 
iam Russell was an early settler in Con- 
cord Township, to which he came from 
Eastern Pennsylvania. William Russell 
and wife moved to a farm in Venango 
County, where he cleared up a farm from 
the dense forest, about 100 aot's. made im- 
provements there and later sold the ])hu'e 
and decided to make a itiosiicctiiig trip to 
Illinois. On this his family remained be- 
hind and he subsequently returned to But- 



ler County. To Anthony and Abigail 
Thompson were born six children, namely : 
Gill M., Mrs. Lizzie A. I'^oung, Mrs. Mag- 
gie Upham, Bert, Martha and William, the 
two latter being deceased. 

Gill M. Thompson was one year old when 
his parents moved on his present farm and 
this has been his home ever since. He has 
carried on general farming and met with 
excellent success. For a time he spent his 
winters in the oil fields, as a tool dresser, 
cultivating the farm during the summers, 
and has one well on his own land that is a 
constant producer. 

Mr. Thompson was married in Cherry 
Township to Miss Annie E. Wolford, a 
daughter of Perry and Elizabeth Kiester 
Wolford, and they have five children: 
Grace, Mary, Wayne, Florence and Ralph. 
Mr. Thompson is a member of the order 
of Odd Fellows. He is not active in poli- 
tics but he has the best interests of his 
community at heart and he served three 
vears as school director of School District 
No. 3. 

A. W. DAVIDSON, who fills the office of 
tax collector for the borough of Butler, of 
which he has been a resident for some 
twenty-two years, was born in 1865, in 
Slippery Rock Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Isaac A. and 
Analiza Davidson, and a grandson of Rob- 
ert Davidson. 

Isaac A. Davidson was born in 1826, in 
Slippery Rock Township, where his father 
had been one of the earliest settlers. He 
died in May, 1905, on the farm on which 
he was born and on which he had spent 
his entire life. 

A. W. Davidson was reared on the old 
homestead and there he remained until he 
was about twenty-one years of age, in the 
meanwhile securing an excellent common 
school education. He then came to But- 
lei" and began work in the old fields, later 
was a clei-k in a store for a time and still 
later embarked in a grocery business which 




A. W. DAVIDSON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1417 



he continued for nine years. In the spring 
of 1906 he was elected to the office he has 
since efficiently filled. He has been an ac- 
tive citizen, working ever for the good of 
the community. For one term he served 
as school director in the Second Ward, but 
has seldom aspired to public office. 

Mr. Davidson was married May 17, 1893, 
to Miss Tillie D. Gilgrist, who was born in 
Butler County, and they have five sons — 
Wallace A., George B., Ira Roland, John 
Elmer and Thomas D. Fraternally, Mr. 
Davidson is idciitifuMl witli the ^lasoiis, the 
Elks, the 0(1(1 i-'cllows and tlic Myslic Cii- 
cle. He is a iiicinhcr of tlu.' I''ii>t Prcsliy- 
terian Church of Butler. 

PERRY FRANKLIN RAY is a repre- 
sentative farmer and business man resid- 
ing on a fine farm of 195 acres in Wash- 
ington Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania. He is engaged in general farming 
and stock raising, making a sijecialty of 
pedigreed stock. Mr. Ray was born in 
Fairview Township, Butler County, Sep- 
tember 11, 1856, and is a son of William 
and Nancy (Campbell) Ray, and is a 
grandson of AVilliam Ray, Sr., who came 
to this country from Ireland at an early 
date. His maternal grandfather was An- 
drew Campbell of Fairview Township. 

William Ray, father of the subject of this 
sketch, was a well known citizen of Fair- 
view Township. He first married a Miss 
Hindman, and of the children born of their 
union the following are living: Jane, who 
is the wife of John Porter of Oil City; 
Mary Ann, wife of Harvey McConnell ; and 
Margaret, wife of John Weeks. Those de- 
ceased are Robert, William, Andrew, 
James, Thomas, John and George. Mr. 
Ray formed a second marital union with 
Nancy Campbell, and they became parents 
of two children: Ada, wife of Mathew 
Banks ; and Perry Franklin. 

Perry F. Ray was reared in Fairview 
Township, and there received his educa- 
tional training in the common schools. He 



has a farm of 195 acres, of which 160 are 
in tillable shape. He raises standard-bred 
horses and pure-bred Durham cattle, in ad- 
dition to sheep; he makes a specialty of 
small grain, raising approximately 600 to 
1,000 bushels of oats, 200 to 300 bushels of 
buckwheat, and from 300 to 400 bushels of 
corn each year. He has made many impor- 
tant improvements on the place since it 
came into his possession, rebuilding both 
house and barn and erecting the other 
structures on the place. He has five good 
producing oil wells but little gas. He has 
two coal mines opened, and another 'vein 
of coal which has not been touched. He is 
a jsrogressive and public spirited man, 
taking an active interest in the develop- 
ment and welfare of the community. 

Mr. Ray was united in marriage with 
Miss Mary Badger, a daughter of Alonzo 
Badger of Fairview, and they reared six 
children: Erla Pearl, who is the wife of 
G. W. Marshall of Pollock, Clarion Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, by whom she has three 
children — Ossoli, Rosilla and Georgena; 
Cora Etta, wife of Edward Kuhn of 
Wilkinsburg, by whom she has a daughter, 
Mary Katherine; William, deceased; 
Lewis ; Charles, who is married and has a 
son, Virgil; and Mary, who is at home. 
Mr. Ray formed a second union with Miss 
Sarah Campbell, a daughter of Mathew 
Campbell of Washington Township, and 
they have three children — Myrle C, Floyd 
G., and Harriet Ray. He is a Republican 
in politics, and has served two years as 
trustee of the Presbyterian Church at 
North Hope, of which he is an active mem- 
ber and a lil3eral supporter. 

CHARLES ADAM OHL, a well known 
business man of Sarver, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, is proprietor of a hard"ware 
store and an extensive dealer in farming- 
implements. He was born in Slippery 
Rock Township, Butler Coimty, January 
17, 1862, and is a son of Henry and Jo- 
hanna (Kramer) Old, and grandson of 



1418 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Adam Ohl. The last named was a native 
of Germany, and located in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, at an early date, settling 
at Saxonburg. Henry Ohl engaged in 
blacksmithing at Saxonburg, and also fol- 
lowed general farming. 

Charles A. Ohl received his educational 
training in the common schools, mainly at 
school No. 2, in Jefferson Township. At 
the age of fifteen years he began learning 
the trade of a harnessmaker with William 
Schrotli, at Saxonburg, and from there 
went to Chicora, where he resided one 
year. He then went to Warren, Pennsyl- 
vania, thence to the borough of Butler, 
where he continued for eight "and one-half 
years. He left Butler with Jacob Kiefer 
and went to Pittsburg, where they pur- 
chased the store and business of Hartman 
& Kost, which they conducted for twelve 
years with good results. At the end of 
that time, or in 1893, Mr. Ohl came to 
Sarver and established the hardware store 
which he now conducts. He is one of the 
leading business men of the village, and 
enjoys a large trade throughout the con- 
tiguous territory. He has a comfortable 
two-story home on Main Street, opposite 
the store. 

August 9, 1883, Mr. Ohl was united in 
marriage with Miss Maggie Schwartz, a 
daughter of Christian and Barbara (Bip- 
pus) Schwartz, her father being a pros- 
perous fanner of Butler County. Two 
children were born to bless this union, 
namely, Louis Edward and Ina. Louis 
Edward, who received his education in the 
Allegheny schools and Iron City College, 
is head clerk in the store at Sarver. He 
married Miss Lorine Bierley, and they 
have a son, Charles Adam, Jr. Ina died 
at the age of eight years. Religiously, the 
subject of this sketch is a member of the 
Lutheran church, of which he is an elder. 

H. M. BARNEY, a representative citi- 
zen and business man of Petrolia, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, is owner and pro- 



prietor of the Petrolia Boiler Works. He 
has a fine shop, with modern equii^ment, 
and does a large business. 

Mr. Barney was born in Erie County, 
Pennsylvania, May 15, 1852, and is a son 
of Garry Columbus and Nancy (Allen) 
Barney. He had a brother Frank, who 
met his death by drowning in Lake Erie; 
the latter was twice married, his first union 
being with Miss Rose Berry, who died leav- 
ing four children: Blanche, Grace, Rose 
and Rell. A sister to the subject of this 
sketch, Emma, married Thomas Hinton, by 
whom she has three children — Glen, Jo- 
seph and Lent. They live in Oklahoma. 
Garry C. Barney died at the old age of 
eighty-four years, and is survived by his 
widow, who is now seventy-six years old. 

H. M. Barney lived in Erie County until 
he was fifteen years old, then moved to 
Petroleum Center, in Venango County, 
where he remained six years and ciinagcd 
in the oil business. He then ciuiic to l>nt- 
ler County and for a period of iiior(- than 
thirty-four years has resided within a 
radius of five miles of Petrolia, most of 
the time being located near Bruin and 
Karns City. He engaged in the oil busi- 
ness until 1901, when he moved to Petrolia 
and bought out the boiler works of Beatty 
Brothers, which undertaking he has car- 
ried on on an enlarged scale. He has al- 
ways taken a deep interest in the public 
affairs of the community in which he has 
resided; he served two terms as burgess 
of Petrolia and as a member of the town 
coimeil. He was a school director in Par- 
ker Township for some years. 

Mr. Barney was married in Erie Coun- 
ty on November 2, 1872, to Miss Emma 
Ban»ister, daughter of Josiah Bannister, 
and they became parents of the following 
children : Archie of Rochester, -New York, 
who married Miss Lena Wlieelliouse of 
Jamestown, in that state; Walter, who 
lives in Fairview Township and married 
Susan Eddinger, by whom he has a son, 
Herbert B. ; Fred, who married Lotta Jen- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1419 



niugs and lives in Fairview Township; 
and Earl C, who mai'ried OUie Henry and 
lives at Petrol ia. Eeligiously, the subject 
of this record is a member of the Meth- 
odist Church. He is a member of the 
Knights of Pj^thias of Chicora. 

WILLIAM PLUMMER STICKLE, a 

prosperous business man and well known 
citizen of Eau Claire, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, is a hai'nessmaker by trade 
and is at the present efficiently discharging 
the duties of office as justice of the peace 
of the borough. He was born at Wimer- 
ton. Worth Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, January 4, 1860, and is a 
son of Abraham and Margaret Ann (Gal- 
lagher) Stickle, and a grandson of Simon 
Stickle. 

Simon Stickle, the grandfather, was 
married to Miss Susan Howe of Lawrence 
County, and to them were born the follow- 
ing: Samuel, William, Jacob, Simon, 
George, Abraham, Shimp, John, and Susan, 
who is the wife of Jefferson Wimer of 
Worth Township, and has two sons, Will- 
iam and Gilmer. 

Abraham Stickle was joined in marriage 
with Margaret Ann Gallagher, a daughter 
of William Gallagher of Worth Township, 
and the issue of their imion was : William 
Plummer, whose name appears as the head 
of this sketch; Hannah M., who married 
M. D. Maxwell of Plain Grove, Lawrence 
County, and has six children — Olive, Ray- 
mond, Grace, Sherrill, Ralph and Gladys; 
Clifford G., who married Sarah Stoughton 
and has a son, Arthur; and Samuel, who is 
deceased. Abraham Stickle, the father of 
this family, received his educational train- 
ing in the public schools at Princeton, in 
Lawrence County, and in Muddy Creek 
Townshijo, Butler County. He learned the 
trade of a shoemaker in Muddy Creek, and 
also followed it in Worth Township. He 
later learned the trade of a harnessmaker. 



both of which he followed with much suc- 
cess, at Jacksville. 

William P. Stickle attended Zion and 
Billsbui'g schools in Worth Township, the 
Mt. Pleasant School in W^estmoreland 
County, and later was enrolled in Grove 
City College, Mercer County, for a time. 
He then engaged in teaching one term in 
Perry Township, Lawrence County, and a 
term in Franklin Township, Butler Coun- 
ty. He learned his trade as a harness- 
maker under David Gill at Harlansburg, 
under David St. Clair at Jacksville, un- 
der T. M. Ehoades at Slippery Rock, and 
William Young at Grove City. He then 
started into business for himself at Eau 
Claire in 1884, but later became estab- 
lished in a general store in partnership 
with G. F. Gardner at Plain Grove, in 
Lawrence County. He then returned to 
Eau Claire, where he has built up a large 
and well paying business. He has owned 
three different properties in the borough, 
but at the present owns but the property 
on which he lives. He is a Prohibitionist 
in politics, and has been active in the 
party for many years ; he was elected jus- 
tice of the peace for the borough and is a 
member of the Prohibitionist County Com- 
mittee. 

William P. Stickle was united in mar- 
riage with Emma E. Gardner, a daughter 
of Nicholas Gardner, and four children 
were born to them — Fern M., Ida M., Mar- 
jorie, and a son who died unnamed. He 
was called upon to mourn the loss of his 
beloved wife on October 29, 1900, and she 
lies buried in Zion cemetery in Worth 
Township. She was a member of the M. E. 
Church at Eau Claire, to which Mr. Stickle 
belongs. He is very active in church work, 
serving as Sunday School superintendent, 
and also steward. Fraternally, he is a 
member, and at present chaplain, of Eau 
Claire Tent, No. 23, K. 0. T. M. ; and for- 
merly was a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows at Plain Grove. He 



1420 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



is a man who retains the highest regard of 
his fellow citizens, and always allies him- 
self with the best interests of the commu- 
nity. 

JOHN HARVEY SNl^DER, general 
superintendent of gas-pumping stations 
for the T. W. Phillips Gas and Oil Com- 
pany of Butler, Pennsylvania, is a resident 
of Buffalo Township, Butler County, and 
is a man of recognized standing in the 
community. He was born in Armstrong 
County, Pennsylvania, December 27, 1872, 
is a son of James M. and Mary (Lamison) 
Snyder, and a grandson of John Snyder. 

John Snyder, the grandfather, engaged 
in the blacksmith's trade for some years, 
but later made his chief pursuit oil operat- 
ing. His later years were spent on the 
farm, his death occurring in July, 1906. 
His wife, in maiden life Emeliue Somers, 
died some eight years prior to his death. 

James M. Snyder is widely known in the 
oil and gas fields of Armstrong and Butler 
Counties; he engaged in the oil business 
for many years, and is now successful in 
the gas "business. He was joined in mar- 
riage with Mary Lamison, a daughter of 
Adam Lamison, a collier in the various 
furnaces in this part of the state. Nine 
children were the issue of their marriage : 
John Harvey; Adam, who married Belle 
James; Samuel, who married Clara Clay- 
pool; Jesse, who married Tillie Bauldoff; 
Mary Ellen, deceased; William B., de- 
ceased ; Dee Viola, wife of Abraham Flick ; 
Carrie Elizabeth ; and Margaret. 

John H. Snyder received a common 
school education in Butler and Armstrong 
Counties, and during his boyhood days 
worked on the farm. At the age of six- 
teen vears he entered the emplov of the 
T. W". Phillips Gas and Oil Company, do- 
ing ordinary labor work; a conscientious 
discharge of his duties resulted in advance- 
ment from one position to another until 
he was made general superintendent of the 
pumping station, the position he now fills 



with marked ability. He is a capable busi- 
ness man and a progressive one, and has 
the esteem of all with whom he is brought 
in contact. He goes to and from his work 
in an automobile of the Thomas 1907 
model. 

September 6, 1899, Mr. Snyder was 
joined in the bonds of wedlock with Miss 
Clara Lyon, a daughter of Josiah and 
Clara (Howard) Lyon. Her parents came 
from the East, and Mr. Lyon became an 
operator in the oil fields. Religiously, the 
subject of this sketch and his wife are 
members of the .Methodist Church, and 
have been very active in church and so- 
cial affairs. He was for a long period 
superintendent of the Sunday School. Fra- 
ternallv, he is a member of Blue Lodge, 
F. & A. M. ; and the Chapter No. 540, at 
Chicora, Pennsylvania. 

THOMAS V. ROACH, owner of the 
Petrolia Refining Company of Petrolia, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, has a large 
and well established business. The firm 
of which he is the head manufactures a 
white petroleum jelly, of the purest qual- 
ity, known as Petrdlatuni. and is disposed 
of mainly to larL;-e wholesah' diiii;- firms, 
its exceptional (niality giving it a ready 
market. 

Mr. Roach was born in Petrolia, Febru- 
ary 14, 1875, and is a son of Michael and 
Anna (McFarland) Roach. His father is 
at present burgess of Petrolia. Michael 
and Anna Roach became parents of the 
following: Frank, who married Lottie 
Osenbaugh and lives at Oakdale, Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania; Thomas V.; Jo- 
seph; Walter, who married Gertrude Car- 
nihan and lives at Petrolia; and Mary. 
The father of this family came to Petrolia 
during the oil excitement, and he and most 
of his sons have always engaged in the oil 
business. 

Thomas V. Roach has always been in 
the oil business and in 1901, in partnership 
with Frank Hernon, purchased the Pe- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1423 



trolia Refining Company, of George Son- 
rieker. The last named, in association 
witli Frank Carman, had established the 
business in 1900. The subject of this 
sketch and his partner established the com- 
pany on a firm business basis and con- 
tinued together until 1904, wlien in Feb- 
ruary, of that year, the former purchased 
the interests of his jjartner. He has since 
continued alone and has achieved a high 
degree of success. He employs an aver- 
age of three men, and produces a large 
quantity of petrolatum per year. In addi- 
tion he refines oil and gasoline of high 
grade. 

WILLIAM BAEBER, residing on his 
valuable farm of 160 acres, situated in 
Washington Township, Butler County, was 
born at Harlansburg, Lawrence County, 
Pennsylvania, March 18, 1859, and is a 
son of AVilliam and Anna (Kauffman) 
Earlier. 

The father of Mr. Barber was born in 
the State of New York and was brought to 
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in his 
boyhood. He engaged in farming there un- 
til 1860, when he moved to Missouri, but 
subsequently returned to Lawrence Coun- 
ty and in 1866 he bought a farm in Butler 
County, on which he died when aged sev- 
enty-three years. He married a daugh- 
ter of Adam Kauffman, of New Castle, 
Lawrence County. 

William Barber attended school during 
his boyhood, as opportunity offered, but 
his advantages were not many, and he is 
largely a self-made man. Before he set- 
tled down to fai'ming as his chief busi- 
ness, he worked at the Butler Glass Works, 
having a contract to put in all the sewer- 
age. He also has done a large amount of 
teaming at various times. At present, Mr. 
Barber is much interested in sheep grow- 
ing and is making preparations to handle 
100 head and will no doubt make a suc- 
cess of the enterprise, as he has made a 



study of the industry. From two oil wells 
on his land he receives a royalty. 

]\[r. Bai'ber married Miss Margaret Hil- 
liard, a daughter of F. M. and Hannah 
Hilliard, residents of the village of Hil- 
liards, the family giving the place its name. 
To ]Mr. and Mrs. Barber have been born 
the following children: J. F., residing at 
Thompson Corners, is a blacksmith by 
trade ; Thomas M., residing also at Thomp- 
son Corners, is a carpenter; Jessie, who is 
the wife of James Gillespie; L. A., and 
Tillie May, both residing at home; and 
Hannah, Carl and Albert, all three bright 
students in the country schools. Mr. Bar- 
ber and family belong to the United 
Brethren Church. He belongs to the Odd 
Fellow lodge at Hilliards. He has taken 
considerable interest in public affairs in 
AVashington Townshij) and served one term 
as supervisor. In politics he is a stanch 
Republican. Mr. Barber is one of the 
substantial and respected citizens of Wash- 
ington Township, a representative man of 
this section. 

JAMES C. BUCHANAN was born in 
the old log house which adorned the home 
farm in Mercer Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, the date of his birth being 
August 10, 1857. He is a son of James 
and Isabelle (Pringle) Buchanan, and a 
grandson of Alexander and Mary (Bo- 
vard) Buchanan, natives of Ireland. Alex- 
ander Buchanan moved from County 
Down, Ireland, with his family in 1834, and 
took up his residence in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, first stopping at the home 
of Associate Judge Bovard, who was a 
cousin of his wife. He purchased the old 
Donahue farm in Mercer Township, which 
he largely cleared, and there he and his 
wife passed the remainder of their days. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren : Margaret, who married a Mr. James 
in Ireland, and by whom she had several 
children. Her husband died in Ireland 



1424 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and the children came with her to this 
country. Afterward she became the wife 
of Joseph Russell. Sarah, wife of Will- 
iam Russell; Mary, who married a Mr. 
Stephenson; Susanna, wife of Joseph 
Bailey; Charles; Robert; Washington; 
James; and John. All these aud their 
consorts are now dead, except Joseph 
Bailey, who is still living at the advanced 
age of 93 years. The old homestead fell 
into possession of Washington and James 
Buchanan. James Buchanan, father of 
the subject of this sketch, was born (1825) 
in County Down, Ireland, and was eight 
years of age when he accompanied his par- 
ents to the United States. He was reared 
on the farm in Mercer Township, Butler 
County, which he aided in clearing, and 
there spent his entire mature life, engaged 
in agricultural pursuits. He also was the 
owner of a farm in Marion Township, But- 
ler County, which his son, Alexander, now 
owns. 

The first marriage of James Buchanan 
was with Miss Isabelle Pringle, daughter 
of Robert and Margaret (Nelson) Pringle, 
who also was born in Ireland and in child- 
hood accompanied her parents to this coun- 
try. Her death occurred February 20, 
] 860, at the early age of 36 years, and was 
survived by seven children, these being: 
Margaret, widow of R. A. Hartley; Alex- 
ander ; Sarah, wife of William Moore ; Rob- 
ert; William; Mary, widow of G. D. Fos- 
ter; and James C. James Buchanan sub- 
sequently was joined in marriage with 
Mrs. Eleanor Martin, widow of James 
Martin and a daughter of George Ray. By 
this union three children were born, Isa- 
belle, wife of David Bovard; George, who 
died October 18, 1865, and Susanna, who 
died October 18, 1871. 

Dr. James C. Buchanan was reared on 
the old homestead and attended the public 
schools of that district. He turned his at- 
tention to farming aud continued at that 
until he was twenty-eight years of age. He 
was then in the employ of the Bessemer 



Railroad for a period of seven years, and 
in 1889 he began his preparation for the 
profession of dentistry. He entered the 
Baltimore College of Dental Surgery from 
which he received the degree of D. D. S. in 
1892. In April of that year he opened an 
office for practice on Main Street in Har- 
risville, and he has since continued in this 
borough with good results. He resides on 
a farm of ten acres in the borough, and 
also is possessed of a valuable tract of 
seventy-two acres (a part of the old home- 
stead), together with twenty-five acres 
(formerly owned by James McKisson), of 
which nearly all is underlaid with lime- 
stone. The Pittsburg Limestone Quarry 
is located on this property. 

Dr. James G. Buchanan was united in 
marriage November 22, 1877, with Miss 
Alice C. McKisson, a daughter of James 
S. and Elisabeth (Wiley) McKisson of 
Mercer Township, Butler County. The 
following children were born to them : Her- 
man I)., born February 8, 1880, died Au- 
gust 27, 1883 ; Dr. James L., born June 6, 
1882, and graduated from the dental de- 
])artment of the Western University of 
Pennsylvania in 1906, and is engaged in 
practice at Portersville, Pennsylvania; 
Lester D. was born April 16, 1884, served 
in the United States Army during the 
Spanish- American war; Benjamin K. was 
born July 17, 1888, and is a graduate of 
the Slippery Rock State Normal School; 
Gaylord W. was born May 20, 1892, and is 
in attendance at Mercer Academy; Dean 
H. was born November 25, 1894, and is an 
attendant at the public school of Harris- 
ville. Dr. James L. Buchanan was mar- 
ried to Miss Mellissa Jack, September 29, 
1903. Their children are as follows : James 
William, Lawrence Douglas, and Alice 
Floy. The subject of this record is a mem- 
ber of the Butler County Dental Society. 
In 1900 he pursued a post-graduate course 
at Marchants Post-Graduate School of 
Prosthetic Dentistry (Baltimore). Relig- 
iously, he is a member of Harmony United 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1425 



Presbyterian Church, of which he is a trus- 
tee and a member of Session. In politics 
he is unswerving in his support of Pro- 
hibition principles, and was the candidate 
for county treasurer on the Prohibition 
ticket in 1908. He has served as president 
of the Harrisville Council, of which body 
he is at the iircsoit fiiiic secretary. He is 
also ]iicsi(lcnt ;ui(l .livncral manager of the 
Harrisville 'lele[ilinne Cuiiiiiauy, in wliich 
he is a stockholder. 

JOHN WESLEY POWELL, i)ostmaster 
and general merchant at Sarver, Butler 
Coimty, Pennsylvania, has had a varied 
experience in the Imsiiiess world and has 
met with a high decree of siu'cess. He was 
born in this couuty, Sepleniber 11, 1853, 
and is a son of Butler and Nancy (Black) 
Powell. The Powell family has long heeii 
one of prominence in eastern Pennsyl 
vania, and dates back in this country to 
the time of William Penn, from whom "they 
received grants. They came from Eng- 
land. The Powells in Butler County are 
the direct heirs to valuable land in Phila- 
delphia, which is now in litigation. 

Butler Powell, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Allegheny County, 
Pennsylvania, and was a son of Malachi 
Powell. His mother's maiden name was 
Butler. These parents came from the 
eastern part of Pennsylvania about 1812, 
and were farmers. Butler Powell was a 
painter by trade and was one of the 
pioneers at that trade in this part of But- 
ler County. He later purchased a farm 
in Buffalo Township, and there engaged 
in agricultural pursuits the remainder of 
his clays. He was united in marriage with 
Nancy Black, and they became parents of 
the following children: James, deceased; 
Elizabeth Jane; John W.; David Alex- 
ander, deceased; George Calvin; Clara 
Belle; and Margaret Ann. 

John W. Powell received his early edu- 
cation in the common school of his home 
district, supplemented by a course in the 



state normal school at Edinboro, in Erie 
County, Pennsylvania. He later engaged 
in teaching in Buffalo Township for three 
years, and then returned to Edinboro, 
where he was graduated in the commercial 
department. He went to Homestead and 
was employed in a store for three years, 
then went to Pittsburg, about the year 
1881, and worked as booldieeper two years. 
At the end of that time he was for one 
year connected with a wholesale grocery 
business at Allegheny, after which he re- 
turned to the home farm in Buffalo Town- 
ship and farmed for three years. He then 
engaged in the mercantile business in 
Sarver, and continued with uninterrupted 
success for eleven years, when he sold out 
and returned to the old farm. He followed 
farming two years, and in the meantime 
made the canvass for county treasurer. 
He next went to New Kensington, where 
he was in business three years, then re- 
turned to Sarver, where he purchased the 
l)roperty on which he is now located. He 
has an up-to-date store, with a compre- 
hensive line of dry goods, groceries and 
hai'dware, and the thousand and one things 
for which there is a demand in a small vil- 
lage. He is widely known through this 
section, and enjoys the liberal patronage 
of the people. He has a large and com- 
modious two-story residence on Main 
Street, which is neat and attractive in ap- 
pearance. 

February 1, 1887, he was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Mary Agnes Weber, a 
daughter of John and Maria (Markle) 
Weber, of Penn Township. They became 
parents of the following children: Lillian, 
who graduated from New Kensington 
High School with the class of 1906, and is 
now ticket agent at Sarver; Grladys; John 
Butler; and David AVeber. Fraternally, 
Mr. Powell is a member of Lodge No. 401, 
Jr. O. IT. A. M. ; and Darling Coimcil No. 
888, Royal Arcanum. He was one of the 
charter members of the latter, which is at 
present the banner council of Western 



1426 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Pennsylvauia, aud one of the strongest in 
the entire state. Religiously, he is a mem- 
ber of Fisk Chapel M. E. Church at 
Leasureville, of which he is a steward. 

a. W. KAYLOR, one of Fairview Town- 
ship 's substantial citizens, residing on his 
farm of 165 acres of valuable land, favor- 
ably situated but three and one-half miles 
east of Chicora, carries on threshing in 
season, and also operates a saw-mill in ad- 
dition to cultivating his large farm. He 
was born on this farm, July 5, 1863, and 
is a son of John and Susana (Pontious) 
Kaylor. 

The father of Mr.. Kaylor was born in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, but 
married and spent the larger part of his 
life in Butler County, where he died when 
aged eighty-two years. His family con- 
sisted of nine children, namely: Gabriel 
W., J. G., John M., Lewis J., Hannah M., 
Carolina E., Phoebe A., Emma D. and 
Mary. 

Gabriel W. Kaylor has devoted himself 
entirely to agricultural pursuits and lum- 
bering and has resided all his life in Fair- 
view Township with the exception of one 
year which he spent in Clearfield County, 
Pennsylvania. He obtained a public school 
education in his boyhood, but has been ac- 
tively engaged in business ever since he 
attained manhood. His farm is numbered 
with the best ones in the township, giving 
excellent crops, at the same time proving 
rich in oil, there being three producing 
wells on the place. Mr. Kaylor is an ener- 
getic, practical man and has met with con- 
siderable success in conducting his several 
enterprises. 

Tn 1893, Mr. Kaylor was married to Miss 
Edna E. Linaberger, who is a daughter of 
John Linaberger, of Armstrong County, 
and thev have three children: Russell L., 
born February 9, 1894; Clifford R., born 
July 12, ] 895, and Thomas G., born August 
6, 1897. Mr. Kaylor takes no very active 
interest in politics, but he is always ready 



to do a good citizen's duty when the wel- 
fare of his community is at stake. 

MANUEL A. KORONA, engineer at the 
Nellie Coal Mine, at Argentine, in Wash- 
ington Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, has always lived in this community. 
He was born in Washington Township, 
July 14, 1887, and is a son of Louis L. and 
Elizabeth (Wade) Korona. 

Louis L. Korona was a well known resi- 
dent of Washington Township, where he 
resided imtil his death in 1897. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Wade, whose father, Isaac 
Wade, was a soldier and lost his life in 
battle. The following children were born 
of their union : Manuel A. ; Mary ; Eliza- 
beth, deceased; Annie; Louisa; and Louis. 

Manuel A. Korona received his educa- 
tional training in School No. 9, at Argen- 
tine, and immediately thereafter entered 
the employ of the Nellie Coal Mining Com- 
pany, with which he has since continued. 
He has been engineer at their plant for the 
past two years and is one of their most 
trusted employees. He was placed upon 
his own resources at an early age, and the 
success he has attained has been due to his 
own cfloiis sdlcly. He is a Republican in 
politics, and lakes an earnest interest in 
the affairs of the community. Religiously, 
he is a member of the LTnited Presbyterian 
Church at North Hope. 

WILLIAM J. BARTLEY, a veteran of 
the Civil War and a pros^Derous farmer 
of Buffalo Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, is the owner of a valuable tract 
of seventy-two acres. He was born in 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, January 
10, 1840, and is a son of Thomas and Mary 
(Dick) Bartley, and a grandson of Thomas 
Bartley, Sr. 

Thomas Bartley, Sr., was born and 
reared in County Antrim, Ireland, and 
there learned the trade of weaver in the 
town of Milletroy, where he lived. He 
came to the ITnited States at an early date 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



and became an extensive landowner. He 
lived in Penn Township, Butler County. 

Thomas Bartley, Jr., was born on the 
old Bartley homestead in Penn Township 
which is still in the family name. He was 
married to Mary Dick, and the following 
children were born to them, all of whom 
are now living: AVilliam J., subject of this 
record; Isabella; Thomas A.; Joseph- 
Margaret; and Mary L. They all reside 
in this section of Pennsylvania. 

William J. Bartley began his business 
career by working in a brick yard with his 
father, and in the meantime attended the 
public schools. His educational training 
was continued in Oakland Township, where 
his father had purchased some 250 acres 
of land and whither his family had moved. 
In Sei^tember, 1864, he enlisted as a pri- 
vate in Company K, 5th Reg., Pa. Art., at 
Butler, and during the remainder of the 
war served in the Army of the Potomac, 
serving in all of the engagements fought. 
After the war's close he returned to But- 
ler County, and resumed farming ojiera- 
tions. He has followed general farming, 
and liis property in Buffalo Township is 
one of the best improved in that vicinity. 
He has taken an earnest and active inter- 
est in the affairs and development of the 
township, especially in matters pertaining 
to the schools. He served on the school 
board for a period of twenty years with 
marked efficiency, and would probably be 
serving yet had he not resigned. 

In 1866 Mr. Bartley was united in mar- 
riage with ]\Iiss Emeline Millinger of Oak- 
land Townshi]>, a daughter of Lewis S. 
and Sarah (Buyer) Millinger. Her father, 
now deceased, was a prosperous farmer of 
that township, and her mother is now liv- 
ing at the advanced age of eighty-five 
years. The following children were born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Bartley: Harry M., who 
mnnied Miss Nora Williams; William D., 
who married Miss Lulu Bierley; James L., 
who now manages the home farm; and 



1427 

Zetta v., a graduate of Slippery Rock 
Normal School. Religiously, they are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
church in Freeport. Mr. Bartley is a 
member of James Harvey Post No. 514, 
G. A. R., in Clinton Township, of which he 
was commander for a number of years. 

FRANK TOTTEN, an oil producer and 
well known citizen of Petrolia, Butler 
County, Penna., has been a resident of this 
borough for the past sixteen years, and is 
the owner of considerable oil and town 
property. He was born in New York 
State, December 28, 1869, and is a son of 
Eber and Rebecca J. (Clapsaddle) Totten. 
Eber Totten, now deceased, was an oil 
producer and a successful business man. 
He died at the. age of seventy-five years, 
and his wife at the age of fifty-five years. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren : John, deceased; Burless, deceased; 
Prank; Buelah; Burrell; Emma, deceased; 
and Benjamin. 

Frank Totten was about three months 
old when his parents moved from New 
York State to Oil Creek, Pennsylvania, 
where the father engaged in the oil busi- 
ness. He was about fourteen years old 
when he came to Butler County, which has 
been the seat of his entire business activ- 
ity. He has always been identified with 
the oil industry and is the owner of valu- 
able properties. His home in Petrolia is 
one of the finest in the borough. 

Mr. Totten was married on June 17, 
1896, to Miss Mary Sophia Milburger, a 
daughter of John Milburger, their mar- 
riage occurring at Petrolia. Her father is 
deceased, and her mother is living at the 
age of seventy-eight years. Religiously, 
they are members of the Methodist church. 
In fraternal affiliation, the subject of this 
sketch is a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of the 
Maccabees at Petrolia, and the Masonic 
Lodge at Parker. 



1428 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



CALEB B. McFARLIN, JR., is weigh- 
master at the mines of the Nellie Coal 
Mining Company, at Argentine, Waslung- 
ton Township, in Butler County, Penna. 
He was born at Salem, Ohio, and is a son 
of Harmon and Alice (Whaley) McFarlm, 
and a grandson of Samuel and Mary 
(Kirk) McFarlin of Mercer County, Penn- 
sylvania. ^ ^ „ 

Harmon McFarlin was the youngest ot 
the following children born to his par- 
ents: Caleb B., superintendent of the 
Nellie Coal Mining Company at Argen- 
tine ; and Harmon. The latter was united 
in marriage to Miss Alice Whaley, a 
daughter of Samuel Whaley of Mercer 
County, and to them were born five chil- 
dren—Harry, Caleb J. Jr., Jennie, May 
and Nellie. 

Caleb B. McFarlin, Jr., attended the 
public schools at Mansfield, Ohio, and later 
the schools at Annisville, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, whither his father had 
moved. His first work was with the 
United States Telephone Company of 
Ohio, which position he left to accept that 
of weighmaster with the Nellie Coal Com- 
pany. He is a man of good business abil- 
ity, and is highly regarded by his asso- 
ciates and friends throughout this com- 
munity. He is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias of Annandale. He is a Repub- 
lican in polities, whilst religiously he at- 
tends the Free Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Argentine. 

MARTIN SAUTER is a prosperous 
farmer of Buffalo Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and owns a farm 
of 12.3 acres of fine land located about a 
quarter of a mile south of Sarver on the 
east side of the Ih-oeport Pike. He was 
born in Germany November 11, 18.38, and 
is a son of Joseph and Mary (Sehree) 
Sauter, and a grandson of Michael Sauter. 
His father engaged in farming in that 
country, where he lived all his life. 

Martin Sauter, after receiving a supe- 



rior education in the public schools of 
Germany, learned the trade of a shoe- 
maker and was thus employed there until 
1866. He then came to the United States, 
just after the close of the Civil War, and 
for a period of fifteen years engaged at 
the shoemaking trade in Pittsburg, Penn- 
sylvania. He then purchased his present 
farm in Buffalo Township, Butler County, 
where he has since continued with uninter- 
lupted success. 

May 30, 1870, Mr. Sauter was united in 
marriage with Miss Alberta Neibert, by 
whom he has the following children : Emil, 
deceased; Charles, a carpenter by trade, 
who was married to Emily Drane; Leon- 
ard, deceased ; Emma, wife of Roy Kling- 
smith; Theodore, who at the present time 
is the active head on the home farm. — He 
is twenty-six years of age and a fine 
sjDecimen of physical manhood, being an 
all-around athlete; — and Tillie, who is the 
youngest of the family. Religiously, they 
are devout members of the Catholic 
cliurch. Mr. Sauter has a fine home of two 
stories, and has one of the best improved 
farms in his section of the county. 

SAMUEL H. KAMERER, a prominent 
citizen of Fairview Township, resides on 
his fine farm of 125 acres, which is not only 
well adapted to agriculture, but is also rich 
in gas and oil. Mr. Kamerer was born in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylavnia. Janu- 
ary 25, 1853, and is a son of Daniel L. and 
Anna Harriet (Daubenspeck) Kamerer. 

The grandfather, Peter Kamerer, set- 
tled in Armstrong County in 1790, and 
there his son, Daniel L., was born in 1811. 
The latter, in 3853, removed, with his fam- 
ilj', to Butler founty and settled on the 
farm in Fairview Townslii]i wliich now be- 
longs to his son, Samuel H. Daniel L. 
Kamerer and wife had thirteen children 
born to them, as follows: Peter, John, 
Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth, George D., 
William, Adam, Catherine, Lavina, Lewis 
L., Hannah and Samuel H. The father of 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1429 



this family died in 1896, and the mother in 
1905, having reached her ninety-third year. 
They were well known and respected peo- 
ple. 

Samuel H. Kamerer was two years old 
when his parents came to his present farm 
and this has remained his home ever since. 
In his boyhood he attended the coimty 
schools and since then has been interested 
in developing and improving his farm and 
in late years has also been engaged in oil 
production. At the present time he has 
five producing oil wells and two gas wells 
on his place. 

In 1882 Mr. Kamerer was married at 
Muncey, Pennsylvania, to Miss Nina A. 
Henton, who is a daughter of the late 
Charles and Lydia Henton, former resi- 
dents of Erie County, Pennsylvania, where 
the father died aged seventy-four years 
and the mother aged sixty years. Mrs. 
Kamerer is one of a family of nine chil- 
dren, namely: Jennie, deceased, Fannie, 
Tillie, Nellie, Lettie, Nina, William, and 
two that died in infancy. 

Mr. and Mrs. Kamerer have three chil- 
dren—Ethel L., Obed G. and Edna B. Ethel 
L. was educated in the Slippery Rock State 
Normal School and the Irvin Academy for 
Young Ladies, at Mechanicsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania. She married Dr. S. J. Lackey, of 
Chicora, and they reside at Limestone, 
Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and have 
two children: Evelyn Romain and Geral- 
dine Lucile. Obed G. Kamerer attended 
the State Normal School at Slippery Rock 
for two years and on June 16, 1908, was 
graduated from Duff's Business College at 
Pittsburg. Mr. Kamerer and family are 
members of the Ijutheran Churcii at Mt. 
Pleasant. 

Mr. Kamerer takes a prominent i)art in 
public affairs in his township and has fre- 
quentl.y served in the local offices, for 
twelve years consenting to be a school di- 
rector. He is a member of the Odd Fel- 
lows, belonging to both the subordinate 
lodge and the Encamimient, is a member 



of the Maccabees lodge at Chicora, and has 
passed all the chairs in the lodge of 
Knights of Pythias. He is a man of wide 
acquaintance and much influence. 

ALBERT WARREN ROBB, a well 
known and popular young citizen of Wash- 
ington Township, Butler County, Penna., 
is fireman at the Nellie Coal Mine at Ar- 
gentine. He was born in Parker Town- 
ship, Butler Coimty, October 7, 1880, and 
is fi son of Madison C. and Bertha (Sims) 
Robb, and a grandson of John Robb. 

John Robb, the grandfather, reared the 
following family of children: Frank of 
Oil City, Pennsylvania; Sarah, wife of F. 
Milford ; Martha, who married George Mc- 
Mahan; and Madison C. The last named 
was married to Bertha Sims, and the fol- 
lowing children were born to them : Albert 
Warren, Finley, who married Pearl Knox, 
Deljihia, Clyde, Stella, who is the wife of 
Edward Sedwick, Irene, Mary, Floyd, 
Howard, and Roy. 

xVlbert Warren Robb was reared to man- 
hood in his native township, and there re- 
ceived a common school education, first at- 
tending the McMahan School. His first 
business employment was at dressing tools 
in the oil fields, which he continued until 
he l)ecame fireman at the mines of the Nel- 
lie Coal Company. He is an able and con- 
scientious workman, and enjoys the- esteem 
and confidence of his employers and fellow 
workmen. Mr. Robb is a Republican in 
politics. Religiously, he is a member of 
the Presbyterian church at New Salem. 

JOHN L. M. HALSTEAD, M.D., a busy 
]ihysician and surgeon of Sarversville, is a 
representative of one of the oldest families 
in Clinton Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, where he was born, in 1869. He 
is a son of John and Sarah A. (Hazlett) 
Halstead and a grandson of Henry Hal- 
stead. 

It was Dr. Halstead 's grandfather, 
Henry Halstead, who came from England 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



and established the family now so well 
known to Clinton Township. He cleared 
the land on which the home of Dr. Halstead 
stands and he laid out the present town of 
Sarversville, which he named Whalley, in 
remembrance of his native village in Eng- 
land. 

Dr. Halstead was reared on his father's 
farm in Clinton Township and started to 
school when he was but five years old. 
When aged nineteen, he entered the West 
Snnbury Academy, after which he read 
medicine and attended medical college at 
Louisville, Kentucky, where he was gradu- 
ated in 1898. After his return to Penn- 
sylvania, he took the required examination 
before the State Board, and then entered 
into practice at Tarentum, where he con- 
tinued for three years. Since then he has 
lived on the G. W. Painter liomestead in 
Buffalo Township. Being the only physi- 
cian in the extreme south end of the 
county. Dr. Halstead enjoys an unusually 
large practice. Many of the old families 
in that section have known him from child- 
hood and many others have tested his med- 
ical skill within the past few years, and a 
markedly large number of his fellow citi- 
zens repose confidence in him profession- 
ally and respect him l^ersonall}^ 

Dr. Halstead married Miss M. Helen 
Painter, who is a daughter of George W. 
and Mary (Buckley) Painter, substantial 
farming people of Clinton Township. Dr. 
Halstead was reared in the Presbyterian 
Church in which his parents were active 
for many years. 

JAMES C. WIDGER, a representative 
citizen of Fairview Township, where he 
owns oil leases, has been identified with the 
oil industry during the entire course of his 
business life. He was born April 9, 1850, 
near New Brighton, Beaver County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of James and Sarah 
(Saddler) Widger. 

The parents of Mr. Widger came to 
Western Pennsylvania from Philadelphia. 



The father engaged in paper manufactur- 
ing, first at New Brighton and later at 
Pittsburg, and then moved to Oil City and 
went into the oil refinery business. He 
survived to the age of eighty-one years but 
his wife died when aged sixty-one. They 
had children as follows: Lafayette and 
John, both deceased; James C. ; Hannah, 
deceased, was the wife of John Love; 
Eliza, married Mathias Cole; Phebe, de- 
ceased; Mary E., married I). S. Criswell, 
and three died in infancy. 

James C. Widger was three years old 
when his parents moved to Pittsburg, 
where they lived until he was eight years 
old, when they located at Oil City. There 
he went to school through early boyhood 
but as soon as old enough, he found work 
to do for his father. He remained at Oil 
City until 1868 and then moved to Petro- 
lia, Butler County. He grew up in the oil 
business and has had much experience in 
every phase of it. 

On April 14, 1885, Mr. Widger was mar- 
ried to Miss Lida Fall, who was born in 
England and is the third member of her 
parents' family of six children, she, with 
two older brothers, Henry and William, 
having been born before the family left 
England, and Anna, Catherine and John, 
after the family settled at Pittslturg. Air. 
and Mrs. Widger have one son, Howard, 
who was born February 10, ]S9."). Mr. Wid- 
ger is a member of the Royal Arcanum 
lodge at Petrolia, and the Masonic lodge 
at Chicora. 

O. P. BERRY, founder and for some 
years yjroprietor of the Berry Machine 
Company at Petrolia, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, is the inventor of the Berry 
Pump Piston or Plunger Valve, which is 
coming into more general use in sand wells 
every day. It is an article which has been 
tried in service for some years and not 
found wanting, and its durability and ef- 
ficiency enables it to outstrip its competi- 
tors. 





> 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1433 



0. P. Berry was born in Elk County, 
Pennsylvania, July 8, 1845, and is a son 
of John and Elizabeth (Silvers) Berry. His 
father was born near Brady's Bend in 
1810, and died at the age of forty-nine 
years. His mother was born in Butler 
County in 1821. There were the following- 
children born of their marriage: David, 
John, O. P., Wakefield, George A., Thomas 
M., Miles H. and Catherine. The mother 
of this family formed a second marital 
union with Samuel Jordan, and they had 
two children, Abner M. and Annie E. 

O. P. Berry lived in Elk County until 
his seventh year when his parents moved 
to Clarion County, his father dying at 
Monterey. He was reared in that county 
and there learned the trade of a machin- 
ist ; for a period of nine years he traveled 
a))out for H. T. Blaiiey, setting up 
machinery. In 1896 he established what 
has since been known as the Berry Ma- 
chine Company, which he operated with 
much success for some years and then 
turned it over to his .sons. He obtained a 
patent from the government on his inven- 
,tiou. He is a inciiil)er of the order of 
Amei'ican Ali'rlijinics. 

Mr. Berry is a veteran of the Civil War, 
having enlisted in 1861 as a private in 
Company F, Sixty-seventh Regiment of 
Pennsylvania, and served until January 
4, 1865, when they were discharged at 
Washington, D. C. The regiment was in 
many important fiinanciiiciits and all its 
members were taken inisdiiers in tlie Shen- 
andoah, the regiment lieing hadiy demor- 
alized. He is a member of the Grand Army 
of the Republic. He has always taken a 
deep interest in public affairs, and has 
served the village as constable and as coun- 
cilman. 

September 3, 1872, Mr. Berry was mar- 
ried to Miss Melinda J. Bowser, a daugh- 
ter of Peter and Jane Bowser. Her father 
died May 14, 1879, and her mother lived 
to reach the age of seventy-eight years. 
They were parents of the following chil- 



dren: Alfred, Lewis, Logan, Andrew J., 
James M., Ross T., Harry M., Melancthou 
G., Adeline, Melinda J. and Amelia. 

Mr. and Mrs.^Berry also became parents 
of eleven children: Lewis D., John P., 
George I., Harry II., Pryor, Roy, Eliza- 
beth J., Alma v., Adeline, Arminta L. and 
Lotta G. Lewis D., who lives at Petrolia, 
married Clara Stoughton and has two 
children, Ruth iind Pauline. John P. 
Berry of Petrolia, mari-ied Allie Given 
and they have three children — Chester, 
Mary M. and Iva. Elizabeth J. Married 
Demer Hemphill of Fairview Township, 
and they have a son, Roy. Alma V. mar- 
ried AVilliam Neal of Petrolia and they 
have two children, Elizabeth and Pryor. 
Arminta married James W. Espey and 
has Laurine, Helen, and Walter R. Ada 
Berry married Geo. L. Gilchrist and has 
one son, Lawrence. 

HARVEY A. SLOAN, a well known citi- 
zen and business man of Eau Claire, But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania, is engaged in 
the jewelry business and is also efficiently 
discharging the duties of postmaster of 
that village. He was born in Emlenton, 
Venango County, Pennsylvania, November 
12, 1847, and is a son of John and Sarah 
(Allabaugh) Sloan. 

Samuel C. Sloan, grandfather of the 
subject of this sketch, was united in mar- 
riage with Mary Foster, a native of Ire- 
land, and they had two sons, Samuel and 
John. Samuel married Elizabeth Conn 
and had the following children — Mary 
Jane, Caroline, Nancy Ellen, Margaret 
and Perry. John married Sarah Alla- 
baugh, daughter of Henry Allabaugh of 
Berks County, Pennsylvania, and they be- 
came parents of the following: Harvey 
A., whose name heads this record; Sarah 
Elizabeth, wife of John Sowasli, by whom 
she has the following children — Elmer, 
Frances, Emma, George, Jackson, and 
Harry; Emma, who married Stewart 
Eakins of Venango Township and has four 



1434 



HISTORY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



children — Plummer, Frank, Charles and 
Harry; William, who is married and lives 
in California; Samuel, who married Pris- 
cilla Eisenbaugh; and Melvin, who is de- 
ceased. 

Harvey A. Sloan received his educa- 
tional training in the public schools of Em- 
lentou, and in Cherry Valley, whither his 
parents had moved. He early in life 
learned the trade of a jeweler and watch 
repairer, which he has followed through- 
out his active business career, although for 
a period of twenty years he also engaged 
in barbering. He owns the home in which 
he lives in Eau Claire and is a prosperous 
citizen. For more than two years he has 
discharged the duties of postmaster, and 
has gained the good will and approval of 
the citizens. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics, and for a period of six years served 
as school director in West Sunbury, and a 
like period in Clintonville. He also served 
three j^ears as councilman at Clintonville, 
and six years as constable. 

Mr. Sloan was united in marriage with 
Miss Amelia C. Delamater, a daughter of 
Leonard Delamater, and to them were 
born the following : Marshall, who resides 
in Nebraska; Harry L., an instructor in 
the public schools ; Edith, who was gradu- 
ated from Eau Claire Academy with the 
class of 1908; Esther; Homer, deceased; 
and Hazel. Religiously, the family belongs 
to the United Presbyterian Church of Eau 
Claire, and Mr. Sloan has been a church 
member for more than forty years. Miss 
Edith Sloan is church organist and is also 
a teacher in the Sabbath School, being 
verv active in church work. 



16, 1865. His parents were John and Eva 
Falkner. 

John Falkner and his brother Lawrence 
were born in Germany and both came to 
America young, leaving their parents in 
the old country. Lawrence Falkner settled 
at Cleveland, Ohio, where he reared a large 
family and died about 1894. John Falkner 
came to Butler Count}' and secured the 
present farm in Buffalo Township and 
here worked hard to improve his property 
and develop the capacity of the soil. This 
farm has been cultivated for about a half 
century. John Falkner had seven children : 
John W., Louis H., William, Samuel, Mat- 
thew, Lizzie and Anna (deceased). 

Samuel Falkner obtained his education 
in the public schools. His home has always 
been on his present farm and since it has 
come into his possession he has continued 
the work his father commenced. The land 
is fertile and well watered, and lies on both 
sides of the Bear Creek road. Mr. Falkner 
grows the usual grains of this climate and 
raises stock for his own use and does dairy- 
ing for domestic purposes. On December 
25, 1888, he was married to Lizzie Wagner, 
who is a daughter of Daniel Wagner, who 
formerly lived at Pittsburg. Mr. and Mrs. 
Falkner have had ten children, namely: 
Eva, Albert, Ida, Helen, Bessie, Frederick, 
Samuel, Harold, Berenice and Lewis, all of 
whom survive except the youngest. Mr. 
and Mrs. Falkner are valued members of 
the Lutheran Church, in which he was an 
elder at one time. They are estimable, hos- 
pitable, people who live in pleasant accord 
with their neighbors and have a wide circle 
of friends. 



SAMUEL FALKNER, one of Buffalo 
Township's most respected citizens, re- 
sides on his finely cultivated farm of sev- 
enty acres, which lies on the Bear Creek 
road about one mile east of Sarver. This 
is a part of the old Falkner homestead, 
and iiere Mr. Falkner was born November 



ISAAC KAYLOR, owner and proprie- 
tor of 119 acres of good farming land in 
Fairview Township, was born on his pres- 
ent farm, January 5, 1843, son of Peter and 
Anna (Silvis) Kaylor. His paternal grand- 
father, Leonard Kaylor, was one of the 
early settlers of this township. Leonard 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1435 



Kaylor, with his son Peter, fatlier of the 
subject of this sketch, cleared this farm, 
whicli when they took hold of it, was all 
brush and woods. 

Peter Kaylor was born in Westmoreland 
County, Penna. Both he and his father, 
Leonard, served in the War of 1812-15. 
Peter Kaylor died in 1861, at the age of 
sixty-six years, and his wife Anna died at 
the same age in 1874, she being about thir- 
teen years younger than her husband. They 
were the parents of eight children, who 
were as follows: Jacob, born March 24, 
1825; Elizabeth, born February 3, 1827; 
Pollj-, born September 28, 1829; Anna, 
born March 10, 1832; Christina, born 
March 8, 1834; Sarah, born February 20, 
1838; Sophia, born March 22, 1840," and 
Isaac, born January 5, 1843. 

Isaac Kaylor has always resided on his 
present farm. In boyhood he attended the 
old log schoolhouse on the McLaughlin 
farm anxl afterward a frame school that 
w^as erected on the William McLaughlin 
farm. He was brought up to agriculture 
and has always been a farmer. When he 
reached his majority the Civil War was 
raging, and, resolved to do his part for the 
preservation of the Union, he enlisted for 
three years, at Butler, in Company H, 102d 
Pennsylvania Infantry, with which he took 
part in the battles of the Wilderness, siege 
of Petersburg, Sailors' Creek, and in the 
pursuit of Lee to Appomattox, being pres- 
ent at the surrender of the main Confed- 
erate army under that general, May 5, 
1865. He was wounded in the battle of the 
Wilderness by a gun shot in the left cheek, 
which shattered the jaw bone, cut the 
tongue and affected the left eye. He was 
in the hospital at Washington for about 
two weeks and in the Satterlee Hospital at 
Philadelphia until near the end of the year 
(1864), when he was furloughed for twenty 
days, rejoining his command at the siege 
of Petersburg. He was honorably dis- 
charged June 28, 1865, near Washington, 
D. C, and returning home resumed farm- 



ing and has resided at his present location 
ever since. 

Mr. Kaylor was married, January 17, 
]867, at the home of his bride, to Priscilla 
Barnhart, a daughter of Michael and 
Ivachel (Hemphill) Barnhart, of Donegal 
Township, Butler County, Penna. Mrs. 
Kaylor was one of six brothers and sisters, 
namely: Kathryn, Peter A., Anna M., 
Adam, Ruben, and Priscilla. Her father 
died November 16, 1895, at the age of 
eight.v-six years, and her mother March 17, 
1887, at the age of eighty. 

'Mv. and Mrs. Kaylor 's family number 
two children, both daughters — Rachel E. 
and Anna E. The former married Joe 
Kaylor and resides in Armstrong Coimty, 
this State. She has had four children — 
Edna A. (deceased), Priscilla J., Mary L., 
and Isaac L. Anna Kaylor married J. B. 
Jordan and resides in Butler County. She 
has two children — Herbert I. and Rich- 
ard S. J. 

Mr. Kaylor is a member of Campbell 
Post, G. A. R., of Petrolia. He has served 
the township acceptably as judge of elec- 
tion and as school director as well as in 
other minor offices. He and his family are 
members of the Lutheran Church of Mt. 
Pleasant. 

JOHN FULTON GALLAWAY, a well 
known citizen and substantial business 
man of Hilliard, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, is proprietor of the hotel at that vil- 
lage and has a well established business. 
He was born in Mercer County, Pennsyl- 
vania, April 8, 1849, and is a son of 
Thomas and Sarah (Ghost) Gallaway. and 
a grandson of AA'illiam Gallaway. 

Thomas Gallaway was born in Ireland 
and was one of the following children born 
to his parents: William; John; Thomas; 
Isaac, who married Eliza Kohlter, daugh- 
ter of John Kohlter of Mercer County ; and 
Eliza, dece'ased. Thomas came to the 
United States at the age of seventeen 



1436 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



years and landed at New Y^ork City with 
just seventy-five cents in liis pocliet. He 
received employment at blasting rock in 
the construction of the Erie Canal, then 
worked for a distiller in New York State. 
He was an industrious man, and of a fru- 
gal and saving disposition, and while tlms 
employed accumulated enough money to 
purchase a farm of 150 acres in Mercer 
County, Pennsylvania. It was a heavily 
timbered tract, but little of the land having 
been cleared. He cleared the farm and 
lived upon it for a time, then purchased 
the Ross tract of land, consisting of 300 
acres, on which he engaged in stock raising 
on an extensive scale. He at the same time 
carried on a general store at Mechanics- 
ville, in Venango County. He married 
there to Sarah Ghost, a daughter of Philip 
Ghost, of Venango County, and they 
reared the following children : Craft, who 
married Mary Ellen Atwell, a daughter of 
John Atwell of Mercer County, and has 
three children, — Thomas, Clyde and Eliza- 
beth; Isaac, who married Mary Jane Bon- 
ner, a daughter of Archie Bonner of Ve- 
nango County, by whom he has one son 
and two daughters, — John, Elizabeth and 
Susan; John F., whose name heads this 
sketch; Ann Elizabeth, deceased; Mary, 
deceased; Lytle, deceased; and Martha, 
deceased. 

John Fulton Gallaway attended school 
in Venango County, after which he en- 
gaged in farming and clerked in the store 
conducted by his father. He purchased 
eighty -five acres of land one-half mile south 
of Westley P. O. He went from there to 
Callery Junction during the oil excitement 
and teamed, having three teams. These he 
traded for a store and stock of merchan- 
dise at Barkeyville, Venango County, pay- 
ing the diiference in value in cash. He 
went from there to Mechanicsville, where 
he rented the Woods property for one 
year, then purchased that farm. He later 
traded that farm for sixty-five acres of 
land located about two miles north of Har- 



risville, in Butler County, and carried on 
general farming until the marriage of his 
son, Walter, when he left the farm in the 
latter 's charge. He then returned to Me- 
chanicsville, and after a time sold his prop- 
erty to Robert B. Eakin and moved to 
Richland Township, Butler County, where 
he purchased fifty acres of coal land. He 
later came to Hilliard and in competition 
with others obtained the contract for the 
Star Mail Route from Hilliard to Petrolia. 
When the rural free delivery was estab- 
lished he was given Route No. 52, over 
which he carried the mail for two years 
and three months. He then purchased the 
hotel at Hilliard, which he has since con- 
ducted with uninterrupted success. 

Mr. Gallaway was united in marriage 
with Miss Caroline Holfman, daughter of 
Walter Hoffman of Venango County, and 
they have four children: Thomas, who 
married Emma Syrena, daughter of Fin- 
ley Syrena, and has three children — Ralph, 
Raymond and Leonard; Walter, who mar- 
ried Blanche Syrena, a daughter of John 
Syrena; Mary, who married John A. Blair, 
son of A. N. Blair, and has three chil- 
dren — Marie, John Freeman and Edna; 
and Ida. who married J. S. Kohlmyre, son , 
of Marion Kohlmyre of Butler County, and 
has one child, Althica. Religiously, they 
are members of the M. E. Church. Politi- 
cally, Mr. Gallaway is a Prohibitionist. 

CHESTER A. EKAS, a progressive 
and enteri^rising young farmer of Buffalo 
Township, residing on his excellent farm 
of fifty acres, which is situated on the 
Butler Road, about a quarter of a mile 
from Ekastowu, was born on the old Ekas 
homestead, in Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, May 28, 1887. His parents are 
Adam and Mary Jane (Kirk) Ekas, and 
he is a grandson of John Ekas. 

John Ekas, the grandfather, was born 
in Germany and when he came to Buffalo 
Township, Butler County, he found him- 
self one of the earliest settlers. The vil- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1437 



lage that subsequently came into beiug 
near his farm was named in his honor. 

Adam Ekas, father of Chester A., suc- 
ceeded his father and has been engaged 
in farming tlirough the whole of his 
mature life. His children were Agnes, 
James, Clementine and Chester A. 

Chester A. Ekas attended the schools 
near his father's farm, on which he has 
always resided. He was trained to agri- 
cultural pursuits in the most practical 
way, and, although he is one of the young- 
est inde])endent farmers of the county, he 
is one of the most successful. His farm 
is a portion of the old Ekas homestead 
and its present owner takes a deep inter- 
est in its development and improvement. 
On February 12, 1908, he was married to 
Miss Carrie Ohl, who is a daughter of 
George E. and Mary (Higgins) Ohl. ^Mr. 
Ohl is a successful farmer of Butler 
County. His parents were Henry and 
Johanna (Kramer) Ohl. Grandfather Ohl 
came from Germany to America very 
many years ago and was an early settler 
in Butler County, where he has many de- 
scendants. The above marriage united 
two prominent families. Mr. and Mrs. 
Ekas are members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. They are very popular in 
the pleasant social life of the community. 

PURMAN STEWART, a successful 
farmer of Washington Township, who is 
carrying on operations on an excellent 
tract of 120 acres, was born on his pres- 
ent property in Washington Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, January 27, 
1876, and is a son of William C. and Mary 
(Stanley) Stewart. 

William M. Stewart, the grandfather of 
Furman, married Rebecca Jane McCall, 
who was a daughter of Samuel McCall, of 
Donegal Township, and they had the fol- 
lowing children : Samuel M., died in young 
manhood; John, died when young; Nancy 
Jane, deceased; William C. ; Anna Eliza, 
married Reuben Heckathorn, of Venango 



County; Wilson McCall married (first) 
Sarah Day, daughter of John Day, and 
(second) Mary Johnce, daughter of Hir- 
man Johnce; and Louisa M., married 
Joseph Campbell, of Concord Township. 

William C. Stewart was married to 
]\Iary Stanley, who was a daughter of An- 
drew Stanley, of Lawrence County. Mr. 
Stanley married Elizabeth Heckathorn, 
daughter of John Heckathorn, a cabinet- 
maker, and they had the following chil- 
dren: John, married Barbara C. Fox, 
daughter of Michael Fox ; Sarah, married 
Peter Young, of Slippery Rock Township, 
Lawrence County; Elizabeth, married 
Mark Mencer, of Indiana County; Ann. 
married Milton L. McCormick, of Slippery 
Rock Township; Maiy; Jane, who mar- 
ried George Smitb of Slippery Rock 
Township, died in Lawrence County, 
Pennsylvania; Andrew, married Isabelle 
Wood, daughter of Gideon Wood of Law- 
rence County; Rachel; and Cephas, who 
married Elizabeth Hunt, daughter of 
James Hunt of Lawrence County. The 
children born to William C. and Mary 
(Stanley) Stewart were: Elizabeth Jane, 
residing on the homestead; William A., 
married Cora A. McCoy, daughter of 
Lewis McCoy, of Grove City, Mercer 
County; Lena, married A. M. Christy, of 
Washington Township; Mary Eva, mar- 
ried L. M. Dickey, of Butler; John S., 
married Lydia Ross, daughter of John 
Ross of Cherry Township, and resides at 
Butler; and Furman. Both William C. 
Stewart and Andrew Stanley offered their 
services in their coiiiitiy's (IcftMisc during 
the Civil War, but the Uninw was refused 
on account of dcft-ctivc teeth al'tei- liaving 
gone as far as Pittsburg. Mr. Stanley 
served in the struggle, however, and was 
never wounded, although he had a narrow 
escape from injury at Pittsburg Landing, 
his cap being shot from his head while he 
was eating breakfast. 

Furman Stewart first attended the com- 
mon schools of his native vicinity, and 



1438 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



later took a course at an academy, after 
leaving which he engaged in agricultural 
pursuits, in which he has been engaged 
ever since. He now owns a fine farm of 
120 acres in Washington Township, on 
which he has erected a handsome resi- 
dence, his father having built all of the 
other farm buildings. Although he has 
never tested for oil on his farm, there 
are believed to be three or four wells on 
the property, and it is considered one of 
the valuable tracts of farming land in 
Washington Township. 

Mr. Stewart was married to Sarah 
Hummel, who died January -25, 1909. She 
was a daughter of Jeremiah Hummel of 
Cherry Township. Of this union there 
were born seven children, as follows: 
Ethel, Cora, Lois and Paul, who are stu- 
dents in the public schools; and Charles, 
Mary and William John, residing at home. 
In his political views, Mr. Stewart is a 
Republican. He attends the Presbyterian 
Church at Pleasant Valley. 

REUBEN FRANKLIN RUCH, who 

has a comfortable home and six acres of 
land on the road between Petrolia and 
Karns City, has been a resident of Fair- 
view Township, Butler County, Penna., 
since May, 1872. He followed oil well 
drilling and contracting with good success. 
He was born in Lehigh County, Pennsyl- 
vania, May 14, 1844, and is a son of 
Charles and Sarah (Burkhalter) Ruch. 

The Ruch family is an old and promi- 
nent one of Lehigh County. General 
Peter Ruch, grandfather of the subject of 
this sketch, was a soldier in the War of 
1812, and afterward received his title of 
general in the State Militia. He was born 
in Lehigh County, Februai-y 28, 1779. and 
was a son of Lawrence Ruch, a soldier of 
the Revolutionary War, who was born on 
November 14, 1744. The father of Law- 
rence Ruch was George Ruch, who came 
to the United States from Alsace, Ger- 
many, and was buried in Lehigh County, 



where he died at the remarkable age of 
one hundred and five years. 

Charles Ruch, father of our subject, was 
born in Lehigh County, August 23, 1803, 
and there passed a long and useful life. 
He was married to Sarah Burkhalter, 
whose great-grandfather, John Peter 
Burkhalter, was a soldier in the American 
Army during the Revolutionary War. She 
is descended from one Ulrich Burkhalter, 
who came to this country on the "Samuel 
of Sweden," landing on August 11, 1732. 
He had a son, Peter, and a daughter, Eliz- 
abeth Barbara, the latter intermarrying 
with John Jacob Mickley. Charles and 
Sarah (Burkhalter) Ruch became parents 
of the following children: Henry, de- 
ceased ; Allen P., who was a soldier in the 
Union Army during the Rebellion; Ste- 
phen, deceased, who was a physician; 
Solomon; Reuben Franklin; Edwin L., 
whose recent death at Karns City resulted 
from an accident; Susan, deceased; and 
Sarah, who married John J. Reel and lives 
at Scranton. 

Reuben F. Ruch lived in Lehigh County 
until he was about twenty-one years of 
age, and there received his educational 
training and learned the trade of a shoe- 
maker. AVith the Civil War in full swing, 
he was consumed by the fighting spirit 
and patriotism inherited from his ances- 
tors, and on September 22, 1862, enlisted 
for nine months as a member of Company 
F, 153rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teer Infantry, at Easton, Northampton 
County, Pennsylvania. He served ten 
months, participating in two of the most 
important engagements of the war, Chan- 
cellorsville and Gettysburg. In the latter 
was wounded by a shot in the knee and was 
confined in the hospital at Harrisburg for 
one month. He was then taken in a car- 
riage by his captain to Camp Curtin, 
where he was mustered out July 24, 1863. 
He returned to his home and spent six 
months in convalescing. He then taught 
school from Novembei*, 1864, to 1865, in 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1441 



which year he went to Oil City, arriving 
there on the night of the assassination of 
President Lincoln. He worked in the oil 
fields there at drilling and contracting, 
and then in 1872 moved to Petrolia, But- 
ler County, during the oil excitement. 
Here he continued the business of drilling 
and contracting and met with great suc- 
cess. In March, 1887, he purchased his 
present place of Jesse L. Cole and has 
since resided here. 

September 25, 1870, Mr. Euch was 
joined in marriage with Miss Sarah Gross, 
a daughter of Jesse Gross, and she died 
March 21, 1902. They adopted a daugh- 
ter. Miss Zella, who keeps house for Mr. 
Euch. Fraternally, he is a member of 
Karns City Lodge, No. 931, L 0. 0. F.; 
Karns City Dura, No. 498, K. P. of Petro- 
lia; and Campbell Post, G. A. R. He lias 
been representative to the Grand Lodge 
of each of these orders and passed through 
the various chairs. He is a Democrat in 
politics, and is at the present roadmaster. 

WILLIAM WAHL, owner and pro- 
prietor of the Waldorf Hotel of Evans 
City, Pennsylvania, comes of one of the 
prominent old pioneer families of that sec- 
tion of Butler County. He was .bo-rn on 
his father's farm in Forward Township, 
February 15, 1852, and is a son of Martin, 
Jr., and Christina (Kriess) Wahl. 

Martin Wahl, Sr., grandfather of the 
subject of this sketch, with his wife, Lena, 
and their family emigrated from Alsace- 
Lorraine, France, about 1833, and took up 
their residence in Jackson Township. But- 
ler County, Pennsylvania. He became the 
owner of a small farm there and lived to 
reach the advanced age of ninety-four 
years. He and his wife had three children, 
as follows: Martin; Lena (Burr); and 
Mrs. Jacob Hite. All are now deceased. 

Martin Wahl, Jr., was born in Alsace- 
Lorraine, France, in 1823, and was ten 
years of age when he accompanied his par- 
ents to Butler Countv. He immediatelv 



began work by caring for Mr. Zigler's 
stock at Harmony, and spent the remain- 
der of his life in Butler County. He was a 
man of great energy and industry and ac- 
cmnulated a large property. His old home 
farm was the site of the town of Wahlville, 
which bears his name, and in later years 
he purchased the John Stewart farm in 
Evans City, which he laid out and sold in 
lots. He entered actively into the business 
life of Evans City, aiding materially in its 
development and growth, and was one of 
the town's most substantial citizens. His 
death occurred in 1905. His first marriage 
was with a Miss Hultery, by whom he had 
a son, Martin, deceased. His second union 
was with Miss Christina Kriess, whose 
death occurred in 1896. They were par- 
ents of twelve children, as follows : Chris- 
tina, wife of Henry Basnecker; William; 
Henry ; Andrew ; Katherine, wife of Henry 
Mickley; Lena, wife of John Marburger; 
Matilda, wife of W. C. Laderer; Asmus; 
George; Anna, wife of Adam Danibach; 
and two who died in infancy. 

William Wahl was reared on his father's 
farm and received a public school educa- 
tion. At the age of fifteen years he entered 
the grist mill at Evans City, conducted by 
his father in partnership with Eobert Ash, 
and he continued at that work for eight 
years. About the year 1878, he opened a 
hotel at Middle Lancaster and received a 
license from Judge McJunkin, which he 
had granted him nine times and trans- 
ferred once. He moved to Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania, where he conducted 
a hotel for some time and also engaged in 
the oil business. He continued there some 
thirteen years, then moved to Evans City 
in 1899 and opened a hotel, in which busi- 
ness he has continued with uninterrupted 
success since. In 1904 he moved to his 
present location at the corner of Pittsburg 
and Washington Streets, a property owned 
by him. The Waldorf Hotel contains 
thirty rooms, equipped and furnished in 
up-to-date style, and enjoys a liberal pat- 



1442 



ITISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ronage at the hands of the traveling pub- 
lic. Mr. Wahl is also the owner of consid- 
erable property in the town and is rated 
among the most substantial men of the 
place. 

September 12, 1872, William Wahl was 
united in marriage with Miss Mary B. Mc- 
Kinney, a daughter of C. A. and Margaret 
D. McKinney, and they became parents of 
twelve children : Margaret and Christina, 
twins; Myrtle; Emma, deceased; William; 
Sarah; Edward; Bertha; Laura; Ida; 
Floyd; and Zelda. Politically, Mr. Wahl 
is a Democrat. In religious attachment, he 
and his wife are members of the Lutheran 
Church. 

MATTHEW FALKNER, one of Buf- 
falo Township's rej^resentative citizens, 
resides on his valuable farm of sixty-five 
acres, which is situated on the east side of 
the Bear Creek Road, about one mile from 
the village of Sarver, in Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, was born on this farm, Sep- 
tember 23, 1868, and is a son of John and 
Eva (Strimstifer) Falkner. 

The Falkner family is of German origin 
and John Falkner, father of ^Mattlicw, was 
the first of its members to I'diiic to Amer- 
ica. He purchased the present homestead 
about 1858, from John Kreitzer. The land 
at that time was uncleared and during his 
life-time he developed it into a good farm. 
His children, seven in number, were 
named as follows: John W., Louis H., 
William L., Samuel, Matthew, Elizabeth 
and Annie, the latter of the daughters 
being deceased. 

Matthew Falkner was reared on the 
farm on which he has spent all his life ex- 
cept during the time he was working as a 
blacksmith, at Sarver Station. He ob- 
tained his education in the public schools 
of Buffalo Township. He carries on gen- 
eral farming, in which he takes much in- 
terest. He has improved the property very 
considerably since it came into his posses- 



sion and his residence and farm buildings 
indicate a large degree of prosperity. 

On April 18, 1892, Mr. Falkner was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Schweizer, who is a 
daughter of Martin and Mary (Nanstiel) 
Schweizer, who are prominent farming- 
people of Butler County. Mrs. Falkner 
has a twin brother, Martin Schweizer. Mr. 
and Mrs. Falkner have seven children, 
namely: William Martin, Elmer L., Lil- 
lian Mary, Nellie P., Matthew J., Merl Jes- 
sie, and Elizabeth. Mr. Falkner and fam- 
ily belong to the Lutheran Church, in which 
he formerly was an elder. He takes no ac- 
tive part in politics, but is a good citizen, 
who pays liis 1;l\('>. i^ives support to school 
and church and tlcals honestly with his fel- 
low men. 

SAMUEL PLUMMER CHRISTIE, a 
successful farmer and leading citizen of 
Washington Township, residing on his 
valuable farm of ninety-eight acres, was 
born June 27, 1863, in Washington Town- 
ship, Butler Countv, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Thomas" T. and Catherine T. 
Christie. 

The father of Mr. Christie was married 
twice and the children born to his first 
union were : Oscar L., who married Mira 
Louden, a daughter of Captain Louden, of 
west Sunbury ; Cornelia, who married J. B. 
Campbell, of Washington Township; Eber 
L.. who married Bessie McNare, a native 
of New Jersey ; Emma, who married Dr. J. 
A. Brison, of Creekside, Indiana; Effie, 
who married Walter Christley, of Denver, 
Colorado ; and Samuel Plummer, of Wash- 
ington Township. The second marriage of 
Thomas T. Christie was to Lydia Borland, 
of Butler, and they had three children : 
Thomas B., deceased ; Victor, a resident of 
San Francisco; and William. 

Samuel Plunnner Christie has spent his 
life in Washington Township and has been 
engaged in farming and stock-raising for 
many years. His farm of ninety-eight 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1443 



acres is a part of the old homestead, which 
originally contained 600 acres. His land is 
known to be rich in coal and probably also 
in oil. He carries on mixed farming and 
raises fine horses. Each year he has from 
three to eight colts, thorough-bred, and has 
made this a paying industry. His cattle 
are of registered stock and his herds show, 
in their sleek appearance and graceful 
shapes, that they have come from no com- 
mon stock. Mr. Christie has made all the 
improvements on his place and has put up 
his present substantial buildings. He has 
what is probably the finest spring-house in 
the township, built of stone and cement. 

Mr. Christie married Miss Jessie M. 
Bell, who is a daughter of Alexander Bell, 
of Washington Township, and they have 
five children, namely: Claire, residing at 
home, assisting her mother; Francis, Lee 
and Katherine, bright students in the pub- 
lic school; and Mildred, who is yet an in- 
fant. Mr. and ]\lrs. Cliiistie attend the 
Presbyterian Church in Washington Town- 
ship which is situated at North Hope. He 
is a Republican in politics and takes a 
hearty interest in public affairs, particu- 
larly in his own neighborhood, where he is 
serving as a school director. He is a stock- 
holder and one of the board of directors of 
the North Washington Fair Association 
and each year has many exhibits to send 
from his own farm. For a number of 
years he has been an active member of 
Naomi Lodge No. Ill, Odd Fellows, at Hil- 
liards, and has served in all its official 
positions. 

W. H. DAUGHERTY, a prominent cit- 
izen of Petrolia, Butler County, Penna., 
was the founder of the large refinery at 
that place which is operated under the 
name and style of W. H. Daugherty & 
Sons' Refining Company. The plant was 
established by him in 1880, and in 1901 his 
two sons were taken into partnership. In 
1904 the business was incorporated under 
the name of W. H. Daugherty & Sons, in 



the State of Delaware, and the following 
were chosen as its ofiicers : Dr. F. Sonne- 
born, president; Sigmund B. Sonneborn, 
treasurer; and Carl R. Daugherty, vice- 
president and manager. It is one of the 
largest independent refineries in the coun- 
try, and is the largest producer of petro- 
lemu jelly. It is affiliated with the firm 
of L. Sonneborn & Sons, of New York, 
Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore in this 
country, and with Oelwerke Stern-Sonne- 
born, Aktien Gesellschaft, of Hambui"g, 
Paris, London, Genoa, Koln and Moscow, 
with some sixty European branches. The 
local output is 1,500 tons per annum, and 
they have their own pipe line service, 
transporting the crude oil from the wells 
to the refinery. They employ about fifteen 
men at the plant. 

W. H. Daugherty was one of the earliest 
refiners in the country and is probably the 
oldest now living. He began in Titusville, 
Pennsylvania, in 1861, where he was in 
business with Burtis Brothers and others 
until 1868. He then became a producer 
and as early as 1873 began operating at 
Petrolia although it was not until 1876 
that he took up his residence in that vil- 
lage. In connection with his two sons he 
ac(|uii(Ml extensive oil producing proper- 
ties, whicli :iic now carried under the firm 
name of W. II., M. G. and C. R. Daugherty 
and are under the management of Carl R. 
Daugherty. 

W. H. Daugherty was born in Stark 
Comity, Ohio, near the city of Alliance, 
July 3, 1835, and lived there until eleven 
j'ears of age when he moved with his par- 
ents to Meadville, Pennsylvania. He was 
married in 1857 to Miss Jane Nesbit, a 
daughter of John Nesbit of Erie County, 
Pennsylvania, and three children were 
born to them: H. Ward, who married 
INIary G. Davis, by whom he had four chil- 
dren — Eugene, deceased, Roy, Ward and 
Frances; Cora, who is the wife of A. W. 
Frey of Washington, Pennsylvania, and 
has three children — William, Carl and 



1444 



HISTORY OF BUTLP^R COUNTY 



Jane ; and Carl R., who on June 24, 1908, 
was united in marriage with Miss Netta 
Black, a daughter of R. M. Black of But- 
ler County. H. Ward Daugherty died at 
the age of thirty-seven years just as he was 
entering the prime of life. The subject of 
this sketch is a member of the Masonic 
Lodge at Titusville, and the Knights of the 
Maccabees at Petrolia. His son, Carl R., 
is a member of the Modern Woodmen and 
the Knights of the Maccabees. Religiously, 
the family is Presbyterian. 

HON. JOHN MORGAN GREER, head 
of the well known law firm of John M. 
Greer & Sous, of Butler, is a citizen who 
has gained well earned recognition, not 
only as a leader in the ranks of his .pro- 
fession, but also as one who has ably up- 
held the dignity and honor of the Bench, 
and has proved his ability as a legislator, 
serving for eight years as a member of the 
State Senate. 

Mr. Greer was born in Jefferson Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, August 
.3, 1844. His parents were Thomas and 
Margaret Jane (Morgan) Greer, and his 
grandparents, on the paternal side, were 
Matthew and Isabella (Boise) Greer, who 
were natives of County Tyrone, Ireland. 

Mr. Greer's literary training was com- 
menced in the common schools and con- 
tinued at Connoquenessing Academy, at 
Zelienople, and, as has been the case with 
so many men of mark in State and Na- 
tional history, the knowledge thus gained 
was the more fii"mly impressed upon his 
memory by his being required to impart 
it to others. During the winter of 1861-2 
he taught school in Winfield Township 
and in 1863-4 in Jefferson Township. This 
Avas an eventful period of his life, for the 
Civil War was now raging and he was 
eager to perform his patriotic duty to his 
country. In July, 1862, he enlisted in 
Company D, One Hundred and Thirty- 
seventh Regimen^;, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, with which he participated in the 



momentous battles of South Mountain, 
Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancel- 
lorsville, serving until the end of his term. 
In March, 1864, he reenlisted, entering 
Battery E, Second Pennsylvania Artillery, 
but as this regiment had more than its 
quota, a new regiment was organized by 
the War Department, and called the Sec- 
ond Provisional Artillery, in which Mr. 
Greer served as sergeant of Battery B, in 
Ledlie's Division, Ninth Army Corps, un- 
til the close of the war. With this battery 
he took part in the battles of the Wilder- 
ness, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, 
Cold Harbor and Petersburg, including 
the Mine Explosion, where he was wounded 
in the thigh by a minie ball, while in com- 
mand of his company. He remained in 
the hospital until January, 1865, when he 
rejoined his battery in time to be present 
at the eventful surrender of General Lee. 
He was mustered out with his regiment in 
February, 1866. 

On his return from the army, Mr. Greer 
resumed teaching, but in a short time 
turned his whole attention to the study 
of law in the office of Judge Charles Mc- 
Candless. In September, 1867, he was ad- 
mitted to the bar and at once opened a law 
office. His legal ability soon attracted at- 
tention and in the following year he was 
elected to the office of district attorney, 
which he filled for three years. In 1873 
he formed a partnership with Judge Mc- 
Candless, which continued for five years. 
His public life, in a wider sense, may be- 
said to have begun in 1876, when he was 
elected on the Republican ticket, senator 
of the Forty-first District, composed of 
Butler and Armstrong Counties. In 1880 
he was reelected and was a member of the 
Senate of Pennsylvania for eight years, 
during all of, which period he served on 
the Judiciary Committee. He was the 
author of several important bills relating 
to judiciary matters, one of them provid- 
ing I'oi- an appeal to the Supreme Court, 
in case of the refusal of the lower court to 



AND REPRESENTxVTIVE CITIZENS 



open a judgment entered on a power of 
attorney, on a note or bond. Another, 
equally important, was one providing that 
no deed, regular and absolute on its face, 
shall be treated as a mortgage, unless the 
defeasance is in writing, made at the time 
of the deed, and placed on record within 
sixty days. Another important bill intro- 
duced by Senator Greer was one providing 
that judgment by default, against one of 
several defendants, shall not bar a recov- 
ery against other defendants in the same 
suit. 

In 1882, Senator Greer was honored by 
a nomination, on the first ballot for the 
office of Secretary of Internal Affairs, and, 
although his party suffered defeat that 
year, he led the ticket by a res})ectable 
majority. In 188-1: he was nominated as 
one of two judicial candidates in the Sev- 
enteenth District, and failed of election by 
less than 200 votes, the people of Lawrence 
County supporting Judges Hazen and Mc- 
Michael as a matter of local pride. 

In 1887, Senator Greer formed a law 
pai'tnership with Everett L. Ealston, which 
continued until 1893. Also in 1887, lie was 
appointed by tlie Governor, inspector and 
examiner of Soldiers' Orphan Schools, 
which office he held for four years, when 
he resigned. On the death of Judge Mc- 
Michael, in 1892, Mr. Greer was elected to 
succeed him, and in the following year, on 
the division by the Legislature of the Sev- 
enteenth District into two separate dis- 
tricts, Judge Greer became president 
judge of the Seventeenth District. In this 
position, the well balanced, judicial quali- 
ties of his mind were conspicuously mani- 
fested on every imiDortant occasion, and 
were enhanced by a courteous demeanor 
that rendered him very popular with the 
members of the bar, as well as with the 
general public. He has ever tempered jus- 
tice with mercy, and no righteous cause 
has ever suffered at his hands, from a 
lack of wisdom of .judgment or want of 
judicial fairness. Since his retirement 



from the Bench, which took place in 1903, 
he has been engaged in the practice of law 
in association with his two sons, John B. 
and Thomas H., under the style of John M. 
Greer & Sons, the firm being known as 
one of the strongest law firms in Butler 
County. 

Judge Greer was married March 24, 
1864, to Miss Julia S. Butler, who was 
l)orn in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and 
is a daughter of John B. and Harriet N. 
(Stebbins) Butler. To this marriage were 
born four children, namely: Hattie, who 
died in 1876, at tlie age of nine years; 
Thomas H. and John B., both of whom are 
associated with their father in the practice 
of law,- and Robert B., who is a physician. 

The religious affiliations of Judge Greer 
ant I his family are with the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. He has taken a hearty 
interest at all times in educational uuit- 
ters, having been one of those Butler 
Couuty citizens who were instrumental in 
establishing Slippery Rock State Normal 
School, of which lie has since been one of 
the State trustees. For six years he has 
also been one of the trustees of tlie State 
College. In many other public matters his 
counsel and encouragement have proved 
of value, and the people of Butler County 
are proud to denominate liim one of tlieir 
best and most representative citizens. 

CHARLES F. HOSFORD, residing at 
450 North Main Street, Butler, came to 
the Pennsylvania oil fields in the early 
days of Titusville, Pleasantville, Pithole, 
and Tidiout, moving to Butler County 
when Petrolia first began to develop into 
an oil town. He later resided at Greece 
City for a time and in 1874 located in But- 
ler, going to West Virginia when the oil 
fields were being developed in that state, 
and returning to Butler in 1903. Mr. Hos- 
ford has been engaged in the hotel busi- 
ness nearly all his life, also in the produc- 
tion of oil. In the year 1885 he was mar- 
ried to l\riss Emma Reiber of Butler. They 



1446 



HISTOEY OF BUTLEE COUNTY 



have one son, Charles F., Jr., a Princeton 
man and now a student at the law depart- 
ment of Harvard University. The family 
are members of the First English Lu- 
theran Church. 

W. CLAEK CULBEESON, oil producer 
and manufacturer, treasurer of the Butler 
Torpedo Company, is one of the repre- 
sentative men of this city. He- was born 
August 18, 1865, in Clarion County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of William Culber- 
son, who was one of the early oil men of 
this section. 

Almost since leaving school, Mr. Cul- 
berson has been in the oil business and his 
operations have been carried on in the oil 
fields of New York, "West Virginia, Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio and Illinois. In 1884 he 
came to Butler County and was much in- 
terested in the developments on Thorn 
Creek. Mr. Culberson has been an ex- 
tensive but judicious operator. He is a 
stockholder in the Pittsburg Oil & Gas 
Company, the Clarion Gas Company, the 
Southern Oil Company and the Butler 
Torpedo Company, the works of the latter 
beiug located at Gallery. He is interested 
also in real estate at Butler. 

On September 14, 1887, Mr. Culberson 
was married to Frances Fidelia Cheers, 
who was born in Chautauqua County, New 
York, and they have one daughter, Har- 
riet S., residing at home. Mr. and Mrs. 
Culberson are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church and he belongs to the 
official board. His fraternal connections 
include the Elks, the Odd Fellows and the 
Maccabees. 

THOMAS TUCKEE STEWART, one 
of the best known pioneers and respected 
citizens of Center Township, resides on 
his farm of 120 acres, which is situated 
about five miles north of Butler. Mr. 
Stewart was born June 3, 1834, in Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
John and Nancy (Scott) Stewart. 



When Mr. Stewart was about one year 
old, his parents brought him to this farm, 
and with the exception of three years after 
he was married, he has spent his entire 
life on this place. When his parents set- 
tled here it was nothing but a wilderness 
and it required years of hard work for 
both father and son to put it into the 
shape it now is. With constant industry 
and i^rudent saving, Mr. Stewart gradu- 
ally was enabled to put up the substantial 
buildings which make it a very comfort- 
able home. The parents died here when 
full of years. 

Mr. Stewart was married to his cousin, 
Nancy Stewart, who died in 1901. They 
had five children: Eobert W., Emma C, 
Milton A. and two unnamed infants. Eob- 
ert W. lives in Pittsburg. Emma C. mar- 
ried (first) Christian Shaw and had two 
children : Eussell C. and Bertha, the latter 
of whom married Harry Seigfried and 
they have a son, George. Mrs. Shaw be- 
came a widow and married Harry AVright 
and the}'^ have one son, Eobert. Milton A. 
is deceased. He reached manhood and was 
married and settled at Butler, where he 
died leaving no children. 

Until within four years, Mr. Stewart re- 
tained his health and strength but he then 
suffered from a fall which has left him 
crippled. Nevertheless he still looks 
largely after his affairs and lives alone in 
his house since the death of his wife, car- 
ing for his necessities himself in spite of 
his advanced age. Although well able to 
reside in any village or town and hire 
others to serve him, he is like many an- 
other one, devoted to the place where he 
has lived so long and determined to be 
independent as far as possible. All his 
life he has been provident and thus has 
accumulated property, more than could 
ever be used in making his declining years 
full of comfort. Almost all his life Mr. 
Stewart has been a consistent member of 
the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Stewart is 
a man of intelligence and general informa- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1447 



tion and a visit to him proves jjrofitable 
and interesting. 

HENRY MENKEN, wlio resides on his 
farm of fifty acres, which is situated in 
Winfield Township, on the Butler Turn- 
pike road, about tliree miles from Cabot, 
is a well known and substantial citizen of 
Butler County. He was born in Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1862, 
and is a son of George and Elizabeth 
(Hoffman) Menken. The father of Mr. 
Menken is still living. Born in Holland, 
he came to America in 1840, and has re- 
sided in Butler County ever since. 

Henry Menken learned the trades of 
stone-mason and bridge builder and has 
done a large amount of work in this line 
in Butler County, being the only con- 
tractor in this kind of work in Winfield 
Township. In addition, he carries on gen- 
eral farming and resides in a comfortable 
two-story farm house, which has an at- 
tractive appearance without, and within 
which the friendly visitor is sure of a hos- 
pitable welcome. 

Mr. Menken was married (first) to Satia 
Elit, who was a daughter of Thomas and 
Sarah (Elit) Elit, and to this marriage 
four children were born — Bertha, Mary 
(deceased), Elizabeth and Willis. Mr. 
Menken was married (second) to Alice 
Lavery, who was born in Butler County, 
of which union there is one child — 
Mary Evelyn. They are members of 
the Buffalo Presbyteri&n Church. Mrs. 
Menken was married first to Clyde Gra- 
vatt, and they had two children — Emmett 
Raymond and Beatrice Iriene. Formerly 
Mr. Menken was a member of the Grange, 
but at present he belongs to no secret or- 
ganization. He takes no active interest in 
politics, being a thoroughly practical busi- 
ness man and finding enough to occupy his 
time in attending to his own affairs. 

PHILO L. KING, capitalist and repre- 
sentative citizen of Butler, is the man to 



whom this city is indebted for the most 
beautiful, artistic and well cared for ceme- 
tery, in all Butler County, his services as 
sui:)erintendent having covered some nine 
years. Mr. King was born at Charles- 
town, Ohio, in 1838. 

The parents of Mr. King moved, in the 
year of his birth, to Marion County, Illi- 
nois, but when he was ten years old they 
returned to Ohio and settled at Ravenna, 
where he was educated and lived until 
1855. In that year he left home and spent 
eleven months at St. Paul, Minnesota, af- 
ter which he hired out to the Northwestern 
Fur Company and worked for that con- 
cern for two years in Oregon, which then 
was indeed a wild section. Mr. King spent 
one summer on his way east, at Clayton, 
Iowa, and then went to work in the lumber 
woods near Saginaw and Vassar, Michi- 
gan. In the summer, following a hard 
winter in the logging camps, he located 
timber tracts and subsequently went into 
partnership in the lumber business with 
John Dasey, which continued for fourteen 
years. Mr. King then went into a mer- 
cantile business in Michigan and became 
so desirable a citizen there that both 
Kingstown town and township were both 
named in his honor. He cut down the first 
tree that ever fell by a white man's agency 
in Kingstown Township, section 32. After 
three years he sold his store and for eight- 
een months conducted a hotel, and then 
decided to return to the East, and located 
at Akron, in his native state. There he 
was connected with Mr. Schumaker in a 
mill business for two years, dui'ing this 
time being in charge of the oatmeal mill, 
and afterward, with his brother-in-law, 
bought a sawmill at Ravenna, where they 
subsequently added a planing mill and pail 
factory and prospered for three years, 
when they lost their plant by fire. For 
about one year Mr. King followed rail- 
roading, and then returned to Ravenna 
and accepted the position of superinten- 
dent of the Ravenna Cemetery. For twen- 



1448 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



ty years he remaiued there and was then 
induced to come to Butler and accept the 
same position for the North Side Ceme- 
tery. Mi: King owns valuable realty and 
has an interest in the tine structui;e here 
known as the Opera House Block. 

In 1860, while residing in Michigan, Mr. 
King was married to Miss Caroline Har- 
mon, who died in 1899, leaving one child, 
Nina D., who married George Burkhalter. 
Mr. King was married (second) in 1906, 
to Miss Phillis Mason, of Butler. 

Mr. King is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic, having been a loyal 
defender of his country, a soldier in the 
ranks and a fighter on many a battle field, 
having enlisted in 1861, in Company E, 
Seventh Regiment, Michigan Volunteer In- 
fantry, which was attached to the Army of 
the Potomac. His service covered two 
years and four days when he received his 
honorable discharge. During his resi- 
dence in Michigan he was active in poli- 
tics and for seven years served as super- 
visor of Kingstown Township. In his re- 
ligious belief, he is a Universalist. Fra- 
ternally he is a Mason and Odd Fellow, 
and belongs also to the Royal Arcanum. 

ALPHEUS SITLER, who is engaged 
in the drug business at Zelienople, and 
also is a member of the well known firm 
of Sitler, Swain & Moyer, of Harmony, all 
representative men of this place. Mr. 
Sitler was born in Jackson Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, one mile 
east of Harmony, and is a son of Mar- 
tin H. and Fannie (Zeigler) Sitler. 

Solomon H. Sitler, grandfather of 
Alphens, accompanied his father, Martin 
Sitler, a colonel in the War of 1812, to 
Columbiana County, Ohio, about 1805, 
and there he subsequently married Eliza- 
beth Hoke, who died aged eighty-six 
years ; he survived to be seventy-one years 
old. Six of their family of thirteen chil- 
dren still survive, the oldest of whom is 
eighty-three years of age and the youngest 



sixty-three. They are: Samuel, residing 
in Columbiana County, Ohio ; Melvina and 
Velina, twins, the former the widow of 
Simon Bricker, and the latter the widow 
of Samuel Nold; Catherine, who married 
(first) a Mr. Gilbert and (second) Price 
Van Fleet; Celinda, who is the widow of 
Jacob Alowery; and Martin H. 

Martin H. Sitler was born in Colum- 
biana County, Ohio, February 3, 1828, 
where he remained until the fall of 1850. 
He then moved to Butler County and set- 
tled on a farm in Jackson Township, where 
he resided until the fall of 1907, when he 
moved to Harmony. 

His original farm contained 200 acres, 
but he has reduced it to 130 and for many 
years carried on general farming, taking 
an active part in it for fifty-seven years. 
On October 14, 1850, he married Fannie 
Zeigler, who was a daughter of Jacob H. 
and Elizabeth (Tinsman) Zeigler. Jacob 
H. Zeigler was born in 1800 and he became 
a man of substance in Jackson Township 
and the owner of the Eideuan Mills. He 
had one son and the following daughters: 
Fannie; Elizabeth, who married John 
Euslen; Annie, who married Frederick 
Haines; and Catherine, who married 
George Bame. Mrs. Sitler was born June 
14, 1828, and died in August, 1908, aged 
eighty years. There were four children 
born to Martin H. Sitler and wife, namely : 
Alpheus; Loraine, residing in Jackson 
Township, who is the widow of James 
Gallagher; Jacob, residing at Zelienople, 
owns a farm in Jackson Township, mar- 
ried Mollie Thomas; and Elizabeth, who 
is the wife of Charles Goehring, a retired 
farmer residing at Harmony. 

Alpheus Sitler obtained his education in 
the schools of Zelienople and at Heidel- 
berg College, Seneca County, Ohio. He 
prei:iared for professional life at the Phil- 
adelphia College of Pharmacy, prior to 
which he had done considerable work in 
the line of surveying, both for railroads 
and private parties in Butler County. He 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



U-i9 



remained at home aud assisted ou the farm 
nntil he reached his majority and then 
turned his attention to the study of phar- 
macy, for this purpose buying a half in- 
terest, in 1875, in a drug store at Har- 
mony. In 1879, after completing his 
professional course, he purchased the only 
drug store at Zelienople, which was the 
property of Dr. Amos Lusk, In 1882 he 
disposed of this store and again took up 
surveying, which he continued until 1887. 
In that year he went to Pittsburg with 
A. W. Zeigler and together they purchased 
a drug store on the south side of the city 
on the corner of Carson and Twenty- 
seventh Streets, and there Mr. Sitler con- 
tinued in the drug business for ten years. 
He then disposed of his interest and on 
his return to Harmony, he entered into 
partnership with G. D. Swain, in the dry 
goods and grocery business, but four years 
later he sold his interest to his partner. 
He then bought his present business in- 
terest at Zelienople, and two years later 
established the firm of Sitler, Swain & 
Moyer, of Harmony. 

Mr. Sitler married Miss Clara E. Swain, 
who is a daughter of Gellert and Sarah 
(Sechler) Swain, and a granddaughter of 
Samuel Swain, who was one of the early 
settlers of the county. The father of Mrs. 
Sitler died in 1894 but her mother sur- 
vives. Four sons have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Sitler: ]\Iaxwell Swain, Lei'oy R., 
Stanley Alpheus and Carl William. They 
are all bright and satisfactory j^upils in 
the public school, preparing for good 
American citizenship. Mr. and Mrs. Sit- 
ler, with the two oldest sons, are members 
of Grace Reformed Church of Harmony, 
with which congregation Mr. Sitler has 
been identified ever since 1868, except dur- 
ing his period of residence in Pittsburg, 
lu politics, like his father, he is a Repub- 
lican and after a service of six years in 
the town council, he declined renomination 
for election. He is a member of the Royal 
Arcanum and also of Harmony Lodge No. 



429 F. & A. M. and is also a member of 
the Odd Fellows at Harmony. 



W. C. WEBBER, who is engaged in a 
blacksmith business at Slippery Rock, of 
which place he has been a resident since 
November 4, 1880, was born on a farm in 
Franklin Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, one mile distant from Prospect, 
December 1, 1858. He is a sou of John 
and Mary (Campbell) Webber. 

The father of Mr. Webber was a brave 
soldier in the Civil War, who gave up his 
life in defense of his country, at the sec- 
ond battle of Fredericksburg. He was a 
member of the One Hundred and Thirty- 
seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Infantry. 

After the death of his father, when eight 
years old, W. C. Webber was placed in 
the Soldiers' Orphans' School at Mercer, 
Pennsylvania, where he remained until he 
was sixteen years of age, when his guar- 
dian and step-father, James Wilson, 
bound him out to Nicholas Weitzell, of 
West Liberty, to learn the blacksmith's 
trade. Mr. Webber served his full ap- 
prenticeship to Mr. Weitzell, remaining 
with him for three years and during this 
time received the sum of $140. From 
West liberty he went to Fairview, Butler 
County, and worked for three more years 
for Hughie Young and then came to Slip- 
pery Rock and for two years was in the 
employ of William Kauffman, after which 
he embarked in business for himself. He 
built the shop now occupied by Mr. S. A. 
Heyle, where he conducted his -business 
for twenty years, then sold out and entered 
into partnership with his brother-in-law, 
l^avid Morrison, and this partnership has 
existed for the iiast three years. The busi- 
ness is li(>is('-sli(i('ing and general repair- 
ing. First-ciass work is done and the firm 
enjoys a large amount of patronage. 

Mr. Webber was married November 1, 
1882, to Miss Emma ^lorrison, who is a 
daughter of Samuel and Isabella (Stephen- 



1450 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



sou) Morrison. She was born and reared 
at Slippery Rock. Mr. and Mrs. Webber 
have had two children : Alma, who is the 
wife of Dr. S. S. Smith, of Derry, Penn- 
sylvania ; and Daisy May, who died when 
aged twenty-one months. Another mem- 
ber of the family is almost like a daughter. 
She is Alma Morrison, a daughter of John 
Morrison, Mrs. AVebber's brother, and has 
resided with Mr. and Mrs. Webber for the 
past seven years, being now fourteen, and 
a bright student in the high school. 

In politics, Mr. Webber is a Democrat. 
He is active in local affairs and has served 
as a member of the borough council. He 
belongs to tlie fraternal order of Odd 
Fellows. 

JOSEPH BALL, proprietor of the City 
Transfer Company, at Butler, and a mem- 
ber of the City Council, representing the 
Fourth Ward, is one of Butler's repre- 
sentative men. He was born in June, 
LS64, on a farm in Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, about six miles northeast of the 
city, and is a son of the late John Ball. 

John Ball was born in Germany and 
came to Butler County in 1859. For many 
years he was extensively engaged in the 
bujang and shipping of stock and was 
well known all over this section. In poli- 
tics he was a Democrat. His death took 
place at North Oakland, in 1896. 

Joseph Ball obtained his education in 
the common schools of Butler County and 
he remained on the home fann until the 
fall of 1899, when he came to Butler and 
bouglit the business of Mr. Reisman, who 
then operated the City Transfer Company, 
an enterprise which has been conducted 
by Mr. Ball ever since. As the city has 
grown, this business has been expanded to 
meet all exigencies and Mr. Ball prac- 
tically controls this industry. In politics, 
like his late father, he is a standi Demo- 
crat. He has been an active citizen ever 
since locating here and is a useful and 
judicious member of the city council, his 



own successful business experience making 
him a valuable advisor in that body. 

In 1890 Mr. Ball was married to Miss 
Mary P. Oswald, formerly of Pittsburg, 
and they have six children : Minnie, Philip, 
Joseph, Cyril, Virginia and Valeria, all 
residing at home. Mr. Ball and family 
are members of St. Peter's Catholic 
Church and he belongs to the order of 
Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Mutual 
Benefit Association, the Woodmen of the 
World, the Knights of Maccabees, and to 
Butler Lodge, No. 170, Elks. 

HENRY JACOB MYERS, cashier of 
the Millerstown Deposit Bank, a private 
banking institution at Chicora, has been 
identified with banking since 1881 and is 
well and favorably known in financial 
circles all through this section. He was 
born in Butler, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of John G. and Catherine (Fetzer) Myers. 

Both parents of Mr. Myers were born in 
Germany. The father was three years old 
and the mother was fourteen years old 
when their parents brought them to Amer- 
ica. They wei'e married at Butler in 1858, 
and had the following children: Henry 
Jacob, Charles L. (deceased), Estelle D., 
Gustavus J., and two babes that died. The 
old Myers homestead in Oakland Town- 
ship, a tract of sixty acres, is owned by 
John G. Myers. He was born November 
16, 1828, and his wife was born Septem- 
ber 12, 1832. In early manhood he worked 
at the plastering trade at Butler and at 
Brady's Bend. In 1868 he went into part- 
nership with his brother-in-law, G. F. 
Fetzer, in a flour mill business, together 
with farm interests, which was continued 
until April, 1905, when Mr. Myers with- 
drew. When the Millerstown Savings 
Bank was organized, in 1873, he became 
one of the board of directors. Two years 
later it was reorganized imder the name 
of the German National Bank and business 
was continued until 1884, when it went into 
voluntary liquidation. In 1887 they organ- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1451 



ized the Millerstown Deposit Bank, with 
tlie following officers: John Gf. Myers, 
president ; Henry J. Myers, cashier ; Gus- 
tavus J. Myers, assistant cashier; and 
Miss Estelle D. Myers, bookkeeper. Its 
affairs are conducted along careful, con- 
servative lines and the institution does a 
large business with solid, responsible 
parties. 

John G. Myers is a leading member of 
the German Lutheran Church at Chicora 
and is the senior elder. He is a man whose 
business standing and personal character 
are high. 

Henry Jacob Myers together with his 
younger brother, Gustavus, graduated 
from the Chicora High School and both 
attended Capitol University at Columbus, 
Ohio, the former for two and the latter 
for five years. Banking has been the main 
interest of both Mr. Myers and his brother. 
They both are prominent in Free Masonry. 
They are not particularly active in poli- 
ties, but father and sons have always been 
men of liublic spirit and honorable citizen- 
ship. 

R. L. STACKPOLE, M. D., a member of 
the Butler County Medical Society and of 
the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, 
is numbered with the leading medical prac- 
titioners at Butler, maintaining his office 
at No. 128 South Main Street. He was born 
in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. 

After completing the common school 
course and graduating from the High 
School at Venango, Dr. Stackpole entered 
Allegheny College, where he remained for 
two years and then went to the Western 
Reserve University at Cleveland and was 
graduated there from the medical depart- 
ment in the class of 1901. Following his 
graduation he spent one and one-half 
years in St. Vincent's Hospital, at Cleve- 
land, and then came to Butler where he 
has built up a very satisfactory practice 
and has become recognized as a useful citi- 
zen. He is the present nominee of the Re- 



publican part}' for county coroner. He is 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Butler. His fraternal connec- 
tions are with the Eagles and the Odd Fel- 
lows. Through the medical organizations 
he keeps in touch with the wonderful prog- 
ress being made in his profession and ap- 
plies in his own practice the discoveries 
that he has proved to his own satisfaction 
are beneficial. 

JOHN BALFOUR, a highly respected 
citizen and prominent general farmer re- 
siding on his valuable estate of ninety-one 
acj-es, which lies in Adams Township, one 
mile west of Mars, was born in Wigton- 
shire, Scotland, August 4, 1835, and is a 
son of David and Margaret (Stephenson) 
Balfour. 

The parents of Mr. Balfour were born, 
reared and married in Scotland, and they 
came to America with their two children, 
Samuel and John. The former married, 
but Iwth he and wife ai'e deceased. When 
David Balfour brought his little family to 
the United States his younger son was 
about ten months old. The voyage in the 
old-fashioned sailing ship consumed 
many weeks, but in August, 1836, the 
weary travelers were landed at the port 
of Philadelphia. David Balfour secured 
a horse and wagon, and in this convey- 
ance he was safely transported over the 
mountains, and then, by way of the canal, 
in the course of time, reached Pittsburg, 
the place he had in view when he left Scot- 
land. He soon found remunerative work 
and then sent for his wife and boys, who 
joined him at Pittsburg, where they lived 
for one year. Tiring of city life, he con- 
cluded to engage in farming and first rent- 
ed land in what is now McAnlis Township 
Allegheny County, not far from Perrys- 
ville. There the family lived for four 
years, and then settled on a rented farm 
in Franklin Township, Allegheny County, 
for the succeeding seven years. By this 
time Mr. Balfour had developed into an 



U5-2 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



excellent farmer and was able to purchase 
land for himself, and in February, 1851, 
he bought 185 acres in Adams Township, 
from Hon. John Braden, and moved on the 
place in the following April. David Bal- 
four had worked hard to secure this home 
for his family, but he enjoyed it for a short 
time only, his death taking place on August 
16, 1851, when aged fifty-three years. His 
widow survived until 1878, being seventy- 
eight years old at the time of her death. 

There were buildings on the farm when 
the Balfour family came to it, but they 
were in a very dilaiiidated condition, and 
'after the death of the father the mother 
and her two sons imdertook to do a large 
amount of improving. The boys cleared 
the land and fenced it and the mother gave 
such assistance as pioneer mothers usu- 
ally afforded, and they lived happily to- 
gether and worked for the conmion good. 
In 1862 the elder son, Samuel, was mar- 
ried and then the land was divided, he 
taking the north farm and John taking the 
south farm, and then mother took up her 
residence with the younger son. At that 
time there was no indication how valuable 
this land would subsequently become, and 
had any one predicted to David Balfour 
when he settled here that his descendants 
would derive a more than ample income 
from the oil that lay concealed under the 
rough soil, he would have thought they 
were dealing in romance. But the fact 
is that on this farm was drilled the first 
lOO-foot oil well in Pennsylvania, probably 
in the United States. The drilling was 
accomplished in 1885 and for three years 
it produced sixty barrels of oil a day. Mr. 
Balfour at the present writing (1908) has 
five producing wells. He also carries on 
a general agricultural line, raising grain, 
liay and stock. 

In 1873, Mv. Balfour was married to 
Miss Mary Ann Cochran, of Allegheny 
County, who died in October of the same 
year, aged thirty-two years. On October 
12, 1875, he was married (second) to Miss 



Nevie Richardson, a daughter of G. W. 
Richardson, one of the early settlers of 
Butler County, and to that union eight 
children were born, namely: Amelia; 
Stewart, who died in 1897, aged nineteen 
years; Oliver, who died in 1885, aged six 
years; Frank; Isabella, who died in Octo- 
ber, 1884, aged nine months ; Chalmers and 
Myrtle, twins; and Dight. Myrtle was 
married October 25, 1906, to Leonard L. 
Besnaeker. Mr. Balfour and family are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church at Mt. Pleasant and he has been 
active in its various branches of work. In 
politics he is a Democrat and he has 
served as township auditor and in other 
offices. 

WILLIAM WHITE HUNTER, who re- 
sides about ten miles south of Butler, in 
Forward Township, is the owner of a fine 
farm of 125 acres, well improved and all 
under a high state of cultivation. He was 
born on this farm, July 27, 1861, and is a 
son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Dixon) 
Hunter, and a grandson of William and 
Nancy (White) Hunter. 

William Hunter, the grandfather, spent 
all his early life in Ireland, and was there 
married to Nancy White. In 1842, they 
came to America, the voyage consuming 
some six weeks, and were accompanied by 
the following children, all now deceased: 
Alexander, Joseph, Fannie, Jane, Mary, 
Ann, Rosa and Eliza. They first located in 
Pittsliurg, where the family temporarily 
remained, M'hile William and his son Alex- 
ander, who then was twenty-one years of 
age, came to the woods of IButler County. 
He purchased 250 acres of Alexander 
Boyd, who was the owner of 1000 acres in 
the vicinity. There were about fifty acres 
imder cultivation, and a log house, a rude 
barn, and a building which Boj'd had used 
for store purj^oses, stood on the place. It 
was quite a wild community at that time, 
fox, dear and other game being plentiful. 
They returned to Pittsburg for the rest of 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1453 



the family, and here William ami liis wife 
spent tlie remaining years of life, dying in 
advanced age. 

xVlexander Himter remained on the home 
place, which he cleared of its timber, and 
erected most of tlie buildings thereon. The 
brick house built by him was one of the 
first in this section, and was a modern 
structure in all its appointments. He was 
joined in marriage with Elizabeth Dixon, 
who was born in Pittsburg, whither her 
parents had come from Ireland. She was 
reared in Penu Township, Butler County, 
Peuna., and died in the prime of life. Alex- 
ander Hunter died in October, 1888, at the 
age of seventy-one years. He was a Whig 
in politics, oi'iginally. and later an ardent 
Republican. He never aspired to polit- 
ical preferment, but in the early days 
served for a time as school director. He 
and his wife reared two sons, W^illiam 
White and Alexander Dixon, each of whom 
owns one-half of the old home farm. 

William W. Hunter was a small child at 
his mother's death. He attended the dis- 
trict school during the winter months, 
about four months each year, and during 
the remainder of the time was engaged in 
hard work upon the farm. He has always 
lived on this place, which is one of the best 
improved in this locality. A tine brick 
house, surrounded by stately locust, spruce, 
pine and apple shade trees, presents a 
beautiful and attractive appearance. He 
is engaged in general farming and stock- 
raising, and is meeting with the best of 
success. 

On October 10, 1883, Mr. Hunter was 
married to Miss Susie P. Hutchman, a 
daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Plumer) 
Hutclamau, and three children have been 
])orn to them: Margaret Elizabetli, Laura 
AVhite, and William Hutcliman. Political- 
ly, he is a Republican, has served as school 
director, and at the present is ]iresident of 
the township boai'd of supervisors. Re- 
ligiously, he and his wife are members of 
the Presbvterian Church at ^Middlesex. 



xiPHES A. COOPER, one of Adams 
Township 's well known men, resides on his 
finely improved farm of fifty-six acres, on 
whieli he has erected all the buildings, be- 
ing a practical carpenter and builder. He 
was born March 18, 1860, in Forest County, 
Penna., and is a son of Robert and Martha 
(Johnson) Cooper. 

James Cooper, the grandfather, came 
among the first settlers in the vicinity of 
Evans City, Butler County, where he 
cleared up a farm that remained in the 
possession of the family until recently, 
when it was purchased by James Ramsey. 
This farm is situated in Forward Town- 
ship and there Robert Cooper, father of 
Aphes A., was born, December 6, 1827. He 
was one of the yoimger members of a fam- 
ily of eleven children and is one of the two 
survivors, his brother Uriah Cooper, be- 
ing a resident of Ohio. Robert Cooper 
spent seven years in Forest County, where 
he was engaged in a lumber business, and 
gave ten months to the service of his coun- 
try, during the Civil War. After the close 
of his army life, he bought a farm in Adams 
Township, Butler County, on which he re- 
sided from 1865 until 1882, when he pur- 
chased property in Penn Township on 
which he lived until 1902, when he retired 
and moved to Evans City. In that year 
occurred the death of his wife, formerly 
Martha Johnson, who lived to the age of 
seventy-four years. They had the follow- 
ing children : Alfred, Amos, Harvey, Sam- 
uel, Aphes, Perry, Anna, Ella, Minnie, 
Harry, and an unnamed infant. Anna is 
the wife of Robert Leslie, and Ella is the 
wife of Samuel Zeigler. Alfred, Samuel, 
and the infant are deceased. 

Aphes A. Cooper was small when the 
family came to Butler from Forest Coun- 
ty and he was able later to assist his father 
greatly in clearing up the farm in Adams 
Township. His education was obtained in 
the district schools in the neighborhood, 
and when he was fifteen years old he start- 
ed out to take care of himself. He learned 



1454 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the shoemaking h'ade with his cousin, John 
Cooper, and worked at it for three years. 
Although he soon turned his etlforts in an- 
other direction, he never regretted the dis- 
cipline of long months on the bench. In 
carpenter work, however, he was able to 
take a deeper interest and under R. T. Mc- 
Anlis, became a good workman and con- 
tinued with him for seven years. Mr. 
Cooper then went into general contracting 
which he continued until 1906, and during 
his active years in that line, put up many 
of the buildings through Butler County and 
also did a large amount of building in Al- 
legheny County. In 1883 he bought thirty- 
five acres of his present farm, from Wiil- 
iam Sloan and subsequently added until 
his farm now contains fifty-six acres, where 
he carries on general farming. 

On March 9, 1881, Mr. Cooper was mar- 
ried (first) to Hannah Gilkey, a daughter 
of John Gilkey. She died October 20. 
1897, having been the mother of the follow- 
ing children: a babe that died in a short 
time following birth; Luella, who is the 
wife of Harry Eichenberg; Bessie, who is 
the wife of Roy McMillen, has one child, 
Clarence Leroy; Charles, who died aged 
nineteen years and ten days; John; and 
Olive, who died aged twelve years and four 
months. Mr. Cooper married (second) 
Ida Rennison, who is a daughter of John 
Rennison. Mr. Cooper is a man of recog- 
nized standing in his community and is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. In politics, he is a Republican. 

SAMUEL ALEXANDER LESLIE, a 
well known citizen of Middlesex Township, 
Butler County, Penna., has a fine farm of 
106 acres and is engaged in general farm- 
ing. He is now serving his fourth consecu- 
tive term as justice of the peace, the duties 
of which office he has discharged in an able 
and conscientious manner, and to the en- 
tire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He 
was born in Plain Grove Township, Mer- 
cer County, Penna., Januarv 21, 1842, and 



is a son of Hon. Alexander and Sarah (Al- 
len) Leslie, and a grandson of Alexander 
Leslie, Sr. 

Alexander Leslie, the grandfather, was 
born in Allegheny County, Penna., and at 
an early date settled on the farm now 
owned by the subject of this sketch, which 
was then almost wholly uncleared and un- 
improved. This hardy old pioneer was a 
member of the State militia of that early 
period. 

Alexander Leslie, Jr., was born in Al- 
legheny County, Penna., and during his 
early years worked on the river. He later 
settled in Plain Grove Township, Mercer 
County, and engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits imtil about 1847, when he located on 
the home farm in Middlesex Township, 
Butler County, where he passed the re- 
mainder of his days. He died in 1883, at 
the age of sixty-four years. He was an 
active Republican in politics, and served 
two terms in the State Legislature. Mr. 
Leslie was first united in marriage with 
Miss Sarah Allen, who died early in mar- 
ried life, and as a result of their imion four 
children were born, two of whom grew to 
maturity : Samuel A. ; and Eliza, deceased 
wife of Philip Snyder. Mr. Leslie formed 
a second marital union with Miss Aphia 
Ross, by whom he had six children : Cor- 
delia (Donahea) of Braddock; Harvey, of 
Columbus, Ohio; John of Pittsburg; Will- 
iam, a resident of California; George of 
Valencia, Penna. ; and Susan, deceased. 
Religiously, Alexander Leslie was a mem- 
ber and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and served as class leader and 
supei'intendent of the Sunday-school. 

Samuel A. Leslie was about five years 
of age when his parents located on his 
present farm in Middlesex Townslii]», and 
was nine years old at his mother's death. 
He was then taken to Bakerstown where 
he lived four years, after which he resided 
continuously on the home place except for 
that pei'iod spent in his country's serv- 
ice, during the War of the Rebellion. He 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1455 



enlisted August 1, 1861, as a member of 
Company B, Sixty-first Regiment Penna. 
Volunteer Infantry, and participated in 
all the engagements of his regiment until 
September 7, 1864, and he was wounded at 
the Battle of Fair Oaks. He was in num- 
erous hotly contested battles, and acquit- 
ted himself with honor and credit. He re- 
turned to the home farm upon leaving the 
service and has engaged in agricultural 
pursuits without interruption since. He 
follows general farming, but makes hay 
his principal crop. Located on his farm is 
a gas well with a strong flow, which has 
been producing for a period of fifteen 
years. 

Mr. Leslie was united in marriage with 
Miss Rebecca E. McBride, a daughter of 
Samuel McBride of Middlesex Township, 
and they became parents of four children, 
namely: Samuel McBride, of Middlesex 
Township ; Sarah, wife of Adam Kind, and 
they make their home with Mr. Leslie; 
Wilda, wife of S. Cunningham Trimble, 
of Butler; and Howard, deceased. Mrs. 
Leslie passed from this life in 1899, at the 
age of fifty-six years. She was a member 
of the ]\Ietliodist Episcopal Church, of 
which Mr. Leslie is also a member and a 
trustee. He was a member of Scott Post, 
No. 470, G. A. R. of West Deer Township, 
Allegheny County, now disbanded, and 
served as post commander -four years, and 
is a member of Union Veterans ' Legion of 
Butler. He is a stanch Republican in poli- 
tics, and served as school clirector a period 
of eighteen years, is now serving his third 
year as road supervisor, and his fourth 
term as justice of the peace. 

J. C. .KISKADDON, a representative 
citizen of Butler County, now serving in 
the office of deputy county treasurer, was 
born in Armstrong County, Penna., in 
1844, and is a son of James and Eleanor 
(Sloane) Kiskaddon. 

The parents of Mr. Kiskaddon moved to 
Allegheny Township, Butler County, when 



he was ten years old, and he grew to the 
age of eighteen on his father's farm, leav- 
ing its peaceful seclusion to enter Company 
G, One Hundred Thirty-seventh Regiment, 
Penna. Volimteer Infantry, as a soldier in 
the Civil War. He served through his first 
eulistment, a period of nine months, and 
was attached to the Army of the Potomac. 
He immediately reeulisted, his second 
choice being the cavalry and he served as 
a member of Company L, Fourteenth Reg- 
iment, until he was disabled by a gunshot 
wound and was honorably discharged in 
June, 1865. His wound proved a very seri- 
ous one. It was received in October, 1864, 
from the band known as McNeil's guerril- 
las, while he was on duty in the Shenandoah 
Valley. He was in the hands of the enemy 
for four months thereafter and was con- 
fined in the prison hospital at Richmond, 
Virginia. All through his service, Mr. 
Kiskaddon was at his post of duty and he 
participated in notable battles, including 
Antietam, the protracted campaign under 
General Burnside, and Chancellorsville, 
all while in the infantry. Duriug his sec- 
ond enlistment he was under the command 
of General Sheridan in the Shenandoah 
Valley. 

After Mr. Kiskaddon had recovered suf- 
ficiently from the wound he had received 
in his coimtry defense to be able to per- 
form any duty, he was appointed a dep- 
uty sheriff in Armstrong County, this be- 
ing in 1866, but he retained the office for 
less than one year and then turned his at- 
tention to farming. Later he entered into 
the oil business and worked also as a car- 
penter. In December, 1890, having been 
elected a county commissioner in Butler 
County, he came to the city of Butler. 
After "the close of his term of office of three 
years, he followed the carpenter trade for 
about the same period and then was called 
back to public life, being appointed clerk 
for the Board of County Commissioners 
and served in that capacity for nine years, 
and then served as deputy treasurer of the 



1456 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



county from July, 1906, to January, 1909. 
He lias been a very active Republican and 
was the successful candidate of liis party 
for the office of county commissioner at the 
election on November 3, 1908. He is very 
popular at his home and his friends may 
be found in all parts of the county. 

In 1868, Mr. Kiskaddon was married to 
Miss Nancy J. Colgin, who was a native 
of Butler County. She died in 1894 and 
was survived by four children: James R., 
residing at New Castle; William, residing 
at Chicago; Alice, wife of H. B. Burns, of 
Southersland, Iowa; and Edith J., wife 
of Joseph Elliott, of Butler. 

Mr. Kiskaddon is identiiied with the A. 
G. Reed Post, No. 105, Grand Army of the 
Republic, and he belongs to Connoquenes- 
sing Lodge, No. 278, Odd Fellows. For 
many years he has been a member of the 
Second Pi'esbyterian Church at Butler. 

GUSTAVE ORVILLE HAMMER, pro- 
prietor and sole owner of the Roebling 
Hotel, at Saxonburg, is one of the promi- 
nent and forceful men of Butler County 
and for years has been identified with 
large enterprises in Western Pennsyl- 
vania. He was born in the city of Bremen, 
Germany, June 30, 1864, and accompanied 
his parents to America in 1868. 

The parents of Mr. Hammer were Will- 
iam G. and Sophia L. (Von Rautenburg) 
Plammer, natives of Holland. Mrs. Sophia 
L. Hammer came from Friesland in the 
north of Holland. When they first reached 
the United States, they settled in New 
York but came later to Pennsylvania. He 
had conducted a furniture factory in Ger- 
many and began the manufacture of furni- 
ture at Pittsburg and was interested at 
other points. His children were as fol- 
lows: Gustave 0., John, Louis G., Hen- 
rietta, Wilhelmina, Ferdinand G., Carl and 
an infant. 

Gustave O. Hammer attended school at 
various ])laces where the father was in 
Imsiuess for a more or less longer time. 



this including Pittsburg, New Brighton, 
Zelienople and Butler. In the latter city 
he completed his school course and then 
went into business with his father. This 
city remained the family home for seven- 
teen years. The death of the mother, in 
1881, broke up the domestic circle and then 
Gustave 0. started out in the world for 
himself. He visited a number of cities: 
Chicago, Illinois; Springfield and Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, remaining in the latter city for 
two years; then back to Springfield; 
south then to Chattanooga, Tennessee; 
then back to Cincinnati and Pittsburg. 
Mr. Hammer during this time- had in- 
vented several articles and while at Pitts- 
burg had them patented and went into a 
manufacturing business on Water Street, 
in that city. On January 7, 1889, he em- 
barked in a furniture business at Oak- 
land and remained there for twelve years, 
after which he came to' Saxonburg and 
bought the gas plant, in 1898, moving to 
this place in 1900 and remained in the 
business imtil the fall of 1906, when he 
sold out to the Saxonburg Heat and Light 
Company. In 1902 he built the Opera 
House and sold it in 1905. . During that 
period of residence he was a leading citi- 
zen of the place, served in the town council 
ai\d was town burgess for three years. At 
])resent he is president of the School 
Board. He was the first president and one 
of the organizers of the Saxonburg Tele- 
phone Company and was the organizer 
and vice president of the Bessemer Brick & 
Tile Company. 

In 1906 Mr. Hammer returned to Pitts- 
burg and engaged in a stock brokerage 
business and then became extensively in- 
terested in real estate, under the firm 
name of Hammer & Mandeville, and while 
there laid out the G. 0. Hammer plat of 
lots in Saxonburg, which he sold, and also 
laid out the Norfolk-Heights plat in Mc- 
Candless Township, Allegheny County, in 
the Perrysville District, on the car line be- 
tween New Castle and Harmonv. j\Ir. 




HENRY D. WALLET 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1457 



Hammer is oouuected with, the Cottage 
Hill Laud Company of Butler. He has 
been interested also in oil, gas and railroad 
enterpi-ises and was one of the promoters 
of a traction line between Tareutum, But- 
ler and Saxonburg. In May, 1907, Mr. 
Hammer sold out his various interests in 
Pittsburg and returned to Saxonburg and 
purchased the Boebling Hotel. This was 
formerly called the Kohnfelter Hotel and 
was built in 1862, the tirst brick building 
erected at Saxonburg, the bricks being 
manufactured on the premises. It is 
widely known and under Mr. Hammer's 
management is the leading hotel in this 
section. He retains his interests in oil and 
gas production in the county and is one 
of the directors of the Scott Eidge Oil and 
Gas Company, at Zelienople. In all these 
various enterprises Mr. Hammer has pros- 
pered, his business foresight and judgment 
being remarkable. 

Mr. Hammer was married in 1891, at 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to Miss Clara 
Pauline Pickel, who is a daughter of John 
S. Pickel, and they have eight children, 
namely: John M., Orville J., Henrietta, 
Charlotte, Freda, Mary, Bonita, and Jen- 
nings. The two older sons are students at 
college. Mr. • Hammer and family are 
members of the Lutheran Church. He is 
connected with several of the leading- 
fraternities, having pa.ssed all the chairs 
in Herder Lodge, No. 279, Knights of 
Pythias; is a charter member of the order 
of Moose and belongs to tlie order of 
Woodmen of the World at Saxonburg. 

CAESON G. GEAY, postmaster at 
Petrolia, of which place he has been a 
resident for more than thirty years, was 
born in Washington Township, Erie 
County, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1836, 
and is a son of Lemuel and Diadema 
(Gardner) Gray. 

The parents of Mr. Gray reared a fam- 
ilv of six cliildr(in, namely: George W., 
Otis N., A. E., Carson G., E. W., and 



Leonard S., the only survivors being Car- 
son G. and E. W. The father died in his 
eighty-fourth year and the mother when 
aged seventy-three years. 

Carson G. Gray was reared in Erie 
County and there attended school and also 
learned the trade of paper hanging and 
painting. He served in the Federal army 
from April, 1865, until June of the same 
year, in Company E, Ninety-eighth Eegi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Infantry, and partici- 
pated in a number of sharp skirmishes. 
He belongs to the Grand Army of the Ee- 
public, being a member of Campbell Post, 
Petrolia. 

After the close of his military service, 
Mr. Gray returned to Erie, Pennsylvania, 
where he went to work in the car barns as 
a painter, and he remained there until 
1877, when he came to Butler County and 
settled at Petrolia. For a number of years 
he conducted a shop of his own and did 
a hii-go amount of business, especially be- 
fore 1884, when he was very seriously 
injured by a railroad train, at Foxburg. 
In 1898 he was appointed postmaster and 
has continued to serve in this office ever 
since, giving the city a very efficient admin- 
istration. 

On December 25, 1862, Mr. Gray was 
married to Miss Agnes A. Eay, who is a 
daughter of John Eay, of Erie County. 
They have had two daughters, Mary and 
Maud. Mary married William Harring- 
ton, and they live in Delaware. Maud 
married William Kelley, of Ohio, and died 
in 1884, when only twenty years of age. 
Mr. Gray is a Eepublican in his political 
views, and on numerous occasions he has 
been elected to local offices at Petrolia. 
He belongs to the order known as the Pro- 
tective Home Circle. With his family he 
is identified with the Presbyterian Church. 

IIENEY 1). AVALLET, i)ostmaster at 
Great Belt, resides at Great Belt, and has 
lived in this section almost the whole of 
his life. He was born in 1857, in Pitts- 



1458 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



biirg, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Daniel 
and Mary (Schmidt) Wallet, and a grand- 
son of Philip and Catherine (Bleichner) 
Wallet, natives of Germany and early set- 
tlers in Allegheny County. 

Daniel Wallet worked in a glass factory 
at Pittsburg before he moved on his farm 
of sixty acres in Jefferson Township, But- 
ler County. He became a man of local 
prominence, serving in both township and 
county offices. He married Mary Schmidt, 
who still survives, and they had eleven 
children, the seven still living bearing re- 
spectively tlie following names : Henry D., 
Mary, John, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Maggie 
and Eosie. 

Henry D. Wallet obtained his education 
in the country schools in North Jetferson 
Township and later in the Herman School, 
after which he spent about two years in 
the far West. When he returned he en- 
gaged in the grocery business but later 
sold out and went back to cultivating the 
farm. He has been postmaster at Great 
Belt for the past two years. In politics he 
is a Democrat and he has served in town- 
ship offices, four years being supervisor. 
Mr. WalJet is a member of the Catholic 
Church at Herman. He belongs to the 
Catholic Mutual Benefit Association lodge 
at Herman and for twelve years has been 
recording secretary of this organization. 
He is a representative citizen of this part 
of Jefferson Township and is well and 
fnvorably known. He is one of the heirs 
of his father's estate. 

HON. GEO. H. GRAHAM, justice of the 
peace and representative citizen of Fair- 
view Township, owns twenty- five acres of 
valuable farm land in this township and 
forty-seven additional acres in Parker 
Township, Butler County. He was born in 
Venango County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 
1833, and is a son of John and Mary (Hill) 
Graham. 

Mr. Graham comes of Irish ancestry and 
of Revolutionary stock. His great-great- 



grandfather was born on the Atlantic 
Ocetm while his parents were on one of the 
slow old sailing ships between Ireland and 
the United States, then the British col- 
onies, for it was as early as 1700. His 
parents settled in Cumberland County, 
Pennsylvania, not far from the present site 
of the great Indian School at Carlisle, and 
that section presumably .was the family 
home for many years. Richard Graham, 
tlie great-grandfather was a soldier in the 
Revolutionary War and when it was over 
he resided in Chester County until 1795, 
when he accompanied his son, Samuel Gra- 
ham, to Allegheny Township, Butler Coun- 
"ty, where he died in 1806. Samuel Gra- 
ham, grandfather of George H., was a vet- 
eran of the War of 1812 and he subse- 
quently died in a hospital at Meadville, 
Pennsylvania. 

John Graham, father of George H., was 
born in Allegheny Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, in 1800, and died in 
Parker Township in 1856. He was a farm- 
er, carpenter and contractor and in 1845 
he settled near Bruin, Butler County. He 
married Mary Hill, who'lived to be eighty- 
six years of age. They had the following 
children: Xaiicy J., Phoebe Ann, George 
H., Floriiida, Ruth, Mary, Adelaide, Mag- 
gie and William. Of these three now sur- 
vive: Geoi-ge H., Florinda, and Adelaide. 

George H. Graham lived in Venango 
County until he was about twelve years of 
age, attending school for a time at Emlen- 
ton, and later taking a university course at 
Allegheny College. After his parents 
moved to near Bruin, Butler County, he 
worked in both the ore and coal mines for 
a short time, when, through natui'al al)ility 
and study he fitted himself for other work. 
He has done a vast amount of surveying, 
has been a civil engineer, has done consid- 
erable-farming and oil producing, and for 
many years he was considered the most 
successful public school teacher in the 
county. When the Civil»War opened, Mr. 
Graham entered the army, enlisting as a 




HON. GEORGE H. GRAHAM 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1459 



member of Company G, One Hundred and 
Thirty-seventh Regiment, Pa. VoL Inf., 
under Colonel Bossart, and shortly after- 
ward was commissioned quartermaster of 
the regiment and served on the staff of 
Uen. J. R. Paul. He was with his regiment 
at Antietam, South [Mountain, Fredericks- 
burg and Chancellorsville, and was mus- 
tered out at Hari-isbui-g, in June, 1863. 

Mr. Graham returned to Bruin and dur- 
ing the winters of 1857-8 and 1859, he 
taught school -in Parker and Washington 
Townships, and in the spring of 1867 be- 
came a teacher in the West Sunbury Acad- 
emv, where he continued to teach until 
1869. In the fall of 1874 he made Fairview 
his home and has continued here ever since. 
He has acce])tably filled all the borough of- 
fices, has been school director for thirty 
years, has served as jury commissioner, 
for three years has been a justice of the 
peace, ancl in 1880, he was a member of 
the State Legislature, giving good service. 
Mr. Graham has lived a very busy and use- 
ful life and his acquaintance extends all 
over Butler County, while his friends are 
legion. 

Air. Graham was married in 1860 to Miss 
Eleuor J. Wilson, who died November 9, 
1892. To this marriage were born five 
children: Clara, Anna, Addie, John H. and 
William J. Clara married J. C. McKee 
and they have one child, which they have 
named after her mother, Elenor. Anna 
has been a successful teacher for fifteen 
years. Addie married William Shoenfeld 
and they live at Bruin and have two sons, 
Wayne and Walter. John H. married Vir- 
ginia Bollinger, who died two years later, 
leaving one son, Claud R. William J. mar- 
ried a Miss Idelle Gifford and they live at 
Homestead and have two children, Leslie 
and George. Mr. Graham takes much in- 
terest in the educating of his grandchil- 
dren. He is a valued member of the J. G. 
Campbell Post of the Grand Army of the 
Republic at Petrolia. 



JAMES A. MILLIRON, engaged in the 
livery business at Karns City, Butler 
County, Pciinsylvaiiia, in partnership with 
Mr. George Aclaiiis. is an enterprising and 
progressive business man and conducts 
an establishment which is a credit to the 
village. He was born in Armstrong Covm- 
ty, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1877, and is a 
son of William and Rebecca (Reges) Mill- 
iron, old residents of Armstrong County, 
who now reside in Euclid, Clay Township, 
Butler County. They are parents of seven 
children, all living and all natives of Arm- 
strong County, namely: George, John, 
James A., Gertrude, Maud, Mima and 
Elizabeth. William Milliron, the father of 
this family, was born in 1849. 

James A. Milliron was about ten years 
of age when he accompanied his parents to 
West Winfield, and there he lived for twen- 
ty-two years. He received his intellectual 
training in the public schools, and there- 
after engaged in the livery business at 
West Winfield for about five vears. He 
jnoved to Karns City in the fall of 1908 
and embarked in the livery business in 
partnership with Mr. Adams. He also is 
interested in the timber business in both 
Butler and Indiana Counties, Pennsylva- 
nia. Fraternallv, he is a member of West 
Winfield Lodge No. 291, K. 0. T. M. ; and 
of the Order of Unity of Pittsburg. In re- 
ligious attachment, he is a member of the 
German Reformed Church of Sugar Creek 
Township, in Armstrong County. 

George Adams, who is in business with 
^\v. Milliron, is also a new arrival in Karns 
City, locating there in the fall of 1908. 
His life prior to that time was spent in 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where 
he was born November 16, 1869. His par- 
ents, John and Margaret (Moore) Adams, 
were early settlers of that county, where 
all of their five children were born. Their 
names are as follows : Charles, James, Ed- 
ward, George, and John, and all are liv- 
ing but the last mentioned. John Adams, 



1460 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



the father, died in 1903, at the age of six- 
ty-three years, and is survived by his 
widow. George Adams was married June 
9, 1896, to Miss Maggie Steele, a daugh- 
ter of Amos Steele of Armstrong County, 
and they have four children — Iva, Paul, 
Ruth and Gladys — all born in Armstrong 
County but Gladys, who is a native of West 
Winfield. Religiously, Mr. Adams and his 
wife are members of the Lutheran Church 
of Mt. Pleasant, Armstrong County. Fra- 
ternally, he is a member of West Winfield 
Lodge No. 291, K. 0. T. M. 

LOREE L. OSTRANDER, one of Pe- 

trolia's substantial citizens and business 
men, is engaged in oil producing. He was 
born in Steuben County, New York, Sep- 
tember 30, 1847, and is a son of Van Rens- 
selaer and Mary Jane (Schanck) Ostrand- 
er. His father died at the age of forty- 
six years, and his mother at the age of 
sixty-four years. They were parents of 
the following children : : Matilda, Eleanor, 
Louisa, William, Susanna, Mary, de- 
ceased ; Carrie, Loree L. and John. 

Loree L. Ostrander was reared in Steu- 
ben Coimty, New York, until his sixteenth 
year, and there received a common school 
education. He then located at Brockway- 
ville, Jefferson Coimty, Pennsylvania, and 
one years later moved to Cameron County, 
Pennsylvania, where he remained two 
years. He next located in Venango Coim- 
ty, Pennsylvania, where he embarked in 
the oil business, at which he has since con- 
tinued. He moved to Butler County in 
3876, settling at St. Joseph, Donegal Town- 
ship, and later lived upon the Divener 
farm in that township. He next moved 
upon the Daugherty farm in Fairview 
Township, upon which he resided for twen- 
ty-four years. In 1906 he moved to the 
borough of Petrolia, where he owns prop- 
erty and here he has since resided. He has 
four producing oil wells, which are very 
remunerative, they now being in charge of 
his son, Clarence. 



Mr. Ostrander was united in marriage 
with Miss Adeline Alford, a daughter of 
William and Catherine Alford, their mar- 
riage occurring March 18, 1873, at Sager- 
town, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. 
Four children are the issue of this union: 
William, of Coylesville, Butler County, who 
married Flora Jones and has a daughter, 
Florence; Lula, wife of Clarence Yeager 
of Petrolia, by whom she has two children, 
Josephine and Allen ; Edna, who is the wife 
of Arthur Starr of Butler; and Clarence, 
who married I^fabel Snyder and lives on 
the Daugherty farm in Fairview Town- 
ship. In religious attachment, Mr. Os- 
trander and his family are members of the 
Presbyterian Church of Petrolia. 

ANDREW 0. MILLER, who for many 
years has been prominently identified with 
the business interests of Eau Claire, is pro- 
'prietor of a drugstore at the present time 
and is treasurer of the Eau Claire Tele- 
phone Company. He was born in Monroe 
County, West Virginia, June 25, 1839, and 
is a son of John and Selina S. (Neel) Mil- 
ler, and a grandson of Andrew and Isabella 
Miller. 

Andrew Miller was born in Scotland and 
when a young man, some time prior to his 
marriage, came to the United States. He 
and his wife became parents of the follow- 
ing : Margaret, who became the wife of Gib- 
son Jarrell and had two children, Andrew 
and Eliza, was born in 1797 ; Thomas ]\Iil- 
ler, who was born in 1799, married Mar- 
garet Neel of Monroe County, West Y'lv- 
ginia, and they had two children — William 
F. and Jane, the last named being de- 
ceased; Christina, who was born in 1805, 
and died May 7, 1851 ; John, father of the 
subject of this sketch, was born in 1807; 
Eleanor, born in 1811, became wife of 
Smith Waiters of West Virginia; and 
James Y., who was born in 1814, married 
Sarah Burdette and four children were 
born to them, — Andrew, Mary, William 
and Yeman. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1461 



John Miller married Selina S. Neel, a 
daughter of Joseph Neel of Mouroe Coun- 
ty, West Virginia, and the following were 
the issue of their union : an infant son, who 
was born and died on j\Iareh 5, 1838 ; An- 
drew O., whose name heads this sketch; 
Isabelle R., born May 1-t, 1846; Melvina J., 
born Api-il 1, 1849; and James T. C, who 
was born July 26, 1853. Isabelle R. Miller 
married Robert Burdette of West Vir- 
ginia, and their children are Rosa L. Bur- 
dette, born July 26, 1870; Ella S. S., born 
April 2, 1872; Mary Martha S., born July 
10, 1874; Carrie Judson, boi'u March 15, 
1877; Emma B., born February 8, 1880; 
Robert 0., born February 9, 1883; and 
Clara Elizabeth, born August 1, 1887. 
Melvina J. Miller married Andrew J. Bur- 
dette of Mouroe County, West Virginia, 
and the following are their offspring : Cora 
A., born November 23, 1880; U. Grace, born 
July 8, 1885; Zella M., born April 17, 1887. 
James T. (i. Miller was married to Dorothy 
Edds, and to them have been born four 
children — Vida, born August 21, 1885; C. 
Fay, born February 19, 1887; Myrtle M., 
born March 14, 1893; and Gleuna 11., born 
July 10, 1896. 

Andrew O. Miller went to school in his 
home district, about nine miles west of the 
county seat in Monroe County, West Vir- 
ginia. He taught school for one term in 
each of the following years, 1867, 1868, 
1869, 1870, and in 1871, and in the mean- 
time raiiicd on agricultural pursuits. He 
w;is tlic owner of a farm of 400 acres, which 
he disposed of, and in 1872 he went west 
to Minnesota where he acquired a quarter 
section of land, located about eight miles 
west of Worthington, in Nobles County. 
He continued there until 1874, then sold 
out and after a time returned east, work- 
ing at farming in every state through 
which he passed. He was for a time locat- 
ed in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and 
was able to see much of the country. He 
located in Butler County and engaged in 
house painting, in addition to farming, for 



a time, then moved to Fulton County, 
Pennsylvania, where he continued his 
former occupations and also worked at 
carpentering. He next went to the old 
home farm in Monroe County, \\ est Vir- 
ginia, visiting his mother and assisting in 
the care of the place. He moved to Clarion 
County, Pennsylvania, and again took up 
carpentering and jaainting, in connection 
with farming, then in 1885 returned to 
Butler County, purchasing a drug-store at 
Eau Claire of Dr. R. J. Grossman. He has 
since carried on the drug business with un- 
interrupted success, but has also devoted 
much of his energy to other enterprises. 
He became active in the Butler County and 
Ohio oil fields, and later became one of the 
stockholders in the Eau Claire Telephone 
Company, of which he was made bookkeep- 
er and treasurer. He is a man of excep- 
tional ability in business affairs and has 
prospered. His drug-store and residence 
are located on the same lot, and in addi- 
tion to these he owns the property in which 
the hardware store is located, and a house 
and lot in the south part of the borough. 
He is a stockholder in the Eau Claire Tele- 
phone Company. He is a Republican in 
politics, and for fourteen years was school 
director, and twelve years director and 
trustee of Eau Claire Academy. 

Mr. Miller was a conscript in the 
Southern Army, serving from 1862 imtil 
September 19, 1864, when he was taken 
prisoner at the battle of Winchester. He 
was held prisoner at Point Lookout, Mary- 
land, until March 24, 1865, and except for 
the fact that he^did not always get full ra- 
tions, fared very well, a rugged constitu- 
tion enabling him to stand the confinement 
without ill results. 

Mr. Miller was united in marriage with 
Mary Ann McGinnis, a daughter of 
Thompson McGinnis of Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and they have had four chil- 
dren : John T., who was boi-n June 30, 1 889, 
and died October 2, 1890; Zethina A., who 
was born March 18, 1892 ; T. A. Owen, who 



1462 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



was born May 29, 1895, and is a student at 
Eau Claire Academy; and Rutherford B., 
who was born July 13, 1897, and is also in 
attendance at the academy. Religiously, 
Mr. Miller is a member of the Associate 
Presbyterian Church, of which he is a dea- 
con, and has served twelve years as treas- 
urer of the church board of publication, 
and the church organization. 

OTHO J. GILLESPIE, an electrician by 
profession and a prominent business citi- 
zen of Ferris, Butler County, Pennsylva- 
nia, was born in Morgan County, Ohio, No- 
vember 6, 1874. He is a son of* Thomas B. 
and Sarah (Medley) Gillespie, and a 
grandson of David Gillespie. 

David Gillespie and his wife, whose 
maiden name was Dumars, had the follow- 
ing children who grew to maturity : Alex- 
ander D., who married Nancy Lynn and 
had three children: E. P. (deceased), A. 
D., who is superintendent of the Green- 
ville Electric Light Plant, and A. J. of 
Youngstown, Ohio; Sarah J., wife of J. L. 
Turner, by whom she has a sou, John A., 
of Grove City, Pennsvlvania ; and Thomas 
B. 

Thomas B. Gillespie married Sarah Med- 
ley, a daughter of Bazell Medley, and six 
children were born to them, namely : John 
T., who married Sarah Allen, daughter of 
James Allen of Mercer County, and has 
three children — Lea, May and William; 
Sarah J., wife of Grant Shuler of Wash- 
ington Township, by whom she has five 
children — Sarah, Hannah, Arthur, Chloe 
and Thomas; Otho J.; Haftnah L., wife of 
Robert Hovis of Washington Township, 
by whom she has two children, Eugene and 
Bessie ; David, who is unmarried and lives 
at the home place; and Eugene B., who 
married Jessie Barber, a daughter of Will- 
iam Barber of Washington Township, and 
has a daughter, May. 

Otho J. Gillespie first attended the pub- 
lic schools in Wayne County, Michigan, 
and afterward at Hilliard, Pennsvlvania. 



He then began working about the mines of 
this vicinity and was employed in various 
capacities at inside and outside work. Al- 
ways ambitious for success, he zealously 
pursued a course of study in electricity 
through the International Correspondence 
School of Scranton as a means to that end. 
He installed a plant at the Keystone Mine, 
where he remained one and a half years, 
and in 1907 located at Ferris, which has 
since been his home. In 1909, he was em- 
ployed by the Bessemer & Lake Erie Coal 
Mining Company to put in a plant in West 
Virginia. He purchased the Jerry Hilliard 
farm of sixty acres in Washington Town- 
ship, from A. D. and T. B. Gillespie, and is 
the owner of three houses and lots in 
Hilliard. He also is a stockholder in the 
International School of Correspondence. 
His farm is an excellent property and is 
underlaid with coal, one of the banks hav- 
ing been opened. It has never been tested 
for oil or gas. 

Fraternallv, Mr. Gillespie is a member 
of Hilliard Lodge, No. Ill, I. 0. 0. F. ; and 
Hilliard Lodge, No. 92, K. P. He is a 
Democrat in politics and serves on the 
election board in Washington Township. 
In religious attachment, he attends the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. April 22, 
1908, Mr. Gillespie began an enjoyable so- 
journ in England, which ended June 3, 
1908, when he set sail from Liverpool. 

CALEB B. McFARLIN, a man well 
known to the peo])le of Washington Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, has 
been a resident there since 1881, and has 
been prominently identified with its lead- 
ing interests. He opened the first mine of 
what is now the Nellie Coal Company, an 
incorporated concern of which he is at the 
present time vice-president. It is capital- 
ized at $8,000, and in addition to the sub- 
ject of this sketch, its officers are H. K. 
Wick, of Youngstown, Ohio, president; and 
W. D. Ward, of Buffalo, New York, sec- 
retary iv-l treasurer. Employment is 




OTHO J. GILLESPIE 




JOHN R. HELMBOLD 




THEODORE HELMBOLD 




MRS. MARY E. HELMBOLD 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1463 



given to a force of 127 men, aud 300 tous 
of I'oal are mined each day. Tlie mines are 
located at a point known as Argentine, one- 
lialf mile from a railroad connection, but 
it is expected that railroad facilities will 
be provided in the near future. Before the 
organization of the company, Mr. McFarlin 
had 200 acres of land under lease; at the 
present time 750 acres are leased aud 600 
acres are owned by Mr. H. K. AVick. One 
well was drilled as a test on the Whitt 
property adjoining H. K. Wick property, 
and oil and gas were found in paying 
quantities. 

Caleb B. McFarlin was born in West 
Middlesex, Mercer County, Peuusylvania, 
Pebruarv 18, 1854, and is a son of Samuel 
and Marv ( F\irk].atrick ) McFarlin. He is 
of Scotcli-Irish descent, but the family has 
been estal)lislied in this country for some 
generations l)ack. The uuiterual grand- 
father was Andrew Kirkpatrick, who saw 
service in the Continental Army during the 
Revolutionary War. Samuel and Mary 
McFarlin became parents of the following- 
children: Harmon; Ralph, deceased; 
Mead, deceased; and Caleb B. 

Mr. jMcFarlin is a Democrat in politics, 
but is inclined to be independent, giving his 
supj)ort to the man he deems best fitted 
for the oflice in issue. He is now serving a 
three years' term as road supervisor of 
Washington Township, and is game war- 
den for Butler County. He is a sportsman 
of the highest, and as a marksman is un- 
excelled in the county. He is the owner of 
a valuable farm of 145 acres in Mercer 
County. 

JOHN R. HELMBOLD, a prominent 
citizen, and postmaster at Saxonburg, was 
born at Saxonburg, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, July 5, 1862, and is a son of 
Theodore and Marv E. (Graham) Helm- 
bold. 

The Helmbold family came to these 
parts aliout the same time as the Roebling 



— the pioneer famih' — and has been an im- 
portant one in the upbuilding of this sec- 
tion. The grand))arents, John G. and 
B'rederika (Speack) Helmbold settled in 
Jeflferson Township, Butler County, in 
1834. John G. Helmbold bought 800 acres 
when he settled in Jefferson Township, 
aud there the late John G. Helmbold was 
born. He married Mary E. Graham and 
they had ten children born to them, name- 
ly; John R., Etta L., Charles R., Louis A., 
Clarence E., Elmer G., James A., and three 
deceased. 

With the exception of four years, during 
which he was gaining mercantile experi- 
ence in a store at Evans City, John R. 
Helmbold has spent his life in Butler 
County and identified himself with her in- 
terests. He assisted his father in his 
youth in his store, the latter conducting a 
large mercantile business here through 
many years, and also worked on the farm. 
Since March, 1906, he has been the popu- 
lar postmaster of Saxonburg and, although 
not an active politician, has served on the 
School Board and Election Board. He is 
a man of public spirit and of progressive 
ideas and has recently installed a new tele- 
phone plant, which is a sub-license of the 
Bell Company, and which is a great con- 
venience to the people of Saxonburg in 
general. 

Mr. Helmbold is a member of the Wood- 
men of the World and the Maccabees, and 
was formerly active in the Odd Fellows 
and Knights of Pythias. He has been very 
prominent in the Knights of Maccabees 
and has served in official positions in the 
order for some twelve years. 

DAVID S. CRISWELL*, a leading resi- 
dent of Isle, has been identified with the oil 
industry for many years, and has large in- 
terests in Butler County, as well as in 
other sections. He was born in Clarion 
County, Penna., January 12, 1842, son of 
Robert and Sarah (Pickles) Criswell. Mr. 



1464 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COQNTY 



Criswell's paternal grandfather served in 
the Revolutionary War, and after its close 
settled as a pioneer in Indiana. 

Robert Criswell, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Dearborn County, 
Ind. In early manhood he went to Arm- 
strong County, where he was engaged for 
many years in the hotel business. In 1861 
he went into the oil country and drilled the 
first well on Cherry Run, Venango County, 
but this well did not produce until after he 
had leased it to William Reed, who shot 
the well with a torpedo. It is said that 
this was the first time that this since com- 
mon expedient was resorted to. He con- 
tinued his experiments and operations in 
this iield until he had secured an ample 
fortune, and then retired to Aurora, Indi- 
ana, where he spent the remainder of his 
life. A Democrat in politics, he served as 
justice of the peace at Oil City, Arm- 
strong County. He married Sarah Pickles, 
who was born in England, and of their 
thirteen children eleven grew to maturity. 
The parents were members of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Churcli. 

David S. Criswell was reared near Mon- 
terey, Armstrong County, and from boy- 
hood was associated more or less with his 
father's enterprises in the oil fields. After 
the elder Criswell sold out his interests, 
the subject of this sketch continued his 
operations, which he has since extended all 
over the Pennsylvania oil territory. In 
1890 he began to operate his present lease 
and now has twelve wells that are pro- 
ducing. Since 1902 he has resided in the 
pleasant village of Isle. 

Mr. Criswell's success has been largely 
due to his powers of close observation and 
to his original methods of thought. In the 
prosecution of his daily business he has 
been led to delve deeply into Nature's 
secrets and to inquire closely into the 
causes that have had to do with the laying 
down of the vast stores of petroleum con- 
tained within the earth's crust in order 
that he might have some tangible clue to 



guide him in the selection of new localities 
for drilling and avoid the heavy financial 
losses that are the usual sequel of haphaz- 
ard work in this direction. In his investi- 
gations he has not been content to accept 
the views laid down in the ordinary ge- 
ologic text books, but has developed ideas 
and theories of his own which are in accord 
rather with the doctrine of special creation 
than with the modern geological theory 
that the present condition and arrange- 
ment of the earth's crust and surface is the 
result of a long series of natural processes 
operating successively through immense 
periods of time. His views he has eluci- 
dated in a number of articles which have 
been published at different times in lead- 
ing journals devoted to the oil and gas in- 
dustry. Certainly his success in locating 
profitable wells would indicate that he is 
possessed of knowledge, which for practi- 
cal purposes is superior to any mere the- 
ories developed by college professors, how- 
ever ingenious and attractive they may ap- 
pear in the class-room. 

Mr. Criswell married Miss Mary E. 
Widger, and they have five children, name- 
ly : Robert, Mrs. Mabel Cotterell, residing 
at home; Cecil, who married Robert K. 
Williams, of San Francisco ; Byron Gr., who 
is a i-esident of Rawhide, Nevada; Minnie 
L. Nevins, who resides in New York City. 
In politics Mr. Criswell is a Republican. 
He takes an intelligent interest in both 
local and national governmental affairs, 
but has never sought office. 

W. J. McDowell*, proprietor of the 
McDowell Laundrj^ which is situated on 
South McKean Street, Butler, is one of the 
city's progressive business men and sub- 
stantial citizens. He was born in 1855, in 
Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he 
was reared and educated. 

Mi\ McDowell's early life was devoted" 
mainly to fai-nilng, luit after he came to 
Butler, in ISIH). he einluirked in the laun- 
dry business and established the first steam 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1465 



laundry in the place. He started his plant 
near the flats along the Bessemer Railroad, 
but when the tracks began to encroach, he 
bought his present site on McKean Street 
and on this land built a substantial build- 
ing with dimensions of 30 by 100 feet, with 
boiler rooms in the rear. In 1896 he took 
possession of it and has done a large and 
satisfactory business ever since. He gives 
employment to twenty-one people, makes 
a specialty of fine work, the possibility of 
this being increased as Mr. McDowell con- 
tinues to add superior equipments to his 
already very modern establishment. He 
has other business interests, being a stock- 
holder in the People's Telephone Com- 
pany; in the Butler Silk mill and in the 
American Mower works. 

On March 28, 1877, Mr. McDowell was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Smith, and they 
have four children, namely : Lawrence H., 
who is associated with his father; John Q. 
A. and Paul F., both concerned in the laun- 
dry business ; and James W. Mr. McDow- 
ell is an Odd Fellow, a member of Conno- 
quenessing Lodge. He is not particularly 
active in politics, but cheerfully performs 
the diities of a citizen and is numbered 
with those who represent its best interests. 

JOHN EDGAR THROWER,* general 
fai'uier and stockholder, being particularly 
interested in developing fancy cattle and 
fast horses, resides on his valuable farm 
of eighty acres, which is situated in Clin- 
ton Township, about three miles from 
Saxonburg, on the Laidentown and Saxon- 
burg Road. Mr. Thrower was born 
December 20, 1862, on the present farm, 
and is a son of Matthew and Mary (Alder- 
son) Thrower. 

The father of Mr. Thrower was born in 
Lincolnshire, England. He came to Alle- 
gheny County, Pennsylvania, in early 
manhood, and for a number of years was 
engaged in the charcoal industry and at 
one time was a river man, sailing on both 
the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The 



money with which he purchased the farm 
of his son, John Edgar, was made in char- 
coal. At the time of purchase it was not 
valuable as it now is, because its present 
owner has greatly improved it, but it has 
always been considered excellent land. 
Matthew Thrower married in America 
and both he and wife died in Butler 
County and their remains lie in the old 
Sarver cemetery. They had four children, 
as follows : Thomas ; John Edgar ; Nettie, 
who married John McCurdy, and had one 
son, Walter, since deceased; and Mary 
Jane. The last mentioned is deceased. 
She was married (first) to George Crout, 
who left one daughter, Sadie. She was 
married (second) to Richard Parker. 

Since the death of his father, John Ed- 
gar Thrower has been at the head of the 
farm. He obtained his education in the 
public schools, attended the Love School 
when it was under the care of Professor 
Fulton, and he completed his education at 
the Saxonburg High School. Formerly 
Mr. Thrower raised Jersey cattle, but for 
several years has been more interested in 
Durhams, of which he has a fine herd. He 
raises horses for speed, mainly for his 
own use, but they command a very high 
]irice on account of the records many have 
nuide. Mr. Thrower believes it is as easy 
to raise live stock of good blood as of the 
commoner kind and assuredly it is more 
profitable. Mr. Thrower is unmarried. 
He is a consistent member of the Lutheran 
Church. 

ELI VANDYKE* is a prosperous 
farmer and well known citizen of Marion 
Township, Butlei- County, Penna., where 
he has a well improved farm of eighty-six 
acres. He was born on the old family 
homestead in that townshi]>, Ajn-il 27, 1852, 
and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Mon- 
jar) Vandyke, and a giandson of" Samuel 
Vandyke. 

Samuel Vandyke was of Scotch descent 
and became one of the earliest settlers of 



U66 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Marion Township, where he acquired 300 
acres of land. This was in a wild and 
uncultivated state at the time of his ar- 
rival and it was necessary for him to make 
a small clearing before he built a log- 
cabin, which served as the family home for 
some years. He later built a stone house 
which was one of the best in all the sur- 
rounding country at that time. 

Thomas Vandyke, father of the subject 
of this record, was one of three sons and 
three daughters born to his parents, the 
date of his birth being 1805. He was born 
on the home place in Marion Township 
and died on the same farm in 1880, at the 
age of seventy- five years. He was united 
in marriage with Miss Mary Monjar, who 
was born in Venango County, Pennsyl- 
vania, in June, 1807, and is now living at 
the remarkable age of one hundred and 
one years, and in the enjoyment of good 
health and unimpaired faculties. Nine 
children were born of this union : Isabella, 
wife of J. C. Hutchison; Richard, de- 
ceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Mary Ann, 
wife of James Dugan; Julia, wife of Peter 
Ghost; Sarah, who was wife of John 
Dugan, both being now deceased; James 
McMillen of Marion Township; Frances, 
wife of R. M. Hover ; Joseph, who lives on 
the old homestead; and Eli. 

Eli Vandyke was the youngest of the 
family born to his parents, and spent his 
boyhood days on the old farm. He re- 
ceived but little schooling, his inclination 
being to get out and make his way in the 
world. He lived at home with his father 
and mother until he was thirty years old 
when he was married. He always engaged 
in farming in his younger days, and 
shoi'tly after his second marriage moved 
upon his present farm which he purchased 
of Mrs. Vanderbilt. He has three good 
producing wells on this property and for 
a period of twenty years has been identi- 
fied with the oil industry, leaving the care 
of the farm to his sons. He is at the 



present time pumping for the Mechanics- 
ville Oil Company. 

Mr. Vandyke was first married to Miss 
Orsina Dunlap, who did not live many 
years after their union. They had four 
children: Clarence, Floyd, Joseph and 
Velma. Mr. Vandyke was subsequently 
married to Mrs. Laura Shields, widow of 
Samuel Shields and a daughter of Nicholas 
Yard. A daughter. Miss Ruth, was born 
to them. Religiously, they are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The 
subject of this sketch is a Republican in 
politics, and has consistently supported 
the principles advocated by that party. 
He is a member of the Knights and Ladies 
of Honor. 

GEORGE and CHARLES WEIGAND* 
are prosperous and progressive farmers 
of Butler County, Pennsylvania, the for- 
mer owning a farm in Winfield Township, 
and the latter in Buffalo Township, each 
consisting of fifty acres. They are brothers 
and are sons of Valentine and Henrietta 
(Miller) Weigand, and grandsons of Dan- 
iel Weigand, who emigrated to this coun- 
try from Germany and settled on the 
farms now owned by his grandsons in 
Butler County, Pennsylvania. He clea!""d 
most of the land and was a successful man 
of his day. 

Valentine and Henrietta (Miller) AVei- 
gand became i)a rents of the following chil- 
dren: So])liia, deceased, married Chi'istian 
Kimmer, by whom she had three children 
— Walter, Edna and Eugenia, the latter 
being now deceased; Louise married 
Nicholas Mangel and had the following- 
children — Walter (deceased), Gertrude, 
George and Ermie; Conrad is single and 
lives in Butler; Anna is the wife of Will- 
iam Post, by whom she had three children 
— Chester (deceased), Henrietta and Will- 
iam Lee; George, the next in order; 
Charles; and Mary, who died unmarried. 

George and Charles Weigand are both 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



engaged in general farming and have well 
improved farms; they are public spirited 
and always found in support of such meas- 
ures and enterprises as tend to benefit the 
community. The former operates a thresh- 
ing machine and does most of the work in 
that line in this part of the country. They 
belong to Saxonburg Lodge No. 72, K. P. 
Both are members of the Lutheran church, 
of which Charles is church librarian, and 
on Sundays takes the contributions. 

JAMES M. HINES,* one of Slippery 
Rock Township's large land owners and 
representative farmers and stockraisers, 
resides on his estate of ninety-three acres, 
which is situated on the New Castle Road, 
about one mile west of Slippery Rock, and 
also owns fifty more acres in this town- 
ship, lying along the Plain Grove Road. 
Mr. Hines was born July 17, 1848, in Slip- 
pery Rock Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William and 
Margaret (Robison) Hines. 

William Hines was born in Brady Town- 
ship, Butler County, and was a son of 
Richard Hines, who was born in County 
Down, Ireland, and came to Butler County 
when eighteen years of age. He lived in 
Worth Townshijo, near Brady, in Butler 
County, and there subsequently married 
a Miss Brandon. William Hines spent 
his life in Butler County and both he and 
wife died on their farm in Slippery Rock 
Township. Of their family of ten chil- 
dren, eight are living. 

James M. Hines was reared and edu- 
cated in Slippery Rock Township and like 
his father and grandfather has devoted 
himself to agricultural pursuits. His land, 
naturally fertile, has been made unusually 
jiroductive by his methods of cultivation, 
and he has been equally successful in his 
management of stock, as his fine herds and 
flocks, scattered over his rich pastures, 
sufficiently prove. 

Mr. Hines has been twice married, 
(first) to Miss Sarah Cornelius, who, at 



1467 

death, left four children, namely: Mar- 
garet Lavina, who married E'inley Taylor, 
and has four children ; Lillie Rosella, who 
married Henry Taylor, and has four chil- 
dren ; Viunie Annetta, who married Perry 
Davis, and has one child, Ray; and Irona 
S. Muriel, who married Andrew Pounds, 
and has two children. Mr. Hines was mar- 
ried (second) to Miss Hannah Reed, and 
they have two children— William Reed, 
who is married and lives in Slippery Rock; 
and John Ross, who resides at home. 

Mr. Hines and family have resided on 
the present farm since he purchased it in 
April, 1886, purchasing his second prop- 
erty in 1898. He cultivates both, and in 
1901 he built his commodious modern resi- 
dence on the former farm and made many 
other improvements. Mr. Hines and fam- 
ily are highly respected people of this 
section. Neither he nor his sons are very 
active in politics, but they are all num- 
l)ered with the reliable and representative 
citizens of Slii)pery Rock Township. 

HENRY GERNER,* general manager 
of the G. L. Cabot Gas and Carbon Com- 
pany, in Winfield Township, owns a fine 
farm of 106 acres, which lies on the Sar- 
versville Road, three miles east of Cabot, 
a valuable pro]ierty containing agricul- 
tural possibilities as well as reservoirs of 
gas. Mr. Gerner was born Januarv 13, 
1863, near East Brady Bend, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Anthony and Elizabeth (Boltz) Gerner. 

The i)a rents of Mr. Gerner were born in 
Germany. The father accompanied his 
father to America many years ago, was 
reared on the paternal farm and later set- 
tled on the farm in Winfield Township 
which is now the property of his son 
Henry, and there Anthony Gerner and 
wife died. 

Henry Gerner has lived in several dif- 
ferent States, but his native State and 
county have always been of most im- 
portance to him. During his school period 



1468 



HISTORY OP BUTLER COUNTY 



he was with a brother iu Illinois and later 
he engaged in farming in Bremer County, 
Iowa; bie also visited Fargo, North Da- 
kota, then went back to Illinois and from 
there returned to Butler County. Since 
then Mr. Gerner has been engaged in 
farming and raising stock, on his present 
place, and also iu developing his gas in- 
dustry, this commodity being sold as pro- 
duced to the G. L. Cabot Gas and Carbon 
Company. Mr. Gerner has been identitied 
with this organization for some years. He 
began in a humble position but has always 
had the confidence of his employers and 
his promotion from one position to an- 
other has come about as the natural result 
of his fidelity and efficiency. He has been 
general manager for the past three years. 
On April 5, 1889, Mr. Gerner was mar- 
ried to Catherine Roenigk who is a daugh- 
ter of Henry and Catherine (Schrump) 
Roenigk. They have four interesting, in- 
telligent children: Anna May, Margaret 
G., Herman, and Roy Arthur Henry. Mr. 
and Mrs. Gerner are members of the Luth- 
eran Church at Little Germany. Mr. 
Gerner is an enterprising, progressive 
business man who stands very high 
throughout the whole extent of Winfield 
Township. 

JOSIAH BYERS,* a well known gen- 
eral farmer of Concord Townshiji, and 
owner of a tract of twenty-two acres of 
farm land, resides on a farm of seventy- 
three acres, on which he has a life lease. 
He was born December 11, 1852, in Clarion 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Simon and Christina (Byers) Byers, 
both natives of Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania. 

Simon and Christina Byers resided for 
about thirty years in Clarion County and 
reared a family of twelve children : Henry, 
Simon, George, John, Samuel, and Reuben, 
all deceased; Thomas, Isaac, Mary, ,Jo- 
siah; David, deceased; and Estlier, de- 
ceased. 



Josiah Byers was about twelve years old 
when his parents moved from Clarion to 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Owing 
to ill health and the distance of the school 
from his home, he received but a limited 
amount of schooling. He became a farmer 
by occupation and remained in Armstrong 
County, engaged in agricultural pursuits, 
until 1887, when he came to Butler County 
and located on his present farm in Con- 
cord Township. He has always followed 
general farming and in 1902 purchased his 
tract of twenty- two acres at a sheriff's 
sale. 

In June, 1884, Mr. Byers was united in 
marriage with Anna L. King, who died 
in 1898, leaving four children: Mary, 
Ollie, John and Samuel. Mr. Byers formed 
a second union January 22, 1903, with 
Esther (Miller) Day, a widow, and by this 
marriage has two children: Isaac and 
Hazel. Mr. Byers is one of the pro- 
gressive farmers of the township and is 
regarded as one of the leading and valued 
citizens of his community. 

MRS. ELLSWORTH EWING,* one of 
the well known and very highly esteemed 
residents of Winfield Township, prominent 
iu church and social life iu her community, 
resides on the old Blaine homestead, a 
farm of ninety acres, which is situated 
three miles from Cabot, on the south side 
of the Bricker Road. Mrs. Ewing was 
born on this farm, January 15, 1867, and 
is a daughter of John P. and Nancy 
(Blaine) Bricker. 

The father of Mrs. Ewing died in 1887 
and was one of Winfield Township's well 
known citizens. He married Nancy Blaine, 
who is a daughter of James and Margaret 
(Morrison) Blaine, the eldest of their 
seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Bricker had 
two children: James B. and Anna E. 
After the death of the father the home- 
stead was divided between the two chil- 
dren and James B. carries on the work 
on the farm. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1469 



Anna E. Brieker was educated in the 
country schools and grew into an intelli- 
gent, well poised young woman, with a 
sunny disposition which brought many 
friends. On June 4, 1889, she was married 
to Ellsworth Ewing, who is a son of John 
L. Ewing, the latter of whom is engaged 
in the oil business in Armstrong County. 
Ellsworth Ewing has visited many sec- 
tions in his business of drilling for oil 
and has met with much success. He also 
carries on farming. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing 
have five children, namely: Mabel, born 
in 1889, is a student at the Cabot Institute ; 
John \V., born in 1891, attends school and 
also works on the farm; Estella, born in 
1893, has musical talent which she is pre- 
paring to cultivate; Ralph, born in 1895, 
and Ruth, boru in 1897, attend the local 
school. Mrs. Ewing and family belong to 
the Buffalo Presbyterian Church. She is 
very active in its work and is a leader in 
the missionary and benevolent societies. 
The family residence is a very comfortable 
two-story house set amid pleasant sur- 
roundings. 

JAMES ANDREW GILLGRIST,* who 
is the owner of 100 acres of land in Marion 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
is engaged in general farming and is also 
a dealer in live stock. He was born on the 
old home farm in Marion Township, Sep- 
tember 2, 1868, and is a son of Thomas 
and Maria (Hoffman) Gillgrist, and a 
grandson of John Gillgrist. 

John Gillgrist, the grandfather, came 
to this country from Ireland, and at the 
time he settled in Marion Township, But- 
ler County. Pennsylvania, it was in a wild 
uncuItivalCd stntr. He made a clearing 
and followed fanning here the remainder 
of his long and useful life. He was the 
father of three children — John, Thomas 
and Harvey, of whom Thomas is the only 
one now living. 

Thomas Gillgrist was born and reared 
on the fjiim which is now his home, and 



aided in its clearing. He has always fol- 
lowed farming. His first marriage was 
with Miss Isabella Donaldson, whose death 
occurred a few months afterward. He was 
later married to Miss Maria Hoffman, who 
was reared in Venango County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and who died in February, 1908, at 
the age of sixty-four years. Three chil- 
dren were the offspring of their union: 
John, who lives on the home farm ; James 
Andrew, subject of this biography; and 
George, who married Zella Thompson and 
lives on a part of the home farm. John 
Gillgrist married Minerva VanDyke and 
they have three children — Richard, Del- 
bert and Thomas. 

James A. Gillgrist was reared in Marion 
Township and attended the public school 
during his boyhood days. He learned and 
followed the trade of a carpenter when a 
young man, then turned his attention to 
agricultural pursuits, at which he has been 
so successful. He purchased the old Mar- 
shall farm of 100 acres in Marion Town- 
ship, on which he erected all of the i3resent 
modern and substantial buildings, having 
a Jiighly improved property. 

Mr. Gillgrist was married in May, 1892, 
to Miss Abbie VanDyke, a daughter of 
Jackson VanDyke of Marion Township, a 
sketch of whom appears on another page 
of this work. Five children are the issue 
of this union : Ralph, Hazel, Pearl, Myrtle 
and Dalas. Religiously they are members 
of the Church of God. Mr. Gillgrist is a 
Democrat in politics, and is serving his 
second term as tax collector. He is a man 
of high character and sterling qualities, 
and stands high in public esteem. 

HENRY PFABE*, who owns a fine 
farm of thirty acres, which is situated in 
Jefferson Township, on the north side of 
the Jefferson Center Road, about one and 
one-lialf miles from Saxonburg, was born 
February 12, 1854. in Jefferson Township, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of Henry and Amena (Hoffman) Pfabe. 



1470 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



The father of Mr. Pfabe came to Jeffer- 
son Township from Germany and was one 
of the tirst settlers of Saxonburg. He was 
of that class of men denominated jack of 
all trades, that is he was able to work well 
at various industries and kept himself use- 
fully employed, at the time of his death 
being engaged in farming. His father also 
came from Germany to America and died 
at Red Bank, Pennsylvania. 

The second Henry Pfabe, now of Jeffer- 
son Township, has mainly devoted his at- 
tention to farming, but has also been some- 
what interested in gas production and 
owns a certain percentage in one producing 
well. On his farm he raises the usual 
grains that do best in this locality and also 
plenty of stock for his own use. He mar- 
ried Caroline Cooper, who is a daughter of 
John and Anna Martha (Reiger) Cooper, 
the former of whom is a well known farmer 
of Jefferson Township, where he still re- 
sides with his wife and five children. Mr. 
and Mrs. Pfabe have two children : Anna 
Martha, who is the wife of William Jack- 
son, an employe of the Plate Glass Fac- 
tory at Biitler, and has three children, Le- 
roy, Theresa and Clifford; and Clifford, 
who married Mary Kirkpatrick, and has 
one daughter, Evelyn. Clifford Pfabe and 
family reside at Cabot, where he follows 
the cai'penter's trade. Mr. Pfabe is a mem- 
ber of the Lutheran Church. He takes 
some interest in local politics and has 
served two terms as township supervisor. 

JOSEPH C. THOMPSON*, geneVal 
farmer and substantial citizen, residing on 
his well improved estate of sixty acres, 
situated in Franklin Township, was born 
in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, October 
11, 1856, and is a son of Joseph W. and 
Cordelia (Caldwell) Thompson. 

Joseph W. Thompson was a son of Jo- 
seph Thompson and was born in Beaver 
County, about 1829 and died in 1890. He 
engaged in farming, took a mild interest in 
public matters, voted with the Democratic 



party and held minor township offices. He 
was one of the lihcral su]ip(irters of Mt. 
Zion Baptist Church, lie married a daugh- 
ter of Samuel Caldwell, of Beaver County, 
and of their children the following grew to 
maturity: Elizabeth, wife of Robert Mc- 
Kissick, of Homewood, Beaver County; 
Samuel, a resident of Beaver Falls ; Joseph 
C; Rosanna, wife of George Sarver, of 
Franklin Township; Margaret, wife of 
Martin McAnallen, of Center Townhip; 
John E., of Beaver County; and Mary, 
wife of Frank Thompson, of Freedom, 
Pennsylvania. 

Joseph C. Thompson was six years old 
when his parents settled on his present 
farm. His education was secured in the 
public schools and he has made use of it in 
intelligently and successfully managing his 
land, giving attention to raising corn, oats, 
wheat, potatoes and hay and some excel- 
lent stock. His surroundings present an 
appearance of care and thrift and when the 
residence he has in course of construction 
is completed, it will be one of the handsom- 
est and most modern in type in the town- 
ship. 

Mr. Thompson was married (first) to 
Dillie Rubv, a daughter of Harrison Ruby, 
of Franklin Township. She died in 1884, 
aged twenty-eight years, leaving three 
children, namely: Cora, who is the 
wife of Dr. Ross W. Thompson, of Mc- 
Kean, Pennsylvania; Pearl, residing at 
home; and Jessie, now deceased, who was 
the wife of Robert Moore. Mr. Thompson 
was married (second) to Miss Martha 
Long, who is the daughter of J. B. 
Long, of Franklin Township. Mrs. Thomp- 
son is a member of the Lutheran Church 
at Prospect, while Mr. Tliomi)son belongs 
to the Mt. Zion Ba])tist Church. In poli- 
tics he is a Democrat and has served as 
township auditor. 

JOHN GEORGE SELL*, who is among 
the most successful of the younger genera- 
tion of farmers of Winfield Township, But- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE (^ITIZENS 



1471 



ler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of 
a fine farm of sixty-one acres, all under a 
high state of cultivation. He was born in 
A¥infield Township, is a son of Conrad and 
Catherine (Zier) Sell, and grandson of 
Nunk and Mary (Harding) Sell, the family 
being an old and prominent one in this part 
of the county. 

Conrad Sell was a prosperous fai'mer of 
Winfield Township where he spent nearly 
all the days of his life, dying on March li, 
1906. He was the father of six children: 
John G., August, who married Valley Hes- 
selgesser and has three children — Clar- 
ence, Gladys, and Lionel ; Herman, a stone 
mason by trade, who also follows threshing 
and sawing in the county; Bart married 
Rickie Fernia and has a daughter, Mary; 
William works on the old home farm ; and 
Harrison also is at the old home. Mrs. 
Sell, the mother of this family, lives on the 
old home place, where she has lived for the 
past thirty-six years and is surrounded by 
many old friends. 

John G. Sell received his educational 
training in the public schools of his native 
county, and has always engaged in agricul- 
tural ])iirsnits, at which he has made an 
unqualitied success. He has a comfortable 
home of seven rooms, located on a part of 
the old home place, and has sixty-one acres 
of good tillable land. He was married on 
June 6, 1899, and is the father of four chil- 
dren : Catherine, deceased, Velma V., Ella, 
and Howard. Religiously, he is a member 
of the Lutheran Church of Little Germany, 
and is very active in church work. 

P. W. LEEDOM*, second vice president 
of the Leedom & Worrall Wholesale Gro- 
cery Company, at Butler, one of the largest 
enterprises of its kind in Western Penn- 
sylvania, was born in Warren County, 
Pennsylvania, in 1879, but was brought to 
this citv by his parents, when four years 
old. 

Mr. Leedom secured his education in the 
Butler ]mblic schools. His first mercantile 



experience was gained as a clerk in the 
clothing store of I). A. Heck, of Butler, and 
later with J. N. Patterson, in the same line, 
with whom he continued for eleven years. 
Mr. Leedom then went into the wholesale 
grocery business at Marietta, under the 
firm style of the Worrall Grocery Com- 
pany, and while the business remained in 
Ohio, he served for four years as vice 
president of the concern. Finding a wider 
commercial field at Butler, the business 
was transferred to this city where it has 
been conducted ever since under the pres- 
ent style of the Leedom & Worrall Whole- 
sale Grocery Company, and Mr. Leedom 
has served as second vice president ever 
since its organization. He is an active citi- 
zen, but in taking a stand in public affairs 
he is deliberate and cautious, as he is in the 
management of his own business. 

In 1893 Mr. Leedom was married to Miss 
Ivarine Wilson, who was born in the State 
of New York. They have two daughters, 
Janet and Helen. Mr. Leedom and wife 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He is a very popular citizen and 
is a member of the exclusive Country Club. 

THOMAS D . McFARLAND*, general 
farmer and respected citizen of Clinton 
Township, resides on his valuable estate of 
eighty-five acres, which is situated on the 
Tarentum and Saxonburg Road, two miles 
southeast of the latter place. He was born 
March 31, 1844, in Allegheny County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William and 
Reliecca (Davis) McFarland, the former 
of whom was a son of an early settler, who 
came to Allegheny County from Washing- 
ton County. 

Thomas D. McFarland obtained his edu- 
cation in Allegheny County and as soon as 
old enough, he learned the carpenter's 
trade, at which he worked until he enlisted' 
for service in the Civil War. He was a 
member of the Fiftieth Regiment, Pennsyl- 
vania Infantry, under Colonel Swank, and 
was attached to the Army of the Potomac. 



1472 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



He took part in a number of the serious 
battles toward the close of the long strug- 
gle, and was one of that victorious army 
that compelled the surrender of General 
Lee. In 1882, Mr. McFarland came to But- 
ler County and engaged in farming, and in 
1900 he purchased his present place in 
Clinton Township, on which he carries on 
farming and stockraising. He has made 
many improvements and has a very at- 
tractive residence and large and substan- 
tial farm buildings. 

Mr. McFarland was married (first) in 
1877, to Miss Emma Neely, a daughter of 
George Neely. He was married (second) 
to Miss Martha Baker, a daughter of 
Thomas and Rebecca (Boone) Baker, 
farming people living near Bakerstown, in 
Allegheny County. Mr. and Mrs. McFar- 
land are members of the Presbyterian 
Church. He has long been active in poli- 
tics and has frequently been elected to re- 
sponsible offices, serving both in Penn and 
Clinton Townships as township ti'easurer, 
and three terms as township supervisor. 

SAMUEL RENWICK WIER*, whose 
farm of twenty-five acres is situated in Ad- 
ams Township, has spent a large portion 
of his life in the different oil fields and is 
an experienced worker in the various 
branches of the oil industry. He was born 
on his father's farm in Beaver County, 
Pennsylvania, August 19, 1862, and is a 
son of John and Jane (Pyle) Wier. 

Grandfather Wier came to America 
from Germany, with two brothers but they 
became separated shortly afterward. 
Grandfather Wier came to Butler County 
and married bi;t disappeared shortly after 
the birth of his son John. It is supposed 
by the family that he was accidentally 
drowned. At a later date his widow moved 
to Lawrence Countj^, where she married a 
Mr. Stewart and they had two sons, 
Thomas and James Stewart. 

John Wier, father of Samuel R., grew to 
manhood in Lawrence County and in early 



manhood married Margaret Moffett, who 
died very soon after the birth of their only 
child, Thomas, who was a soldier in the 
Civil War ancl is now a resident of Mis- 
souri. For his second wife, John Wier 
married Jane Pyle, a daughter of Caleb 
Pyle. of Lawrence County, and they had 
the following children: John C; Caleb 
E. ; Johanna, who married James Rander- 
poole; Rosetta, deceased; Samuel R., 
Letitia Jane, who married John Stew- 
art; Mary A., who married Harry Ew- 
ing ; and Amos L. The father of the above 
family died at the age of forty-three years. 
His widow survived him until the age of 
sixty years. 

Samuel R. Wier was reared in Beaver 
County, to which his father moved when 
he was small, buying' two farms there. 
After the death of his father, Samuel R. 
remained with his mother until he was 
twenty years old, on the farm at Camp 
Run, and then went to Butler County and 
rented a farm of Dr. Urvine, who was an 
uncle of his wife. He remained on that 
farm for five years but when the sensa- 
tional discovery of oil was made in Butler 
County, he decided to enter into the oil 
business. He engaged in pumping, tool- 
dressing and drilling all through the oil 
territory of Pennsylvania and West Vir- 
ginia and for ten years was foreman for 
Walker Kirk. In 1904 :\lr. Wier resumed 
farming, at that time inn'cliasing his pres- 
ent property from the liiclinrdson estate. 
It had been badly neglected but Mr. Wier's 
previous experience had given him the 
necessary knowledge required for fertiliz- 
ing the land and he has developed it into 
a productive farm. He has done a great 
deal of improving and probablj' has dou- 
bled the value of the place. 

On November 18, 1884, Mr. Wier was 
married to Margaret J. McAnlis, who is a 
daughter of David and Elizabeth McAnlis, 
of Adams Township. They have five chil- 
dren, as follows: Alva Seward, Joseph 
Howard, Bessie May, Angeliue E. and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1473 



Cecil Quillen. Mr. Wier is a member of 
the United Presbyterian Clmrch. In his 
political views he is a strong Republican. 
He is considerecl a reliable citizen and at 
various times offices of responsibility, in 
the township, have been entrusted to his 
management and the duties of these have 
been efficiently performed. 

JOHN S. SPARGO*, who, for the past 
eight years has been the accommodating 
and popular agent of the Winfield Rail- 
road Company, at West Winfield, has been 
identified with railroad affairs ever since 
he entered into business. He was born on 
his father's farm two miles from Freeport, 
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of Peter and Margaret (Bremer) 
Spargo. 

The parents of Mr. Spargo have lived 
retired for some years. The grandfather 
was a well known river man at one time 
and operated a steamboat between Pitts- 
burg and New Orleans. The children of 
Peter Spargo and wife were Mary, Sarah, 
Amelia, Elizabeth, James and John S. 

John S. Spargo was educated in the 
schools of Armstrong County and later 
learned telegraphing and the first details 
of railroad business, at Butler Junction, 
and has devoted his life to this line of 
work. His duties at West Winfield are 
numerous but are so carefully looked after 
that the safety of the public is ensured and 
the company's full confidence is placed in 
him. 

Mr. Spargo was married in 1897, to Miss 
Emma Krise, who is a daughter of Dr. 
Krise, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, and they 
have six children, namely: Margaret, 
Cecil, Audley, Severinus, Bremer and 
Enos. With his family, Mr. Spargo be- 
longs to the Roman Catholic Church. The 
family home is a commodious residence 
situated on Walnut Street, West Winfield. 
Mr. Spargo is a Maccabee and is affiliated 
with the order at West Winfield. 



PETER W. ALBERT*, one of Alle- 
gheny Township's prominent and most 
substantial citizens, who has resided on his 
valuable farm of 172 acres, since 1896, was 
born in Franklin Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, January 28, 1854, 
and is a son of Peter and Rachel (Miller) 
Albert. 

Among the earliest settlers of Franklin 
Township, Butler County, was Adam Al- 
bert, who was born in Virginia. His fam- 
ily accompanied him into what was then a 
wilderness, and there both he and wife 
died. Peter Albert, son of Adam and 
father of Peter W., was a child when his 
parents came to Franklin Township and 
there his whole subsequent life was spent, 
his death taking place December 17, 1895- 
He married Rachel Miller, who has spent 
her entire life of eighty-seven years in But- 
ler Coimty. Of their children, the six sur- 
vivors are: John D., residing at Prospect, 
Pennsylvania; Peter W. ; Oren M., living 
in Franklin Township; Mary A., wife of 
J. G. McCullough, residing at Kittanning; 
Annie Z., wife of Everett Campbell, of 
Franklin Town.ship; and Rachel C, also a 
resident of Franklin Township. The ven- 
erable mother, now one of the oldest pio- 
neer women of that section, is a daughter 
of Richard Miller, one of the earliest set- 
tlers. Mrs. Albert retains her faculties to 
a remarkable degree and her recollections 
of the early times in Franklin Township 
are very interesting. Both she and her 
late husband were among the founders of 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in their 
neighborhood. 

Peter W. Albert obtained his education 
in the public schools of Franklin Town- 
ship. He learned the shoemaking trade and 
worked at it for eighteen years, during the 
larger part of this time having his own 
business. Later he engaged for some years 
in the oil industry, in Clarion, Allegheny 
and Butler Counties, but in the spring of 
1893, turned his attention to agricultural 



1474 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



pursuits iu Fraukliu Townsljip, aud three 
years later took possession of his present 
valuable property in Allegheny Township. 
During a period of residence in Mercer 
Townsliip, lie served for three years as 
constable, but has accepted no political of- 
fice since locating in Allegheny Township. 
In politics he is a Republican, as was his 
father. 

On October 14, 1876, Mr. Albert was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Youkers, who 
was born in Center Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of the 
late Jacob Youkers. They have four chil- 
dren, namely: Edward R., who lives in 
Allegheny Township; Caroline C, who is 
the wife of J. A. Albert, of Avalon, Penn- 
sylvania; Anna L., who is the wife of Aus- 
tin Ritter, of Allegheny Township; and 
Carl W., who lives at Westview, Pennsyl- 
vania. Mr. Albert and family belong to 
the Allegheny Presbyterian Church. He 
is a member of the order of Maccabees at 
Foxburg, Pennsylvania. 

PHILIP P. KRAUSE*, who conducts a 
general store at Saxonburg, operating un- 
der the firm name of A. Krause & Son, is 
a successful business man and one of the 
youngest merchants in the county. He was 
reared to the business, working in his 
father's store at Marwood during his 
school days, and was about twenty-seven 
years old when he embarked in his present 
business at Saxonburg. His store is one of 
the largest and most complete to be found 
in any village in Butler County, and its 
trade is an extensive one. 

Mr. Krause was born in Marwood, Penn- 
sylvania, June 25, 1877, and is a son of Al- 
phonse and Amelia (Leighthold) Krause 
Alphonse Krause has for many years been 
a prosperous merchant at Marwood, and 
also engages in agricultural ]nirsuits. He 
and his wife are parents of the following 
children: Emma, who is the widow of 
Henry Paul and has two children, Edna 
and Chester; Albert, who married Ger- 



trude Miller and has three children, — 
Gladys, Verna and Kenneth; Lydia, who 
married Rev. Philip Wilhelm and has five 
children; Josephine, who is wife of Harry 
H. Goetz; Hattie; Philip; and Clara, de- 
ceased. 

Philip P. Krause received his educa- 
tional training in the public schools of his 
native county, and in boyhood his business 
education began in his father's establish- 
ment in Marwood. At Saxonburg they own 
the property on which his store and" resi- 
dence are located, the land, which consists 
of two acres, extending fcom Main Street 
back to Water Street. The building is a 
two-story structure of modern arrange- 
ment, is substantially built and equipped 
with a slate roof. He has taken a forward 
position among the progressive men of the 
community, and has been most active in 
the furtherance of its best interests. 

Mr. Krause was married February 21, 
1905, to Miss Clara E. Hartenstein, a 
daughter of Lewis and Caroline (Beck) 
Hartenstein, her father being a merchant 
in Great Belt. Religiously, they are mem- 
bers of the English Lutheran Church, in 
the affairs of which he is very active. He 
is a member of Lodge No. 279, Knights of 
Pythias, and is past chancellor com- 
mander. Mr. Krause is at the present time 
a member of the Saxonburg town council. 

W. D. McCUNE, M. D.,* one of the best 
known physicians in North Butler County, 
with which he has been identified for the 
past twenty-eight years, has been estab- 
lished at Branchton since 1898, coming to 
this flourishing town from Bovard, where 
he had been engaged in medical practice 
for eighteen years. He was born near 
Grove City, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 
October 5, 1847, and is a son of Robert and 
Jane (Devin) McCune. 

Dr. McCune 's boyhood was passed on 
his father's farm, his educational ad- 
vantages being covered by the few winter 
months when farm work was at a stand- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



still. He was ambitious, however, and 
made much of his limited opportunities 
and later entered Grove City College. 
From boyhood his -study and observation 
had been in the direction of medical 
science and after leaving college he per- 
severed until he became a student in the 
medical department of the Miami Uni- 
versity at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which 
institution he was graduated in 1879. He 
immediately settled at Bovard, which vil- 
lage offered a promising lield at that time, 
and from there he came to his new home 
followed by the appreciation and good will 
of those to whom he had ministered so 
long. He has been most cordially received 
at Branchton and has a large and lucra- 
tive practice. His handsome residence he 
erected since coming to this place. 

Dr. McCune married Miss Mary Cos- 
grove and they have one son, Harry B. 
He is engaged as freight agent at Grove 
City for the Bessemer Railroad and is a 
highly esteemed young business man. He 
married Miss May Bovard, a daughter of 
W. H. Bovard, Esq., and to them were 
born three children: Velma, and Henry 
and Harriet, twins. The young mother 
died when her twin babies were six weeks 
old and they are being reared by Dr. and 
Mrs. McCune. The older daughter lives 
with her maternal grandparents. 

In all that concerns the public welfare. 
Dr. McCune has shown a continued inter- 
est, but his professional duties have more 
or less prevented his accepting public 
office. He is a member of the Odd Fel- 
lows, having been identified with that or- 
ganization since he was twenty-one years 
of age. 

WILLIAM ilcINTYRE,* of Danville, 
Butler County, Penna., is engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits and makes his home with 
his sister, Mrs. Martha Iman. He is a 
veteran of the Union Army, having served 
from the first year of the Civil War until 



14759 

r 

its close, and took part in many of its most 
important engagements. 

Mr. Mclntyre was born in Indiana 
County, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1844, 
and is a son of Hugh and Alice Mclntyre. 
His father also served in the Union Army 
during the Civil War and lived to the age 
of sixty-eight years. The mother of the 
subject of this sketch died at the age of 
seventy-six years. They were parents of 
the following children: Nancy J., de- 
ceased; James, deceased; John; Hugh; 
Rebecca; Anna, deceased; William; Le- 
viua; Martha (Iman); Harry; Tillie; 
and Margaret. 

William Mclntyre resided in Indiana 
County, Pennsylvania, imtil he entered the 
army. He enlisted in 1861 at Greensburg, 
Pennsylvania, as a private in Company D, 
Forty- sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- 
imteer Infantry, and served until 1865, 
being mustered out at Ilarrisburg. Among 
the battles in which he took part may be 
mentioned Tunnel Hill, Pine Knob, Re- 
saca. Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Savan- 
nah, Chattanooga and Bentonville, the 
last named engagement being the last 
fought during the war. 

In 1865 Mr. Mclntyre was united in 
marriage with Miss Maggie J. Ingram, 
and five children were born to them: 
]\Iary K., deceased; Agnes, deceased; 
Matilda, deceased ; David E. ; and Mary J., 
deceased. David E. Mclntyre, the only 
one of the family living, is a resident of 
Scottdale, Westmoreland County; he mar- 
ried Lottie Donahue and they have four 
children. 

William Mclntyre was for some years 
a resident of Scottdale, where he served 
as chief of ]wlice, and of Livermore, 
where he faithfully discharges the duties 
of the offices of street commissioner, 
tax collector and constable, at different 
times. He is a member of Ellsworth Post, 
No. 209, G. A. R., of Livermore, and a 
member of the Royal Arcanum, Knights 



1476 



mSTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



of Labor, and Junior Order United Amer- 
ican Mechanics at Scottdale. Eeligiously, 
he is a member of the Methodist Church 
at Livermore, and served a number of 
years as steward and trustee of the church 
organization. 

GODFREY WILKEWITZ,* one of Buf- 
falo Township's substantial citizens, re- 
sides on his farm of fifty-three acres and 
owns a second farm of thirty acres, the 
two valuable pieces of property being 
divided by tlie Bear Creek road and both 
lie about one-half mile south of Sarver. 
Mr. Wilkewitz was born in Dantzig, Ger- 
many, February 20, 1852, and is a son of 
Frederick and Mary (Memberg) A¥ilke- 
witz. 

Jacob Wilkewitz, the grandfather, was 
a soldier under Napoleon in Russia, being 
one of the 22,000 men that the King of 
Prussia turned over to Bonaparte to assist 
him in his proposed conquest of Russia. 
Veteran Wilkewitz returned safely to 
Germany after the disastrous defeat of 
the French army, and, unlike many of his 
unfortunate comrades, was able to die in 
his own land. In October, 1880, Godfrey 
Wilkewitz started for America and he was 
accompanied by his father, Frederick, who 
still survives and enjoys excellent health, 
although he is eighty-six years old. His 
wife died in .Germany in 1871. 

Godfrey Wilkewitz displayed excellent 
judgment when he purchased his land in 
Buffalo Township, its situation ensuring 
its increase in v^lue. He has devoted 
much attention to improving and increas- 
ing the fertility of the soil and in this 
work has used old German methods, which 
have had their benefits shown by time. 
He was the first farmer in Buffalo Town- 
ship to use lime as a fertilizer. He has 
worked hard ever since he came to Buffalo 
Township, but has his reward in now own- 
ing one of the best farms in this section. 
In addition to the property mentioned, Mr. 
AVilkewitz owns a lot in Sarver, on which 



he has a tenant, and which he is holding 
as an investment. 

Mr. Wilkewitz was married in Germany, 
on November 5, 1876, 'to Mary Dumske, 
who was a daughter of Godfrey and 
Louise (Stender) Dvunske, who died be- 
fore Mr. and Mrs. Wilkewitz left their 
native land. Mrs. Wilkewitz died October 
11, 1905, the mother of eight children, 
namely : Frederick, born in Germany, who 
married Mary Herselgesser ; Elizabeth, 
who married John Freeling; and Robert, 
Annie, Lena, Maggie, Willis and Harry, 
the two last named being deceased. Mrs. 
Wilkewitz was a consistent member of the 
Lutheran Church and was a woman who 
was loved by all who knew her. For a 
year prior to her death she had been in 
poor health, but she bore her afflictions 
with Christian fortitiide. Her burial was 
at Sarversville. Mr. Wi-lkewitz and his 
children also belong to the Lutheran 
Church, in which he was a member of the 
council for two years. He devotes his at- 
tention to general farming and to stock- 
raising and makes these industries profit- 
able. His residence is a large two-story 
house and his farm buildings i^resent an 
excellent appearance. He is a highly re- 
spected citizen and a useful member of 
the community, giving liberal support to 
schools and church. 

MILTON CRESS,* a general farmer 
and building contractor, whose home is on 
his own valuable property consisting of 
115 acres of improved land in Connoque- 
nessing Township, was born on this farm, 
jn Butler County, Pennsylvania, April 15, 
1848, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth 
(Riefler) Cress. 

The parents of Mr. Cress were born in 
Ilesse, Germany. The father learned the 
shoemaking trade in his own country and 
after coming to America, settled in Con- 
noquenessing Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania. He lived on the present 
farm for aboiit twenty vears and then 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1477 



went to Missouri, where he subseqently 
died. He was the father of the following- 
children: John, who lives at Colesville, 
Pennsylvania; Nicholas, who lives in 
Beaver County; Henry, deceased; Eliza- 
beth, wild )iiai-nea Casi)ar Fonst. of :\lacon 
Couiity, .\iis>(,ui-i; William, (Icccnscd: Mil- 
ton; Kathei-iiio, who married James Mol- 
lineux, of Missouri; Jacob, who lives in 
Missouri ; Mary, who married John Jones, 
of Missouri ; and Daniel, who resides in 
Missouri. The parents were memliers of 
the Lutheran Church at Butler. 

Milton Cress was reared in Connocjue- 
nessing Township and attended the pul)lic 
schools. He accompanied the family to 
Missouri, lint after three months there 
concluded to return to Butler County. He 
is a natural mechanic and without serving 
an apprenticeship to the carpenters' 
trade has become an expert workman, is 
engaged in contracting and has built many 
houses and barns all through the county, 
having the name of building more barns 
than any other builder in this section. 
They are thoroughly constructed and his 
work has always given the best satisfac- 
tion. For the past thirty years he has 
occupied his present farm and divides his 
time between his building work, having a 
portable saw mill also, and its cultivation. 

Mr. Cress married Miss Louisa Burch- 
ert, who was born in Germany, but was 
brought to America and was reared in 
Jefferson Township, Butler County. They 
are leading members of the Lutheran 
Church at Petersville, in which he has 
served as deacon and elder. He does his 
own political thinking and casts his vote 
independently. 

PETER KINU LAWRENCE* is a 
prominent agriculturist of Muddy Creek 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
and resides on a fine farm of 158 acres, 
located about three miles northeast of 
Portersville, about midway between But- 
ler and New Castle. In addition to this 



property, he owns a well improved farm 
of 200 acres in Worth Township, making 
a total of 358 acres. He was born in But- 
ler County, April 19, 1859, and is a son 
of Robert and Catherine (Keister) Law- 
rence, and a grandson of Samuel Law- 
rence, who came from County Down, 
Ireland, and was a pioneer settler of But- 
ler County. 

Robert Lawrence was a stone mason by 
trade and worked as a foreman in the con- 
struction of the canal. In this employ- 
ment he managed to accumulate a suffi- 
cient sum to purchase 200 acres of land, 
on which he farmed during the remainder 
of his life. He and his wife became par- 
ents of six children, as follows: Martha, 
deceased; Sarah; Samuel, deceased; Su- 
san; Robert, deceased; and Peter King. 

King Lawrence was reared in his native 
township and received a common school 
training, in the meantime working on the 
home farm. He has always engaged in 
general farming, raising enough stock for 
his own use, and has been more than ordi- 
narily successful. He is a man of strong- 
personality and a progressive citizen, who 
enjoys the highest esteem and confidence 
of his fellow men. 

Mr. Lawrence was married September 9, 
1880, to Miss Margaret A. Fisher, a 
daughter of Isaac and Hannah (Wimer) 
Fisher of Worth Township, and they have 
two children: Robert J. and Cora. Rob- 
ert J. Lawrence was married to Mary S. 
Snyder, who died six months later, and 
he formed a second union with Miss Mary 
A. Wilson, by whom he has a son, Albert J. 
]\iiss Cora Lawrence was joined in mar- 
riage with J. W. McCandless, and they 
have two children. Flora Leota and Carl. 
Fraternally, the subject of this sketch is 
a member of Portersville Lodge No. 909, 
I. O. O. F. In religious attachment, the 
family ts Baptist. 

WlLLJA:\t II. RADER,* owner of a 
farm of 165 acres in Forward Township, 



1478 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Butler Coimty, Pennsylvania, comes of an 
old and well known family of that com- 
munity. He was born on the farm on 
which he now lives, in March, 1868, and is 
a son of Peter and Caroline (Sheaver) 
Rader. 

Peter Rader, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born and reared in Ger- 
many. Shortly after his first marriage he 
emigrated to America and located on a 
farm near Middle Lancaster, in Butler 
County, Pennsylvania. While a resident 
there, his first wife died and he formed a 
second union with Caroline Sheaver. She, 
too, was a native of Germany and was but 
eight years of age, when her father, Henry 
Sheaver, moved with his family to the 
United States. In the spring of 1858, Mr. 
Rader moved to Forward Township and 
purchased what has since been known as 
the Rader home farm of a Mr. Deitch. He 
and his wife became parents of six chil- 
dren, as follows : Mary, wife of George 
Briggle; Margaret, wife of Ferd Feigel; 
Lewis; Elizabeth, wife of William May; 
Emma, wife of James Steen, is deceased; 
and William Henry, whose name heads 
this sketch. The ]mrents of this family 
moved to Petersville in 1894, and Mrs. 
Rader there passed away in 1900, at the 
age of sixty-eight years. He died in But- 
ler in 1905, at the age of seventy-four 



William Henry Rader has always lived 
on the home farm, which he inherited at 
his father's death. At the age of twenty 
years he began working in the oil fields, 
teaming and drilling for some years, but 
farming has been his main occupation in 
life. Twenty-seven wells have been drilled 
on the farm, without a dry hole, and he 
now has six producing oil wells on this 
farm; he also has an interest in various 
other wells in this vicinity. He and his 
brother Lewis are owners of the Rader 
Gas Company at Petersville, and together 
they own a tract of 640 acres in Lawrence 



County, mostly coal, limestone and tim- 
berland, which they purchased in 1902. 

William H. Rader was married in 1880 
to Miss Nina Hays, a daughter of Robert 
Hays, and their union has been blessed 
with five children: Stella, Bessie, Clara, 
Hazel, and Clarence. Mr. Rader is a man 
of ability, and a progressive citizen, who 
stands high in the esteem of his fellow 



SHERMAN CLYMORE HUMPH- 
REY*, one of Butler County's substantial 
and representative men, resides on his 
farm of 100 acres, which lies in Worth 
Township, on the Portersville and North 
Liberty road, about six miles north of the 
former village, and together with his 
brother, William H., owns a second farm 
of 100 acres, also in Butler County. Mr. 
Humphrey was born in Worth Townshi]3, 
Butler County, Pennsylvania, September 
21, 1866, and is a son of John and Lydia 
(Studebaker) Humphrey. 

John Humphrey, father of Sherman C, 
was one of Butler county's prominent citi- 
zens. He was born in Butler County and 
was a son of William and Elizabeth (Vo- 
gan) Humphrey. William Humphrey was 
one of the earliest settlers in Worth Town- 
ship and helped to clear the land on which 
his grandson now lives. John Humphrey 
served in township offices and then was ap- 
pointed deputy sheriff and filled that office 
under W. H. Hoffman for thirty years. 
Later he was aiapointed to fill the vacancy 
caused by the death of County Commis- 
sioner John L. Kelley and at the expira- 
tion of the term was elected to the office 
with the largest vote ever given to a com- 
missioner, in the county. He died June 
28, 1895. 

Sherman C. Humphrey completed his 
education at Edinboro and when he re- 
turned home his father retired and moved 
to Butler, and then the young man took 
charge of the farm and since his father's 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1479 



death has been the actual head. He i« a 
mau with iDractical ideas and in the main 
follows modern methods in managing his 
land and finds them satisfactory. The 
stock he raises he keeps for his own use. 

On September 16, 1890, Mr. Humphrey 
was married to Miss Clara Studebaker, 
who is a dau.nJiter of John and Jane (Rut- 
ter) Studeliaker. The Studebakers were 
very early settlers in Worth Township, the 
grandfather, Joseph Studebaker, coming 
as a pioneer. The father of Mrs. Humph- 
rey is still actively and successfully en- 
gaged in farming although he has reached 
his seventy-third year. Mr. and Mrs. 
Humphrey have three children, Thelma, 
Glenn and Grace. The family belong to 
the Zion Baptist Church, being among its 
most active and interested members. 

DR. DANIEL \X. FIEDLER*, a prom- 
inent physician of Harmony, Pennsylva- 
nia, is a representative of one of the pio- 
neer families of Butler County and is of 
German descent. He was born August 9, 
1855, in Harmony and is a son of Daniel 
and Lena (Zeigler) Fiedler, and a grand- 
son -of Jacoli Fiedler, who came to this 
country from Germany and located in Bal- 
timore, ^Maryland. 

Daniel Fiedler, father of our subject, 
was born in Jackson Township, Butler 
County, in 1828, and was the eldest of a 
family of seven children, namely : Daniel ; 
Jacob, a resident of Harmony, now sev- 
entj'^-seven years of age ; George, a resident 
of Hubbard, Ohio; Harrison, who is en- 
gaged in farming near Middlesex, Mercer 
Countj' Pennsylvania; Caroline, residing 
in Harmony, the wife of Abraham Zeigler ; 
^lelissa, deceased wife of Eli Zeigler; and 
Louisa, deceased wife of Gottlieb Pfeitfer. 
The maternal grandfather of our subject 
was Jones Zeigler, a son of Abraham Zeig- 
ler, who purchased all of the holdings, con- 
sisting of 1,500 acres of land, from Jones 
Zeigler. Jones Zeigler, grandfather of our 
subject, married Elizabeth Shontz and 



reared a family of three sons and five 
daughters, namely : Mary, widow of Peter 
Nesbitt, resides one mile east of Harmony 
in Jackson Township ; Lena, mother of Dr. 
Daniel and wife of Daniel Fiedler; Eliza- 
beth, is the wife of Jacob Hobinger of 
Buena Vista, Ohio ; Annie, married Robert 
Crooks of Pittsburg, and both are de- 
ceased ; Barbara, wife of Leslie P. Hazlett, 
president of the Butler County National 
Bank of Butler; Jones, deceased; Aaron, a 
resident of Harmony Junction; and Moses, 
a resident of Zelienople. 

The late Daniel Fiedler was a farmer by 
occupation and for many years conducted 
tlie Harmony Flouring Mill. He married 
Lena Zeigler and to them were born the 
following offspring: Jacob, who married 
Susanna Wise, died leaving four children, 
two of whom are now deceased; Jonas, 
who resides in Butler, married Lydia 
Stouffer and has four children; Daniel W., 
is the subject of this sketch; Benton, who 
married Louisa Schaffer, died leaving two 
sons, one now deceased ; Louisa, widow of 
George Walker, resides at Harmony, but 
was for many years a resident of Neshan- 
nock. Mr. Fiedler died in 1901 and is sur- 
vived by his widow, who is now in her sev- 
enty-sixth year. 

Dr. Daniel W. Fiedler was reared in 
Harmony and attended the public schools 
after which he became a student at Heidel- 
burg College of Tiffin, Ohio, for three 
years. He then read medicine with Dr. Ly- 
man of Butler, after which he studied at 
Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, 
graduating with the class of 1880. Subse- 
quent to his graduation he practiced sev- 
eral years in Pittsburg, but since 1886 has 
been located in Harmony, where he has 
been eminently successful, his capability 
having gained for him the support and 
confidence of the commimity in which he 
lives. 

Dr. Fiedler is a member of the Jetf erson 
Alumni; the State Board, and also the 
Medical Board. He is a Republican in poli- 



1480 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



tics and lias served as a member of the 
seliool board some years. He is fraternally 
a member of the I. 0. 0. F. No. 648, Har- 
mony, and his religions connection is with 
the Grace Reformed Church of Harmony. 

C. I. GOERMAN*, a general contractor 
doing business at Butler, of which city he 
has been a resident since 1902, was born in 
1874, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, 
and grew to the age of thirteen years on 
the home farm. 

About 1887 Mr. Goerman went to Mur- 
rinsville, Butler County, and his first work 
was done in the Glass Works at Ford City. 
In that city he later learned the carpen- 
ter's trade, at which he has worked ever 
since and for the past five years has en- 
gaged in a general contracting business. 
There are many older contractors in But- 
ler than Mr. Goerman but a mention of all 
the work he has done in his line would 
show that in spite of close competition, he 
has had his full share of public patronage. 

In 1896 Mr. Goerman was married to 
Miss Bertha Kopp, who is a daughter of 
the late John Kopp, a well known citizen 
of Butler. Mr. and Mrs. Goerman have 
four children : Helen, John, Gertrude and 
an infant. Mr. and Mrs. Goerman are 
members of the First English Lutheran 
Church. He belongs to the order of A. I. 
U., of Columbus, Ohio. He takes no very 
active interest in politics, but is a fair- 
minded, intelligent citizen wlio does his full 
duty, as he sees it, to his country, commu- 
nity, church and family. 

PETER MILLER*, general farmer and 
representative citizen of Muddy Creek 
Township, whose estate of 112 a^res is sit- 
uated about one and one-half miles south 
of Portersville, on the west side of the 
Mercer road, the highway passing through 
a portion of his land, was born June 8, 
1838, in France. His parents were Peter 
and Catherine (Lights) Miller. 

The parents of Mr. Miller emigrated to 



America in 1847, landing at New Orleans, 
Louisiana, on Christmas Day, and came 
right on to Pittsburg and later to Alle- 
gheny, where the father worked for a time 
as a blacksmith. He then bought a farm 
of 114 acres, in Lancaster Township, which 
is now owned by the present Peter Miller. 
The latter was only nine years old when his 
parents brought him from his native land, 
but he had already been at school and un- 
derstands both the French and German 
languages and later obtained a good know- 
ledge of the English tongue. As both 
father and grandfather had been black- 
smiths, he learned the trade and worked 
for a time as a smith, but has devoted his 
main attention to agricultural pursuits, in- 
cluding general farming and the raising of 
sufficient good stock for his own use. 

Mr. Miller was married (first) to Miss 
Mary Flinner, a "daughter of John and 
Barbara (Rader) Flinner. At her death 
two children survived her : Emma L., who 
married John Bander and has two chil- 
dren — Mary and Walter; and Margaret 
M., who married William Heberling and 
has two children — Florence and Esther. 
Mr. Miller was married (second) to Miss 
Mary Mowery, a daughter of John and 
Mary (Bander) Mowery, and they have 
two daughters: Mary C., who married 
Louis Rutter and has one child, Helen D. ; 
and Anna L., who married W. C. Neer, of 
Steubenville, Ohio, and has four children — 
Bonnie Lee, Dale, June and Blanche. Mr. 
Miller and family belong to the Lutheran 
Church, he being a member of the council. 
He takes no very active interest in politics 
but on one occasion consented to serve as 
road supervisor, declining a second elec- 
tion. 

HON. NELSON H. THOMPSON*, for- 
merly a member of the Pennsylvania State 
Legislature and a representative citizen 
of Brady Township, of which he is audi- 
tor, resides on his valuable farm of 130 
acres, which lies on the turnjiike road run- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1481 



ning tlirougli the eastern part of the town- 
ship, north and south, between Euclid and 
West Liberty. He was born on his present 
farm in Brady Township, Butler County, 
Pennsylvania, March 21, 1848, and is a son 
of Robert W. and Frances (Craig) 
Thompson. 

Robert W. Thompson was born in what 
is now Brady but was then Center Town- 
ship, Butler County, in 1803, and was a son 
of John Thompson, who came from Ire- 
land, after his marriage. He settled first 
in Washington County, Pennsylvania, 
where two of his children were born, and 
in 1798 settled in what is now Brady Town- 
ship on a farm adjoining the one that is 
occupied by his grandson. That farm is 
now owned by the heirs of Rev. William 
Thompson. John Thompson had about 
1,000 acres of land. He died May 15, 1844. 
On the maternal side, the ancestors of Mr. 
Thompson came also from Ireland. His 
maternal grandfather, Andrew Craig, came 
to America late in life but never visited 
Butler County. The mother of Mr. Thomp- 
son was brought to Philadelphia from Ire- 
land, a motherless little girl of seven years, 
by her uncle, John McKinney, and in early 
womanhood she accompanied the McKin- 
ney family when it came to Butler County 
and settled in Concord Township. 

Robert W. Thompson inherited lands 
and stock and always engaged in farming 
although he turned his attention also to 
other enterprises. In 1833 he put up a 
building and rented it out for hotel pur- 
poses, until 1845, after which he conducted 
it as the Forest House, which was situated" 
on the site of his son's present handsome 
dwelling, for six years. He also was post- 
master for years of the Forest Post Office, 
which was later changed to the Memphis 
Post Office. At that time, the turnpike road 
was the main thoroughfare between Pitts- 
burg and Erie, there being then no railroad 
communication. Robert W. Thompson 
lived to be forty-four years old before he 
married and then brought his wife to the 



present farm and they went to housekeep- 
ing in a little red house which their son has 
preserved and utilizes as a summer house. 
Robert W. Thompson died September 9, 
1863, but his aged consort still survives, 
having passed her ninety-third birthday on 
December 24, 1908. They had five 'chil- 
dren, namely : Nelson H. ; Martha V., wife 
of Benjamin Scott; Jennie, deceased; Mag- 
gie, wife of Frank Critchlow; and Robert 
C, residing in Clay Township. 

Nelson H. Thompson was fifteen years 
old when his father died and he has man- 
aged the farm ever since, adopting many 
new methods and making many improve- 
ments. The larger number of the old build- 
ings he tore down and in 1903 he erected 
his present tasteful residence and built his 
substantial silo. He makes a specialty of 
pure milk, selling wholesale and shipping 
from Claytonia to Butler. 

Mr. Thompson married Miss Jessie A. 
Kerr, who was reared in Slippery Rock 
Township and is a daughter of Thomas 
Kerr, and they have four children, namely : 
Robert W., Elsie P., Nelson Kerr and 
James Eugene. Robert W., who is a grad- 
uate of the Slippery Rock State Normal 
Seiiool, is a student of engineering at 
Ursinu College, near Philadelphia. Elsie 
F.; who is also a graduate of the Slippery 
Rock State Normal School, is a successful 
teacher in Allegheny County. Nelson 
Kerr, also a graduate of the Slippery Rock 
Normal School, is a student at llrsinu Col- 
lege. Mr. Thompson and family belong 
to the Muddy Creek Presbyterian Church. 
He has long been active in public affairs, 
has frequently served in township offices 
and ably represented his district in the 
State Legislature, serving through 1901, 
elected on the Republican ticket. 

MILTON HOWARD KELLY,* who has 
resided at his present home in Fairview 
Township, Butler County, Penna., for a 
]ieriod of thirty years, has been success- 
fnllv engaged as an oil pi-oducer for many 



1482 



HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



years and is also in the ice business, sup- 
plying the residents of Chicora. He was 
born in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, 
March 22, 1854, and is a son of William D. 
and Julia Ann (Kelly) Kelly, coming of 
old CJai'ion County families on both sides. 
His paternal grandfather, John Kelly, 
came from east of the mountains of Penn- 
sylvania and located in that county in the 
pioneer days. 

William D. Kelly was reared in Clarion 
County and was there married. He en- 
gaged in farming there until about the 
year 1866, then moved to Callaway County, 
Missouri, where he purchased a farm ancl 
lived for five years. At the end of that 
time he returned to Pennsylvania and for 
one year resided at Martinsburg, Butler 
County. He then lived a like period at 
Angelica, Fairview Township, after which 
he lived tlie remainder of his days in 
Millerstown, dying at the age of sixty- 
eight years. He was survived some years 
by his widow, who passed away at the age 
of seventy-eight years. They were par- 
ents of the following: Nancy, widow of 
Jacob Callender; Prethina, wife of C. J. 
Loge; Minerva, deceased; Darilla, de- 
ceased; Milton H. ; Toi'sa, deceased; 
Joseph L. ; Samuel G. ; Anna, wlio be- 
came the wife of James Stewart; and 
William P. 

Milton H. Kelly was twelve years of age 
when his parents moved west to Missouri 
and was about seventeen when they re- 
turned to Pennsylvania. He remained 
with his parents in their various moves 
in Butler County, and was given a good 
common school education. He engaged in 
farming until he located in the oil regions, 
since which time his energies have been 
devoted to the oil industry. He is a man 
of exceptional business ability, and has 
prospered beyond the average. His ice 
business has also been a source of con- 
siderable income to him. 

April 8, 1881, Mr. Kelly was joined in 
marriage with Miss Emma Duffort, who 



was one of the following children born to 
Jacob and Mary (Hepler) Duffort of 
Fairview: W^ S. Duffort, Emma (Kelly), 
Amelia, Anna, James, Charles, Minnie, 
Grace, Edward, and David, who is de- 
ceased. Mr. Duffort passed away at the 
age of fifty-eight years, ten months and 
fourteen days, and is survived by his 
widow who is living in the enjoyment of 
good health at the age of sixty-nine' years. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have three children, 
as follows: Luella, who is the wife of 
C. A. Fleeger of Armstrong County, and 
has two children, Victor and Ethel ; Beryl, 
who is the wife of C. W. McCollough of 
Fairview Township, and has a daughter, 
Velma ; and Loyal H., who was born Sep- 
tember 8, 1885, and lives with his parents. 
Fi-aternally, the subject of this sketch is 
a member of Chicora Lodge No. 947, I. 0. 
O. F., and has passed through the various 
chairs of that lodge. 

ELRIDGE HARVEY, who is among 
the most prominent of the younger gener- 
ation of farmers of Clinton Township, is 
the owner of a valuable farm of 109 acres, 
located about five miles south of Saxon- 
burg, on the Tarentum road. He was born 
Jime 12, 1879, and is a son of Newton and 
Agnes (Riddle) Harvey. 

Newton Harvey, a son of William and 
Betsy Harvey, was for many years a resi- 
dent of Clinton Township, and was a man 
of wide acquaintance. He was a farmer 
by occupation and highly successful in 
business affairs. His death occurred July 
7, 1893, and the community regarded his 
death as an irreparable loss. 

Elridge Harvey was reared to maturity 
in his native township and received a 
superior education in the public schools. 
He has always followed farming and at 
the time he took the management of the 
home place was probably the youngest 
agriculturist in this part of the county, 
llis i»hice is well improved and he has 
been highlv successful. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1483 



December 23, 1903, Mr. Harvey was 
imited in marirage with Miss Elizabeth 
Smith, a daughter of Joseph and Jane 
(Slagle) Smith, and they have three chil- 
dren — Wilma, Lester and Joseph. Ee- 
ligiously, they are members of the United 
Presbyterian church. 

OEENZO WAYNE EAGAL,* proprie- 
tor of Eagal's mill, in Connoquenessing 
Township, is a man whose milling experi- 
ence covers many j-ears, it having been his 
main interest since he was fourteen years 
of age. He was born July 22, 1866, in 
Center Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a sou of Eli D. and Mary 
(McCandless) EagaJ. 

The father of Mr. Eagal has been a resi- 
dent of Center Township for a long period 
but he was born in Venango County, Penn- 
sylvania. He is a veteran of the Civil War, 
in whieli he served for three years, and 
was wounded at the battle of the Wilder- 
ness. His occupation has been farming 
and he has also given time and attention to 
the duties of public office. He is identified 
with the Eepublican party. He married a 
daughter of Eobert McCandless, of Center 
Township, and three of their four children 
grew to maturity, namely: Nora, who is 
the wife of W^illiam Bortmas, of Center 
Township ; Hetty, who is the wife of Harry 
Thompson, of Butler ; and Orenzo Wayne, 
who is the eldest. 

Orenzo W. Eagal attended school until 
he was fourteen years of age and then en- 
tered his father's mill and learned the busi- 
ness in the mill that he now owns. It is 
one of the landmarks of this section, the 
first mill on the site having been erected 
by William Bryson in 1828. When Eli D. 
FJagal purchased the mill it was opei*ated 
with but three burrs and not many im- 
pi'ovements were introduced imtil its pres- 
ent owner took charge. He has installed 
modern machinery and a 35 horse-power 
engine, and his capacity is about twenty- 
five l>arrels of wheat flour and the same 



of buckwheat flour a day. He also does a 
large amovmt of business in grinding feed. 
Mr. Eagal was married to Miss Dora 
Campbell, a daughter of E. D. Campbell, 
of Connoquenessing Township, and they 
have the following children : Belle, Eobert, 
Wayne, Gladys, Eose and Grace. The eld- 
est daughter is the wife of David Burry. 
Mr. Eagal and family belong to St. John's 
Eeformed Church. In politics he is a Ee- 
publican but the only township office he 
has ever accepted has been that of school 
director. He is one of the reliable, sub- 
stantial men of his section. 

LAWEENCE M. AVHITE,* contractor 
and builder, is a repi-esentative citizen of 
Butler, of which city he has been a resi- 
dent for eighteen years. He was born in 
1868, in Muddy Creek Township, Butler 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Mil- 
ton J. White. 

The White family has lived in Butler 
County for generations, the grandfather, 
Joseph White, establishing his home in 
Muddy Creek Township, in early manhood. 
There he reared his family and spent his 
remaining days. Milton J. White, father 
of Lawrence M., was born in the old home 
in Muddy Creek Township, in 1840, and 
his life was devoted entirely to agricul- 
tural pursuits, after a few years in the 
huckster business at Pittsburg. 

Lawrence M. White attended school 
through boyhood in Muddy Creek Town- 
ship and then learned the carpenter's 
trade at Butler, to which city he came when 
twenty-two years of age. For four years 
he worked at Cleveland, Ohio, and two at 
Pittsburg, but with the exception of that 
period he has been a resident of Butler, 
returning to this city in 1902. He has been 
engaged in biiilding and contracting since 
that date and has clone a large amount of 
the city's excellent work, some of which 
may be seen on the Eberle Block, the fine 
brick residences on North Street and a 
number of other handsome and substantial 



1484 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



buildiugs. He has invested in city real es- 
tate and is engaged in its improvement. 
In 1882 Mr. White was married to Miss 
Myrtle McGinuis, who was born in Arm- 
strong County, and they have one son, 
Floyd Carlisle. Mr. and Mrs. White are 
members of the United Presbyterian 
Church. He is affiliated with the fraternal 
order of the Woodmen of the AVorld and 
belongs to the Builders' Exchange. 



AMOS M. HALL,* residing on his well 
improved farm of 100 acres, which is sit- 
uated in Slippery Rock Township, about 
one mile south of Keister Station, belongs 
to one of the old pioneer families of But- 
ler County. He was born in Clay Town- 
ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, June 
14, 1859, and is a son of Jesse R. and 
Catherine (Dunbar) Hall. 

The parents of Mr. Hall are now aged 
people, but they retain their faculties and 
live in comfortable retirement on their 
farm of eighty acres, situated in Brady 
Township. They were born in Clay Town- 
ship and have been residents of Butler 
County all their lives. 

Amos M. Hall was reared in Brady 
Township and there followed farming and 
teaming until 1888, when he came to his 
present property. This land was unim- 
proved and in poor condition at that time, 
but now ranks well with other farms in this 
township and few of these have better resi- 
dences or more substantial farm buildings. 
Mr. Hall has his farm well stocked and 
owns a large amount of valuable farm ma- 
chinery. 

Mr. Hall married Miss Maggie Renick, 
a daughter of William Renick, and they 
have a very pleasant family of seven chil- 
dren: Reed, Caroline, Alma, Charles, 
Donna, Wilda and Paul. The eldest son 
married Amanda Grove and they have one 
son, Stanley. Mr. Hall is an intelligent, 
progressive man, takes considerable inter- 
est in township affairs and votes according 



to his judgment. He belongs to the Junior 
Order of United American Mechanics. 

SAMUEL N. TAGGART,* one of Worth 
Township's representative men and suc- 
cessful agriculturists, lives on his valuable 
farm of 100 acres, which is situated on the 
highway between Butler and New Castle 
road and about three and one-quarter miles 
southwest of Slippery Rock. Mr. Taggart 
was born on his present farm in Worth 
Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, 
April 15, 1857, and is a son of John W. 
and Martha (Hoge) Taggart. 

The father of Mr. Taggart was born on 
the Worth Township farm and died here 
in September, 1899. His parents were 
John and Mary (McDonald) Taggart, who 
settled in AVestern Pennsylvania in 1800, 
and his grandparents were James and 
Elizabeth (Hines) Taggart. The latter 
couple probably came to America from Ire- 
land about 1795 and in 1800 came to But- 
ler County and made the first settlement 
on the land now owned by Samuel N. Tag- 
gart, who was born in the second log house 
built on the place. The father of Mr. Tag- 
gart, John AV. Taggart, was both a farmer 
and carpenter and was one of the best 
known men of this section. He married 
Alartha Hoge, who died about 1899 and 
both she and her husband were buried in 
the cemetery at AVest Liberty. They had 
two children: Mary J., wlio is the wife 
of C. J. McLaughlin; and Samuel N. 

Samuel N. Taggart was reared on the 
home farm and from boyhood has taken an 
interest in all kinds of farm work. As 
soon as he finished school he began to ma- 
terially assist liis father and later assumed 
about all the responsibility, being the only 
son. He carries on general agriculture and 
raises stock and Percheron horses, hav- 
ing annually some to sell. Since coming 
into the home property, Mr. Taggart has 
done a large amount of improving and his 
farm buildings are of substantial construc- 
tion and of commodious size. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1485 



On December 29, 1881, Mr. Taggart was 
married to Miss Mary E. Dennisou, who 
is a daugliter of Alexander and Margaret 
(Wright) Dennison. The Deunisons were 
of old Mercer County stock, while the 
Wrights were pioneers in Washington 
County; Mr. and Mrs. Taggart have had 
five children, namely : Ida May, who mar- 
ried W. M. McDeavitt, and has two chil- 
dren, Ora L. and Berenice M. ; Clyde, 
Emma C. and William J., who live at 
home; and Harry E., who is deceased. 
Mr. Taggart has the satisfaction of know- 
ing that all his family belong to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church with himself and 
all are active Christian workers. 

GIDEON R. ALLEN,* a prominent citi- 
zen of Clay Township and one of the large 
landowners of this section, resides on one 
farm of 139 acres, which lies on the road 
between Hallston near to the Muddy Creek 
Church, and owns also a second farm, con- 
taining 117 acres, situated north of the 
one on which he lives. Mr. Allen was born 
in 1840, on a farm in Clarion County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Robert and 
Caroline (Richardson) Allen. 

The mother of Mr. Allen died when he 
was three years old and when he was four- 
teen, his father returned to the homestead 
farm on which he was born, in Clay Town- 
ship, Butler County, which had been set- 
tled by the grandfather, Stephen L. Al- 
len, in 1800. Gideon R. Allen has lived 
continuously in Clay Township from that 
time until the present, with the exception 
of his long period of service in the Civil 
War, and one year spent in Missouri. 

Mr. Allen had just reached his majority 
when the country became convulsed by 
Civil War. He immediately decided to of- 
fer his services in defense of the flag he 
had been taught to reverence, and by Oc- 
tober 12, 1861, had so arranged his affairs 
that he felt at liberty to leave everything 
behind and enter the army. He then en- 
listed in Company H, Seventy-eighth Regi- 



ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 
which was commanded by Capt. William S. 
Jack and Col. W\ G. Sirwell, and .entered 
vipon a long and dangerous service which 
covered three years and two months. Dui-- 
ing all this period Mr. Allen was ever at 
the post of duty and his remarkable record 
shows that he was a soldier who not even 
once was off duty for a single day, never 
missed a roll call, never fell sick and suf- 
fered neither imprisonment nor injury in 
battle. Further than this the record 
proves that he participated in a large num- 
ber of the most serious battles of the whole 
war and looking back over his experiences, 
he can scarcely understand how he could 
have escaped the misfortunes which left 
many of his comrades to fill unknown 
graves or to pass through life as disabled 
pensioners of the Government. He took 
part in the following engagements in 
1861-2: Wildcat Gap, October 21; Mill 
Spi'ings, Kentucky, January 19; Shiloh, 
Tennessee, April 6-7; Murfreesboro, Ten- 
nessee, July 13 ; Richmond, Kentucky, Au- 
gust 30 ; Mumfordville, Kentucky, Septem- 
ber 14-16 ; Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 
and Stone River, Tennessee, December 31. 
In 1863 he participated in the following 
battles, again, 'as his record discloses, be- 
ing ever at the post of duty : Port Donel- 
son, Tennessee, February 3; Thompson's 
Station, March 4-5; Hoover's Gap, Tennes- 
see, June 24 ; Liberty Gap, Tennessee, June 
25; Shelbyville, Tennessee, June 27; Mor- 
gan's Raid, Kentucky, July 2-26; Chicka- 
mauga, Georgia, September 19-20; Wau- 
hatciiie, Tennessee, October 27; Mission- 
ary Ridge, Tennessee, November 23-25; 
and Ringold Station, Georgia, November 
27. In 1864 the battles were no less im- 
portant, February 27 chronicled by Buz- 
zard's Roost, Georgia; and on the way to 
Atlanta, beginning May 1 and terminating 
May 31, Mr. Allen took part in the engage- 
ments at Red Clay, Rocky Face Ridge, 
Tunnel Hill, Mill Creek or" Dug Gap, Buz- 
zard's Roost Gap, Varnell's Station, 



1486 



HISTOEY OF BUTLER COUNTY 



Eesaca, Tilton, Tanner's Bridge, Adairs- 
ville, Rome, Kingston, Dallas, New 
Hope Church, Burned Hickory, Pumpkin 
Vine Creek, Allatoona Hills, Cassville Sta- 
tion, Burned Church and Moulton. In ad- 
dition, daily and even hourly there were 
skirmishes and attacks that only constant 
vigilance could prevent being dangerous 
to the Federal troops and these demanded 
courage and endurance that sadly tried the 
already over wearied soldiers. Mr. Allen's 
term of enlistment expired October 14, 
1864, and at that time he was with that 
portion of his regiment that had been 
mounted and, under the command of Gen- 
eral Thomas, was guarding the rear of 
General Sherman's army which was on 
its way to the sea. Mr. Allen was mus- 
tered out of the service at Kittanning, 
Pennsylvania, and reached his home on 
Hallow Eve, 1864. 

For some years Mr. Allen worked as a 
driller and tool dresser in the Butler oil 
tields and spent one year, 1867, in Mis- 
souri, and then engaged in farming on the 
homestead, in 1870 purchasing his present 
property, where he carries on general 
farming and stock-raising. 

In 1892 Mr. Allen was married to Miss 
Leah Christley, who is a daughter of Will- 
iam Christley, and they have two children : 
Gideon R. and Manila Bay. He takes no 
very active part in politics but has always 
proved himself a worthy citizen. He is 
identified with the order of Odd Fellows. 

B. M. HOCKENBERRY,* who resides 
on his valuable farm of 180 acres, which 
is situated in Cherry Township, is one of 
the extremely well educated and progres- 
sive citizens of this section. He was born 
in Cherry Township, Butler County, Penn- 
sylvania, October 12, 1875, on a farm ad- 
joining the one he owns, and is a son of 
William and Frances (Cowan) Hocken- 
berry. 

The Hockenberry family is an old ])io- 
neer one of this section. Tlie late AVill- 



iam Hockenberry was born in Cherry 
Township, where he spent his life, mainly 
engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died 
March 14, 1883, his widow still surviving. 

B. M. Hockenberry attended the Pipe 
Stem country school and later the West 
Sunbury Academy, going from there to the 
Slippery Rock Normal School and still 
later to Grove City College. Mr. Hocken- 
berry has divided his attention, giving a 
part of his time to operating his large 
farm, which was formerly known as the 
old John Smith farm, and a part to teach- 
ing school. He has taught the Coaltown 
School, formerly known as the Pigeon 
AVing School, the old buildings having been 
destroyed by the cyclone of 1880, for some 
five terms and is a capable and popular 
educator. 

Mr. Hockenberry was married to Miss 
Delia Campbell, who is a daughter of John 
Sheppard Campbell, Esq., one of the most 
prominent citizens of Cherry Township, 
and they have three children: Margaret, 
Benj. and Alice. Mr. Hockenberry is a 
member of the fraternal order of the 
Woodmen of the World. 

WILLIAM FRANKLIN BOOK* is a 
well known citizen and agriculturist of 
Worth Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and owner of a farm of 225 acres, 
located about four miles north of Porters- 
ville, just off the Pittsburg and Mercer 
Pike. He was born on the old Book home- 
stead a]5out two miles north of his pres- 
ent home, February 3, 1856, and is a son 
of Thomas and Sarah (Bennett) Book, be- 
ing an only child. His grandfather, George 
Book, Jr., and great-grandfather. Captain 
George Book, came from across the moun- 
tains and settled in Worth Township dur- 
ing the pioneer days. Captain George 
Book was captain of a military company 
which marched from Butler County to 
Erie, Pennsylvania, where they joined Col- 
onel Prescott's command for service dur- 
ing the War of 1812. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1487 



William F. Book attended the public 
schools of his home vicinity and being the 
only child in the family, much of the work 
on the farm devolved upon him at an early 
age. He has always followed general farm- 
ing with a high degree of success, and is 
endowed with exceptional business quali- 
fications. He has 225 acres of good tilla- 
ble land, on which he has a fine modern 
home and the other necessary and sub- 
stantial farm buildings. 

Mr. Book was married in May, 1884, to 
Miss Lizzie Humphrey, a daughter of John 



and Lydia (Studebaker) Humphrey, and 
they are parents of four children: Mabel, 
who is a graduate of the local schools and 
resides with her parents ; Walter, who at- 
tended Eose Point High School and is now 
practically in charge of the farming opera- 
tions at home; Alta, who is in attendance 
at the Slippery Rock State Normal School ; 
and Fred, who is in the public schools. 
Fraternally, the subject of this sketch is a 
member of Portersville Lodge, No. 909, 
I. 0. F., and takes a very pi'omiuent 
part in the work of the order. 



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